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Apple Scary Fast Event: New M3 MacBook Pros And iMac
The latest chip upgrades promise huge power and efficiency increases.
Apple unveiled its latest Mac refresh at its “Scary Fast” live-streamed event on Monday, which, incidentally, was the first of its kind to be shot entirely on an iPhone (specifically, the new iPhone 15 Pro Max).
“We’ve got something special for you tonight. No tricks, just treats,” teased Apple chief executive Tim Cook on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, before the event.
The “Scary Fast” moniker turned out (rather unsurprisingly) to be a reference to the company’s M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, which promise huge increases in power and efficiency while reducing the system’s reliance on memory.
“M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max are the most advanced chips ever built for a personal computer,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technology.
“Apple silicon has completely redefined the Mac experience. Every aspect of its architecture is designed for performance and power efficiency”, he added.
The New 24-Inch iMac
Since its 2021 launch, the iMac hasn’t benefited from a single spec bump. That situation has now been rectified, with Apple boosting the tired M1 processors inside the colorful all-in-one PC for its latest M3 chip, doubling the already speedy device’s performance in the process.
Although the rest of the iMac 24 is largely unchanged, Apple claims to have tweaked the display quality, which now offers 11.3 million pixels and more than a billion colors, as well as adding faster wireless connectivity.
“We are excited to give iMac a big boost in performance with the M3 chip,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering.
“The new iMac with M3 is incredible for anyone, especially those who have not yet upgraded from Intel, providing a giant leap in performance and capabilities,” he added.
Online pre-orders for the new iMac are already being taken, with prices starting at $1,299 and deliveries expected to start from November 7.
The Latest MacBook Pros
Apple also announced a new MacBook Pro line-up with an M3 chip upgrade to both the 14 and 16-inch versions of the laptop, offering “phenomenal sustained performance” for machine learning programmers, 3D artists, and video editors.
Also Read: MENA Online Electronics Sales Grew By 7% In 2023
Starting at $1,599, the new MacBook Pros are now available for pre-order. Customers will begin to take delivery from November 7 to coincide with the laptops’ arrival in Apple stores.
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Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Also Read: Protecting Your WhatsApp Account From Hackers: Kaspersky Expert Tips
The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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