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Year in review: Everything Apple released across all of 2019

Chance Miller | Dec 28 2019 - 8:28 am PT

Apple to hold in-person 'AI summit' event for employees at Steve Jobs Theater

The year 2019 was a busy one for Apple, spreading countless hardware and software releases out through the entire year. Ranging from several updates to the Mac lineup and the iPhone 11 Pro to the Apple Watch Series 5 and AirPods Pro, Apple had updates and releases across all of its product lineups in 2019.

Read on as we recap everything — software and hardware included — that Apple released in 2019.

January

As is usually the case, January started off slowly for Apple. December 2018 was a busy month for Apple, with new accessories, the Apple Watch ECG feature, and more, so it only makes sense for January 2019 to have been a bit quieter.

The lone hardware announcement of January: A Smart Battery Case for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR with Qi charging support.

Elsewhere, January included the public releases of iOS 12.1.3, tvOS 12.1.2, watchOS 5.1.3, and macOS 10.14.3. These updates included bug fixes and performance improvements.

Apple’s January 2019 releases:

February

February was equally as quiet. The month didn’t include any hardware releases, but it did continue the iOS 12 refinement process with the release of iOS 12.1.4. That release was particularly notable as it included a fix for the FaceTime eavesdropping bug.

Apple’s February 2019 releases:

Apple releasing iOS 12.1.4 to fix FaceTime eavesdropping bug later today

March

After a slow start to the year, things finally picked up for Apple in March. The month brought the first Apple event of the year, with a unique focus on services. Apple officially debuted its new Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, and Apple News+ services. Apple Card was also officially debuted at the event.

In addition to those services announcements, Apple also released iOS 12.2, tvOS 12.2, and watchOS 5.2 to the public. Finally, March included several new hardware announcements as well.

Apple released the second-generation AirPods, a new iPad Air, and a new iPad mini in March via press releases.

Apple’s March releases:

April

After a busy March full of software, hardware, and services, things slowed down again in April. Apple continued beta testing iOS 12.3 and quietly released tvOS 12.2.1 to the public.

Apple’s April releases:

tvOS 12.2.1 with bug fixes and improvements for Apple TV now available

May

While there was no official Apple event in May, the month included one of the more memorable hardware announcements of the year. Powerbeats Pro were released to the public, bringing the fitness-focused design in a truly wireless form factor.

In addition to Powerbeats Pro, Apple also released a new 7th generation iPod touch with a faster processor and new storage option. In terms of software, Apple released iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 to the public with the new TV app, as well as watchOS 5.2.1 and macOS 10.14.5.

Last but not least, Apple rounded out May with powerful new 8-core MacBook Pro models. These new MacBook Pros also included Apple’s third-generation Butterfly keyboard technology.

Apple’s May releases:

June

As usual, June was a busy month for Apple as it held its annual Worldwide Developer Conference in San Jose. In addition to some hardware news, the software announced at WWDC paved the way for the rest of the year.

Apple unveiled iOS 13, iPadOS 13, watchOS 6, tvOS 13, and macOS Catalina at WWDC 2019. In terms of hardware, WWDC included the official announcement of a new modular Mac Pro as well as the Pro Display XDR.

Apple’s June releases:

July

Whereas July is usually a relatively quiet month from Apple with a focus on beta testing, that wasn’t the case this year. Apple kicked off July with a bang, releasing a new entry-level MacBook Pro with new Intel processors, Touch ID, and the Touch Bar. The MacBook Air also got a refresh, adding a True Tone display and receiving a $100 price drop.

Apple also released iOS 12.4, tvOS 12.4, watchOS 5.3, and macOS 10.14.6 to the public, as well as a new Texas Hold ‘Em game for iOS.

Apple’s July releases:

August

Following its announcement in March, Apple Card was officially released to users in the United States in August. Apple Card offers benefits such as 3% cash back and deep integration with iOS and the Wallet app. Also in August, Apple released iOS 12.4.1, tvOS 12.4.1, macOS Mojave 10.14.6, and watchOS 5.3.1, and began the process of beta testing iOS 13.1.

Apple’s August releases:

September

A quiet August paved the way for a busy September full of new hardware and software. Apple kicked off the month with its “By Innovation Only” event on September 10. This event included the announcement of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, as well as the Apple Watch Series 5 and 7th-generation iPad.

September also kickstarted what would end up being an incredibly busy end of the year for software releases. Not only was iOS 13 released to the public, but so were iOS 13.1, iOS 13.1.1, and iOS 13.1.2.

Apple’s September software releases:

Apple’s September hardware releases:

October

In October, Apple’s focus on iOS 13 improvements continued with another round of updates focused on bug fixes and performance improvements. The most notable update came with iOS 13.2, which included the Deep Fusion camera processing system, Siri privacy settings, and more.

Throughout the month of October, there was quite a bit of speculation on whether Apple would held another special event. Ultimately, that never came to fruition, but Apple did announce the all-new AirPods Pro via a press release as well as the Beats Solo Pro.

Meanwhile, macOS Catalina was also released to the public in October, bringing new applications, security improvements, and more. Beats Solo Pro were also released in October.

Apple’s October releases:

November

November kicked off with the official launch of Apple TV+ as the home for Apple’s original TV shows and movies. Apple has gradually added new content to Apple TV+ since its debut at the beginning of November. Apple also released new software updates for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

In terms of hardware, Apple debuted the long-awaited 16-inch MacBook Pro midway through November. The 16-inch MacBook Pro includes a new “Magic Keyboard” design, slightly slimmer bezels, and more. Apple also released new Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, which include a new physical camera button for the first time.

Apple’s November releases:

December

Last but not least, December brought more software updates and the long-awaited Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR. Orders for the new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR began on December 10, and many early customers got their orders before the end of the year.

Apple also released iOS 13.3, watchOS 6.1.1, and tvOS 13.3 to the public in December. These updates include new customization options and continued bug fixes and performance improvements. macOS 10.15.2 was also released with a new iTunes Remote feature.

Apple’s December releases:

Wrap-up

2019 was a big year for Apple and its platforms. While iOS hit a few roadblocks in terms of stability, things got a lot better, thanks to continued, regular updates with critical bug fixes and performance improvements.

Apple also released major hardware updates to its iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac lines this year, and there’s a lot still to come in 2020. Apple’s Tile-like item tracker is still unannounced, while we also expect new MacBook and iPad Pro models.

Be sure to check out our full report card for Apple’s 2019 performance right here. What do you think of Apple’s 2019? How would you rate the company’s performance? Let us know down in the comments.

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