NEW from Apple

Happy Hump Day! In today’s digest, I’m covering everything announced at Apple’s latest event, a new update from a beloved design tool, and more. But first…

The headlines: 

🤖 OpenAI is building a ChatGPT feature that can search the web and cite sources.

🧑‍⚖️ TikTok plans to sue to block a US bill that would force its sale or be banned.

💰 Victims of the FTX scandal are set to receive up to $16B in compensation

Apple really "let loose" at yesterday's event. Pun absolutely intended, since that was the event's name.

As anticipated, Apple announced a suite of new updates, including a super-thin iPad, more robust chips, and an upgraded Apple Pencil. 

Let's dive into the details:

New iPads: The highlight, of course, was the iPads, especially the new Pro model. Not only is it the thinnest product Apple has ever created (thinner even than the iPod Nano — remember those?), but it also features the new M4 chip and an OLED display.

The iPad Air and standard models weren't left out; they received upgrades too. Additionally, a new MacBook-like magic keyboard made its debut.

M4 Chip: Since the launch of the M1 chip in 2020, Apple's M series has achieved near-mythical status in the tech world. The fourth iteration, the M4, now features a 10-core CPU and GPU. Apple claims it's 50% faster than the M2, dubbing it an "outrageously powerful chip for AI."

Apple Pencil: Just a year after the launch of a more affordable, USB-C compatible Apple Pencil, Apple introduced a more advanced version. The new Apple Pencil Pro offers haptic feedback, a squeeze gesture that brings up a mini-menu, and includes FindMy functionality. Interestingly, the iPad Pro is actually thinner than this new pencil.

So there you have it, a quick roundup of Apple’s first product event this year. I’m already excited to see what’s on the agenda for WWDC.

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LEADERBOARD LIFTOFF 

Musho was the most upvoted design product of April. It’s a Figma assistant that turns prompts into websites.

Browsers are one of those things that follow a fairly established recipe. Not much changes between different offerings. Until you come across Arc by the Browser company, a browser that flips the traditional layout around to optimize for organization. It comes with the ability to quickly edit sites to your liking, AI features, and more. Makers love it too, going so far as to cite the browser as crucial to their build.

“Not just a pretty browser - Arc turned out to be a game-changer for our workflows & productivity working across a massive tech stack. We love Arc & the team behind it,” said the makers behind Stackradar.

Before Figma, there was Sketch. Sketch took designers out of Photoshop and into vector-based design. Now, fourteen years after it first hit the market, the team has launched Sketch 100, a massive update with new features like a command bar, advanced prototyping, and more.