Apple today updated its website to indicate that the Mac Pro now ships with a USB-C to USB-C charging cable in the box, instead of a USB-C to Lightning cable, and we have learned that the high-end desktop computer now comes with the new USB-C versions of the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard accessories in the box as well.
There are no other changes to the Mac Pro today beyond the Magic accessories and charging cable switching from Lightning to USB-C.
Apple released the current Mac Pro with the M2 Ultra chip in June 2023, with pricing starting at $5,999 in the United States.
Apple Intelligence is what Apple is calling its artificial intelligence feature set, previewed at WWDC in June 2024. The first Apple Intelligence features launched with iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, but this is only an initial taste of what Apple has planned.
There are a selection of Apple Intelligence features that are available now, along with additional capabilities that will be rolling out across the rest of 2024 and 2025.
Apple Intelligence Features Available Now
Writing Tools
Proofread text checks for spelling and grammar errors, including word choice and sentence structure. You can accept all suggestions with a tap or go through them one by one with explanations.
Rewrite cleans up what you've written and shifts the tone without impacting your content. Options include Friendly, Professional, and Concise.
You can select text and get a summary of it with Apple Intelligence. You can choose to create a paragraph, pull out key points, make a list, or create a table. Summaries are available in Mail, Messages, and more.
As of iOS 18.2, there is an open-ended Writing Tools option that lets you describe a change you want to make to something you've written. You can choose any mood or writing style that you want, with varying degrees of success.
Also in iOS 18.2, Writing Tools has a "Compose" feature that uses Siri ChatGPT integration. With this option, Siri can leverage ChatGPT to compose writing from scratch rather than just rewriting text.
You can select any text on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and use Apple Intelligence to access Writing Tools for summaries and other features.
There's a new glow around the edges of the display when Siri is activated, applicable to iPhone, iPad, and CarPlay. On Mac, the Siri window can be placed anywhere. The glow animates responsively to the sound of your voice so you can tell when Siri is listening without interrupting other things you're doing.
A double tap at the bottom of the display brings up the Type to Siri interface so you can type requests instead of speaking them. On Mac, you need to press the Command key twice to bring up Type to Siri. Type to Siri includes suggested requests so you can get your questions answered faster.
Siri can maintain context between requests so you can ask a question and then reference it in a second reply. If you ask about the temperature in Raleigh, for example, and then follow up with "what's the humidity?" Siri should know you mean in Raleigh.
If you stumble over your words when speaking to Siri, or change what you're saying mid-sentence, Siri will follow along.
Siri has Apple's product knowledge and support base for answering questions about your device's features and settings, and can even find settings when you don't know the exact name by using natural language search.
Mail
There is a summarize button for summarizing any of your incoming emails, plus you will see a brief summary of an email in your inbox list rather than the first few lines of the email.
Mail surfaces time sensitive messages first when applicable, putting them at the top of your inbox so you see what's important right away.
Smart Reply provides quick-tap responses to emails that you've been sent, with contextual options based on what's in the email.
Multiple notifications from Mail will be summarized on your Lock Screen so you can see what's in an email without opening the app.
Messages
Messages has Smart Reply options for incoming texts, which analyze the content of messages to offer suggestions of what you might want to say.
Multiple Messages notifications are summarized on your Lock Screen.
You can use all of the Writing Tools features in the Messages app for proofreading and refining what you're planning to send.
Photos
You can create a Memory Movie with just a description, such as "My cat in 2024," or "Orlando in the summer." The feature automatically picks relevant photos and chooses songs, but you can tweak through the Memory Mixes feature or choose a mood to guide the direction of the audio. You can also add in specific scenes and images you want to see throughout the memory when you're creating the prompt.
Natural language search is available in Photos, so you can just describe what you're looking for, such as "Eric rollerskating while wearing green."
Search can also find specific moments in video clips.
Search offers up smart complete suggestions for narrowing down what you might want to find.
Clean Up
The Photos app also includes "Clean Up," a feature that lets you remove unwanted objects from your photos. The Clean Up tool in the Photos app is able to automatically detect objects in an image that might not be wanted, but you can also tap, circle, or brush over an unwanted object to remove it.
Zooming in on an image can help with using a finger as a brush to remove smaller blemishes and issues with an image, and it is intelligent enough not to remove part of a person even if a person or main subject is selected.
Clean Up works on all images in the Photos library, including older images and images captured by other devices like a point and shoot camera or a DSLR.
Transcription Summaries
In Notes and other apps, you can record audio and get a transcript along with a summary of your transcript, which is useful for recording lectures and other audio. Transcription isn't an Apple Intelligence feature, but summaries are.
Focus Modes
There is a dedicated Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that only shows you important notifications that need attention while filtering out everything else.
When customizing an existing Focus mode or creating a new one, there is a new toggle to turn on Intelligent Breakthrough and Silencing. This option allows important notifications to interrupt you, while muting notifications that are not important, which is the same thing that the Reduce Notifications Focus does. You can override the notification settings for specific apps and people, which is how it worked prior to iOS 18.1.
Notification Summaries
Your incoming notifications are summarized so you can see what's new for each app at a glance.
Summaries of transcriptions generated from your phone calls are supported in iOS 18.1. The iOS 18.1 update adds the option to record a phone call and get a transcription, which is not an Apple Intelligence feature. What does require Apple Intelligence, though, is getting a summary from that transcription without reading through the entire thing.
Note that you can start a recording by tapping on the record button in the upper left corner of the display when on a phone call. All participants are notified that the call is being recorded before the recording starts.
Recorded phone calls are stored in the Notes app, where you can tap in to view a transcript and get a summary generated from that transcript.
Safari
When reading an article in Reader Mode, there is an option to have Apple Intelligence summarize the article for you.
Apple Intelligence Features Coming in iOS 18.2
The next set of Apple Intelligence features will come in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, and this is when Apple plans to release Image Playground, Genmoji, and ChatGPT Siri integration. These features are being beta tested right now.
Apple has a waitlist for Image Playground, Genmoji, and Image Wand, and these features will be rolling out to developers over the coming weeks so that Apple can collect feedback and make improvements to the image generation capabilities before a public launch later this year.
Image Playground
Image Playground can be used to generate images in cartoon-like styles using a text-based prompt. Apple has built-in suggestions and concepts that you can choose from, like costumes, locations, items, and themes.
While Image Playground is a standalone app, it is also integrated into the Messages and Notes app. In these apps, Apple can use context from what you've typed for image generation suggestions.
For inspiration, you can upload or take a photo, and then get a cartoon AI version of it, and you can also use images of friends and family members pulled from the People album in the Photos app.
You can start with a base suggestion or photo and then continue to add to it until you get what you want. You can remove suggestions at any time, and save your favorite creations for use in other apps. Anytime you create something with Image Playground, you'll get multiple options so you can choose the best one.
There are only Animation and Illustration styles for Image Playground, so there is no option for creating photorealistic images.
Image Wand is basically the same thing as Image Playground, but in the Notes app. When you have notes that you've taken, you can circle an empty spot or some text and Image Wand will add a contextually relevant image.
So if you have notes on photosynthesis, you can add in an image of a plant under the sun. Image Wand isn't able to generate complex images, so if you want a picture of the internal structure of mitochondria, you're out of luck, but it can make a stylized image featuring the organelle.
On an iPad, you can draw a rough sketch of what you want to add to your notes with an Apple Pencil, and then use Image Wand to generate something more polished.
Genmoji are custom emoji characters that you can create using a text-based description. If there's an emoji you can't find but need, like a duck eating a sandwich or an alligator skateboarding, Genmoji can make it for you.
Genmoji aren't too far off from Image Playground images, but the generation system tends to want to add a person for a lot of requests. You can choose yourself or a friend or family member, or just use a generic emoji character as your base.
In Messages and other apps, Genmoji behave like emoji, but they're not going to display properly for anyone running an operating system earlier than iOS 18.1, or on an Android device. In iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2, they work like emoji, but Genmoji are displayed as a blank box and an accompanying full-size image on other versions of iOS.
If you have iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2 and someone sends a Genmoji, you can long press on it and tap the "Emoji Details" button to see what prompt was used to create it, plus you can add it to your own Genmoji/sticker collection to use.
To create a Genmoji character, tap into the Emoji keyboard and tap on the Emoji with a "+" button next to the search bar. From there, you can type in your idea.
Siri ChatGPT integration lets Siri hand requests over to OpenAI's ChatGPT. ChatGPT is off by default, but you can turn it on in the Apple Intelligence and Siri section of the Settings app.
If ChatGPT integration is enabled, Siri will consult ChatGPT for complex requests. Complex requests might include creating an image, generating text from scratch, making recipe ideas based on what's in your refrigerator, describing what's in a photo, and more.
Siri will analyze each request to see if it's something that needs to be answered by ChatGPT, but you can also automatically invoke ChatGPT for a request by using a request like "Ask ChatGPT to give me a chocolate chip cookie recipe."
Siri will ask your permission before querying ChatGPT, but there is an option to turn off that extra permission step by toggling off "Confirm ChatGPT Requests" in the ChatGPT section of Settings.
You don't need an account to use ChatGPT, and it is free, but if you have a paid account, you can sign in. If you're not signed in, OpenAI does not store any of your ChatGPT requests, nor is your information used for training ChatGPT. If you sign in, ChatGPT can save a copy of your queries. Apple does not store ChatGPT queries.
ChatGPT can be used with Siri, but it is also integrated into Writing Tools and Visual Intelligence. With Writing Tools, ChatGPT can generate text, and with Visual Intelligence, ChatGPT can answer questions about what the Camera sees.
Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligence is an iPhone 16 feature that uses the Camera Control button. If you long press it, you can get into Visual Intelligence mode, where the Camera app can be used to identify what's around you.
If you point the camera at a store, for example, you can see ratings, hours, and other information. If you take a photo of an object, you can get more information about the object from ChatGPT, or use it with Google Search to find similar images. The Google Search feature is a good way to search for products that you want to find.
Other Visual Intelligence features include reading text out loud, detecting phone numbers and addresses to add them to the Contacts app, copying text, and summarizing long passages of text.
Writing Tools
Writing Tools is in iOS 18.1, but in iOS 18.2, you can make more open-ended changes to what you've written. You can come up with your own tone changes, so if you want something to be more flowery or elaborate, Writing Tools can make it happen. You can also ask for your text to be converted into a different format, like a poem.
Writing Tools also has ChatGPT integration in iOS 18.2 so if you want to generate text from scratch, you can do so with ChatGPT.
Additional Languages
In iOS 18.2, Apple Intelligence supports localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the UK in addition to U.S. English.
Apple Intelligence Features Coming Later
There are additional Apple Intelligence features that will be coming in updates to iOS 18 in 2025.
Priority Notifications
Priority notifications will show up at the top of your notification stack, so you can get to what's most important first.
Siri
Some initial Siri updates are available in iOS 18.1, such as Siri's new glow that encompasses the edges of the display, and ChatGPT integration is coming in iOS 18.2, but we'll need to wait for iOS 18.3 and iOS 18.4 for additional Siri capabilities. Apple is working on onscreen awareness, personal context, and the ability to take more actions in and across apps.
Onscreen awareness will let Siri take actions when you ask something about what's on your display. If you're looking at a photo and want to message it to your friend Eric, you'll be able to tell Siri to "Send this picture to Eric," and Siri will understand and do it.
Personal context will let Siri do more with your personal data like emails and messages. This is an on-device feature, and it will let Siri learn more about you, who you're communicating with, and how you use your device. Personal context will let you do things like ask Siri to find a specific message, or remind you when you took a photo that you're looking for.
The Siri option to take more actions in and across apps will drastically improve what Siri is capable of. You'll be able to move files from one app to another and control app functions with Siri that you never could before. It'll work in third-party apps as well as Apple's own apps.
macOS Features
Memory Maker is in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, but not macOS Sequoia 15.1. Genmoji is in iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, but not macOS Sequoia 15.2.
Apple plans to release Memory Maker and Genmoji for macOS Sequoia at a later time.
When to Expect More Apple Intelligence Features
More Apple Intelligence features will come in iOS 18.2, iOS 18.3, and iOS 18.4.
We'll get iOS 18.2 in December, likely around the middle of the month. Apple is already testing iOS 18.2 with developers.
In late January or so, we'll get iOS 18.3, which could potentially have some new Siri features.
iOS 18.4, which isn't expected until around March 2025, will have the bulk of the Siri Apple Intelligence features. We're also expecting to see Apple roll out support for additional languages in 2025.
Apple Intelligence Device Requirements
Apple Intelligence requires a device with one of Apple's newest chips and 8GB RAM. Eligible models are listed below.
When you first install iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, you have to go to the Settings app and join the Apple Intelligence waitlist. Apple uses a waitlist mechanic to ensure that behind the scenes downloads go smoothly and that the system isn't overloaded.
While on the waitlist, Apple devices download necessary files for on-device processing, and the waitlist should only take a few hours at most. The waitlist is on a per-account basis, so you only need to sign up for it on one device to have access on multiple devices.
Image Playground, Genmoji, and Image Wand in iOS 18.2 require a second waitlist, but that's only relevant if you're running the iOS 18.2 developer beta. If you are, note that Apple is rolling out access to these features over the coming weeks.
Apple Intelligence Settings
In the Privacy and Security section of the Settings app you can access an Apple Intelligence Report that lets you export your Apple Intelligence data as part of Apple's promise for transparency around Apple Intelligence. Biometric authentication is required to access and export Apple Intelligence data.
You can also disable Apple Intelligence by toggling off the setting under the Apple Intelligence and Siri section in the Settings app.
Apple Intelligence Availability
Apple Intelligence is only available in U.S. English at this time, and it is not available to in the European Union (iPhone and iPad) or China. Device region and language need to be set to the United States.
In iOS 18.2, localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK is supported in addition to U.S. English.
Apple plans to add support for additional languages in 2025, like Chinese, English (India), English (Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Apple Intelligence will launch on the iPhone and the iPad in the European Union in April 2025.
Update: Hours after this story was published, Apple updated the tech specs for the new iMac to indicate that configurations with the 10-core M4 chip support one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz, not 120Hz. It appears that the original 8K at 120Hz specification in Apple's tech specs was an error. Apple still mentions 8K at 120Hz on its international websites, but those will likely be corrected soon as well.
This means the latest iMac is the first-ever Mac to support an 8K display at 120Hz, beating out higher-end models like the MacBook Pro, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. Apple is expected to announce new MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips as early as tomorrow, however, so support for an 8K display at 120Hz could be expanded soon.
Apple doesn't even offer an 8K display with a 120Hz refresh rate — at least not yet. Apple's higher-end Pro Display XDR monitor has a 6K resolution at 60Hz, while its lower-end Studio Display monitor has a 5K resolution at 60Hz.
Does the iMac's external display support hint at future 120Hz versions of the Pro Display XDR or Studio Display? There are no concrete rumors yet.
The previous iMac with the M3 chip supports one external display at up to 6K/60Hz, and this remains true for the latest base model with the 8-core M4 chip.
"New Apple Intelligence features will be available in December," reads Apple's article. The update will add the first image generation features, including Genmoji, Image Playground, and Image Wand, plus it includes ChatGPT integration with Siri and new, more flexible Writing Tools options. For iPhone 16 users, the iOS 18.2 update adds visual intelligence, which uses Camera Control to identify and provide additional information about objects and places.
iOS 18.2 will also see Apple Intelligence gain support for localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the UK in addition to U.S. English.
As of right now, iOS 18.2 and its sister updates are available to developers for testing, but Apple will likely make a public beta available at some point. A December release gives Apple approximately a month and a half to test the new feature set, depending on the planned release date.
Apple's .2 updates are typically released in December during the same general timeframe, so if Apple sticks to that, we could see a launch on December 9th or 10th, well ahead of the holiday period.
iOS 17.2: December 11
iOS 16.2: December 13
iOS 15.2: December 13
After iOS 18.2, Apple will start testing iOS 18.3. That update is likely to come out at some point in January or February, and it will be followed by iOS 18.4 in April.
Apple said today that it plans to bring Apple Intelligence to the iPhone and iPad in the European Union in April, plus we are awaiting other Apple Intelligence features like Priority Notifications, and Siri features that include onscreen awareness, personal context, and the ability to take new actions in and across apps.
Customers who install iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1 on a device capable of supporting Apple Intelligence can try out Writing Tools, Smart Replies summaries, and other Apple Intelligence features as of today.
Apple introduced a new iMac today with the M4 chip and more, but that's not all, as it still has two more Mac announcements planned this week.
"This is a huge week for the Mac, and this morning, we begin a series of three exciting new product announcements that will take place over the coming days," said Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, in a video announcing the new iMac.
Based on rumors, those two announcements are very likely to be new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chip options, along with a redesigned, smaller Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro chip options and two front-facing USB-C ports. Just like the new iMac today, press releases and YouTube videos for the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models are likely on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
Below, we reiterate what to expect from the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models.
MacBook Pro
Apple is expected to announce new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, including an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.
Apple last redesigned the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2021, and the latest models with the M3 family of chips were released last October.
Mac mini
A concept of a smaller Mac mini
The next Mac mini is expected to be available with M4 and M4 Pro chip options. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the next Mac mini to be smaller, making it closer in size to an Apple TV, and he said that the computer will gain two front-facing USB-C ports. All in all, the Mac mini is expected to receive its biggest redesign since 2010.
Like the new iMac, the next Mac mini could also start with 16GB of RAM, instead of 8GB.
The new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models will likely be available to pre-order starting this week, and they are expected to launch in November. The new iMac became available to pre-order today, and it launches on Friday, November 8.
Apple has been gradually transitioning its products from Lightning to USB-C in recent years. This trend continued today with Apple updating the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad accessories for the Mac with USB-C charging ports. The accessories have no other changes, meaning the Magic Mouse's charging port is still on the bottom.
For the time being, Apple is continuing to sell a Lightning version of the Magic Keyboard with a numeric keypad, but it lacks a Touch ID button. Apple has yet to release a USB-C version of this particular Magic Keyboard.
The list of Apple devices and accessories that are still sold with either a Lightning port or a Lightning connector is now quite small:
With the launch of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, Apple is going all in on promoting Apple Intelligence. Today's iMac announcement was heavily focused on the Mac's Apple Intelligence features, and Apple has also shared two new Apple Intelligence ads.
Apple's first ad shows off Writing Tools, featuring an office worker who sends an email and uses the "Professional" rewriting feature to make it sound less casual. The well-crafted email impresses his boss.
The second ad features a woman who forgot it was her husband's birthday, so she whips up a quick Memory Movie slideshow on her iPhone as a gift.
Both Writing Tools and Memory Movies in the Photos app are new features that are available on devices running iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1. The updates launched to the public today.
Apple plans to roll out Apple Intelligence features to iPhone and iPad users in the European Union starting in April 2025, according to information included in today's Apple Intelligence announcement in European countries.
Apple's newsroom post confirms that Apple Intelligence features will roll out beginning in April, with users gaining access to Writing Tools, Genmoji, a redesigned version of Siri, and more.
Mac users in the EU can access Apple Intelligence in U.S. English with macOS Sequoia 15.1. In April, Apple Intelligence features will start to roll out to iPhone and iPad users in the EU. This will include many of the core features of Apple Intelligence, including Writing Tools, Genmoji, a redesigned Siri with richer language understanding, ChatGPT integration, and more.
As of right now, EU Mac users can access Apple Intelligence features with macOS Sequoia 15.1, as long as the language on the device is set to U.S. English. Apple has restricted the launch of Apple Intelligence capabilities for the iPhone and iPad in order to work out "regulatory uncertainties brought about by the Digital Markets Act."
Apple in June said that it would delay Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and SharePlay Screen Sharing until it was able to determine how to make the features compatible with the European Union's competition rules.
iPhone and iPad users in the European Union who have a U.S. App Store ID are able to use Apple Intelligence with the Language and Region on the device set to U.S. English. In a December iOS 18.2 update, Apple Intelligence will offer localized English in Ireland, as well as in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K.
It is worth noting that Apple Intelligence support in European countries will likely come in an update to iOS 18, and the timing is right for iOS 18.4. Rumors suggest that iOS 18.4 will be a major update that brings improvements to Siri, including personal context and the ability for the personal assistant to do more in and across apps.
To introduce the new M4 iMac models today, Apple didn't hold a standard event, but the company did record a short keynote video to go through all of the machine's new features.
The announcement is themed just like one of Apple's full pre-recorded event videos, starting with a view of Apple Park that zooms in to Apple executives highlighting the M4 iMac's capabilities and once again walking through Apple Intelligence. The first four minutes of the video cover Apple Intelligence, so skip to 4:40 if you just want to watch the bit about the iMac.
Apple has three videos to share this week, so we can expect additional M4 Mac product announcements on Tuesday and Wednesday. We are also expecting Apple to release new M4 MacBook Pro models and M4 Mac mini models with a new design.
Pricing on the new iMac starts at $1,299, and pre-orders began today. A launch will follow on November 8.
Apple's third Apple silicon iMac gains the M4 chip alongside a range of other small but notable improvements, so how does the new machine compare to its two predecessors?
The 2021 iMac was the first of its kind to feature an Apple silicon chip, replacing previous Intel-based models with 21.5- and 27-inch displays. It offered an all-new ultra-thin design, a 24-inch Retina display, a six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers, and an array of seven two-tone color options. The 2023 model was a minor update that added the M3 chip and specification updates like Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. One year later, the latest, M4 version of the device looks like a much more substantial upgrade, offering a dramatically more powerful Neural Engine, 16GB of memory as standard, a 12-megapixel camera with Center Stage, USB-C accessories, and a nano-texture display option.
The 2021 and 2023 iMacs have now been discontinued by Apple and prices at third-party resellers are falling. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to pick up a 2021 or 2023 iMac instead of the latest model, while some existing iMac users may be wondering if it's now time to upgrade to the M4 model.
The three Apple silicon iMac models share the overwhelming majority of their features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the first- or second-generation models to save money? This breakdown also serves as a way to see all the differences that the 2024 iMac brings to the table.
3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones
3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones
Up to two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and two USB 3 ports
Up to two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and two USB 3 ports
Up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports
Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi 6E
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.3
Bluetooth 5.3
Available in Silver, Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, and Blue
Available in Silver, Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, and Blue
Available in Silver, as well as new shades of Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple, and Blue
Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse/Magic Trackpad with Lightning port
Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse/Magic Trackpad with Lightning port
Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse/Magic Trackpad with USB-C port
The 2024 iMac with the M4 chip marks a much more substantial upgrade compared to the 2021 and 2023 models. Key improvements such as the significantly more powerful Neural Engine for AI and machine learning tasks, increased standard memory of 16GB, 12-megapixel camera with Center Stage, and support for USB-C accessories make it an appealing choice for future-proofing. Performance-wise, it delivers a meaningful boost, especially for those upgrading from the M1 iMac or older Intel-based iMacs, where Apple claims up to 6x faster performance than the most popular Intel iMac.
For M1 iMac users, the M4 model could be worth considering if they require enhanced performance or a richer set of features, such as hardware-accelerated ray tracing, nano-texture display option, or simply a better webcam. However, M3 iMac users may find fewer incentives to upgrade, as the performance gap between M3 and M4 is good but not as significant in daily use unless the system is pushed to the limit. The M3 iMac is built to handle demanding tasks and will remain relevant for several more years, but M1 iMac users may want to begin considering an upgrade.
Starting at $1,299, the new iMac remains a solid investment for those looking for a device with longevity, a robust array of features, and meaningful upgrades over the original M1 model or older Intel machines. However, if you have basic needs and find a discounted 2023 iMac, this could still offer good value, though the M4 will better meet the needs of those seeking higher performance, better features, and a more forward-looking setup.
Apple today updated its Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad accessories for the Mac with USB-C charging ports, but the accessories have no other external design changes. Yes, that means the Magic Mouse's charging port is still located on the bottom of the mouse, despite the switch from Lightning to USB-C.
The position of the charging port on the Magic Mouse has been the subject of a meme on social media since 2015, as it means the mouse cannot be used while it is charging in an upside-down position, but Apple is clearly unfazed.
The augmented reality view of the new iMac on Apple's website confirms the bottom position of the USB-C port on the updated Magic Mouse, as shown above.
Apple includes the updated Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard in the box with the iMac, and the Magic Trackpad is an optional upgrade. The USB-C versions of the accessories are also sold separately in white and black color options.
Apple today released new iMac models, and while there are few external changes with the exception of some color tweaks, Apple made several internal updates to the machine. The inclusion of the next-generation M4 chip is the biggest update, but the ports have also seen improvement.
For the M4 iMac models with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, all four of the USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4 transfer speeds of up to 40Gb/s. The prior-generation M3 iMac with four ports had two Thunderbolt 3 ports and two USB-3 ports.
The 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU models only have two ports, but both of those are Thunderbolt 4. All of the USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports also support USB 4 and USB 3.1 Gen 2.
Pricing on the iMac starts at $1,299 for the 8-core CPU/GPU version, while the 10-core CPU/GPU models with four ports are priced starting at $1,499. Apple is accepting pre-orders for the new M4 iMac models as of today.
Apple's new iMac models are available with a nano-texture display option for the first time since the product line switched to Apple silicon.
First introduced with the Pro Display XDR in 2019, nano-texture glass is etched at a nanometer scale, which is meant to preserve image quality while scattering ambient light to cut down on glare. It is the most matte display type that Apple makes, and Apple claims that it is useful for high-end, color-managed workflows or demanding ambient lighting environments.
The expansive 24-inch 4.5K Retina display on iMac is its highest-rated feature, and for the first time, it's available with a nano-texture glass option that drastically reduces reflections and glare, while maintaining outstanding image quality. With nano-texture glass, users can place iMac in even more spaces, such as a sun-drenched living room or bright storefront.
The 2020 27-inch Intel-based iMac was available with a nano-texture display option prior to its discontinuation, so the new iMac marks the first time that the feature has been available with the Apple silicon version of the device. The new iMac's nano-texture glass is a build-to-order option that costs $200, configurable at the point of purchase. It is now available across the Pro Display XDR, Studio Display, and iPad Pro.
Apple today announced the first of its M4 Mac models, but how much better really is the M4 chip over its predecessor?
The M4 chip debuted in the iPad Pro earlier this year, promising around 20% faster performance than the M3 chip in both single and multi-core tasks. All of the key differences between the two chip generations are listed below:
Up to 10 CPU cores (4 performance + 6 efficiency cores)
4.05 GHz CPU clock speed
4.3 GHz CPU clock speed
16-core Neural Engine, 18 trillion operations per second
16-core Neural Engine, 38 trillion operations per second (+111%)
LPDDR5 memory
LPDDR5X memory
100 GB/s memory bandwidth
120 GB/s memory bandwidth (+20%)
Dedicated display engine
GPU with standard power efficiency
More power-efficient GPU: Maintains performance with significantly less power
Most of these upgrades, with the exception of core counts and memory bandwidth, apply to the entire selection M3 and M4 chips. Using Geekbench benchmarks, these are the approximate performance gains you can expect from the M4 chip:
Benchmark Type
M3 Chip Performance
M4 Chip Performance (Improvement)
Single-core CPU
3,088
3,864 (+25.1%)
Multi-core CPU
11,711
15,288 (+30.5%)
Metal GPU
47,466
57,603 (+21.4%)
While the M4 chip features notable enhancements over the M3, such as increased CPU and GPU performance and improved efficiency, the practical differences for users upgrading from an M3 system may not be as radical as the specifications suggest. The M3 chip already delivers impressive performance and efficiency, making it a formidable contender in its own right.
The 25.1% improvement in single-core performance and 30.5% in multi-core performance highlight technical advancements, but for many users, especially those already equipped with M3-based devices, the everyday experience will likely not feel dramatically different. Tasks that benefit from single-core speeds, like launching apps and light productivity work, will be snappier, but for those accustomed to the M3's capabilities, this difference may not significantly impact their workflow.
Similarly, the 21.4% increase in GPU performance means better graphics rendering and gaming capabilities, yet users who have enjoyed the M3's performance may find these enhancements less noticeable in routine tasks. The improvements in gaming and creative applications will benefit users who are heavily engaged in graphics-intensive work, but those using the M3 might not feel compelled to upgrade solely for these reasons.
The 111% boost in the Neural Engine is a standout figure, emphasizing the chip's impressive artificial intelligence and advanced machine learning capabilities. However, for many users, especially with less demanding requirements, the difference might not justify the upgrade, especially as both the M3 and M4 chip support Apple Intelligence. That being said, the M4 chip's significantly improved Neural Engine makes it more likely to support and effectively run new Apple Intelligence and AI features as they emerge over the years.
In terms of memory bandwidth, the 20% increase allows for faster data transfer, which is beneficial for data-heavy applications. Yet, again, for users already using the M3, this improvement may not translate into a dramatic change in performance.
Ultimately, while the M4 chip certainly pushes the boundaries of what is possible in Apple's silicon, it may not represent a radical shift for those already using the M3. Instead, the M4 is likely aimed at users looking to upgrade from M1 chips or older Intel systems, where the jump in performance is far more pronounced.
For existing M3 users, the decision to upgrade may hinge more on specific needs and applications rather than a broad expectation of enhanced performance. For example, M3 Max chip users who push their system to the limit with highly intensive tasks may have good reason to upgrade. Likewise, if your current M3 or M3 Pro system seems to be insufficient for your workflow, you could consider upgrading to an "M4 Pro" or "M4 Max" device when they're available, but these upgrade paths will be unusual.
Apple has equipped its just-announced M4-powered iMac with 16GB of Unified Memory as standard, up from 8GB of RAM in the previous model. The new iMac starts at $1,299.
As rumored, Apple has upped the base memory configuration of at least one of its latest Macs. It is the first time that the company has offered the ultra-thin all-in-one desktop computer with a minimum of 16GB of memory.
All of Apple's upcoming new Macs this year are likely to have at least 16GB of RAM pre-installed as standard, breaking a years-long tradition of Apple offering just 8GB of RAM in most of its base Macs and forcing customers to pay out an extra $200+ for additional memory.
The new iMac is available in a range of new colors, and the 24-inch 4.5K Retina display offers a new nano-texture glass option. The iMac also features a new 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View, up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports, up to 32GB of Unified Memory, and color-matched accessories that include USB-C.
The new iMac is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning Friday, November 8. Apple is expected to announce new MacBook Pro models and a new redesigned Mac mini later this week.
Apple today released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, the first major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 come six weeks after the release of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
Apple Intelligence is the main draw in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, and some of the first Apple Intelligence features are available on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPhone 16 model, or any iPad with an M-series or A17 Pro chip. Note that Apple Intelligence is launching in a beta capacity, and there will be a short waitlist initially. To opt in to Apple Intelligence, you'll need to open up the Settings app, go to Apple Intelligence and Siri, and toggle it on.
There are multiple Apple Intelligence features available:
Writing Tools - You can use Writing Tools for proofreading text, rewriting what you've written, and getting summaries.
Siri - Siri has a new look, a Type to Siri feature, and Apple product knowledge for answering support-related questions. Siri can also maintain better context between requests and keep up if you stumble over your words.
Summaries and Smart Replies - In Mail and Messages, there are summarize and Smart Reply features, and for all apps, you'll get notification summaries. In Safari, you can get summaries of webpages, and you can also get summaries of transcripts in the Notes app, including from phone calls.
Photos - Photos has "Clean Up" for removing unwanted objects, and Memory Movie for creating slideshows from your images with just a phrase.
Focus - There's a Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that only shows you important notifications that need your attention.
There are also other new additions in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, which will be of particular interest to those who do not have an Apple Intelligence device.
Apple has refined Control Center so you can now split out more connectivity controls, access the Measure app, and more, plus you can record phone calls. To record a call, just tap the button in the left hand corner while the call is in progress. Everyone will be notified, and it'll be added to the Notes app, where you'll get a transcript of what was said.
NFC access is being opened up to third-party apps, allowing for all kinds of new capabilities, including contactless payments that aren't Apple Pay. Apple's full release notes for iOS 18.1 are available below.
Apple Intelligence (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)
Writing Tools - Writing Tools are available nearly everywhere you type, allowing you to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you’re working in - Rewrite suggests different versions of your text so you can choose which combination of flow and wording you like best - Proofread lets you view suggested improvements to what you’re writing, like grammar fixes and language refinements - Summarize allows you to select text wherever you’re writing and generate a high-quality summary
Siri - A new look and feel includes a glowing light that wraps around the edge of your screen, animates responsively to the sound of your voice, and lets you keep scrolling or typing while you talk to Siri - Type to Siri when you don’t want to speak a request out loud by double tapping at the bottom of the screen - Richer language understanding enables Siri to follow along if you stumble over your words or change your mind mid-sentence - Conversational context is maintained over the course of a session, so you can refer more naturally to something you said in a recent request or something Siri mentioned in a recent response - Product knowledge helps you get answers to thousands of questions about the features and settings on your Apple products - Voice enhancements make Siri sound more natural, expressive, and clear
Photos - Photos search lets you find photos and videos simply by describing what you’re looking for - Clean Up removes distractions in your photos - Memory movies can be created by describing the story you want to see
Notifications - Notification summaries make it easy to catch up on your notifications with a glanceable summary of the most important information - Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that ensures the most urgent notifications get through to you while silencing potential distractions
- Smart Reply in Mail and Messages help you quickly respond to messages with suggested responses - Priority messages in Mail understands the content of your messages and prioritizes those that require your attention, displaying them at the top of your inbox - Transcription summaries in Notes give you an intelligently created summary of the transcript from your audio recording or call recording
Phone - Call recordings and transcriptions let you record live calls and transcribe them in the Notes app, with an automatic announcement that the call is being recorded
Camera - Camera Control can quickly switch to the front TrueDepth Camera (iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max) - Spatial photo capture, along with spatial video capture, is available in a new Spatial camera mode (iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)
AirPods - Hearing Test feature provides scientifically-validated hearing test results from the comfort of home (intended for users 18 years or older) - Hearing Aid feature provides personalized, clinical-grade assistance that is automatically applied to sounds in your environment as well as music, videos, and calls (intended for users 18 years or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss) - Hearing Protection feature helps users minimize exposure to loud environmental noise across listening modes (available in the United States and Canada) - Features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later. All features may not be available for all countries or regions, for more information visit: https://apple.com/airpods-pro/feature-availability/
This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes: - Control Center has new options to add connectivity controls individually and reset your configuration - RCS Business Messaging lets you connect with businesses over RCS (requires carrier support) - App Store search lets you use natural language to find what you’re looking for more easily - Game Center friend invites can be sent directly from the Contacts app and Friend Suggestions, and receivers can see the invites in the inbox in Settings - Fixes an issue in Podcasts where unplayed episodes are marked as played - Fixes an issue where videos recorded at 4K 60 while the device is warm could experience stutter while scrubbing the video playback in Photos - Fixes an issue where digital car keys may not unlock or start a vehicle with passive entry after restoring from a backup or transferring directly from another iPhone - Fixes an issue where iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro models may unexpectedly restart
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/100100
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.1, the first update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia comes six weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update through the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Sequoia 15.1 introduces the first Apple Intelligence features for Macs that are equipped with an M-series chip. Not all Apple Intelligence features are available, but the update includes support for Writing Tools, a new Siri design, AI-powered Focus modes, smart replies, and summaries.
Writing Tools can be used across the operating system wherever text can be selected and edited, and the feature supports spell checking, correcting grammar, rewriting your work with a new tone, and summarizing text.
Siri has been updated with a new design that includes a subtle glow around the display, and Type to Siri means you don't have to speak to Siri to get answers. Siri can follow along if you stumble over your words, and can maintain context between requests. Safari can summarize articles, and there's a new Reduce Interruptions Focus Mode that intelligently highlights only important notifications.
Smart replies are available in Messages and Mail, plus the Mail app surfaces priority time sensitive messages and puts them at the top of your inbox. Photos has a Memory Movie feature for creating slideshows based on text descriptions, and there is a Clean Up tool for unwanted objects in your photos. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.
This update introduces the first set of features powered by Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that unlocks powerful new ways to communicate, work, and express yourself, all while protecting your data with an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI. This release also includes drag and drop support for iPhone Mirroring and other features, bug fixes, and security updates for your Mac.
Apple Intelligence (Mac with M1 and later)
Writing Tools - Writing Tools are available nearly everywhere you type, allowing you to rewrite, proofread, and summarize text right in the app you're working in - Rewrite suggests different versions of your text so you can choose which combination of flow and wording you like best - Proofread lets you view suggested improvements to what you're writing, like grammar fixes and language refinements - Summarize allows you to select text wherever you're writing and generate a high-quality summary
Siri - A new look and feel includes a glowing light that wraps around the edge of your screen, animates responsively to the sound of your voice, and lets you keep scrolling or typing while you talk to Siri - Type to Siri when you don't want to speak a request out loud - Richer language understanding enables Siri to follow along if you stumble over your words or change your mind mid-sentence - Conversational context is maintained over the course of a session, so you can refer more naturally to something you said in a recent request or something Siri mentioned in a recent response - Product knowledge helps you get answers to thousands of questions about the features and settings on your Apple products - Voice enhancements make Siri sound more natural, expressive, and clear
Photos - Memory movies can be created by describing the story you want to see - Photos search lets you find photos and videos simply by describing what you're looking for - Clean Up removes distractions in your photos
Notifications - Notification summaries make it easy to catch up on your notifications with a glanceable summary of the most important information - Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that ensures the most urgent notifications get through to you while silencing potential distractions
Additional Features - Smart Reply in Mail and Messages help you quickly respond to messages with suggested responses - Transcription summaries in Notes give you an intelligently created summary of the transcript from your audio recording
iPhone Mirroring - Drag and drop support lets you seamlessly move files, photos, videos, and more between your Mac and iPhone
AirPods - Hearing Protection feature helps users minimize exposure to loud environmental noise across listening modes (available in the United States and Canada) - Features require AirPods Pro 2 with firmware version 7B19 or later. All features may not be available for all countries or regions, for more information visit: https://apple.com/airpods-pro/feature-availability/
This update also includes the following improvements and bug fixes: - Option to automatically download and install games and apps to an external disk drive - Game Center friend invites can be sent directly from the Contacts app and Friend Suggestions and receivers can see the invites in the inbox in Settings
Apple today released watchOS 11.1, the first major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.1 comes one month after Apple released watchOS 11. watchOS 11.1 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.
watchOS 11.1 can be downloaded on an iPhone running iOS 18.1 by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.
According to Apple's release notes, watchOS 11.1 adds improvements and bug fixes, including a fix for an issue with writing breathing disturbances data to HealthKit for some users.
A concept of a smaller Mac mini
