MacRumors

Apple enthusiast @StellaFudge today shared photos of USB-C to Lightning cables in six "unreleased" colors, including what appears to be teal, blue, purple, yellow, red, and orange. He said Apple allegedly planned to include the cables with Apple silicon Macs, but the cables have never been released in these exact shades.

"They're darker, more vibrant, and the normally white plastic has a matching color tint," he said.

Given the cables have a Lightning connector, that means they would have been included with iMac models with the M1 chip or M3 chip, if they are authentic. The latest iMac with the M4 chip comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable for use with the new USB-C Magic accessories.

The wording of the social media post makes it sound like these cables were designed by Apple, and ultimately never released, but there is a possibility that they could be knockoff cables created by a third party. A similar photo of colorful USB-C cables surfaced last year, but the rumor that they would be included with iPhone 15 models proved to be inaccurate. It is possible that those cables were counterfeit too, but we cannot say for sure.

Apple has included color-matching cables with the iMac since the M1 model launched in 2021, but they have brighter, pastel colors.

Considering that Apple never released these deeper-colored cables, at best, or they are knockoffs, at worst, their existence does not really mean too much in the end. However, it's a fun look at something that might have been.

@StellaFudge has also shared various unreleased Apple Watch bands in the past.

All four iPhone 17 models launching next year will be equipped with low-power LTPO displays, according to an industry source cited by South Korea's ETNews this week. While the report does not mention this, the use of LTPO technology suggests that the entire iPhone 17 lineup will feature ProMotion displays with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz.

ProMotion has been limited to the Pro models since it debuted on the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max in 2021, so the feature's expansion to the iPhone 17 and the rumored, tentatively-named "iPhone 17 Air" would be notable. Samsung and LG will supply the LTPO displays for all iPhone 17 models, according to the report.

LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) is a low-power backplane technology for OLED displays that allows for a variable refresh rate with reduced power consumption, ensuring that ProMotion does not significantly impact battery life.

iPhone displays with ProMotion have smoother-looking scrolling and video content. ProMotion would also allow the iPhone 17 and "iPhone 17 Air" displays to ramp down to a more power-efficient refresh rate. iPhone 13 Pro models can ramp down to 10Hz, while iPhone 14 Pro through iPhone 16 Pro models can go as low as 1Hz, allowing for an always-on display that shows various Lock Screen elements even when the device is locked. It is unclear if the iPhone 17 and the "iPhone 17 Air" would ramp down to 10Hz or 1Hz.

Display Supply Chain Consultants CEO Ross Young previously informed MacRumors that the iPhone 17 and "iPhone 17 Air" will likely support ProMotion, and the feature's expansion to the entire iPhone 17 lineup has been rumored multiple times.

The standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus still have 60Hz displays.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 series in September 2025.

After a busy October in which Apple announced new Macs and Apple Intelligence launched, the calendar has now turned to November. Below, we outline what to expect from Apple this month as the slower-but-still-busy holiday season approaches.

After seeding the first betas of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 with additional Apple Intelligence features last month, Apple will likely release other software betas, such as watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, visionOS 2.2, and HomePod Software 18.2 in November. Public betas should begin rolling out this month too.

tvOS 18.2 should add some of the remaining tvOS 18 features that Apple promised were coming to the Apple TV later this year, such as support for ultra-wide 21:9 projectors, screen savers for Snoopy and other Apple TV+ content, and more.

visionOS 2.2 is expected to introduce an ultra-wide version of the Mac Virtual Display feature on the Vision Pro headset. Apple said this will be equivalent to two physical 4K displays sitting side by side on a desk. After this rolls out, Mac Virtual Display will be available in three sizes: Normal, Wide, and Ultrawide. The overall feature debuted as part of visionOS 1, allowing the Vision Pro to be used as an external display for a Mac.

Apple will likely expand availability of the iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 betas to older iPhones and iPads that lack Apple Intelligence support this month too, with a later beta version. Apple confirmed that iOS 18.2 will be released in December, and that means the other updates should be released then too.

An update to Final Cut Pro that Apple teased earlier this year should be available this month. Apple said Final Cut Pro will gain support for spatial video editing on the Mac, built-in caption generation for videos, and more, and the update will likely arrive on Wednesday, November 13, the first day of the annual Final Cut Pro Creative Summit.

As for hardware, the new iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro models with M4 series chips will launch in stores and begin arriving to customers on Friday, November 8. And the Vision Pro launches in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates on Friday, November 15, nine months after the headset launched in the United States.

Last, the second season of hit Apple TV+ sci-fi series "Silo" begins on Friday, November 15.

Of course, these are only the things that we know to expect, and Apple could have some other announcements in store this November. It's typically the month that Apple announces its extended return policy for the holiday season, announces year-end awards for services like Apple Music and the App Store, and more. Plenty to come, still!

Apple this week refreshed the MacBook Pro with its latest Apple silicon chips, but what exactly do the latest machines bring to the table and is it worth upgrading from the previous generations?

The 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the M4 chip starts at $1,599, replacing the previous M3 model as the entry-level machine in Apple's pro notebook lineup. Equipped with the higher-end M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ starts at $1,999 and the 16-inch model starts at $2,499.

Upon the launch of the latest models, previous-generation ‌MacBook Pro‌ models have been discontinued and are no longer available from Apple's main storefront. Units of slightly older machines such as the 2023 models may, however, still be available via Apple's refurbished store and third-party retailers for significantly reduced prices. Buying a second-hand model is also an option.

First-time ‌MacBook Pro‌‌ customers or those upgrading from a much older device may be wondering whether it is worth buying a 2021 or 2023, so it will be important to weigh up exactly what was added with the latest version. Likewise, existing users of the 2021 or 2023 MacBook Pros may be wondering if it is worth upgrading to the latest model or sticking with their current device.

See the detailed breakdown below for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with the late 2024's ‌14- and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models compared to their predecessors:

‌MacBook Pro‌ (14- and 16-inch, 2021)	‌MacBook Pro‌ (14- and 16-inch, early 2023)	‌MacBook Pro‌ (late 2023)	‌MacBook Pro‌ (late 2024)
M1 Pro M1 Max	M2 Pro ‌M2‌ Max	M3 M3 Pro M3 Max	M4 M4 Pro M4 Max
5nm node (N5) Based on A14 Bionic chip from iPhone 12 (2020)	Enhanced 5nm node (N5P) Based on A15 Bionic chip from ‌iPhone‌ 13 (2021)	3nm node (N3B) Based on A17 Pro chip from ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro (2023)	Enhanced ‌3nm‌ node (N3E) Based on A18 chip from iPhone 16 (2024)
3.20 GHz CPU clock speed	3.49 GHz CPU clock speed	4.05 GHz CPU clock speed	M4: 4.4 GHz CPU clock speed M4 Pro and M4 Max: 4.5 GHz CPU clock speed
M1 Pro: Up to 10-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores M1 Max: 10-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores	M2 Pro: Up to 12-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores M2 Max: 12-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores	M3: 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores M3 Pro: Up to 12-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores M3 Max: Up to 16-core CPU with 12 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores	M4: 10 CPU cores with 4 performance and 6 efficiency cores M4 Pro: Up to 14 CPU cores with 10 performance and 4 efficiency cores M4 Max: Up to 16 CPU cores with 12 performance and 4 efficiency cores
High Power Mode on 16-inch ‌M1 Max‌ models	High Power Mode on 16-inch ‌M2‌ Max models	High Power Mode on all M3 Max models	High Power Mode on all M4 Pro and M4 Max models
M1 Pro: Up to 16-core GPU M1 Max: Up to 32-core GPU	M2 Pro: Up to 19-core GPU M2 Max: Up to 38-core GPU	M3: 10-core GPU M3 Pro: Up to 18-core GPU M3 Max: Up to 40-core GPU	M4: 10-core GPU M4 Pro: Up to 20-core GPU M4 Max: Up to 40-core GPU
		Updated GPU architecture	Updated GPU architecture with improved efficiency
		Dynamic Caching	Dynamic Caching
		Hardware-accelerated ray tracing	Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
		Hardware-accelerated mesh shading	Hardware-accelerated mesh shading
Neural Engine	40% faster Neural Engine	15% faster Neural Engine	Neural Engine
Video decode engine	Higher-bandwidth video decode engine	Same video decode engine as M2-generation	Same video decode engine as M2-generation
		Support for AV1 decode	Support for AV1 decode
LPDDR4X memory	LPDDR5 memory	LPDDR5 memory	LPDDR5X memory
M1 Pro: 200GB/s memory bandwidth M1 Max: 400GB/s memory bandwidth	M2 Pro: 200GB/s memory bandwidth M2 Max: 400GB/s memory bandwidth	M3: 100GB/s memory bandwidth M3 Pro: 150GB/s memory bandwidth M3 Max: 300GB/s or 400GB/s memory bandwidth	M4: 120GB/s memory bandwidth M4 Pro: 273GB/s memory bandwidth M4 Max: 546GB/s memory bandwidth
M1 Pro: 16GB or 32GB unified memory M1 Max: 32GB or 64GB unified memory	M2 Pro: 16GB or 32GB unified memory M2 Max: 32GB, 64GB, or 96GB unified memory	M3: 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB unified memory M3 Pro: 18GB or 36GB unified memory M3 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 96GB, 128GB unified memory	M4: 16GB, 24GB, or 32GB unified memory M4 Pro: 24GB or 48GB unified memory M4 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, or 128GB unified memory
16-core Neural Engine, 11 trillion operations per second	16-core Neural Engine, 15.8 trillion operations per second	16-core Neural Engine, 18 trillion operations per second	16-core Neural Engine, 38 trillion operations per second
M1 Pro: Support for up to two external displays M1 Max: Support for up to four external displays	M2 Pro: Support for up to two external displays M2 Max: Support for up to four external displays	M3: Support for one external display M3 Pro: Support for up to two external displays M3 Max: Support for up to four external displays	M4 or M4 Pro: Support for two external displays M4 Max: Support for up to four external displays
High-Power Mode available on 16-inch model with ‌M1 Max‌ only	High-Power Mode available on 16-inch model with ‌M2‌ Max only	High-Power Mode available on any model with M3 Max	High-Power Mode available on any model with M4 Max
500 nits max SDR brightness	500 nits max SDR brightness	600 nits max SDR brightness	1,000 nits max SDR brightness
			Nano-texture display option
			Dedicated display engine
1080p FaceTime HD camera	1080p ‌FaceTime‌ HD camera	1080p ‌FaceTime‌ HD camera	12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View
Image signal processor (ISP)	Advanced image signal processor (ISP) with computational video	Advanced image signal processor (ISP) with computational video	Advanced image signal processor (ISP) with computational video
Wi‑Fi 6	Wi‑Fi 6E	Wi‑Fi 6E	Wi‑Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports	Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports	M3: Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports M3 Pro or M3 Max: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports	M4: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports M4 Pro or M4 Max: Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports
HDMI 2.0 port	HDMI 2.1 port	HDMI 2.1 port	HDMI 2.1 port
14-Inch: Integrated 70-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 16-Inch: Integrated 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery	14-Inch: Integrated 70-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 16-Inch: Integrated 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery	M3 14-Inch: Integrated 70-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery M3 Pro or M3 Max 14-Inch: Integrated 72.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 16-Inch: Integrated 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery	14-Inch: Integrated 72.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 16-Inch: Integrated 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
14-Inch: 17-hour battery life 16-Inch: 21-hour battery life	14-Inch: 18-hour battery life 16-Inch: 22-hour battery life	M3 14-Inch: 22-hour battery life M3 Pro or M3 Max 14-Inch: 18-hour battery life 16-Inch: 22-hour battery life	M4 14-Inch or M4 Pro 16-Inch: 24-hour battery life M4 Pro 14-Inch: 22-hour battery life M4 Max 14-Inch: 18-hour battery life M4 Max 16-Inch: 21-hour battery life
Fast charging on 14-inch (MagSafe 3 and USB-C) and 16-inch model (‌MagSafe‌ 3 only)	Fast charging on 14-inch (‌MagSafe‌ 3 and USB-C) and 16-inch model (‌MagSafe‌ 3 only)	Fast charging on 14-inch (‌MagSafe‌ 3 and USB-C) and 16-inch model (‌MagSafe‌ 3 or USB-C via 240W cable)	Fast charging on 14-inch (‌MagSafe‌ 3 and USB-C) and 16-inch model (‌MagSafe‌ 3 or USB-C via 240W cable)
Available in Space Gray and Silver	Available in Space Gray and Silver	M3: Available in Space Gray and Silver M3 Pro or M3 Max: Available in Space Black and Silver	Available in Space Black and Silver

The latest ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are a relatively significant update over their predecessors, offering more new features and capabilities than either of the 2023 refreshes, including Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, a 12-megapixel camera with Center Stage and Desk View, and a nano-texture display option.

The late 2023 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are relatively minor improvements over their direct predecessors that primarily focus on performance improvements. Beyond their chips, the early 2023 ‌MacBook Pro‌ introduced support for Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and HDMI 2.1, and added an extra hour of battery life. The late 2023 ‌MacBook Pro‌ added an extra 100 nits of SDR brightness, AV1 decode, and a Space Black color option. Accumulatively, this made for quite a small upgrade for existing users of the 2021 ‌MacBook Pro‌.

Choosing which 14- or 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ model to buy ultimately comes down to what level of performance you require. For example, the M4 series of chips feature a significantly more powerful Neural Engine, which may be an attractive upgrade for some users, but it is far from essential for the vast majority. Generally, unless you need peak performance for demanding professional workflows, it will not be worth upgrading from a 2023 ‌MacBook Pro‌ to a 2024 model, or from an early 2023 machine to a late 2023 model. Only those who need absolute peak performance with the M4 Max chip will really benefit.

For those who have not yet made the leap to an Apple silicon machine, the 2023 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are still very good options if you can get them for a significantly lower price. It is only worth paying more to get the latest model if you want a future-proof device to keep for the long term, where better performance, Thunderbolt 5, battery life, and AI capabilities are likely to be more beneficial through successive software updates and as connectivity needs with other devices evolve. Even then, it is difficult to recommend buying a late 2024 ‌MacBook Pro‌ at full price over an equivalent, heavily discounted 2023 model.

The 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the M4 chip effectively replaces the previous 13- and 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, which featured the M1 chip in 2020 and the M3 chip in 2023, adding 16GB of memory as standard, longer battery life, and an additional Thunderbolt port. For users of older ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, the new low-cost 14-inch model represents a relatively significant upgrade. Given the improvements to Apple silicon over recent years, with redesigned GPUs, improved connectivity and external display support, and more, some ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ users may be considering an upgrade. While the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are still highly capable machines, there are now just enough accumulative upgrades with the latest models that some users may find upgrading worthwhile.

Apple has reached an agreement to acquire Pixelmator, the company behind popular photo and image editing apps Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval, according to an announcement made by the Pixelmator team on Friday.

Based in Vilnius, Lithuania, Pixelmator has developed a suite of well-regarded creative tools that compete with Adobe's offerings while maintaining a focus on ease of use and performance. The company's apps have been exclusively available on Apple's platforms, including Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

In their announcement, the Pixelmator team expressed enthusiasm about joining Apple, noting that they've been "inspired by Apple since day one" and have aimed to craft their products with a similar focus on design and user experience. The team believes the acquisition will help them reach a broader audience and increase their impact on creative professionals worldwide.

For current Pixelmator users, the company stated there will be "no material changes" to their existing apps at this time, though they teased "exciting updates to come." Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The deal marks Apple's latest investment in professional creative tools, following previous acquisitions in the space such as Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro.

We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 29 in 2024. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Specifically, in this article we're sharing all of the Apple products that currently have all-time low prices, or discounts that are at least very close to their record-low prices. Of course, these are early Black Friday deals, so even better discounts could emerge later in the month, but if you're shopping right now these are all the best prices around.

Best Early Deals

• AirTag 4-Pack for $79.98 ($29 off)
• AirPods Pro 2 for $189.99 ($59 off)
• Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm GPS) for $349.00 ($50 off)

AirPods

Starting with AirPods, you'll find a wide selection of solid deals across the AirPods lineup on Amazon this week. This includes a $79 discount on the popular AirPods Pro 2 at $169.99, as well as all-time low prices on the AirPods 4.

iPad

You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi 9th generation iPad for $199.99 in both colors, down from $329.00. This is a match of the record low price on this version of the 2021 tablet.

Moving to the newer models, Amazon has the 64GB Wi-Fi 10th generation iPad for $299.00, down from $349.00. You can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad for $444.00, down from $499.00. Both of these represent all-time low prices on each tablet.

Cellular models are also seeing all-time low prices right now. The 64GB Cellular 10th generation iPad has hit $449.00 ($50 off), while the 256GB Cellular model is available for $598.00 ($51 off).

M2 iPad Air

Amazon today has a big selection of discounts on Apple's M2 iPad Air, with savings of about $100 across nearly every model. Only Amazon is offering these deals right now, and you'll find early November delivery dates for most of the tablets.

11-inch iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $499.00 ($100 off)
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $599.00 ($100 off)
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $799.00 ($100 off)
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $999.00 ($100 off)

13-inch iPad Air

• 128GB Wi-Fi - $699.00 ($100 off)
• 256GB Wi-Fi - $799.00 ($100 off)
• 512GB Wi-Fi - $999.00 ($100 off)
• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,199.00 ($100 off)

M2 MacBook Air

Amazon recently introduced a new price drop on the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM, specifically for the 13-inch model with 256GB of storage. You can get this computer for $749.99 in two colors, down from $999.00.

M3 MacBook Pro

Apple just launched the new M4 MacBook Pro, which means you can find great deals on previous generation models this season. This includes all-time low prices on the 512GB and 1TB models of the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro.

Apple Watch

Series 10

Apple Watch Series 10 has hit new all-time low prices for both 42mm and 46mm GPS models, with $50 off available for both on Amazon.

SE

Apple's 40mm GPS Apple Watch SE is available for $189.00 today on Amazon, down from $249.00. This is a solid second-best price on the wearable. This deal is available in all three aluminum color options, and only Amazon has the discount.

You can also get the 44mm GPS Apple Watch SE on sale right now, available for $219.00 on Amazon, down from $279.00. This is another second-best price on the Apple Watch SE.

Apple Pencil

You can get the USB-C Apple Pencil available for $69.00, down from $79.00. The all-time low price on the Apple Pencil Pro has disappeared, but we expect it to return before the end of the month.

Magic Keyboard

Moving to the new 2024 Magic Keyboards, you can get the 11-inch model in Black for $249.99, down from $299.00. This is a new all-time low price on this version of the accessory, and it beats the previous deal price by about $10.

Amazon also has the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro Magic Keyboard on sale, available for $274.95 in White, down from $349.00. This is another record low price on the Magic Keyboard.

MagSafe Charger

This week, you can get the 1-meter MagSafe Charger for $25.00, down from $39.00, and the 2-meter model for $34.00, down from $49.00.

We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.

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Jon Prosser joins us on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show to talk through all of Apple's major Mac announcements from this week.

Over the first three days of the week, Apple unveiled the new iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro with the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. The chips offer significantly better CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine performance, improved efficiency, higher amounts of unified memory, and more.

The new ‌iMac‌ features USB-C Magic accessories and a refreshed palette of color options. The new ‌Mac mini‌ has been completely redesigned for the first time in over a decade with a radically smaller enclosure and two front-facing USB-C ports. Finally, the new ‌MacBook Pro‌ has a bolstered base model, longer battery life, and a brighter display.

The new ‌iMac‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌ gain a nano-texture display option and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with Center Stage and Desk View for the first time. Models with the M4 Pro or M4 Max support Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and almost all of the new Macs feature better external display support. All of Apple's Macs now start with 16GB of unified memory as standard, including the MacBook Air, with no increase in price.

See more of Jon's work over on his YouTube channel FrontPageTech or the Genius Bar podcast. The MacRumors Show also has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:

You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion about the first beta version of iOS 18.2 – a significant update that continues the rollout of Apple Intelligence.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Kevin Nether, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.

Apple's new M4 Pro and M4 Max chips are impressively fast in terms of CPU performance, topping the M2 Ultra, but what about graphics performance?

The first Geekbench 6 results for GPU performance are now available for the M4 Pro and M4 Max, and the Metal scores reveal some impressive year-over-year gains. Based on the Metal scores that are available so far, the M4 Pro and M4 Max are up to around 40% and 25% faster for graphics than the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, respectively.

The new 16-inch MacBook Pro with the highest-end M4 Max with a 40-core GPU has up to 85% as fast graphics as the Mac Studio with the highest-end M2 Ultra chip with a 76-core GPU, despite having 36 fewer GPU cores, according to the results.

Here is a comparison of the average Metal scores:

• Mac Studio with M2 Ultra (76-core GPU): 221,646 (More than 600 results)
• MacBook Pro with M4 Max (40-core GPU): 190,329 (2 results)
• MacBook Pro with M3 Max (40-core GPU): 154,860 (More than 6,000 results)
• Mac mini with M4 Pro (20-core GPU): 110,556 (10 results)
• MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (18-core GPU): 78,681 (More than 4,000 results)

Apple's video streaming subscription service, Apple TV+, launched five years ago today.

Announced at an Apple event in March 2019, ‌Apple TV‌+ was part of a major services push that included Apple News+, Apple Card, and Apple Arcade. At its inception, ‌Apple TV‌+ began with a modest library of original content, focusing on high-quality, exclusive series, films, and documentaries created in collaboration with renowned creators. The platform launched with titles like "The Morning Show," "See," "For All Mankind," and "Dickinson". Unlike many other streaming services, ‌Apple TV‌+ did not rely on an extensive back catalog, instead building its library from scratch with original productions.

In the years since, ‌Apple TV‌+ has expanded its lineup with a wide range of content, including acclaimed series like "Ted Lasso," "Severance," and "Foundation." The service has also made strides in children's programming, documentaries, and feature films, resulting in recognition from prestigious awards organizations. ‌Apple TV‌+ has garnered multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, and Academy Award nominations and wins.

Available across a wide range of devices and platforms, ‌Apple TV‌+ is available for $9.99 per month and as part of all Apple One subscription bundles.

Globalstar today announced an amended agreement with Apple that will see an expansion of the satellite services that support Apple features like Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My location updates that can now be handled in areas with no terrestrial Wi-Fi or cellular coverage in select countries.

According to the SEC filing by Globalstar, which is Apple's existing partner in providing satellite services, Globalstar will deliver a number of improvements to Apple including a new satellite constellation, expanded ground infrastructure to support the satellites and Apple's services, and increased global licensing of the new satellite services.

In exchange, Apple will make prepayments of up to $1.1 billion to support construction and launch of the new satellites and other expenses. Apple will also take a passive 20% equity interest in Globalstar at a cost of $400 million.

Apple's satellite services debuted in late 2022 on iPhone 14 models with the launch of Emergency SOS and ‌Find My‌ location updates via satellite in the U.S. and Canada, allowing users in remote areas to contact emergency services via text message. Over time, Apple's satellite services have expanded to additional countries and added new functions including Roadside Assistance in late 2023, and with iOS 18 this year, users can now communicate with others using iMessage and text messages via satellite even in non-emergency situations.

At the time of Apple's original satellite services launch in 2022, the company said the services would be offered for free for the first two years upon the purchase of a compatible phone, with a fee required beyond that time to continue using them. Apple has, however, extended the free service period and has yet to begin charging a fee. It is unclear at this point if or when Apple will begin charging for use of satellite services, and if so, what the fee will be.

Amazon today has introduced the first major discounts on Apple's new iPad mini. All of the deals on the iPad mini 7 in this article require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the discounts.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Starting with the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7, you can get the Purple model for $399.99 with the on-page coupon, down from $499.00. Amazon also has the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 in Blue for $499.99, down from $599.00.

Finally, Amazon has the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 in Space Gray for $699.99, down from $799.00. There are currently no on-page coupon discounts for any of the cellular models of the iPad mini 7, and right now only Amazon has any notable markdown on the Wi-Fi models of the tablet.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

Update: The deal on the 128GB Wi-Fi model has expired, but the other two remain live.

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The first Geekbench 6 benchmark results for the high-end M4 Max chip with a 16-core CPU surfaced today, and they show that the chip is up to 25% faster than the high-end M2 Ultra chip with a 24-core CPU in terms of peak multi-core CPU performance.

M4 Pro chip benchmark results already surfaced in the Geekbench 6 database on Thursday. Based on the results available so far, the M4 Max appears to be up to 20% faster than the M4 Pro in terms of peak multi-core CPU performance.

Here is a comparison of the results (averaged):

• MacBook Pro with M4 Max (16-core CPU): 26,675 multi-core score (highest result), 26,445 multi-core score (3 results)
• Mac mini with M4 Pro (14-core CPU): 22,094 multi-core score (11 results)
• Mac Studio with M2 Ultra (24-core CPU): 21,351 (More than 600 results)

M4 Max is now the fastest-ever Apple silicon chip in the Geekbench 6 database, surpassing the M2 Ultra that Apple released in the Mac Studio and Mac Pro in June 2023.

As we mentioned in our previous reporting, you can now purchase a Mac mini with a 14-core M4 Pro for $1,599 in the U.S. and get similar to faster peak performance than a Mac Studio with the 24-core M2 Ultra, a configuration that starts at $3,999. And if you want up to 25% faster performance than the M2 Ultra, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the 16-core M4 Max starts at the same $3,999 price as the Mac Studio.

WhatsApp has made it easier to organize your conversations with the global rollout of custom chat lists. This new feature expands on the chat filters introduced earlier this year, and offers a more personalized way to manage your messaging.

To create a custom list, tap the plus (+) icon in the filter bar at the top of the Chats tab. You can add both individual contacts and group chats to your lists, similar to how you might use favorites. For instance, you could create separate lists for family members, work colleagues, or neighborhood groups, allowing you to quickly find important conversations in your chats inbox.

New lists will appear alongside existing chat filters like "All," "Unread," and "Groups" in the filter bar. If you need to make changes, simply long-press on any list name to edit its contents, which will allow you to add or removing conversations as needed. Lists are rolling out to users today, and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks, according to WhatsApp.

WhatsApp recently also added a new Home Screen widget for iPhone users. After updating to version 24.21.81 or later, you can add the widget to access recent chats, favorites, pinned conversations, or frequently contacted friends directly from your iPhone Home Screen.

Google Maps is rolling out several new features to iOS and Android users this week, focusing on improved navigation and travel planning tools.

A new prominent "Add stops" button is being added alongside the Start button with the idea of simplifying route planning: It displays restaurants, gas stations, and points of interest along the way. This week's update also introduces weather disruption reporting, allowing drivers to mark and avoid hazards such as unplowed roads, flooding, or low visibility conditions.

In addition, arrival assistance is getting enhanced. Google Maps will now highlight nearby parking lots and prompt users to save their parking location. The app can then provide walking directions to the final destination using AR Live View navigation.

A more substantial navigation update is scheduled for next month, launching in over 30 metropolitan areas. This enhancement will provide clearer visualization of lanes, crosswalks, and road signs, with a blue line indicating the correct lane position during turns and merges.

Looking further ahead, Google has announced plans to integrate its Gemini AI technology into Maps in the coming months. This feature will allow users to ask natural language questions about locations and receive curated recommendations based on data from over 250 million places worldwide. The AI implementation will also provide summarized reviews and detailed answers about specific venues.

The iPhone SE 4 that's set to come out early next year is expected to debut Apple's first in-house 5G modem, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst who covers companies within Apple's supply chain.

In a research note this week with Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities, Pu said Apple is expected to roll out its custom-made 5G modem starting with the next-generation iPhone SE 4. Apple's in-house modem will then be joined by a secondary Apple-made Wi-Fi 7 chip in the iPhone 17 Pro in the second half of 2025.

Pu has previously said that iPhone 17 Pro models in 2025 will be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip, which matches his latest expectations for adoption. Pu believes that both custom modem and Wi-Fi 7 chips will achieve majority adoption in iPhones by 2027.

Pu's forecast also tallies with predictions recently made by Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. On Thursday, Kuo said that at least one iPhone 17 model launching next year will be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip. Kuo also expects Apple's 5G modem to be used in the rumored ultra-thin iPhone 17 model.

• iPhone 17 Air: Everything We Know About Apple's Slim iPhone

Kuo believes that Apple's 5G and Wi-Fi chips are currently two different chips that will gradually be used in new products simultaneously starting in the second half of 2025. The early switch-over timelines will differ due to separate production schedules, according to Kuo. As Pu also suggests, the iPhone SE 4 will move to an Apple 5G modem but still use a Broadcom Wi-Fi chip.

Apple's shift to develop its own modem and Wi-Fi chip technology would be a significant strategic move. Currently, Apple relies on Qualcomm to supply its modems, and Broadcom for its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth components. For example, all four iPhone 16 models already support Wi-Fi 7 with Broadcom's chip, but with some limited specifications. By creating its own equivalents, Apple aims to reduce dependency on third-parties, gain more control over the technology, and potentially lower costs in the long run.

The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, with rumored features including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM to enable Apple Intelligence support, and of course the first-ever Apple-designed 5G modem. The new iPhone SE is expected to be released in the first half of 2025, with a launch in March or April most likely.

The first Geekbench 6 benchmark results for the M4 Pro chip surfaced today. Impressively, the results that are available so far show that the highest-end M4 Pro chip is faster than the highest-end M2 Ultra chip in terms of peak multi-core CPU performance.

Here is a comparison of the results:

• Mac mini with M4 Pro (14-core CPU): 22,094 multi-core score (average of 11 results)
• Mac Studio with M2 Ultra (24-core CPU): 21,351 (average of more than 600 results)

Based on these results, the M4 Pro now holds the record of being the fastest Apple silicon chip ever in the Geekbench 6 database. Of course, it will soon be surpassed by the M4 Max chip with a 16-core CPU, but no results are available for that chip as of writing. We will publish a follow-up report with the M4 Max results once they are available.

What this means is that you can now purchase a Mac mini with a 14-core M4 Pro for $1,599 in the U.S. and get similar to faster peak performance than a Mac Studio with the 24-core M2 Ultra, a configuration that starts at $3,999.

As for year-over-year performance improvements, the M4 Pro is up to 45% faster than the highest-end M3 Pro chip in terms of multi-core CPU performance, based on the Geekbench 6 results that are available so far.

Here is a comparison of the results:

• Mac mini with M4 Pro (14-core CPU): 22,094 multi-core score (average of 11 results)
• 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (12-core CPU): 15,282 (average of more than 4,000 results)

Read our earlier coverage of the M4 Pro announcement to learn more about the chip.

All of Apple's new Macs launch on Friday, November 8.

Apple held its earnings call for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2024 today (third calendar quarter), announcing quarterly revenue of $94.9 billion, up six percent year over year. During the call, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri provided a look into Apple's performance, sales of the iPhone 16 models, Apple's services growth, and more.

We've rounded up the most interesting tidbits from the Q4 2024 earnings call below.

Apple's Profit

Revenue was up, but profit was down during the quarter because Apple had to make a one-time payment of $10.2 billion to settle tax issues in the European Union.

Apple Intelligence

In an interview with CNBC, Apple CEO ‌Tim Cook‌ said that iPhone 18.1 is encouraging customers to upgrade, and adoption rates are exceeding iOS 17.1 during the same time period last year.

"We're getting great feedback from customers and developers already and a really early stat, which is only three days worth of data: Users are adopting iOS 18.1 at twice the rate that they adopted 17.1 in the year ago quarter," Cook told CNBC.

Cook also said that Apple believes Apple Intelligence is a "compelling upgrade reason," but since it just launched three days ago, there's little data. "I could not be more excited about ‌Apple Intelligence‌ and the rollout in front of us," Cook said. He is using "future releases" and said it is "changing [his] daily life."

Apple is "moving as fast as possible" to bring ‌Apple Intelligence‌ to more countries "while ensuring quality." As for R&D, the level of intensity that Apple is putting into AI has "increased a lot," with some existing resources allocated to the new technology as well.

iPhone Sales

It's no surprise that ‌iPhone‌ sales were up during the quarter, as the ‌iPhone 16‌ models launched in September. ‌iPhone‌ revenue was $46.2 billion, up from $43.8 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Cook said that ‌iPhone 16‌ sales in September 2024 were stronger than ‌iPhone‌ 15 sales in September 2023.

Mac and iPad Sales

Mac and iPad Sales were up, with the Mac coming in at $7.7 billion, up from $7.6 billion in Q4 2023, and ‌iPad‌ revenue at $7 billion, up eight percent from $6.4 billion last year.

Wearables

Apple's wearables revenue fell this quarter, coming in at $9 billion, down three percent from $9.3 billion last year. Wearables revenue for fiscal 2024 was $37 billion, down from $39.9 billion in fiscal 2023.

Though wearables revenue was down, the Apple Watch install base reached a new all-time high, and more than half of customers who purchased an Apple Watch during the quarter were new to the product.

Services

Services revenue was almost $25 billion during the quarter, up from $22.3 billion in Q4 2023, and a new all-time record. Fiscal 2024 services revenue was $95 billion, up from $90 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Paid and transacting accounts reached a new all-time high, and paid accounts and paid subscriptions grew double digits year over year. Apple has more than 1 billion paid subscriptions across the services on its platform, which is double what it had four years ago.

Next Quarter

For the December quarter, Apple expects revenue to grow low to mid single digits year over year, with services revenue to grow double digits.

Farewell to Luca Maestri

This is Apple's final earnings call with Maestri, who is stepping down from his role on January 1, 2025 to lead the Corporate Services teams. Kevan Parekh will take over as Chief Financial Officer, joining Apple's executive team.

During the earnings call, Cook thanked Maestri for his "extraordinary service as Apple CFO," and said that during his 10 years in the role, Luca had done "truly exceptional work in shaping Apple as we know it today." Maestri said that serving as Apple CFO has "been a real privilege and an amazing journey."

The new Apple Intelligence features that Apple released in iOS 18.1 are spurring people to update to the new software, Apple CEO Tim Cook said today in an interview with CNBC.

Customers are downloading and installing iOS 18.1 at twice the rate that they adopted iOS 17.1 during the same timeframe last year, according to Cook.

Apple has not yet provided installation numbers for the iOS 18 update, so this is the first insight we've had into how iOS 18 adoption compares to iOS 17.

iOS 18.1 was released on Monday, and it brings ‌Apple Intelligence‌ capabilities to the iPhone 15 Pro, ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 models. It includes Writing Tools for proofreading text, a new Siri look and Type to ‌Siri‌ functionality, summaries and smart replies, a "Clean Up" tool for Photos, and more.

iOS 18.2, which is set to be released in December, is likely to encourage even more people to update, because it has the first ‌Apple Intelligence‌ image generation features like Image Playground and Genmoji.