MacRumors

Last week, Apple updated the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips for faster performance. There is also an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the standard M3 chip. Other new features include a Space Black finish for M3 Pro and M3 Max configurations, and 20% brighter displays.

The new MacBook Pro models will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7, although M3 Max configurations do not launch until a few days later. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the laptops have been shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels, and we have rounded up some of them below.

Written Reviews

Geekbench 6 benchmark results for the new MacBook Pro models already leaked last week. The results showed that the M3 chip is up to 20% faster than the M2 chip, the M3 Pro is up to 6% faster than the M2 Pro, and the M3 Max is up to 50% faster than the M2 Max and roughly on par with the M2 Ultra chip.

CNET's Lori Grunin on M3 vs. M3 Max performance:

For a sense of practical scale within the M3 line, the MacBook Pro 14 with the base processor took just under 20 minutes to import (with lens corrections on import) and simultaneously create full-resolution previews of around 1,000 raw+JPEG photos and videos; the MacBook 16 Pro took just over 8.5 minutes. Lightroom import and thumbnail generation is CPU and memory-bound, which explains much of the difference.

Both the M2 Pro and M3 Pro are equipped with up to a 12-core CPU, but the M3 Pro has two fewer high-performance CPU cores. So while the M3 Pro is manufactured with TSMC's improved 3nm process, compared to 5nm for the M2 Pro, the chip's resulting performance gains are diminished due to this change. Apple says the M3 Pro also has 25% less memory bandwidth and one fewer GPU core compared to the M2 Pro.

M3 series chips offer not only performance and power efficiency improvements over M2 series chips, but they also have an upgraded GPU with support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading for improved graphics rendering in games.

Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham on M3 Max graphics performance:

Graphics performance also sees a solid boost, more than you'd expect from just a pair of extra GPU cores. The M3 Max benchmarks around 50 percent faster than the M1 Max—and playing Baldur's Gate 3 on it with all the settings turned up was actually by-and-large a pleasant experience. The Mac still isn't a viable AAA game platform for most people, but Apple does seem to be trying, and if it ever succeeds, the M3 Max will be up for it.

Apple says the new Space Black finish features an "anodization seal" to "greatly reduce fingerprints," presumably compared to the MacBook Air's dark Midnight finish. Based on hands-on videos shared following Apple's event, the new anti-fingerprint seal does appear to be an improvement compared to the MacBook Air.

The Independent's David Phelan on the Space Black finish and fingerprints:

When Apple announced the new space black version, it made a big deal out of one aspect: although it's a matte finish, it doesn't collect fingerprints. Apple says this is down to what it calls "breakthrough chemistry" – there's an anodization seal that reduces fingerprint marks. Whatever the science, it really works. Marks may not vanish completely but they are very hard to spot.

MobileSyrup's Patrick O'Rourke:

What's most notable about Space Black is the anodization seal that prevents most grease and smudges from getting on the laptop. When Apple mentioned this during its keynote, I assumed it was just marketing, but to my surprise, it was tough to get grease to appear on the Space Black M3 MacBook Pro I've been using for the last few days. If your hands are exceptionally grimy, it's still possible and isn't entirely as perfect as I initially thought, but it happens so infrequently it's shocking.

Apple's tech specs indicate that all of the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models provide up to 600 nits of peak brightness for standard/SDR content, which is a 20% increase over the 500 nits maximum on the previous models. This means the laptops now have the same peak brightness as Apple's Studio Display.

Tom's Hardware's Brandon Hill on the brighter display:

In SDR content, brightness maxed out at 563 nits, which confirms Apple's assertion of a 20 percent boost compared to the previous generation. Switching to HDR content, we hit a maximum of 1539 nits with 40 percent coverage, compared to 1,470 nits for the older model.

Video Reviews

Last week, Apple updated the 24-inch iMac, with the headline upgrade being the M3 chip for significantly improved performance. Other new features include Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and up to 24GB of unified memory.

The new iMac can be purchased from the Apple's online store, with prices starting at $1,299. Apple began accepting orders on October 30, and new ‌iMac‌ will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7.

• M1 vs. M3 iMac Buyer's Guide: 15+ Differences Compared

Ahead of time, the first reviews of the laptops have been shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels, and we have rounded up some of them below.

Written Reviews

TechRadar's Matt Hanson pointed out the ‌iMac‌'s continued use of Lightning ports on its Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse:

Sticking to the same design also brings back some old frustrations, such as the charging port on the bottom of the Magic Mouse, which means you can't use it while it's charging, plus a reliance on the increasingly obsolete Lightning connection for charging all of the peripherals, rather than getting with the times and using USB-C.

TechCrunch's Brian Heater downplayed the significance of the continued use of the Lightning port, but emphasised that it was time for Apple to move on:

Apple's desktop accessories are one of the few remaining vestiges of a connector that's past its prime. It largely won't bother you. There's less daily wear, as most people don't plug and unplug their keyboards and trackpads at the same rate they do their phones. Also, you're probably not going to get pocket lint jammed in there. Still, it's time for to Apple rip off the Band-Aid off, once and for all.

Early Geekbench 6 benchmark results indicated that the M3 chip is up to 40% faster than the M1 used in the previous ‌iMac‌ from 2021.

Digital Trends's Luke Larsen on the performance improvements delivered by the M3 chip:

Moving from the M1 to the M3 is a big jump. Even if you think the performance changes between each individual generation aren't too exciting, skipping one adds up to a noticeable difference.

When you look at Cinebench R23 scores, the M3 is a whopping 20% faster in both single-core and multi-core. That's massive. It means no matter what the strenuous task is, the M3 iMac will be at least 20% faster. A good example is a simple video encoding test in Handbrake. The M3 iMac encoded the same video to H.265 27% faster than the M1 iMac.

It shows how far Apple has taken these chips in just a few generations, especially on the GPU front. I was sent the 10-core GPU model, and with the inclusion of Dynamic Caching, this little iMac is a pretty solid little engine for graphics. In the Cinebench 2024 GPU test, it was 35% faster than the M1 Pro in a 14-inch MacBook Pro despite having six less GPU cores. Meanwhile, the M3 iMac beats the M2 Pro in the Mac mini by 20% in this same graphics test. Again, I think you can credit Dynamic Caching for doing a lot of the heavy lifting in that comparison.

The M3 chip is among Apple's first 3nm chips. The M3 chip features eight CPU cores like the M1 chip, but it now offers an eight- or 10-core GPU, rather than the seven- or eight-core GPU of the ‌M1‌. It also features a 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed, up from 3.20 GHz on the ‌M1‌ chip, more memory bandwidth, support for AV1 decode, and a new GPU architecture with Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and hardware-accelerated mesh shading.

Tom's Hardware's Brandon Hill on the 2023 ‌iMac‌ as a whole:

The iMac has always been a reasonably economical system for Mac users who want "just the basics" in an everyday computer. The screen is large, bright, and colorful. The minimalist design blends in with just about any décor (and you can choose from various colors to match), and the new Apple M3 chip provides a big jump in performance compared to the M1 model that debuted in 2021.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few "gotchas" here. While the $1,299 starting price is enticing, you're saddled with just 8GB of unified memory and a 256GB SSD. That's hardly enough to futureproof the iMac. A simple upgrade to 16GB of memory costs a staggering $200, while storage upgrades are equally pricey.

If you want Gigabit Ethernet, that's a $30 upcharge, and you only get two Thunderbolt 4 ports on base systems. You must spend at least $1,499 to get two Thunderbolt 4 ports and two USB 3 ports.

Apple's iMac is an excellent all-in-one macOS machine, though it's in need of a rethink when it comes to its pricing and available configurations.

Video Reviews

Apple has confirmed to The Verge and some other publications that it has no plans to release a new 27-inch iMac with Apple silicon.

Apple discontinued both the Intel-based 27-inch iMac and iMac Pro over the past two years, and it has yet to launch a larger-screen iMac with an Apple silicon chip as a replacement, leaving the recently-updated 24-inch iMac with the M3 chip as its only all-in-one desktop computer. For customers who want a larger or higher-end desktop, Apple recommends pairing the 27-inch Studio Display with a Mac Studio or Mac mini.

From the report:

Apple will not be making an Apple Silicon version of the 27-inch iMac to replace the Intel-equipped model that it discontinued in 2022. The company is instead focusing the iMac line around the 24-inch model that was first released in early 2021 and just updated with the new M3 processor this fall.

Apple PR representative Starlayne Meza confirmed the company's plans to The Verge. The company encourages those who have been holding out hope for a larger iMac to consider the Studio Display and Mac Studio or Mac mini.

Apple has only ruled out a new 27-inch iMac, so a larger-screened iMac is still possible. Last month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was still developing an iMac Pro with a 32-inch display for release in late 2024 or in 2025. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also expects a 32-inch iMac with mini-LED display backlighting to launch in 2025.

Apple plans to update its entire iPad lineup throughout 2024, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This means new models of the iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, and entry-level iPad can be expected to launch next year.

Gurman touched on the lack of new iPads and AirPods heading into the holiday shopping season in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter:

Apple could have tried to rush out more new products, but revamped iPads and AirPods aren’t yet ready. The company plans to update its entire iPad lineup during 2024. New low-end AirPods are coming next year as well, with a refreshed Pro model following in 2025.

2023 is expected to be the first year without any new iPads released since Apple first unveiled the device in 2010, so updates to all models next year sounds likely.

When each iPad model was last updated:

• iPad Pro: October 2022
• iPad: October 2022
• iPad Air: March 2022
• iPad mini: September 2021

Gurman previously reported that the low-end to mid-range iPads could be updated as early as March 2024, while he expects new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models with the M3 chip and OLED displays to launch in the first half of 2024. The next iPad Air and iPad mini are likely to be equipped with M2 and A16 Bionic chips, respectively.

Apple's new M3 Pro chip with a 12-core CPU offers only marginally faster CPU performance compared to the M2 Pro chip with a 12-core CPU, according to a Geekbench 6 result spotted today by Vadim Yuryev, co-host of the YouTube channel Max Tech. This is only a single benchmark result, so further results are needed to ensure accuracy.

Apple announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips on Monday. This benchmark result appears to be for the 14-inch model, based on the "Mac15,6" model identifier listed.

The result shows the M3 Pro has a single-core score of 3,035 and a multi-core score of 15,173. If these scores are accurate, the M3 Pro is up to 14% faster than the M2 Pro in terms of single-core performance, but only up to 6% faster in terms of multi-core performance for the most demanding tasks and workflows.

Both the M2 Pro and M3 Pro are equipped with up to a 12-core CPU, but the M3 Pro has only six high-performance cores and six efficiency cores, while the M2 Pro has eight high-performance cores and four efficiency cores. So while the M3 Pro is manufactured with TSMC's 3nm process, compared to 5nm for the M2 Pro, the chip's resulting performance gains are diminished due to it having two fewer performance cores. The M3 Pro also has 25% less memory bandwidth and one fewer GPU core compared to the M2 Pro.

By limiting the M3 Pro's number of high-performance cores, Apple has created more differentiation between the M3 Pro and the M3 Max, which has up to 12 high-performance cores. However, as a result, the M3 Pro is only marginally faster than the M2 Pro.

Geekbench 6 results from earlier this week showed that the M3 Max is up to 45% faster than the M2 Max, while the standard M3 chip is up to 20% faster than the standard M2 chip, so the M3 Pro is by far the least improved chip of the series. Of course, the M3 Pro is still a significant upgrade for those coming from an Intel-based Mac. M3 Pro is also up to 20% faster than the M1 Pro chip, which is a decent improvement.

As always, benchmarks provide a useful reference point, but real-world performance can vary.

The new MacBook Pro models are available to order now, and M3 and M3 Pro configurations will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7. M3 Max configurations will launch a few days later.

Apple is preparing a fix for an issue causing some Apple Watches to experience excessive battery drain after being updated to watchOS 10.1, the company said today in an internal memo shared with Apple Authorized Service Providers.

In the memo, which MacRumors obtained from multiple sources, Apple said the issue will be fixed in a watchOS update that is "coming soon." Apple did not provide any additional details in the memo, so it is unclear what the underlying cause of the issue is, how many customers are affected, and if every Apple Watch model is impacted.

There have been complaints about this issue from customers across the MacRumors Forums, Apple Support Community, Reddit, and X since watchOS 10.1 was released in late October. The issue seems to affect a variety of Apple Watches, ranging from older models like the Apple Watch Series 5 to the latest Apple Watch Ultra 2.

"WatchOS 10.1 is killing the battery on my Apple Watch," wrote customer Martin Cooper on X. "100% to 50% in less than 60 mins."

Apple's developer release notes for iOS 17.1 said that update fixed an issue where "increased power consumption might occur" when an Apple Watch running watchOS 10.1 is paired with an iPhone running iOS 17, but evidently the Apple Watch battery drain issue has not been completely fixed, so a watchOS update will be necessary.

MacRumors recently reported that Apple is preparing to release iOS 17.1.1 for the iPhone, and it is likely that the Apple Watch battery drain issue will be fixed in a watchOS 10.1.1 update. However, it is possible that the fix might not arrive until watchOS 10.2, which is currently in beta testing and is expected to be released in December.

Apple recently claimed that Safari is three different browsers in effort to avoid regulation in the European Union (via The Register).

The claim came as part of a response to the European Union in August, just before the European Commission designated many of Apple's iOS, App Store, and Safari as gatekeeper platforms. This classification means that Apple now has to ensure that these platforms fall in line with the Digital Markets Act's requirements, such as allowing browser engines other than WebKit and the installation of third-party app stores.

It has now emerged that after being informed that Safari was likely to fall under the DMA's regulations, Apple filed formal a response to the European Union claiming that Safari is, in fact, "three distinct web browsers." The company's claim is based on the argument that Safari for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS are entirely different and serve different purposes.

On example cited by Apple is Safari's sidebar feature on iPadOS and macOS, allowing users to see opened tabs, tab groups, bookmarks, and browsing history. Since this feature is unavailable in the version of Safari for iOS, Apple claimed that it is a distinctly different browser. The company added that each version of Safari serves different purposes for users depending on the device upon which it is accessed.

The European Commission went on to point out that Safari's functionality and underlying technologies are near-identical across platforms. The Commission even highlights Apple's own marketing materials for its Continuity feature, which appear to contradict the company's claims, touting the tag line "Same Safari. Different device." As a result, the Commission rejected Apple's claim and insists that "Safari qualifies as a single web browser, irrespective of the device through which that service is accessed."

Apple is now obliged to ensure that Safari adheres to the DMA's requirements, such as by allowing non-WebKit-based browsers on iOS and iPadOS. Companies that do not adhere to the new regulations risk facing EU investigations, substantial fines, and the imposition of "behavioral or structural remedies." The fines can amount to 10 percent of a company's global turnover, with a 20 percent penalty for repeat violations. Questions remain about whether Apple's argument about Safari being three different browsers violates the DMA's Anti-Circumvention provision that forbids subdividing a platform's market share to avoid regulation.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple's "Scary Fast" event this week went off about as expected, with Apple showing off its next-generation Mac chips in a couple of product lines during a fast-paced 30-minute presentation.

Our biggest stories this week unsurprisingly delved into Apple's announcements including some early tidbits on the updated MacBook Pro and iMac, a goodbye to the Touch Bar, and more, so read on below for all the details!

Everything Apple Announced During the 'Scary Fast' Event

Trick or treat! Apple this week held its "Scary Fast" event, focused entirely on the Mac. During the brief presentation, Apple announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, and an updated iMac with the M3 chip.

We've recapped everything that Apple announced during the event for those who missed it or want to learn more.

Apple Announces New 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Models With M3 Series Chips

The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are equipped with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, and there is now an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro available with the standard M3 chip as well.

The new MacBook Pro models are available in a Space Black finish when configured with the M3 Pro or M3 Max chip, and they are equipped with 20% brighter displays compared to the previous generation.

The new MacBook Pro models are available to order now, and most configurations will launch on Tuesday, November 7.

Apple Announces New iMac With M3 Chip

Apple updated the 24-inch iMac with the M3 chip for up to 35% faster performance compared to the previous model with the M1 chip.

The all-in-one desktop computer features the same design and color options as the 2021 model. There are only a few other changes with the new iMac, including Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support.

Contrary to rumors, the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad accessories still have Lightning instead of USB-C.

Apple Discontinues 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar

Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro following the event, meaning that the Touch Bar has now been completely phased out after seven years.

The first MacBook Pro models with the Touch Bar were released in October 2016, as part of a controversial redesign that also included a defective butterfly keyboard and the removal of many connectivity options, including an SD card slot, HDMI port, and MagSafe.

First Benchmark Results Surface for M3 Chip in New Macs

The first benchmark results for the standard M3 chip and the high-end M3 Max chip surfaced in the Geekbench 6 database after Apple's event, providing a closer look at CPU performance improvements.

The results show the M3 chip is around 20% faster than the M2 chip, while the M3 Max chip is around as fast as the M2 Ultra chip that debuted in the Mac Pro and Mac Studio desktop computers earlier this year.

2023 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 20+ Differences Compared

Are you considering purchasing one of the new 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro models? If so, make sure to check out our in-depth 2023 MacBook Pro buyer's guide that compares over 20 features and differences between MacBook Pro generations.

We also shared a buyer's guide comparing the new iMac with the M3 chip to the 2021 model with the M1 chip for those who are interested in that computer.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers and public beta testers last week, and the software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones. Below, we have highlighted 10 of these new features and changes.

iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in December. Once available, the update can be installed in the Settings app under General → Software Update.

Journal App

Apple's new Journal app allows iPhone users to reflect on their day and memories, complete with text, photos, music, audio recordings, and more. The app provides personalized suggestions based on recent on-device activity.

Translate Option for Action Button

The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are equipped with a customizable Action button that replaces the traditional mute switch on previous iPhones. By default, the button is set to toggle between Ring and Silent modes, but it can also be assigned to a different action for quick access to the camera, flashlight, Voice Memos, and more.

Starting with iOS 17.2, the Action button can now be assigned to the Translate app for quick access to language translation in the Dynamic Island.

New Widgets

There are new Home Screen and Lock Screen widget options for the Weather and Clock apps on iOS 17.2. The new Weather options include, Daily Forecast, and Sunrise and Sunset, while the Clock app now offers a digital clock widget.

Apple Music: Collaborative Playlists

A new Collaborative Playlists feature for Apple Music allows multiple people to add, reorder, and remove songs in a shared playlist.

Apple Music: Favorite Songs Playlist

In the Music app on iOS 17.1 and later, you can favorite songs by tapping the star icon to receive improved recommendations.

Starting with iOS 17.2, favorited songs are also added to a new Favorite Songs playlist.

Apple Music: Listening History Focus Filter

Tired of your kids or someone else messing up your Apple Music recommendations while they are borrowing your iPhone to listen to music? iOS 17.2 includes a new Focus filter for Apple Music‌ listening history that addresses this problem. When this filter is toggled on, the other person's song choices won't affect your recommendations.

iMessage: Contact Key Verification

iMessage Contact Key Verification allow users who face "extraordinary digital threats," such as journalists, human rights activists, and government officials, to further verify that they are messaging only with the people they intend. In conversations between users who have enabled iMessage Contact Key Verification, users are alerted if a state-sponsored attacker or other malicious actor were ever to succeed breaching cloud servers and inserting their own device to eavesdrop on the conversation.

As an additional layer of security, iMessage Contact Key Verification users are able to compare a Contact Verification Code in person, on FaceTime, or through another secure call to further verify they are communicating only with whom they intend.

Apple previewed iMessage Contact Key Verification in December 2022, and it is finally launching as part of iOS 17.2.

iMessage: Sticker Reactions via Tapback Menu

iOS 17.2 allows you to more quickly react to a message with any sticker by tapping "Add Sticker" in the Tapback menu in the Messages app.

Memoji: New Customization Options

Apple added a "Body" section for Memoji, allowing users to customize their Memoji character's waist, bust, shoulders, and arms.

Contact Posters: Rainbow Text

Starting with iOS 17.2, there is a rainbow-colored text option for your name when setting up a Contact Poster in the Contacts app.

On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss Apple's "Scary Fast" event and the new Macs it introduced.

We talk through our candid feelings about the unusual Apple event and the way in which the company presented its latest devices. We look at the all-new M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, and weigh up the new MacBook Pro and iMac, who should consider upgrading to the next-generation machines, and more. Let us know what you think of Apple's new Macs in the comments.

The podcast is now on its own YouTube channel, so head over and subscribe to keep up with new episodes and clips going forward:

You can also listen to The MacRumors Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, 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 what we were expecting to see at Apple's event to see what we got right and wrong.

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 exciting guests like Luke Miani, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Kevin Nether, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Jon Prosser, Sam Kohl, Quinn Nelson, John Gruber, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is now 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.

For this week's giveaway, we've once again teamed up with Lululook to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an new Apple Watch Ultra 2 and one of Lululook's Titanium Apple Watch Bands to go along with it.

Lululook has range of high-quality titanium and carbon fiber Apple Watch bands that match the 49mm Apple Watch Ultra models, with the bands specifically for Apple's newest wrist-worn device. Lululook's bands are ideal for Apple Watch Ultra owners who are looking for a band option that is refined enough for the office and other situations where sportier bands don't quite work.

Lululook's Link Titanium Band is the closest match to Apple's own stainless steel Link Bracelet, but in a titanium color that works better with the Apple Watch Ultra. The band has a secure closing mechanism, and at $70, it's more affordable than the Link Bracelet.

Lululook also has a version of the Link Titanium Band that comes with a simpler magnetic clasping mechanism. It's a bit more expensive at $90, but the dual magnetic buckle is simple to get on and take off, plus the locking mechanism makes sure it stays on the wrist.

The Modern Titanium Band from Lululook is the company's most unique, and Lululook says that it was inspired by Iron Man. Available for $37, this is the band that stands out the most of the bunch, so if you want a modern version of a titanium band it's worth checking out.

Those looking for something unique might be interested in Lululook's $80 Carbon Fiber Apple Watch Band, which is made of a lightweight carbon fiber material. Lululook says that it offers the light weight of plastic with the toughness of stainless steel for a comfortable fit. The watch has a magnetic band so it's easy to get on and off, and it can be customized to your size by removing links.

All of the bands from Lululook are made from lightweight titanium or carbon fiber material that is comfortable on the wrist and able to hold up to heavy use. Lululook says that the bands are waterproof and sweatproof, and because of the low weight of the material, the bands work for all-day use.

The bands are 200mm in length and are adjustable by removing links, so Apple Watch owners can get a perfect fit. Titanium is lighter than steel, so Lululook says that these bands are lighter than Apple's own Link band, and that the material will resist scratches and corrosion. Lululook's full range of Apple Watch bands can be found on the Lululook website.

Lululook also manufactures a range of charging accessories designed for the Apple Watch. The $70 Lululook 3-in-1 Wireless Charger works with the Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods, and can charge all three at once. The foldable design is convenient for travel, and it works with MagSafe and accommodates StandBy mode. The Apple Watch and AirPods can charge at 5W, while the ‌iPhone‌ can charge at 7.5W.

If you just need to charge the Apple Watch and an ‌iPhone‌, Lululook has a super small $50 Ultra Nano 2-in-1 Charger that's perfect for travel. It has a magnetic charging puck for the ‌iPhone‌ and an upright charger for the Apple Watch, and it folds up when not in use. Lululook has a special deal on this charger right now, with a 40 percent discount available.

We have one Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Lululook titanium band to give away to a MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (November 3) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on November 10. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after November 10 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Apple today indicated that its extended return policy is now in effect for the 2023 holiday shopping season. The policy applies to most products that Apple sells, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, accessories, and more.

In the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Singapore, and many other countries, most products purchased between November 3 and December 25 of this year may be returned through January 8, 2024, according to Apple's website. All purchases made after December 25 are subject to Apple's standard 14-day return policy.

In some countries, the return window is slightly longer. In Italy, Spain, Turkey, Mexico, and Japan, Apple says most products purchased between November 3, 2023 and January 6, 2024 may be returned through January 20, 2024.

Apple has also updated its online "Store" page with gift recommendations for the holidays.

Early Black Friday deals began in full force this week, and we're recapping the best today. This includes all-time low prices on the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, Beats Studio Pro, HomePod, MagSafe Duo Charger, brand new M3 MacBook Pros, 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.

AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)

• What's the deal? Take $59 off AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

AirPods are always a sure bet when it comes to Black Friday, and we're already seeing steep markdowns early in November. The AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C have hit $189.99 on Amazon, which is a match of their best-ever price.

Beats Studio Pro

• What's the deal? Take $150 off Beats Studio Pro
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

There were quite a few Beats headphones and earbuds sales on Amazon this week, the highlight being the Beats Studio Pro for $199.95, down from $349.95. This is a solid second-best price on the new 2023 headphones.

HomePod

• What's the deal? Take $19 off HomePod (Gen 2)
• Where can I get it? B&H Photo
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

B&H Photo continues to be one of the only retailers to offer the new 2023 HomePod at a discount. It's available for $279.99 in both colors, down from $299.00.

Apple Accessories

• What's the deal? Save on MagSafe chargers, AirTag loops, Siri Remote, and more
• Where can I get it? Woot
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Woot's early Black Friday sale is focusing on Apple accessories like the MagSafe Charger ($29.99), MagSafe Duo Charger ($94.99), Siri Remote with Lightning ($44.99), and more.

We've begun tracking all of the season's best deals in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, so be sure to bookmark the page and visit it throughout the season as you do your online shopping. Our roundup mainly focuses on Apple products and related tech accessories.

While it was rumored that the iPhone 15 Pro models would be equipped with solid-state buttons, the devices ended up launching with traditional mechanical buttons. Attention has now shifted to whether the solid-state buttons will still happen with the iPhone 16 lineup next year, but there are conflicting rumors so far, as outlined below.

For context, solid-state buttons would provide haptic feedback when pressed to simulate the feeling of movement, similar to the Home button on the iPhone SE and the Force Touch trackpad on modern MacBooks. On the other hand, mechanical buttons actually move when pressed. All of the buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models are mechanical, including the new Action button that provides quick access to an assigned function.

Benefits of solid-state buttons could include fewer mechanical parts that can break and improved water resistance. Solid-state buttons could also potentially sit flush with the iPhone's frame, allowing for a more seamless design.

Multiple analysts and a leaker claimed that Apple had tested solid-state buttons on prototype iPhone 15 Pro models, but the company apparently decided not to move forward with the change before mass production started due to "technical issues."

Apple supplier Cirrus Logic seemingly confirmed that the solid-state buttons had been canceled earlier this year, and it has seemingly touched on the topic again. In a shareholder letter this week, the supplier shared the following information:

Finally, during the quarter we completed the disposition of wafers associated with a new high-performance mixed-signal (HPMS) product that was previously expected to ship this year. As anticipated, the disposition did not have a material financial impact.

In an email, an equity research analyst at British bank Barclays informed us that Cirrus Logic disposed of these wafers due to Apple canceling the solid-state buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro models. The devices were expected to have additional Taptic Engines that provided haptic feedback when the buttons were pressed, and Cirrus Logic was expected to supply Apple with haptic drivers that would have enabled this functionality.

The analyst also told us that they do not expect iPhone 16 models to be equipped with solid-state buttons, given that Cirrus Logic has disposed of its related inventory for the project, but MacRumors contributor Marko Zivkovic believes otherwise. Last month, Zivkovic reported that the entire iPhone 16 lineup will be equipped with solid-state Action and "Capture" buttons. The purpose of the "Capture" button remains unknown, and he cautioned that Apple's plans could once again change as development progresses.

Zivkovic said the "Capture" button would be located below the power button on the right side of the iPhone 16 models, should it materialize. As a result, he said the mmWave 5G antenna window on iPhone 16 models sold in the U.S. would be moved to the left side of the devices, below the volume buttons. This rumor was seemingly corroborated this week by a leaker on Chinese social media platform Weibo, but it is unclear if the account independently confirmed the information, or if it was simply repeating the details shared by Zivkovic.

All in all, rumors about solid-state buttons for the iPhone 16 lineup do not align right now, with some sources expecting them and others not. As the launch of the devices next September draws closer, Apple's plans should become clearer.

Adorama today is offering $200 off the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip, as well as $100 off the new M3 iMac. Apple just announced these computers on Monday, so these are some of the first major pre-order discounts that we've tracked.

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

In order to get these deals, you will need to sign up for an Adorama account with VIP Rewards, which is free. You won't see any of the prices reflected below until you sign up for a VIP Rewards account. Adorama offers free expedited shipping to most residences in the United States.

Starting with the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro (512GB), you can get this model for $1,399.00, down from $1,599.00. Similarly, the 14-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro (512GB) is available for $1,799.00, down from $1,999.00 and the 14-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro (1TB) has hit $2,999.00, down from $3,199.00.

Adorama also has $200 off every 16-inch model, so you can get the 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro (512GB) for $2,299.00, down from $2,499.00. The 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro (1TB) is down to $3,299.00, down from $3,499.00.

Lastly, Adorama has $100 off the new M3 iMac in every configuration and color this week. Prices start at $1,199.00 for the 8-Core GPU/256GB model and increase to $1,599.00 for the 10-Core GPU/512GB model.

We've begun tracking all of the season's best deals in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, so be sure to bookmark the page and visit it throughout the season as you do your online shopping. Our roundup mainly focuses on Apple products and related tech accessories.

Update: These pre-order discounts have expired.

In iOS 17.2, you can turn off your Apple Music Listening History with a new Focus filter, so if you allow someone else to use your device to listen to music, you can quickly activate the Focus with a tap and prevent their song choices from affecting your recommendations.

Have you ever regretted letting a friend or family member use ‌Apple Music‌ on your iPhone after their poor song choices negatively influenced your personal music recommendations?

If you have very young kids, the chances are that at some point you've played their favorite preschooler ditty to avoid a meltdown, only to later cringe when Apple's algorithms slip "Baby Shark" or some other infuriatingly repetitive song into your recently played/replay mixes.

Thankfully, Apple has finally become aware of the regularity of such events, and in iOS 17.2, currently in beta, it has added a new Focus filter option that can help you automatically turn off your ‌Apple Music‌ listening history whenever you give up your device to those with, shall we say, more acquired listening tastes.

The following steps show you how it's done. Note that you'll need to download the iOS 17.2 beta for this to work, otherwise you won't see the Listening History filter option.

1. Go to Settings ➝ Focus on your ‌iPhone‌.
2. Tap the + button in the top-right corner to create a new Focus, then tap Custom.
3. Give your new Focus an identifiable name, symbol, and color, then tap Next.
   
   

4. Tap Customize Focus.
5. Scroll down to "Focus Filters," ten tap Add Filter.
6. Choose the Music filter.
7. Make sure the button is off next to Use Listening History, then tap Add.
   

That's all there is to it. The next time music is going to be played for someone else on your ‌iPhone‌, simply swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to bring up Control Center and long press on the Focus button to select the Focus you created. Rest assured that whatever they play after that, won't play havoc with your ‌Apple Music‌ algorithms.

Of course, if you don't feel like you benefit from ‌Apple Music‌'s personal recommendations, and you don't have an ‌Apple Music‌ profile where your listening history is shared, you can disable Listening History more permanently by going to Settings ➝ Music and toggling off the switch next to Use Listening History.

Apple in October announced an M3-powered 24-inch iMac, as well as new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 series chips. So when will the rest of Apple's Mac lineup be updated to the latest M3 processors, and will they be worth the wait?

Now that Apple's "Scary Fast" event has passed, attention naturally turns to the other Macs in the company's lineup and where they might fit into Apple's M3 roadmap. Here's what the latest rumors say.

M3 MacBook Air

Apple sells three versions of MacBook Air: A cheaper previous-generation 13-inch model with M1 chip, and 13-inch and 15-inch models equipped with the newer M2 chip. The question is, when will Apple discontinue the M1 MacBook Air and replace its top-of-the-line 13-inch and 15-inch machines with M3 equivalents?

The existing 15-inch MacBook Air arrived earlier this year in June, which is not that long ago in terms of Mac update cycles. However, Apple released the M2 13-inch ‌MacBook Air back in June 2022. It is now the oldest Mac in Apple's current crop, having not been updated in over 480 days.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has 13-inch and 15-inch M3 MacBook Air models in development, and both are said to be scheduled for release sometime in the first half of 2024. Both models are said to have reached engineering verification testing (EVT), an early production testing phase on prototype devices. The M3 chip used in the Airs is expected to have similar CPU and GPU core counts as the M2 chip in the current models.

Given so much time has elapsed since the current 13-inch MacBook Air was launched, it might seem safe to assume this model will be the next beneficiary in line for Apple's M3 chip. However, Apple's roadmap for Apple silicon appears to be partly dictated by supplier production capacity, so we could see either one model launched first or both 13-inch and 15-inch models launched in tandem.

Gurman says the next-generation MacBook Airs are on schedule for launch between the spring and summer of next year at the earliest, which could also mirror the time frame of the current models' launches that took place at WWDC in June 2022 and 2023.

Mac Mini

Apple announced M2 and M2 Pro Mac mini models in January, just over 280 days ago, but Apple could be already testing an M3 Mac mini, according to Gurman.

In August, signs of an unknown "15,12" Mac machine were found in developer code, with the Mac featuring an 8-core CPU (consisting of four efficiency cores and four performance cores), 10-core GPU, and 24GB RAM. Based on the similar specifications to the base M2 Mac mini (bar the existing model's 8GB RAM as standard), Gurman believes it represents a next-generation Mac mini.

Gurman previously said he was not expecting an M3 version of the Mac mini to launch until late 2024, but as it is already in testing, it could potentially be unveiled sooner.

Mac Studio, Mac Pro

Apple updated the ‌Mac Studio and Mac Pro with M2 series chips in June of this year. Mac Studio models come with either the M2 Max or M2 Ultra chip, while the Mac Pro has adopted the M2 Ultra.

Both Macs are considered to be in the middle of their product cycles, and there are as yet no reliable rumors about when more powerful M3 versions of either machines will be launched. But if Apple is committed to an annual upgrade cycle, we could see them in June 2024.

13-inch MacBook Pro

Apple has discontinued the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro – and along with it the Touch Bar – replacing it with a 14-inch model that's equipped with a next-generation M3 chip.

Apple says that the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is up to 60 percent faster than the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1. The M3 14-inch MacBook Pro also comes with a number of other benefits that make it worth the upgrade for anyone with the original 13-inch machine. So do not expect to see an M3-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro anytime soon, if ever.

M3 Performance Gains to Expect

The M3 series of chips are built on TSMC's 3-nanometer process, bringing performance and efficiency improvements over Apple's previous M2 chips, which are based on the earlier-generation 5-nanometer process. Since its transition to Intel chips, Apple's strategy has been as follows.

In the M1 and M2 series of Apple silicon, each generation has a baseline version, then a "Pro" chip with more cores for its central processing unit and graphics. Next is an even more powerful "Max" version that doubles the number of graphics cores. Lastly, an "Ultra" model doubles the number of main processing cores and graphics cores found in the "Max." Things are slightly different with the M3 series, as explained below.

In terms of the actual real-world gains, this of course depends on the M3 processor version, coupled with the particular Mac model and other component factors like RAM and thermal dissipation. Nevertheless, all of Apple's M3 chips also boast GPU improvements not found in the M2 series, including Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and hardware-accelerated mesh shading.

M3

Apple's base M3 chip will likely feature in future MacBook Air models, as well as an updated lower-end version of the Mac mini. At least in the MacBook Airs, the M3 chip is expected to have similar CPU and GPU core counts as the M2 chip in the current models, but that could be true for the Mac mini as well.

Based on early benchmarks, the M3 chip has single-core and multi-core scores of around 3,000 and 11,700, respectively. The standard M2 chip has single-core and multi-core scores of around 2,600 and 9,700, respectively, so the M3 chip is up to 20% faster than the M2 chip, which is what Apple claimed during its "Scary Fast" event in October.

M3 Pro

It's not yet clear what performance gains to expect from the M3 Pro chip compared to the previous M2 Pro generation, but it is likely to be relatively minor. Bear in mind that when Apple announced the M3 series, the only slide that it didn't show is how much faster the M3 Pro is than the equivalent M2 chip.

The M3 Pro and M2 Pro chips in the 16-inch MacBook Pro have 12 CPU cores, but the M2 Pro actually features one additional GPU core over the M3 Pro. Despite that, Apple claims it is 10 percent faster than the M2 Pro GPU and 40 percent faster than the M1 Pro GPU.

M3 Max

With the M3 series, Apple deviated slightly from the doubling strategy it followed with the M2 Max by adding several more CPU cores to the M3 Max compared to the M3 Pro. Early benchmarks indicate that Apple's new M3 Max chip in the 16-inch MacBook Pro is around as fast as the M2 Ultra chip used in the current-generation Mac Pro and the higher-end Mac Studio. In other words, the M2 Ultra Mac Pro is being outperformed by what is on paper a lower-end machine, just four months after it was released.

Note that the new 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $3,499 in the U.S. when configured with the M3 Max chip, while the Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra chip starts at $3,999, so you can effectively get the same performance for $500 less by buying the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, which also includes a display, keyboard, and trackpad.

Will this performance imbalance alone encourage Apple to bring forward the launch of M3-powered Mac Studio and Mac Pro models? Unlikely. But we can always hope.

M3 Ultra

Having not yet been announced, the M3 Ultra chip is something of an unknown quantity. The existing M2 Ultra encompasses two M2 Max chips for double overall CPU and GPU performance, as well as twice the memory bandwidth (800GB/s), so it would seem safe to expect Apple to follow the same strategy as it did with the M3 Ultra, with similar performance gains over the M3 Max from Apple's next-generation high-end M3 Ultra chip.

In a small deviation, Apple did add several more CPU cores to the M3 Max compared to the M3 Pro. However, if Apple continues to double both the CPU and graphics configurations with the Ultra, the M3 Ultra could end up having 32 CPU cores and 80 graphics cores.

Apple's embrace of titanium for its latest iPhone 15 Pro chassis appears to have impressed Samsung enough that the Korean rival plans to adopt the material for the next version of its flagship smartphone.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra will be the first Samsung phone to use titanium and the company intends to expand the application depending on users' reception, according to The Elec.

For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple is using a new titanium frame rather than a stainless steel frame, which cuts down on weight. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are approximately nine percent lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The iPhone 15 Pro weighs 187 grams, down from 206 grams for the iPhone 14 Pro, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max weighs 221 grams, down from 240 grams for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

According to the report, Samsung's adoption of titanium for the S24 Ultra is unlikely to lead to an equivalent weight reduction compared to the S23 Ultra, since Samsung currently uses light aluminum in its flagship devices, whereas Apple previously used heavier but more durable stainless steel.

According to The Elec's sources, Samsung has been mulling using titanium cases for around two years, although the decision to go ahead with its commercializtion only came recently – but not without cost. Titanium is widely used in the aerospace sector. However, it is more difficult to handle in cutting and processing, and its low heat conductivity makes it harder to cut cleanly.

Samsung is therefore bracing itself for lower yield rates, which will push up the price of the frames. The aluminum cases in the company's premium phones currently cost less than $20, while titanium versions could cost up to $100, according to the report. Samsung is said to have "tentatively" set a goal to make 15 million frame units – the same number of Galaxy S23 Ultra models it shipped this year.