The new M2iPad Pro supports a new feature with the second-generation Apple Pencil that allows users to hover their Apple Pencil over their display to expand content, apps, widgets, and more.
Explaining the feature on the iPad Pro's features page, Apple says:
A new dimension of Apple Pencil. Apple Pencil hover shows you exactly where your Apple Pencil will touch down on your display. So you can write, sketch, and illustrate with even greater precision. Watch apps and widgets expand on the Home Screen as you move over them. Preview your mark before you make it. See how your watercolors mix before you paint. Apple Pencil hover makes everything you do with Apple Pencil even more effortless
The new M2 iPad Pro paired with the second-generation Apple Pencil can detect electromagnetic signals transmitted by the tip of the pencil from up to 12mm away from the display. "M2 instantly interprets those signals and determines the position of Apple Pencil in three dimensions," according to Apple. The new M2 iPad Pro is otherwise a minor upgrade, featuring just the new M2 Apple silicon chip and improved Wi-Fi.
The new, 10th-generation iPad only supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, meaning that it requires an adapter to charge separately via a wired connection since the device has moved to USB-C.
The new iPad has no magnetic wireless charger on the side to connect to the second-generation Apple Pencil. Only the first-generation Apple Pencil is supported by the device, which normally needs to be plugged into a Lightning port to charge. The iPad now has a USB-C port, meaning that the Apple Pencil can no longer be charged directly via the iPad.
Entry-level iPad users who want to use the Apple Pencil will need to charge the accessory using a USB-C cable and a separate adapter. The smallprint on Apple's 10th-generation iPad press release states:
Apple Pencil (1st generation) is compatible with the new iPad. A new USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter is required for pairing and charging and is included in the box with a new version of Apple Pencil (1st generation) for $99 (US).
For existing owners of Apple Pencil (1st generation), the USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter is sold separately for $9 (US).
The first-generation Apple Pencil came with a female to female Lightning adapter allowing it to be charged separately, but now Apple is offering a new variant of the accessory called the "USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter" that enables Apple Pencil users to charge. The adapter is available separately at a price of $9 for existing Apple Pencil users, while new Apple Pencil units include the adapter in the box.
Apple has just announced the new sixth-generation 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and it turns out the cellular models no longer include GSM/EDGE support.
EDGE was originally deployed on GSM networks beginning in 2003. Capable of providing data rates of up to 384 kbps, the cellular technology was an evolutionary upgrade to the existing GSM/GPRS networks.
GSM/EDGE was often referred to as being 2.5G, since it formed the bridge between 2G and the 3G technology that was starting to be developed at the time. Many carriers have already shut down or will soon shut down their edge networks, and Apple has clearly decided the legacy support in recent models of cellular iPad has reached its end of life.
While Apple has taken away some cellular support, it has added support for next-generation Wi-Fi 6E networks. Like its previous incarnation, the Wi-Fi + Cellular model continues to support 5G, Gigabit LTE (although now 30 bands, down from 32), and GPS/GNSS.
The new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models are available to order starting today on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in the U.S. and 27 other countries, with pricing starting at $799 for the 11-inch model and at $1,099 for the 12.9-inch model.
Apple today announced a new iPad Pro and entry-level iPad through press releases on its website and not through a typical digital event. Despite this, Apple has released a 9-minute video featuring different Apple employees talking about and presenting the new iPads.
The video, available on YouTube and Apple's website, goes through the features of the new M2 iPad Pro and the new, completely redesigned 10th-generation iPad with members of the iPad team from different locations, including Apple Park.
The new iPad Pro is a minor spec bump that includes improved performance thanks to the M2 chip. The new 10th-generation iPad is a larger update, featuring a new design and USB-C.
Apple today announced that macOS Ventura will be available on Monday, October 24, the same day that iPadOS 16.1 will be available to iPad customers.
macOS Ventura is a notable update for the Mac, bringing new features such as Stage Manager, a new Clock and Weather app, and updates to core system apps like Messages and Safari. System Settings, previously known as System Preferences, has also been completely redesigned to make it more in line with the design on iOS and iPadOS. For a full breakdown of everything new in macOS Ventura, see our roundup.
Apple's just-announced next-generation Apple TV 4K comes in 64GB and 128GB storage options, but only the larger capacity model comes with an Ethernet port and Thread support.
On the previous Apple TV 4K, both the 32GB and 64GB storage options included Ethernet and Thread support. With the smallest capacity third-generation Apple TV 4K now at 64GB and with a new starting price of $129, Apple has removed these two features, which are now exclusive to the 128GB model.
The updated Apple TV 4K model comes with an A15 Bionic chip, support for HDR10+, and an updated Siri Remote. The 128GB model with Wi-Fi and Ethernet configuration costs $149. The new Apple TV 4K is available to order today, with availability beginning Friday, November 4.
The new M2iPad Pro supports Wi-Fi 6E, the latest Wi-Fi standard that supports faster speeds, lower latency, and improved capacity in busy areas.
The new M2 iPad Pro is currently the only Apple product that supports Wi-Fi 6E, with rumors that the iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 would add support not turning out to be true. The new iPad Pro is an incremental upgrade, featuring the same design as last year's model but with the added benefit of the M2 Apple silicon chip. The new iPad Pro is available to order today, with shipping and availability in stores beginning on Wednesday, October 26.
Apple today announced an updated Apple TV and, along with it, a new Siri remote that has a USB-C port for charging rather than Lightning.
In the press release announcing the new TV, Apple said the new Siri remote now features USB-C in the same design introduced in April 2021.
The Siri Remote has the same beloved design and functionality as the previous generation and adopts USB-C for charging. It is included with the new Apple TV 4K, or can be purchased separately for $59 (US) starting today, and is compatible with all generations of Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.
The Apple TV now starts at the lower price of $129 and is available to order starting today ahead of a November 4 launch.
Apple today announced the 10th-generation iPad, featuring the A14 Bionic chip and a complete redesign with a range of color options.
The 10th-generation iPad features an all-new design with flat sides and a larger, 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display like the iPad Air. The device now features a Touch ID side button and comes in Blue, Pink, Silver, and Yellow.
The iPad gains the A14 Bionic chip, an Ultra Wide 12MP front-facing camera located along the landscape edge of the iPad for a better video calling experience, an updated rear-facing 12MP camera, 4K video recording, a USB-C port, landscape two-speaker audio, 5G connectivity on cellular models, and Wi-Fi 6.
Apple today announced that iPadOS 16 will be available on October 24 for all compatible iPad models, bringing the Weather app, Stage Manager, and more to iPad users.
Unlike in past years, this year's iPadOS and iOS updates were not released simultaneously. Instead, Apple decided to delay iPadOS 16 until later in the fall to allow it more time to refine the update, including Stage Manager. Stage Manager is the biggest new addition coming to iPadOS 16 that offers users of select iPad models a new windowing system for apps.
iPadOS 16 also brings the Weather app to the iPad and the ability to edit and unsend Messages, which is also available on iOS 16 and macOS Ventura. For a full rundown of everything new with iPadOS 16, be sure to check out our roundup.
Apple today introduced a new iPad Pro with the M2 chip, a new hovering Apple Pencil feature, faster Wi-Fi 6E, and more.
With the M2 chip, the new iPad Pro has up to 15% faster CPU performance and up to 35% faster GPU performance compared to the previous iPad Pro with the M1 chip, according to Apple. The chip has a new media engine and image signal processor that enables ProRes video recording for the first time and up to 3x faster ProRes video transcoding.
On the new iPad Pro, the second-generation Apple Pencil is now detected while it hovers up to 12mm above the display, allowing users to see a preview of their drawing before they make it. And with Scribble, text fields automatically expand when the pencil gets near the screen.
The new iPad Pro is the first Apple device with Wi-Fi 6E, with Apple advertising download speeds of up to 2.4Gbps.
The new iPad Pro is available to order starting today on Apple.com and in the Apple Store app in the U.S. and 27 other countries, with pricing starting at $799 for the 11-inch model and at $1,099 for the 12.9-inch model. Color options include Space Gray and Silver, with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage configurations. Deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Wednesday, October 26.
The new iPad Pro models have the same size and weight, display brightness and resolution, and battery life as the previous models, according to Apple's tech specs. There remains a Thunderbolt port, four speakers, Face ID, and a rear Smart Connector on both models. There is also still a physical nano-SIM card tray on cellular models.
Apple today announced an updated Apple TV 4K model with the A15 Bionic chip, support for HDR10+, and an updated Siri Remote, for a starting price of $129.
The A15 Bionic chip gives the Apple TV 4K "faster performance and more fluid gameplay," according to Apple. The efficiency gains of the A15 allow the Apple TV to provide a thinner, lighter, fanless design for the first time, and it uses almost 30 percent less power than the previous generation.
The device now supports HDR10+ for higher-quality video playback. The new Apple TV 4K also comes alongside an updated Siri Remote with a USB-C port.
The new Apple TV 4K is available in a 64GB configuration with Wi-Fi for a lower starting price of $129, sitting below a 128GB Wi-Fi configuration that also has an Ethernet port and support for Thread networking. It is available to order today and orders will begin to arrive to customers on Friday, November 4.
Today we're tracking two different deals on Amazon, including all-time low prices on the M1 MacBook Air and steep discounts on a few AirTag accessories, available from just $9.00.
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M1 MacBook Air
Apple's 2020 256GB M1 MacBook Air has hit the all-time low price of $799.00 today on Amazon, down from $999.00. This price is only available on Amazon as of writing, and all three colors of Space Gray, Silver, and Gold are on sale.
This notebook is now about two years old, and there is a newer M2 MacBook Air that launched in the middle of 2022. The cheapest you'll currently find the M2 MacBook Air starts at $1,099.00 for 256GB, so anyone okay with a previous generation model can save a lot of money with the M1 era notebook.
AirTag Accessories
We're also tracking solid deals on a few AirTag accessories on Amazon, starting at just $9.00 for the AirTag Loop. You can get this one in Electric Orange and Capri Blue at this price, which is the best price we've ever seen.
Secondly, the AirTag Leather Key Ring is $19.00 in California Poppy and Meyer Lemon, down from $35.00. This is another record low price, and both colors are in stock and ready to ship directly from Amazon.
Apple is expected to announce new iPad Pro models and potentially more very shortly. Alongside the announcements, Apple will be rolling out a hashflag for the #TakeNote hashtag on Twitter. The hashflag is set to go live at 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
A hashflag is a custom icon that appears next to a specified hashtag on Twitter. In this case, a colorful Apple logo will appear next to #TakeNote.
It's likely that Apple will also announce a redesigned 10th-generation iPad alongside the new iPad Pro, and we might get release dates for iPadOS 16.1, iOS 16.1, and macOS Ventura as well today. We'll find out for sure very soon, so stay tuned.
Mozilla today announced the launch of the next-generation version of Firefox, which adds several useful new features to the browser.
Firefox 106 adds a new private browsing shortcut that can be pinned to the desktop to make it easy to open up a Private Browsing window, plus Mozilla has redesigned the Private Browsing mode with a more modern look and a default dark theme.
A new Firefox View feature offers up access to 25 of a Firefox user's most recently closed tabs, and it will have a continuity feature that allows users signed into a Firefox Account to see the last three active tabs that were opened on other devices. Firefox View is limited to the desktop as of now.
There is a PDF editor shortcut that offers direct editing capabilities, plus Mozilla has introduced a text recognition feature. On macOS 10.15 and later, Mac users can separate and reuse text from an image.
The latest version of Firefox can be downloaded today on the Mac and on iOS devices.
A last-minute leak has insisted that the upcoming 10th-generation entry-level iPad will feature a landscape FaceTime camera.
An image of a screen protector allegedly for the upcoming iPad was shared on Twitter by Majin Bu and shows a horizontal cutout hole on the front for the FaceTime camera. The repositioning of the camera was previously rumored by the Japanese blog Mac Otakara. A landscape FaceTime camera would be better suited for video calls when the iPad is attached to an accessory, such as the Magic Keyboard.
Apple is expected to announce new M2 iPad Pros later today, as teased by Apple CEO Tim Cook and the Apple Store going down. An announcement of the 10th-generation iPad, which is expected to feature an updated design and USB-C, is also possible. Stay tuned with MacRumors for ongoing coverage of today's expected announcement.
Apple's online storefront has gone down ahead of the expected announcement of new iPad models via press release.
Upon the online store going down, Apple CEO Tim Cook seemingly tweeted a teaser for a new product announcement with the hashtag "#TakeNote," which could allude to the Apple Pencil and the notetaking capabilities of the iPad:
Yesterday, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple was planning to unveil new iPad Pro models today. The announcement is expected to come via a press release on Apple's Newsroom site.
Apple has restored Russian apps for social network VKontakte and webmail provider Mail.ru to the App Store, three weeks after removing them and other VK-owned apps in response to UK sanctions (via The Guardian).
The two services, which could be described as home-grown versions of Facebook and Gmail, were pulled following a package of sanctions enacted by the British government that affected tens of executives at Gazprombank, a Russian bank with links to VK. The sanctions were in response to sham referenda staged by Russian authorities in occupied areas of Ukraine.
"These apps are being distributed by developers majority-owned or majority-controlled by one or more parties sanctioned by the UK government," Apple said in a statement at the time.
It wasn't immediately clear why Apple restored the apps, since ownership of VKontake and Mail.ru has not changed since the apps were removed, and the leadership of Gazprombank and Sberbank remain sanctioned by the British government. However, it's possible Apple's decision was related to the use of both services by activists.
The apps re-appeared on App Stores globally on Monday, as flagged by monitoring project Apple Censorship. Benjamin Ismail, the project's director, told The Guardian:
The only thing we can say for sure is that, once again, Apple implements its App Stores policies in total opacity, thinking it will not be held accountable for its actions. While we are glad to see those apps restored, as some activists and members of civil society organisations were still using them when they were removed, we condemn Apple for its continuous, erratic, and non-transparent way of managing content in the App Store.
Both VKontake and Mail.ru apps were included in a list that Apple was legally obliged to show to new iPhone owners in Russia for download during initial setup, until Apple stopped selling its products in the country.
Update: A spokesperson for Apple shared the following statement:
The apps from this developer were removed from the App Store, as required by law, after multiple requests were made to the developer to provide documentation to verify that they were not in violation of UK sanctions. Subsequent to the removal, the developer has provided the requisite information verifying that they are not majority owned or controlled by a sanctioned entity. Thus, the apps have been reinstated to the App Store.
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