Alongside the iOS 15.1 update that was released today, Apple has introduced a new 15.1 software update that's designed for the HomePod and the HomePod mini.
The HomePod update introduces Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio to Apple's HomePods, bringing them in line with other devices that have supported the features since earlier this year. Lossless Audio is available on both the HomePod and HomePod mini, while Spatial Audio is available on the larger-sized and now-discontinued HomePod.
Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos can be enabled through the Home app. Open up Home Settings, tap on your profile, and then under Media, tap on Apple Music. From there, toggle on Lossless Audio and Dolby Atmos. Note that these options appear in the iOS 15.1 beta, but the HomePod 15.1 beta seems to be needed to actually use the features on the HomePod.
HomePod software is installed automatically on the HomePod unless the feature is disabled, but the HomePod can also be manually updated in the Home app by following the instructions in our HomePod update how to.
Apple today released tvOS 15.1, the first major update to the tvOS operating system that launched in September 2021.
tvOS 15.1 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System > Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates enabled will be upgraded to tvOS 15.1 automatically.
Apple's tvOS updates are typically minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes, performance updates, and small tweaks rather than major outward-facing changes, but today's update adds support for SharePlay.
With support for SharePlay, content from the Apple TV app can be watched over FaceTime with friends and family members. Content is synced across the devices of all participants so you can watch TV and movies right alongside others, discussing it as you go.
There are shared controls for playing content, pausing, rewinding, and fast forwarding, and there's a smart volume that automatically lowers the audio of a movie, TV show, or song when someone speaks.
Apple does not provide detailed release notes for its tvOS updates, but it does offer some tvOS details through its tvOS support document.
Last month, Apple announced that its subscription-based Fitness+ workout service would be launching in 15 additional countries "later this year," and today, the company confirmed the launch will take place on November 3.
Apple Fitness+ launched in December 2020 in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. Less than a year later, on November 3, Apple is expanding Fitness+ to millions of new customers in Austria, Brazil, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates.
Apple Fitness+ workouts will continue to be hosted and taught in English, with subtitles in major languages for all countries. New workouts are added to the database every week through the Fitness app on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Apple Fitness+ costs $9.99 per month, with prices expected to vary in every country based on local currencies.
Alongside new MacBook Pro models, the AirPods 3 are set to launch on Tuesday, October 26, and ahead of tomorrow's official release date, reviewers and YouTubers have shared reviews on Apple's latest earbuds.
We've highlighted video reviews of the AirPods 3 in a separate article, and excerpts and details from written reviews can be found below.
Design
Gizmodo reviewer Andrew Liszweski said that the AirPods 3 "look and feel almost identical" to the AirPods Pro, just minus the silicone tips. They're a little bit smaller
Image from Gizmodo comparing AirPods 2 (left), AirPods 3 (middle), and AirPods Pro without silicone tip (right)
Reviewers also highlighted the Force Touch stems that are already present on the AirPods Pro, noting that the Force Touch feature is a nice improvement for control input, but that there's still no physical volume control option.
Fit
The Verge's Chris Welch said that the new AirPods shape works better, and that while ambient sound is still audible, the closer fit cuts out some of the outside noise.
They're staying put so well that I no longer feel the same anxiety about them tumbling onto the ground and down a sewer grate. That worry was always present with the older AirPods. The healthy dose of ambient sound remains, and I'm just someone who prefers earbuds that offer some quiet from the outside world.
Gizmodo's Andrew Liszweski also said that the AirPods 3 had a better fit in the ear. The AirPods 3 are "ever so slightly heavier" than the original, but the shorter stem and the more streamlined design orients the main speaker "at a better angle feels like it offers better weight distribution."
TechCrunch's Brian Heater said that the AirPods 3 are "unquestionably" more comfortable than older AirPods, but the AirPods Pro are still better.
The more contoured third-generation buds are unquestionably more comfortable than their predecessors, but the gulf between them and the Pros feels like night and day. That's likely to be even more the case for people with smaller ears -- having different-sized, removable tips is a lifesaver for some. The seal those tips provide also create passive noise canceling through a physical seal that effectively keeps in more audio frequencies and blocks out ambient noise.
Pocket-lint's Britta O'Boyle found the AirPods 3 to be too big for her ears, and said that they do fall out of her ears occasionally.
Sound Quality
Apple told The Verge that it aimed to give the AirPods 3 the same sound profile as the AirPods Pro. The Verge reviewer Chris Welch said that the AirPods Pro do indeed sound similar to the AirPods 3, and compared to the AirPods 2, they're "fuller." There's no "striking difference" between the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3, but among other earbuds with a similar design, Welch says the AirPods are "up there with the best."
Other reviewers expressed similar sentiments about the sound. Gizmodo's Andrew Liszweski said that the AirPods 3 don't sound better than the AirPods Pro, but they're a definite improvement over the prior-generation AirPods. "I'm legitimately surprised at how good they do sound," he wrote.
The separation between high and low frequencies isn't as pronounced and distinct as it is with the AirPods Pro and other wireless earbuds that use silicone tips--sometimes the highs get a little lost if bass notes are really thumping in a track--but the new AirPods' sound quality is a huge improvement, and because they're so comfortable to wear, I keep choosing them over my AirPods Pro for most of my daily listening.
Engadget's Billy Steele said that the AirPods sound "so much better" than prior models.
I don't want to mince words here: the new AirPods sound so much better than the previous two versions. Like almost night and day better. Apple didn't make any significant changes to sound quality from the first model to the 2019 version. But for gen three, Apple paired a custom driver with a high-dynamic-range amplifier to improve the audio chops. The company says that the duo work together to produce "rich consistent bass" and "crisp, clean" highs. From the moment I fired up the first song, this was all immediately evident. I don't think I've ever audibly said "woah" with the first note from a guitar on any review unit, but given how average older AirPods sound, it was involuntary this time.
Steele highlighted the Adaptive EQ feature of the AirPods, which customize the sound to the individual ear. The feature and other sound quality updates make the AirPods something he "actually wanted to listen to music with" rather than a listening device to choose just because they're more convenient than other earbud options.
He also tested call quality, and he said that FaceTime calls are "crisp and clear." Phone calls are better, but not to the same degree as FaceTime calls.
Charging Case
Apple added a MagSafe Charging Case to the AirPods 3, and according to reviewers, the case works identically to MagSafe iPhones, attaching with the same alignment to magnetic chargers. There's no reverse wireless charging, though, and Apple told The Verge that the MagSafe Case was intentionally designed so that it can't magnetically latch to iPhones to avoid confusing people.
Battery Life
Pocket-lint's Britta O'Doyle said that in her testing, the battery life of the AirPods listed by Apple was "conservative." Apple says that the AirPods will last for up to six hours, but she got "more listening than promised." The AirPods Pro lasted for 4.5 hours of talk time (Apple says 4), and 5.5 hours with Spatial Audio enabled (Apple says 5).
Wrap-Up
Overall, reviews of the AirPods 3 were highly positive. Reviewers like the new design, which is more comfortable and offers a tighter and more secure fit in the ears, and the improved fit also makes the sound quality better than before.
All of the great AirPods features like quick pairing and easy device switching are present, plus Apple has added Spatial Audio and Adaptive EQ to boost them even further. Reviews lauded the new IPX4 water and sweat resistance rating, and were satisfied with the battery life.
On the downside, some reviewers still missed the silicone tips and the Active Noise Cancellation feature available in the AirPods Pro, but it's clear that these new AirPods are worth checking out, especially at the $179 price point.
Apple's embargo on reviews of the third-generation AirPods has now lifted ahead of its launch tomorrow, giving the first hands-on looks at the company's latest earbuds. In addition to our review roundup, we have gathered together a number of unboxing videos and reviews of the new AirPods.
Scroll down for the initial unboxing and review videos from a range of prominent YouTubers who have been first to get their hands on the third-generation AirPods.
Videos
For more in-depth impressions, read our AirPods review roundup. If you are on the fence about buying the third-generation AirPods, take a look at some of our buyer's guides:
The MagSafe Charging Case for the third-generation AirPods features sweat and water resistance, making the standard AirPods the first to feature an IPX4-rated charging case.
Apple promoted the sweat and water-resistance of the third-generation AirPods with the device's announcement last week, but the IPX4 rating applies to both the earbuds and the charging case. The AirPods Pro were the first AirPods to offer sweat and water resistance, but the feature only applies to the earbuds themselves, with the charging case featuring no accredited sweat or water resistance rating.
The IPX4 rating means that AirPods have ingress protection to withstand dripping, spraying, or splashes of water. It also means that AirPods cannot withstand water jets (IPX5) or water immersion (IPX7). The "X" part of the rating explains that the AirPods have not been rated for dust resistance.
The AirPods Pro also now ship with an updated Charging Case that adds MagSafe, but unlike the third-generation AirPods, the new case is not officially rated for any kind of ingress protection. Apple confirms on its latest AirPods Pro specs page that "The Wireless Charging Case and MagSafe Charging Case for AirPods Pro are not sweat and water resistant."
The third-generation AirPods feature improved sound quality, a new design with shorter stems, force sensor controls, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, Adaptive EQ, Find My support, and more. These features debuted with the AirPods Pro, but Apple has now brought the standard AirPods up to spec with its "Pro" sibling, with the exception of silicone in-ear tips and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).
Sweat and water resistance is now an area where the AirPods surpass the AirPods Pro, but the IPX4-rated charging case is not the only new feature exclusive to the third-generation AirPods; the earbuds also feature an all-new skin-detect sensor.
Instead of skin-detect sensors in each earbud, the AirPods Pro use dual optical sensors to detect if they are in a user's ear. While they effectively perform the same function, the optical sensors can simply tell when they are covered up, rather than specifically against skin. This means that if you put an AirPods Pro earbud in a pocket or on a surface, it could accidentally resume playback.
There have been no rumors to suggest that the next-generation AirPods Pro will feature the new skin-detect sensor and a sweat and water-resistant MagSafe Charging Case, but it seems highly likely that Apple will bring its mid-range AirPods to parity with the entry-level model.
The third-generation AirPods have also begun shipping to customers around the world ahead of the device's official launch tomorrow.
For more detailed information about the third-generation AirPods, see our comprehensive roundup. If you are undecided about buying the new earbuds, take a look at our buyer's guides.
Popular accessory maker Anker today is launching a new family of MagSafe-compatible accessories for the iPhone 12 and 13 lineups, arriving under new "MagGo" branding.
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Anker is announcing six new MagGo products today: three desktop chargers, a car charger, a battery, and a phone grip.
Anker 622 Magnetic Battery: A 5,000 mAh magnetic power bank that offers up to 17 hours of extra battery life for an iPhone 12 or 13 and includes a built-in kickstand to support the iPhone in either landscape or portrait orientation. Despite the added kickstand flap, the battery is thinner than Anker's previous PowerCore Magnetic 5K power bank and only marginally thicker than Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack. I've been using the 622 for a few days, and while my iPhone 13 Pro Max gets great battery life on its own, Anker's battery pack is handy to have around for some extra juice (it charges the phone at up to 7.5W) or to prop up my phone. It's priced at $59.99 and is available in five colors: Misty Blue, Interstellar Gray, Dolomite White, Lilac Purple, and Buds Green.
Anker 623 Magnetic Wireless Charger: A can-shaped dual wireless charger with a hinged MagSafe-compatible surface to hold your iPhone in a range of orientations. The weighted base keeps your phone steady even in a semi-vertical orientation at up to 7.5W, and with the magnetic base deployed, it reveals a standard 5W wireless charging surface where you can charge AirPods or another phone. I've also been using this one for a few days, and it's a great addition to my desktop setup. It's priced at $79.99 and available in Misty Blue, Interstellar Gray, Dolomite White, and Lilac Purple.
Anker 633 Magnetic Wireless Charger: A 2-in-1 desktop charging stand with a MagSafe-compatible charging surface that's actually a removable 5,000 mAh portable power bank that charges at up to 7.5W. There's also a 5W wireless charger built into the base of the stand for charging AirPods or another device. It's priced at $119.99 and available in Misty Blue, Interstellar Gray, and Dolomite White.
Anker 637 Magnetic Charging Station: Another desktop charger, but this one is actually an 8-in-1 charger with a unique ball-shaped design featuring an angled 7.5W MagSafe-compatible charger on the front and a host of wired charging options on the back. There are three power outlets, two USB-C ports that can support up to 65W PD fast charging, and two USB-A ports. Priced at $119.99, the 637 will launch in early December and is available in Misty Blue, Interstellar Gray, and Dolomite White.
Anker 610 Magnetic Phone Grip: A simple ring grip and stand with enough magnetic strength to hold up to 800 grams, or about the weight of four iPhone 12/13 models. It's priced at $15.99 and available in Misty Blue, Interstellar Gray, Dolomite White, and Lilac Purple.
Anker 613 Magnetic Wireless Charger: A MagSafe-compatible charger for the car, the 613 sits on the dashboard and features an adjustable arm to position the 7.5W charging pad in just the right spot. It features both USB-C and USB-A ports on the rear for compatibility with most car models, and it has an always-on glow surface on the charging pad to help you find it in a dark car. It's priced at $69.99 and available only in Interstellar Gray.
All of the new MagGo products with the exception of the 637 Magnetic Charging Station are available to order today through both Anker's website and on Amazon.
Anker has also recently launched the 40W Nano Pro Dual USB-C power adapter, which we briefly mentioned last month alongside the launch of the single-port version. The new dual-port version is available for $35.99 at Anker and Amazon.
Apple's new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will begin arriving to customers this Tuesday, October 26, and ahead of time, the embargo has lifted on the first reviews of the notebooks across media publications and YouTube channels.
Image Credit: The Verge
We've rounded up more video reviews of the new MacBook Pro models in a separate story, while highlights from written reviews can be found below.
Performance: M1 Pro and M1 Max
Both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro can be configured with either the M1 Pro or M1 Max, with both chips featuring a 10-core CPU. The difference between the chips comes down to graphics, with the M1 Pro available with up to a 16-core GPU and the M1 Max available with up to a 32-core GPU.
The first Geekbench 5 benchmark results for the new MacBook Pro models revealed the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are over 1.5x faster than the M1 chip in lower-end Macs, while Apple said the M1 Max chip has up to 4x faster graphics than the M1 chip.
Jason Snell shared a useful chart comparing benchmark scores at Six Colors:
In my time with the 14-inch MacBook Pro and its M1 Pro chip, I didn't encounter a single instance of slowdown, even when editing photos with Lightroom and Photoshop CC, while also cutting video in Premiere CC when connected to a 4K HDR external monitor. In fact, the laptop's fans only turned on while exporting a 4K video file.
As we previously reported, 16-inch MacBook Pro models configured with an M1 Max chip feature a new High Power Mode that is designed to maximize performance during intensive, sustained workloads.
Design: Notch, Keyboard, and More
Key design changes to the new MacBook Pro models include a notch at the top of the display that houses an upgraded 1080p webcam, and a revamped keyboard with an all-black design and full-size function keys instead of a Touch Bar.
And yes, the display has a notch, which we know will be polarizing, but I very quickly stopped noticing it, just like everyone stops seeing the iPhone notch. We'll see how I feel after another few days with this thing.
I like that Apple got rid of the Touch Bar screen up top, which I didn't really find useful on earlier MacBook Pro models, and instead replaced it with full-sized function keys that are easy to tap to adjust the volume, screen brightness and more.
Added Ports: HDMI, SD Card Slot, and MagSafe
Apple has brought back many ports on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models that it had previously removed in 2016, including an HDMI port, an SD card slot, and MagSafe for a magnetic power cable.
It's as if Apple designers decided to go through all the feedback they've gotten for years and cherry pick everyone's top handful of wishlist requests (with apologies to whoever wanted mini-DisplayPort or DVI to return). […]
HDMI is something people have been asking to get back. It's great to be future-forward, but HDMI remains immensely useful, even if it's transitioning into being more of a legacy port. That's also why we had laptops with VGA ports for so many years after they should have vanished. People have older or legacy devices, like printers, projectors, displays, etc., and they want to be able to plug into those immediately, with a cable common enough that you might luck out and find one buried in the back of a desk drawer.
Displays: Mini-LED and ProMotion
The new MacBook Pro models are equipped with Liquid Retina XDR displays with mini-LED backlighting for up to 3x higher brightness when viewing HDR content, while the addition of ProMotion allows for an adaptive refresh rate between a power-preserving 24Hz and a smooth-looking 120Hz depending on the type of content that is showing on the screen.
The new Pro displays have also been upgraded with the iPad Pro's ProMotion feature, which is so good that it's now upsetting to use a laptop without it. ProMotion, which is turned on by default, makes it so the Pro can adjust its refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz, depending on what you're doing. You can turn off ProMotion and use the Pro at a fixed refresh rate (47.95Hz, 48Hz, 50Hz, 59.94Hz, or 60Hz) if you want to, but I tried using it at 60Hz and found the difference too glaring after almost a week at 120Hz. It really is so much smoother with ProMotion turned on.
Battery Life
Apple said the new MacBook Pro models get up to 10 hours longer battery life per charge compared to the previous-generation models.
[T]he efficiency of the M1 chip's ARM design leads to great battery performance. The 14-inch MacBook Pro lasted 12 hours and 35 minutes in our benchmark, while the 16-inch went for 16 hours and 34 minutes. That’s over five hours longer than the last Intel model.
Key Takeaways
With very fast performance, the return of useful ports like HDMI and an SD card slot, and improved displays, the new MacBook Pro models check all of the boxes for a lot of professional users and are a very worthwhile upgrade.
Much like the return of MagSafe, the abandonment of the Touch Bar is a prime example of why the new MacBooks are the best in years. They build on the technologies and learnings of previous generations introduce some key breakthroughs and, perhaps, most importantly, listened to user feedback. That means moving on from what doesn't work and doubling down on what does, and above all, not ever assuming you know what's best for the consumer — particularly in the case of extremely particular creative pros.
Priced between $1,999 and $5,899, this is very much not the MacBook for everyone. For most consumers, the MacBook Air gets the job done — and then some. But if you're someone who regularly finds yourself pushing your machine to the limits, the new Pro is a great marriage of the line's best elements.
Apple's embargo on reviews of the new MacBook Pro has now lifted ahead of its launch tomorrow, giving the first official hands-on look at the company's much-anticipated new high-end laptop. In addition to our review roundup, we have gathered together a number of unboxing videos and reviews of the new MacBook Pro.
The key new features of the redesigned MacBook Pro include the M1 Pro and M1 Max chip, larger displays with mini-LED and ProMotion, HDMI and MagSafe ports, an SD card slot, full-size function keys, fast charging, longer battery life, and more.
Scroll down for the first unboxing and review videos from a range of prominent YouTubers who have been first to get their hands on the new MacBook Pro.
Videos
For more in-depth impressions of the new machines, read our MacBook Pro review roundup. If you are undecided about buying the new MacBook Pro, take a look at some of our helpful buyer's guides:
Apple's suppliers are currently developing components for next-generation sensors in the Apple Watch Series 8 that will allow users to measure their blood glucose level, according to a new report.
According to a paywalled report from DigiTimes, Apple and its suppliers have begun working on short-wavelength infrared sensors, a commonly used sensor type for health devices. The new sensors, likely to be fitted on the back of the Apple Watch, will enable the device to measure the amount of sugar in a wearer's blood.
The Apple Watch, over the years, has gained more comprehensive health features, most recently with the Apple Watch Series 6 that added a blood oxygen sensor. Compared to the first Apple Watch capable of measuring heart rate and primary daily activity, the Apple Watch is now capable of taking an ECG, detecting falls, high and low heart rates, blood oxygen levels, and more.
Continuing to build the Apple Watch as an all-encompassing health tool, Apple has already been rumored to be eying blood glucose measuring functionality for the next-generation Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 8. According to The Wall Street Journal, blood glucose level is one of multiple health metrics Apple is looking to add to the Apple Watch.
According to The Wall Street Journal, however, Apple is facing challenges in incorporating blood glucose capabilities into the Apple Watch. Current methods of measuring blood glucose levels include taking a sample of blood and using a medical-grade device. With the Apple Watch, Apple would be looking to take a typically invasive medical practice and make it non-invasive.
In iOS 15, the Health app added blood glucose highlights as a health metric. iOS 15 users have to use external hardware to provide the data, but that would change if Apple adds a glucose monitoring feature to a future Apple Watch model.
What Apple has in store for the next Apple Watch remains unclear, but the radical redesign that was rumored for the Series 7 but never materialized could make an appearance. The Apple Watch Series 7, announced last month, includes a larger display, faster charging, and a slightly larger battery. Apple is expected to announce the Apple Watch Series 8 in the 2022 fall season.
Blackmagic Design has announced a new update to its professional video editing and color correction software, DaVinci Resolve, adding full support for Apple's latest M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. As a result, the software runs up to five times faster on Apple's new MacBook Pro models, according to the developers.
DaVinci Resolve received an update in August for Apple's M1 chip, found in the low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini. That update brought threefold speed increases to M1 machines, thanks to a completely reworked engine, and while the latest version of DaVinci Resolve isn't required to run natively on Apple silicon Macs, it has been optimized to take advantage of the more powerful chips in the new MacBook Pro models.
The optimizations rely on hardware acceleration support for Apple's ProRes code, which has been designed specifically for Macs with M1 Pro and M1 Max processors. Blackmagic says DaVinci Resolve runs up to five times faster on the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, even when editing 8K video.
DaVinci Resolve 17.4 Update! Get 5x faster 8K editing and grading on Apple Mac models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, plus Dropbox Replay integration, subtitling improvements, support for more languages and layouts with Text+ and more! Download now https://t.co/eBmOvN6BWlpic.twitter.com/MP83ZuYpaD
— Blackmagic Design (@Blackmagic_News) October 22, 2021
In addition to support for Apple's new chips, DaVinci Resolve 17.4 adds native HDR and 120Hz video playback support for the new MacBook Pro models. The update also adds native Dropbox integration, an improved 3D keyer, and enhanced compatibility with macOS Monterey.
The Apple TV 4K set-top box will launch in Korea on November 4 in tandem with the availability of the company's TV+ video streaming service, Apple announced on Monday.
Along with the launch of the Apple TV 4K, Apple TV+ will become available in the country for the first time, accessible through the Apple TV App, Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, and Apple One.
To celebrate its digital service's availability in the country, Apple will premiere its first Korean original series, "Dr. Brain," on the same day. "Dr. Brain" is a Korean-language show based on the popular Korean webtoon of the same name. The show is written and directed by filmmaker Kim Jee-Woon, best known for "A Tale of Two Sisters" and "I Saw the Devil," and stars Lee Sun-Kyun, best known for "Parasite."
The show tells the story of a brain scientist who works to find new technologies to access memory, tools that he uses when his family is in a mysterious accident.
"Dr. Brain" is an emotional journey that follows a brain scientist who is obsessive about figuring out new technologies to access the consciousness and memories of the brain. His life goes sideways when his family falls victim to a mysterious accident, and he uses his skills to access memories from his wife's brain to piece together the mystery of what actually happened to his family and why.
"Dr. Brain" is one of several Apple Original international dramas coming to Apple TV+. Apple is also working on "Pachinko," "Masters of the Air," "Slow Horses," "Shantaram," "Echo 3," "Acapulco," and other shows.
The launch of Apple TV+ in Korea is in partnership with local internet service provider SK Broadband. TV+ in Korea will be priced at 6,500 won ($5.50) per month.
The following week, Disney+ launches in Korea on November 12, releasing seven new Korean shows, ensuring stiff competition for Apple in its latest market.
The notch on the newly redesigned MacBook Pro offers a "smart way" to give users more room for their content and allowed Apple to make the bezels thinner and provide more screen real estate to customers, an Apple official has said during a recent media interview.
The inclusion of a notch on the entirely revamped MacBook Pros was a surprise and was one of the few last-minute rumors that surfaced ahead of Apple's "Unleashed" event last week. As expected, some social media users have criticized Apple's design choice of adding a notch to the display.
Addressing the company's decision, Shruti Haldea, a manager for the Mac product line and one of the presenters of last week's Apple event, said during an interview on the Same Brain podcast that the notch is a "smart" solution for the Mac as it provides users more room for their content by moving the macOS menu bar out of the way.
What we've done is we've actually made the display taller. Like on the 16-inch notebook, you still have a 16.0 active area on the diagonal in that 16:10-inch window, and we just grew the display up from there and put the menu bar up there. We just kind of moved it up and out of the way. So it's a really smart way to give you more space for your content, and when you're in full-screen mode, you have that 16:10 window, and it looks great. It's seamless.
Compared to previous iterations of the MacBook Pro design, the new 14-inch and 16-inch models do feature significantly smaller bezels. Apple says the bezels are 24% thinner than the previous generation on the left and right sides of the display, measuring only 3.5mm. On the top, thanks to the notch, the bezel is 60% thinner, also measuring at 3.5mm.
While the notch is noticeable at first, Apple is betting on some macOS software features, including dark mode, to help minimize how noticeable it is to some users in day-to-day use. For example, when macOS apps are in full-screen mode, the system adds a black border to the top of the display, hiding the notch while not interfering with a user's content. Developers can choose to have their app's content shown on either side of the notch.
The notch is one many changes to the new MacBook Pros. The new laptops feature an entirely redesigned chassis, additional ports such as HDMI and an SD card slot, MagSafe, a mini-LED display with ProMotion, and either the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, which are the first Apple silicon chips designed for professional consumers.
Both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models became available for pre-order last week and will start arriving to customers on Tuesday, October 26. Both sizes can be configured with either the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, giving users substantial performance gains compared to the M1 Apple silicon chip. Learn more about the new MacBook Pros using our detailed roundup.
Ahead of an official launch later this week, new images sent to MacRumors show the new 14-inch MacBook Pro on display at an Apple Authorized Reseller, offering us an even closer look at Apple's entirely revamped MacBook Pro.
The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros were by far two of the most highly anticipated and talked about Apple product releases of the entire year. Now that Apple has officially announced them, customers are eager to get their hands on the new computers and see even better images of the first MacBook Pro redesign since 2016.
We've already seen an unboxing video and photos of the MacBook Pro earlier this week, and just earlier today, a second video that offered us a closer look. The latter, however, was taken down from YouTube, possibly at the behest of Apple, as official hands-on footage and reviews of the new laptops are not yet permitted to be published.
The new images sent to us by reader George offer us perhaps the best look at the new 14-inch MacBook Pro yet, outside of shots of the laptop during last week's Apple event and promotional material. In the photos, the redesigned chassis is visible, and despite the impression that Apple's marketing material may give, the feet on the bottom of the MacBook Pro are not that noticeably high in comparison to some older MacBook Pro models.
On the front, one of the most notable design changes is the inclusion of a notch. Apple is taking steps to limit the influence that the notch has in day-to-day use on the new MacBook Pros. As you can see in the photo below, the notch is more noticeable when users are not using full-screen macOS apps, and Apple has increased the height of the macOS menu bar to accommodate the notch.
For the display, the new MacBook Pros include mini-LED technology, the same technology in the high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Alongside support for ProMotion, the Liquid Retina XDR display offers improved color and brightness for HDR content. Other design changes on the front include an all-black keyboard and the return of the function keys on the top row, with Apple removing the Touch Bar. The trackpads on the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro are the same as the previous generation.
Sending us these images, George did leave a few notes for us regarding his first impression of the new machine. George told us that the laptop is heavier than expected, that "the notch isn't intrusive," and as we've reported previously, that the notch can serve as a hiding place for the macOS pointer.
Below are some additional photos of the 14-inch MacBook Pro that MacRumors received, including shots of the newly added HDMI port, SD card slot, and an image of the MacBook fully closed.
The MacBook Pros became available for pre-order earlier this week and have already started shipping to customers ahead of their Tuesday release. Both the 14-inch and 16-inch models can be configured with either the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, which both offer significant performance gains compared to the M1 chip.
The new MacBook Pro lineup starts at $1,999 for the baseline 14-inch model with 16GB of unified memory, 512GB of storage, and the M1 Pro chip. The highest-end configuration of the 16-inch MacBook Pro with 64GB of unified memory, 8TB of storage, and the M1 Max chip with a 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine retails for $6,099. Learn more about both models by reading our dedicated roundup.
Developers are busy putting the finishing touches on their apps to take advantage of new features in macOS Monterey and support the new MacBook Pro models with Apple's new high-end M1 Pro and M1 Max chips and a notched display, and many users will be looking to update their Macs as soon as Monterey is available.
Although Apple has not shared an exact time for the release of macOS Monterey, we can make some educated guesses based on Apple's localized sites for various countries and past releases.
While Apple lists the release date as October 25 in much of the world, localized sites for some countries in the Eastern Hemisphere list the launch date as October 26, as the launch time will come at or after midnight in those countries.
Given that those two countries are 90 minutes apart by time zones, that pins things down relatively closely, pointing to a window between 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The most likely release time in that window would be 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, which is a common release time for Apple. A release at that time would correspond to 10:30 p.m. on October 25 in India and midnight on October 26 in Thailand. This same method has accurately predicted the release times for a number of major operating system updates from Apple, including macOS Big Sur last year.
It's worth noting that Apple's release times do sometimes vary a bit and it can take a bit of time for the updates to propagate across Apple's servers and become available to all users, so the 10:00 a.m. estimate is simply that – an estimate.
Apple has also indicated that it will be releasing iOS 15.1, iPadOS 15.1, watchOS 8.1, tvOS 15.1, and HomePod software 15.1 during the week of October 25, but the company does not appear to have specified an exact day for those releases. There are some cross-platform features that means it would be logical for Apple to release all of its updates at the same time, but we'll have to wait and see what Apple's plans are.
There are of course no guarantees Apple will stick to its usual release timing with macOS Monterey, but given our best guess of 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time release, here's a breakdown of what that corresponds to in other time zones in the United States and around the world:
Honolulu, Hawaii -- 7:00 a.m. HST
Anchorage, Alaska -- 9:00 a.m. AKDT
Cupertino, California -- 10:00 a.m. PDT
Vancouver, Canada -- 10:00 a.m. PDT
Phoenix, Arizona -- 10:00 a.m. MST
Denver, Colorado -- 11:00 a.m. MDT
Chicago, Illinois -- 12:00 noon. CDT
New York, New York -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
Toronto, Canada -- 1:00 p.m. EDT
Halifax, Canada -- 2:00 p.m. ADT
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- 2:00 p.m. BRT
London, United Kingdom -- 6:00 p.m. BST
Berlin, Germany -- 7:00 p.m. CEST
Paris, France -- 7:00 p.m. CEST
Cape Town, South Africa -- 7:00 p.m. SAST
Helsinki, Finland -- 8:00 p.m. EEST
Moscow, Russia -- 8:00 p.m. MSK
Istanbul, Turkey -- 8:00 p.m. TRT
Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- 9:00 p.m. GST
Delhi, India -- 10:30 p.m. IST
Jakarta, Indonesia -- 12:00 midnight WIB next day
Shanghai, China -- 1:00 a.m. CST next day
Singapore -- 1:00 a.m. SGT next day
Perth, Australia -- 1:00 a.m. AWST next day
Hong Kong -- 1:00 a.m. HKT next day
Seoul, South Korea -- 2:00 a.m. KST next day
Tokyo, Japan -- 2:00 a.m. JST next day
Brisbane, Australia - 3:00 a.m. AEST next day
Adelaide, Australia -- 3:30 a.m. ACDT next day
Sydney, Australia -- 4:00 a.m. AEDT next day
Auckland, New Zealand -- 6:00 a.m. NZDT next day
macOS Monterey is compatible with many of the Macs that were able to run macOS Big Sur, but it drops support for some older MacBook Air and iMac models from 2013 and 2014 as well as the 2015 MacBook. Compatible machines are outlined below:
For all of the details on what's new in macOS Monterey, make sure to check out our roundup which offers a thorough look at the updates to key apps, visual changes, and other new features.
The first seemingly legitimate Geekbench 5 result for the base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with an 8-core M1 Pro chip has surfaced, and it reveals that the 8-core model is, as expected, ~20% slower than 10-core models in terms of multi-core performance. The 10-core model has 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores, while the 8-core model has 6 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores.
The benchmark result lists the 8-core 14-inch MacBook Pro with a multi-core score of 9,948, which is around 20% lower than the average multi-core score of around 12,700 for 14-inch MacBook Pro models configured with a 10-core M1 Pro or M1 Max chip. Keep in mind this is only a single result, so additional results are needed for certainty.
For single-core performance, the 8-core M1 Pro chip has approximately the same score as the standard M1 chip, the M1 Pro chip, and the M1 Max chip.
For multi-core performance, the 8-core M1 Pro chip is about 30% faster than the standard M1 chip, which also has 8-cores (4 performance, 4 efficiency).
Geekbench Scores
M1 (8-core) Single: 1742 Multi: 7582
M1 Pro (8-core) Single: 1767 Multi: 9948
M1 Max (10-core) Single: 1764 Multi: 12380
The base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with an 8-core M1 Pro chip is priced at $1,999 in the United States. Customers can upgrade this configuration to a 10-core M1 Pro chip with a 14-core GPU for an extra $200, raising the total price to $2,199.
The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models became available to order on Monday and have started shipping to some customers ahead of a Tuesday, October 26 launch. In addition to M1 Pro and M1 Max chip options, the notebooks feature mini-LED displays with ProMotion for up to a 120Hz refresh rate, additional ports like an HDMI port and an SD card slot, MagSafe charging, longer battery life, and a notch housing an upgraded 1080p webcam.
Ahead of a Tuesday release, the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are now starting to ship to customers who were lucky enough to get an early delivery date, as availability of the new Macs seemingly continues to be low.
The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros ushered in a complete redesign to the product, the first since its controversial revamp in 2016. With the 2021 redesign, Apple has reintroduced ports to the MacBook Pro, such as HDMI and an SD card slot, and brought back MagSafe. The new MacBook Pros are also powered by the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, the first Apple silicon chips designed for professional machines.
While the new MacBook Pros are now starting to ship to customers ahead of a Tuesday launch, those who have yet to place their orders or perhaps did so a little after pre-orders went live should prepare to face a long wait. For current Mac users not getting a new Mac this week, there is still something to look forward to as macOS Monterey launches on Monday, October 25.
Apple opened pre-orders for the completely redesigned MacBook Pros following its "Unleashed" event last week. Within minutes of pre-orders going live, delivery dates were already slipping by weeks and in some cases by over a month.. The 14-inch model, at the time of writing, displays at least 3-4 weeks for delivery, with all 16-inch models showing 4-5 weeks. Exact delivery date estimates will vary depending on location, configuration, and more.
Weeks ahead of the holiday season, a primetime for Apple, a number of the company's products continue to face long delivery dates. Models of the latest iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, and even the Apple Watch Series 7 are showing weeks for delivery, potentially impacting customers' holiday shopping plans.
The news this week was dominated by Apple's Monday event, with the company spending most of its time talking about the new MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chip options, although we did get a few other announcements at the event.
With Apple's final event of 2021 likely now out of the way, we also got straight back into the rumor cycle this week with reports about future iMac, MacBook Air, iPhone SE, and AirPods Pro updates, so read on for all of the details!
Everything Announced at the Apple Event in Just 7 Minutes
Apple Announces Redesigned Third-Generation AirPods
Apple unveiled third-generation AirPods this week with a similar design as the AirPods Pro, but no active noise cancellation or silicone ear tips.
Key features include improved sound quality with Adaptive EQ and spatial audio, longer battery life, a MagSafe charging case, IPX4-rated water and sweat resistance, and more. The third-generation AirPods are available to order now for $179 and will launch on Tuesday, October 26.
Apple also announced that, starting later this year, Siri support for multi-user voice recognition is expanding to all regions where the HomePod mini is available.
There's also Geekbench results for graphics that reveal the M1 Max chip's GPU is over 3x faster than the M1 chip's GPU based on Apple's Metal framework. Apple said the GPU in the M1 Max chip is actually up to 4x faster than the M1 chip's GPU, so we'll have to wait for further results to see.
Apple Rumored to Launch 27-Inch Mini-LED iMac With ProMotion in Early 2022
We've also learned some other MacBook Pro details, including that the SD card reader supports up to 250MB/s of data transfer with UHS-II SD cards, that eGPUs are still not supported on Apple silicon, and more.
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