MacRumors

Apple's next-generation larger-screened "iMac Pro" is expected to launch next spring, according to a forward looking article on Apple's upcoming devices penned by display analyst Ross Young.

Young says that the new ‌iMac‌ is "expected in the spring," with spring in the Northern Hemisphere starting on March 20 and ending on June 21. Apple often holds an event in the spring, so we could perhaps see the new ‌iMac‌ come out at the annual spring event.

There were rumors of an ‌iMac‌ with a display larger than 27 inches, but more recent information, including details from Young, have pointed toward Apple maintaining the 27-inch display size. The device will use a mini-LED display similar to the MacBook Pro, and it will feature support for 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates.

To simplify its naming strategy, the new ‌iMac‌ could be called the "‌iMac‌ Pro," which would differentiate it from the 24-inch ‌iMac‌ and put it on par with the ‌MacBook Pro‌ machines. The new 27-inch iMacs are expected to use the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips as the 2021 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models.

There have been rumors about Apple transitioning to OLED displays for some Macs and iPads instead of mini-LED, and Young also touches on that subject in his analysis. Young believes that we shouldn't expect an OLED iPad or MacBook until 2023 at the earliest.

Right now, prices for Apple's mini-LED panels are more expensive than similar OLED panels, but the adoption of OLED vs. the continued adoption of mini-LED will depend on how fast mini-LED prices drop. Young says that pricing differences "will be critical" in the "OLED vs. mini-LED battle."

Apple has officially delayed Universal Control, a hallmark feature of macOS Monterey and iPadOS 15 announced in June, until Spring 2022.

In an update to the iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey feature pages, Apple now indicates that ‌Universal Control‌ will be "available this spring." ‌Universal Control‌, which allows users to use one mouse and keyboard across all of their Macs and iPads, has been absent from all versions of both macOS Monterey and iPadOS 15 thus far.

Apple had initially indicated that ‌Universal Control‌ would be launching in the fall of this year, presumably alongside the initial releases of macOS Monterey and iPadOS 15, but that promise did not materialize. Apple just today released macOS Monterey 12.1, including SharePlay and other new features, but lacking Universal Control. With the fall season officially ending on December 21, it seemed likely to be the case that the feature would be delayed until next year.

Apple today released a new "Tracker Detect" app on the Google Play Store, with the app designed to allow Android users to locate AirTags that might be nearby.

According to the app's description, Tracker Detect looks for item trackers that are separated from their owner and that are compatible with the Find My Network, so it will locate AirTags and other Find My-enabled devices like the Chipolo Bluetooth item tracker.

Apple says that Android users can scan to find a nearby AirTag if they think that someone is using an ‌AirTag‌ or another device to track their location. The app is designed to alleviate fears from experts worried that AirTags can be used maliciously to track the location of individuals.

For iPhone users, Apple previously introduced several safety features, including an alert that will let an ‌iPhone‌ user know if an ‌AirTag‌ that does not belong to them is following them. There was no such protection for Android users prior to the introduction of the Tracker Detect app, which Apple said it was working on back in June.

An Apple Support document on the feature says that if the app detects an ‌AirTag‌ or Find My-compatible item tracker nearby for at least 10 minutes, a sound can be used to help locate it. Conducting a scan will reveal any nearby AirTags, and after offering up a tool to play a sound to locate the ‌AirTag‌, Apple will offer information on how to disable it by removing the battery.

Apple today released macOS Monterey 12.1, the first major update to the macOS Monterey update that initially launched in October.

The ‌‌macOS Monterey‌ update can be downloaded on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences. Apple has also released a macOS Big Sur 11.6.2 update for those still running macOS Big Sur and a Security Update 2021-008 for those running macOS Catalina.

macOS Monterey 12.1 adds a major missing feature to the Mac -- SharePlay. With SharePlay, Mac owners can watch TV, listen to music, and play games with friends and family members over FaceTime.

Using SharePlay, all kinds of apps integrate with ‌FaceTime‌, and content is synced for all people who are part of the ‌FaceTime‌ call. You can listen to music and access shared playlists using Apple Music, watch synced TV shows and movies together with the TV app, work out together with Apple Fitness+, and even share your screen with friends and family members for things like group trip planning or device troubleshooting.

SharePlay was designed to work with first-party apps like Apple TV and ‌Apple Music‌, but Apple designed an API for developers so third-party apps can also use ‌FaceTime‌ for shared games and other experiences.

macOS Monterey 12.1 brings support for the $4.99 ‌Apple Music‌ Voice Plan that's designed to work with Siri, and it adds Communication Safety for children in the Messages app. There are updates to the Memories feature in Photos to bring macOS 12 in line with iOS 15, and the update includes the same Digital Legacy feature being introduced in iOS 15.2.

Digital Legacy lets you designate a person as a Legacy Contact to give them access to your iCloud account when you die. Apple has also added Hide My Email support for the Mail app, a Store tab in the TV app, and bug fixes for the trackpad, HDR video playback on YouTube, charging, and notch display issues. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.

macOS Monterey 12.1 adds SharePlay, an entirely new way to have shared experiences with family and friends in FaceTime. This update also includes the Apple Music Voice Plan, new safety features for children and parents in Messages, redesigned Memories in Photos, and other features and bug fixes for your Mac.

SharePlay

• SharePlay is a new way to share synchronized experiences in FaceTime with content from the Apple TV app, Apple Music, and other supported apps
• Shared controls give everyone the ability to pause, play, rewind or fast forward
• Smart volume automatically lowers the audio of a movie, TV show or song when you or your friends speak
• Screen sharing lets everyone on a FaceTime call look at photos, browse the web, or help each other out

Apple Music Voice Plan

• Apple Music Voice Plan is a new subscription tier that gives you access to all songs, playlists, and stations in Apple Music using Siri
• Just Ask Siri suggests music based on your listening history and likes or dislikes
• Play it Again lets you access a list of your recently played music

Photos

• Memories has been redesigned with a new interactive interface, new animation and transition styles, and multiple image collages
• New Memory types include additional international holidays, child-focused memories, trends over time, and improved pet memories

Messages

• Communication safety setting gives parents the ability to enable warnings for children when they receive or send photos that contain nudity
  

• Safety warnings contain helpful resources for children when they receive photos that contain nudity

Siri and Search

• Expanded guidance in Siri, Spotlight and Safari Search to help children and parents stay safe online and get help with unsafe situations

Apple ID

• Digital Legacy allows you to designate people as Legacy Contacts so they can access your iCloud account and personal information in the event of your death

TV App

• Store tab lets you browse, buy, and rent movies and TV Shows all in one place

This release also includes the following enhancements for your Mac:

• Hide My Email is available in the Mail app for iCloud+ subscribers to create unique, random email addresses
• Stocks allows you to view the currency for a ticker and see year-to-date performance when viewing charts
• Reminders and Notes now allow you to delete or rename tags

This release also includes bug fixes for your Mac:

• Desktop and Screen Saver may appear blank after selecting photos from the Photos library
• Trackpad could become unresponsive to taps or clicks
• External displays may not charge some MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers when connected using Thunderbolt or USB-C
• HDR video playback on YouTube.com could cause 2021 MacBook Pro computers to panic
• Menu bar extras may be obscured by the camera housing on 2021 MacBook Pro computers
• MagSafe may stop charging on 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro computers when lid is closed and system is shut down

For more on the new features that have been introduced with macOS Monterey, we have a dedicated macOS Monterey roundup.

Alongside iOS 15.2, Apple today released a new 15.2 software update for the HomePod and the HomePod mini.

The ‌HomePod‌ 15.2 software adds support for the $4.99 per month Apple Music Voice Plan, a Siri-based option for listening to ‌Apple Music‌ on ‌HomePod‌ and other devices.

Software version 15.2 includes support for Apple Music Voice Plan, a new subscription tier designed to access music using Siri, and extends Siri voice recognition to new languages. This update also includes performance and stability improvements.

Today's update adds several new languages to the ‌HomePod‌ in addition to introducing ‌Apple Music‌ Voice Plan. There's now support for the following languages:

- Dutch (Belgium)
- Dutch (Netherlands)
- French (Belgium)
- French (Switzerland)
- German (Switzerland)
- Italian (Switzerland)
- Russian

‌‌‌‌‌‌‌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 iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2, the second major updates to the iOS and iPadOS 15 operating systems that were released in September 2021. iOS 15.2 comes more than a month after the launch of iOS 15.1.

The iOS and iPadOS 15.2 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update. It may take some time for the update to roll out to all users.

iOS 15.2 adds App Privacy Report, a feature designed to let you know how often apps are accessing permissions-restricted info like the camera and the microphone, plus it lets you know the domains that apps and websites are contacting so you can keep an eye on what's going on behind the scenes.

The update includes Communication Safety for devices owned by children and the Apple Music Voice Plan, plus it introduces Legacy Contacts for managing your data after you die, and it adds improvements to Find My, Hide My Email, and more. Apple's full release notes for the iOS 15.2 update are below:

iOS 15.2 adds Apple Music Voice Plan, a new subscription tier that provides access to music using Siri. This update also includes the App Privacy Report, new safety features for children and parents in Messages, and other features and bug fixes for your iPhone.

Apple Music Voice Plan

• Apple Music Voice Plan is a new subscription tier that gives you access to all songs, playlists, and stations in Apple Music using Siri
• Just Ask Siri suggests music based on your listening history and likes or dislikes
• Play it Again lets you access a list of your recently played music

Privacy

• App Privacy Report in Settings lets you see how often apps have accessed your location, photos, camera, microphone, contacts and more during the last seven days, as well as their network activity

Messages

• Communication safety setting gives parents the ability to enable warnings for children when they receive or send photos that contain nudity
• Safety warnings contain helpful resources for children when they receive photos that contain nudity

Siri and Search

• Expanded guidance in Siri, Spotlight and Safari Search to help children and parents stay safe online and get help with unsafe situations

Apple ID

• Digital Legacy allows you to designate people as Legacy Contacts so they can access your iCloud account and personal information in the event of your death

Camera

• Macro photo control for switching to the Ultra Wide lens to capture macro photos and videos can be enabled in Settings on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max

TV app

• Store tab lets you browse, buy, and rent movies and TV Shows all in one place

CarPlay

• Enhanced city map in Apple Maps with road details like turn lanes, medians, bike lanes, and pedestrian crosswalks for supported cities

This release also includes the following enhancements for your iPhone:

• Hide My Email is available in the Mail app for iCloud+ subscribers to create unique, random email addresses
• Find My can locate iPhone for up to five hours when in Power Reserve
• Stocks allows you to view the currency for a ticker and see year-to-date performance when viewing charts
• Reminders and Notes now allow you to delete or rename tags

This release also includes bug fixes for your iPhone:

• Siri may not respond while VoiceOver is running and iPhone is locked
• ProRAW photos may appear overexposed when viewing in third-party photo editing apps
• HomeKit scenes that include a garage door may not run from CarPlay when your iPhone is locked
• CarPlay may not update Now Playing information for certain apps
• Video streaming apps may not load content on iPhone 13 models
• Calendar events may appear on the wrong day for Microsoft Exchange users

For a complete overview of all of the features that are available in iOS 15, we have a dedicated iOS 15 roundup.

Apple today released watchOS 8.3, the second major update to the watchOS 8 operating system that first launched in September. watchOS 8.3 comes more than a month after the launch of watchOS 8.1, and it is not known why Apple skipped version 8.2.

‌‌watchOS ‌8.3 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌‌.

The watchOS 8.3 update is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 3 and later like all watchOS 8 updates.

According to Apple's release notes, watchOS 8.3 adds support for the voice-only Apple Music Voice Plan, which is designed to allow users to ask Siri to play ‌Apple Music‌ songs, playlists, and stations.

The update also introduces support for App Privacy Report, a feature that monitors when apps access sensitive data and sensors that are restricted by privacy settings, such as location information, and it fixes an issue that could cause notifications to interrupt Mindfulness sessions unexpectedly. Though not included in the release notes, watchOS 8.3 expands AssistiveTouch to the Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5.

Details on what's included in the ‌watchOS 8‌ update can be found in our watchOS roundup.

Apple today released tvOS 15.2, the second major update to the tvOS operating system that first launched in September 2021. tvOS 15.2 comes more than a month after the launch of tvOS 15.1, an update that introduced SharePlay support.

tvOS 15.2 can be downloaded over the air on the Apple TV through the Settings app by going to System > Software Update. ‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates enabled will be upgraded to tvOS 15.2 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. We found no new features in tvOS 15.2 during the beta testing process, so it's not yet clear what's included in the update.

Apple does not provide detailed release notes for its tvOS updates, but it does offer some tvOS details through its tvOS support document.

Adobe today announced the launch of Creative Cloud Express, an app and web-based service that allows for drag-and-drop content creation, ranging from social media posts to marketing materials like logos, flyers, and banners.

Creative Cloud Express offers thousands of templates, 20,000 fonts, 175 million royalty-free Adobe stock images, and other design assets. "Quick Actions" powered by Adobe Sensei machine learning allow users to remove backgrounds from photos, trim and merge videos, turn videos into GIFs, convert/export PDFs in a few clicks, and more.

Adobe's head of Creative Cloud, Scott Belsky:

Creative Cloud Express is perfect for people with no creative training. But it's also a great addition to the toolkit of creative professionals. If you just want to make a social media post, produce a simple flyer, resize an image, or craft a quick thumbnail image for your Premiere Pro video, Creative Cloud Express is the fast and easy way to go. And Creative Cloud and Creative Cloud Express are connected through Libraries, Shared Templates and Shared Brands, which makes it easy for creative pros to share work with people with less formal training.

The free version of Creative Cloud Express includes basic editing and photo effects, access to a limited collection of design assets, and 2GB of cloud storage. For $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year, users can get access to the entire collection of design assets, premium "Quick Actions" like Refine Cutout and Resize, the ability to convert and export to and from PDFs and other file types, 100GB of cloud storage, and more.

Creative Cloud Express is also included with existing Creative Cloud Single App plans over $20.99 per month and the Creative Cloud All Apps plan.

Creative Cloud Express is available on the web and as an iPhone and iPad app on the App Store. The app was previously known as Adobe Spark Post.

Today you can get Apple's 24-inch 8-Core GPU, 256GB iMac for a new record low price of $1,399.00 at B&H Photo, down from $1,499.00. This sale is available in Silver, Orange, and Yellow, and it's in stock today with free expedited shipping available to most states.

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.

The best discounts we previously tracked on this model, and on most models of the M1 iMac, reached only to $50 off original prices. This is one of the best all-around markdowns on the M1 iMac line to date, and you'll also find the $1,399.00 sale price on Amazon this week, but it won't deliver until January.

You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.

The iPhone 13 lineup depreciates in value at almost half the rate of the Google Pixel 6, according to research by SellCell.

The Pixel 6, Google's latest flagship smartphone, launched just two months after Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 13 lineup. Despite being touted as a leading Android competitor to the ‌iPhone‌, the Pixel 6 suffers from considerably worse depreciation.

In the first month after launch, all of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 models depreciated by 24.9 percent on average. The Pixel 6 models, on the other hand, lost 42.6 percent of their value on average. Since then, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 has regained some of its value, with a recovery of 3.1 percent of its value since the first month. Overall, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 models are holding their value significantly better, leading to minimized losses for customers looking to sell their new device.

Looking at the most low-cost options in the respective lineups, the 128GB Pixel 6 lost the least value of all of the Google models with depreciation of 36.6 percent. This compares to depreciation of 26.9 percent for the 128GB ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, which is among the least popular ‌iPhone‌ models.

Last month, it was reported that the ‌iPhone‌ 13 models were holding their value much better than any previous ‌iPhone‌ in the period after launch. Going into December, the ‌iPhone‌ 13 has shown continued buoyancy with the lowest depreciation rate in the entire smartphone industry. That being said, the Pixel 6 is still early in its release and the coming months will present a clearer picture of the depreciation contrast between it and the ‌iPhone‌ 13.

SellCell's research is based on data from 45 buyback vendors. See the full report for more detailed information.

Amazon has a few models of the Apple Watch Series 7 on sale this week, introducing all-time low prices on both 41mm and 45mm GPS Aluminum devices, as well as a few Cellular models. Most of these Apple Watches are in stock and will be delivered before Christmas.

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.

Starting with the 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 in Green Aluminum with a Clover Sport Band, this model is available for $349.00, down from $399.00. The only other 41mm GPS model on sale at this price is the Blue Aluminum with an Abyss Blue Sport Band. Target is matching the sale on this Apple Watch.

If you're looking for the larger watch, Amazon also has the 45mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 in Blue Aluminum with an Abyss Blue Sport Band for $379.00, down from $429.00. The only other 45mm GPS model on sale at this price is the Midnight Aluminum with a Midnight Sport Band, but it will arrive after Christmas. You can also find these sale prices being matched at Target.

Lastly, there are two Cellular devices being discounted this week on Amazon, and they're both the Green Aluminum with a Clover Sport Band device. You can get the 41mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 7 for $449.00, down from $499.00. The 45mm Cellular Apple Watch Series 7 is down to $479.00, from $529.00. The former model is in stock but the latter will arrive in January.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Spotify is the biggest music streaming service available, so it's not uncommon to receive a Spotify link from someone to something they want you to listen to on your iPhone or iPad. If you're an Apple Music subscriber, however, that link isn't going to work for you. The opposite of course is also true – if a Spotify subscriber receives an ‌Apple Music‌ link, they'll have to search for the content manually in the rival service.

Fortunately, there's a handy new app for ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ that takes Spotify links and makes them something you can open in ‌Apple Music‌. It also works in the opposite direction for anyone who uses Spotify and often receives links from someone who uses Apple's streaming service.

It's called MusicMatch, and it's a free download on the App Store. So if the above scenario is something that's irked you or your friends before, go and download the app, and you'll be able to convert those links into something useful in a cinch. Here's how it works.

1. Receive a link to a song, album, or artist from someone.
2. Copy the Spotify link you've received to the clipboard by long pressing it and selecting Copy.
   
   

3. Open MusicMatch.
4. Tap Open in Apple Music.
   

MusicMatch also offers a Safari extension that automatically redirects links from Spotify to ‌Apple Music‌, although this option doesn't currently work in the opposite direction for Spotify users.

That's all there is to MusicMatch, a simple solution to a common problem experienced by many, if not most, ‌Apple Music‌ and Spotify users. Currently it only supports ‌Apple Music‌ and Spotify, but support for YouTube Music, Tidal, Pandora, and other services is something the developers are working on.

Apple will be donating to support relief efforts on the ground following tornadoes and other severe weather across parts of the central and southern United States, according to a tweet shared by Apple CEO Tim Cook on Saturday.

Cook did not reveal the exact amount that Apple will be donating, but the company routinely supports relief efforts following natural disasters.

At least 30 tornadoes were reported between late Friday and early Saturday across Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee, resulting in deaths and widespread property damage, according to CNN.

It was another busy week for Apple rumors, with Mark Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo spilling a range of details about Apple's Mac roadmap, the next AirPods Pro, Apple's AR/VR headset plans, and more.

In other news, it looks like the next round of Apple software updates will be arriving shortly with iOS 15.2, macOS 12.1, and related releases. The updates will bring several new features like the Apple Music Voice Plan, SharePlay for Mac, and more, but apparently not the much-anticipated Universal Control. Read on for details on these stories and more!

Apple Planning Five New Macs for 2022 Amid Apple Silicon Transition

Apple's transition from Intel processors to its own custom-designed chips in Macs is set to continue with the introduction of at least five new Macs in 2022, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said the new Macs will include updated versions of the MacBook Air, entry-level MacBook Pro, larger iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Pro, with some of the machines expected to be powered by Apple's next-generation M2 chip.

Gurman outlined several other products that he expects to launch in 2022, including a rugged version of the Apple Watch, a redesigned iPad Pro with support for wireless charging, and an AR/VR headset with a focus on gaming, content consumption, and communications.

iPhone 14 Pro Rumored to Feature Hole-Punch Display

Apple is planning to launch iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models with hole-punch displays next year, according to Korean website The Elec.

The hole-punch display design would allow Apple to remove the notch while still providing a cutout for the front-facing camera, and it is a design that some Android smartphones have used for a few years now, such as Samsung's Galaxy S10 and newer.

AirPods Pro 2 With New Design and Improved Chip Expected to Launch in Late 2022

Apple plans to release second-generation AirPods Pro with a new design in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The new AirPods Pro are rumored to feature a more compact, stemless design similar to the Beats Studio Buds, while additional built-in sensors might allow for new fitness tracking capabilities and more. Catch up on our AirPods Pro 2 guide for everything we know so far.

Universal Control Not Expected to Launch With macOS 12.1 and iPadOS 15.2

Apple this week seeded Release Candidate versions of multiple software updates, including macOS 12.1 and iPadOS 15.2, but the release notes do not include any mention of Universal Control.

Given that a Release Candidate typically mirrors the final release of an update, it appears that Universal Control is not launching with macOS 12.1 and iPadOS 15.2, despite Apple having said the feature would be available this fall.

The good news is that macOS 12.1 fixes several bugs related to Tap to Click, HDR video playback on YouTube, MagSafe charging, and more.

Here's a First Look at Apple Music's Voice Plan Launching With iOS 15.2

iOS 15.2 is expected to be released to all users as early as next week, and one of the update's key new features will be the Apple Music Voice Plan, which is designed to let users access Apple Music exclusively through Siri for a lower price of $4.99 per month.

Ahead of iOS 15.2 being released, we were able to provide an early first look at the Apple Music Voice Plan, courtesy of MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.

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 could be looking to simplify the naming of its product lineups, most noticeably with the launch of a "MacBook" and "iMac Pro" in 2022, according to recent rumors.

Apple is believed to be preparing to launch five new Macs in 2022, including a new high-end ‌iMac‌, a redesigned MacBook Air, an updated Mac mini, entry-level MacBook Pro, and Mac Pro with Apple silicon.

While multiple reports indicate that Apple is working on a direct successor to 2020's ‌MacBook Air‌, a recent rumor from the leaker known as "Dylandkt" claimed that this new model may not be branded as the "‌MacBook Air‌." Instead, it would simply be the "MacBook."

This would not be the first time Apple has offered a "MacBook." The company sold a MacBook from 2006 to 2012, and again from 2015 to 2019. The last 12-inch MacBook model offered the same low-powered, tapered, USB-C-centric, and fanless design of the subsequent ‌MacBook Air‌, so they were clearly positioned as similar devices.

Elsewhere in the product lineup, the inverse may happen with the ‌iMac‌. In recent years, Apple has sold two main ‌iMac‌ models: a 21.5-inch model and a more powerful 27-inch model. Earlier this year, the 21.5-inch model was replaced with an all-new 24-inch model with the M1 chip. The 27-inch model has yet to receive a redesign or an update with Apple silicon, but another rumor from Dylandkt claims that the new model could actually be called the "‌iMac‌ Pro."

Apple previously offered an ‌iMac‌ Pro in Space Gray from 2017, in addition to the other two ‌iMac‌ models, but the machine was discontinued in early 2021. The high-end ‌iMac‌ model rumored to launch next year is expected to feature a different design, more ports, and more powerful chips compared to the 24-inch model. The "‌iMac‌ Pro" moniker could make it clearer to customers that the larger, high-end ‌iMac‌ is a professional machine that is significantly different from its smaller sibling, rather than just calling both models the "‌iMac‌" as in previous years.

These changes would mean that there was simply the "MacBook" and "‌MacBook Pro‌" in terms of Apple laptops, and the "‌iMac‌" and "‌iMac‌ Pro" for Apple all-in-one desktops. This would also bring the Mac more in line with the iPhone, where there is primarily only the "‌iPhone‌ 13" and "‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro."

As machines that are expected to get a major overhaul, it seems plausible that Apple could use the launch of the "MacBook" and "‌iMac‌ Pro" to simplify the Mac lineup's naming. Apple once considered launching an "Apple Watch Pro", but there is no sign of the "Pro" label coming to the Apple Watch for 2022 even though a new model with a "rugged" casing designed for sports and challenging environments is reportedly on the way.

The iPad lineup, on the other hand, remains an open question due to the prominence of the iPad Air, which is offered in between the entry-level ‌iPad‌ and the high-end iPad Pro, so Apple could yet have some way to go before it achieves consistency across the naming of its major products.

Starting early next week, Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will gain access to a new AirPods Firmware Updater diagnostic tool for updating AirPods Pro to the latest firmware, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors.

The tool will allow technicians with access to Apple Service Toolkit 2 to download the latest firmware on a customer's AirPods Pro during repair appointments in certain scenarios, such as if one of the customer's left or right AirPods Pro failed to update, the customer is using a non-iOS device, or the customer received replacement AirPods Pro with a different firmware version than the AirPod and/or charging case still in their possession.

Apple lists the tool as being compatible with AirPods Pro with a wireless charging case or a MagSafe charging case. It's unclear if the tool will work with any other AirPods models, such as the recently released third-generation AirPods.

The tool is necessary because there is no manual way for customers to update the firmware on their AirPods. In general, AirPods connected to an iPhone or iPad should automatically update to the latest firmware after a fairly short period of time, and it may help to keep the AirPods in their charging case and connected to a power source.

As of now, the AirPods Firmware Updater will be for Apple's internal use only, with no indication that the tool will be released to the public. Twitter account @StellaFudge was first to share information about the tool earlier today.

Back in 2017, Sony was planning to launch the PlayStation Now cloud gaming service on mobile phones, according to a leaked document sourced from the Epic v. Apple trial by The Verge.

An Apple document referenced an unannounced "mobile extension of an existing streaming service for PlayStation users, streaming access to over 450+ PS3 games to start, with PS4 games to follow."

No such mobile device expansion ever materialized. PS Now is still available, offering PS4, PS3, and PS2 games that can be played on PS5, PS4, or Windows PCs, but there has never been a version for iOS or Android, nor has PlayStation made it available for the Mac.

Apple may have been discussing PS Now because at the time, it had started work on the Apple Arcade gaming service that ultimately launched in 2019.

Sony was early to cloud gaming with PS Now. It launched in 2014, years before its competitors were working on cloud gaming offerings. GEForce NOW followed in 2015 in a beta capacity, but Google Stadia didn't launch until 2019 and Xbox Cloud Gaming didn't come out until 2020.

It's not clear why Sony never followed through with a mobile version of PS Now, as the software would have launched before Apple introduced strict cloud gaming rules in the App Store with the debut of Google Stadia and Xbox Cloud Gaming. The Verge speculates that Sony decided it wasn't worth taking on Apple at the time, or that Sony may have decided to focus on console sales instead.

Sony does have Remote Play for accessing Sony games on various devices, but Remote Play requires a PlayStation console, while PS Now does not. Rumors suggest that Sony could in the future unveil an updated cloud gaming service to rival Xbox Game Pass, but it is unclear if the new service will come to mobile devices. If so, Sony will likely need to take the path that Microsoft and Google took, offering a web-based solution on iPhones and iPads.