Apple today unveiled third-generation AirPods with a similar design as the AirPods Pro and several new features, but those likely aren't the only new headphones launching soon, as MacRumors contributor Steve Moser has found images of unreleased Beats Fit Pro earbuds in the iOS 15.1 Release Candidate seeded earlier today.
The images reveal that the Beats Fit Pro will look similar to the Beats Studio Buds that were unveiled back in June, with the new headphones appearing to feature a completely wireless in-ear design with tiny earhooks.
The images also show that the Beats Fit Pro will be available in at least four colors, including a white, black, gray, and pink, and iOS 15.1 beta code indicates the headphones will have both Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode.
According to 9to5Mac's Filipe Espósito, the Beats Fit Pro will be announced around November 1 and shipments will begin within a few days after that.
The new MacBook Pros, for the first time in a Mac, feature a notch. While some have been quick to criticize Apple's design choice, it turns out that the notch may not be entirely visible in day-to-day use when using apps in full screen, as when macOS apps are in full-screen mode, it essentially disappears.
According to Apple's marketing material, when macOS apps are in full-screen mode, macOS places an artificial black bezel at the top of the display that essentially hides the notch. When users are not in full-screen macOS apps, the notch remains, and the macOS Menu Bar has been made thicker to accommodate the notch.
The inclusion of a notch allowed Apple to make the bezels on the new 14-and 16-inch MacBook Pros considerably thinner compared to the previous 13-inch and 16-inch models. The new displays, for the first time in a MacBook, are Liquid Retina XDR displays and include ProMotion technology. The new MacBook Pros are available to order starting today and will begin shipping next week.
Apple today updated the AirPods lineup with the AirPods 3, which feature an AirPods Pro-like design featuring shorter stems, spatial audio support, Adaptive EQ, longer battery life, HD voice quality for FaceTime, IPX4 water resistance, a MagSafe case, and more.
The new AirPods are priced starting at $179, which is $20 cheaper than the prior AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case, and Apple is also keeping the AirPods 2 around as a lower-cost option. Apple's full AirPods lineup now looks like this:
AirPods 2 - $129
AirPods 3 - $179
AirPods Pro - $249
AirPods Max - $549
It's worth noting that Apple has also introduced a new version of the AirPods Pro that come with a MagSafe Charging Case like the AirPods 3. The MagSafe Charging Case is able to quickly align with MagSafe charging pad options.
New AirPods Pro purchases will come with the MagSafe Charging Case, but for those wondering if you can get the case on a standalone basis, you can't. Apple does not plan to offer the MagSafe Charging Case on its own, so there will be no upgrade option. The standard AirPods Pro wireless charging case can be used with MagSafe anyway because it's a Qi-based wireless charging protocol. All that's missing is the magnetic alignment.
The AirPods 3 can be pre-ordered from Apple's website starting today, and are set to arrive to customers next week.
Just after Apple's event introducing the new MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, the first benchmark for the high-end M1 Max chip with 10-core CPU and 32-core GPU appears to have surfaced.
The chip features a single-core score of 1749 and a multi-core score of 11542, which offers double the multi-core performance of the M1 chip that's in the 13-inch MacBook Pro machine.
Based on these numbers, the M1 Max outperforms all Mac chips with the exception of the Mac Pro and iMac models equipped with Intel's high-end 16 to 24-core Xeon chips. The 11542 multi-core score is on par with the late 2019 Mac Pro that is equipped with a 12-core Intel Xeon W-3235.
The machine with the chip in question is running macOS 12.4, which we have seen in our analytics, and Geekbench's John Poole believes the result is legitimate. He initially said there was an issue with the frequency estimation, but he believes that this is an issue with Geekbench and not the processor.
We should be seeing additional M1 Max and M1 Pro Geekbench results in the coming days as the new MacBook Pro models are expected to arrive to customers next Tuesday and media review units will be going out even sooner than that.
Apple announced a new 14-inch model that replaced the high-end Intel 13-inch MacBook Pros. Given the larger screen, it's not fair to compare the two models. What is fair game, however, is to take a look at the new 16-inch MacBook Pro compared to the previous generation. We've put side by side the weight, height, and depth differences for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro compared to the previous generation.
2021 16-inch MacBook Pro
Weight: 4.7 pounds (2.1 kg)
Height: 0.66 inches (1.68 cm)
Depth: 9.77 inches (24.81 cm)
Width: 14.01 inches (35.37 cm)
2019 16-inch MacBook Pro
Weight: 4.3 pounds (2.0 kg)
Height: 0.64 inches (1.62 cm)
Depth: 9.68 inches (24.59 cm)
Width: 14.09 inches (35.79 cm)
As you can see from above, the new 16-inch MacBook Pro is nearly 9% heavier than the previous generation and is also slightly thicker. The new MacBook Pros feature a redesigned designed body, that is not also thicker and heavier, but also includes more I/O ports and new features. Learn more about these new MacBook Pros here.
Delivery dates for various MacBook Pro configurations have started to slip, with some of the 16-inch MacBook Pro models now listing delivery dates ranging from November 2 to November 16, up from the original October 26 delivery date.
For stock machines, the entry-level $2,499 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro chip and high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max chip now list November 2 to November 9 delivery dates, with the middle tier option delivering from October 26 to November 2.
As for the 14-inch machines, October 26 delivery continues to be an option for now, but the higher-end model with 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU might not deliver until November 2.
Custom configurations have longer lead times and some higher-end machines that have been customized will not be shipping out until November or even December in the case of a maxed out 16-inch MacBook Pro.
If you want a 14-inch MacBook Pro on launch day, it's best to order now as the delivery estimates will continue to slip for all machines. Apple should have MacBook Pro models available for in-store purchase on Tuesday, but that will be limited to stock configurations.
Apple has admitted defeat on the Safari design changes that have been present for the entire macOS Monterey beta, and the release candidate that was provided to developers today reverts to the old style that was available prior to Safari 15.
Safari design in the macOS Monterey release candidate
macOS Monterey now features a standard Big Sur tab design that does have the tabs with spaces in between them, which Mac users who were unhappy with the design update will be pleased to hear.
Safari design in the prior macOS Monterey beta
The standard tab design is enabled by default and is labeled "Separate" in the Safari preferences, but for those who preferred the original Monterey Safari design, there's also a "Compact" option that merges the URL bar with the tab bar.
Apple in the prior Monterey beta moved the Favorites bar back up above the tab bar, so now Safari looks about the same as it did prior to when Apple made the Monterey changes. There are, however, still new Safari features like Tab Groups.
macOS Monterey with no changes to the Safari design will be coming on Monday, October 25.
Apple has nixed all of the Intel MacBook Pro models from its MacBook Pro lineup, with the prior-generation Intel i7 and i9 machines now discontinued.
All of Apple's MacBook Pro models now feature M-series chips as the company continues to phase out Intel chips. That means Apple's entire portable notebook lineup (the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro) is Intel-free and running Apple-designed chips.
Intel chips continue to be available in desktop machines that include the Mac mini, iMac, and Mac Pro, but upgrades for all of those devices are in the works and expected next year.
On stage today, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that we're one year into the two-year transition from Intel chips to Apple silicon, so we can expect most of the rest of the Mac lineup to get updated in 2022.
The new M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro models can be pre-ordered from the Apple Store starting today and are set to ship out next week.
Though Apple announced its M1 Pro chip with a 10-core CPU at today's event, it turns out there is a lower-tier option available for the middle-tier 14-inch MacBook Pro.
The most affordable $1,999 M1 Pro machine features an 8-core CPU and a 14-core GPU rather than a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU. The version with a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU is actually priced starting at $2,499.
Because there are two different 14-inch models with different M1 Pro chips, Apple is also offering two separate power adapters. The 8-core CPU M1 Pro MacBook Pro comes with a 67W power adapter and the 10-core model comes with a 96W power adapter.
The 67W power adapter is a new addition to Apple's online store and is available for $59 on a standalone basis, while the 96W version was previously available and is priced at $79.
For the 16-inch MacBook Pro models, there's also a middle-tier graphics option available as an upgrade. Both the entry-level and mid-level machines can be upgraded with an M1 Max chip with 10-core GPU and 24-core GPU that's a middle of the road option between the 16-core GPU and the 32-core GPU. Getting the 24-core GPU requires a $200 upgrade fee.
Apple today released a microfiber Polishing Cloth accessory, designed for cleaning the screens of Apple devices, for $19.
Although today's "Unleashed" Apple event focused on the Mac in terms of hardware with a screen, Apple tables an expansive "compatibility" list on the Polishing Cloth's store page, featuring iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod touch, and Apple Watch models dating back several years.
Apple usually advises caution when cleaning its nano-texture glass option on the Pro Display XDR and 27-inch iMac, but the new cleaning cloth is apparently appropriate for use even on these displays.
Made with soft, nonabrasive material, the Polishing Cloth cleans any Apple display, including nano-texture glass, safely and effectively.
The Polishing Cloth was added to the Apple Store alongside the third-generation AirPods, new HomePod mini color options, and high-end MacBook Pro models and is available to order now. The polishing cloth does not come with the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, so if you want an Apple polishing cloth for these devices you will still need to purchase one separately.
Apple has removed all references to the original, full-sized HomePod from its website, months after officially discontinuing the smart speaker that struggled to reach mainstream adoption.
The removal of references to the original HomePod came as a result of brand new changes to Apple's website. With the new changes, Apple now only highlights the HomePod mini, which now comes in brand new colors.
Apple announced HomePod in 2018 as its first major home-centric product, focused around delivering high-quality audio combined with the integration into services, such as Apple Music and Siri.
Priced at $349 at launch and eventually decreased to $299, Apple struggled to market the HomePod in a way appealing to the masses, yielding lower sales than the company was likely aiming for. Additionally, Siri, which powers the HomePod experience, continues to grapple with catching up to the capabilities of Google's smart assistant and Amazon's Alexa.
Apple followed up the full-sized HomePod with the HomePod mini last year, and today added new colors for the smaller speaker. The HomePod mini features a significantly smaller design than the original HomePod, but continues to feature the same Siri experience, powered by Apple Music and third-party services. Unlike the original HomePod selling for $299, the HomePod mini is priced at $99. The HomePod mini recently became available in more countries, including Austria, Ireland, and New Zealand.
In an update to the macOS Monterey features page on its website, Apple has indicated that the Universal Control feature previewed at WWDC 2021 will be available later this fall, which likely means it will be enabled in a future software update.
Universal Control will allow for a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard to be used across multiple Macs and/or iPads side by side.
Other new macOS Monterey features include AirPlay to Mac, a redesigned Safari browser, a Shortcuts app, spatial audio in FaceTime, and more. There is also a new SharePlay feature that will let Apple users watch TV, listen to music, and share their screens with one another, but like Universal Control, this feature is coming later this fall.
Apple today announced updates to Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro with new features and optimizations that take advantage of the new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in the all-new MacBook Pro models.
Using the latest Final Cut Pro 10.6 update and the M1 Pro and M1 Max, video editors can now play up to seven streams of 8K ProRes or color grade 8K HDR video at full resolution, and export ProRes video over five times faster than before.
The latest Final Cut Pro also includes a new Object Tracker that uses machine learning to automatically detect faces and objects, and match their movement to create cinema-quality titles and effects on any Mac. Object tracking analysis is up to 5x faster on the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, and takes advantage of the Neural Engine's machine learning capabilities to accelerate the detection of faces and objects in video.
Final Cut Pro companion apps Motion and Compressor also received updates today. With Motion on the new MacBook Pro, a complex project renders up to twice as fast and can play two streams of 8K video at five times the frame rate. Meanwhile, graphic artists can now combine object tracking with masks, shapes, 3D objects, behaviors, and filters. And a new Neon filter adds an eye-catching glow to images, shapes, text, and more.
On the new MacBook Pro, Compressor can transcode HEVC video up to twice as fast and transcode ProRes video up to 10 times faster. Compressor can also transcode Canon Cinema RAW Light video files to other professional formats like ProRes and H.264 for the first time, and Watch Folders can automatically encode content placed in a selected folder in the file system.
Logic Pro, Apple's pro music creation software, now comes with a full set of tools for authoring spatial audio music, allowing users to to mix and export songs in Dolby Atmos for Apple Music. Musicians can also use up to three times as many plug-ins for recording on the all-new MacBook Pro with M1 Max.
In addition, Logic Pro 10.7 includes 13 plug-ins within Logic Pro — including Space Designer, Limiter, Loudness Meter, and Tremolo — have also been updated to take advantage of spatial audio.
Logic Pro now also comes with all the new Producer Packs introduced in GarageBand this summer. Musicians can use beats, loops, and samples created by the likes of Boys Noize, Mark Lettieri, Mark Ronson, Oak Felder, Soulection, Take A Daytrip, Tom Misch, and TRAKGIRL. Logic users also now have royalty-free access to 2,800 new loops, 50 new kits, and 120 new patches they can use in their own songs.
"The world's most creative people use Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and the Mac to make the memorable movies, TV shows, online videos, songs, and soundtracks that we all enjoy," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With the combination of powerful new features in Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, and the unprecedented performance from the MacBook Pro powered by the all-new M1 Pro and M1 Max, pros will be able to push the limits of their creativity like never before."
Final Cut Pro 10.6 is available today as a free update for existing users, and for $299.99 for new users on the Mac App Store. Motion 5.6 and Compressor 4.6 are also available today as free updates for existing users, and for $49.99 each for new users on the Mac App Store. Logic Pro 10.7 is also available today as a free update for all existing users, and for $199.99 for new users on the Mac App Store. Free trials of Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro are also available.
Apple has also released updates for its iMovie app for the Mac and its Logic Remote app for the iPhone and iPad.
As part of a number of new product announcements and updates today, Apple restructured its website to more prominently highlight AirPods as their own product category, while creating "TV & Home," "Only on Apple," and a new "Accessories" tab.
The new menu bar looks considerably more crowded than before but highlights Apple's shifting strategy to focus on the AirPods separately from its TV and home strategies. The new "TV & Home" section highlights the Apple TV, Apple TV+, the HomePod mini, the Home app, and HomeKit supported accessories. "Only on Apple," the newest section to Apple's website, includes all of the company's own services such as Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, Apple Arcade, and more.
Combined, it's going to cost right around $150 to get a new charging setup for the 16-inch MacBook Pro machines should you need a secondary power adapter and cable, though charging is still possible using a USB-C port and cable instead of MagSafe. You do get an initial set with the purchase of a new MacBook Pro, however.
The new MagSafe cable and 140W power adapter are required to take advantage of fast charging, which allows a MacBook Pro to charge from zero to 50 percent in 30 minutes.
MagSafe also has the benefit of a quick release feature should someone pull on the cable or trip over it accidentally. Both new accessories can be purchased from the online Apple Store as of today and will arrive next week.
The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models both feature ProMotion technology, allowing the display to run at as high as 120Hz, down to low as 24Hz, similar to the iPad Pro.
The iPhone 13 Pro, which brought ProMotion to the iPhone for the first time, supports a refresh rate as low as 10Hz, and as high as 120Hz. The new MacBook Pros include the same display technology as the high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and can run at 24Hz rather than 10Hz. Similar to iOS 15 and the iPhone 13 Pro, Apple says that macOS Monterey will automatically adapt the refresh rate depending on what a user is doing to save battery life.
ProMotion technology also comes to the Mac on this new display, featuring an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz. ProMotion automatically varies the refresh rate to match the motion of a user's onscreen content to help preserve battery life, and makes tasks more fluid and even more responsive. Video editors can also lock in a refresh rate that is optimal for their footage. The combination of the outstanding XDR performance and super-fluid ProMotion technology make this the world's best notebook display.
The new MacBook Pros are powered by either the M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, both featuring significantly more performance compared to the M1 chip, announced last year. Learn more about these new MacBook Pros here.
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of an upcoming watchOS 8.1 beta to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming one week after the release of the fourth beta and a month after the release of the watchOS 8 update.
To install watchOS 8.1, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, watchOS 8 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.
To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
There have been no new major features discovered in watchOS 8.1, suggesting that it is a minor update that focuses on bug fixes and other under-the-hood improvements. watchOS 8.1 will be released next week.
Apple today announced new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max Apple silicon chips, and the new machines come with higher than expected price tags.
The 14-inch model starts at $1,999, while the 16-inch model starts at $2,499. There are upgrades available for the chip, SSD, and memory upgrades depending on the model.
A fully maxed 16-inch MacBook Pro tops out at $6,099, featuring a top of the line M1 Max chip with 10-core CPU and 32-core GPU, 64GB unified memory, and 8TB SSD.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro models can be customized with the same specs. A 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max, 64GB unified memory, and 8TB SSD is priced at $5,899.
Pre-orders for the new MacBook Pro models started today and the first machines will be arriving to customers next Tuesday. Fully customized and upgraded MacBook Pro models won't ship out until December.
