MacRumors

Nanoleaf, known for its HomeKit-enabled accent lights, recently launched its most futuristic and modern looking lighting product yet - Lines. Lines are modular LED light bars that are illuminated at the back and can be arranged into different patterns and shapes for a unique design.

Prior Nanoleaf products have all been panels in various shapes with LED lights in the corners, but the Lines are something entirely different and may appeal to those who don't care for the panel look. Lines are priced starting at $200, so this is a high-end accent lighting product.

Lines are white plastic light bars that are 11 inches long and .78 inches thick, and the idea is to connect lines together with hexagon-shaped connectors, creating different patterns and designs. The Nanoleaf app can be used for designing a Lines setup, and once a favorite shape has been decided on, the Lines can be mounted to the wall.

Mounting Nanoleaf's Lines is hassle free. Just make your design, test out the lights, and then transfer the shape to the wall using the adhesive tape. There are detachable plastic plates that hold the adhesive and pull tabs so you can remove the Lines from the wall without damage. It's probably Nanoleaf's best setup in terms of relocating/removing the hardware. I took the Lines off of the wall a couple of times to move them and had no issues.

Nanoleaf's products are HomeKit-enabled, so setup is as simple as opening up the Nanoleaf app and then scanning a HomeKit code. You might run into a snag if you don't have a 2.4GHz WiFi network available, but for the most part, it should be a seamless experience.

Once set up, turned on, and connected, the Lines magic happens. Nanoleaf is using backlighting for the Lines, and it's a neat effect with millions of color options. Lines offer a unique look that's different from the other Nanoleaf products, and I can't get over how cool it is. Each Line can be set to two separate colors, and there's little blending, so you get these distinct shade mixes that are visually striking.

With Nanoleaf's Hexagons and Triangles, the lighting panels are bright enough to replace a traditional light, but that's not the case with Lines. Lines, like Nanoleaf's wood-colored Elements, are accent lighting and are not bright enough to work as a standard light. That said, at 100 percent brightness, they're still able to put out a decent amount of light and are bright enough that I prefer to run them at about 50 percent brightness since they're in my line of sight.

When not lit up, Nanoleaf's Lines suffer from a problem that plagues most of the other Nanoleaf products - they're not that attractive on the wall. I am not a fan of the look of the Lines when they're turned off. The Lines are made from a stark white plastic and when off, they really stand out. Nanoleaf is making covers for the Lines that turn them black or pink, and that might improve the look when they're deactivated. The skins are shipping sometime in the future, and Nanoleaf says more designs are coming.

I can forgive how the lines look when not lit just because of how vibrant and eye-catching they are when activated. You can choose from tons of different colors and pick a static look, or set up scenes with rotating colors in different patterns. Nanoleaf has some preset designs and an entire Nanoleaf gallery where you can download designs other people have created.

Nanoleaf's robust selection of lighting scenes is so convenient and one of my favorite parts of the Nanoleaf ecosystem. You can always find something fresh and interesting when browsing through the different looks that have been uploaded if you don't feel like putting the effort in to create your own designs. You can preview scenes or save them to your library and use them regularly.

The Lines are designed to be controlled through the Nanoleaf app, but you can also swap through your saved scenes using the hardware-based controller. Nanoleaf Lines support rhythm functionality as well, and you can use Rhythm scenes to set them to light up with music.

Lines are ‌HomeKit‌ compatible and can be assigned to Rooms and controlled alongside other ‌HomeKit‌ devices with Siri voice commands. The Home app offers little control functionality beyond activating/deactivating the Lines or setting them to a static color, so the Nanoleaf app is the primary control method. The Nanoleaf app incorporates all of your ‌HomeKit‌ products and the interface can be confusing, but the Nanoleaf section is straightforward and has the controls for the Lines.

I didn't have connectivity issues with the Lines during my time testing them, and I did spend about a month with them before writing my review, so they feel fairly reliable. I've also been using other Nanoleaf products for years with few connectivity problems beyond needing to reset the WiFi connection every so often.

Pricing is the major negative with the Lines. It's $200 for nine LED light bars, and another three costs $70, and that's not money that everyone is going to want to spend on accent lighting.

Bottom Line

If Nanoleaf's Lines fit your personal aesthetic and your budget, I don't think you're going to be disappointed picking them up. Lines are not the most attractive wall decor when not turned on, but when lit, they're colorful, futuristic, and fun.

I find the Lines to be a great addition to my home office, and I think they complement any kind of gaming room, PC setup, theater setup, or TV room, and I suspect kids would enjoy them too. I wish Nanoleaf could sell these at a more affordable price point, and I love everything about them but their high price tag.

How to Buy

Lines can be pre-ordered from the Nanoleaf website for $199. Each set includes nine Lines, with add-ons of three Lines available in expansion packs priced at $70. Nanoleaf says that pre-orders are expected to ship in late November.

Note: Nanoleaf provided MacRumors with set of Lines and a Lines expansion pack for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

In macOS Monterey 12.1, which is available in a beta capacity right now, Apple introduced its new SharePlay feature to FaceTime. Previously only available on iPhone and iPad, SharePlay allows you to share your Mac's screen with other people on a FaceTime call, which opens up new possibilities for sharing experiences with friends, family, and co-workers.

Thanks to SharePlay, you and others on the same FaceTime call as you can listen to music or watch TV movies and shows together. You can even share your screen or a specific app window on your Mac's desktop with the people you're chatting with to discuss a piece of work or provide remote tech support, or simply to enjoy looking at a photo album together.

The following steps guide you through the new SharePlay screen sharing feature in FaceTime on macOS Monterey 12.1:

1. Launch FaceTime on your Mac.
2. Click New FaceTime and add the contacts that you want to share your screen with, then click the FaceTime button. Alternately, select a recent contact to initiate a video call.
   
   

3. When the call has connected, click the SharePlay button in the control overlay.
   
   

4. To share your entire screen or a specific window, click either Window or Screen in the FaceTime menu bar item dropdown. If you chose Window, click the window in question that you want to share.
   
   

5. To stop sharing the window or screen, click Stop Sharing Window/Screen in the FaceTime menu bar item dropdown, where you can also change the window being shared.
   
   

6. When sharing a window, you can also click the SharePlay button in the top-right corner of the window to reveal three options: Stop Sharing Window, Change Shared Window, and Share Entire Display.
   

The introduction of SharePlay on Mac also means you can listen to music or watch movies and TV together over FaceTime, and everyone on the call will see the same synced playback and controls.

In addition to first-party Apple experiences like Apple TV and Apple Music, SharePlay is also compatible with third-party app experiences. Developers have already been building SharePlay experiences for iOS devices, and now they can build SharePlay features into Mac apps as well. For more on what you can do with ‌FaceTime‌ in iOS 15.1 and iPadOS 15.1, we have a dedicated guide that highlights all of the new features.

Note: The SharePlay feature in FaceTime requires macOS Monterey 12.1, which is only available to beta testers as of writing. Expect Monterey 12.1 to be released to all users in late fall 2021.

Apple today announced that developers will be able to submit new and updated app submissions via App Store Connect throughout the upcoming holiday season.

Apple notes that the app review process may take longer from November 24 to November 28 and from December 23 to December 27:

This year, we're pleased to continue accepting submissions in App Store Connect throughout the upcoming holidays. Make sure your apps are up to date and ready for the busiest season on the App Store. Due to anticipated high volume, plan to send time-sensitive submissions early. Please note that reviews may take longer to complete from November 24 to 28 and December 23 to 27.

This marks a change from previous years when App Store Connect would not accept submissions during the holiday season.

Amazon today has Apple's 512GB M1 MacBook Air for $1,049.99, down from $1,249.99. Only the Space Gray colorway is on sale today, and it's shipped and sold directly from Amazon.

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.

Apple introduced the M1 MacBook Air one year ago this month. Amazon's discount today is the lowest price we've tracked to date on the 512GB model, and we aren't currently seeing any matching discounts from other retailers.

You can find even more discounts on other MacBooks by visiting our Best Deals guide for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In this guide we track the steepest discounts for the newest MacBook models every week, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you're shopping for a new Apple notebook.

Update: The MacBook Air deal has expired.

Twitter is deploying top-spec MacBook Pros with the M1 Max Apple silicon chip to all of its iOS and Android engineers for app development, representing yet another push for the adoption of Apple silicon Macs in the enterprise.

The news was shared by John Szumski, a senior staffer at Twitter for the company's mobile platforms. In a tweet, Szumski said that Twitter will be rolling out fully-maxed-out MacBook Pros to all of its iOS and Android engineers. Szumski added that the new Apple silicon Macs are showing significant improvements in top-line performance for Twitter's app development compared to currently used Intel Macs.

An engineer at Reddit also shared a similar sentiment. Jameson, a staff engineer at Reddit, said that the new MacBook Pros have cut Reddit's app build time by 50%, yielding improved productivity for engineers. Breaking down the cost of deploying new MacBook Pros to Reddit's engineers, Jameson said, "for a team of 9, $32k of laptops will actually save $100k in productivity over 2022."

Apple promises considerable improvements for developers with the new M1 Pro and ‌M1 Max‌ Apple silicon chips. According to tests done by Apple, the 10-core CPU ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ chips in the large 16-inch MacBook Pro offer 3.7x faster Xcode build times than the 8-core Intel i9 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌. In terms of power efficiency and battery life, Apple says the new chips allow developers to "compile up to four times as much code in Xcode" on a single battery charge.

Amazon today has introduced a new all-time low price on the AirPods Max, available at $429.98 in all colors except Space Gray. All models are in stock and ready to ship out today as well.

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.

With this $119 off discount, Amazon is now offering the best deal we've ever seen on Apple's high-end AirPods Max headphones. The previous best price was around $449, also offered by Amazon.

Additionally, we're still seeing a few solid deals on other AirPods models on Amazon, including the AirPods Pro with MagSafe for $189.99 ($59 off) and the AirPods 2 for $119.99 ($40 off). All models are in stock and sold directly from Amazon.

We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.

The availability of the iPhone 13 is expected to improve in the coming weeks as the holiday season approaches, possibly easing concerns from analysts and customers that product availability would have remained exceptionally tight as consumers begin holiday shopping.

Like many other products, the ‌iPhone‌ has been suffering the consequences of a global chip shortage that has impacted production and general product availability. Estimated shipping times for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 were spanning weeks, if not months, in some locations for specific configurations.

As the holiday season approaches, however, Apple's suppliers have managed to ease the shortage of certain components, allowing ‌iPhone‌ 13 production to accelerate, according to DigiTimes. Apple's supply chain partners are beginning to notice the gap between ‌iPhone‌ 13 demand and supply "gradually narrowing" thanks to the ramped-up production of integrated circuit boards embedded within the ‌iPhone‌.

Apple this past quarter said the chip shortage and complications hindering production due to the global health crisis cost it $6 billion. Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, and the company's chief financial officer, Luca Maestri, warned investors that the impact of the chip shortage is expected to be greater than $6 billion for the upcoming holiday quarter.

All of Apple's product categories, from the AirPods to the Mac, have seen considerable upgrades over the past several months that are expected to appeal to customers looking for holiday shopping.

AirPods are a popular holiday gift, and Apple released its third-generation model last month. The new AirPods feature a smaller design from the previous generation while including new features such as Spatial Audio with head tracking, Adaptive EQ, and improved durability.

In preparation for the holiday season, Apple has extended its return policy until January 8, 2022, for all purchases between November 1 and December 25. The new policy applies to the ‌iPhone‌, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, AirPods, HomePod mini, and more.

WhatsApp has rolled out multi-device support to all users on iOS and Android, allowing WhatsApp to be used on up to four linked devices without users needing to be connected via a smartphone.

To enable multi-device support, users need to join the multi-device beta. Launch WhatsApp on iPhone, then select Settings -> Linked Devices. Select Multi-Device Beta, then tap Join Beta. Once that's done, you'll be able to start linking devices.

After your devices are linked, messages can be sent and received using the WhatsApp desktop app or web-based service and your phone will no longer need to stay online, although it's not currently possible to delete messages or conversation threads from a linked device.

It's worth noting that you can't message or call from web, desktop, or Portal to users who have an outdated version of WhatsApp on their phone, and you can only have one phone connected to your WhatsApp account at one time. Personal calls and messages remain end-to-end encrypted across devices.

If you don't use your phone for over 14 days, your linked devices will be disconnected. Given the feature is still in beta, WhatsApp also cautions that the performance and quality of its service may be affected, although users can leave the beta at any time.

WhatsApp is reportedly working on an iPad version of its app, and the Meta-owned company has hinted that the rollout of multi-device support will bring the iPad version one step closer to release.

Netflix will be required to enlist each game offered via its gaming service through the App Store for users to download and install, instead of providing an all-in-one experience within the Netflix app, due to Apple's rules, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.

Last year, Apple's ‌App Store‌ rules on gaming services became a central issue following a public spat between the Cupertino tech giant and Microsoft. Microsoft was looking to release its cloud-based gaming service, Xbox Cloud Gaming, via the ‌App Store‌ and offer all of its games playable through its app. Microsoft, like others, has been forced to release its service as a web experience for users on iOS.

Apple's updated guidelines prevent such an app from making it onto the store, requiring that developers enlist every game that would be offered through its app as a separate app on the ‌App Store‌, subjecting them to the platform's guidelines.

Netflix's service, named Netflix Games, currently operates under similar parameters on Android. While users can browse the games it has to offer via the Netflix app itself, users are redirected to the Google Play Store to actually install and download them. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌ suggests that the same approach will come to iOS.

Because of Apple's ban on all-in-one services, the current individual app implementation on Android of the Netflix service gives us a preview of how the Netflix offering will function on iOS.

Netflix has been actively testing games on iOS, and—according to code discovered by developer Steve Moser and shared with Power On—Netflix will release all of its games on Apple's App Store individually and let users launch the games via the Netflix app. They won't all be downloadable and playable within the app itself.

From a user's perspective, the experience is not as seamless and intuitive as Netflix, Microsoft, or even Meta would like. Apple operates its own gaming service, Apple Arcade, which is offered directly within the ‌App Store‌. The platform's rules may make it harder for its own gaming platform to face competition from other services.

Gurman writes that while the solution will work, it's not an approach that will put Netflix Games "in the best position to succeed." Netflix's service isn't currently cloud-based on Android or iOS, but that's expected to change on Android, and whether a cloud-based move will be possible on iOS is up to whether Apple will alter its ‌App Store‌ rules.

This week saw a good mix of Apple news and rumors, including some product launches with the Beats Fit Pro and new HomePod mini colors. We also heard some rumored details for the next version of Apple's big iMac, which could see the return of the "iMac Pro" name.

Other popular stories this week included Apple executives talking about why we haven't seen Face ID and touchscreens come to the Mac, and well as news that Apple has quietly discontinued its Intel-based 21.5-inch iMac, so read on for all of the details on these stories and more!

New iMac Pro Rumored for 2022 With M1 Pro/Max Chips, 27-Inch Display With ProMotion, and More

One of the last Intel-based Macs that Apple sells is the 27-inch iMac, but as expected, rumors suggest that a new version with Apple silicon is in the works. This week, leaker @dylandkt shared some alleged specs and features for the new "iMac Pro," including the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips as the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.

The leaker said Apple plans to launch the new iMac in the first half of 2022, with pricing starting at over $2,000 in the United States.

Beats Fit Pro Debut With a Fitness Focus, Active Noise Cancellation, and a $200 Price Tag

After being leaked in the iOS 15.1 beta last month, the Beats Fit Pro have now been officially announced, and we've shared hands-on impressions.

In our view, the Beats Fit Pro are essentially fitness-focused AirPods Pro, as they share many features like active noise cancellation, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and Apple's H1 chip. Beats Fit Pro are also less expensive than AirPods Pro, with pricing set at $199.99.

New HomePod Mini Colors Now Available to Order and for Apple Store Pickup

HomePod mini is now available to order in three new colors, including yellow, orange, and blue, in the U.S. and six other countries and regions. Apple Store pickup is also an option in some countries.

The new colors will be available in Australia, Austria, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and the UK later this month.

The first real-world photos and videos of the new HomePod mini colors were shared earlier this week, providing a closer look.

Apple Executives Address Lack of Face ID and Touchscreens on Macs

While the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models have a notch at the top of the display, allowing for slimmer bezels and an upgraded 1080p webcam, Face ID is still not available on any Mac.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern, Apple's SVP of hardware engineering John Ternus and marketing chief Greg Joswiak explained why Apple has yet to add Face ID or a touchscreen to the Mac.

Apple Discontinues Intel-Based 21.5-Inch iMac

Apple has quietly discontinued the Intel-based 21.5-inch iMac, which had remained available as a low-end configuration suitable for educational institutions. This leaves customers with the 24-inch and 27-inch ‌iMac‌ models to choose from.

A single 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌ configuration had remained part of the iMac lineup following Apple's "Unleashed" event last week, but Apple confirmed it is now discontinued.

iPhone X Modded With USB-C Port Listed on eBay With Bids Topping $100,000

Earlier this week, robotics student Ken Pillonel shared a video explaining how he modded an iPhone X with a functional USB-C port.

Pillonel also put the device up for auction on eBay, and bids are already topping a whopping $100,000 as of Friday afternoon. The listing describes the device as "the world's first USB-C iPhone" and a "true piece of collection for any Apple fanboy out there."

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!

Some 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro owners have been experiencing kernel crashes when watching HDR YouTube videos, according to a number of complaints on the MacRumors forums.

As explained by MacRumors reader Cababah, watching an HDR YouTube video in Safari and then scrolling through the comments results in a kernel error on macOS Monterey 12.0.1. Watching YouTube in full screen and then and exiting full screen mode can also cause the error, and it may be primarily affecting 16GB machines, though 32GB/64GB models can also be affected.

Other MacRumors readers were able to replicate the error, which appears to happen after watching a few YouTube videos. From MacRumors reader spiritedaway:

Been happening to me as well, YouTube 4K HDR video on Safari. After closing full screen playback the Mac completely shuts down and reboots. M1 Pro 16". I can pretty much get it to do it every single time

From MacRumors reader Sam.b1:

I'm getting the same error under the same conditions, 4k HDR YouTube playback on Safari/Chrome. At first I thought it could have been some Chrome bug but then it crashed in Safari too. I'm running Monterey 12.0.1, 16 inch M1 Max with 32GB RAM. I haven't tried the workarounds yet. I'm thinking I should just exchange it, not sure.

Some ‌MacBook Pro‌ owners speculate that it's an issue with AV1 decoding, but it is not yet clear what the specific problem is or if it's something that can be fixed in a software update. Not all ‌MacBook Pro‌ owners are seeing this issue, but we were able to replicate it in our own testing.

The macOS Monterey 12.1 beta may fix the problem as some users are reporting improved performance after updating. If you're experiencing the same issue with YouTube, let us know in the comments.

Intel last week unveiled its first 12th-generation "Alder Lake" processors with the launch of six new processors aimed at desktop computers, including the high-end Core i9-12900K, a 16-core chip with eight performance cores and eight efficiency cores.

While the first 12th-generation processors are desktop class, they still make for an interesting comparison with Apple's M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, as rumors suggest that Apple plans to release a new 27-inch iMac with the same M1 Pro and M1 Max chips in the first half of next year.

The first Geekbench 5 benchmark results for the Core i9-12900K reveal that the processor is up to nearly 1.5x faster than the M1 Pro and M1 Max in multi-core performance. Specifically, the Core i9 processor has an average multi-core score of approximately 18,500 so far, compared to approximately 12,500 for the M1 Pro and M1 Max. AnandTech has shared additional benchmarks for a closer look at performance.

While the Core i9 processor is considerably faster than the M1 Pro and M1 Max, it also uses a lot more power than Apple's chips, with Intel listing the chip as using up to 125W of power at base frequencies and up to 241W of power with Turbo Boost.

Intel's 12th-generation Core i7-12700K also appears to be faster than the M1 Pro and M1 Max in Geekbench 5 results, but it likewise uses more power.

When Apple first announced that it would be transitioning to its own chips for the Mac in June 2020, the company never said its chips would be the fastest on the market, but rather promised industry-leading performance per watt. Apple's M1 Pro and M1 Max certainly achieve this feat, with the chips outperforming a 12-core Intel-based Mac Pro that starts at $6,999 with minimal to no fan noise as a result of impressive power efficiency.

Intel expects to release 12th-generation Core processors for laptops in early 2022.

If you're unsure whether you should purchase a MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip or if an M1 machine will best suit your needs, our latest YouTube video is for you. We've compared the 14-inch base ‌MacBook Pro‌ with ‌M1 Pro‌ chip to the 13-inch base ‌MacBook Pro‌ with ‌M1‌ chip to give our readers an idea of how they measure up to one another.

The ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ is priced starting at $1,299, and it comes with an ‌M1‌ chip that features an 8-core CPU and an 8-core GPU, along with 8GB memory and a 256GB SSD.

The base 14-inch ‌M1 Pro‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ is priced starting at $1,999 and has an 8-core CPU, a 14-core GPU, 16GB memory, and a 512GB SSD. Upgraded models of the ‌M1 Pro‌ come with a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, but we're comparing the two base models.

Apple's 14-inch ‌M1 Pro‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ is $700 more expensive than the ‌M1‌ model, but as you'll see in our video, it's much more capable. It has a brighter, crisper display that makes a noticeable difference and additional ports. There's one more USB-C/Thunderbolt port, a MagSafe charging port, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader. Speakers probably aren't a major selling point for most people, but the sound is much improved, and there's also a somewhat better webcam at 1080p vs. 720p.

There are clear performance differences with the ‌M1‌ and ‌M1 Pro‌ when it comes to Geekbench scores. The ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ earned a single-core score of 1705 and a multi-core score of 7385, along with an OpenCL score of 18480. In comparison, the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ earned a single-core score of 1763, a multi-core score of 9823, and an OpenCL score of 30569, which is a decent improvement in multi-core and graphics performance.

This does translate to real-world usage as well. Rendering a 4K timeline in Final Cut Pro took the ‌M1 Pro‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ about 2 minutes and 55 seconds, but the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ took 3 minutes and 40 seconds, which is a notable difference. The ‌M1 Pro‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ was able to handle 8K footage with no problem, but the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ struggled.

So is the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ worth the premium? Sure, if you need the kind of power that it delivers. If you're just going to be reading emails, browsing the web, and doing other lightweight tasks, the ‌M1‌ chip is more than sufficient. As a note, though, if you're considering an ‌M1‌ MacBook, it's probably best to go with the MacBook Air, a thinner and lighter machine that is nearly as powerful and $300 less expensive than the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌, saving you even more money.

If you need more power for pro-level tasks like video editing, sound editing, photography, and similar purposes, shelling out an extra $700 may be well worth it given the benefits of the ‌M1 Pro‌, the extra 8GB memory you get with the base machine, and the additional storage space compared to base ‌M1‌ options.

Make sure to watch our video for the full comparison, and let us know in the comments if you think the ‌M1 Pro‌ MacBook Pros are worth the additional money over the ‌M1‌ machines.

Note: Our YouTube video and article have been republished after we addressed an error with the Geekbench scores.

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with BluShark to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an aluminum Apple Watch Series 7 and a BluShark Apple Watch band to go along with it. The Apple Watch Series 7 is the newest Apple Watch, and it has a larger display, fast charging, and better durability.

BluShark has a large selection of Apple Watch bands available in materials that include Leather, Silicone, Cordura, Knit Weave, Canvas, and an AlphaPremier seatbelt weave. All of the bands are affordable, ranging in price from $18 to $78, and there are designs for both 38/40/41mm models and the larger 42/44/45mm models. Each band comes with Apple Watch lugs in silver, space gray, or black.

Leather bands from BluShark come in a range of attractive styles and colors. The Rally band, for example, has a perforated design and comes in brown, black, and red, while Italian Calfskin Leather bands are available in blue, black, and gray.

BluShark's Leather Basics bands come in vintage gray, vintage brown, and saddle brown, and each of these has an attractive weathered look and a soft leather design that makes them comfortable to wear. There are also Two Switch Leather Bands with a classic look.

BluShark's Cordura bands use ultra strong and lightweight Cordura fabric, which is wear resistant and will hold up over time. They're thinly padded with leather so they're comfortable to wear, and they come in colors like pink, silver, blue, black, gray, and orange.

The CanvaSoft bands are made from a soft canvas material that's meant to provide a rugged canvas look without the stiffness that's normally associated with canvas watch bands. They're 1.9mm thick and designed to be soft and pliable.

The Knit Weave Bands are available in attractive two-tone striped designs and are made from a nylon weave that provides a texture that resembles a knit fabric. BluShark says these bands are designed to create a complex depth of color.

BluShark's AlphaPremier bands are made from a soft, supple seatbelt weave nylon and are modeled after BluShark's original AlphaPremier bands for traditional watches. The straps are dual-layer and held in place with nylon keepers, with the band available in black and white, black and red, black, navy blue, and gray.

Silicone bands are BluShark's most affordable offering at $18, with both textured and smooth options available. Silicone bands come in gray, blue, black/yellow, orange, and white pearl.

We have one aluminum Apple Watch Series 7 to give away, with the winner to select the size and color. The winner will also receive a BluShark band of their choice.

To enter to win our giveaway, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

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

The contest will run from today (November 5) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on November 12. The winner will be chosen randomly on November 12 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

Apple has fixed an issue that could cause some Intel Macs with a T2 chip to fail to boot up after macOS Monterey was installed, Apple said in a statement. There was a problem with the firmware on the Apple T2 security chip that prevented some users from being able start their Macs after updating to the macOS Monterey software.

Apple says that a BridgeOS firmware update is now included with the existing macOS updates to prevent further failures, and users already impacted by the issue should contact Apple Support for assistance with their machines.

Following the launch of macOS Monterey, there were multiple reports from users who found their Macs bricked after updating. Affected users were unable to turn their Macs on, an issue that affected models with a T2 security chip that powers things like Touch ID. Macs with M-series chips were not affected as they do not have a separate T2 chip. Macs with a T2 chip were manufactured between 2017 and 2020, with a list available below.

• iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020)
• ‌iMac‌ Pro
• Mac Pro (2019)
• ‌Mac Pro‌ (Rack, 2019)
• Mac mini (2018)
• MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
• ‌MacBook Air‌ (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
• ‌MacBook Air‌ (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• ‌MacBook Pro‌ (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• ‌MacBook Pro‌ (16-inch, 2019)
• ‌MacBook Pro‌ (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• ‌MacBook Pro‌ (15-inch, 2019)
• ‌MacBook Pro‌ (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• ‌MacBook Pro‌ (15-inch, 2018)
• ‌MacBook Pro‌ (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)

Intel Mac users will no longer run into this issue now that new firmware has been released to address the problem, but those who already have a dead Mac will need help from Apple to get their devices up and running again.

With Apple's long-awaited new MacBook Pro now available, there are early signs of what we could expect from the ‌MacBook Pro‌ going forward as the company iterates on its major 2021 redesign.

Following a major redesign year, the ‌MacBook Pro‌ has typically received smaller annual updates. For example, following 2016's ‌MacBook Pro‌ redesign, subsequent models introduced new processors, GPUs, tweaked keyboards, Bluetooth 5.0, the T2 chip, True Tone, and larger batteries.

At this early stage, there are at least four substantial upgrades on the cards for future ‌MacBook Pro‌ models.

Face ID

Although Apple executives recently claimed that Touch ID is more convenient on the ‌MacBook Pro‌, the company is believed to have been working on Face ID for the Mac for some time. Apple purportedly originally planned to introduce Face ID for the Mac on 2021's 24-inch iMac, but the feature was apparently delayed for a later iteration of the machine.

‌Face ID‌ is believed to be coming to the Mac within "a couple of years." Now that the ‌MacBook Pro‌ has a notch, it seems that the groundwork is in place to add a TrueDepth camera array to enable ‌Face ID‌ in the future.

M2 Pro and M2 Max

"M2 Pro" and "‌M2‌ Max" will presumably succeed Apple's M1 Pro and M1 Max custom silicon chips. Just as the ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ are scaled-up versions of the M1 chip, the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max will likely be based on the "M2" chip.

The ‌M2‌ chip is expected to debut in the 2022 redesigned MacBook Air. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the chip will have the same 8-core CPU as the ‌‌M1‌‌. It is expected to have additional GPU cores, with 9 and 10-core GPU options, up from the 7 and 8-core GPU options in the original ‌‌M1‌‌ chip. There may also be speed and efficiency improvements due to the chip being built on a smaller node.

Following the way that the ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ built on the ‌M1‌ chip, the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max could feature the same number of CPU cores as their predecessors, but add GPU cores and benefit from overall speed and efficiency improvements.

A recent report from The Information laid out the alleged roadmap for Apple silicon in the coming years, and explained that Apple is working on successors to the ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ chip that feature more cores and are manufactured with an enhanced version of TSMC's 5nm process.

Further in the future, those second-generation chips will apparently be succeeded by ‌MacBook Pro‌ chips with up to 40 compute cores that are fabricated using TSMC's 3nm process by 2023.

OLED Displays

Apple is said to be developing two-stack OLED displays for multiple future devices, including ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, that are up to two-times brighter.

An OLED display could come to the 16.2-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ first, potentially launching as soon as 2022 according to one report. The panels may be manufactured by Samsung.

The 14- and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models made the switch to mini-LED technology this year, so it would be unusual for Apple to change to another display technology within one iteration. Nevertheless, it seems that an OLED ‌MacBook Pro‌ is likely for the coming years, bringing higher brightness, improved contrast, and deeper blacks with no blooming effect.

5G Connectivity

Apple has apparently developed "underlying Mac support" for cellular connectivity, according to Gurman. While this rumor originated from a report about the next-generation MacBook Air, it seems inevitable that if the MacBook Air is set to get cellular connectivity, the feature will also come to the ‌MacBook Pro‌.

Apple is in the process of rolling out 5G to its cellular-enabled devices, with the iPhone 12, ‌iPhone‌ 13, iPad Pro, and iPad mini now offering the next-generation connectivity. Apple currently relies on Qualcomm, but the company is believed to be working on its own custom modem that is set to appear in iPhones as soon as 2023. It is not unreasonable to speculate that this custom modem could also be the basis of 5G connectivity in the ‌MacBook Pro‌ within a similar timeframe.

Release Date

There is as yet no sign of when we could see an updated high-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ launch, but mid- to late 2022 or early to mid-2023 seem like reasonable guesses.

In previous years, Apple typically updated the ‌MacBook Pro‌ every year. Things have not been so clear-cut in recent times, however. The 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ was announced in November 2019, and went without an update for a year and 11 months. The previous, 13-inch high-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ was updated in July 2019, May 2020, and then replaced by the 14-inch model last month.

Now that the ‌MacBook Pro‌ features Apple silicon, it is not clear if there will be a completely different launch timetable for the ‌MacBook Pro‌. It is possible that since the 2021 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models appeared to have been delayed for several months, an updated model could be coming within less than a year. Apple is no longer reliant on Intel to update the processors in its machines, meaning that there could be a more regular update cycle akin to the ‌iPhone‌.

At the same time, the semiconductor shortage, backordered deliveries, and late-stage launch of the current model may push out the launch of a successor. The scale of the most recent redesign and the performance of the ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ may also make the company more willing to keep the current machine around for longer.

Today we're tracking new sales on numerous models of Apple's AirPods, starting with the AirPods with Wired Charging Case for $114.99, down from $159.00. This sale is also being matched at Walmart and at Target.

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

This beats last week's deal by about $5, and overall it's the second-best price we've tracked on this model of the AirPods. This model has begun to see low prices as Apple just launched the newest AirPods with the AirPods 3, but if you're okay not owning the latest version, the AirPods 2 are still a great purchase.

Secondly, you can get the AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case at Walmart, priced at $129.98, down from $199.00. This is a match of the all-time low price on this model of the AirPods 2, and right now only Walmart has the sale.

Next, Apple's new AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case are available for $189.99 at Amazon, down from $249.00, which continues to be the best price we've seen on this model. It is being matched at Target as well.

The AirPods Max remain on sale for $479.00 in all colors on Amazon, down from $549.00. We tracked a sale to as low as $449.00 on the AirPods Max earlier in the year, but today's sale has been the most consistent deal over the past few months.

Lastly, if you want the newest AirPods, Amazon does have the AirPods 3 at a discounted price, although a very slight one. You can get the newest AirPods model for $174.98, down from $179.00.

We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.

The Information's Wayne Ma today shared alleged details about future Apple silicon chips that will succeed the first-generation M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max chips, which are manufactured based on Apple chipmaking partner TSMC's 5nm process.

The report claims that Apple and TSMC plan to manufacture second-generation Apple silicon chips using an enhanced version of TSMC's 5nm process, and the chips will apparently contain two dies, which can allow for more cores. These chips will likely be used in the next MacBook Pro models and other Mac desktops, the report says.

Apple is planning a "much bigger leap" with its third-generation chips, some of which will be manufactured with TSMC's 3nm process and have up to four dies, which the report says could translate into the chips having up to 40 compute cores. For comparison, the M1 chip has an 8-core CPU and the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips have 10-core CPUs, while Apple's high-end Mac Pro tower can be configured with up to a 28-core Intel Xeon W processor.

The report cites sources who expect TSMC to be able to reliably manufacture 3nm chips by 2023 for use in both Macs and iPhones. The third-generation chips are codenamed Ibiza, Lobos, and Palma, according to the report, and it's likely they will debut in higher-end Macs first, such as future 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. A less powerful third-generation chip is also said to be planned for a future MacBook Air.

Meanwhile, the report says the next Mac Pro will use a variant of the M1 Max chip with at least two dies, as part of the first generation of Apple silicon chips.