MacRumors

Apple last week introduced an updated iPad Air with an M1 chip, and now the new tablet is available for purchase. We picked one up to see how it compares to the iPad Pro, which also has an ‌M1‌ chip, to give you an idea of which of Apple's iPads is right for you.

Design wise, the fifth-generation ‌iPad Air‌ looks just like the fourth-generation ‌iPad Air‌, with the exception of the colors. You can get the new model in purple and a new shade of blue, along with pink, starlight, and space gray.

There are no other visual updates, and the ‌iPad Air‌ features the same all-display design with 10.9-inch screen and Touch ID Power Button. Unlike the ‌iPad Pro‌, it does not have 120Hz ProMotion support, which is now one of the main differences between the Pro and Air iPad lines. If you're used to ProMotion, the lack of it on the ‌iPad Air‌ can be jarring, but if you've never had ProMotion, you won't know the difference.

Though Apple didn't change the look of the ‌iPad Air‌, there are internal changes. Most notably, the ‌iPad Air‌ is using the same ‌M1‌ chip as the ‌iPad Pro‌, so in terms of performance, they're identical. You won't see any speed differences between the two lines until the ‌iPad Pro‌ gets an update with a faster chip, which is expected to happen later this year.

Apple added a new 12-megapixel Ultra Wide front-facing camera to bring the ‌iPad Air‌ in line with the ‌iPad Pro‌, and it supports Center Stage, the feature that keeps you in frame as you move about the room.

The ‌iPad Air‌ has also been upgraded with 5G connectivity, but it is sub-6GHz 5G and it doesn't work with the fastest mmWave 5G networks. The ‌iPad Pro‌ does work with the faster 5G network, so that's worth keeping in mind.

If you have the prior-generation ‌iPad Air‌ or the last two ‌iPad Pro‌ models, it's not going to be worth upgrading to this new fifth-generation ‌iPad Air‌, but if you're coming from anything else, it's worth choosing the ‌iPad Air‌ over the ‌iPad Pro‌ because it has almost the same feature set and it's $200 cheaper.

You're only going to be missing out on the faster 5G mmWave connectivity, the ProMotion display, and Face ID, and if these are important to you, you should hold out for the next-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ before upgrading.

Did you pick up a new ‌iPad Air‌? Let us know what you think in the comments.

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with ColorWare to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a customized Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and a customized Magic Mouse to go along with it.

For those unfamiliar with ColorWare, it is a website that specializes in device customization, painting all kinds of electronics in unique custom colors that are unavailable from the manufacturer.

Priced at $249, the Touch ID Magic Keyboard can be painted in any of the colors that ColorWare offers. There are matte and gloss options, and ColorWare has almost every color of the rainbow, including shades of red, blue, green, purple, and pink.

For those who like a more muted device there are silver, white, and jet black options, along with a series of metallic shades. ColorWare also offers green and orange "Hi-Vis" shades that are super bright.

The coloration process includes each key and and the aluminum base of the keyboard itself, all of which can be turned a single color. The ‌Touch ID‌ power button is protected and remains the standard white color.

The customized Magic Mouse can be ordered from ColorWare for $149, and it comes in all of the same colors as the keyboard. The colorization process includes just the top of the mouse, leaving the silver aluminum base intact. It's worth noting that the customization of the Magic Mouse eliminates the Apple logo on the top.

ColorWare has been creating custom painted devices since 1998, and has perfected its painting process. ColorWare uses a multi-step coating system that includes a primer, the application of a primary color formula, and a liquid plastic coating that protects the color that's been applied.

Aside from the color change of the keyboard and mouse, all of the standard functionality remains available, with no change to the functionality. ColorWare also offers all kinds of other custom painted devices, including AirPods, AirTags, console controllers, the Nintendo Switch, and even robot vacuums.

We have one Magic Mouse and one Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ to give away to a lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, 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, UK 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. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. 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 (March 18) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on March 25. The winner will be chosen randomly on March 25 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.

It is the official launch day for the updated M1 iPad Air and 5G iPhone SE, which means Apple is beginning to advertise its new products. On its YouTube channel, Apple today shared an ad focused on the new ‌iPad Air‌.

Called "Election," the spot features a group of students using the ‌iPad Air‌ to create campaigns for a high school election. The ‌iPad Air‌'s camera, Apple Pencil support, 5G connectivity, messaging, keyboard compatibility, and other features are shown off.

Introducing the new iPad Air. Supercharged by the Apple M1 chip. In five amazing colors. 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with 5G. (Cellular models subject to availability. Accessories sold separately.) 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage. And, of course, it works with Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard.

"Your next computer is not a computer," reads the tagline for the video. Apple has used this phrasing in the past for various iPads, including the iPad Pro. The ‌iPad Air‌ is now quite similar to the ‌iPad Pro‌ as both tablets feature the same ‌M1‌ chip and Center Stage camera setup.

Pricing on the ‌iPad Air‌ begins at $599 and it is available from Apple's website and Apple retail stores.

Apple plans to soon sell a third-party lock adapter for the Mac Studio that locks onto the bottom of the computer to physically secure the computer without damaging or modifying it.

On the bottom of the ‌Mac Studio‌, there is a hole that some have speculated could be for a Kensington lock. Kensington locks, however, are large and are unlikely to fit under the ‌Mac Studio‌. Instead, in a memo seen by MacRumors, Apple has said a "lock adapter" that customers can use to keep their ‌Mac Studio‌ "physically secure without modifying or damaging" will launch soon.

In the memo, Apple did not provide details on pricing or availability. With the previous trashcan Mac Pro, Apple did something similar and released a $49 lock that goes on the side of the computer to prevent it from moving or accessing the internals. As YouTuber MKBHD has pointed out, already, however, there is no way to easy and straightforward way to access the internals of the ‌Mac Studio‌.

Today we're tracking a few different deals, including all-time low prices on the iPad mini 6, Apple Watch Series 7, and iPad Pro Magic Keyboard. These discounts can all be found on Amazon.

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

iPad mini

Starting with the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad mini, Amazon has this model for $459.00 in three colors, down from $499.00. This is a match of the previous record low price on the 2021 iPad mini, and all models are shipped and sold by Amazon.

For more storage, you can also get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini for $599.00, down from $649.00. This one is available in two colors at this sale price, and both versions of the iPad mini are in stock and ready to ship today.

Apple Watch Series 7

The 41mm GPS Apple Watch Series 7 in Midnight Aluminum with Midnight Sport Band is down to $339.00 today, down from $399.00. Only Midnight is being discounted to this price on Amazon.

Although it's just one color, this is a match of the previous all-time low price that we saw on this model earlier in 2022. If you want a different color and are willing to spend a bit more, all other aluminum 41mm models are priced at $349.00.

Magic Keyboard

Next you can save on both of the 2021 Magic Keyboards for the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, starting at $239.19 for the 11-inch model, down from $299.00. This deal is only available in White.

The Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is priced at $293.00, down from $349.00. Similar to the 11-inch model, this one is only available in White. Both models are in stock and sold directly from Amazon.

Both of these Magic Keyboards are all-time low prices for each respective model, and currently only Amazon is discounting the accessories.

Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.

Every product that Apple announced at its "Peek Performance" event is now available for same-day pickup at select Apple Stores in the United States, including the Mac Studio, Studio Display, new iPhone SE, new iPad Air, and green iPhone 13 models.

The two standard configurations of the Mac Studio with an M1 Max chip for $1,999 or an M1 Ultra chip for $3,999 are available for pickup at some Apple Store locations, as is the Studio Display with standard glass and a tilt-adjustable stand, but custom configurations and other built-to-order options have very limited in-store availability.

The new iPhone SE and iPad Air models are more widely available for Apple Store pickup in many storage capacity and color combinations.

To order a product with Apple Store pickup, add the product to your bag on Apple.com or in the Apple Store app, proceed to checkout, select the "I'll pick it up" option, enter your ZIP code, choose an available Apple Store location, select a pickup date, and select a 15-minute check-in window for arriving to the store. Payment is completed online, and a valid government-issued photo ID and the order number are required upon pickup.

Apple began accepting pre-orders for the Mac Studio and Studio Display on March 8, followed by the new iPhone SE, iPad Air, and green iPhone 13 models on March 11, and the first deliveries to customers began today.

While at the Apple Store, don't forget to pick up black-and-silver Magic accessories for the Mac, which went on sale last week.

The Apple Studio Display runs a full version of iOS 15.4, Daring Fireball's John Gruber has highlighted.

In System Information, under "Graphics/Displays," the ‌Studio Display‌'s software can be seen, showing that it runs "Version 15.4 (Build 19E241)." This is the exact same build number as iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, indicating that the ‌Studio Display‌ runs the full version of iOS.

The ‌Studio Display‌ contains an A13 Bionic chip, the same chip from the iPhone 11 lineup, 2020 iPhone SE, ninth-generation iPad, to support its 12-megapixel Ultra Wide front-facing camera with Center Stage and six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio. While the presence of the A13 chip indicated that the display likely ran a variant of existing Apple software, in much the same way that the HomePod and HomePod mini run a version of tvOS, the device's exact software was unknown until now.

Yesterday, the first reviews of the Studio Display were released, with a common complaint among reviewers being that the built-in webcam's image quality ranges anywhere from an "old BlackBerry" to downright "awful" in their hands-on testing. In his detailed review of the Studio Display, Gruber said that the camera is "crushingly disappointing" and "astonishingly poor," with the image being "terrible" and Center Stage being "glitchy."

Even without harsh sunlight, all images from the Studio Display camera, in all lighting conditions, are grainy, lacking in contrast, and make skin tones look cadaveric.

[...]

... How can the image quality from the camera on a $1600 display be so much worse — laughably worse — than the image quality from a $600 iPad Air that uses the exact same camera hardware? Let alone comparing it to the front-facing camera on the $430 iPhone SE, which makes the Studio Display camera look like a toy. And we waited years for Apple to ship this display. Again, it's usable. All sorts of people use way worse cameras for videoconferencing every day. But this image quality is embarrassing from a company that considers itself the leading camera company in the world... I expected to be impressed by the Studio Display camera. Instead, I'm baffled. I don't understand how this shipped.

It gets even worse. The Center Stage feature on the Studio Display should be called Off-Center Stage. Move around a bit or turn your head to the side and you get framed off to the side, even though you're sitting directly in front of the center of the display. It takes up to 5 seconds for Center Stage to catch up and re-center you in the frame, which it does slowly and sheepishly, as though it's embarrassed...

Apple told reviewers that it "discovered an issue where the system is not behaving as expected" and will be "making improvements in a software update." Apple did not specify what "improvements" will be made, and no timeframe was provided for the update. Gruber concluded:

The Off-Center Stage thing is obviously a bug, and I expect that to be fixed. The overall image quality, I'll bet, can and will be improved to some degree via software updates, but I'll be surprised — happily surprised, but surprised — if a software update can turn this camera into something Apple should be proud of. Maybe, though, given that it's the same camera hardware as the front-facing camera on the new iPad Air and last year's iPad Pros. But I'm not holding my breath.

Gruber later posted an update saying he has heard that the "the image quality problems really are a software problem, not hardware — a bug introduced at the last minute — and a future software update might not merely somewhat improve image quality, but raise it to a level commensurate with the ‌iPad‌ models equipped with the same camera."

With the confirmation that the ‌Studio Display‌ runs iOS, Apple's planned update to improve the quality of the webcam will presumably come as part of an iOS update. Other information about how software updates for the ‌Studio Display‌ work is as yet unknown.

German carmaker Porsche has discussed undertaking joint projects with Apple, the company's CEO mentioned today in its annual press conference (via Reuters).

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said that the company has discussed "exciting common projects" with Apple, but it it is currently too soon to make any firm decisions on future projects. It is unclear exactly what the seemingly off-hand remark refers to, but it could relate to Apple's long-rumored electric vehicle project.

Blume said that Porsche and Apple traditionally cooperate closely and are "on the same wavelength," and managers from Porsche travelled to the United States late last year to discuss joint projects with Apple.

"We already have Apple CarPlay, we will expand on that," Blume added. Porsche has worked closely with Apple in recent years to offer a growing number of feature-rich non-CarPlay experiences that integrate with vehicles' infotainment systems, including a native Apple Music app with time-synced lyrics and a native Apple Podcasts app that works with Porsche's in-car voice assistant.

LG is working to supply Apple with OLED display panels for two iPad models before providing larger panels for the company's first OLED MacBook around 2025, The Elec reports.

LG Display is reportedly aiming to supply Apple with Gen 8.5 OLED panels for Apple's first OLED MacBook. The device is said to be scheduled to launch "around 2025."

LG has been evaluating the deposition process to manufacture Gen 8.5 OLED panels at its Paju facility since December 2021, The Elec claims. The evaluation procedure will purportedly take up to a year to complete. Previous reports have indicated that LG's factory in Paju, South Korea, is instrumental in Apple's plans to offer iPads with OLED displays, as well as to increase its supply of OLED displays for future iPhone models.

The Elec also explained that LG is planning to use its Gen 6 OLED production lines for 11-inch and 12.9-inch ‌iPad‌ models, which will debut at some time earlier than the first OLED MacBook. Since the launch of the OLED MacBooks around 2025 will come after Apple's first two OLED iPads, LG is planning to use larger substrates such as Gen 8.5 since more panels can be cut out per substrate in less time.

Yesterday, renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted that the launch of Apple's first MacBook with an OLED display is dependent on the launch of 11-inch and 12.9-inch OLED ‌iPad‌ models in 2024, which correlates with today's report from The Elec:

LG is believed to be planning to begin mass production of LTPO OLED panels for iPads between 2023 and 2024, making the rumored 2025 timeframe for the launch of the first OLED MacBook plausible.

It is officially March 18 in Australia and New Zealand, which means that it's Mac Studio and Studio Display launch day. Customers in these countries are always the first to get their hands on new devices, and Apple's new studio devices are being delivered.

The ‌Mac Studio‌ and ‌Studio Display‌ are starting to arrive to customers who pre-ordered when the devices went up for sale following the "Peek Performance" event, and customers will soon begin to share their photos on Twitter, Instagram, and the MacRumors forums.

New Zealand does not have Apple Stores, so Australian customers will be the first who are able to pick up a ‌Studio Display‌ or ‌Mac Studio‌ at a retail location, provided Apple has stock. Availability in Australia will give us an idea of what we can expect from other stores worldwide.

Apple will likely sell stock configurations of the ‌Studio Display‌ and the ‌Mac Studio‌ at its retail stores, with pricing beginning at $1,599 for the ‌Studio Display‌ and $1,999 for the ‌Mac Studio‌. Supplies of both devices were limited on ordering day, so retail stores may also have limited quantities.

If you try to order a ‌Mac Studio‌ or ‌Studio Display‌ online, the order won't ship until April, so a retail store is now the only way to get a launch day device.

Following New Zealand and Australia, sales of the MacBook Pro will begin in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and then North America. Apple Stores‌ globally are opening up right around 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. local time to allow customers to pick up reserved devices and make walk-in purchases.

Today also marks the delivery of the first iPhone SE and iPad Air models, though those are mostly iterative updates and not quite as exciting as the new studio product lines.

Have a new ‌Mac Studio‌ or ‌Studio Display‌? Share pictures below and let us know what you think of your new device.

Apple is streamlining its iPhone purchase process with the launch of the iPhone SE, and has introduced a new buying method that allows customers to purchase T-Mobile and AT&T devices without inputting their current carrier information.

As outlined by Bloomberg, customers typically need to provide their wireless phone number and social security number when making an iPhone purchase, a process that allows their carrier to do a credit check and approve the transaction to ensure the person receiving the device will pay their cellular phone bill.

With the iPhone SE, AT&T and T-Mobile customers will not need to provide their carrier information when checking out, and can instead connect when turning on the iPhone SE for the first time. Customers also do not need to select a network plan at the time of purchase, cutting down on carrier involvement when a person buys an iPhone from Apple.

Apple told retail employees that the new method is called "on-device authentication," and it makes the iPhone checkout process quicker. The purchase process is available online right now and will be implemented in stores on March 29.

Apple already has a "Connect on your own later" option for iPhone 13 buyers who don't want to input their information at the time of purchase, but this is apparently separate from the way the iPhone SE on-device authentication works. Apple also offers unlocked devices that can be purchased without a carrier association.

As of right now, on-device authentication is limited to AT&T and T-Mobile customers who purchase an iPhone SE, but Apple is planning to expand it to Verizon and could also implement the feature for flagship iPhone purchases in the future to make the preorder process smoother.

Despite Apple's claims and charts, the new M1 Ultra chip is not able to outperform Nvidia's RTX 3090 in terms of raw GPU performance, according to benchmark testing performed by The Verge.

When the ‌M1 Ultra‌ was introduced, Apple shared a chart that had the new chip winning out over the "highest-end discrete GPU" in "relative performance," without details on what tests were run to achieve those results. Apple showed the ‌M1 Ultra‌ beating the RTX 3090 at a certain power level, but Apple isn't sharing the whole picture with its limited graphic.

The Verge decided to pit the ‌M1 Ultra‌ against the Nvidia RTX 3090 using Geekbench 5 graphics tests, and unsurprisingly, it cannot match Nvidia's chip when that chip is run at full power. The Mac Studio beat out the 16-core Mac Pro, but performance was about half that of the RTX 3090.

But it seems that Apple just simply isn't showing the full performance of the competitor it's chasing here.

It's sort of like arguing that because your electric car can use dramatically less fuel when driving at 80 miles per hour than a Lamborghini, it has a better engine -- without mentioning the fact that a Lambo can still go twice as fast.

The ‌M1 Ultra‌ is otherwise impressive, and it is unclear why Apple focused on this particular benchmark as it is somewhat misleading to customers because it does not take into account the full range of Nvidia's chip.

Apple's ‌M1 Ultra‌ is essentially two M1 Max chips connected together, and as The Verge highlighted in its full Mac Studio review, Apple has managed to successfully get double the ‌M1 Max‌ performance out of the ‌M1 Ultra‌, which is a notable feat that other chip makers cannot match.

Sony in February introduced the LinkBuds, a curious set of earphones that have an open design that's not quite like any other in-ear headphone product on the market. We picked up a set of Sony's strange LinkBuds to see how they measure up to Apple's third-generation AirPods.

Priced at $178, the LinkBuds have a naked donut-shaped earpiece that goes in the ear. Much like the AirPods 3, there are no form or silicone tips included with the LinkBuds.

The hole in the LinkBuds is an open ring driver that's designed to let users listen to music while also keeping an ear open to their ambient surroundings, similar to headphone products like audio-equipped sunglasses and bone conduction headphones. Sound quality is not at the AirPods level, but it's above average.

An Adaptive Volume Control feature optimizes music to the sound in the ambient environment, and playback is controlled by double tapping right on your ear. The double tap gesture can be used to play/pause music, adjust volume, or skip tracks, with settings available in the Sony app. There's also an option in the app for EQ adjustments.

A secondary bulb with a small fin holds the LinkBuds in place, and Sony has described them as ultra small and lightweight. In our testing, comfort is not too far off from the AirPods. They can be worn for a decent length of time before they irritate the ears, and are light enough not to be uncomfortable over a couple hours of use.

The battery in the LinkBuds lasts for 5.5 hours, and they come with a charging case that provides a total of 23 hours of listening time. The charging case is tiny and pocketable.

For those in the Apple device ecosystem, LinkBuds can't really measure up to the AirPods because they lack features like automatic device switching and quick pairing. People who don't care about those features and who are looking for earbuds that are ideal for biking, running, and other similar purposes might want to check out the LinkBuds, though.

What do you think of the LinkBuds? Let us know in the comments.

A few companies are celebrating today's Saint Patrick's Day holiday by offering shoppers solid discounts across a variety of products. We've collected some of the best discounts and offers below, including sales from ZAGG and Mophie, Belkin, Casely, Pad & Quill, Satechi, JBL, and Hyper.

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.

ZAGG

ZAGG and Mophie are hosting one of the bigger tech-related Saint Patrick's Day sales this year, with 25 percent off sitewide for one day only. This sale excludes items that have already been discounted.

We've collected a few of Mophie's best charging accessories that you can save on during the Saint Patrick's Day sale, including the new 3-in-1 Travel Charger with MagSafe. Besides Mophie's accessories, ZAGG's website includes screen protectors, iPad keyboards, tech sanitizers, and much more.

• Snap+ Juice Pack Mini Wallet - $37.46, down from $49.95
• Snap+ Powerstation Stand - $52.46, down from $69.95
• Powerstation Wireless XL - $52.46, down from $69.95
• 3-in-1 Wireless Stand for MagSafe Charger - $67.46, down from $89.95
• 3-in-1 Travel Charger with MagSafe - $112.46, down from $149.95

Belkin

Belkin is taking 15 percent off select charging accessories today with the code POWER15. This includes the company's Boost Charge line of products, as well as Bluetooth speakers, wall chargers, cables, and more.

You can browse the full Saint Patrick's Day sale by heading to this landing page on Belkin's website. This code is expected to expire once the holiday ends, so shop soon if you're interested.

Casely

Casely is offering 25 percent off green cases and accessories for the Saint Patrick's Day holiday. You'll just need to use the code LUCKYME to see the discounts, and this will expire in three days.

Casely has cases that support iPhones as old as the iPhone 6. If you have the latest devices, you can opt for a MagSafe-compatible case in select accessories. There are also cases for the AirPods and AirPods Pro on sale this week.

Pad & Quill

At Pad & Quill you can save on Apple Watch bands, iPhone leather folios, AirTag accessories, and more. All of these products can be found in the company's new Warehouse Sale, and it also includes a pair of 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro cases.

Satechi

Satechi's discount is focusing on just one product: the 165W USB-C GaN Charger, priced at $96.00 with code CES20, down from $119.99.

This accessory includes four USB-C power delivery ports, and when purchasing you can select from four different territories for different power supply options.

Other Sales

• Adorama - Get 40% off photography equipment and more
• eBay - Get up to 50% off on home appliances, smart home tech, and more
• Hyper - Save on USB-C hubs and more
• JBL - Get up to 50% off portable speakers, headphones, and more

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

The European Union is set to introduce new legislation as soon as this month that would significantly affect how the App Store operates in Europe, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The Digital Markets Act has been in development for some time and the finalized version that could be completed as soon as this month will allow for sideloading and alternate app store options. Apple will be required to allow customers in Europe to download apps outside of the app stores, and it will also allow developers to use alternate purchase methods.

Failure to comply with the law could cost Apple tens of billions of dollars, and Apple's efforts to fight the act have been unsuccessful. Back in November, Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi said that the sideloading mandated by the Digital Markets Act would open the "floodgates" to malware. The legislation would, said Federighi, "take away [the] choice of a more secure platform."

In a statement provided to The Wall Street Journal, Apple shared a similar sentiment.

Governments and international agencies world-wide have explicitly advised against sideloading requirements, which would cripple the privacy and security protections that users have come to expect."

European officials have been unswayed by Apple's privacy and security-related arguments, and in July, European Union digital competition chief Margrethe Vestager said that Apple should not use privacy excuses to limit competition. "Customers will not give up neither security nor privacy if they use another app store or if they sideload," she said.

The full scope of the sideloading provision in the bill is not yet known as final language could give Apple some room to limit the scope of sideloading. After the bill is finalized, it will be approved by the parliament and member states, and it would take effect early next year.

Apple's new Mac Studio desktop computer will begin arriving to customers this Friday. Ahead of the launch, TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino spoke with a trio of senior Apple employees about the company's process of designing the Mac Studio.

Just like the Mac Pro tower released in late 2019, the Mac Studio was born as a result of Apple's Pro Workflows Team that was created shortly after the company apologized to pro users and ensured that it remains committed to the Mac.

"We look very much at Mac Studio for what it is, a completely new Mac product line," said Tom Boger, vice president of Mac and iPad product marketing at Apple. "Our philosophy was not at all to take a Mac mini and scale it up, it was 'we know we're working on this M1 chip and we want to bring it to those users who want performance and conductivity and a modular system. And let's allow it to live right on people's desks so it's within easy reach."

Xander Soren, director of product marketing for the Pro Apps team at Apple, told Panzarino that creative and pro users expressed a clear desire for a so-called "modular" system that sat between the iMac and the Mac Pro in Apple's desktop lineup.

"I think the way we look at it is we're happy to provide multiple ways for our users to work," added Boger. "So you could decide to have a MacBook Pro with an M1 Max chip in it and you could decide to have a setup in your studio where you bring the MacBook Pro back and forth. And if that's the way that you choose to work, great. But we also have users that prefer to have that desktop that always lives on their desk."

Apple said that it listened to customer feedback to decide which ports to offer on the Mac Studio, and it also designed the computer to ensure that all of those ports were easily accessible on both the front and back of the machine.

"We've got IO right on the front, and even if you need to get to the back, you just spin it around," said Boger. "It's relatively light; it's very small; it fits under most displays at 3.7 inches high. We're really giving users something they've never had before. They've always had to trade off. If I wanted a smaller form factor computer, I had to trade off performance. And what we wanted to do was give people something where you don't have to do that."

Shelly Goldberg, senior director of Mac and iPad product design at Apple, said the Mac Studio was a fun challenge in terms of fitting the powerful performance of the M1 Ultra chip into a more compact form factor with optimal thermal management.

"…The team did hundreds of thermal simulations for the airflow to try to figure out what's the best pattern of airflow through the system to try to optimize for performance and acoustics and ultimately, we came up with the the design that we have which has the inlet on the bottom coming in through over 2,000 machined holes that are all machined at [a specific] angle that rotates as you go around the perimeter," said Goldberg.

As for the Studio Display, Boger said Apple aimed for a "great, very accessible, very mainstream display for all of our Mac users."

"It's a great display if you want to hook up to the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, Mac Studio, Mac Pro, whatever," said Boger. "And we know that there's still users out there that are using Intel-based Macs and so putting A13 in there processes the audio for Spatial Audio and makes the magic of Center Stage happen."

Notably, many reviewers found the Studio Display's webcam quality to be unsatisfactory, leading Apple to issue a statement indicating that it will be making unspecified improvements in a future software update. No timeframe was provided for the update.

We've rounded up reviews of both the Mac Studio and Studio Display for a closer look at both products ahead of their Friday launch.

LG's 27-inch UltraFine 5K external display has not been discontinued and will be back in stock next month, LG has told The Wall Street Journal.

Following speculation that the LG UltraFine 5K display may have been discontinued when it went out of stock at most major retailers, LG told The Wall Street Journal that the UltraFine 5K is still in production and has not been discontinued. The display is simply out of stock at the current time due to component shortages and high demand. LG expects the UltraFine 5K to come back in stock on its website as soon as next month, with availability at other retailers presumably set to improve around the same time.

Apple worked with LG to develop the UltraFine 5K display, which contains almost the exact same panel as a 27-inch 5K iMac, featuring Thunderbolt connectivity, close integration with macOS, and the ideal 5120 by 2880 resolution for Retina scaling on a Mac, making it the go-to option for many Mac users in recent years.

Following the announcement of the Studio Display, Apple delisted the 27-inch UltraFine 5K display from the Apple Store. Apple presumably chose to stop selling the UltraFine 5K due to its similarity to the ‌Studio Display‌. The UltraFine 5K features almost the same 27-inch 5K panel with P3 wide color, built-in speakers, a built-in camera, a single Thunderbolt port that is capable of charging a MacBook, and three USB-C ports, but for a price of $1,299, $300 cheaper than the ‌Studio Display‌.

The ‌Studio Display‌ adds a slim aluminum design, an extra 100 nits of brightness, and Center Stage functionality, but does not come with a height-adjustable stand as standard. Apple continues to sell the UltraFine 5K's smaller sibling, 23.7-inch UltraFine 4K display, for $699.

Reviews of the ‌Studio Display‌ were released earlier today with a largely negative response, but Apple is rumored to be planning to launch a more high-end 27-inch "‌Studio Display‌ Pro" with mini-LED technology later this year.

The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), which includes Apple, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and others, today announced the launch of the "Matter" smart home standard has been delayed until the fall of 2022 (via The Verge).

Matter seeks to unify and simplify the smart home ecosystem with a new interoperable standard. Announced in 2019 as "Project CHiP," Matter is a unified IP-based connectivity that aims to offer a standard universal protocol for developers to build Internet of Things devices. The Alliance previously sought to release the standard in late 2020. This was then delayed to the second half of 2021, before again being delayed until summer 2022. Now, it has been delayed until the fall of 2022.

The delay is needed to finalize the software development kit (SDK) that device manufacturers will use to incorporate their products into the Matter ecosystem. The CSA is working to improve the SDK so that it works smoothly across the large number of platforms that are adopting Matter, ensuring that there is long-term confidence in the standard.

The updated timeline suggests that Matter-certified devices could still go on sale this year, with 130 devices in 15 categories from 50 companies set to be part of the first roll-out. Companies that are not yet enrolled into the initial phase may need to wait until the end of 2022 or early 2023 to begin testing.

A multitude of smart home accessory makers have signed up to adopt Matter, including Amazon, ASSA ABLOY, Comcast, Espressif Systems, Eve Systems, Grundfos Holding A/S, Huawei, Infineon Technologies, LEEDARSON, Legrand, Nanoleaf, and others.