MacRumors

Apple this afternoon briefly released the first betas of iOS and iPadOS 14.3 before pulling the updates again, but during the time the software was available, some people were still able to download it and have been digging into the features.

ProRAW Support

As noted on the MacRumors forums, iOS 14.3 introduces the ProRAW format for the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Apple introduced ProRAW when announcing the new ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup, but said that it would be coming at a later date.

ProRAW is designed for those who prefer to shoot in RAW but also want to take advantage of the Apple image pipeline data like noise reduction and multiframe exposure adjustments.

The ProRAW feature can be enabled in the Camera section of the Settings app for those who have installed the iOS 14.3 beta on a new ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro or Pro Max. When enabled, there's a RAW toggle in the upper right side of the camera app that can be tapped to turn it off or on.

Photos taken with ProRAW are approximately 25MB in size, so photographers may want to use the feature sparingly if ‌iPhone‌ storage space is an issue.

Third-Party App Suggestions

Along with ProRAW support, the update also appears to add suggested third-party apps. According to 9to5Mac, there's code in iOS 14.3 that indicates Apple will show third-party app options to those who are updating to the software.

These app suggestions will be provided only in some countries where required by local laws, so users in the United States may not see the third-party app menu. It's not entirely clear which countries will see the app suggestions, but those that do will see this message: "In compliance with regional legal requirements, continue to view available apps to download."

Health App

The Health app appears to have a new section on Pregnancy .

App Clips

According to Apple's release notes, App Clips can be launched by scanning App Clip Codes using Camera or from Control Center.

Default Search Engine

Ecosia can now be set as the default search engine as an alternative to Google, Yahoo, Bing, and DuckDuckGo. Ecosia lets users fund the planting of trees when searches are conducted.

Home App

The Home app appears to have new notifications for when accessories have updates available, which suggests that some HomeKit accessories might be able to be updated through the Home app in the future.

Cardio Fitness

Code in iOS 14.3 confirms a new Cardio Fitness feature for Apple Watch. "Apple Watch can access your cardio fitness, a strong indicator of overall health. To enable estimates outside of a workout, turn on Wrist Detection."

Cardio Fitness levels are available for users age 20 and above, and are estimated by age. Apple will send Cardio Fitness Notifications to the ‌iPhone‌ from the Apple Watch.

Weather

Air quality health recommendations are provided at specific air quality levels in the U.S., UK, Germany, India, and Mexico, with air quality data provided by Breezometer. Air quality data is also now available in China.

AirPods Studio

There's an icon in iOS 14.3 that may hint at the design of the AirPods Studio.

Find My

Code in iOS 14.3 suggests that Apple is rolling out the groundwork to add support for third-party item trackers to the Find My app, as well as additional support for AirTags. Third-party item trackers and Bluetooth-enabled items will be able to be tracked using the ‌Find My‌ app, and it seems the first items with this capability could perhaps be launching soon.

Fitness+

As noted by The 8-Bit, the first beta of iOS 14.3 had a reference to Fitness+ in the iOS 14.3 analytics settings under Privacy > Analytics & Improvements. The setting was unfinished and could not be toggled on, but it suggests that Fitness+ may be released alongside iOS 14.3. The setting was removed in beta 2.

Home Screen Shortcuts

In iOS 14.3, it's easier than ever to launch apps with custom icons right from the Home Screen, which is great for those who prefer to customize their Home Screens.

When opening an app that has a custom icon created using Shortcuts, it is no longer routed through the Shortcuts app and is instead able to open much more quickly. There's still a banner that pops up, but it's a more streamlined experience than before.

Other Features

Know of other new features in iOS 14.3 that aren't highlighted here? Let us know in the comments and we'll add them to the list.

Shortly after seeding the first betas of iOS 14.3, iPad 14.3, watchOS 7.2, and tvOS 14.3, Apple has pulled all of the updates from the Developer Center and they're no longer available for download.

It's not clear if the new software releases were mistakenly seeded out or pulled due to the numerous issues that Apple's servers are experiencing. Right now, users are not able to download macOS Big Sur and are seeing the following message when attempting an install: "An error occurred while installing the selected updates."

Apple's notary server for Mac apps also appears to be experiencing problems and there are iMessage and Maps outages that are ongoing. Apple Pay and Apple Card were also impacted, but Apple's System Status page says those issues have been fixed.

Apple this morning also very briefly released the iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2 updates before pulling them again, so technically this is the second time the updates have been seeded out and then removed. It's not clear when the new software betas will see an official and permanent launch.

Apple is having trouble with a number of services at this time, and along with problems that are preventing people from installing macOS Big Sur and slowing down third-party apps, Apple Card, Apple Pay, Maps, and iMessage are experiencing issues.

According to Apple's System Status page, Apple Card and Apple Pay are seeing a complete outage. Users are not able to complete Apple Pay transactions, and some users may be unable to apply for or manage an Apple Card on Apple.com.

Maps traffic and routing and navigation is also out, and Apple says that the services "may be slow or unavailable." The same goes for iMessage, with Apple saying that some users are affected and may be unable to use iMessage at this time.

It's not clear when these services will be functioning properly again, but if you're having problems with Maps, Messages, Apple Card, and Apple Pay, you're not alone. Users are also unable to install macOS Big Sur at this time.

Update 2:30 p.m.: According to Apple's System Status page, the issues with Apple Card, Apple Pay, iMessage, and Maps have been fixed.

Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 14.3 and iPadOS 14.3 updates to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing iOS 14.2.

iOS and iPadOS 14.3 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper developer profile has been installed.

There's no word yet on what's included in the iOS 14.3 update, but it likely focuses on features, bug fixes, and performance improvements that weren't able to be included in the iOS 14.2 release.

Once we've downloaded the update and discovered what's new, we'll update this article with details.

Apple today updated Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, its video and audio editing apps designed for professionals, to version 10.5 and 10.6, respectively. The new software updates introduce improved performance and efficiency on Mac computers with Apple Silicon, along with new features that take advantage of the ‌Apple Silicon‌ Neural Engine.

Apple's release notes for the Final Cut Pro X update are below:

- Improved performance and efficiency on Mac computers with Apple silicon
- Accelerated machine learning analysis for Smart Conform using the Apple Neural Engine on Mac computers with Apple silicon
- Option to create a copy of your library and automatically transcode media to ProRes Proxy or H.264 at various resolutions

Apple also has release notes for Logic Pro X:

Improved performance and efficiency on Mac computers with Apple silicon
- Adds the ability to control Step Sequencer using Logic Remote on your iPad or iPhone to create beats, bass lines, and melodic parts
- Supports all Novation Launchpad controllers
- Stability and performance improvements (edited)

MainStage, Compressor, Motion, and Logic Remote have also all been updated to go along with the main Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro updates. All of the software can be downloaded from the Mac App Store.

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 7.2 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new beta coming one week after the launch of watchOS 7.1.

To install the ‌watchOS 7.2‌ beta, developers need to download the proper configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the ‌‌‌watchOS 7‌‌‌.2 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated ‌Apple Watch‌ app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update.

To update to the new software, the ‌Apple Watch‌ needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the ‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌.

We don't yet know what's new in the watchOS 7.2 update, but it likely focuses on bug fixes for issues that weren't able to be addressed in watchOS 7.1 If any new features or changes are discovered, we'll update this article.

Update: Code in iOS 14.3 confirms a new Cardio Fitness feature for Apple Watch. "Apple Watch can access your cardio fitness, a strong indicator of overall health. To enable estimates outside of a workout, turn on Wrist Detection."

Cardio Fitness levels are available for users age 20 and above, and are estimated by age. Apple will send Cardio Fitness Notifications to the ‌iPhone‌ from the Apple Watch.

If you are seeing long delays in launching apps or being unable to open Mac Apps at all, this may be due to Apple having significant problems right now with their services.

Apple has noted on their status site that "Users may be experience issues with the service." We've seen reports that this is affecting launching apps when connected to the internet.

A forum user describes what they are experiencing:

This is the most bizzare problem. My Macbook slows to a crawl when WiFi is enabled. I'm not talking about internet speed, that is fine. But simply launching or using apps becomes extremely slow. Apps will bounce on the dock for 10 minutes before they load.

As soon as I turn off Wifi, everything goes back to normal.

For now, disabling internet connectivity will allow you to bypass the issue temporarily.

It's been exactly one year since the Disney+ streaming service first launched, and over the course of the last 12 months, Disney+ has gained 73.7 million subscribers, surpassing expectations.

Disney announced the impressive subscriber numbers during its fourth quarter earnings results, which went out this afternoon.

"Even with the disruption caused by COVID-19, we've been able to effectively manage our businesses while also taking bold, deliberate steps to position our company for greater long-term growth," said Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. "The real bright spot has been our direct-to-consumer business, which is key to the future of our company, and on this anniversary of the launch of Disney+ we're pleased to report that, as of the end of the fourth quarter, the service had more than 73 million paid subscribers - far surpassing our expectations in just its first year."

Disney+ last reported subscriber numbers in August, when the streaming service had 57.5 million subscribers. Based on those numbers, Disney+ has gained 16 million subscribers in the last three months alone.

At launch, Disney's goal was to hit 60 to 90 million subscribers by 2024, a target that the company has already met. Disney+ seems to have been more successful than Apple TV+, which launched right around the same time. Apple does not provide subscriber numbers for ‌Apple TV‌+ so there's no direct comparison to make, but if Apple's numbers were that high, it's likely company executives would have mentioned it.

When ‌Apple TV‌+ launched, Apple offered all customers who purchased a new device a free year of service, which is a deal that's still available now. Customers who took advantage of this promotion were originally meant to start paying in November, but Apple extended the free trial until the end of January.

‌Apple TV‌+ has not been able to compete with Disney+ because Disney has an established catalog of content along with popular Star Wars and Marvel content. Apple, meanwhile, has been working to build up new original TV shows and movies, but it still trails behind Disney.

Apple this morning released macOS Big Sur to the public, and since the software went live, it has had extremely long download times that have prevented many from being able to install it.

Even those who have made progress through the download have run into problems where the software downloading process is suddenly interrupted and must be restarted. Others have reported being able to download the update and then having the installation fail. Apple's site appears to be having some major issues due to the number of people attempting to download the update at once.

In addition to these Big Sur download problems, Apple's developer site is also down at this time, and as a result, some third-party apps are unable to be opened up at this time.

An error occurred while installing the selected updates

It's not clear what's causing the problem. It could be that the macOS Big Sur downloads are failing due to a developer site issue or the developer site could be failing under the strain of macOS Big Sur demand, but it is clear that those hoping to get the new software should hold off until things are more stable.

Apple's System Status page is listing an issue with macOS Software Updates and says that the problem is "currently being investigated."

Popular iOS game Plague Inc. was this week updated with a new game mode called "Plague Inc: The Cure," which is designed to let players work to stop a pandemic from spreading across the globe.

The original game, which has been around for many years now, encourages players to find ways to spread a disease to wipe out the world's population with various symptoms and transmission methods. Plague Inc. has always been a highly downloaded iOS game, and it is currently number two on the App Store's chart for paid games.

Ndemic Creations back in May said that it was planning an update that would tweak core gameplay to let people stop the outbreak of a virus. The new gameplay mode was developed with the help of experts from the World Health Organization, the Global Outbreak Alert, Response Network, and more.

Players are able to manage disease progression and boost healthcare systems in "The Cure," controlling actions like triaging, quarantining, social distancing, supporting the economy during lockdown, and the closing of public services. The goal of the game is to track down patient zero while also developing a vaccine and taking measures to limit the spread of the outbreak.

Plague Inc. is priced at $0.99, and "The Cure" mode is available in the original game for free. The app can be downloaded from the ‌App Store‌. [Direct Link]

Given that Apple's new M1 chip is designed based on ARM architecture, apps built for Intel's x86 architecture will need to be run through Apple's translation layer Rosetta 2 in order to function on Apple Silicon Macs, and this process can take some time.

Microsoft this week indicated that when launching any of its Mac apps for the first time on Apple Silicon Macs, the apps will bounce in the dock for approximately 20 seconds while the Rosetta 2 translation process is completed, with all subsequent launches being fast. This applies to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and OneDrive.

Apple's developer documentation acknowledges this matter, noting that the Rosetta 2 translation process "takes time" and that users "might perceive that translated apps launch or run more slowly at times" as a result:

If an executable contains only Intel instructions, macOS automatically launches Rosetta and begins the translation process. When translation finishes, the system launches the translated executable in place of the original. However, the translation process takes time, so users might perceive that translated apps launch or run more slowly at times.

To avoid this translation process, developers can create a universal binary for their apps, allowing them to run natively on both Apple Silicon Macs and Intel-based Macs with one executable file. Microsoft is one of many developers in the process of doing so.

A handful of apps have already been announced with universal support, including Darkroom, djay Pro AI, and OmniFocus.

The first Macs with the M1 chip will begin arriving to customers Tuesday.

Update - November 14: Microsoft has since changed the wording of its support document, and now simply says that the first launch of each Office app "will take longer," rather than specifying 20 seconds. We’re told this is because Microsoft has not yet confirmed exact speeds on production hardware.

In November 2020, Apple updated the Mac mini with the first Apple silicon chip for the Mac, the M1 chip. However, Apple continues to sell its older, Intel-based Mac mini. The Intel ‌Mac mini‌ last received a significant update in 2018, so why is Apple still selling its older ‌Mac mini‌?

Curiously, rather than making the older model available for a lower price, Apple is presenting the Intel-based ‌Mac mini‌ as a high-end option, starting at $1,099, which is substantially more than the $699 starting price of the Apple silicon-based ‌Mac mini‌. Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two Mac minis is best for you.

Comparing the M1 Mac mini and the Intel Mac mini

The M1 ‌Mac mini‌ and the Intel ‌Mac mini‌ share a large number of important features such as design, storage capability, and USB-A ports. Apple lists these same features of the two devices:

Similarities

• Compact industrial design
• Up to 2TB storage
• Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
• Two USB-A ports
• HDMI 2.0 port
• Gigabit Ethernet or optional 10Gb Ethernet

Although the two Mac minis share a number of features, the two machines have more in contrast than they do in common, including memory capacity, ports, and external display capability.

Differences

Read on for a closer look at each of these aspects, and see exactly where Apple's Mac minis differ.

Performance

The key difference between the two Mac minis is their processors. The main ‌Mac mini‌ Apple now sells contains the M1 chip, which is Apple's first custom silicon SoC for the Mac. The ‌M1‌ has an eight-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores, and an eight-core GPU.

Apple also offers the ‌Mac mini‌ with two different Intel processors, a 3.0GHz 6-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz, and a 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i7 with Turbo Boost up to 4.6GHz. Both come with Intel UHD Graphics 630.

In Geekbench 5 averages, the 3.0GHz 6-core Intel Core i5 achieves a single-core score of 998, while the more powerful 3.2GHz 6-core Intel Core i7 model comes in with a single-core score average of 1,101.

When looking at average multi-core scores, the 3.0GHz model comes in at 4,651 while the 3.2GHz model achieves an average score of 5,474.

Early benchmarks suggest that the ‌M1‌ in the Apple silicon ‌Mac mini‌ achieves a much higher single-core score of 1,682 and a multi-core score of 7,097, and the ‌M1‌'s extremely impressive performance has been demonstrated in other benchmarks.

Since the ‌M1‌ is clearly more powerful than either of the Intel offerings in the ‌Mac mini‌, who should consider the Intel processors? If you need to run Windows via Boot Camp, virtual machine apps that virtualize x86_64 platforms, apps which you are concerned may not run well under Rosetta 2's translation layer, or use eGPUs, the Intel ‌Mac mini‌ offers a more reliable option. If your workflow is dependent on older technologies, it may be better to buy the Intel ‌Mac mini‌ until Apple Silicon becomes more mature.

For the vast majority of users, the ‌M1‌ offers a major performance increase, but a small segment of "pro" users may be better suited to an Intel-based machine.

Memory

The ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ only supports configurations of 8GB or 16GB of unified memory, but the Intel ‌Mac mini‌ can support up to 64GB of memory. While 8GB or 16GB should be sufficient for most users given the efficiency of having everything integrated on one chip, some pro workflows demand much larger amounts of memory. In these cases, the Intel ‌Mac mini‌, which offers significantly higher 32GB and 64GB RAM configurations, will be a much more viable option.

Connectivity and Ports

Unlike memory, where the Intel ‌Mac mini‌ is clearly more capable, the picture is a bit mixed when it comes to connectivity and ports.

The ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ has two Thunderbolt and USB 4 ports, while the Intel ‌Mac mini‌ has four Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3 ports. So, if you need more ports the Intel ‌Mac mini‌ is better, but if you need to connect USB 4 devices at maximum speeds, you will need the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌.

Both models come with Gigabit Ethernet as standard, with 10Gb Ethernet available on both as a $100 upgrade. On the other hand, the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ supports 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, while the older Intel ‌Mac mini‌ only supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi.

As a result, neither of the ‌‌Mac mini‌‌ models is clearly better. Choosing between the two models will depend on what specific connectivity requirements you have. Generally, pro users may be better off getting the Intel model for now due to its additional USB ports, but each individual will have to weigh up what specific connectivity they need.

External Display

The picture between the ‌Mac mini‌ models is also mixed when it comes to external display support. The ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ can support one display up to 6K and one display up to 4K, while the Intel ‌Mac mini‌ can support up to three 4K displays, or one 5K display and one 4K display.

This means that to use a 6K display such as Apple's Pro Display XDR, you must have the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌. However, if you want to use three 4K displays, you must have the Intel ‌Mac mini‌. You cannot use three displays with the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌. Users should therefore carefully consider their external display setup before deciding on either machine.

Color

Although it may not be important to many users, it is worth noting that the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ comes in Silver, while the Intel ‌Mac mini‌ comes in Space Gray. There are no other color options for either machine.

Other Mac Options

Other Macs, such as the 24-inch iMac, contain the ‌M1‌ chip. Most Macs have now transitioned to Apple silicon, but Apple is still in the process of updating its entire Mac lineup to add Apple silicon chips.

The ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ holds a fairly unique place in the current Mac lineup as the only ‌M1‌ Mac without a display, which makes it difficult to highlight specific alternatives to it. The Apple desktop closest to the ‌Mac mini‌ is the 24-inch ‌iMac‌ since it contains the ‌M1‌ chip, but this is an all-in-one device.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it is clear that the two ‌Mac mini‌ models are significantly different from one another. You should only consider the older Intel-based ‌Mac mini‌ if you are dependent on an Intel architecture for tasks that do not work with Apple silicon. Similarly, if you require a large amount of RAM or want to have many USB devices attached directly to your machine, the Intel model is the only feasible option.

However, the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ is undoubtedly the more modern device and will be the best option for the vast majority of users. Not only is the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ markedly more powerful, but it is also less costly than its Intel predecessor. The Apple silicon ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ is available to order now.

Popular camera app Darkroom was today updated to introduce Universal App support, which means that the newest version of Darkroom works on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It is compatible with Apple's upcoming M1 Macs and Intel Macs that are running macOS Big Sur.

On the Mac, Darkroom offers up editing tools that have been optimized for a Mac experience and designed with the macOS Big Sur aesthetic. There's a translucent sidebar and native window toolbars, and interactions have been optimized for mouse, trackpad, and keyboard input.

Using Darkroom on Mac requires a Darkroom+ subscription, which is priced at $3.99 per month or $19.99 per year and provides access to Darkroom on all platforms. There's also an option to pay $49.99 to unlock the app forever. Darkroom+ includes video editing, curves and selective color tools, watermarking, and more.

Darkroom for Mac and iOS can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Apple's first Macs with M1 Apple Silicon chips were introduced earlier this week and will be in the hands of customers by next Tuesday. Amid the release, Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, hardware engineering VP John Ternus, and marketing chief Greg Joswiak spoke with The Independent to discuss the new Macs.

When announcing the new ‌M1‌ MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook mini, Apple had bold claims about their speed relative to both older Macs and PCs, and benchmarks last night proved that those claims are true. The new Mac models are faster than any other Mac in single-core performance and beat out many high-end machines, including the 16-inch Retina ‌MacBook Pro‌, in multi-core performance.

On performance, Federighi says that Apple "overshot" and the ‌M1‌ chip turned out to be better than Apple thought it would be. Apple execs were shocked at the battery life numbers.

"We overshot," says Federighi. "You have these projects where, sometimes you have a goal and you're like, 'well, we got close, that was fine'. [...]

"We started getting back our battery life numbers, and we're like, 'You're kidding. I thought we had people that knew how to estimate these things'."

According to Ternus, during the development process, it became clear that the chip was doing more than had been expected. Apple's teams were "so passionate and excited" about the chip that they just kept pushing and optimizing.

On the name, Joswiak said that "‌M1‌ makes a lot of sense for a Mac chip," because Apple aims to use letters that make sense. A in the A-series chips used in iOS devices stands for "Apple," and the chips for headphones use H. "We're brilliant marketers that way," said Joswiak.

With the ‌MacBook Pro‌, ‌MacBook Air‌, and Mac mini all using the same chip at variable price points, Federighi says that the main differentiating factor is thermal capacity. The ‌MacBook Air‌ has no fan and uses passive cooling, while the ‌MacBook Pro‌ has an active cooling system for faster performance.

Apple's entire Mac lineup is going to transition to ‌Apple Silicon‌ chips over the course of the next two years, and when it comes to Intel Macs, Apple execs said that they trust the machines to do the jobs they are for. Federighi said that the Intel Macs run Big Sur and will be a "big part" of Apple's focus for "many years." Apple expects the transition to be "seamless" because Apple has experience after transitioning from PowerPC to Intel in 2006.

Even though there are no design changes, Ternus said that the new Macs "make a statement" with their performance and that they're a "tremendous foundation" for the transition to kick off with.

"And, you know, we don't usually want to just go and change the design just for the sake of changing a design - we have a great platform here, we have a great new [processor], we can marry them into something really spectacular. And that was that was the thinking behind it."

With macOS Big Sur, Apple is somewhat merging iOS and macOS and allowing iPhone and iPad apps to run on the Mac, which lets developers create a single app for all platforms. Apple execs have continually said that they have no plans to merge the ‌iPad‌ and the Mac, and that continues to be the case despite the launch of universal apps. Federighi said there's no secret plan to change the way the Mac works and Apple isn't aiming for a touchscreen Mac.

"We're living with iPads, we're living with phones, our own sense of the aesthetic - the sort of openness and airiness of the interface - the fact that these devices have large retina displays now. All of these things led us to the design for the Mac, that felt to us most comfortable, actually in no way related to touch.

Federighi said that Apple designed and evolved the look of macOS in a way that felt comfortable and natural across a family of devices, and something like touch was not even remotely considered. "It's just they all feel like the natural instantiation of the experience for that device," said Federighi. "And that's what you're seeing not some signaling of a future change in input methods."

The full interview with Federighi, Joswiak, and Ternus is worth checking out and it can be found on The Independent's website.

Apple today released macOS 11 Big Sur, the newest version of its operating system designed for the Mac. macOS Big Sur's release comes after several rounds of beta testing and months of refinements since the update's June unveiling.

Here's a quick start tips video for macOS Big Sur:

The new macOS Big Sur update can be downloaded on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences. Like all Mac updates, macOS Big Sur is a free download. It can also be found in the Mac App Store, which is another way to initiate the update.

macOS Big Sur is a major update that brings a redesigned look to the Mac with Control Center, new widget options. Safari is faster and more battery efficient and there are new privacy protections and a translate option, plus it supports 4K YouTube playback.

Apple has also added updates and new options for Messages, Photos, and Maps, with a list of the major changes available in our features guide and a complete rundown of all the changes available in our roundup.

Shortly after the full-size HomePod launched in 2018, some customers noticed that the speaker left white rings on wood surfaces with an oil or wax finish. Apple confirmed this possibility in a support document, noting that "it is not unusual for any speaker with a vibration-damping silicone base to leave mild marks when placed on some wooden surfaces," as a result of "oils diffusing between the silicone base and the table surface."

Fortunately, Apple says that it has addressed this matter with the HomePod mini, according to Rene Ritchie's review video:

It is unclear if Apple ever made any changes to the full-size HomePod to prevent it from leaving marks on waxed or oiled wood surfaces. Apple's support document, last updated in March 2020, still has a blurb about the matter:

It is not unusual for any speaker with a vibration-damping silicone base to leave mild marks when placed on some wooden surfaces. The marks can be caused by oils diffusing between the silicone base and the table surface, and will often go away after several days when the speaker is removed from the wooden surface. If not, wiping the surface gently with a soft damp or dry cloth may remove the marks. If marks persist, clean the surface with the furniture manufacturer's recommended cleaning process. If you're concerned about this, we recommend placing your HomePod on a different surface.

HomePod mini will begin arriving to customers on Monday, November 16. Priced at $99, the speaker is available to order in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Spain, and the UK. Read our HomePod mini reviews roundup and unboxing videos roundup for more impressions of the speaker.

Just a few days after Apple's first Macs with its custom-designed M1 chip became available to order, the first orders are now beginning to ship to customers, with deliveries set to begin arriving to customers on Tuesday, November 17.

While most pre-orders are still in the "processing" or "preparing to ship" stage on Apple's website, UPS is beginning to show some MacBook Air orders as "in transit" from China as of today. The new 13-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini should follow suit soon, as all three Macs with the M1 chip are slated to launch on the same day.

• Apple Silicon Macs order status thread

Apple says the M1 chip delivers up to 3.5x faster system performance, up to 6x faster graphics performance, and up to 15x faster machine learning, while enabling battery life up to 2x longer than previous-generation Macs. The chip features an 8-core CPU, up to an 8-core GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine, unified memory architecture, I/O, and more all in one.

Impressively, benchmark results show that the new MacBook Air with the M1 chip outperforms the high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro.

The new Macs are available to order on Apple.com and through the Apple Store app. Pricing starts at $1,299 for the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, $999 for the new MacBook Air, and a lowered $699 for the new Mac mini in the United States.

(Thanks, Fatih!)