SteelSeries, the makers of popular gaming controllers for Apple devices, has today announced that all purchases of the Nimbus+ Wireless Gamepad Controller will come with up to four free months of Apple Arcade.
The SteelSeries Nimbus+ Wireless Gamepad Controller delivers a "console-quality experience" with Apple Arcade's library of games.
Iterating on the original Nimbus controller, the Nimbus+ Wireless Gamepad Controller features an ergonomic design, ultra-responsive triggers and buttons, and a range of Apple connectivity options to work with Phone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV. The Nimbus+ adds a range of new features, including clickable joysticks, new Hall effect triggers, and a 50-hour battery life. The Nimbus+ also features an optional iPhone mount to allows users to directly attach their iPhone to the controller.
SteelSeries notes that the Nimbus+ controller comes with up to four months of Apple Arcade, which may indicate that some subscribers who have already redeemed their one-month-long free trial may be eligible for a shorter, three month period of free Apple Arcade.
The Nimbus+ controller is available now for $69.99 USD at steelseries.com, the Apple online store, and other participating retailers, including up to four free months of Apple Arcade.
Update: SteelSeries has now clarified that Nimbus+ customers will receive a code to redeem three free months of Apple Arcade, on top of Apple's one-month free trial. Existing Apple Arcade subscribers will still be able to redeem the code for three free months of the service.
Apple is working on a high-end version of the MacBook Air that will feature an improved iteration of the current M1 Apple silicon chip, featuring improved graphics, but the same number of high efficiency, and high performance cores, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Apple updated its 13-inch MacBook Air alongside the 13-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini with the M1 Apple silicon chip in November. Bloomberg says that this new MacBook Air, which could launch as soon as the end of this year, will be more "high-end," featuring possibly nine or ten graphics cores, instead of the current seven and eight configurations.
The report notes that Apple is planning to update the low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro with the same improved chip.
For a redesigned, higher-end MacBook Air planned for as early as the end of the year, Apple is planning a direct successor to the M1 processor. That chip, codenamed Staten, will include the same number of computing cores as the M1 but run faster. It will also see the number of graphics cores increase from seven or eight to nine or 10. Apple is also planning an update to the low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro with that same chip.
The embargo has lifted on reviews of Apple's new 24-inch iMac, powered by the same M1 chip that debuted in the 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini last year. We've gathered up impressions of the colorful new computer below.
The most striking aspect of the new iMac is its long-awaited redesign, with an ultra-thin 11.5mm chassis that comes in up to seven vibrant colors, including green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. The Verge's Monica Chin said the new colors have generated lots of interest on TikTok and are "clearly a hit with certain crowds":
I'm not quite convinced that the jazzier models will fit in outside of especially stylish homes and offices. But I will say: I've never seen so many of my friends, or so many people on TikTok, as excited about a tech product as they seem to be about the colored iMacs. The hues are a nice change, aren't obnoxious, and are clearly a hit with certain crowds.
As seen in benchmark results last week, the new iMac benefits from the impressive performance of the M1 chip, with Chin noting that there has never been a better iMac to buy for simple everyday tasks:
This iMac model achieved a higher score on the Geekbench 5 single-core benchmark than any Mac we've ever seen before — even the iMac Pro. That means if you're looking for a device for simpler everyday tasks that don't scale to every available CPU core (and that largely seems to be the demographic that Apple is trying to sell this machine to), there has literally never been a better iMac for you to buy.
Benchmark results revealed the new iMac is up to 56% faster than the previous high-end 21.5-inch iMac with an Intel Core i7 processor.
The Verge's video review:
Writing for Six Colors, Jason Snell remarked on the controversial bezels around the display:
The bezels around the display itself are a neutral gray. It's effectively a gradient, with your peripheral vision noticing the bright color, but that accent fading away until you're left with whatever is on the display itself. It works really well, though I imagine that if you're someone who prefers using Dark Mode in brightly lit rooms, it will be a pretty dramatic contrast. (I'm a Light Mode person myself, and I found the overall effect quite harmonious. But then, my office wall is orange.)
There's no doubt this is the best 24in all-in-one computer available and one of the very best Macs you can buy. But it is not perfect. The lack of USB-A ports and an SD card slot will mean users require adapters for older gear, but it is the fact that Apple still hasn't made the iMac height adjustable that is the most irritating. You can buy the 24in iMac with a universal VESA mount so you can add your own adjustable stand. iMacs balanced on third-party height risers, books or reams of paper will remain a common sight for years to come.
The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern:
We've rounded up links to more iMac reviews below:
The new iMac became available to pre-order starting April 30 and will begin arriving to customers on May 21. The new iMac will also be on display in all seven colors at most Apple Store locations starting May 21.
Nomad today announced updated versions of its Titanium and Steel Bands for the Apple Watch (42mm or 44mm sizes only). The company said that the new versions of its existing accessories include multiple improvements that result in a lighter metal band that retains its durability.
Other improvements include new custom 316L stainless steel lugs, 100% color matched to the rest of the band. Nomad added an ultra-slim clasp that stays closed using N52 magnets, and it also allows for easier opening and a more comfortable fit.
The Steel Band is built from high-grade stainless steel and a diamond-like carbon coating, and includes a magnetic clasp. It's available in graphite and silver for the price of $149.95.
The Steel Band in graphite (left) and Titanium Band in silver (right)
The Titanium Band is built from grade 2 titanium with the same diamond-like carbon coating of the Steel Band. Nomad said the Titanium Band is engineered to be as light as possible while still offering the durability of a classic metal link bracelet. It's also available in black and silver, and is priced at $249.95.
Each band comes with a new custom adjustment tool, additional links to fit larger wrists, and is compatible only with Apple Watch cases that measure 42mm or 44mm. You can purchase both of the new bands today on Nomad's website.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Nomad. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Ahead of the arrival of orders this Friday, Apple has provided some YouTube channels and media outlets with an early look at its new Apple silicon-powered desktop computer. We've rounded up some unboxing videos and first impressions below.
Apple is working on an updated model of its Mac Pro that may feature an Apple silicon chip with as many as 32 high performance cores, and a 128 core option for graphics, according to a new report from Bloomberg'sMark Gurman.
Bloomberg has reported in the past that Apple is working on an updated Mac Pro that will feature an Apple silicon chip rather than an Intel processor. Today's new report echoes a similar story but offers more details on the performance of this upcoming high-end Mac.
Bloomberg says there are two new Mac Pro models in the works, both featuring a redesign and are planned to "come in 20 or 40 computing core variations, made up of 16 high-performance or 32 high-performance cores and four or eight high-efficiency cores."
Codenamed Jade 2C-Die and Jade 4C-Die, a redesigned Mac Pro is planned to come in 20 or 40 computing core variations, made up of 16 high-performance or 32 high-performance cores and four or eight high-efficiency cores. The chips would also include either 64 core or 128 core options for graphics. The computing core counts top the 28 core maximum offered by today’s Intel Mac Pro chips, while the higher-end graphics chips would replace parts now made by Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
Alongside the faster, more powerful processor, the new Mac Pro will feature a smaller design that "could invoke nostalgia for the Power Mac G4 Cube," according to a previous Bloomberg report. Apple is also working on a successor to the current Mac Pro design that may use Intel processors rather than its own Apple silicon.
Apple plans to launch new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with an improved iteration of the M1 chip as early as this summer, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new chip is said to include a 10-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and two energy-efficient cores, with 16-core or 32-core GPU options.
Gurman said the next-generation Apple silicon chip will also support up to 64GB of memory compared to the current maximum of 16GB. This would be in line with the current Intel-based 16-inch MacBook Pro, which is available with up to 64GB of RAM. The new chip is also said to support additional Thunderbolt ports for expanded connectivity.
As mentioned in his previous reporting, Gurman said the new MacBook Pro models will feature a redesigned chassis with the return of more ports, including an HDMI port, SD card slot, and a MagSafe magnetic charging cable.
Spotify in February announced plans to introduce a new "HiFi" premium tier sometime in 2021, and while the company declined to offer a date, there's reason to believe a launch could be imminent, especially in the wake of Apple Music's lossless tier announcement on Monday.
In a timely discovery, hints of Spotify's lossless HiFi audio streaming service have again been spotted this week by Reddit user themonarc, who shared their finding with the accompanying image above.
According to the Reddit poster, a hidden HiFi menu was accessed in the Spotify app by "quickly tapping the glitched icon" that briefly appeared on the Now Playing screen upon launch.
Doing so brought up a separate screen explaining that the HiFi option supports 16-bit 44.1kHz streaming over wired earphones. The selected track didn't play in Hi-Fi quality, however, indicating that the server-side functionality isn't yet finalized.
First reports that Spotify was working on a lossless audio version of its streaming service actually appeared over three years ago, when the company started testing the option with a small group of users.
Back then, promotional screens pitched the "Spotify Hi-Fi" tier as a $5-$10 upgrade to a standard Spotify subscription. However, Spotify will likely be hard pressed to justify a paid-for upgrade, now that Apple Music has announced that its lossless offering, set to drop in June, will be free to existing subscribers.
Notably, Amazon Music has already acted to stem a potential audiophile exodus by offering its own Hi-Fi plan as an option for existing subscribers at no extra cost. We've reached out to Spotify for any update on their own HiFi launch plans.
Apple today confirmed that the new 24-inch iMac, iPad Pro, and updated Apple TV 4K will be available for customers in Apple Stores and retail locations around the world on Friday, May 21. Pre-orders for the products began earlier last month, and Apple previously said the new products will be available in the second half of May.
The new iPad Pro features the M1 Apple silicon chip, first introduced in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini last November. The larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro also features an all-new mini-LED display. The new 24-inch iMac also sports the M1 chip, alongside a whole new design. The Apple TV 4K features an updated processor and a newly designed remote.
Apple Music on Android devices will not include Dolby Atmos support when Apple launches Spatial Audio on the streaming service in June. That's the claim from MySmartPrice, which says it received confirmation from Apple India that the sound technology would not be crossing the divide between Apple and Android ecosystems.
For anyone confused by all the audio nomenclature that's been bandied about since the Apple Music announcement on Monday, Dolby Atmos is based on surround sound technology that first appeared in cinemas but is now found in many home cinema setups.
It improves on standard 5.1 and 7.1 channel setups by adding extra channels that sound as if they're coming from overhead, resulting in a more immersive experience. The virtualized technology has since been used by sound engineers to enrich the recordings of both original and remixed music tracks.
Spatial Audio, based on Dolby Atmos, is basically Apple's way of delivering a similar immersive three-dimensional audio to listeners through Apple hardware. Spatial Audio takes Dolby Atmos signals and applies its own directional audio filters to make sounds appear to be coming from all around you. However, as mentioned, it only works on Apple devices and Apple headphones like AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, and there's no dynamic head tracking for Spatial Audio music like there is for movie soundtracks.
It's not clear exactly why Dolby Atmos won't be available for Apple Music users on Android when it launches, but it could be due to the lack of control Apple has over the handset and tablet hardware used, or perhaps rollout could come later. On the flip side, however, the higher quality Lossless audio streaming tier that Apple announced this week will be available on Apple Music for Android.
As part of the iOS and iPadOS 14.6 RC update that was released yesterday, Apple has introduced a new Shazam App Clip, which now allows users to find and identify a song using the new iOS 14 feature, instead of being redirected to the Shazam website or app.
Apple introduced App Clips with iOS 14 in June of last year as a small, mini-app that can run on a device, without a user needing to download an app from the App Store. There are multiple ways to activate an App Clip, including a specially designed App Clip QR code, an NFC tag, or even websites. Developers must, however, support the feature first.
As 9to5mac reports, Apple is now beginning to implement the feature with its own apps. With iOS 14.2, Apple added a direct Shazam toggle into Control Center, allowing users to not only identify a song playing from their device but be able to identify any song playing around them without having to download the Shazam app. Apple is now extending functionality even further, not requiring users to have the Shazam app at all, or even visit the website thanks to App Clips.
The process works the same; tap the Shazam toggle in Control Center, which can be added in Settings, wait a few moments for your iPhone or iPad to identify a song, and then the App Clip appears. From the App Clip, users can choose to share the song, hear a short preview, and open it in Apple Music to be saved for later.
Volume production of the redesigned 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple silicon and a mini-LED display is set to begin in the first quarter of 2022, while mass production of the smaller and new 14-inch MacBook Pro will begin in the fourth quarter of this year, according to industry sources cited in a paywalled DigiTimes report.
Volume production of Apple's miniLED-backlit MacBook Pro series may have to be postponed to fourth-quarter of 2021 or first-quarter 2022 if the sudden surge in the number of COVID infections in Taiwan continues to worsen, according to industry sources.
Having launched its miniLED-backlit 12.9-inch iPad Pro in late April, Apple plans to release two miniLED-backlit MacBook Pro products - one having a 14-inch display and the other a 16-inch display - in the second half of 2021, said the sources.
DigiTimes still reports that Apple plans to release the new MacBook Pros in the second half of this year, but implies that much like the new M1 iPad Pro and iMac, they may not be widely available for purchase until a few weeks after their initial announcement. Apple announced the new iPad Pro and iMac at an event on April 20, yet neither product officially ships and launches to customers until the second half of May, most likely this week on May 21.
Apple may opt to take a similar approach with the new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros, announcing them to the public but not make them available until sufficient production is underway. However, DigiTimes also notes that a minimal number of 14-inch MacBook Pros will be produced in the third quarter of this year, likely hinting that supply will be tight, despite reasonably high demand.
The new 24-inch iMac doesn't officially launch until this Friday, May 21, but an early unboxing of the machine has been shared on YouTube.
The iMac unboxing video was made private subsequent to this story.
The video from Gadget Guy is in Cantonese, but it offers an up-close look at the yellow version of the iMac including how the machine and its color-matched accessories are packed in the box, how the magnetic power cord attaches to the rear of the iMac, and the Touch ID button on the Magic Keyboard.
Additional topics include a look at using the Globe key to change between keyboard languages, installing iOS apps on the M1-powered iMac, the side-oriented headphone jack, some quick benchmarks using Geekbench and Cinebench that show essentially the same performance as other M1 Macs, disk speed tests approaching 3000 MB/s for both read and write, and more.
Customers who placed early M1 iMac orders have seen their orders begin shipping ahead of Friday's targeted launch date, but we should be seeing press reviews hitting as soon as Tuesday morning.
Earlier today, we confirmed that AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Maxwill not support lossless audio over Bluetooth because of Bluetooth limitations, and it turns out there's no direct wired lossless option for the AirPods Max either.
Apple's AirPods Max headphones are equipped with a Lightning port, but it is limited to analog sources and will not natively support digital audio formats in wired mode.
Apple told The Verge that when a 24-bit/48 kHz Apple Music lossless track is played to an iPhone into the AirPods Max using a Lightning cable and a Lightning-to-3.5mm dongle, the audio is converted to analog and then re-digitized to 24-bit/48 kHz. The re-digitization is not an identical match to the source and Apple is not able to say that it's lossless audio.
Apple has confirmed that lossless audio can be listened to on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, but the higher quality audio is not available on AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max. Apple lossless is also not available on the HomePod.
Listening to lossless audio on an iOS device will require wired headphones compatible with the ALAC format, and possibly a digital to analog converter. That the $549 AirPods Max do not work with Apple lossless is sure to upset some fans, but there is debate about whether most people can even tell the difference between standard and lossless audio formats.
Though the AirPods Max headphones do not support lossless audio, they are compatible with Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, another new feature that Apple is bringing to Apple Music. Spatial Audio will allow artists to create multidimensional music that sounds like it's coming from all around you, and this feature is available on all AirPods and Beats headphones with an H1 or W1 chip.
Apple has been making concessions on privacy and security in order to continue building and selling its devices in China, according to an in-depth report from The New York Times.
The focal point of the report is Apple's decision to comply with a 2016 law that requires all personal information and data collected in China to be kept in China, which has led Apple to build a China data center and relocate Chinese customers' iCloud data to China, managed by a Chinese company.
Apple fought against China's efforts to gain more control over customer data, but given China's leverage over Apple, Apple had no choice but to comply. There were initially disagreements over the digital keys that can unlock iCloud encryption. Apple wanted to keep them in the United States, while Chinese officials wanted them in China.
Ultimately, the encryption keys ended up in China, a decision that "surprised" two unnamed Apple executives who worked on the negotiations and who said that the decision could potentially endanger customer data. There is no evidence that the Chinese government has access to the data, but security experts have said that China could demand data or simply take it without asking Apple, especially given compromises in encryption key storage and the fact that a third-party company manages customer data on Apple's behalf.
"The Chinese are serial iPhone breakers," said Ross J. Anderson, a University of Cambridge cybersecurity researcher who reviewed the documents. "I'm convinced that they will have the ability to break into the servers."
In a statement, Apple told The New York Times that it "never compromised" the security of users or user data in China "or anywhere we operate." Apple says that it still controls the keys that protect the data of Chinese customers, and the China data center is using the most advanced encryption technology available, which is more advanced than what Apple uses in other countries.
Apple has also been removing apps from the App Store in China at the request of the Chinese government after China began requiring an official license to release an app. Apple told The New York Times that it has done so to comply with Chinese laws.
"These decisions are not always easy, and we may not agree with the laws that shape them," the company said. "But our priority remains creating the best user experience without violating the rules we are obligated to follow."
The New York Times' report goes into much more detail on the compromises that Apple has made in China, and it is well worth reading in full.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple Music will be gaining support for two new audio formats in June, including Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio, but MacRumors has received confirmation that the HomePod and HomePod mini will not support Lossless Audio.
Apple's website does indicate that the HomePod will support Spatial Audio, but it's unclear if this includes the HomePod mini.
Spatial Audio, based on Dolby Atmos, is an immersive three-dimensional audio format that enables musicians to mix music so it sounds like the instruments are all around you in space. On the other hand, Lossless Audio refers to audio recordings that have been compressed without any reduction in the overall quality of the audio, which can result in an improved listening experience, although the difference is not always obvious.
Apple Music will have two tiers of lossless audio, including standard "Lossless" audio up to 48kHz and "Hi-Res Lossless" audio that ranges from 48kHz to 192kHz. Apple said "Hi-Res Lossless" will require external equipment like a USB digital-to-analog converter.
Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio will be available in June for all Apple Music subscribers at no additional cost on devices running iOS 14.6, iPadOS 14.6, macOS 11.4, and tvOS 14.6 or later, according to Apple. Presumably, there will also be a companion HomePod software update that enables Spatial Audio support in time for the feature's launch.
Spatial Audio will be available for thousands of tracks at launch, with more to be added regularly. Lossless audio will be available for 20 million tracks at launch, and this will rise to 75 million by the end of the year.
Apple is working to build a dedicated Developer Center on its Apple Park campus, Apple Fellow Phil Schiller said today during his testimony in the ongoing Epic v. Apple trial.
Schiller did not provide additional detail on the Developer Center, and it has not previously been announced by Apple, so little information is available at this time.
In the past, Apple had Developer Compatibility Labs for Mac OS X developers, and it's possible that the new Developer Center will offer similar functionality. Developer Compatibility Labs offered developers access to Apple facilities in Cupertino, California or Tokyo, Japan to test their software or hardware products with a wide range of Apple devices to ensure compatibility.
The Developer Compatibility Labs, which have since been discontinued, were priced at $99 and supported up to 10 people, with 500 different hardware configurations available.
The new Apple Park Developer Center will presumably allow developers to visit Apple Park to test apps and work with Apple engineers to fix bugs and implement new features. We've asked Apple for more information and will update when we hear back.
Today marked the kickoff of the third week of the Epic Games v. Apple trial, and this week is notable because Epic has finished with its witnesses and we're now transitioning to Apple witnesses, including notable Apple executives.
Apple Fellow and former marketing chief Phil Schiller, who is in charge of the App Store, took the stand today. Schiller will testify for up to nine hours, and will see the most questioning out of all of Apple's witnesses.
Schiller's hours of commentary will see him explaining just how the App Store works, the value of the App Store and Apple's SDKs, and why it's important that the judge side with Apple to maintain security and privacy for customers.
Questioning today started with the history of the iPhone, where Schiller made sure to say that security and privacy were the "most important" considerations when developing the iPhone. "This new computing device in your pocket means it's capable of new things," he said. "It's going to store information around our lives that we aren't used to having in our pocket."
Schiller covered how the App Store was set up from the beginning. The iPhone's software is "part of the product" that Apple creates, which is very different from Android, which is licensed to device makers. This licensing model "reduces quality" and the "speed of innovation," Schiller said in defense of Apple's setup.
Early questioning covered the transition from Apple-only apps on iPhone to third-party app support, and the security and privacy risks that Apple had to contend with. After the launch of the iPhone, Apple heard from developers that they wanted to create native apps, which Apple viewed as the first "demand for quality and security" on iPhone.
Apple has always been concerned about jailbroken apps and rogue app developers creating content without documented APIs, which could lead to "unreliable, unstable devices." He pointed out the importance of protecting users from malware to keep devices functioning. "This is your phone in your pocket that needs to work reliably," he said.
Schiller has also been speaking about Apple's App Store policy to treat developers large and small the same, and his testimony has included some interesting little tidbits. Apple wanted to charge $99 for the App Store developer program to prove that an app that's being worked on is "important" and that developers are "serious about making a quality app."
Notably, Schiller said that it costs Apple $50 million for every Worldwide Developers Conference event that it puts on annually, which was used as evidence that Apple's App Store profit margins are not as high as Epic Games has implied.
Schiller also said that 17 percent of the hundreds of thousands of games on the App Store use the freemium model, which was another interesting tidibt that was shared. 75 percent of games are free to download, and six percent require a payment.
On the topic of physical goods, Schiller said that in 2019, the App Store drove $400 billion+ in transactions like food delivery, Amazon purchases, Uber, and more, which are not subject to a 30 percent cut. According to Schiller, Apple does not take a cut of physical purchases because Apple can't guarantee they will actually arrive.
We'll undoubtedly hear additional interesting details from Schiller as his testimony continues, and later this week or early next week Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to take the stand.
