Earlier this week, Apple released Final Cut Pro 11, a major update to the company's professional video editing software. There are quite a few new features in Final Cut Pro 11, so we thought we'd go over them for those who are considering picking up the software.
Apple didn't bring Apple Intelligence to Final Cut Pro 11, but there are new AI-powered features. Magnetic Mask makes it super quick to isolate people or objects in a video, and then you can remove them or do object-specific color grading.
A one-click transcribe to captions feature can be used to create closed captions without the need for a plug-in or third-party app, but unfortunately, you can't edit the look of the captions. If you have spatial video you've recorded for Vision Pro, it can now be edited in Final Cut Pro.
There's a picture-in-picture effect, and a new callout option for drawing attention to a specific part of a video. Apple also updated Final Cut Pro for iPad, which gains haptic feedback, new inks for Live Drawing, and the Enhance Light and Color feature for quick color grading.
What do you think of Final Cut Pro 11? Let us know in the comments below.
With iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, Apple is adding support for three Apple Intelligence image generation features, including Image Playground, Genmoji, and Image Wand. Image Wand lets you create visual aids for your notes on iPhone and iPad.
This guide goes over all of the available Image Wand features and how to use it.
Image Wand Explained
Image Wand is an offshoot of Image Playground, and it seems to use the same general image generation engine. As with Image Playground, you can use a text description and Apple Intelligence will whip up an image for you, but you can also use your own rough drawings as a base.
Image Playground and Genmoji don't support sketches as an inspiration for images generated by Apple Intelligence, so that's the unique feature that you get with Image Wand.
Where You Can Use Image Wand
Apple designed Image Wand for the Notes app, and that's where it is available. Most of Apple's highlighting of the feature has been for the iPad version of Image Wand, but it does work in the Notes app on iPhone as well.
Image Wand is only in the Notes app at the current time, but Apple might bring it to other apps like Freeform in the future.
Creating an Image Based on Text
The neat thing about Image Wand is that it can use the information that you've written in the Notes app to give you a contextually relevant generated image.
Once you've written something, either typed or handwritten with the Apple Pencil on the iPad, tap into the Markup menu to get to the Image Wand tool. The icon looks a bit like a magician's wand with a multi-colored tip.
With the tool selected, draw a circle in a blank spot in your note, and the Image Wand feature will create an image. The image parameters will be auto-filled based on what you've written in your note, similar to how you can direct the look of an image in Image Playground with different phrases.
You can swipe through the different image options to find the most relevant image. For the phrases that are automatically pulled in, you can tap on the "-" to remove something, or you can add context by typing something in the text bar. You can also tap on the "+" button to select additional phrases pulled from your notes. When you're finished, tap on "Done" to add it to your note.
Images From Handwritten Text
If you have an Apple Pencil with an iPad, you can handwrite your notes and have Image Wand generate an image based on your handwritten text. This is a useful feature for actual note taking in a class, and it works the same way as generating an image from typed text.
Simply write something out and then circle a blank space on the page to bring up the Image Wand interface, where it will pull in what you've written as inspiration. You can describe additional traits in your own handwriting with the Apple Pencil by writing in the image description box.
Creating an Image From a Drawing
Rather than generating an image solely from text, you can make a sketch that Image Wand can use when creating a picture. On the iPhone, you'll need to use the Markup tools to draw an image with a finger, but on the iPad, you can use the Apple Pencil.
Make a rough drawing, and then circle it with the Image Wand tool selected. You'll need to add a word or two as an extra descriptor to go along with it, and then Image Wand will create something based on both your drawing and your text description.
What's particularly nice about the drawing feature in Image Wand is the weight that it gives to where you've placed objects in your image. For example, if you draw an apple with a leaf on the right side of the stem, Image Wand mimics that placement. It's a useful way to get a more refined and specific image than you can get from Image Playground.
In some cases, it will also use the same colors that you've chosen.
Placing and Editing an Image
After you've created an image with Image Wand and pressed the "Done" button, the image you've created can be moved around, resized, deleted, or copied.
You can tap on the thumbs up or thumbs down option to give Apple feedback if something doesn't look right, or you can tap on the Apple Intelligence icon to re-generate an image.
There is one particularly useful feature available after an image has been created, and that's the remove background option. If you tap on the icon with the three dots and then choose Remove Background, it will tweak your image to remove color that might be in the background so that it better blends in with your note.
Image Wand Styles
There are three styles available in Image Wand: Sketch, Illustration, and Animation.
Apple describes Sketch as a "highly detailed and academic" style that "produces gorgeous drawings on stark backgrounds," while the illustration style features strong outlines, bold colors, and simple shapes. Apple says the animation style has a "whimsical, 3D cartoon look."
Animation, illustration, and sketch
Sketch is not available outside of Image Wand as of yet, but it does produce the images that look the most hand drawn.
Image Wand Limitations
Image Wand has a unique limitation compared to Genmoji and Image Playground - it won't generate people. If you try to generate an image that has a person, even one that's generic, it will let you know that images involving people are not supported.
As with Image Playground and Genmoji, you can't create questionable content that involves violence or nudity, nor can you generate images based on copyrighted characters, people, or products.
Apple Intelligence Compatible Devices
Image Wand will be available on devices that support Apple Intelligence. That includes the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, all iPhone 16 models, the iPad mini with A17 Pro chip, and all iPads with an Apple silicon chip.
Read More
We've shared detailed guides on Genmoji and Image Playground already, plus we have an overall guide on the full set of Apple Intelligence features and a guide for the general features coming in iOS 18.2.
Today marks two years since Apple made its Emergency SOS via satellite feature available on all iPhone 14 models in the U.S. and Canada. Apple has since expanded its suite of satellite-based features, and they all remain free to use for now.
Below, we recap the rollout of Apple's satellite features and what's next.
November 2022: Apple launches Emergency SOS via satellite in the U.S. and Canada, allowing you to contact emergency services via SMS in most locations without cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. You can also share your location in the Find My app via satellite connection. The feature is available on all iPhone 14 models and newer. When the feature first launched, Apple said it would be free for two years after the activation of any iPhone 14, but the free period was later extended by one year.
December 2022: The feature expands to the U.K., France, Germany, and Ireland.
March 2023: The feature expands to Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Portugal.
May 2023: The feature expands to Australia and New Zealand.
September 2023: The feature expands to Spain and Switzerland.
September 2023: Apple launches Roadside Assistance via satellite in the U.S., allowing you to contact roadside assistance provider AAA via SMS in most locations without cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, in the event you get a flat tire, run out of gas, or have other car troubles. The feature is available on all iPhone 14 models and newer. This feature is also free for two years after device activation.
November 2023: Apple makes Emergency SOS via satellite free for an additional year for users who had already activated an iPhone 14, meaning the feature can be used for free until at least November 2025.
December 2023: Verizon becomes a Roadside Assistance via satellite partner.
July 2024: Emergency SOS via satellite expands to Japan.
September 2024: Apple launches Messages via satellite in the U.S. and Canada, allowing you to send and receive text messages over iMessage and SMS in non-emergency situations outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Like the other satellite features, it has an initial two-year free usage period.
October 2024: Roadside Assistance via satellite expands to the U.K. with Green Flag.
It is unclear if and when Apple will start charging for its iPhone satellite features, but the time limit on free usage makes it sound like the company does eventually plan to charge a fee for at least some of the services. The current free period for Emergency SOS via satellite ends one year from today, so Apple still has some time to figure out its plans.
With funding from Apple, Globalstar plans to launch a new satellite constellation and expand its ground infrastructure, which could result in faster connection times and the expansion of iPhone satellite features to additional countries.
Today we're tracking big discounts across the entire M4 iPad Pro lineup as part of Best Buy's early Black Friday sale. In this sale, My Best Buy Plus/Total members can get $150 off select M4 iPad Pro models, with many hitting all-time low prices because of this member exclusive discount.
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.
If you don't have a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership, you can get some solid second-best prices on many of these iPad Pro models at Best Buy this weekend. You can find a list of the M4 iPad Pros on sale below, and be sure to browse the rest of Best Buy's early Black Friday sale for discounts on laptops, TVs, video games, and more.
256GB Cellular - $1,399.00 ($100 off) [Best Buy members only]
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
This week's best deals include new record low prices on Apple Watch Series 10 at $50 off, as well as great deals on AirPods 4, M2 MacBook Air, and Magic Keyboard for the M4 iPad Pro.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple Accessories
What's the deal? Save on Apple's first party accessories
Amazon has a few solid discounts on Apple's Magic Keyboards and MagSafe Chargers this week, including all-time low prices on the former accessories, both of which are for the M4 iPad Pro.
Apple Watch Series 10
What's the deal? Take $50 off Apple Watch Series 10
Amazon hosted a few low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10 this week, with record low prices on both the 42mm and 46mm GPS models still available. This includes the 42mm GPS model for the all-time low price of $349.00 in multiple colors and styles, down from $399.00.
One of the most notable deals of the week was on the 256GB 13-inch M2 MacBook Air, available for just $749.00, down from $999.00, and this sale has since expanded to include more colors. Overall, this is a solid second-best price on the previous generation MacBook Air, and the 512GB model is seeing a similarly steep discount on Amazon.
Amazon took $10 off both models of the AirPods 4 this week, starting at $119.00 for the base model without Active Noise Cancellation. Both deals are still available to purchase today, and right now only Amazon has the discounts.
You can find all the Apple Black Friday Deals currently available in our dedicated post. For everything else, we're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
YouTuber Kevin Nether joins us on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show to discuss Apple's latest updates to its array of Pro apps and the acquisition of Pixelmator.
Apple this week released a series of updates for its Pro apps, including Logic Pro 11.1, Logic Pro for iPad 2.1, Final Cut Pro 11, Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.1, and Final Cut Camera 1.1. Most notably, the latest version of Final Cut Pro for the Mac includes spatial video editing support and AI-driven features such as Magnetic Mask and Transcribe to Captions.
Earlier this month, Pixelmator, the company behind popular photo and image editing apps Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator, announced that it is being acquired by Apple. The apps are exclusive to Apple platforms with a focus on user experience and one-off purchasing, unlike many of their rivals. Pixelmator is designed to be a challenger to Adobe Photoshop, while Photomator is a Lightroom competitor.
Both Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro were Apple acquisitions, so it's possible that Pixelmator and Photomator may become the next Apple Pro apps with a focus on image editing. It could also fold some of their features into the Photos app. While Apple used to offer a Lightroom competitor called Aperture, it discontinued the app just over a decade ago, and it has never made a Photoshop rival. What exactly Apple will do with the acquisition remains to be seen, but the Pixelmator team has teased "exciting updates to come."
The MacRumors Show is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
Apple today shared a new Apple Pay ad ahead of the holidays, promoting the service's ease of use for online shopping. With Apple Pay, a stored card can be used for a purchase with just Face ID or Touch ID authentication, allowing for quick purchases.
In the spot, a woman with a plate collection has an empty spot, and she uses Apple Pay to purchase a plate in just a tap with Apple Pay.
The ad ends with the tagline "Pay the Apple Way," which is also the messaging that's on the Apple Pay website.
Apple has now classified the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone XS Max as "vintage" worldwide. Apple considers a device to be "vintage" once five years have passed since the company stopped distributing it for sale. Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers sometimes offer repairs for vintage devices, but only if parts remain available.
Note that if you have an iPhone 6s Plus with 32GB of storage, that particular configuration was already classified as "obsolete" prior to today.
Apple has yet to add the smaller iPhone XS and iPhone 6s models to the "vintage" list.
In addition, aluminum and stainless steel Apple Watch Series 2 models are now classified as "obsolete" worldwide, but the high-end Series 2 model with a ceramic case has yet to be added to the list. Apple considers a device to be "obsolete" once seven years have passed since the company stopped distributing it for sale. Once a device is obsolete, it is no longer eligible for repair at Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider, with the only exception being MacBook battery replacements for up to a 10-year period.
Ever need a moment of privacy without raising suspicion? If you're secretly shopping for a holiday gift or planning a surprise party, you might want to temporarily obscure your actual location in Apple's Find My app on your iPhone without completely turning off location sharing.
Here's a clever trick that lets you keep sharing enabled while displaying a different location – all by using another Apple device you own.
To hide your actual location, you'll need to own an iPhone and an iPad, or two iPhones or two iPads (i.e. not a Mac) signed in to your Apple Account with Find My enabled. This method works by telling Find My to use a stationary device's location instead of your iPhone's.
Start by leaving the device you want to use as your displayed location (like an iPad) in a convincing spot – perhaps your home or office. Then, take your iPhone and follow these steps:
Open the Find My app and tap the Me tab at the bottom of the screen.
Scroll down to find "Use This iPhone as My Location" and make sure it's toggled off.
Grab your other Apple device and open Find My.
Tap the Me tab, then select "Use this [device] as My Location."
Toggle on the switch next to Share My Location. Your shared location will now show where this device is stationed, not where you actually are with your iPhone.
When you're ready to resume normal location sharing, simply return to your iPhone's Find My app and toggle "Use This iPhone as My Location" back on.
Remember that this trick only works as long as your decoy device stays put and powered on. Lastly, we trust that you'll use this tip responsibly – like keeping that upcoming surprise party under wraps!
WeChat is introducing passkey support for its iOS app, allowing users outside of China to sign in to the country's dominant messaging platform using Face ID, Touch ID, or their device passcode instead of traditional passwords.
Apple introduced passkeys in iOS 16 to provide users with a more secure and convenient authentication method than entering a password. Passkeys offer enhanced security by reducing common risks associated with traditional passwords, such as phishing attacks and credential theft. Since authentication occurs directly on the user's device using biometric data or their device passcode, there are no passwords to compromise or intercept.
To set up a passkey, WeChat users need an iPhone or iPad running iOS 16 or iPadOS 16 or later with iCloud Keychain and two-factor authentication enabled for their Apple Account. Users can enable the feature through WeChat's Account & Security settings, according to a new WeChat support document.
Tencent-owned WeChat joins a growing list of major platforms that have adopted passkey technology, including Google, PayPal, Microsoft, and TikTok. In WeChat, the feature is currently limited to users outside of China, and there's no word on if or when it might expand to the app's domestic Chinese version.
Apple Vision Pro launched in stores and began arriving to customers today in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, customers can now schedule a free 30-minute appointment to demo the headset at Apple Store locations in bothcountries.
Apple has localized Vision Pro pages in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates with more details about the headset, for those unfamiliar.
Apple first released the Vision Pro in the U.S. in February, with pricing starting at $3,499. In June and July, the headset launched in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the U.K., China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore. With the additions of South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, the headset is now available in 12 countries and regions.
In July, research firm IDC estimated that Vision Pro sales would total less than 500,000 units this year. In a recent interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that the Vision Pro is not a mass-market product due to its high price.
"At $3,500, it's not a mass-market product," said Cook. "Right now, it's an early-adopter product. People who want to have tomorrow's technology today—that's who it's for. Fortunately, there's enough people who are in that camp that it's exciting."
The award-winning Apple TV+ sci-fi series "Silo" is finally back, after nearly a year-and-a-half wait. The first episode of the second season is now available on Apple's streaming service, and one new episode will follow every Friday through January 17.
"Silo" follows the last 10,000 people on Earth, all of whom live in a massive underground bunker to escape the seemingly toxic and deadly world outside. The people are unaware of why the silo was built, and those who seek the truth face deadly consequences. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette Nichols, an engineer who attempts to unravel the mysteries surrounding the silo following a loved one's murder. The sci-fi series is based on Hugh Howey's best-selling book trilogy "Wool." Ferguson and Howey both serve as executive producers.
The official PlayStation account on YouTube recently shared an exclusive clip from the second season of the show. And earlier this week, Apple shared a season-one recap video highlighting key moments in the series so far. Warning: spoilers!
Apple TV+ costs $9.99 per month or $99 per year in the U.S., and the streaming service is also included in all Apple One subscription bundles.
The M4 MacBook Pro models feature quantum dot display technology, according to display analyst Ross Young. Apple used a quantum dot film instead of a red KSF phosphor film, a change that provides more vibrant, accurate color results.
Young says that Apple has opted for KSF for prior MacBook Pro models because it doesn't use toxic element cadmium (typical for quantum dot) and is more efficient (and thus less expensive). Way back in 2015, when Apple introduced support for P3 wide color on the iMac, Apple executives said that quantum dot technology had been considered for its LED displays, but rejected because of the cadmium requirement.
Big Apple display news, they have adopted quantum dots for the first time. The latest MacBook Pro's (M4) use a quantum dot (QD) film rather than a red KSF phosphor film.
In the past, Apple went with the KSF solution due to better efficiency and lack of cadmium (Cd), but the… pic.twitter.com/5olq9lEHs9
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) November 14, 2024
There are now cadmium-free quantum dot options that Young says have as good or better color gamut and better motion performance than the KSF film Apple previously used. The KSF phosphor coating Apple added to prior MacBook Pro models boosted color by enhancing shades of red, but quantum dot film is considered superior because it often results in better color accuracy and a wider color gamut.
Quantum dot technology has been used for high-end displays for several years, with companies like Samsung and Sony manufacturing "QLED" displays and TV sets.
Apple didn't highlight specific color improvements with the M4 MacBook Pro models, but max SDR brightness increased to 1,000 nits, up from 600 nits in the prior model.
With iOS 18, Apple introduced a feature that causes the iPhone to reboot every three days, security researchers have confirmed (via TechCrunch). In a demo video, security researcher Jiska Classen proved that an iPhone left untouched for 72 hours will automatically restart, and Graykey manufacturer also Magnet Forensics wrote a blog post about the feature.
After a reboot, an iPhone is more difficult to break into with the forensic tools used by law enforcement and others, such as bad actors. There are multiple unlocked states for an iPhone, and an iPhone that's at a passcode screen but has been previously unlocked with Face ID/Touch ID is easier to break into.
An iPhone that has recently restarted is in a "Before First Unlock" state, and that is when an iPhone is most secure because all data is encrypted. A reboot will initialize if a device is in a locked state (as in has been unlocked with Face ID or Touch ID but is now at the passcode screen) and has not been unlocked for a 72 hour period.
A 7-day inactivity reboot functionality was initially introduced in iOS 18, but the timer was shortened to three days with the launch of iOS 18.1. An iPhone in "Before First Unlock" state has messaging about Face ID/Touch ID being required after an iPhone restarts. An iPhone in the "After First Unlock" state simply says "Enter Passcode."
Apple has not provided details on inactivity reboot, and kept quiet about the addition of the feature. It was discovered when law enforcement officials noticed iPhones spontaneously rebooting following the launch of iOS 18. 404 Media last week shared a letter from officers in Detroit, Michigan, warning other law enforcement about the new limitation. While police speculated that the reboot could be tied to cellular network connectivity, iPhones will reboot regardless of connectivity status.
There was also speculation that an iPhone running iOS 18.1 could cause other iPhones to reboot, but that does not seem to be the case.
Law enforcement officials can still use brute force tools to get into iPhones running iOS 18 or later, but breaking into an iPhone must now be done before the iPhone restarts.
Every year, the Unicode Consortium decides on new emoji characters that will be coming to smartphones and other devices in the future, and this week, the Unicode 17 emoji recommendations came out [PDF].
Eight new emoji characters have been proposed, including hairy creature (like Bigfoot), distorted face, fight cloud, apple core, orca, trombone, landslide, and treasure chest. There are also skin tone variations for a number of existing emoji like ballet dancer, people with bunny ears, and people wrestling.
The Unicode consortium created mockups of what the emoji might look like, with the images shared by Emojipedia. It is important to note that the Unicode Consortium only comes up with the underlying emoji code, and Apple designers will create their own version of each character in the Apple style when the Unicode 17 standard is finalized.
Unicode 17 will likely be approved sometime next fall, though it will take Apple time to implement the new characters. We could see them around spring 2026 if Apple sticks with its typical emoji release timeline.
In 2025, Apple will introduce the Unicode 16 characters, which were approved in September 2024. Unicode 16 emoji include face with bags under eyes, fingerprint, leafless tree, root vegetable, harp, shovel, and splatter.
Apple last introduced new emoji with the iOS 17.4 update that was released in March 2024. Characters added in iOS 17.4 include lime, an edible brown mushroom, a phoenix, a broken chain, shaking head vertically (as in a "yes" nod), and shaking head horizontally (a "no" head shake).
With iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, Apple will debut Genmoji for devices that support Apple Intelligence. Genmoji are a customizable version of emoji that are generated based on a phrase supplied by the user. Genmoji behave like emoji on Apple devices, but are not cross-platform and don't display like emoji characters on Android devices.
The ChatGPT app for Mac is now able to integrate with coding apps like Xcode, VS Code, TextEdit, and Terminal, simplifying workflows where developers copy and paste their code from a coding app into ChatGPT.
When ChatGPT is given permission to interact with an app like Xcode through a new Work with Apps feature, a selection of code can be sent directly to ChatGPT alongside a prompt. TechCrunch had a demo of the feature, and described how it works:
In a demo with TechCrunch, an OpenAI employee opened the ChatGPT app and an Xcode environment containing a simple project modeling the solar system - although it was missing the Earth. The employee selected an Xcode tab within ChatGPT, which tells the AI chatbot to look at the app, and prompted the chatbot to "add the missing planets." The chatbot was able to complete the task, writing a line of code to represent the Earth that matched the rest of the project's format.
Back in October, GitHub brought Copilot integration to Xcode, with Copilot providing coding assistance right in the app. ChatGPT's integration is not that deep, and it is not able to write code in Xcode. ChatGPT is instead using the macOS Accessibility API for screen readers that allows apps to read text, which also means that it cannot interpret images or videos.
The new ChatGPT for Mac feature is available for ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Teams users starting today, with Enterprise and Edu support coming in the near future. Going forward, OpenAI plans to bring this integration to other apps.
Apple Vision Pro users can now watch "The Weeknd: Open Hearts," a new immersive music experience that features Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd. Filmed in ultra-high resolution 180-degree Apple Immersive Video with Spatial Audio, the music experience is designed to put viewers in the center of the action, according to Apple.
Open Hearts invites viewers to journey alongside The Weeknd as he walks through a surreal cityscape inspired by downtown Los Angeles. Apple vice president of Marketing Communications Tor Myhren said that Open Hearts is a leap forward in the intersection between music and technology.
Apple Immersive Video brings The Weeknd's creative vision to life in an entirely new way with Open Hearts, a groundbreaking music experience available only on Apple Vision Pro. With Vision Pro, fans experience storytelling in ways that were not possible before: with immersive visuals and Spatial Audio that make them feel like they're right in the middle of the action. This is an exciting leap forward in how music and technology come together to deliver memorable experiences for fans, and we're proud to collaborate with The Weeknd to make it happen.
With Open Hearts, The Weeknd is promoting his upcoming album "Hurry Up Tomorrow." Apple customers without a Vision Pro who want to watch Open Hearts can visit an Apple retail store.
Open Hearts is available for free through the Apple TV app on Vision Pro. The music experience will be followed by Concert for One, another immersive music experience, on November 22. Concert for One will feature intimate performances with the world's biggest artists, kicking off with singer-songwriter RAYE.
Apple recently updated the MacBook Pro with the M4 series of chips and a series of other upgrades including a 12MP camera, a nano-texture display option, and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. The new machines follow updated MacBook Air models with the M3 chip that were released earlier in 2024, so how do the latest models compare?
Despite now being similar in appearance, the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro are very different devices, so should you consider purchasing the 13- or 15-inch MacBook Air, which start at $999, to save money, or do you need one of the higher-end 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which cost at least $600 more? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two popular laptops is best for you.
MacBook Air
MacBook Pro
M2: 13.6-inch display M3: 13.6- or 15.3-inch display
M2: Enhanced 5nm node (N5P) based on A15 Bionic chip from iPhone 13 (2021) M3: 3nm node (N3B) based on A17 Pro chip from iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
3nm node (N3E) based on A18 chip from iPhone 16 (2024)
M2: 3.49 GHz CPU clock speed M3: 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed
M4: 4.4 GHz CPU clock speed M4 Pro and M4 Max: 4.5 GHz CPU clock speed
8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
M4: 10 CPU cores with 4 performance and 6 efficiency cores M4 Pro: Up to 14 CPU cores with 10 performance and 4 efficiency cores M4 Max: Up to 16 CPU cores with 12 performance and 4 efficiency cores
Up to 10-core GPU
M4: 10-core GPU M4 Pro: Up to 20-core GPU M4 Max: Up to 40-core GPU
Updated GPU architecture
Updated GPU architecture with improved efficiency
M2: 16-core Neural Engine, 15.8 trillion operations per second M3: 16-core Neural Engine, 18 trillion operations per second
16-core Neural Engine, 38 trillion operations per second
16GB or 24GB unified memory
M4: 16GB, 24GB, or 32GB unified memory M4 Pro: 24GB or 48GB unified memory M4 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, or 128GB unified memory
M4 14-Inch or M3 Pro 16-Inch: 24-hour battery life M4 Pro 14-Inch: 22-hour battery life M4 Max 14-Inch: 18-hour battery life M4 Max 16-Inch: 21-hour battery life
30W, 35W, or 67W USB-C Power Adapter
67W, 96W, or 140W USB-C Power Adapter
Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, or Midnight color options
Silver or Space Black color options
M2 13-Inch: Starts at $999 M3 13-Inch: Starts at $1,099 M3 15-Inch: Starts at $1,299
M4 14-Inch: Starts at $1,599 M4 Pro 14-Inch: Starts at $1,999 M4 Pro 16-Inch: Starts at $2,499
Design
Both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro share the same basic design with a flat top and rounded edges on the bottom, but they do have several minor details that differ. For example, while both MacBooks have displays with a "notch" at the top to facilitate the built-in webcam, the MacBook Pro's bezels are noticeably slimmer. The keyboard well of the high-end MacBook Pro is also all-black.
The MacBook Air is available in Silver and Space Gray, but the MacBook Air is also offered in Starlight and Midnight color options, so if you are looking for a particular aesthetic with one of these finishes, you will need to get the MacBook Air. Space Black is exclusive to the MacBook Pro.
MacBook Air (13-Inch)
MacBook Air (15-Inch)
MacBook Pro (14-Inch)
MacBook Pro (16-Inch)
Height
0.44 inches (1.13 cm)
0.45 inch (1.15 cm)
0.61 inches (1.55 cm)
0.66 inch (1.68 cm)
Width
11.97 inches (30.41 cm)
13.40 inches (34.04 cm)
12.31 inches (31.26 cm)
14.01 inches (35.57 cm)
Depth
8.46 inches (21.5 cm)
9.35 inches (23.76 cm)
8.71 inches (22.12 cm)
9.77 inches (24.81 cm)
Weight
2.7 pounds (1.24 kg)
3.3 pounds (1.51 kg)
3.5 pounds (1.61 kg)
4.8 pounds (2.15 kg)
Dimensions are also a key area of difference between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is considerably larger and heavier than the 15-inch MacBook Air, but it is important to not understate the difference between the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch MacBook Air. While the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a larger display than the MacBook Air, its marginally larger footprint, added thickness, and an additional 0.8 pounds of weight do make for a noticeably less portable machine if you prefer to travel light.
Even so, the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a very good balance of portability and performance, so if you need its added capabilities, its size and weight should not hold you back. The 15-inch MacBook Air also provides a good balance of portability and display area, but users wary of its size should opt for the 13-inch model.
Ports and Connectivity
The selection of ports is an area of major difference between the two machines. The MacBook Air features just two Thunderbolt ports, while the M4 version of the MacBook Pro adds a third Thunderbolt 4 port plus an HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. When configured with the M4 Pro or M4 Max, the MacBook Pro upgrades those Thunderbolt ports to Thunderbolt 5, in addition to its HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. Both machines feature a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones.
All in all, the MacBook Pro is much more versatile in terms of physical connectivity, offering useful features for professionals who use SDXC cards from digital cameras, Thunderbolt 5 accessories, or even simply more USB peripherals.
Display Size
The smaller MacBook Air's display is 13.6 inches in size, which is a little smaller than the 14.2-inch MacBook Pro, and markedly smaller than the 16.2-inch MacBook Pro. 13.6 inches is still bigger than the largest iPad Pro model, which comes in at 13 inches, and even all of the previous Intel-based MacBook Air and smaller MacBook Pro models, meaning that it should be adequate for most users. The 14.2-inch MacBook Pro simply offers a little bit more screen real estate to those who need high-end capabilities.
The 15.3-inch MacBook Air and 16.2-inch MacBook Pro's displays will be better replacements for a desktop machine and provide much more screen space to arrange multiple windows and use professional applications that benefit from additional display area.
Display Technology
The display technologies of both machines are significantly different. Like most MacBooks in recent years, the MacBook Air has an LCD panel, but owing to its slim bezels and rounded corners, Apple calls it a Liquid Retina display. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models feature Apple's more advanced mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR technology for deeper blacks, better dynamic range, and improved color accuracy.
The XDR display can get much brighter, reaching as high as 1,600 nits of brightness at its peak when showing HDR content. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models also have ProMotion displays, allowing them to vary their refresh rate up to 120Hz. The MacBook Air does not have a display with a variable refresh rate.
It will be worth getting the high-end MacBook Pro models for viewing and editing HDR content, as well as watching high-framerate video such as sports. The display of the MacBook Air is sufficient for most users and some may not even notice a drastic difference. The MacBook Pro's deeper blacks and smoother on-screen motion simply offer a slightly better experience.
The MacBook Pro is also available with a nano-texture display for an additional $150, which significantly cuts down on glare in bright environments. No such option is offered with the MacBook Air.
Chips
The MacBook Air contains the M2 or M3 chip, while MacBook Pro customers can choose between the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. The M4 Pro and M4 Max are scaled-up versions of the M4 chip that offer additional CPU and GPU cores.
For example, the M4 Max provides a CPU with up to eight additional cores and a GPU with up to 30 additional cores. The entry-level MacBook Air's M2 chip is only a little less powerful than the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max in single-core tasks, but the M4 chips, and particularly the Pro and Max versions, are considerably better in multi-core and graphics tasks.
With significantly more transistors, performance CPU cores, and GPU cores, the M4 Pro and M4 Max are powerful chips designed for professionals with demanding workflows. The M2 and M3, on the other hand, are more consumer-oriented chips focused on delivering surprisingly impressive performance and excellent efficiency to keep temperatures down and prolong battery life. The M4 series of chips also brought a dramatic improvement to Neural Engine performance for machine learning and artificial intelligence tasks.
It is also worth noting that the MacBook Air is passively cooled and contains no fan, which can slightly constrain peak performance compared to the MacBook Pro, since the high-end machines have large fans to actively cool the system and push the chips harder.
The M2 MacBook Air only supports a single external display. The limitations of the M3, M4, and M4 Pro chips also mean that MacBook Air and MacBook Pro devices configured with these chip support up to two external displays, whereas M4 Max machines support up to four external displays.
Memory and Storage
The MacBook Air can be configured with up to 24GB of unified memory and up to 2TB of storage, which should be more than enough for the vast majority of users. For those who need even more memory and storage, the MacBook Pro can be configured with significantly more memory and storage than the top-spec MacBook Air.
The M4 Pro and M4 Max chips in the MacBook Pro also provide up to 273GB/s and 546GB/s memory bandwidth respectively – an enormous increase over the 100GB/s memory bandwidth with the M2 and M3 models. All models now start with 16GB of memory as standard.
Speakers and Microphones
The 13-inch MacBook Air has a four-speaker sound system that is surprisingly full and balanced for such a small, slim device. The 15-inch MacBook Air and all of the MacBook Pro models take things to the next level with a six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers for dramatically bigger and deeper audio. Apple also describes the MacBook Pro's speaker system as "high-fidelity," which may be invaluable to users who work in professional audio production or simply listen to a lot of music out-loud.
The MacBook Air has a three-mic array with directional beamforming that is perfect for activities like video calls and voice notes. The MacBook Pro has what Apple calls a "studio-quality" three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming. While they are not as good as a dedicated microphone, the MacBook Pro's microphones are impressive and, at a push, are suitable for production purposes like podcasting.
Battery Life
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Max chip has the same 18-hour battery life as the MacBook Air, but all other MacBook Pro models offer better battery life. The M4 14-inch and M4 Pro 16-inch models offer up to 24-hour battery life – a significant increase over the MacBook Air.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the MacBook Air is the best option for casual users, offering an excellent balance of features and performance in a highly portable design. The MacBook Air's $999 starting price is much more affordable compared to the MacBook Pro, and with an education discount or an offer from our Apple Deals Roundup, it is possible to get that price down by at least $100. The additional $600 to get the MacBook Pro likely is not worth it for most ordinary users, and on the contrary, many will prefer the slimmer, lighter design of the MacBook Air and perhaps even its additional color options.
Professionals who require larger and more accurate displays, additional ports, more memory and storage, and a very high level of performance should look to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, and the higher price points of these machines reflects this. The high-end MacBook Pro models are not targeted at everyday consumers, being clearly tailored to creatives and professionals who rely heavily on the capabilities of their machines. As such, these high-end models should only be a go-to option if you are a power-user or professional who can make use of its advanced features. The 16-inch MacBook Pro, in particular, is also potentially a good desktop replacement machine due to its large display.
Alternatively, if you are considering the $1,299 15-inch MacBook Air, it may be worth paying more to get the M4 MacBook Pro. For just $300 more, the M4 MacBook Pro offers a considerably better Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, a more powerful chip with active cooling, an extra Thunderbolt port, four extra hours of battery life, better speakers and microphones, an HDMI port and SDXC card slot, and more. In fact, if you configure the 15-inch MacBook Air with 512GB of storage to match the M4 MacBook Pro, there is only a $100 between the two machines, so in this instance it is almost always worth getting the more powerful machine, unless maximizing screen size is your only priority.
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