MacRumors

New MacBook Pro models are expected to arrive later this year with some of the biggest improvements to the product line to date, including some surprising changes, so now is not the best time to buy a new ‌MacBook Pro‌.

With major upgrades expected to key features such as the chipset, display, Touch Bar, charging, ports, and design, customers eyeing a new ‌MacBook Pro‌ may be better off waiting for updated models to arrive later this year.

Most of the reliable rumors surrounding the new MacBook Pros are sourced from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who have established reputations for providing accurate insights into Apple's plans. Based on their reports, the 2021 ‌MacBook Pro‌ lineup is currently expected to feature:

• New 14-inch model in place of current 13.3-inch model, facilitated by reduced bezels.
• New, flatter design, said to be "similar to the iPhone 12."
• More powerful next-generation Apple Silicon chips with up to 16 power cores and four efficiency cores instead of Intel processors.
• Potentially a custom ‌Apple Silicon‌ GPU with 16 or 32-cores.
• Updated thermal design for the 14-inch model, currently used by the existing 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, with a larger heat pipe, added thermal pads, and a 35 percent larger heat sink.
• "Brighter, higher-contrast" display panels, with the possibility of a mini-LED option.
• Additional ports to reduce need for dongles, including an SD card reader and an HDMI port.
• MagSafe connector with faster charging speeds.
• No Touch Bar, with physical function key row instead.

Design Changes

The 2021 MacBook Pros are expected to come in 14 and 16-inch sizes, with the new 14-inch model replacing the current 13.3-inch model. It is likely that the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ will retain a very similar footprint to the 13.3-inch model by reducing the bezels around the screen.

Both models are expected to receive a flat-edged design that is "similar to the ‌iPhone‌ 12." While it is possible that the overall look may still be quite similar to current models as Gurman suggests, Kuo says that Apple will eliminate the slight curvature on the top and the bottom, resulting in a slimmer, flatter appearance.

Internal Upgrades

Following the entry-level 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, which gained an ‌M1‌ chip in November last year, all 2021 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are expected to sport ‌Apple Silicon‌ chips, with Intel processors being phased out entirely, to deliver significantly better performance and power efficiency.

The higher-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ models are highly likely to feature ‌Apple Silicon‌ chips that are more powerful than the ‌M1‌, and Apple is believed to be developing options with as many as 16 power cores and four efficiency cores. Apple is also working on custom GPU technology with 16 and 32-core options, which may be used in the new MacBook Pros.

The 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is believed to adopt the improved thermals of the current 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ model, with a larger heat pipe, added thermal pads, and a 35 percent larger heat sink. This would likely increase the machine's performance potential and allow it to run at cooler temperatures.

Display Improvements

The ‌MacBook Pro‌ is expected to receive a "brighter, higher-contrast" display panel. In addition, there have been multiple suggestions that the updated machines will be the first Macs to feature mini-LED displays, marking a significant improvement in display quality, with an improved wide color gamut, higher contrast and dynamic range, and truer blacks.

Restored Features

Apple is also expected to backtrack on several of its controversial design decisions that were first made with the 2016 ‌MacBook Pro‌. For example, the 2021 models will reportedly gain more ports to reduce the need for dongles. Prior models from 2012 to 2015 included a ‌‌MagSafe‌‌ connector, Thunderbolt ports, USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, before being reduced to just four USB-C ports and a headphone jack in 2016.

Likely in addition to its current selection of USB-C ports, Gurman has said that the SD card reader will be among the restored features. Kuo has since supported this, saying that the SD card reader will be returning, alongside an HDMI port.

‌MagSafe‌ charging is also expected to return to the ‌MacBook Pro‌ this year. ‌‌MagSafe‌‌ connectors were used for ‌MacBook Pro‌ models from 2006, allowing users to easily connect and disconnect the power cable with magnets, before eliminating the feature for USB-C charging alone in 2016.

Both Kuo and Gurman expect the new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models to be equipped with a ‌‌MagSafe‌‌ connector for charging, which is also expected to achieve faster charging speeds than via USB-C.

Finally, Apple is looking to remove the Touch Bar and restore the physical function key row. Apple introduced the Touch Bar on the 2016 MacBook Pros, providing a small OLED touchscreen strip along the top of the keyboard to offer customizable controls and different functions on a per-app basis, but the Touch Bar never seemed to catch on with consumers.

Gurman has confirmed that Apple has tested versions of the ‌MacBook Pro‌ that do not have a Touch Bar, and Kuo has gone one step further, saying that the Touch Bar will be removed entirely on the 2021 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, to be replaced by physical function keys.

What About the M1 MacBook Pro or Air?

In November last year, Apple revealed a 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with an ‌M1‌ ‌Apple Silicon‌ chip, so some customers may feel compelled to buy this fairly new ‌MacBook Pro‌ now. However, it is important to note that this model is the lower-end ‌MacBook Pro‌, indicated by the fact that it has only two Thunderbolt ports. Apple still offers high-end four-port MacBook Pros with Intel processors, and it is these more powerful machines that are expected to be updated this year.

The ‌M1‌ MacBook Air is very similar to the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ in both features and performance so should be considered if you are looking to buy a machine right now.

Release Date

Multiple sources have placed the new ‌MacBook Pro‌'s launch timeframe in the second half of 2021, with Kuo zoning in on the third quarter of 2021. This means that we could see the updated MacBook Pros arrive as soon as July.

‌MacBook Pro‌ customers can therefore expect to have to wait just five to seven months for the new models. Considering the scale of the update, which looks to drastically affect almost every aspect of the ‌MacBook Pro‌, it certainly seems to be worth the wait.

We have more on the current ‌MacBook Pro‌ models and the upcoming redesigned ‌MacBook Pro‌ models in our dedicated 13-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro roundups.

Last month, Apple announced that its hardware engineering chief Dan Riccio would be transitioning to a new role focusing on a "new project," and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today claimed the focus area will be AR/VR headsets.

From the report:

Riccio's move is similar to the approach taken last year by Phil Schiller, the company's former marketing chief. Both executives left senior roles but held on to areas that needed extra oversight. In Schiller's case, it was the App Store and public relations, and for Riccio, it’s the AR and VR headsets. This strategy helps keep key longtime executives at the company.

Apple's work on its first headset, a high-end VR-focused device with some AR capabilities, has faced development challenges, and people within Apple believe Riccio's extra focus could help. While he has ultimate oversight of the project, it is led day-to-day by Mike Rockwell, an Apple vice president who has well over a thousand engineers working on the two devices.

Apple is widely rumored to be working on multiple AR/VR wearables, including a mixed reality headset for release as early as next year and sleeker AR glasses coming at some point later. Last week, The Information claimed that the first headset could cost $3,000 and will be equipped with more than a dozen cameras, two ultra-high-resolution 8K displays, advanced eye-tracking technology, interchangeable headbands, and more.

The report also claims that Apple has advised staff that Johny Srouji, the company's Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, will now be overseeing a team working on in-house displays and camera technology. The move could suggest that Apple is "getting closer to shipping its first devices with fully custom displays," following rumors that next-generation iPad Pro and Mac models will feature Mini-LED displays.

Apple announced that John Ternus will become its Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, although Apple's executive leadership page still lists Riccio in this role for now. Ternus joined Apple's Product Design team in 2001 and has been a vice president of Hardware Engineering since 2013, the company said.

The Information's Wayne Ma today shared an overview of the "unorthodox and costly steps" that Apple has taken to avoid product shipping delays amid the pandemic, including the increased use of container ships, private jet charters, and more.

The report claims that Apple began shipping some AirPods by sea for the first time last year:

For example, last year Apple began shipping some AirPods by sea for the first time. In the third quarter of last year, the company greatly increased ocean freight for older model iPhones, whose delivery is less time sensitive, to free up air cargo space for the new iPhone 12, according to an analysis of vessel manifest data and the person with direct knowledge of Apple's logistics operations.

Apple has occasionally faced some issues with shipping products by sea rather than air. In late November, for example, the report claims that a large container ship headed from China to California tipped over, spilling around 1,800 of its containers into the ocean, and at least one of those containers was holding Beats headphones.

Apple also chartered more than 200 private jets to ship devices in 2020, a single-year record for the company, according to the report:

Apple frequently turned to pricier private jet charters to ship its products out of Asia because its delivery partners had run out of capacity in the cargo holds of passenger planes. Last year, Apple chartered more than 200 planes for these shipments, setting a single-year record for the company, according to the person with direct knowledge of its logistics operations. To put that in perspective, ahead of the launch of the iPhone 7 in 2016, Apple chartered just three planes for the devices after it used up passenger plane capacity, a different person involved in its shipments said.

To further speed up deliveries, the report claims that Apple has accelerated a plan to use its retail stores across the United States and Canada as "small distribution centers," allowing Apple's courier partners like FedEx and UPS to collect products from an Apple retail store and deliver them to customers within close proximity of the store. The plan was first reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in October.

All in all, most Apple products took only a few days longer than average to be delivered in 2020, according to a source cited in the report.

The Apple Watch's irregular heart rhythm notifications have been approved in Australia, indicating that approval for the ECG feature may be soon to follow after years of waiting, according to EFTM.

Documents seen by EFTM from Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration show that the Apple Watch's irregular rhythm notifications feature has now been approved and added to the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. While this does not mean that the ECG function has been medically certified for use in Australia, it concretely proves that Apple has begun submitting its devices and software to Australian regulatory authorities for approval.

The irregular rhythm notification feature intermittently checks heart rhythm in the background and sends a notification if an irregular heart rhythm is identified that could potentially be atrial fibrillation (AFib). Upon receiving a notification, users in territories where the feature is approved can immediately launch the ECG app and perform a more comprehensive test in just 30 seconds by placing their finger on the Digital Crown to generate an ECG waveform. The irregular rhythm notifications and ECG feature therefore work hand in hand, so it seems unlikely that one feature will be approved long before the other.

Atrial fibrillation is a health condition that often goes undiagnosed, so ECG app and heart rhythm alerts on Apple Watch are highly useful for detecting early signs of disease. ECG readings also normally require a full ECG machine and a visit to the doctor, which is far less convenient than a reading taken with the Apple Watch.

Apple routinely has to gain approval from government health agencies before making the ‌Apple Watch‌'s ECG feature available in different countries. Apple won U.S. FDA clearance to promote and launch the function when the ‌Apple Watch‌ Series 4 was released in 2018. Over two years later, the feature is still not available in Australia.

Last year, the Withings ScanWatch, which similarly features the ability to take an ECG, was approved in Australia, so it is not clear why it is taking Apple so long to apply or gain approval. Regardless, the irregular rhythm notifications approval is the strongest indication yet that the ECG feature is finally edging toward regulatory assent in Australia.

Apple last week released beta versions of upcoming iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 updates to developers and public beta testers, and among a number of new features, Apple has added the ability to set a default music streaming service when using Siri to play songs.

First spotted by Reddit users, the first time you ask ‌Siri‌ to play a song in iOS 14.5, you are given the option to choose from a list of installed third-party music streaming apps in addition to Apple Music.

After an app is selected, ‌Siri‌ defaults to the service thereafter whenever it is asked to play a song. So for example, if Spotify is selected and you say "Hey ‌Siri‌, play Moonlight Drive by The Doors," you no longer have to specify "...on Spotify" to prevent it from trying to play the track in ‌Apple Music‌.

As noted by The 8-Bit, ‌Siri‌ will also set a music streaming service as the default if you ask it to play from that particular app for the first time.

According to users who have played with the feature, it only works with specific phrases at the moment, and sometimes revert back to ‌Apple Music‌, so it sounds like there's still some work to do on Apple's end before it's fully consistent.

iOS 14.5 is the biggest update to iOS 14 to date, introducing several significant new features, including the ability to unlock your iPhone using an Apple Watch when wearing a mask. Be sure to check out our dedicated iOS 14.5 guide for all the details and what you can expect when it's officially released.

Apple is offering up to a five-month free trial of Apple Music to new users of the streaming service, in a unique partnership with country music singer Dolly Parton.

Like previous Apple Music promotions, the offer is linked to Apple-owned Shazam, but this time with a difference. Viewers of yesterday's Super Bowl were invited to use Shazam to identify a Parton song played in a commercial to unlock the offer.

The song "5 to 9," a new spin on her hit classic "9 to 5," was played as part of a Super Bowl commercial for Squarespace. Parton posted details of the promotion on her Twitter account.

Users who missed the opportunity to Shazam the commercial can still take advantage of the free trial by following the link included in Parton's tweet.

The offer is valid in Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Poland, South Korea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the United States.

Apple usually offers up to a three-month free trial of ‌Apple Music‌ to users who haven't subscribed to the service before, so this latest promotion represents one of its better deals. According to Apple, the promotional codes for this offer expire on March 31, 2021.

• How to Cancel an Apple Music Subscription

If after activating the deal you're not convinced, you can cancel your ‌Apple Music‌ subscription without losing your access to the service for the duration of the trial.

Shazam is a free download from the App Store [Direct Link].

(Via 9to5Mac.)

Following weeks of rampant Apple Car rumors, Hyundai and its subsidiary Kia today said they are not (or at least no longer) in discussions with Apple to co-operate on development of a self-driving electric vehicle, according to Bloomberg.

Hyundai last month confirmed that Apple was in discussions with a variety of global automakers, including Hyundai. However, the automaker walked back the statement just hours later, and merely said that it had "received requests for potential cooperation from various companies regarding development of autonomous EVs."

Bloomberg on Friday reported that talks between Apple and Hyundai had "paused recently," adding that Hyundai's original statement and the subsequent reports "upset Apple," a company known for its culture of secrecy.

Last week, Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo reported that Apple was planning to invest the equivalent of $3.6 billion in Kia as part of a planned manufacturing partnership between the two companies that would have seen Kia build the Apple Car at its assembly plant in Georgia. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that the Apple Car would be based on Hyundai's E-GMP electric vehicle platform, which would have allowed for a range of over 300 miles, acceleration from 0-60 miles per hour in as little as 3.5 seconds, a top speed of 160 miles per hour, up to an 80% charge within 18 minutes, and more.

Nikkei Asia reported that Apple is in discussions with at least six Japanese automakers over potential supply and manufacturing partnerships, so it sounds like Apple is still in the early stage of negotiations with automakers around the world.

In any case, it's believed that the Apple Car is still years away from being released, with predictions ranging from 2024 all the way to 2028.

Apple's warning to keep the iPhone 12 away from cardiac devices due to electromagnetic interference was further underlined by U.S. cardiologists this week in a new report (via NBC25 News).

Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 12 series includes an array of magnets that help align the phone on Apple's MagSafe charging accessory to maximize charging, and Apple already advises users with implanted pacemakers and defibrillators to keep ‌iPhone‌ and ‌MagSafe‌‌ accessories a safe distance away from such devices.

To test the extent of the risk, Henry Ford Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Gurjit Singh and his colleagues recently carried out further testing to see just how much of an influence the Apple products have.

According to Dr. Singh, more than 300,000 people in the U.S. undergo surgery to implant one of these devices each year, and around one in four smartphones sold last year was an ‌iPhone‌ 12. The cardiac devices have switches that respond to an external magnet to change how the device functions, which allows them to be controlled without the requirement of surgery.

Curious about potential interference with electrical devices, Dr. Singh and his colleagues took an ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro and passed it over the chest of a patient with an implantable defibrillator.

"When we brought the iPhone close to the patient's chest the defibrillator was deactivated," said Dr. Singh. "We saw on the external defibrillator programmer that the functions of the device were suspended and remained suspended. When we took the phone away from the patient's chest, the defibrillator immediately returned to its normal function."

"We were all stunned," he said. "We had assumed that the magnet would be too weak in a phone to trip the defibrillator’s magnetic switch."

The findings are significant, since Dr. Singh is an expert in the use of devices such as implantable defibrillators that detect an irregular heartbeat and shock the heart back into a normal rhythm, and pacemakers that use electricity to keep the heart beating. Following the discovery, Dr. Singh and his colleagues immediately submitted a report of their findings to the HeartRhythm medical journal that was published on January 4, 2021.

"We believe our findings have profound implications on a large scale for the people who live daily with these devices, who without thinking, will place their phone in their shirt pocket or upper pocket or their coat – not knowing that it can cause their defibrillator or pacemaker to function in a way that could potentially be lethal."

The comments underline medical evidence published in January which cautioned that ‌‌iPhone‌ 12‌ models and related ‌MagSafe‌ devices can "potentially inhibit lifesaving therapy in a patient" due to magnetic interference with implanted medical devices. Apple provides more information about this issue in the "Important safety information for iPhone" section of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌ User Guide.

Nearly three months after the launch of Apple's rave-reviewed M1 Macs, Intel has fired back, but there are some asterisks involved.

In a slideshow shared by PCWorld this week, Intel highlighted what PCWorld described as "carefully crafted" benchmarks in an attempt to prove that laptops with the latest 11th Generation Core processors are superior to those with Apple's custom-designed M1 chip.

For example, Intel said that exporting a PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file is up to 2.3x faster on a Windows laptop equipped with an 11th Generation Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM compared to completing the same task on a 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip and 16GB of RAM, with Intel noting that PowerPoint ran natively on both systems.

Intel also indicated that Topaz Labs' AI-based photo enlargement software Gigapixel AI performed up to 6x faster on the Core i7 system compared to the M1 MacBook Pro. In this case, PCWorld said "the results are pretty real," noting that Topaz Labs' apps are designed to take advantage of the hardware acceleration inside of Intel's processors.

As for gaming performance, the results were mixed, with Intel emphasizing the well-established opinion that Macs are not ideal for gaming and lack support for "countless" games like Gear Tactics, Hitman 2, and others.

Intel also conducted a "real world battery life test" and found that both the M1 MacBook Air and the Acer Swift 5 with an 11th Generation Core i7 processor achieved virtually identical 10-hour battery life when streaming Netflix with additional tabs open. Intel said both notebooks were set to 250 nits display brightness, with the MacBook Air running Safari and the Acer Swift 5 running Chrome for the test.

It's worth noting that Intel switched from the MacBook Pro for the performance benchmarks to the MacBook Air for the battery life test, and Intel used a different Core i7 processor SKU for each of these tests as well.

Apple's website advertises the M1 MacBook Air as having up to 18 hours of battery life when continuously playing back 1080p content in the Apple TV app with display brightness set to 50%, and up to 15 hours of battery life when browsing 25 popular websites in Safari over Wi-Fi with display brightness set to 50%.

Intel added that its processors are about not only performance, but also choice, as they power all sorts of devices from traditional notebooks to tablets with features like touchscreens and support for multiple external displays. Officially, the M1-based MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro only support one external display, but some users discovered that this limitation can be bypassed with DisplayLink adapters as an unofficial solution.

"M1-Unfriendly Benchmarks"

Apple columnist Jason Snell referred to Intel's benchmarks as "M1-unfriendly" in commentary shared on his website Six Colors.

"Inconsistent test platforms, shifting arguments, omitted data, and the not-so-faint whiff of desperation," wrote Snell. "Today's M1 processor is a low-end chip for low-end systems, so Intel only has a small window to compare itself favorably to these systems before higher-end Apple silicon Macs ship and make its job that much harder."

Tom's Hardware's Andrew Freedman also cautioned that all vendor-provided benchmarks should be taken with a grain of salt.

Apple says the M1 chip provides industry-leading performance per watt, with the latest MacBook Air outperforming a maxed-out Intel-based 16-inch MacBook Pro in Geekbench benchmarks. Rumors suggest Apple will launch new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, a redesigned iMac, and more with next-generation Apple silicon later this year.

It was a big week for software this week, with Apple kicking off a new round of betas for its operating systems with plenty of tweaks and changes in iOS 14.5 and related updates. We also saw the public release of macOS 11.2, which trailed last week's release of iOS 14.4.

In other news, we got some significant new rumors about Apple's VR headset project and the Apple Car, while over on our YouTube channel we put the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra head-to-head in a blind camera test. Read on for details on these stories and more below!

iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 Betas Released With Many New Features

Apple this week seeded the first betas of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 to developers and public beta testers. These updates are packed with new features for iPhone and iPad users, including the ability to unlock an iPhone with an Apple Watch while wearing a mask, support for 5G in Dual-SIM mode on iPhone 12 models, support for the latest PS5 and Xbox Series X controllers, AirPlay 2 streaming for Apple Fitness+, and more.

We've shared a hands-on video of unlocking an iPhone with the Apple Watch, which is a welcomed solution to Face ID not working properly with masks. We've also rounded up everything new in the first iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 betas, including hidden code-level changes.

Starting with iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, Apple is also enforcing its App Tracking Transparency privacy measure, requiring app developers to get consent from users to track their activity across other apps and websites for targeted advertising purposes.

Apple later pushed out a revised version of the first iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 betas with minor fixes.

macOS Big Sur 11.2 Released With Bug Fixes for Bluetooth, External Displays, iCloud Drive, and More

This week saw the public release of macOS 11.2, which improves Bluetooth reliability and addresses several bugs, including an issue where external displays might show a black screen when connected to an M1-based Mac mini using an HDMI to DVI converter.

Note that some users are still experiencing other external display issues on macOS 11.2.

The release of macOS 11.2 was quickly followed by the first beta of macOS 11.3, which introduces more customization options in Safari, adds improved sorting options in the Reminders app, enhances the Support tab for warranty coverage in the About This Mac menu, allows stereo-paired HomePods to be set as the default sound output for a Mac, and more.

Other betas released this week include watchOS 7.4 and tvOS 14.5.

Blind Camera Comparison Video: iPhone 12 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Samsung in January debuted its latest flagship smartphone lineup, which includes the Galaxy S21 Ultra, a direct competitor to the iPhone 12 Pro Max that Apple introduced in October. In our latest YouTube video, we pitted the two smartphones against one another for a blind camera comparison.

The idea is to look at the images and decide which aesthetic you prefer — "A" or "B" — before we unveil which camera is which at the end of the video. Share your choices in the comments section.

Apple's Mixed Reality Headset Said to Feature 8K Displays, $3,000 Price Tag, and More

Apple is widely rumored to be working on a virtual reality headset, and a report this week from The Information's Alex Heath and Wayne Ma outlined several potential features and other details.

The report claimed that the headset will be equipped with more than a dozen cameras for tracking hand movements, along with two ultra-high-resolution 8K displays and advanced eye-tracking technology. The cameras would be able to pass video of the real world through the visor and display it to the user, providing a "mixed-reality effect" that is a step beyond virtual reality.

The report also claimed that the headset will have interchangeable headbands, with one featuring spatial audio technology like the AirPods Pro for a surround sound-like experience, and another providing additional battery life on the go. Similar to AirPods Max replacement ear cushions, it is possible that the headbands will be offered in a variety of colors as well.

Apple has internally discussed pricing the headset around $3,000, according to the report. This price would certainly make Apple's headset a high-end, niche product, with the company apparently setting an internal goal of shipping only 250,000 units of the headset in the first year of its release. Multiple reports have said the headset will be released in 2022 at the earliest.

Apple Reportedly Plans to Invest $3.6 Billion in Kia for Apple Car Production

There continues to be a lot of rumors surrounding the so-called Apple Car, with a partnership between Apple and Korean automaker Hyundai looking increasingly likely based on a pair of reports this week.

The first report came from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said that Apple's electric vehicle chassis will be based on Hyundai's E-GMP battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform, which could allow for a range of over 300 miles, acceleration from 0-60 miles per hour in as little as 3.5 seconds, a top speed of 160 miles per hour, up to an 80% charge within 18 minutes, and more.

A second report out of Korea claimed that Apple is planning to invest the equivalent of $3.6 billion in Hyundai subsidiary Kia as part of a planned manufacturing partnership between the two companies that would see Kia build Apple Cars at its U.S. facility located in Georgia.

It's believed that the Apple Car is still years away from being released, with projections ranging from 2024 all the way to 2028.

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Prior to the release of the M1 Macs, Apple offered developers a $500 Developer Transition Kit (DTK) that included a Mac mini equipped with an A12Z Bionic chip first used in the iPad Pro, 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and an HDMI 2.0 port.

The DTKs were available on a temporary basis, and earlier this week, Apple said that it would soon begin asking developers to return the Mac minis in exchange for a $200 credit.

Since developers shelled out $500, many were unhappy with the credit amount, which also required the funds to be used by the end of May. Many developers complained about Apple's credit amount and the time limit on spending, as the end of May would not allow the credit to be used toward a product released later in 2021.

Apple has now reversed course and upped the credit, and will now be providing developers with $500 to put toward an ‌M1‌ Mac or any other Apple product. The time limit to spend the credit has also been increased, with Apple giving developers until the end of the year to use it.

We heard your feedback regarding the 200 USD appreciation credit mentioned in our last email. Our intention was to recognize the tremendous effort that you have put into creating amazing universal apps. By partnering with us early, you showed your commitment to our platform and a willingness to be trailblazers.

So instead of the 200 USD credit that expires in May, we are giving you a 500 USD Apple credit and extending the time you can use it to get a new M1 Mac through the end of the year. If you already purchased a new M1 Mac, the Apple credit gives you the flexibility to purchase any Apple product to help with your app development work.

We'll share details soon about how to ship the Developer Transition Kit (DTK) back to Apple. Note that the DTK will no longer receive publicly available software updates after macOS Big Sur 11.2. We encourage you to return it as soon as possible so that your development work is not interrupted. And once you return the DTK, you'll receive your Apple credit.

Apple first sent out Developer Transition Kits at the end of June, so developers were able to use them for seven months. Developers were meant to have a year with the DTK for app development purposes, but other benefits that include a private discussion forum and technical support will continue to be available for the full 12 month period.

As noted in Apple's emails to developers, the $500 credit can be used toward any Apple product, including ‌M1‌ Macs or other devices.

Multiple rumors over the course of the last week have suggested that Apple has been discussing Apple car manufacturing with Hyundai and Hyundai affiliate Kia, but those talks have paused recently, reports Bloomberg.

Apple has also been discussing its Apple Car plans with other automobile manufacturers, so despite rumors suggesting Apple is considering a deal with Hyundai/Kia, Apple could establish an agreement with another company. Nikkei earlier today said that Apple was speaking with at least six Japanese automakers over supply partnerships and manufacturing contributions.

Earlier this week, CNBC said that Apple was close to finalizing a deal with Kia. Apple's talks with Hyundai have been known since early January when Hyundai confirmed that it had held discussions with Apple.

"We understand that Apple is in discussion with a variety of global automakers, including Hyundai Motor. As the discussion is at its early stage, nothing has been decided," the company said. Just hours later, Hyundai walked back the statement and eliminated the reference to Apple.

Hyundai's announcement and other detailed rumors about Apple's negotiations with the automaker have upset Apple. According to Bloomberg, it is not clear if and when discussions between Apple and Hyundai might resume, but there are a limited number of automakers that would be capable of manufacturing vehicles for Apple.

If talks do resume, it is likely that Apple will end up partnering with Kia to manufacture the Apple Car at Kia's U.S. factory located in Georgia.

Apple has some time to sort out its manufacturing and production plans as Bloomberg in an earlier report said that it will be five to seven years before the Apple Car is ready to launch.

South Korean a cappella group MayTree today shared a video where they vocally recreate many of the most popular ringtones and sounds available on the iPhone.

The video highlights default ringtones like Opening (which is the default sound when a someone calls an ‌iPhone‌), Silk, and Uplift, plus it covers sounds like the battery charging, a message being received, and the screen locking.

Classic ringtones like the jarring "Alarm" tone, Xylophone, Timba, Strum, and Marimba are also included. As The Verge points out, the group also previously covered well-known Windows sounds.

All of the sounds in both the Windows and ‌iPhone‌ videos are spot on, and are well worth checking out. The Windows video is 30 seconds, while the ‌iPhone‌ version is just over a minute long.

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Ampere to offer MacRumors readers an ultimate Apple Watch accessory bundle, which will include an Apple Watch Legend Band, the Unravel Triple Wireless Charger, an Apple Watch Charging Dongle and Stand, and an 18W USB-C Car Charging Adapter.

Our ultimate Apple Watch accessory giveaway is celebrating the launch of Ampere's new Legend Band for the Apple Watch. Priced at $70, the Legend Band is a slim, attractive black leather strap that has a bright blue interior accent and highlight stitching in black or colorful teal and pink variants.

Made from German leather, the Legend Band has been specially treated to make it water and sweat resistant so it can be comfortably worn all day long and for any activity. The leather will age over time and take on a unique patina that will be different for each wearer.

The Legend Band has a traditional buckle closure and the design matches any of the available Apple Watch colors. It is available in 42 or 44mm size options, so it will fit Apple's larger Apple Watches. It is compatible with all Apple Watch models, from the Series 1 to the Series 6 and SE.

Along with the Legend Band, the accessory bundle also includes the Unravel Apple Watch+ charger, which is a wireless charging station designed for Apple devices. It features two 10W wireless charging coils for Apple's iPhones and AirPods, along with a built-in Apple Watch charging puck for the Apple Watch.

The Unravel AW+ has a neat hinge design that lets it fold over itself so it's portable and ideal for travel. It's compatible with your MacBook charger, which is able to provide enough power for charging four Apple devices at once.

Ampere is also including the MFI Apple Watch Charging Dongle and Charging Stand, plus an 18W USB-C Car Charging Adapter.

The Charging Dongle and Stand is a handy little portable charger that can plug into a MacBook or any other USB-C power adapter, and when paired with the aforementioned Car Charging Adapter, it can be used in the car for a quick power boost.

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

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

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

For those interested in Ampere's products, we have a promo code that can be used to get a 40 percent discount on the Legend Band. Just use promo code AmpereLovesMacRumors to get the deal, which will last through February 14 at midnight.

Ampere is also running a buy-one-get-one sale on the Unravel and HyperCube from now until Valentine's Day with the promo code ShareYourLove.

Popular macOS package management system Homebrew today received a major update, with the 3.0.0 version introducing official support for Apple silicon chips.

Apple Silicon is now officially supported for installations in /opt/homebrew. formulae.brew.sh formula pages indicate for which platforms bottles (binary packages) are provided and therefore whether they are supported by Homebrew. Homebrew doesn't (yet) provide bottles for all packages on Apple Silicon that we do on Intel x86_64 but we welcome your help in doing so. Rosetta 2 on Apple Silicon still provides support for Intel x86_64 in /usr/local.

Homebrew, for those unfamiliar with the software, is a package manager like the Mac App Store. It's designed to let users quickly and easily install, uninstall, and update apps using Terminal.

Prior to now, Homebrew was able to run on M1 Macs through Rosetta 2, but now it works on the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini natively. Homebrew doesn't yet support bottles for all packages on Apple silicon that are available on x86_64, but improvements will be made in the future.

According to Homebrew developer Mike McQuaid, the 3.0.0 development was helped along by MacStadium and Apple, with Apple providing hardware and migration help.