MacRumors

Popular image editor app Pixelmator Pro has released version 2.0 ahead of schedule, bringing an all-new design for macOS Big Sur and native support for Macs powered by Apple's new M1 chip.

The new design features a simplified Effects Browser that makes it easier to find and apply effects, and new compact layouts for the sidebars and presets.

There's also a new Workspaces feature that lets users customize the look of Pixelmator, with presets optimized for photo editing, design, illustration, and painting.

With native support for Apple's new M1-powered Macs, Pixelmator Pro 2.0 takes advantage of the chip's 16-core Neural Engine for accelerated machine learning. This allows for features like Super Resolution, which intelligently increases the resolution of images while preserving details, to work up to 15x faster.

The editing engine is powered by Metal, which makes it easy for the app to take full advantage of the unified memory architecture in Apple's system-on-a-chip. There's also a new app icon that aligns with Apple's docked apps, and a new unified toolbar with switches and menus that look native to the macOS 11 Big Sur aesthetic.

Pixelmator 2.0 is a Universal app, so it runs natively on both ‌M1‌ and Intel-based Macs. The image editing app is a free upgrade for existing Pixelmator Pro users, otherwise it costs $39.99 and can be downloaded directly from the Mac App Store.

Mozilla has released Firefox 83 on Mac, bringing new features and improvements, including a new HTTPS-Only Mode, pinch to zoom, and more.

HTTPS-Only Mode is Mozilla's latest security feature that ensures users establish fully secure connections to every website they visit. If a website doesn't support the HTTPS encrypted protocol, Firefox asks for user permission before connecting.

Enabling HTTPS-Only Mode is done through the Preferences menu (the three lines icon in the top-right corner of the browser). Select Privacy & Security and scroll down to the section HTTPS-Only Mode. Then choose Enable HTTPS-Only Mode in all windows.

A new pinch zooming feature also comes to Firefox on Mac. Users can now pinch to zoom using a trackpad to zoom in and out of webpages.

Elsewhere, Picture-in-Picture now supports keyboard shortcuts for fast forwarding and rewinding videos. The arrow keys can now be used to move forward and back 15 seconds, along with volume controls. For a list of supported commands see Support Mozilla.

Mozilla has also improved functionality and design for a number of Firefox search features, and improved page load performance by up to 15%, page responsiveness by up to 12%, and reduced memory usage by up to 8%.

Part of the JavaScript engine that helps to compile and display websites has also been replaced, improving security and maintainability of the engine at the same time.

Firefox 83 is available to download from the Mozilla website and works on Apple Silicon CPUs via emulation under Apple's Rosetta 2 that ships with macOS Big Sur. Mozilla says it is working toward Firefox being natively-compiled for these CPUs in a future release.

Apple today announced the launch of a new App Store Small Business Program that will see the Cupertino company lowering its App Store fees for small business owners and independent developers. Starting on January 1, 2021, all developers who earn less than $1 million from the ‌App Store‌ will pay 15 percent in commission to Apple, down from the standard 30 percent.

The 15 percent commission rate applies to paid app purchases, in-app purchases, and subscription fees, with the lowered rate benefitting most developers on the ‌App Store‌.

"Small businesses are the backbone of our global economy and the beating heart of innovation and opportunity in communities around the world. We're launching this program to help small business owners write the next chapter of creativity and prosperity on the App Store, and to build the kind of quality apps our customers love," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "The App Store has been an engine of economic growth like none other, creating millions of new jobs and a pathway to entrepreneurship accessible to anyone with a great idea. Our new program carries that progress forward -- helping developers fund their small businesses, take risks on new ideas, expand their teams, and continue to make apps that enrich people's lives."

All developers who earned under $1 million in 2020 are able to qualify for the program and the reduced 15 percent commission rate. New developers who join the ‌App Store‌ and create apps in 2021 will also qualify. Going forward, developers who earn up to $1 million in the prior calendar year will be able to participate.

Developers who earn over $1 million will not be eligible, with the $1 million total calculated using post commission earnings that take into account total earnings after Apple's standard 30 percent cut. Developers earning more than the cutoff will continue to pay the standard 30 percent commission rate.

If a developer who participates exceeds $1 million in earnings, commissions will go back up to the 30 percent rate as well. For example, a developer who joins the program in 2021 and exceeds $1 million in earnings mid-year will need to pay out 30 percent commission going forward for the rest of the year. This will also apply in 2022, but if after that revenue falls below the $1 million threshold, the developer will be eligible for the program again in 2023.

As for subscriptions, developers who are eligible for the program will pay a 15 percent commission on subscriptions, even during the first year. Apple already has mixed ‌App Store‌ fees for subscriptions. During the first year a person subscribes, the standard commission rate is 30 percent, but it drops to 15 percent after that. That fee structure remains in place, but Small Business Program participants will pay 15 percent for all subscribers.

According to Apple, the reduced ‌App Store‌ fees are being implemented to help small business owners maintain their businesses and accelerate innovation during uncertain times. The fee drop is being implemented as developers try to work through economic challenges and more and more business are pivoting to digital as people continue to work and learn from home.

The fee changes will be a relief to many developers who have been unhappy with Apple's ‌App Store‌ fees. Apple has faced scrutiny from U.S. antitrust regulators in the United States, and investigations conducted by those regulators have surfaced complaints from developers who believe Apple's fees are too high.

Today's fee cut won't benefit some of the developers that have been the most vocal about Apple's commission rates, such as Epic Games, but it will relieve some of the pressure on the small business owners that need the most help.

There are more than 28 million developers from 227 regions who offer apps through the ‌App Store‌, and 1.8 million apps available worldwide. Apple says that the program will be available to the majority of developers, with those developers all receiving the same access to Apple's developer tools and programs. Apple expects the ‌App Store‌ Small Business Program to generate more digital commerce, support new jobs, and provide more funds for small businesses to invest back into their apps as they work to create innovative software for Apple users.

If you were thinking of buying two HomePod mini speakers to use as a stereo pair with your Mac, you might want to think again. As some users undoubtedly found with the original HomePod, it's not possible to AirPlay to multiple speakers from the menu bar on a Mac.

The inability to select stereo-paired ‌HomePod‌ speakers as your Mac audio output device is a glaring omission in Apple's ‌AirPlay‌ rollout, and the situation unfortunately remains the same in macOS 11 Big Sur. You can only use them with certain Apple apps like Music and TV – all other Mac audio must be output to one speaker or the other, but not both at the same time.

While it's frustrating that Apple's own apps let users select stereo-paired HomePods as a single device, this does provide a workaround, although it's a kludge that has its drawbacks. The following steps show you how it's done.

1. Launch the Music app on your Mac and select your stereo-paired ‌HomePod‌ minis as the audio output.
   
   

2. Now, minimize the Music app (don't close it), then launch the Audio MIDI Setup app located in the Applications -> Utilities folder.
   
   

3. In the Audio MIDI Setup app, click the + button in the bottom-left corner of the interface and select Create Aggregate Device from the dropdown.
   
   

4. Select the Aggregate Device in the sidebar and check the Use box next to AirPlay.
   
   

5. Close the Audio MIDI Setup app, then select the Aggregate Device from the volume dropdown in the menu bar.
   
   

As for the caveats to this workaround, using it means you can only change the volume by tapping the physical ‌HomePod‌ controls themselves – you won't be able to adjust it from your Mac's menu bar. You also have to keep the Music app open at all times, otherwise you'll lose your audio and you'll have to repeat the steps.

Another thing to consider is that this is only ‌AirPlay‌ 1, so there's a delay in the sound output between playing/pausing, and audio will be slightly out of sync when watching videos, although checking the Drift Correction option (circled in green above) in the Audio MIDI Setup app can compensate for this.

As mentioned, the solution is far from ideal, but until Apple brings system-wide ‌AirPlay‌ 2 support to Macs, it's the only way to pipe your Mac's audio through stereo-paired HomePods, short of purchasing a third-party app like Airfoil.

Update: As MacRumors reader B4rbelith points out, if you play something in the Music app, you can then right-click AirPlay in the Audio MIDI Setup app's sidebar and select Use this device for sound output. This lets you control the volume from the menu bar, but the other caveats still apply.

Apple's upcoming MagSafe Duo Charger pairs a ‌MagSafe‌ iPhone charger with an Apple Watch charging puck, but as noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has recently updated the product description to note that the ‌MagSafe‌ portion of the charger won't charge at the full 15 watts supported by the standalone ‌MagSafe‌ charger.

Neither the basic ‌MagSafe‌ Charger nor the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo Charger ships with a power adapter, with Apple noting that a 20-watt or greater USB-C adapter is recommended for the basic ‌MagSafe‌ Charger in order to deliver the maximum 15 watts of power supported by ‌MagSafe‌. (The iPhone 12 mini can charge at a maximum of 12 watts over ‌MagSafe‌, while all other ‌iPhone‌ 12 models support 15 watts.)

Apple initially recommended that the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo Charger also be used with a 20-watt adapter, leading some potential customers to wonder whether it would be able to deliver the full 15 watts of power to an ‌iPhone‌ while simultaneously charging an Apple Watch.

As it turns out, it won't. According to the updated product description, the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo Charger can only deliver 11 watts of power when paired with a 20-watt USB-C adapter, and 14 watts when paired with a 27-watt or higher USB-C adapter.

Recommended:

-20W USB-C Power Adapter (sold separately) for faster wireless charging up to 11W
-27W or higher USB-C Power Adapter (sold separately) for faster wireless charging up to 14W

Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ system continually regulates the charge being delivered to a connected ‌iPhone‌ based on heat and other factors, so even a regular ‌MagSafe‌ Charger generally won't deliver a constant 15 watts, but still, the fact that the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo Charger delivers lower peak power than that may be concerning to some potential customers.

Apple still has not announced a launch date for the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo Charger, which is priced at $129 without a power adapter. The charger continues to be listed simply as "Coming soon."

Woot today introduced a new discount on Apple's AirPods Pro, now available for $189.99, down from $249.00. This is the lowest price we've tracked to date for the AirPods Pro, and about $5 better than the previous deal offered by Woot.

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

We're now entering the busiest time of the year for steep discounts on Apple devices, and this discount by Woot is just the first in the line of deals on the AirPods Pro. While the Woot sale is the best current discount on the Bluetooth headphones, we will be seeing better deals starting at Walmart next week for Black Friday, where you'll be able to get the AirPods Pro for $169.

We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.

With Apple Silicon Macs now out in the wild and in the hands of customers, Google has developed a new version of Chrome that's designed for the machines. Chrome 87, released today, comes in a version that's optimized for Apple Silicon.

As noted on by the Chrome team on Twitter, the rollout of the feature has hit a "snag" and it has been temporarily paused for the time being.

Chrome for ‌Apple Silicon‌ Macs will resume rolling out starting tomorrow, and when it's available the new version of Chrome will be able to be downloaded on an ‌Apple Silicon‌ Mac by visiting the Chrome download page. On the page, there's an option to download Chrome on a "Mac with Intel chip" and "Mac with Apple chip."

The prior version of Chrome designed for Intel Macs will run on the Macs with Rosetta 2, but new Mac users will want to download the ‌Apple Silicon‌ specific version because it is better optimized for the new chips and will run better.

Those that already downloaded the M1 version of Chrome when it was available earlier today may be running into some crashing issues, and Google has a workaround available on its website.

Chrome 87 introduces some notable speed improvements implemented through tab throttling and better resource management. The latest version of Chrome also supports additional Chrome actions that can be executed through the address bar along with a tab search option.

Apple today informed developers that they can now take advantage of subscription codes, which can be provided to customers to allow them to sign up for subscriptions at a discounted price or for free for a specified duration.

Developers are able to create unique, alphanumeric codes, which Apple says can be used to acquire, retain, and win back subscribers. Codes can be provided digitally, offline at physical events, alongside products, and more.

iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 users can redeem subscription codes through the App Store using a one-time code redemption URL or within an app when the proper API has been implemented. More information on subscription codes can be found on Apple's website.

Several customers who purchased a new Mac with an M1 Apple Silicon app have discovered an issue when attempting to restore the machine, which leads to it becoming non-functional and stuck on error screen that says "An error occurred preparing the update. Failed to personalize the software update."

There are at least three threads on the MacRumors forums outlining the issue and warning against restoring one of the new machines. MacRumors reader RyanFlynn describes the problem:

I just received my M1 MacBook Pro and Macbook Air. Because I don't need any of the included software, it is always my procedure to restore the operating system without things like garage band and iMovie.

during the install process, an error occurs relating to "customizing the system update"

after a couple hours on the phone with Apple care, they told me that 75 other people have called in with this issue, and They have no work around. I was instructed to return my systems, or wait for a fix. Without having an operating system running, there is no way for me to install any future updates, so these computers are effectively bricked.

While Apple Support wasn't able to provide RyanFlynn with a reliable fix for the problem, other MacRumors readers have discovered a solution that appears to work.

Apple has instructions on using Configurator 2 and a secondary Mac to revive or restore an ‌Apple Silicon‌ Mac that has become unresponsive. This method requires the newest version of Apple Configurator 2, a functional Mac, and an appropriate cable to connect the two Macs.

Restoring in this way restores the firmware, updates recoveryOS to the latest version, and erases and installs the latest version of macOS on internal storage, thereby erasing all data. This method was successful for two MacRumors readers who had the recovery problem.

Apple may have a fix coming for this issue in the future, but for now it's best to avoid restoring an ‌Apple Silicon‌ Mac. For those that have already done so and are running into trouble, the Apple Configurator solution may be worth trying.

Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 14.3 and iPadOS 14.3 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the first betas and two weeks after the launch of iOS and iPadOS 14.2.

iOS and iPadOS 14.3 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper developer profile has been installed. Public beta testers can download the update after installing a profile from Apple's beta testing site.

The iOS 14.3 update brings the ProRAW format to the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. ProRAW is designed for those who prefer to shoot in RAW but also want to take advantage of the Apple image pipeline data like noise reduction and multi-frame exposure adjustments.

The ProRAW feature can be enabled in the Camera section of the Settings app for those who have installed the iOS 14.3 beta on a new ‌‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro‌ or Pro Max. When enabled, there's a RAW toggle in the upper right side of the camera app that can be tapped to turn it off or on. Photos taken with ProRAW are 25MB in size.

Ecosia, a search engine that plants trees when people conduct searches, can now be set as the default search engine on ‌iPhone‌ and iPad.

Though not a feature, the iOS 14.3 update hints at some future product releases. There's an icon that may reveal the design of the AirPods Studio, along with details on AirTags and the Find My feature that's meant to let third-party devices integrate with the ‌Find My‌ app.

Code in iOS 14.3 suggests Apple is laying the groundwork to add support for third-party item trackers and Bluetooth devices in the ‌Find My‌ app, allowing these devices to be tracked right alongside iPhones and iPads. It's not yet clear which items will support the feature or when support will roll out, but we could be hearing additional information soon.

There was a mention of Fitness+ in the iOS 14.3 update under Privacy > Analytics & Improvements, but Apple removed it in the second beta. The setting was unfinished and could not be toggled on, but its brief appearance perhaps suggests that Fitness+ may be released alongside as part of the iOS 14.3 update.

Other new features include pregnancy data in the Health app, third-party app suggestions at setup in certain countries, support for scanning App Clips QR codes with the camera app, an option to update HomeKit products with the Home app, and more, with a full list available in our iOS 14.3 features guide.

Twitter today announced the worldwide launch of a new ephemeral tweet option called a "Fleet," which will last for 24 hours on the social network before disappearing. Much like stories on Instagram or Facebook, fleets are located at the top of the Twitter timeline.

Fleets have no retweets, likes, or public comments, do not show up in search or moments, and cannot be embedded on external websites. Prior to today's launch, the fleets feature was in testing in countries that include Brazil, India, South Korea, and Italy.

Twitter says that it hopes the addition of ephemeral tweets will help people feel more comfortable sharing casual thoughts and opinions without the pressure of gaining retweets and likes. In countries where fleets were tested, Twitter says that people talked more on Twitter and were more open to sharing what was on their minds.

Fleets can include photos or videos and can be customized with different background and text options. The feature can be accessed by tapping on the "Share" icon at the bottom of a tweet and then choosing the "Share in Fleet" option.

Short-lived content like fleets has been popular on other social networks. Snapchat was the first social network to implement ephemeral content, and since then, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram all have "story" option where content is deleted after 24 hours. Until now, Twitter has had no equivalent.

Fleets are rolling out today on iOS and Android, and will be available for everyone in the coming days. For MacRumors readers, make sure you're following the MacRumors Twitter account where we share news stories, interesting forum threads, fun facts and tidbits, and in the future, more casual fleets.

Apple's new $99 HomePod mini officially launched yesterday, with the first pre-order purchases arriving to customers and Apple beginning in-store sales. We picked up a new ‌HomePod mini‌ and thought we'd test it out for MacRumors readers who are curious how Apple's smaller HomePod measures up to the original model.

The ‌HomePod mini‌ measures in at just 3.3 inches tall and 3.9 inches wide, so it's a good deal smaller than the standard ‌HomePod‌. Despite the size, we were impressed at the sound that this little device was able to put out.

It sounds great, and compared to other speakers in this size and at this price point, the ‌HomePod mini‌ really stands out from the competition. For such a small speaker, the sound quality is a little bit mind blowing. At max volume, there's no distortion and the sound is crisp and clear, which is also quite impressive.

In terms of size, the ‌HomePod mini‌ is probably smaller than you're imagining. It can fit in the palm of a hand, and it's lightweight, which means it can go just about anywhere. Unfortunately it does need to be plugged in to operate, and it comes with a USB-C cable and a 20W Apple power adapter that it connects to. At the top, there are some touch gestures, but it's easiest to control ‌HomePod mini‌ with Siri commands.

Apple designed an Intercom feature to go along with the ‌HomePod mini‌, envisioning a ‌HomePod mini‌ in every room of the house for home-wide communication. As the feature suggests, it serves as an intercom for family members to communicate with one another without having to shout. You have to have a ‌HomePod‌ to use Intercom, but you can send messages with an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or through CarPlay.

‌HomePod mini‌ also supports almost all of the same features as the ‌HomePod‌, such as Handoff for transferring music from a phone to the speaker and vice versa, but we had a bit of trouble getting this working all the time. That should improve later this year when Apple adds an update that will introduce new U1-powered haptic feedback features for transferring songs between the ‌iPhone‌ and the ‌HomePod‌.

The ‌HomePod mini‌ works with HomeKit devices, can play Apple Music, supports AirPlay 2, can be used for phone calls, works in a stereo pair, and serves as a Home hub, so there's a lot going on here.

The best part about the ‌HomePod mini‌ is the price tag. It's offering solid sound at a low price, and it's a lot easier to shell out $99 for a little home speaker than it is to pay the full $299 price for the regular ‌HomePod‌. If you've been holding out on getting a ‌HomePod‌ because of the high price, the ‌HomePod mini‌ is worth checking out for the wealth of functionality that it offers to those in the Apple ecosystem.

Do you have a ‌HomePod mini‌? Let us know what you think in the comments.

AgileBits this week announced that it has released a new version of its popular password manager 1Password for Mac with macOS Big Sur optimizations, including a new icon and design tweaks to the password generator and item fields.

1Password 7.7 also introduces support for unlocking with an Apple Watch on Macs with Touch ID, as well as many newer models of the Mac mini, iMac, and Mac Pro. When enabled, you'll receive a notification on your Apple Watch any time you open 1Password on macOS Catalina or later. Simply double click the side button on the Apple Watch to unlock the app. Unlocking the app with Touch ID is still an option — both can be enabled at once.

1Password for Safari has also been revamped, and now intelligently offers logins, credit cards, and identities right on a webpage.

AgileBits informed us that 1Password currently runs through Apple's translation layer Rosetta 2, adding that it is excited about the opportunities native Apple Silicon support will offer and hopes to have more to say on the subject soon.

1Password 7.7 is a free update for all 1Password subscribers.

Electric vehicle charging network ChargePoint today announced integration with CarPlay, which adds new EV charging data to CarPlay-compatible cars. Drivers can look up nearby chargers, check station status, start a session, get directions to the nearest station, and more.

For convenience, there are filters that will sort stations based on the speed of the charger, cost, availability, and plug type. The ‌CarPlay‌ app also provides access to a list of favorite charging spots and a join waitlist option when stations are full.

To access the new ChargePoint functionality, vehicle owners will need a device updated to iOS 14 or above in a ‌CarPlay‌ vehicle along with the ChargePoint app, which, when connected, will provide charging information on the in-car infotainment system.

ChargePoint is also available through a new ChargePoint widget in the Today View for iPhone that lets drivers locate nearby stations and check real-time charging status, plus it is available on the Apple Watch.

Google today updated its Chrome browser for macOS to version 87.0.4280.66, introducing an icon change that's meant to make the Chrome browser better fit in with the new macOS Big Sur design.

The Chrome browser's icon now features a white background behind it, which is the only change that Google has made. In the prior version of Chrome, it had no white background and was just the standard colorful Chrome logo.

Chrome's icon change is the most noticeable change that will be obvious to Chrome users in the new update, but there are a handful of other new features and bug fixes that are included.

The new Chrome update also improves performance by reducing CPU usage through tab throttling that better manages resources. Background tabs no longer wake up the CPU as often, preserving battery life, so Chrome uses up to 5x less CPU, and battery life is up to 1.25 hours better.

Google says that Chrome starts up to 25 percent faster and loads pages up to 7 percent faster.

There are also new Chrome actions that let tasks like deleting browser history be completed from the address bar (just type in something like delete my history), and there's a new feature for searching through the tabs that you have open. In the near future, Google plans to add Cards to chrome that will help you get back to recently visited and related content.

At this point, we've seen enough reviews and benchmarks to know that the Apple Silicon M1 MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini offer incredible performance compared to prior-generation Intel models, but there are still new tests coming out that demonstrate just how impressive Apple's chip really is.

MacRumors forum member iChan did a test on the base model M1 MacBook Air, opening up every default app in the dock on a new user profile and then opening up Activity Monitor at the end to see the RAM utilization.

The ‌MacBook Air‌ is able to seamlessly open every app with no lag time even as the number of open apps grows. Safari, Maps, Mail, Messages, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, the App Store, Notes, Reminders, and more are all running by the end and the 8GB unified memory in the machine handles it all without an issue. By the end, with every app up and running, App Memory comes in at 3.38GB.

Apple's ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ achieves this with 8GB RAM and no internal fan for cooling purposes, which is an impressive feat. The ‌MacBook Air‌ and Apple's other ‌M1‌ Macs have been excelling in all manner of benchmarks and speed tests, beating out much higher-end Intel-based machines across the board.

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming five days after the launch of macOS Big Sur 11.0.1, the release version of the software.

Developers can download the macOS Big Sur 11.1 beta using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.

There's no word yet on what's included in macOS Big Sur 11.1, but it likely includes performance improvements, security updates, and fixes for bugs that weren't able to be addressed in the release version of macOS Big Sur. We'll update this article should anything new be found in the software update.