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 M1Apple 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.
That thing you didn’t Tweet but wanted to but didn’t but got so close but then were like nah.
We have a place for that now—Fleets!
Rolling out to everyone starting today. pic.twitter.com/auQAHXZMfH
— Twitter (@Twitter) November 17, 2020
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 SiliconM1MacBook 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.
By now, we've seen many benchmark results and reviews showing the breakthrough performance of Apple's new M1 chip for Macs, but the improvements are even more impressive when coupled with battery life metrics.
TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino compiled the open source code for Safari's browser engine WebKit on a variety of Macs, and as has come to be expected, M1-based models completed the task quicker than Intel-based models.
For example, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 compiled WebKit in 20 minutes and 43 seconds, more than twice as fast as the latest Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro, which took 46 minutes and 10 seconds. In fact, the M1-based MacBook Pro's performance in the test was almost exactly on par with the 2019 Mac Pro.
The only exception was the MacBook Air, which was bested by the 2019 Mac Pro by about five minutes in the test, as thermal throttling eventually kicks in on the notebook due to its fanless design. It's still impressive that Apple's entry-level $999 notebook performs within the ballpark of its professional desktop workstation, which starts at $5,999, and makes it exciting to see what Apple Silicon will deliver in higher-end Macs.
As mentioned, things get really impressive when battery life is considered. After the WebKit compiling was finished on the various Macs, the M1-based MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro each had 91% battery life remaining, compared to 61% on a high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro and just 24% on the Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro.
All in all, Apple's promise that its chips would deliver industry-leading performance-per-watt appears to be holding up. Panzarino's review has lots of other useful charts and benchmarks and is worth a read as customers wait for their new Macs to arrive.
Moment, the company behind the Moment photo editing app and Moment lenses for iPhone, today announced an Instant Film update for its RTRO app, which is designed to capture vintage photo and video clips.
The new Instant Film feature is designed to work like a real instant film camera, generating a unique film-like effect that can be seen in real time when capturing photos.
Moment says that Instant Film uses a new Analog Effects Engine that allows for generative photo effects, with each photo captured looking slightly different similar to what you might get out of a real film camera. Each effect is based on dozens of variables so every photo is one of a kind.
To create the new Instant Film feature, Moment studied how chemical effects were created during the film's development process to create an emulation in the viewfinder as you take a photo, giving users control over what the photo will look like and the intensity of the generated effect.
Instant Film is a RTRO+ feature, with RTRO+ available for $3.99 per month, $19.99 per year, or a one-time payment of $49.99. RTRO can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Almost seven million dollars worth of Apple products have been dramatically stolen from a truck in the UK, Northamptonshire Police reports.
A truck driver and security guard were transporting a large number of Apple devices in cargo before being accosted by thieves. The incident took place at around 8pm on Tuesday, November 10, on a slip road off the M1 highway, where the driver and security guard were targeted and tied up.
In what appears to be a carefully planned heist, the truck was driven to Crick in Northamptonshire, where the thieves transferred the trailer to an awaiting truck, and left the original truck driver and security guard behind.
The truck was later found in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, where it is believed the thieves transferred a total of 48 pallets of Apple products onto a third vehicle and escaped.
Northamptonshire Police are appealing for witnesses and individuals who have been offered Apple products for sale in unusual circumstances or for suspiciously low prices.
DisplayMate said the iPhone 12 Pro Max has a "state-of-the-art" display that sets or matches 11 smartphone display performance records, including high peak brightness, high contrast ratio, low reflectance, and color accuracy. DisplayMate said the iPhone 12 Pro Max's display is also up to 10 percent more power efficient than the iPhone 11 Pro Max's display.
With a 6.7-inch display, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the largest iPhone ever, sporting a 2778x1284 pixels resolution, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, peak brightness of 800 nits or 1,200 nits for HDR content, and P3 wide color gamut support.
Read the full DisplayMate article for in-depth analysis of the iPhone 12 Pro Max's display and the methodology behind its testing.
Last week, Apple rolled out the ability to apply for the Apple Card on the web in the United States, providing customers with another option beyond the Wallet app on the iPhone to get approved for the company's credit card.
To begin, head to the Apple Card application page on the web, click or tap on the "Apply Now" button, and follow the on-screen instructions. As usual, the process takes just a few minutes, and if approved, a virtual Apple Card will be available for purchases immediately. A physical, titanium Apple Card can also be requested through the Wallet app for use at retail stores that do not accept contactless payments.
Apple Card's key features include color-coded spending summaries, no fees, and up to three percent cashback on purchases, paid out daily. The card remains limited to the United States, but an international expansion will likely happen eventually.
As the first Macs containing Apple Silicon processors began arriving to customers today, reviewers have shared their first impressions of the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. In particular, reviewers praised the M1 chip's ability to deliver excellent performance, thermals, and battery life.
MacBook Air
The Verge's Dieter Bohn remarked that "The MacBook Air with the M1 chip is the most impressive laptop I've used in years."
Forbes's David Phelan described the experience as similar to "every time you switch to a new iPhone with the latest processor - everything seems preposterously fast and responsive."
Bohn noted how well the M1 performs, even when using demanding "pro" apps or using multiple apps at a time:
The MacBook Air performs like a pro-level laptop. It never groans under multiple apps. (I've run well over a dozen at a time.) It handles intensive apps like Photoshop and even video editing apps like Adobe Premiere without complaint. It has never made me think twice about loading up another browser tab or 10 — even in Chrome.
Phelan also noticed a considerable improvement in speed when starting-up the MacBook Air:
One small thing is the way the computer is instant-on, something we're used to from phones and tablets but not so much from computers. This works brilliantly. In fact, I'm mostly just waiting for the Apple Watch or Touch ID to unlock it if I've been away from the laptop for long enough for it to lock.
Bohn found that the MacBook Air appeared to have very good thermals, despite having a passive cooling system with no fan.
The other differences are all on the inside. There's no fan anymore, for one thing, just an aluminum heat spreader. But even when pushing this machine to its absolute limit, I never felt it get more than a little warm.
Bohn said that while the M1 in the MacBook Air did deliver much better battery life, it was not as good as Apple claimed, and did not perform as well as the new MacBook Pro.
I'm getting between eight and 10 hours of real, sustained work depending on how hard I am pushing it. That's not quite 50 percent better than the last MacBook Air, but it's very close... the Pro is consistently getting a couple more hours on a charge
The area most criticized by reviewers was the MacBook Air's camera, which Bohn said was barely improved:
Unfortunately, that similarity extends to the webcam, which is still 720p resolution and still terrible. Apple has tried to borrow some of its real-time image processing from the iPhone to try to spruce up the image — and I do find that it does a better job evenly lighting my face — but mostly what I notice is that it looks bad (only now it's a more processed version of bad).
MacBook Pro
TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino said that "the M1 MacBook Pro runs smoothly, launching apps so quickly that they're often open before your cursor leaves your dock... Every click is more responsive. Every interaction is immediate." Much like Phelan, he described it as feeling "like an iOS device in all the best ways."
The Verge's Nilay Patel discussed the better thermal design of the MacBook Pro, since it uses an active cooling system with a fan. However, Patel did not notice much of an improvement over the MacBook Air:
The Pro seems to have a better, more effective thermal design than the Air overall: we ran our standard 4K export test in Adobe Premiere Pro several times, and the fan never came on, but export times stayed flat...
It's actually hard to get the fan to turn on in general. Things that instantly light up the fan on an Intel-based 16-inch MacBook Pro, like Google Meet in Chrome, barely register on the M1 MacBook Pro. Unless you are routinely pushing heavy sustained workloads on your laptop, the performance difference between the Air and Pro is really not noticeable.
Patel said that he "easily" got "10 hours on a charge and had to really push things to drain the battery in eight hours". Moreover, much like the MacBook Air, Patel chastised the camera:
We really considered giving these machines 10 out of 10 review scores, but this camera is bad enough to keep that from happening, especially on a pro laptop that costs more than the Air.
Mac mini
The Verge's Chris Welch indicated that M1 chip in the Mac mini was able to perform better due to its improved thermal design:
And since Apple doesn’t have to account for the tight confines of a laptop enclosure with the Mac mini, the M1 chip can hit the very best speeds it’s capable of and sustain them without throttling. Heck, I never even heard the fan spin up during repeated 30-minute Cinebench tests or when transcoding several 4K Blu-ray rips back to back. The mini has stayed silent no matter how hard I work it.
PCMag's John Burek had a similar experience, commenting:
In the course of testing, one big thing we noticed: Through all these benchmarks, pressing the CPU and GPU to their presumptive limits, the Mac mini was whisper quiet... It didn't rev up noticeably at even the peak of a Handbrake conversion grind, or after a series of six consecutive GPU game benchmarks. And the chassis stays remarkably cool throughout. There was no point in external thermal testing because the chassis was barely warm to the touch, anywhere on the surface, even at peak activity.
Burek found that the Mac mini performed better than the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but not by a wide margin:
The Mac mini, with its more liberal cooling scheme and extra GPU core, outpaced them both, but all three are in the same rough ballpark.
Yet Welch was disappointed that, in spite of the fact that it is more power-efficient, the M1 chip does not yield a reduction in power usage:
Battery life isn't a factor on the Mac mini, of course, and the M1 mini uses the same 150W power supply as the Intel model, so if there are power efficiency gains, they're not obvious.
He was also downcast about the Mac mini's loss of two Thunderbolt 3 ports:
Apple has gone from four USB-C / Thunderbolt 3 ports to just two — plus the pair of USB-A ports that are still present. Technically, the USB-C ports are more advanced (USB 4), and you can daisy-chain Thunderbolt devices to your heart's content. But there's nothing more convenient than built-in ports, and looking at this objectively, it's a downgrade for the mini's expandability.
Burek downplayed the loss of the two additional Thunderbolt 3 ports on the Mac mini, however:
Is fewer Thunderbolt ports than before a major issue? For most casual users, not really. We'd be hard-pressed to drum up four Thunderbolt 3 peripherals in PC Labs at one time, never mind on our individual desks. If you’re using an HDMI-connected monitor, you have two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports to play with. Also, some Thunderbolt 3-compatible peripherals support daisy chaining, so you aren't necessarily going to feel the pinch if you have more than two devices, depending on what they are.
Welch rebuked the Mac mini's internal speaker, saying that "it's the kind of speaker you'll never, ever want to use."
It's tinny, hollow, and just plain bad; even the macOS Big Sur startup chime sounds embarrassing compared to my thunderous 16-inch MacBook Pro. Considering the speaker advancements Apple has made with its laptops, I wish it would put in some more effort here.
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