The M1MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini are the first of Apple's Macs to support WiFi 6, or 802.11ax. WiFi 6 support started rolling out in Apple devices with the March 2020 launch of the iPad Pro, but Apple did not include the feature in Macs refreshed earlier in the year.
WiFi 6 brings faster speeds, expanded network capacity, lower latency, and improved power efficiency, plus it is ideal for homes where there are many WiFi-connected smart home products in use. With more and more routers starting to offer WiFi 6 performance, the update is a welcome change to the Mac lineup.
None of the Macs refreshed today got major design changes, but the MacBook Air features an updated row of function keys that gains Spotlight search instead of Launchpad, and a dictation key and a Do Not Disturb key in place of the function keys that used to be available for adjusting keyboard brightness.
The Fn key at the bottom of the keyboard has also been updated to serve as an emoji key for bringing up emoji on the MacBook Air.
Aside from these function key updates, the M1 MacBook Air uses the same scissor switch keyboard that Apple added to the 2020 MacBook Air earlier this year. The scissor switch keyboard is more reliable than the prior-generation Butterfly Keyboard and not prone to failure due to exposure to crumbs and other small particulates.
The new M1 Macs are available for purchase as of today from Apple's online store, and the first orders are set to arrive to customers on November 17.
Monday October 21, 2024 1:44 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.1 on Monday, October 28, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update marks the first significant step forward in Apple's AI integration, offering a new Siri contextually-aware experience and a range of additional capabilities powered by on-device machine learning and large language models. There are a ...
Monday October 21, 2024 8:21 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
The Wall Street Journal's Ben Cohen this summer interviewed Apple CEO Tim Cook about the Vision Pro, innovation, Apple Intelligence, and more. Image Credit: Vanity Fair Cook admitted that the Vision Pro headset is not a mass-market product due to its high price. "At $3,500, it's not a mass-market product," said Cook. "Right now, it's an early-adopter product. People who want to have...
Tuesday October 22, 2024 11:39 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released a new firmware update for the original AirPods Pro, the AirPods 2, the AirPods 3, and the Lightning version of the AirPods Max headphones. The new firmware is version 6F21, up from the prior 6A326 firmware that these devices were previously running. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but given that these are all older models, it is likely that the new...
Apple has abruptly reduced production of the Vision Pro headset and could stop making the current version of the device completely by the end of 2024, The Information reports. Citing multiple people "directly involved" in making components for the headset, the report says that the scaling back of production began in the early summer. This indicates that Apple now has a sufficient number of...
Wednesday October 23, 2024 6:55 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's Mac mini has long been a powerhouse in a compact form, offering impressive performance in a small package. With rumors swirling about a completely overhauled new model that is likely just days away from being announced, anticipation is building for what Apple has in store. From enhanced connectivity to major hardware upgrades, the upcoming Mac mini promises to bring significant...
Tuesday October 22, 2024 10:29 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Just a few hours after claiming that the first Macs with M4 chips are launching "very soon," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has followed up with a slightly more specific timeframe. In his latest social media post today, he said an "M4 Mac launch" is on Apple's schedule for next week, but he did not mention a specific day. A concept of a smaller Mac mini with front-facing USB-C ports "Busy week for...
Tuesday October 22, 2024 7:11 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple is planning to launch its first Macs with the M4 series of chips "very soon," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a social media post today, Gurman said these Macs will include new MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models specifically. He continues to expect the next Mac mini to feature a "revamped" design, in line with his previous reporting that said the new model will be nearly...
Monday October 21, 2024 10:59 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple may soon release new versions of the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad, according to code found in the iOS 18.1 release candidate by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. There are references to a new Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad 2, and several Magic Keyboards, which would include versions with Touch ID and number pads, as well as models without. While there is no...
Apple will release iOS 18.1 next week, introducing a suite of advanced hearing health capabilities to the AirPods Pro 2 and the first Apple Intelligence features. The timing of the update was confirmed by reviewers who were given early access to the AirPods Pro 2's new hearing health features, which are now known to be included in the update. The update will include three core features:...
Monday October 21, 2024 2:37 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Popular messaging app WhatsApp was today updated to add a new Home Screen widget that's specific to chats. The widget is available on the iPhone after updating to version 24.21.81, which came out this afternoon. After updating the widget can be added to the Home Screen using the Edit interface. Users can choose from Recents, Favorites, Pinned, or Frequently Contacted to get quick access to...
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are Apple's newest iPhones and follow last year's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, but how different are the two latest models, and what exactly does a "Pro" device offer?
