Top Stories: Redesigned MacBook Pro in 2021, MagSafe Duo Released, HomePod Mini vs. Competition

You'd think news and rumors would be settling down a bit as we get into December, but that certainly wasn't the case this week as we saw quite a bit of both. On the rumor front, the big one was a fresh report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterating that Apple is planning for two redesigned MacBook Pro models next year featuring Apple Silicon and Mini-LED displays, with Mini-LED trickling down the MacBook Air in 2022.

Top Stories 38 Feature

MacRumors also obtained an internal memo for Apple service providers suggesting we could see some new hardware launched next Tuesday via press release. On the news side, Apple's MagSafe Duo Charger has finally launched, and we've gone hands-on with both the new charger and Apple's new Leather Sleeve for the iPhone 12 lineup. Read on below for details on these stories and more from the past week!

Two Redesigned MacBook Pros With Apple Silicon and Mini-LED Displays Expected in 2021, Followed by New MacBook Air in 2022

Apple plans to release two redesigned MacBook Pro models with Apple Silicon and Mini-LED displays in 2021, according to reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. He also expects a new MacBook Air with Apple Silicon and a Mini-LED display to launch in 2022, but it is unclear if it will sport a new design.

16 inch MBP Mini Led
Kuo has previously claimed that the two MacBook Pros will be new 14-inch and 16-inch models set to launch in the late second quarter to third quarter of next year. Apple already announced that it plans to transition its entire Mac lineup to Apple Silicon within around two years, with other rumored models in the pipeline including a redesigned 24-inch iMac and a new Mac Pro that looks like the current design at about half the size.

Apple released the first three Macs with its custom M1 chip last month, including a new MacBook Air, low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. Apple said the chip delivers industry-leading performance per watt, as proven by impressive benchmarks and real-world usage tests.

Mini-LED backlighting has been long rumored for the Mac, and would deliver many of the same benefits as OLED displays on some other Apple devices, including higher brightness, improved contrast ratio, and increased power efficiency versus a traditional LCD. At least one upcoming iPad Pro model is also rumored to feature Mini-LED technology.

MagSafe Duo Charger for iPhone 12 and Apple Watch Now Available for Purchase

After being previewed at Apple’s iPhone 12 event in September, the MagSafe Duo wireless charger is now available for purchase on Apple.com, in the Apple Store app, and at select Apple Store locations. We've already gone hands-on with the new charger, so make sure to check out our video for our early impressions.

magsafe duo out now feature 2
Priced at $129, the MagSafe Duo features a MagSafe charger and an Apple Watch charger embedded side by side in a foldable accessory, with power supplied by an included Lightning to USB-C cable. However, like the latest iPhones, Apple’s recommended 20W power adapter is not included in the box and must be purchased separately for $19 if needed.

It's worth noting that the ‌MagSafe‌ Duo is not able to charge iPhone 12 models at the full 15W supported by the standalone ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and is instead limited to a maximum of 14W when paired with a 27W or higher USB-C power adapter, according to Apple.

MagSafe Duo is compatible with all iPhones that support wireless charging, including the iPhone 8 and newer, in addition to every generation of the Apple Watch and AirPods/AirPods Pro with a wireless charging case.

AppleCare Memo Hints at Potential Hardware Announcement Next Tuesday

In an internal memo this week, obtained by MacRumors, Apple informed service providers that it has AppleCare-related changes planned for Tuesday, December 8 at approximately 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Specifically, Apple has advised technicians to prepare for new product SKUs and related descriptions/pricing updates.

possible tuesday event feature
Apple has issued nearly identical memos ahead of several previous product announcements, and 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time has been a common time for Apple to issue press releases introducing new products, so there could be a potential hardware announcement from Apple next Tuesday.

Last month, cryptic-yet-reliable Twitter user "L0vetodream" tweeted that there will be a "Christmas surprise from Apple," but it remains unclear which product(s) might be announced next Tuesday, if any. There have been countless rumors about Apple's item tracking AirTags, AirPods-branded over-ear headphones, and a new Apple TV with a gaming controller, but it is unclear if any of these products are ready to launch before the end of 2020.

Any announcement would almost certainly come via press release, as Apple is not expected to host any more events this year.

$99 Speaker Showdown: HomePod Mini vs. Amazon Echo and Google Nest Audio

Apple recently released the HomePod mini, and its $99 price tag makes it more competitive with affordable smart speakers from Amazon and Google.

homepod mini nest audio amazon echo
‌Many reviewers and customers have praised the HomePod mini's high-quality sound at its price point, so in a recent hands-on video, we thought we'd compare it to Google's Nest Audio and Amazon's Echo to see how it measures up in terms of sound quality, design, and smarts.

Hands-On With the Leather Sleeve for iPhone 12 Models

Apple this year came out with a handful of accessories for the new iPhone 12 models, and in addition to the standard Silicone and Leather cases, there's also a new Leather Sleeve that recently went on sale.

leather sleeve iphone 12 thumb
We picked up one of the Leather Sleeves to check it out to see if it's worth the $129 that Apple is charging. The Leather Sleeve is available for the ‌iPhone 12‌, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, and 12 mini, with all of the Sleeves priced the same.

Also see our hands-on video with Apple's new MagSafe Wallet from last month.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Top Rated Comments

ccsicecoke Avatar
30 months ago
about time to put back SD card reader
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Skika Avatar
30 months ago
I want Airtags!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yegon Avatar
30 months ago

So lets guess that the AirTags will charge wirelessly. Any bets on if any of Apple's current chargers will work?

Yes, Magsafe, but only on Tuesday & Thursdays with a 90W charger.

And it'll stain the AirTags.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
theISHkid Avatar
30 months ago

Do you think next year's Macbook Pro 14 will be a complete super cool re-design or they will just trimmed the bezels like they did for the 16 ?
It will be the same boring design we've seen for 6 years with a darker grey/black option. But it will probably have one less usb-c and they'll take away the headphone jack.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Skika Avatar
30 months ago

about time to put back SD card reader
not happening
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pauloregan Avatar
30 months ago
Can someone put a Tile tracker on these AirTags. We need to know where they are.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Leak Reveals Unified Volume Button and Mute Button

Monday March 20, 2023 8:33 am PDT by
As previously rumored, the next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a unified volume button and a mute button, according to leaked CAD images shared in a video on the Chinese version of TikTok and posted to Twitter by ShrimpApplePro. Instead of separate buttons for volume up and volume down, the iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have a single elongated button for...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
voice isolation

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:01 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today. Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa. Voice...
original iphone auction

Factory-Sealed Original iPhone Sells for $55,000 at Auction

Friday March 17, 2023 1:08 pm PDT by
A first-generation iPhone still sealed inside its box sold for $54,904 at auction, which is more than $54,000 over the original $599 price tag of the device when it was released in 2007. The original iPhone was put up for sale by RR Auction on behalf of a former Apple employee who purchased it back when it first came out. Back in February, an original, sealed iPhone sold for over $63,000,...
airpodsd 3 purple 4

iOS 16.4 Seemingly References New AirPods and AirPods Case

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:43 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 release candidate version that was provided to developers today appears to hint at a new set of AirPods that could be coming in the near future. According to @aaronp613, the beta features references to AirPods that have a model number of A3048 and an AirPods case with a model number of A2968. There have been no rumors that new AirPods are on the horizon, and it is early for...
iOS 16

Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 to Developers [Update: Public RC Available]

Tuesday March 21, 2023 10:25 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the launch of the fourth betas. The RCs mark the final version of the software that will be provided to the public in the near future. Registered developers are able to download the iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 updates...
google bard

Google Opens Up Access to Bard AI Chatbot

Tuesday March 21, 2023 4:23 pm PDT by
Google today began allowing users to sign up to use Bard, its AI-powered chatbot that rivals Microsoft's Bing chatbot. First announced back in February, Bard is an experimental conversational AI service for Google Search. Those interested in Bard can join Google's waitlist to get access, and some users have reported getting invitation emails just hours after signing up. There are a long list ...
smart monitor m8 samsung

Deals: Samsung's iMac-Like Smart Monitor M8 Drops to Lowest Price of Year So Far With $250 Discount

Monday March 20, 2023 8:27 am PDT by
Samsung today kicked off a special "Discover Samsung" event, which will be a week-long savings event focusing on Samsung monitors, smartphones, TVs, appliances, and more. While some deals will stick around the entire week (through March 26), others will refresh every day. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...