MacRumors

The upcoming iPhone 16 models may be equipped with an extra button, according to Weibo leaker Instant Digital, who has shared accurate details on Apple's plans in the past. Instant Digital claims that there is a "great chance" of getting an additional button, with Apple also planning to relocate the mmWave antenna to the left of the device instead of the right to accommodate the change.

The ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro Action Button will supposedly sit flush with the device, as Apple is expected to transition to solid-state technology for the button rather than the current standard button design.

Though changes are expected to the Action Button, the volume keys and the power keys are said to remain the same with no changes. These buttons are not solid-state at the current time, though Apple's plans could change.

The information shared by Instant Digital echoes details that MacRumors published in late September highlighting the extra button that is expected to come to the ‌iPhone 16‌. Apple is calling this button the "Capture Button" internally, but it continues to be unclear what exactly it will be used for. The button will be located under the power button on the right side of the device, and it will be a capacitive button rather than a standard button.

We also previously outlined the repositioning of the mmWave antenna to the space under the volume buttons, and the adoption of solid-state technology for the Action Button. Our sources have indicated that the new button is set to be introduced on all ‌iPhone 16‌ models, including the base ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus models.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of visionOS, the software that runs on the Vision Pro headset. The fourth beta came out in early October, so it has been nearly a month since Apple last released a visionOS update.

Only a limited number of developers have access to Vision Pro at this time, with the headsets used for app testing purposes. Most people do not have access to the visionOS beta, and it is not entirely clear what Apple is adding in each visionOS update. Apple has said that an App Store will be coming to visionOS soon, and it appears that it may be present in this fifth beta.

Apple is letting developers attend Vision Pro labs around the world, and developers who visit these locations are able to test the Vision Pro in person and get help from Apple engineers on their visionOS apps.

The Vision Pro headset is not expected until early 2024, so Apple still has several months to refine the hardware and software.

Belkin this week announced the launch of its latest charging product, the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock that is able to charge an iPhone and an Apple Watch at the same time.

Available in sand or charcoal colors, the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock has an adjustable ‌iPhone‌ charging mount that can be set to multiple viewing angles from 0 to 70 degrees. It is able to hold an ‌iPhone‌ at the correct landscape angle for StandBy to work, plus it can be positioned into a flat charger for charging devices like AirPods.

The BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock includes an official Apple MagSafe charger so it is able to charge compatible ‌MagSafe‌ iPhones at up to 15W. The Apple Watch charging puck is a fast charger so it is able to fast charge the Apple Watch Series 7 and later.

Belkin is selling the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock with a 30W USB-C power supply and a 5-foot braided USB-C cable that is color matched to the charger.

The BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock will be available for purchase from Apple starting on November 7. It is priced at $129.95.

Apple today released a new firmware update designed for the AirTag item trackers. The firmware features a build number of 2A61, up from the 2A36 firmware that came out last December.

It has been nearly a year since Apple updated the firmware on the AirTags, and there is no word yet on what might be included in the update.

Today's firmware release will be rolling out on a staggered basis. One percent of users will get the update today, and then it will expand to 10 percent of users on November 7. On November 14, an additional 25 percent of users will see the update, and then it will be available to all on November 28.

It is not possible to force an ‌AirTag‌ update, as it's something that's done over-the-air through a connected iPhone. To make sure the update happens, you can put your ‌AirTag‌ in range of your ‌‌iPhone‌‌, but you have to wait for the firmware to roll out to your device. You can check your current ‌AirTag‌ firmware version through the Find My app, with instructions available in our how to.

The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models announced on Monday are available in a new Space Black finish when configured with M3 Pro or M3 Max chips. Notably, Apple says this finish features an "anodization seal" to "greatly reduce fingerprints."

Apple already made the MacBook Air available in a darker Midnight finish, and it is considered by many to be a fingerprint magnet. Based on hands-on videos of the new MacBook Pro models shared following Apple's event, the new anti-fingerprint seal does appear to be an improvement compared to the MacBook Air, but more testing is needed.

In the hands-on video below, The Verge's Dan Seifert said "I got like 30 seconds to touch the new Space Black model, and yeah, I guess there are fewer fingerprints on it, but we'll really have to see how it holds up in the real world."

Six Colors editor-in-chief Jason Snell said the Space Black finish is "generally more resistant to fingerprints," but he said some fingerprints are still to be expected. He also said Space Black is more like a "dark gray" instead of actual black:

I got my greasy monkey paws on a Space Black laptop and can report that Apple's as good as its word in the sense that it seems generally more resistant to fingerprints and other smudges.

But I don't want to exaggerate this feature: you can still see fingerprints. They just aren't as prominent. This is a progressive improvement over something like the Midnight M2 MacBook Air, but it's not a cure-all.

Similarly, I need to warn you not to get too excited about Apple finally making a black MacBook Pro. Space Black is not actually as black as space. It's a dark gray. Yes, it's appreciably darker than the Space Gray on the current MacBook Pros (and the new base model), but it's still a shimmery metallic gray. Fans of Darth Vader stand down.

Another hands-on video from Brian Tong:

MobileSyrup's Patrick O'Rourke said "I have very greasy fingers and spent several minutes in the hands-on area trying to smudge the 'Space Black' colour — I couldn't."

Gizmodo's Kyle Barr said "I did have the chance to put my grubby hands on the newest M3-powered MacBook Pros, and while I didn't see many leftover smears on the surface, it didn't take long for Apple staff to swoop in with microfiber cloth in hand to remove any wayward stains," so testing will be needed outside of a controlled environment.

XDA's Brady Snyder on Space Black and fingerprints:

Though the changes to the M3 MacBook Pro were mostly internal, there's a new color called Space Black. It looks better in person than it did in Apple's unveiling, but it's still not black. I'd compare it to the black color of the iPhone 5 or the iPad mini 2. It's still nowhere near the black color we saw on the polycarbonate MacBooks in the mid-2000s. As you can see in the photos below, this MacBook can look lighter and darker based on lighting conditions, much like Apple's Midnight colorway. However, compared to that color, the MacBook Pro does seem to be less of a fingerprint magnet.

The new MacBook Pro models are available to order now, and most configurations will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7. Configurations with the M3 Max chip launch later in November.

Best Buy has become the first retailer to offer solid discounts on Apple's just-announced M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max MacBook Pros. Only My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total members can get these $100 discounts on the new computers. In total, this includes the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, 14-inch M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro, and 16-inch M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro.

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

If you don't have a membership, you can sign up for one on Best Buy's website. They start at $49.99 per year for My Best Buy Plus, providing you access to exclusive sales and events, free two-day shipping, extended 60-day return window on most products, and more.

Once you do have a membership, when you add the new 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro to your cart, you'll get an automatic $100 discount on the computer. When applied to the entry-level 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro (512GB), you can get this model for $1,499.00, down from $1,599.00. Remember that these are pre-orders ahead of the M3 MacBook Pro's launch on November 7.

We've begun tracking all of the season's best deals in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, so be sure to bookmark the page and visit it throughout the season as you do your online shopping. Our roundup mainly focuses on Apple products and related tech accessories.

Apple has shared a behind-the-scenes look at the video production of its recent "Scary Fast" M3 MacBook Pro event, which was shot entirely on iPhone 15 Pro Max and edited on Mac.

Titled "Behind the Scenes: An Apple Event" and running two minutes and 16 seconds, the video shared on YouTube reveals how footage was captured using multiple iPhone 15 Pro Max devices, with the production team utilizing integration between iPhone 15 Pro, the Blackmagic Camera app, and Tentacle Sync.

Connected via Bluetooth, Tentacle Sync drives timecode and enables all devices on set — including Macs and preview screens — to be synced throughout the production. Beastgrip accessories, including cages and rigs, were also used during the production, as well as cranes, dollies, gimbals, and drones.

Interview clips with the directors, producers, and editors explain how the capabilities of the iPhone 15 Pro allowed them to work effectively with low light conditions, which is traditionally a bit more challenging for a standard video camera.

The production was advised by Apple's Jon Carr, a Pro Workflow video specialist whose credits include Top Gun: Maverick and Terminator: Dark Fate, and Jeff Wozniak, who has worked on productions including Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Avatar, and Iron Man 2.

"When I first got the footage from iPhone 15 Pro Max, I was immediately pleasantly surprised," said Stefan Sonnenfeld, Company 3's CEO, who colored the presentation and has worked on projects including Stranger Things, The Equalizer 3, and Fast X. "The quality of the image on iPhone 15 Pro Max is incredible, and it's there. And I know because I've done it and I've seen it, and we're doing this project with it."

The video specialists also espoused the benefits of being able to shoot directly to external storage and use Apple Log to access more dynamic range in post production.

The ‌‌iPhone 15‌ Pro‌ and iPhone 15 Pro Max models feature an improved camera system, including a main camera with a larger sensor, a new coating to reduce lens flare, optical image stabilization, and better low light performance for Portraits and Night mode.

Google Chrome users on the iPhone can now opt to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the ‌iPhone‌'s display, mirroring a design change that Apple implemented in Safari last year.

Chrome for iOS can be customized to have the URL bar at the top or the bottom of the interface depending on where the user prefers it to be. Google says this is a feature that Chrome users have been requesting for quite some time.

To move the Chrome address bar, long press on it and then choose the "Move address bar to the bottom" option. Users can also navigate to the Settings menu and choose "address bar" to change the bar's position.

The 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro has been discontinued in the wake of the announcement of the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Because of this, we're tracking a few last-chance deals on the previous generation computer that should be enticing for anyone who wants to purchase the last MacBook Pro to get a Touch Bar before they're gone forever.

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

Best Buy has the 256GB 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro for $1,049.00, down from $1,299.00. This $250 discount is available in both Space Gray and Silver. Amazon is matching this sale, but only in the Space Gray color.

You'll find the same $250 discount on the 512GB 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro at Best Buy. This model is on sale for $1,249.00 in both colors, down from $1,499.00. Amazon is not matching this sale.

We've begun tracking all of the season's best deals in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, so be sure to bookmark the page and visit it throughout the season as you do your online shopping. Our roundup mainly focuses on Apple products and related tech accessories.

At its "Scary Fast" event, Apple announced new 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and 24-inch iMac models with M3 series chips. It was a very quick and tidy 30-minute event, with no other products or surprises revealed.

Below, we have listed some rumored products that were not announced at the event.

Magic Accessories With USB-C

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple's event would likely include updated versions of the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad for the Mac with USB-C ports for charging, but the accessories are still equipped with Lightning.

iPads

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Gurman both ruled out new iPads for the rest of 2023, and this event indeed lacked any iPad announcements.

MacRumors had discovered that an Apple supplier resubmitted a sixth-generation iPad mini battery filing in a Chinese regulatory database last week, but this ultimately did not relate to a seventh-generation iPad mini at the event.

Gurman said Apple does not plan to introduce new iPads until March 2024 or later.

iMac Pro

While the Intel-based iMac Pro was discontinued in 2021, there have been rumors about an eventual Apple silicon replacement ever since.

Earlier this month, Gurman said Apple still has plans to release a larger pro version of the iMac with a 32-inch display in either late 2024 or in 2025. It's unclear which chips this Mac would be equipped with. On a speculative basis, it could use the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips announced yesterday, or perhaps even an upcoming M3 Ultra chip, but Apple might be on to the M4 series of chips by time the new iMac Pro is announced.

Kuo said the new iMac Pro will feature mini-LED backlighting.

MacBook Air and Mac Mini

To be clear, new MacBook Air and Mac mini models were not expected to be announced at this event, but they are worth mentioning given that they will likely use the same M3 or M3 Pro chips that were announced yesterday.

Gurman expects updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the standard M3 chip to be released in the first half of 2024. He also said Apple is already working on a new Mac mini, but he did not provide a launch timeframe.

AirPower

Just kidding.

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C are available for the all-time low price of $189.99 today on Amazon, down from $249.00. This is a match of the previous low price that we tracked during Prime Day earlier in the month.

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

Amazon is the only retailer offering this record low price as of writing, and there's an estimated delivery window of November 2 through November 5 for most places in the United States. The deal has been automatically applied, so you won't need to clip any coupon.

There are a few minor changes to the AirPods Pro 2 besides the addition of USB-C, including additional dust resistance and support for lossless audio with the Vision Pro headset. Apple doesn't sell the USB-C/MagSafe Charging Case separately, so if you want USB-C support you'll have to purchase a full new set of earbuds.

We're seeing a lot of AirPods-related deals on Amazon as we head into November, including the AirPods 2 for $99.00 ($30 off), AirPods 3 for $149.99 ($19 off), AirPods Pro 2 (Lightning) for $189.00 ($60 off), and the AirPods Max for $479.99 ($69 off).

We've begun tracking all of the season's best deals in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, so be sure to bookmark the page and visit it throughout the season as you do your online shopping. Our roundup mainly focuses on Apple products and related tech accessories.

Just over seven years after it was introduced, the Touch Bar has now been fully discontinued on all new MacBooks sold by Apple, marking the end of an era for a hardware feature that was loved by some users and derided by others.

The first MacBook Pro models with the Touch Bar were released in October 2016, as part of a controversial redesign that also included a defective butterfly keyboard and the removal of many ports, including an SD card slot, HDMI, and MagSafe. Physical function and Esc keys were also removed in favor of the Touch Bar.

Apple initially described the Touch Bar as a "revolutionary" and "breakthrough" interface, but it was clearly not popular enough to stick around.

It was a slow death for the Touch Bar:

• In 2019, Apple released the first 16-inch MacBook Pro with a physical Esc key, but the Touch Bar lived on in place of physical function keys.
• In 2021, Apple removed the Touch Bar from higher-end MacBook Pro models, switching back to full-size physical function keys.
• This week, Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the final model with a Touch Bar.

For now, the Touch Bar can still be found on some refurbished models sold by Apple.

It's possible that the Touch Bar could return at some point in the future, especially if the 13-inch MacBook Pro is ever re-released as a lower-cost model, but at this point there is no firm evidence to suggest this will happen.

Apple's new M3 14-inch MacBook Pro features two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, not three Thunderbolt 4 ports like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by M3 Pro and M3 Max chips.

Apart from having fewer USB-C ports, the lack of Thunderbolt 4 support on the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the base M3 chip means it only supports one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, or one display with up to 4K resolution at 120Hz over HDMI.

In comparison, like the M2 Pro chip it replaces, the M3 Pro supports up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt. The M3 Pro-powered MacBook Pro models also support one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI.

Meanwhile, the M3 Max supports up to four external displays in the following configuration: Up to three external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI.

Alternatively, M3 Max MacBook Pro models can support up to three external displays by connecting two displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz, or one display with 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

Lastly, both the M3 Pro and M3 Max also support native DisplayPort over USB-C, and one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

The new MacBook Pro models are available to order now, and they will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7. Be sure to check out our MacBook Pro announcement coverage for all the details.

Apple's latest M3 Pro chip in the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro has 25% less memory bandwidth than the M1 Pro and M2 Pro chips used in equivalent models from the two previous generations.

Based on the latest 3-nanometer technology and featuring all-new GPU architecture, the M3 series of chips is said to represent the fastest and most power-efficient evolution of Apple silicon thus far. For example, the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro chip is up to 40% faster than the 16-inch model with M1 Pro, according to Apple.

However, looking at Apple's own hardware specifications, the M3 Pro system on a chip (SoC) features 150GB/s memory bandwidth, compared to 200GB/s on the earlier M1 Pro and M2 Pro. As for the M3 Max, Apple says it is capable of "up to 400GB/s." This wording is because the less pricey scaled-down M3 Max with 14-core CPU and 30-core GPU has only 300GB/s of memory bandwidth, whereas the equivalent scaled-down M2 Max with 12-core CPU and 30-core GPU featured 400GB/s bandwidth, just like its more powerful 12‑core CPU, 38‑core GPU version.

Notably, Apple has also changed the core ratios of the higher-tier M3 Pro chip compared to its direct predecessor. The M3 Pro with 12-core CPU has 6 performance cores (versus 8 performance cores on the 12-core M2 Pro) and 6 efficiency cores (versus 4 efficiency cores on the 12-core M2 Pro), while the GPU has 18 cores (versus 19 on the equivalent M2 Pro chip).

Additionally, while the M3 chip's 16-core Neural Engine has the same number of cores as the one Apple featured in the 3nm-based A17 Pro chip that debuted in the iPhone 15 Pro series in September, it's comparatively weaker on paper in terms of maximum achievable throughput, which is measured in trillions of operations per second (TOPS).

According to Apple, the M3 Neural Engine is capable of 18 TOPS, whereas the A17 Pro Neural Engine is capable of 35 TOPS. It's hard to say for certain, but it is possible that the iPhone 15 Pro requires a higher performing Neural Engine for features like computational photography and Face ID, whereas the M3 can compensate in other areas like machine learning by utilizing its additional GPU cores.

Taken together, it's presently unclear what real-world difference these changes make to M3 performance when pitted against Apple's equivalent precursor chips in various usage scenarios, especially given that the latest processors include new Dynamic Caching memory allocation technology which ensures that only the exact amount of memory needed is used for each task.

This opaqueness is not helped by the fact that Apple advertises the power of the new M3 Pro and M3 Max chips by repeatedly emphasizing comparisons to the M1 Pro and M1 Max, rather than the more recent M2 variants, against which performance gains appear more modest. Hopefully we will learn more in time when the first thoroughgoing third-party benchmarks become available.

The new MacBook Pro models are available to order now, and they will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7. Be sure to check out our MacBook Pro announcement coverage for all the details.

The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models announced by Apple today feature 20% brighter displays for standard content, according to Apple.

Apple's tech specs for the laptops indicate that all of the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models provide up to 600 nits of peak brightness for SDR content, which is a 20% increase over the 500 nits maximum on the previous models. For HDR content, all of the models can achieve peak brightness of up to 1,600 nits, which is unchanged.

"The Liquid Retina XDR display is the world's best laptop display, with an exceptional 1000 nits sustained and 1600 nits of peak brightness for HDR content, impressive contrast ratio, vivid colors, and an outstanding viewing angle," said Apple. "SDR content is now displayed at up to 600 nits, which is 20 percent brighter than before."

The new MacBook Pro models are available to order starting today, and they will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7. Read our MacBook Pro announcement coverage for more details about the laptops.

Apple's "Scary Fast" 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time event was over in the blink of an eye, but if you missed it because of the unusual time, we have a quick overview of everything that Apple announced. If you want to watch the video in full, it only lasted a half an hour, because all Apple introduced was the new M3-series chips in MacBook Pro machines and iMacs.

We've recapped everything that you need to know in this super quick video you can watch before bed or catch in the morning, and we've also rounded up our coverage of the event.

MacBook Pro

• Apple Announces New 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Models With M3 Series Chips
• Apple Unveils New Space Black MacBook Pro Color for M3 Pro and M3 Max
• New M3 MacBook Pro and iMac Models Now Available for Purchase
• Apple's New MacBooks With M3 Chips Offer Up to 22 Hours of Battery Life
• 16-Inch M3 Max MacBook Pro Now Costs $7,200 With All Upgrades
• New 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pros Feature 20% Brighter Displays

iMac

• Apple Announces New iMac With M3 Chip
• M3 iMac Gains More Maximum Memory, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3

Everything Else

• Apple Event Live Blog: MacBook Pro and iMac Updated With New M3 Chip Family
• Apple Discontinues 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
• Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse Still Feature Lightning Instead of USB-C
• Apple's USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable Now Available to Order in Space Black

The M3 iMac and ‌MacBook Pro‌ models can be ordered now, with the first orders set to ship out to customers next week. The M3 and M3 Pro machines will be available immediately, while M3 Max machines will ship out later in November.

Apple's top-of-the-line 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro costs $7,200 when you opt for all upgrades. Pricing used to top out at $6,499, but with support for 128GB Unified Memory, maximum memory now costs $1,000.

The highest-end 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ has a base cost of $4,000 with 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 48GB Unified memory, and 1TB SSD. Fully upgrading the memory costs $1,000, while opting for an 8TB SSD adds another $2,200. The 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ can be purchased with the same upgraded specs for $6,899.

128GB Unified Memory is only available with the M3 Max chip. The M3 chip is limited to 24GB Unified Memory like the M2 chip, while the ‌M2‌ Pro supports up to 36GB Unified Memory.

The new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models can be ordered now from Apple's online store. The M3 and M3 Pro models will ship out to customers next week, while the M3 Max models will be coming later in November.

Apple's 24-inch iMac has been updated with the new M3 chip that offers notable speed improvements over the prior M1, but as it has not been refreshed since 2021, there are also a few other new features.

The machine's design has not been updated, and it comes in the same colors, but the more advanced M3 chip allows the 24-inch ‌iMac‌ to be outfitted with up to 24GB Unified Memory, up from the 16GB maximum in the ‌M1‌ version.

Apple has also added Wi-Fi 6E support to allow the ‌iMac‌ to connect to 6GHz networks, and it supports the Bluetooth 5.3 protocol for improved connectivity and range.

The M3 ‌iMac‌ still comes in two-port and four-port varieties with the latter featuring an extra two USB 3 ports. The two-port model has an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, while the four-port model has an 8-core GPU and 10-core GPU. The version with more ports also supports up to 2TB of storage, while the two-port model is limited to 1TB.

Pricing on the M3 ‌iMac‌ starts at $1,299 for the two Thunderbolt port model, while the model with two Thunderbolt ports and two USB 3 ports is priced starting at $1,499. Apple is accepting orders today, with the new machines set to arrive to customers next week.