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The price on Apple's 11-inch M2 iPad Pro (128GB Wi-Fi) has continued to slip throughout the month, and it's now down to a new all-time low price of $729.00 on Amazon, from $799.00. This time it's only available in Silver at this price, and besides Amazon you can find the sale at B&H Photo.

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.

This version of the M2 iPad Pro remains one of the only models that we've seen get a notable discount. These tablets were just updated last month and come with the M2 chip, Apple Pencil's hover feature, Wi-Fi 6E, and more features.

We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2022.

Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a USB-C port with support for at least USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, which would give the devices a significant speed advantage over existing models.

Thunderbolt 3 theoretically offers bandwidth of up to 40 Gbps, while the Lightning connector has USB 2.0 speeds of up to 480 Mbps on all existing iPhones. Even with real-world performance limitations, an iPhone 15 Pro with a Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C port would offer significantly faster data transfer speeds with a Thunderbolt cable, making it much quicker to get large files on and off of the iPhone, such as 48-megapixel ProRAW photos.

Even if the iPhone 15 Pro models only get USB 3.2 support, that would mean theoretical transfer speeds of between 5 Gbps and 20 Gbps depending on the exact specification, which would still be significantly faster than Lightning.

Most iPads with USB-C ports already offer faster transfer speeds. iPad Pro models with the M1 chip and newer support Thunderbolt 3 for bandwidth of up to 40 Gbps, the fifth-generation iPad Air is capable of 10 Gbps, and the fourth-generation iPad Air and latest iPad mini are capable of up to 5 Gbps. The sole exception is the new 10th-generation standard iPad with a USB-C port, which remains limited to USB 2.0 speeds.

Like the 10th-generation iPad, Kuo said the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will remain limited to USB 2.0 speeds, despite switching to a USB-C port. AirDrop would remain an option for faster wireless data transfers on these devices.

Popular password management service 1Password today confirmed that it will begin supporting passkeys in early 2023, allowing users to sign in to supported websites and apps without a password. Instead, biometric authentication on trusted devices is used to confirm your identity, and removing passwords from the equation means they can not be compromised or phished.

Apple rolled out support for passkeys in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, tvOS 16, and macOS Ventura, using iCloud Keychain to sync across devices for ease of use and redundancy. Apple has been working with members of the FIDO Alliance, including Google and Microsoft, to ensure interoperability of passkeys, and Apple's implementation of passkeys will be able to work with non-Apple devices by using your iPhone to scan a QR code and authenticate.

1Password contends that its implementation of passkeys is superior to single-ecosystem ones like Apple's, as 1Password's passkeys can work anywhere 1Password does rather than having to rely on workarounds like QR-code scanning.

For 1Password users interested in seeing how passkeys work, the company has set up a demo on its website that requires a 1Password account and the latest version of the 1Password extension for Chrome or Edge. Support for Safari and Firefox has yet to be rolled out. 1Password also maintains a directory of websites and apps that have already started supporting passkeys, including Google, Microsoft, Twitter, eBay, Best Buy, GitHub, and more.

1Password says full support for passkeys will be coming to its browser extensions and desktop apps in early 2023, with mobile support to follow later.

Alongside its Black Friday promotion announcement, Apple today also released its holiday shipping guide in the United States and other countries that outlines deadlines for customers looking to order gifts for arrival by December 24.

As we noted yesterday, shipping estimates for iPhone 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max have already slipped past Christmas in the U.S. after Apple issued a shipment warning about those models. Production of ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max has been hampered due to to COVID-19 restrictions at the Foxconn factory where the devices are primarily assembled.

All of Apple's other main products remain available for Christmas delivery at this time, with the earliest other deadlines in the U.S. being November 30 for iPad mini and third-generation AirPods.

Customers looking to order AirTags will need to do so by December 9 if they wish to have them engraved or December 14 without engraving, while most other products are expected to be readily available with orders through December 21 arriving in time for Christmas. Customers in areas with Apple Stores may even be able to order for in-store pickup or two-hour delivery as late as Christmas Eve.

Apple may update the deadlines on this page in the coming weeks as it assesses product availability, so it pays to keep an eye on it and ensure you order in plenty of time to receive your items in time for the holidays.

Apple's extended return policy is also now in effect, allowing items purchased in most countries between November 4 and December 25 to be returned through January 8, 2023. Select countries have a longer window with items purchased between November 4 and January 6 able to be returned through January 20, 2023.

Amazon has Apple's AirPods 3 with Lightning Charging Case for $139.99 today, down from $169.00. This is an all-time low price on this model of the AirPods 3, and as of writing only Amazon is offering the deal.

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.

Shipping for the AirPods 3 is delayed by a few weeks right now, with delivery windows around mid-December. You can still lock in this all-time low price today and guarantee Christmas delivery, with the likelihood that Amazon will ship out sooner once more stock arrives.

Readers should note that the model of the AirPods 3 on sale comes with the wired Lightning Charging Case, which was introduced this past September. As of now, we're not tracking any sales on the AirPods 3 with MagSafe Charging Case.

There are numerous early Black Friday sales happening this week, including $20 off the HomePod mini from Verizon. Otherwise, you can find the Best Early Black Friday Deals on Apple TV 4K, AirPods, iPad, and more in our dedicated article.

We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2022.

Update: this deal has now expired.

Apple today released a new "Share the Joy" holiday ad highlighting the ability to share audio with AirPods Pro. The ad revolves around two people listening to the song "PUFF" by Bhavi and Bizarrap as they run around a city wearing AirPods Pro.

Throughout the 90-second video, various objects and eventually the couple themselves vanish into a cloud of snow, as part of the holiday theme. Should this be Apple's annual holiday ad, it represents a change of pace from more heartfelt editions in the past and is instead more upbeat with hip-hop music and fast transitions.

"Share the joy of the holidays with Audio Sharing on AirPods Pro," says Apple, in the video description. Audio sharing is compatible with all AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max models, as well as select Beats headphones. To share audio, connect AirPods to an iPhone or iPad, tap the AirPlay icon in Control Center, and tap on Share Audio.

As the holiday shopping season gets underway, Apple has announced its annual Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event, offering customers a free Apple gift card with the purchase of select products. Apple's extended holiday return policy is also in effect, with most items purchased since November 4 eligible for return until early January.

The latest beta of iOS 16.2, released to developers and public beta testers earlier this week, has addressed long-standing issues faced by iPhone 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro customers that cause system animations to lag and stutter when closing and switching between apps, unlocking the phone, and across other instances on iOS 16.

Seemingly originating from the initial release of iOS 16, some ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro users have experienced animations stuttering on iOS and not running at 120Hz. None of the subsequent iOS 16 updates have yet addressed the issue, including iOS 16.1 released last month. But, the latest beta of iOS 16.2 has improved the performance of animations and the stuttering, according to user reports on the MacRumors Forums and Reddit.

The issue seems to impact ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro models the most as they have ProMotion displays, allowing them to run up to 120Hz. However, some users of other ‌iPhone‌ models have also reported similar experiences, so it appears to impact several different ‌iPhone‌ models.

Apple is expected to release iOS 16.2 to the general public in mid-December with several new features, including new customization options for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro's always-on display, new Lock Screen widgets, and more. Check out our recent coverage of at least eight new features coming to the iPhone with iOS 16.2 later next month.

Verizon today introduced one of the first big Black Friday discounts of the season, offering a rare low price on Apple's HomePod mini. You can get the smart speaker for $79.99 in all colors, down from $99.99, and you don't need to be a Verizon customer to get this deal.

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

Although we have seen the HomePod mini drop to lower prices in the past, any discounts on the accessory have been supremely rare in the last year; in 2022 alone, we only tracked prices below $89.99 once or twice. This makes Verizon's offer quite valuable for anyone who's been waiting for any sale on the HomePod mini this holiday season.

We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2022.

Apple today announced it will hold a special "Apple Shopping Event" between Black Friday on November 25 and Cyber Monday on November 28 where customers will be eligible to get a gift card when they purchase select products.

The eligible products are as follows:

• iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone SE: Up to a $50 gift card
• Second-generation AirPods Pro, second-generation AirPods, third-generation AirPods with Lightning Charging Case, AirPods Max: Up to a $75 gift card
• Apple Watch SE: Up to a $50 gift card
• Entry-level iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air: Up to a $50 gift card
• MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac: Up to a $250 gift card
• Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio, second-generation Apple Pencil, MagSafe Duo Charger: Up to a $50 gift card
• Studio3 Wireless, Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats Pro, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Buds, Beats Flex: Up to a $50 gift card

Customers trading in their current device for a new product may still be eligible for a gift card. The event will run for four days and will be available through Apple's online store in the United States, the United Kingdom, and select other countries.

The HomePod mini was released to customers two years ago this week, marking the first addition to the HomePod family since the original speaker launched in 2018. Two years after its release, the ‌HomePod‌ lineup has remained relatively stagnant, but that's set to change in 2023.

When Apple announced the ‌HomePod mini‌ in October 2020, the original full-sized ‌HomePod‌ remained in the lineup. In March 2021, however, Apple discontinued the full-sized HomePod, saying it wanted to dedicate more time to the ‌HomePod mini‌. The ‌HomePod mini‌ addressed several of the biggest concerns from customers about the original ‌HomePod‌, including size and price. Unlike the original ‌HomePod‌, the ‌HomePod mini‌ costs $99 and comes in a wider variety of color options.

Now, as the ‌HomePod mini‌ turns two, we look to the future and what Apple has in store.

Resurrection of Full-Sized HomePod

The biggest ‌HomePod‌ news we're expecting in the near future is a resurrection of the original full-sized ‌HomePod‌. When Apple discontinued the original ‌HomePod‌, many speculated the reason for the decision came down to the ‌HomePod‌'s $299 price tag and its lack of features, which led to lackluster sales.

For 2023, Apple is expected to launch an updated version of the full-sized ‌HomePod‌ it discontinued to fill the current gap in the ‌HomePod‌ lineup. The newer ‌HomePod‌ is rumored to feature the S8 chip from the Apple Watch Series 8, providing faster performance for Siri requests and different features.

Other features could include a larger multi-touch display at the top, but the overall form factor and design are expected to stay the same. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the new ‌HomePod‌ to launch in the first quarter of next year.

An Updated HomePod mini

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple could update the ‌HomePod mini‌ in the near future, but specific details are unknown. The current ‌HomePod mini‌ is powered by the S5 chip, the same chip found in the Apple Watch Series 5 and the first-generation Apple Watch SE. In a hypothetical update, Apple could include a newer and faster chip, allowing for faster processing of ‌Siri‌ requests and features like Handoff.

Apple TV and HomePod Combo

A ‌HomePod‌ product that's still under early development is an Apple TV and ‌HomePod‌ combo, according to Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌. Gurman reports that Apple is developing a ‌HomePod‌ speaker that includes the functionality of the ‌Apple TV‌, offering an all-in-one TV entertainment system with a display. The product is also reported to have a camera, possibly allowing for FaceTime and video calls. No other details are known at this time as the product launch is likely a while away, assuming it launches at all.

What would you like to see in a future ‌HomePod‌ product? Let us know in the comments below.

Microsoft is offering members of its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate program a three-month free trial of Apple TV+ and Apple Music before the holiday season.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate typically costs $14.99 and comes with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks, which offers subscribers discounts, and special offers for a wide range of services, apps, and games. In its latest bonus, Microsoft, in partnership with Apple, is giving Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers three months free of ‌Apple TV‌+ and ‌Apple Music‌. The promotion is valid until March 31, 2023. More information on the promotion can be found on Xbox's website.

Earlier this week, Qualcomm announced its latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile chip and platform, promising to "revolutionize flagship smartphones" with "groundbreaking" experiences. The new chip is expected to launch in flagship Android smartphones later this year, but benchmarks suggest it cannot compete with Apple's A16 Bionic chip, which powers iPhone 14 Pro models.

While the latest chip won't officially ship in smartphones for a few months, Geekbench scores for the chip have already been spotted in an unreleased Android handset. According to the results (via DealNTech), the latest Snapdragon 8 chip scored 1483 in single-core and 4709 in multi-core. The A16 Bionic scored 1874 in single-core and 5372 in multi-core. For comparison, the A15 Bionic chip, found in the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and the lower-end ‌iPhone‌ 14 models, also scored higher than Qualcomm's latest chip with 1709 in single-core compared to 1483.

In a press release for the new chip, Qualcomm said it will "define a new standard for connected computing, intelligently engineered with groundbreaking AI across the board to enable extraordinary experiences." Qualcomm's senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets, Chris Patrick, said, "Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will revolutionize the landscape of flagship smartphones in 2023."

Compared to the first-generation Snapdragon 8 chip, Qualcomm says the newer platform offers a 35% increase in CPU performance, a 25% increase in GPU performance, and an increase in power efficiency. In 2020, Apple's A14 Bionic and even the A13 Bionic chip from the year earlier beat Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chip that launched on Android devices last year.

The A16 Bionic chip in the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro, like the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, is built on TSMC's 4nm process, and both offer improved performance and energy efficiency. The A16 Bionic chip features 16 billion transistors, a 6-core CPU, a 5-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. "The competition is still working to catch up to the performance of the A13, which we first introduced with ‌iPhone‌ 11 three years ago," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, during the Apple event in September.

India is making progress on a government proposal that would enforce a standard charger, USB-C, across all smartphones, tablets, and laptops, following in the footsteps of the EU, which just recently passed a similar law.

In a government press release, India's Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution secretary, Rohit Kumar Singh, said different government and private agencies held a meeting and a "broad consensus emerged among stakeholders on adoption of USB Type – C as a charging port for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc." The press release added: "Further, it was deliberated that a different charging port may be adopted for feature phones."

India's consideration of mandating a common charger across consumer devices was previously reported on in August, however, it seems the government is moving forward with its proposal after initially saying it would explore the possibility of such a law.

If India does move forward with the proposed plan, it will follow in the European Union's footsteps, which recently passed a law that mandates USB-C across a wide range of consumer electronic devices by 2024. Apple's vice president of worldwide marketing, Greg Joswiak, said in a recent event that Apple would have to comply with the EU's new law, indirectly confirming the iPhone will adopt USB-C in the near future.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes all ‌iPhone‌ 15 models will ditch the Lightning port in favor of USB-C, but only the higher-end models of the 2023 ‌iPhone‌ lineup will benefit from faster transfer speeds.

The iPhone 15 Pro models that are planned for next year will support higher wired transfer speeds thanks to the transition to USB-C, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

While all ‌iPhone‌ 15 models are going to feature USB-C ports instead of Lightning ports, the faster transfer speeds will be limited to the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro models. Standard ‌iPhone‌ 15 models will continue to feature USB 2.0 speeds, the same as Lightning.

Kuo says that transfer speeds will likely "improve markedly" on the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro models, with support for "at least" USB 3.2 or Thunderbolt 3. With the upgrade, ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro models will be able to transfer video files and other file types at quicker speeds, with Kuo predicting a significantly improved user experience.

USB 2.0 transfer speeds are limited to 480Mb/s, while USB 3.2 supports speeds up to 20Gb/s. Thunderbolt 3 supports data transfer speeds up to 40Gb/s, so if Kuo is correct, there will be a major difference in wired data transfer speeds between Pro and non-Pro ‌iPhone‌ 15 models.

Apple is transitioning to USB-C across its product lineup, and the first USB-C iPhones are due next year. Apple is making the change in order to comply with European regulations that require electronic devices to have non-proprietary, common charging methods.

One of the new features in iOS 16 is Rapid Security Response, which lets Apple push out important security fixes to users without requiring a full iOS update. For users running the iOS 16.2 beta, Apple today released one of those updates to deliver unspecified bug fixes affecting the software.

iOS Security Response 16.2 (a) arrives via the standard Software Update mechanism in the Settings app, but is a relatively quick update, requiring just a couple of minutes to download and prepare the update and then a quick restart and install process.

After the update has been installed, the system will report an updated version of iOS 16.2 (a), and tapping on the version in the About section of Settings will display information about your installed iOS version and the Rapid Security Response update, with the ability to remove the security update if desired.

Update: According to Apple documentation shared by Appleosophy, the Rapid Security Response update issued today is "for testing purposes only and does not contain security content."

Apple today released a tvOS 16.1.1 update, which is available for the third-generation Apple TV 4K. Apple says that the update fixes an issue that could cause the ‌Apple TV‌ to be unable to install apps.

The third-generation ‌Apple TV‌ 4K was released in early November, and this update is only available for the new models. It is likely that this bug fix addresses the issue that could cause 128GB ‌Apple TV‌ 4K owners to see a warning that they had run out of storage when using just 64GB.

The tvOS 16.1.1 update can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the ‌‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌‌ by going to System -> Software Update. ‌‌‌‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌‌‌‌ owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to ‌tvOS 16.1.1 automatically.

Last week, B&H Photo introduced the first-ever discount on Apple's 10.9-inch iPad, and today the retailer has expanded this deal slightly with a new color. You can get the Blue and Silver 64GB Wi-Fi iPads for $399.00, down from $449.00.

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

This remains the lowest price we've ever seen for these brand-new iPads, which Apple just updated last month. The 10th generation iPad comes with the A14 Bionic chip, support for the Apple Pencil, and Touch ID.

As of writing, only B&H Photo has this record low sale on the new iPad. In terms of stock, B&H Photo says that the Blue color option is facing limited quantities, while the Silver model is readily available.

Other than the iPad, we're tracking the Best Early Black Friday Deals on Apple TV 4K, AirPods, and more in our dedicated article.

We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2022.