MacRumors

With the launch of the new Mac Pro, Apple has finally completed the transition to Apple silicon across the entire Mac lineup. Over the past decade, Apple has only released three new Mac Pros and the latest version starts at $6,999 – the highest starting price of any Mac Pro model to date – making it all the more important to consider if now is a good time to upgrade or even if an older model will suffice for your needs.

The 2023 Mac Pro is the first of its kind to feature Apple silicon and all previous models had Intel processors. While the machine loses support for eGPUs, it is around twice as powerful as the previous top-tier Mac Pro while maintaining a mostly modular design with seven PCIe slots. Even so, some first-time Mac Pro customers or users of the 2013 model may be able to obtain a 2019 Mac Pro second-hand or from a third-party retailer for a substantially lower price, so it will be important to weigh up exactly what was added with each new version of the machine.

See the breakdown below for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with each Mac Pro compared to its direct predecessor:

Mac Pro (Apple silicon Tower, 2023)

• Apple M2 Ultra chip
• 24-core CPU
• Up to 76-core GPU
• Up to 192GB unified memory
• Non-upgradeable memory
• Dedicated media engine for hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW with two video decode engines, four video encode engines, and four ProRes encode and decode engines
• 32-core Neural Engine
• Seven PCI Express expansion slots
• Eight Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
• Three USB-A ports
• 3.5 mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones
• HDMI 2.1 port with support for multichannel audio output
• Support for up to eight 4K displays, six 6K displays, or three 8K displays
• 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Weighs 37.2 pounds (16.86 kg) as tower or 37.9 pounds (17.21 kg) as rack
• Starts at $6,999

Mac Pro (Intel Tower, 2019)

• Silver tower design with lattice pattern and three impeller fans
• Intel Xeon W processor
• Up to 28-core CPU
• Up to AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo GPU with 120 total compute units
• Up to 1.5TB memory
• Up to 8TB storage
• Eight PCI Express expansion slots
• Up to 12 Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
• Two USB 3 ports
• Dual 10 Gb Ethernet
• Up to two HDMI 2.0 ports
• Support for up to 12 4K displays, six 5K displays, or six Pro Display XDRs
• Bluetooth 5.0
• Weighs 39.7 pounds (18.0 kg) as tower or 38.8 pounds (17.6 kg) as rack
• Started at $5,999

Mac Pro (Intel Cylinder, 2013)

• Space Black cylindrical design with thermal core, single impeller fan, and illuminated ports
• Intel Xeon E5 processor
• Up to 12-core CPU
• Up to Dual AMD FirePro D700 GPU with 64 total compute units
• Up to 64GB memory
• User-upgradeable memory
• Up to 1TB storage
• Six Thunderbolt 2 ports
• Four USB 3 ports
• Dual Gigabit Ethernet
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• HDMI 1.4 Ultra HD port
• Support for up to three dual-cable 5K displays or six Thunderbolt displays
• 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Weighs 11 pounds (4.9 kg)
• Started at $2,999

Upgrade to the 2023 Mac Pro?

In most workflows, the ‌M2‌ Ultra chip should offer a massive performance improvement over the Intel Xeon W processors offered in the 2019 Mac Pro, especially in CPU-intensive tasks. Early benchmarks indicate that it delivers around two-times faster overall CPU performance than the fastest Intel-based Mac Pro with a 28-core Xeon W processor.

For machine learning processes, the 2023 Mac Pro has a significant advantage with the ‌M2‌ Ultra's 32-core Neural Engine. Likewise, its dedicated media engine offers considerable benefits in video editing workflows.

The new Mac Pro can support 8K external displays for the first time. It also has newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth specifications, as well as two USB-A ports and support for high-impedance headphones.

If you're looking for a high-end, future-proof machine that harnesses the best available performance with Apple silicon, as well as its more modern specifications, it will be worth opting for the new Mac Pro.

...Or Stick With the 2019 Mac Pro?

Not all 2013 or 2019 Mac Pro users should upgrade to the 2023 model. Most notably, the 2019 Mac Pro features an Intel chip. While support for Apple silicon is now much better in professional workflows than it was upon its launch in 2020, some niche applications and legacy software may still work better on an Intel architecture. Likewise, some users may wish to dual-boot Windows via Boot Camp and this is not possible on the new Mac Pro.

If you require support for additional graphics cards, only Intel-based Macs can support this. This means the new Mac Pro's PCIe slots are only useful for things like digital signal processing (DSP) cards, serial digital interface (SDI) I/O cards, additional networking, and built-in storage, so if you need eGPUs, the 2019 Mac Pro is still your best option.

The new Mac Pro maxes out at 192GB of memory. The previous model supported eight times this amount, so if you need vast amounts of memory, the 2019 model is still better for your purposes. Similarly, the 2019 model's memory is user-upgradeable. The 2019 Mac Pro supports four more 4K displays than the 2023 model and it also has four more Thunderbolt ports, which may be important considerations for some users.

Hence, for the right price, the 2019 Mac Pro may still be better for some users. That being said, it is important to bear in mind that Apple has now moved away from Intel-based machines entirely. At some point in the future, Intel-based Macs are likely to lose support for the latest version of macOS, so if you are a user that specifically needs 2019 Mac Pro features like eGPU support or an Intel architecture, the 2019 Mac Pro may only be able to help out for so long and it may be important to look at bigger changes to support your workflow in the long term.

• Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro Buyer's Guide

The 2013 Mac Pro only supports updates up to macOS 12 Monterey, meaning it misses out on all of the new features added in macOS Ventura and macOS Sonoma. Those still using the 2013 Mac Pro should definitely consider upgrading, and both the 2019 or 2023 Mac Pro models are viable options. Alternatively, if you have got used to the 2013 Mac Pro's lack of PCIe slots and reliance on wired peripherals, the Mac Studio may be a better option, starting at just $1,999.

Apple's new 15-inch MacBook Air will launch in stores and begin arriving to customers this Tuesday. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the laptop have been shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels, offering a closer look at new features.

The 15-inch MacBook Air is equipped with the same M2 chip as the 13-inch model, and the laptops share the same overall design. Apple says both models even have the same battery life. The 15-inch model's only hardware differences include a larger display/chassis and six speakers, compared to four in the 13-inch model. For a more detailed comparison, read our 13-inch vs. 15-inch MacBook Air Buyer's Guide.

The 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299, while the 13-inch model now starts at a lower $1,099. However, all 15-inch configurations include a 10-core GPU, while the entry-level 13-inch model is equipped with an 8-core GPU. All 15-inch models also ship with 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter at no additional cost.

Written Reviews

The Verge's Monica Chin was impressed with the 15-inch MacBook Air's speakers:

But the third big difference is the speakers. The Air 13's speakers are good; the Air 15's are stupendous. Bass came through in a way it doesn't on pretty much any other computer; I was so stunned when I first turned on a bass-heavy song that I thought it must've been coming from a Bluetooth speaker somewhere else.

TheStreet's Jacob Krol said the 15-inch MacBook Air offers considerable value:

At its core, the 15-inch MacBook Air is an impressively robust, ultra-portable laptop and a crazily thin one at just 11.5-millimeters. When you consider the price point, though, the $1,299 starting MSRP significantly undercuts the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro by $700 and doesn't compromise a ton on performance.

TechCrunch's Brian Heater said he managed 19 hours of video playback on a single charge:

The battery is rated at 18 hours – same as the 13-inch. In TechCrunch's testing, we got around 19 hours of video playback. While the screen is larger and therefore draws more power, that’s counteracted by an enlarged footprint, creating more space for battery.

CNBC's Kif Leswing said the 15-inch MacBook Air "hits the sweet spot for most people in terms of price, capability, and portability."

Six Colors' Jason Snell said the 15-inch MacBook Air fills a void:

If you've hesitated to consider buying a MacBook Air because its screens always seemed a bit too cramped, you now have another option. If you've always wanted a bigger display but didn't want to pay more than $1000 for the privilege, your time is now.

This laptop has literally everything that made the M2 MacBook Air great. It's just bigger. Sometimes, bigger is better.

Video Reviews

Apple still plans to launch a more affordable version of its Vision Pro headset by the end of 2025, with the non-Pro model likely to be called "Apple Vision One," or more simply, "Apple Vision," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman reiterated his understanding that Apple is working on a cheaper version of its headset, signaling that it is pursuing a two-product strategy, like it does by offering a standard iPhone and iPhone Pro.

Since the Vision Pro's $3,499 price is thought to be at or near the cost to make it, Gurman speculates that Apple could replace the twin 4K microLED displays and M2 Apple silicon chip with cheaper alternative components, and use fewer cameras.

The company could also go with a simpler headband design with no integrated speakers, requiring wearers to use AirPods for spatial audio instead. However, there are a few things Gurman believes Apple will not compromise on:

"The external screen, known as EyeSight, to show a wearer's eyes, as well as the eye- and hand-tracking system, are as core to the Apple Vision as a touchscreen is to an iPhone. I would expect a cheaper model to keep those features."

Speculating on headset rumors before Apple unveiled Vision Pro, some commentators suggested it would make no sense to add the financial cost of an outward-facing display to the already expensive device and sap its battery life even quicker, but Apple clearly regards the EyeSight feature as a key differentiator from enclosed AR/VR headsets, and the one that allows users to feel like they remain in touch with other people.

Achieving cheaper material costs in other areas, combined with a more streamlined production process, could allow Apple to reduce the price of the headset by several hundred dollars, according to Gurman.

Apple's plan to release a cheaper version of its "spatial computing" headset was first reported in January by The Information and Bloomberg. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also reported Apple's intention to have a two-tiered headset category lineup by the end of 2025.

Apple-related subreddit /r/apple has gone dark in protest of Reddit's upcoming API pricing changes affecting third-party Reddit apps. The subreddit is now private, meaning that users can no longer view or submit posts, and the moderators behind the community said it will remain that way for the next 48 hours, or potentially longer if necessary.

/r/apple is one of many subreddits that will be going dark over the next few days, alongside /r/videos, /r/gaming, /r/sports, /r/aww, and others. The organized blackout comes after Reddit announced expensive API pricing changes that threaten to put some third-party Reddit apps out of business. Christian Selig, developer of popular Reddit app Apollo, said he would owe Reddit around $20 million per year under the new policy. As a result, Selig announced that Apollo will be shutting down at the end of the month.

Reddit's API provides apps like Apollo with Reddit data like posts and comments, and it has been free to use until now. Selig said it is understandable for Reddit to begin charging for access to the API, but the pricing is prohibitively expensive. Selig also said Reddit provided him with minimal time to prepare for the changes.

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman addressed the topic in a Reddit post last week, but his comments were heavily criticized and received thousands of downvotes from Reddit users. Despite backlash from the community, Reddit has yet to reverse course on its plans so far, and the API changes are set to go into effect on July 1 if upheld.

While the new Mac Pro features six available PCI Express expansion slots for audio, video capture, storage, networking, and more, the desktop tower is no longer compatible with graphics cards. Instead, graphics processing is handled entirely by the M2 chip, which includes up to a 76-core GPU that can access up to 192GB of unified memory.

Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus briefly touched on the matter in an interview with Daring Fireball's John Gruber last week, explaining that expandable GPU support for Apple silicon is not something that the company has pursued.

"Fundamentally, we've built our architecture around this shared memory model and that optimization, and so it's not entirely clear to me how you'd bring in another GPU and do so in a way that is optimized for our systems," Ternus told Gruber. "It hasn't been a direction that we wanted to pursue."

Another limitation of the new Mac Pro compared to the Intel-based model is the lack of user-upgradeable RAM, given the unified memory is soldered to the M2 Ultra chip. In addition, the Intel-based model could be configured with up to 1.5TB of RAM, which is 8× as much as the 192GB maximum for the Apple silicon model.

There are certainly advantages to the new Mac Pro and its unified architecture. For example, Apple says the new Mac Pro is up to 3× faster than the Intel-based model for certain real-world workflows like video transcoding and 3D simulations. For video processing, Apple says the new Mac Pro's performance is equivalent to an Intel-based model with seven Afterburner cards. For overall CPU performance, the new Mac Pro's $6,999 base model is up to 2× faster than a 28-core Intel-based Mac Pro, which started at $12,999.

The new Mac Pro is available to order now, and launches in stores on Tuesday. Customers who don't need PCI Express expansion should consider the Mac Studio, which can be configured with the M2 Ultra chip for $3,000 less than the Mac Pro.

Apple is already developing 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M3 chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he expects the updated laptops to be released in 2024.

The current 13-inch MacBook Air was announced in June 2022, while the 15-inch model was introduced last week. Both models are currently powered by the M2 chip, manufactured based on TSMC's 5nm process. The M3 chip is expected to be built on TSMC's 3nm process, resulting in significant performance and power efficiency improvements. Gurman said the M3 chip should have similar CPU and GPU core counts as the M2 chip.

Priced starting at $1,299, the 15-inch MacBook Air's primary differences compared to the 13-inch model are a larger display and six speakers instead of four. Apple says the laptops have equal battery life, and they share the same overall design. For a more detailed comparison, read our 13-inch vs. 15-inch MacBook Air Buyer's Guide.

Gurman reiterated that new iMac and 13-inch MacBook Pro models with the M3 chip are also in development. He expects the new iMac to launch by early next year with a similar design as the current model from 2021, which still has an M1 chip.

The 15-inch MacBook Air can be ordered now and launches this Tuesday.

Apple at WWDC this week announced a new toolkit that makes it easier for game developers to port Windows games to the Mac. The toolkit provides an emulation environment that allows developers to run their existing, unmodified Windows game on the Mac and quickly evaluate how well the game could run on macOS before writing any code. A beta version of the toolkit is available for download on the Apple Developer website.

Apple is also offering developers a new Metal shader converter that simplifies the process of converting a Windows game's shaders and graphics code to run on Macs with Apple silicon. Apple says the toolkit and converter significantly reduce the total development time required to port games to the Mac, from months to just a few days.

Developers interested in porting Windows games to the Mac can watch Apple's series of "bring your game to Mac" videos for more details. Apple also has a page on its website outlining various gaming technologies and tools available for developers.

Apple appears to be increasing its commitment to high-end gaming on the Mac. For example, macOS Sonoma features a new Game Mode that temporarily prioritizes CPU and GPU performance for gaming. Game Mode also lowers AirPods audio latency, and reduces input latency with popular third-party game controllers by doubling the Bluetooth sampling rate, according to Apple. macOS Sonoma will be released later this year.

The Talk Show Live From WWDC 2023 is now available to watch on YouTube. Daring Fireball's John Gruber discussed the Vision Pro and other WWDC announcements with Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi, hardware engineering chief John Ternus, AR/VR chief Mike Rockwell, and marketing chief Greg Joswiak.

The on-stage interview took place on Wednesday at the California Theatre in San Jose, California, and runs for approximately two hours.

Check out our WWDC 2023 recap for more details about Apple's announcements, and be sure to listen to our special edition of The MacRumors Show podcast recorded at Apple Park. We were also able to test the Vision Pro and shared our first impressions.

The first benchmark results for Apple's new M2 Ultra chip have surfaced on Geekbench 6, providing a closer look at CPU performance improvements. The high-end chip is available in the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro models launching next week.

There is currently some variance in the results, but the Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra chip appears to have single-core and multi-core scores of up to approximately 2,800 and 21,700, respectively. As expected, these scores confirm that the M2 Ultra chip offers up to 20% faster CPU performance compared to the M1 Ultra chip, as Apple advertised. This also means the M2 Ultra is now the fastest chip that Apple has ever released.

More interestingly, the scores reveal that the new Mac Pro should have around 2× faster overall CPU performance than the fastest Intel-based Mac Pro with a 28-core Xeon W processor. This feat is even more impressive given that the new Mac Pro starts at $6,999, while the 28-core Intel-based model started at $12,999, nearly double the price. During its WWDC keynote, Apple said the new Mac Pro is up to 3× faster than the Intel-based model, but that only applies to select "real-world pro workflows like video transcoding and 3D simulation."

The primary reason to consider the Mac Pro over the Mac Studio is for the desktop tower's six available PCIe expansion slots. Otherwise, customers should consider the Mac Studio, as it can be configured with the M2 Ultra for $3,000 less than the Mac Pro. For a more detailed comparison, read our Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro Buyer's Guide.

The new Mac Studio and Mac Pro are available to order now, and will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, June 13.

As expected, Apple's WWDC keynote on Monday was jam-packed with announcements, headlined by a first look at the upcoming Vision Pro headset as well as some new Macs and the usual bevy of operating system updates.

Check out our recap of Monday's keynote, our report on our hands-on time with the Vision Pro, and a special edition of The MacRumors Show podcast recorded at Apple Park, and read on below for details on the week's biggest announcements!

Apple Reveals 'Vision Pro' Headset and visionOS

Following years of rumors, Apple finally announced its long-awaited AR/VR headset at WWDC this week. It's called the Vision Pro, and it will be launching in the U.S. in early 2024 for a staggering $3,499.

Vision Pro will allow you to interact with apps as if they are floating in the air. The headset is powered by an all-new operating system called visionOS, and can be controlled with your eyes and hands. The headset has an Apple Watch-like Digital Crown for switching between virtual reality and augmented reality, along with an external battery pack.

Check out our Vision Pro roundup to learn more about the headset.

Apple Announces iOS 17 With New 'StandBy' View and More

Apple this week previewed iOS 17. The update will be publicly released later this year for the iPhone XS and newer, and is currently available in beta for anyone with a free Apple developer account.

iOS 17 includes many new features, including a StandBy mode while an iPhone is charging in a landscape position, interactive Home Screen widgets, improved autocorrect, a Journal app, swipe to reply in the Messages app, and more.

iPadOS 17 was also announced with a customizable Lock Screen and more.

Apple Introduces New 15-Inch MacBook Air With M2 Chip

The long-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air is finally official. The laptop is powered by the M2 chip and is equipped with six speakers, compared to four in the 13-inch MacBook Air.

Apple is already accepting 15-inch MacBook Air orders, and the laptop will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, June 13. Pricing starts at $1,299, and the 13-inch model with the M2 chip now starts at $1,099.

macOS Sonoma Unveiled With Desktop Widgets and More

macOS Sonoma is the name! The latest version of the Mac's operating system will be available later this year and has a handful of new features, including desktop widgets, Apple TV-like screensavers, a new Game Mode, Safari improvements, and more.

macOS Sonoma is currently available in beta for developers, and will likely be released to the public in October like macOS Ventura and macOS Monterey were.

Apple Unveils New Mac Pro With M2 Ultra Chip and More

Apple this week updated its Mac Pro desktop tower with the all-new M2 Ultra chip, which features a 24-core CPU, up to a 76-core GPU, and support for up to 192GB of memory. Apple says the new Mac Pro is up to 3x faster than the fastest Intel-based Mac Pro.

Apple also updated the Mac Studio with the M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips. Both of the new Macs can be ordered now and launch on Tuesday, June 13.

Apple Announces watchOS 10 With Widgets, Redesigned Apps, and More

Another software platform previewed by Apple this week was watchOS 10, which includes several new features for the Apple Watch, including widgets and redesigned apps that take advantage of Apple Watch models with larger displays like the Ultra.

tvOS 17 was unveiled as well. Notably, the update expands FaceTime to the Apple TV with assistance from a wirelessly-connected iPhone or iPad camera.

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.

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Netflix in May started cracking down on password sharing in the United States, and the decision has worked in the company's favor, according to subscriber data shared today by analytics company Antenna (via The Wall Street Journal).

Just after putting an end to multi-household password sharing in the United States, average daily signups to Netflix reached 73k per day, a 102 percent increase from the prior 60-day average. Netflix saw close to 100,000 daily signups on both May 26 and May 27, beating out signups even during COVID lockdown periods.

Netflix did see an increase in subscription cancelation following the policy change, but the number of people canceling did not beat the number of new signups that the company received. Antenna says that the ratio of signups to cancels since May 23 is up 25.6 percent compared to the prior 60-day period.

According to Netflix, more than 100 million households were sharing accounts, impacting its ability to "invest in and improve Netflix" for paying members. The company said that it expected some cancel reaction in the United States, but based on earlier rollouts in other countries, the policy change would result in acceleration in revenue growth and member base.

Netflix is no longer allowing subscribers to share passwords with people who do not live in the same location. Netflix users are required to establish a primary location, and subscribers who live elsewhere are not able to use the account. There are allowances for travel or second homes, but Netflix is now using IP address and other information to restrict multi-household usage.

Netflix users can pay an additional $7.99 per month to allow one extra member to use a Standard or Premium Netflix account outside of the primary location, and up to two additional people can be added (Premium plan only).

The extra fee provides each person with a profile, personalized recommendations, login, and password. Alternatively, there is a profile transfer process that will allow those who were previously using Netflix for free to make their own paid accounts.

Netflix is priced starting at $6.99 per month for the plan with ads. A basic plan with no ads, access on one device at a time, and 720p HD streaming is priced at $9.99 per month. The Standard Plan with 1080p streaming and access on two devices at one time is priced at $15.49 per month, and the 4K Netflix plan with support for watching on four devices at a time is priced at $19.99 per month.

Note that while the Standard and Premium plans allow for watching on two to four devices at a time, Netflix's new policy is that all of those devices need to be in the same household location.

Apple at WWDC this week announced a new TipKit framework that will allow developers to offer tips in their apps on iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17. These tips can help to surface hidden features, highlight brand new features, show a faster method of accomplishing a task, and more.

Tips may appear next to a button or other user interface element in an app at timely moments, providing contextual information about features. Of course, apps can already offer their own tips and helpful information, but Apple is now providing a native solution with a consistent design. Apple has a WWDC session with more details for developers interested in TipKit, but there is no documentation available yet.

iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17 will be released to the public later this year, and more apps should start to incorporate TipKit over the coming months. All of the updates are available in beta now for anyone with a free Apple developer account, and public betas will be available in July.

All of Apple's software announcements have been somewhat overshadowed by the Apple Vision Pro, but there are a number of useful changes that are coming in iOS 17. We've pulled out five features that we think are the most interesting and that iPhone users will be most excited about when iOS 17 launches this fall.

1. Live Voicemail - If you're like us, you sometimes forget that voicemail even exists. With iOS 17, when someone calls and leaves a voicemail, you can see the transcription live on your Lock Screen. If they have something notable to say, you can pick up the call right then and there.
2. StandBy - StandBy is similar to Nightstand mode for the Apple Watch. When you put your phone in landscape orientation on a charger, it activates a full-screen display with at-a-glance information like your calendar, clock, weather details, and even Live Activities. It's truly best with the iPhone 14 Pro's always-on display, but it works on older iPhones if you tap on the screen.
3. Interactive widgets - Widgets on the Home Screen and the Lock Screen are now interactive, which makes them much more useful. You can check off Reminders, control music playback, activate HomeKit devices, and more, without having to open up an app.
4. Keyboard updates - Autocorrect is using a new machine learning model that can better predict what you want to say. You can more quickly complete words just by tapping the space bar, and in some cases, fill entire sentences. When a word is corrected, it's now underlined, and you can tap it to revert back to the original word you typed if autocorrect makes a mistake.
5. FaceTime on Apple TV - If you've ever wanted a larger display for FaceTime, you're in luck, because with iOS 17 and tvOS 17, you can use ‌FaceTime‌ on the Apple TV. With Continuity Camera, you can connect your iPhone to your ‌Apple TV‌, using the iPhone's camera for ‌FaceTime‌ while the picture is displayed on the larger screen of the television set. All the usual ‌FaceTime‌ features work like Center Stage, and it's the perfect setup for calls with multiple people. ‌FaceTime‌ on ‌Apple TV‌ works with the new ‌FaceTime‌ effects that let you activate hearts, balloons, laser beams, and rain through gestures.

An honorable mention should go to the Journal app that's coming in iOS 17; it's just not on the list because it's not part of the initial iOS 17 release. The Journal app will let you record your thoughts and activities each day, with Apple-provided prompts to help inspire you.

There are a number of other features in iOS 17 that are worth knowing about, including a fun option to customize what people see when you call them, a quicker way to share contact information with people, improvements to Messages, mood tracking, shared passwords, an option to lock the Safari private browsing window, AirTag sharing, and more. Full details can be found in our iOS 17 roundup, which is still undergoing updates.

Do you agree with our top picks? Let us know in the comments below. Stay tuned to MacRumors, because we're going to have coverage of iOS 17 and Apple's other software updates all summer long as the beta testing period progresses.

To celebrate the upcoming release of watchOS 10, we've teamed up with iMazing to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an Apple Watch Ultra, Apple's top-of-the-line Apple Watch option, and a copy of the iMazing iPhone backup software.

For those unfamiliar with iMazing, it's an iPhone management app for Mac that's an alternative to Apple's Finder-based iPhone management system. You can get it on Windows machines too, where it can be used instead of iTunes. iMazing offers far more versatility than Apple's built-in iPhone management options, and it will be ready to go for iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma when the updates launch.

With iMazing, you can create hassle-free wireless backups of your iPhone, with multiple versions available. With iCloud backup, new backups overwrite your old backups, so you can get in a sticky situation if you need access to something that was overwritten. You won't lose older files that you might be looking for with iMazing, and there are even options to schedule your backups regularly. Backups can be saved to any local storage device, including a NAS, keeping your data out of the cloud.

For transferring photos from an iOS device to a Mac or vice versa, there is a drag and drop option for moving images around. You can keep the images that you want and get rid of the clutter, with iMazing offering support for HEIF, RAW, PNG, and JPG files. A built-in EXIF viewer shows data on file type, size, and location, plus there are tools for creating and editing albums for easy organization.

Backups of iMessages and WhatsApp can be created with iMazing, and not only can you save all of the text, it also keeps a copy of photos, videos, contacts, and links. iMazing is also useful for music management because you can transfer songs from an iOS device to a computer or from a computer to an iOS device. It's particularly useful if you have an old iPhone or iPod and no other way to get the music off of it, or if you simply want a way to manage physical media without relying on cloud music services. All media types are supported, and iMazing has an included media player so you don't even need to swap apps to hear your songs.

iMazing makes upgrading to a new device easy with device-to-device transfers. You can pick and choose what you want to move from your old device to your new device, and there is a drag-and-drop Quick Transfer feature if you just want to move a few files.

For apps, iMazing keeps backups and can be used to restore app data of deleted apps, plus you can do quick mass cleanups with just a few clicks if your iPhone tends to get cluttered with apps.

If you want to get a copy of iMazing, you can do so from the iMazing website. iMazing is priced at $39.99 for a single device, with multi-device licenses also available.

We have an Apple Watch Ultra and a free copy of iMazing for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

The contest will run from today (June 9) at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on June 23. The winner will be chosen randomly on June 23 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

We're tracking a few solid deals in the wake of WWDC this week, including the first-ever discount on the 15-inch MacBook Air, which Apple just announced on Monday. You'll also find record low prices on all other current models of the MacBook Air, along with solid deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, and MacBook Pro.

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.

MacBook Air

With the announcement of the all-new 15-inch MacBook Air this week at WWDC, both the 13.3-inch and 13.6-inch models have seen notable markdowns this week at Amazon and B&H Photo. Additionally, the new 15-inch MacBook Air itself has received its first-ever sale at Amazon with $49 off select models.

AirPods

AirPods deals that remain in stock on Amazon heading into the weekend include the AirPods 3 for $149.00 ($20 off) and AirPods Pro 2 for $199.99 ($49 off).

Apple Watch

Apple Watches have hit all-time low prices for select configurations on Amazon this week, including the 41mm GPS Series 8 device at $329.00 and 45mm GPS at $359.00. If you want an even cheaper starting price, Apple Watch SE starts at $219.00 right now.

MacBook Pro (2023)

Lastly, we're tracking a collection of all-time low prices on the new 14-inch MacBook Pro. Prices start at $1,749.00 for the 512GB model and reach up to $300 off these notebooks. All deals are available on Amazon and you'll find some matching sales at B&H Photo.

Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup.

At various points in Apple's Platforms State of the Unions video for developers, a Vision Pro headset with a USB-C adapter attached to the right side of the headset can be seen, leading to some speculation on social media as to what the adapter is for.

It appears that the adapter has a USB-C cable leading to a Mac Studio in one shot, although there is no definitive view to confirm this. In this scenario, it is possible the adapter could provide a direct connection to a Mac for visionOS app development in Xcode, but the adapter's purpose ultimately remains a mystery for now.

The Vision Pro's external battery pack attaches to the left side of the headset, so the USB-C adapter is connected on the other side.

Vision Pro isn't launching until early 2024, so we'll learn more details about the headset over the coming months. Apple will also be making Vision Pro developer kits available in July, which could help to paint a better picture.

Apple's previous-generation 16-inch MacBook Pro (M1 Max, 1TB) has hit a new all-time low price today on Amazon. You can get the notebook for $2,649.00 in Silver, down from $3,499.00.

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.

We've been tracking steeper and steeper discounts on the 2021 MacBook Pro models in the wake of the 2023 notebooks that launched back in January. At $850 off, Amazon's discount today on the 16-inch MacBook Pro is one of the biggest markdowns we've seen to date on these computers.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 1TB) is also still on sale on Amazon for $1,899.00, down from $2,499.00. This has been one of the most consistent discounts on the 2021 MacBook Pro line, and it's still an all-time low price on the notebook.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.

Since the release of iOS 15 in 2021, Apple Maps has been rolling out a more detailed map with custom-designed 3D landmarks in major cities around the world. This week, both the more detailed map and cycling directions went live in Paris.

Apple says the updated experience provides richer detail for road markings, buildings, commercial districts, land cover, trees, elevation, public transit routes, and more. Turn-by-turn navigation is also improved with augmented reality walking directions in Paris, as well as the addition of cycling directions along bike lanes and bike-friendly roads.

Notably, this means the world-famous Eiffel Tower can now be viewed in 3D in Apple Maps, along with the Louvre museum and other landmarks.

More detailed mapping is also available in Atlanta, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Miami, Montréal, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Sydney, Toronto, Washington D.C., and a few other cities.

Earlier this year, we highlighted an iPhone app called Landmarks that allows you to easily view hundreds of 3D models from Apple Maps.