Apple Black Friday 2024: What you need to know about Apple’s sale
Macworld The biggest shopping day of the year is Black Friday, which falls on Friday, November 29, 2024. We’ll be updating this article with details of Apple’s 2024 Black Friday sale as soon as they are officially announced. We find the best deals are from resellers rather than Apple itself, and we track them all so we can help you find the best deals on Apple products including the Apple Watch, MacBooks, iPhones, AirPods, and iPads. You can peruse our individual round-ups of the best deals for Black Friday to find a bargain. We also monitor deals all year round, showcasing the best Apple deals every month. But what of Apple? Will Apple hold a Black Friday sale? We wish it would but, unfortunately, Apple’s Black Friday deal is usually a giveaway of gift cards with certain purchases made during the Black Friday period. To give you an idea of what to expect, more details on previous Apple Black Friday events can be found below. Black Friday 2023: The best Apple deals in the U.S. Since you would be paying full price at the Apple Store, albeit with a voucher incentive in some cases, here are the best Apple deals we found at other retailers back in November 2023: Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M1 (256GB): $749 ($250 off, MSRP $999) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M2 (10-core GPU, 256GB): $1,049 ($250 off, MSRP $1,299) Amazon, 14-inch, M3 Pro, 11-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 512GB SSD: $1,799 ($200 off, MSRP: $1,999) Amazon, Mac mini (M2, 256GB): $499 ($100 off, MSRP $599) Amazon, AirPods Pro (2nd-gen, USB-C case): $190 ($59 off, MSRP $249) Amazon, AirPods (2nd gen): $80 ($49 off, MSRP $129) Amazon, Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm, GPS): $329 ($70 off, MSRP $399)  Amazon, Apple Watch SE (2nd gen, 40mm): $179 ($70 off, MSRP $249) Amazon, iPad (9th-gen, 64GB): $230 ($99 off, MSRP $329) Amazon, iPad (10th-gen, 64GB): $349 ($100 off, MSRP $449) Black Friday 2023: The best Apple deals in the U.K. KRCS, 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU), 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD: £1,529.10 (£169.90 off, MSRP £1,699) KRCS, 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (12-core CPU, 18-core GPU), 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD: £2,339.10 (£259.90 off, MSRP £2,599) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M2 (512GB) £1,399 (£200 off, MSRP £1,599) KRCS: M2 Pro Mac mini, 512GB: £1,259 (£140 off MRSP £1,399) Amazon, AirPods Pro (2nd gen), USB-C: £199 (£30 off, MSRP £229). You can also find the same deal at Currys, John Lewis and Very Amazon, iPad Air, 64GB, WiFi: £579 (£90 off, RRP £669) Amazon: 12.9in iPad Pro, M2, 512GB, Wi-Fi for £1,479.99 (£119 off, RRP £1,599) Argos, Apple Watch Ultra 1: £599 (£200 less than Ultra 2) Does Apple do Black Friday? Historically, Apple has given customers Apple Gift Cards with the purchase of eligible Apple products. While the qualifying products and voucher amounts change every year, this is Apple’s only deal. Apple doesn’t discount its own products for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Details of Apple’s Black Friday Shopping Event will be found on Apple’s website when available. What was Apple’s Black Friday deal in 2023? $25/£20 Apple Gift Card: iPhone SE, AirPods (2nd-gen), AirPods (3rd-gen), Beats Flex, Apple Pencil (2nd-gen), Smart Keyboard Folio, Apple TV $50/£40 Apple Gift Card: Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 9, HomePod, Beats Studio Pro, Beats Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats Pro, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Buds +, Beats Studio Buds, Magic Keyboard, Magic Keyboard Folio, iPhone 13, AirPods Pro (2nd-gen) $75/£60 Apple Gift Card: iPhone 14, AirPods Max $100/£80 Apple Gift Card: iPad mini, iPad Air, iPad 10th gen, iPad Pro, Mac mini $150/£120 Apple Gift Card: 13-inch MacBook Air (M1) $175/£140 Apple Gift Card: 13-inch MacBook Air (M2) $200/£160 Apple Gift Card: 15-inch MacBook Air, Mac mini Because the iPhone 15, M3 iMac, and M3-series MacBook Pro were all recent introductions Apple wasn’t offering any vouchers with those purchases. But the company was offering gift cards with Apple Watch 9 purchases for the first time. Foundry How good was Apple’s 2023 Black Friday deal? The 2023 deal didn’t look as good as that of 2022 when Apple offered up to $250/£250 in Apple Gift Cards with the MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch. In 2023 the biggest voucher was $200/£200 for the 15-inch MacBook Air – not with the MacBook Pro or iMac. But we were pleased to see the new Apple Watch Series 9 included in 2023, along with the iPad Pro, 10th gen iPad, HomePod, Apple TV, and the 15-inch MacBook Air. 20232022iPhone 14$75n/aiPhone 13$50$50iPhone SE$25$50iPad Pro$50n/aiPad Air$75$50iPad mini $50$50iPad (10th gen.)$50n/aiPad (9th gen.)n/a$3015-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip$200n/a13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip$175$15013-inch MacBook Air with M1 chip$150$150Mac mini$100$100MacBook Pro 14-inch & 16-inchn/a$250MacBook Pro 13-inchn/a$200iMac 24-inchn/a$150Apple Watch Series 9 $50n/aApple Watch SE$50$50AirPods (2nd generation) $25$25AirPods (3rd generation)$25$25AirPods Pro (2nd generation)$50$50AirPods Max$75$75Apple Pencil (2nd generation) $25 $25 HomePod$50n/aApple TV 4K$25 n/a 2022’s deal actually went a little further than Apple’s 2021’s Black Friday offer. Although that depends on your perspective – you could also think that the Apple’s Black Friday shopping event was worse in 2022. In 2021 the biggest Apple Gift Card on offer was for $200/£160, which was the saving offered with the sale of the 27-inch iMac (which was discontinued in 2022). While the discounts on offer were generally a bit better than 2021, Apple didn’t match the offers from other resellers such as Amazon. Black Friday 2024: Best deals for Apple products Check out these roundups for the best Apple deals: Best Black Friday 2024 Apple deals Best Black Friday 2024 MacBook deals Best Black Friday 2024 Mac Deals Best Black Friday 2024 AirPods deals Best Black Friday 2024 Apple Watch deals Best Black Friday 2024 iPad deals Best Black Friday 2024 iPhone deals Best Black Friday 2024 Mac monitor deals Best Black Friday 2024 SSD and external hard drive deals Best Black Friday 2024 Apple accessory deals Black Friday 2024: When do the sales begin? Black Friday officially begins at 12.01am on the day after Thanksgiving, which in 2024 will be Friday, November 29. However, many sales begin well before that, in 2023 we saw deals starting at the beginning of November. The main event runs through the weekend and concludes on Cyber Monday – which is December 2 in 2024. Black Friday 2024: Where to get the best deals Spotting a good Black Friday deal takes a bit of work but we’ll be doing most of it for you. Throughout Black Friday weekend, we’ll be posting deal roundups and calling out specific sales that are worth checking out. Stay tuned to Macworld as we call out the best—and worst—deals all throughout the weekend. These are the retailers that are most likely to have the best prices: Stay tuned to Macworld throughout November to find the best deals as they arrive. But if you’re looking for a specific color or capacity, you can check out the following retailers. In the U.S., here are the best stores to shop for Black Friday deals: Apple Amazon Best Buy Costco Target Walmart If you’re based in the U.K., you’ll find deals at the following shops: Apple AO.com Amazon Argos Carphone Warehouse Currys eBuyer John Lewis KRCS Laptops Direct Very Black Friday: Should I wait for Cyber Monday to purchase? While it’s always possible that a better deal is waiting around the corner, if you see a good deal, don’t wait. While Cyber Monday promises impressive deals, prices are usually lowest on Black Friday. Plus there’s always the risk that the Apple device you want sells out and you miss out on the great deal everyone else got.

Read more »

14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) review: From ‘meh’ to marvelous
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros 16GB unified memory is now the standard baseline 12MP Center Stage camera upgrade Three Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports instead of two Nano-texture glass display option Cons Space Gray no longer an option M4 SSD performance pales in comparison to M4 Pro Our Verdict Apple has released a laptop that addresses the issues with the confounding 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, and updated its chip, as well. The result is not just that the M4 MacBook Pro has a clear identity, but it also represents a tremendous value. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$1,599 | $1,799 | $1,999 Best Prices Today: Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) Retailer Price $1599 View Deal $1599 View Deal $1599 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Apple’s approach to its most affordable MacBook Pro has been a little perplexing during the early part of the Apple silicon era. There was the M1 and M2 13-inch MacBook Pro, good laptops but with dated designs that seemed odd compared to the pricier and prettier 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Then Apple dropped it when the M3 came, but its 14-inch replacement had glaring compromises. It seemed like Apple had a different idea than customers of the role of the most affordable MacBook Pro in the laptop lineup. Apple seemed to think of the entry-level MacBook Pro as a tweener machine, a bridge from the MacBook Air. Customers, however, see that it’s a “MacBook Pro” and expect a pro-level laptop with few (or no) glaring compromises. The changes to the $1,599 MacBook Pro make it a true pro laptop.Foundry That brings us to the M4 14-inch MacBook Pro. With it, Apple has released a laptop that addresses the issues with the confounding 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, and updated its chip, as well. The result is not just that the M4 MacBook Pro has a clear identity, but it also represents a tremendous value. This review is structured based on how the major updates will influence your buying decision. Here, the M4 chip is the primary factor, so we cover it first. Then we cover the ports, then the screen and camera, and then other factors. Use the Table of Contents links at the top of this article to skip around. Before all of that, here are the details on our review unit. 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro: Our model’s specifications This review looks at the M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, which is Apple’s most affordable model in the MacBook Pro lineup. Our review unit has the same CPU, GPU, and RAM as the base standard configuration, but the SSD is a 1TB upgrade, which is an additional $200/£200, and it has the Nano-texture glass ($150/£150). Here are the specifications of the laptop in this review: CPU: M4 with 10 cores (4 performance cores, 6 efficiency cores), 16-core Neural Engine GPU: 10 cores Memory: 16GB unified memory (120GBps memory bandwidth) Storage: 1TB SSD Display: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR; 3024-by-1964 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch; 1000 nits sustained XDR brightness, 1600 nits peak (HDR content only); 1000 nits SDR brightness; 1 billion colors; P3 color gamut; True Tone; Nano-texture glass Ports: 3 Thunderbolt 4/USB-C; MagSafe 3; SDXC Card slot; HDMI; 3.5mm audio Networking: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3 Input devices: Magic Keyboard with Touch ID; Magic Trackpad Weight: 3.4 pounds (1.55 kg) Dimensions: 0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71 inches (1.55 x 31.26 x 22.12 cm) Price (as tested): $1,949/£1,949 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro: Performance The major problem with the M3 MacBook Pro was that its unified memory started at 8GB. That’s usable but for a “Pro” laptop it’s not enough for high-end tasks, and an upgrade to 16GB cost a pricey $200/£200. Last year, Apple defended its stance against customer outcry and it seemed like the company wasn’t going to budge. But at some point (perhaps tied to Apple Intelligence?) the company made the right decision to set 16GB as the new RAM baseline in all Macs–what makes the change even sweeter is prices weren’t affected at all. What 16GB means is that the M4 MacBook Pro runs more efficiently. While you’re not going to see dramatic boosts, it’ll feel a lot smoother when you’re using an app that’s not optimized properly, have a lot of apps open at the same time, and/or have a dozen browser tabs of Macworld.com open at the same time. Besides having more base RAM than the M3, the M4 has a 10-core CPU (4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores) and a 10-core GPU. Learn more about the M4. Overall, the M4 offers the typical boost we’ve seen from the old chip series to the new one, but since Apple didn’t increase the price with the RAM boost, the overall value is much better. Geekbench 6.3 CPU benchmarks

Read more »

16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) review: Locked in and loaded
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Excellent performance Thunderbolt 5 is a boon for professionals 12MP CenterStage FaceTime camera Nano-texture glass display option Cons Wi-Fi 7 would’ve been nice to future-proof it a little Our Verdict The M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro is a powerful workstation and Apple makes the package even better with Thunderbolt 5, the 12MP Center Stage camera, and the Nano-texture glass display option. It’s a loaded laptop for the most demanding users. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$2,499 | $2,899 Best Prices Today: Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Retailer Price $2499 View Deal $2499 View Deal $2499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket If you’re someone who’s shopping for a 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M-series Pro chip, you ain’t messin’ around. If you want the most processing muscle, you really want an M4 Max chip, but if a $3,499 laptop is out of your budget, the M4 Pro models have what it takes to conquer your processing demands. The 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro was a really good laptop. This new M4 Pro version is even better, thanks in part to the non-chip upgrades. To solidify its workstation status, Apple implemented a Thunderbolt 5 upgrade in Pro and Max models. There’s also a spiffy new built-in camera and a display option that makes things easier on your eyes. This review is structured based on how the major updates will influence your buying decision. In this case, the M4 Pro chip will be the most important factor, so we evaluate its performance first, followed by Thunderbolt 5, the screen and camera, and then other factors. You can use the Table of Contents links at the top of this article to skip around. But before all that, here are the details on our review unit. 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro: Specifications The M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro in this review has the same the same CPU, GPU, and RAM as the $2,899/£2,899 standard configuration, but the SSD is a 2TB upgrade ($600/£600) and it has the Nano-texture glass ($150/£150). Here are the specifications of the laptop in this review: CPU: M4 Pro with 14 cores (10 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores), 16-core Neural Engine GPU: 20 cores Memory: 48GB unified memory (273GBps memory bandwidth) Storage: 2TB SSD Display: 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR; 3456-by-2234 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch; 1000 nits sustained XDR brightness, 1600 nits peak (HDR content only); 1000 nits SDR brightness; 1 billion colors; P3 color gamut; True Tone; Nano-texture glass Ports: 3 Thunderbolt 4/USB-C; MagSafe 3; SDXC Card slot; HDMI; 3.5mm audio Networking: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax); Bluetooth 5.3 Input devices: Magic Keyboard with Touch ID; Magic Trackpad Weight: 4.7 pounds (2.14 kg) Dimensions: 0.66 x 14.01 x 9.77 inches (1.68 x 35.57 x 24.81 cm) Price (as tested): $3,649/£3.649 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro: Performance The standard configuration of the M4 Pro has two more CPU and GPU cores than the M3 Pro it replaces. Apple added more unified memory in the standard configurations, too, which is a result of Apple bumping the starting level of all Macs with the based M4 chip to 16GB. The M4 Pro now starts at 24GB of RAM, up from 18GB in the M3 Pro. Geekbench 6.3 CPU benchmarks

Read more »

M4 Mac mini, MacBook Pro, and iMac are now on sale
The M4 iMac, redesigned Mac mini with faster internals, and MacBook Pro with M4 chip are now on sale worldwide. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

Read more »

How small is the M4 Mac mini really? This small
Macworld The new Mac mini is…mini. It’s way more mini than the old mini, which wasn’t a very big desktop computer at all. At just 5×5 inches square and 2 inches tall, it’s less than a quarter the volume of the Mac Studio, which is also a small desktop computer, and only 1.33 inches bigger than the Apple TV 4K in length and width and not even an inch taller. But what does that really mean? How does that size compare to other everyday objects? Perhaps these photos will provide a better point of reference for just how mini Apple’s new Mac mini really is. Foundry Here’s something you may have already: A Magic Trackpad. Its footprint actually exceeds that of the new Mac mini. It’s thinner, of course, but just know that a Magic Trackpad takes up more room on your desk than a Mac mini. Foundry Even placed diagonally, the iPhone 16 Pro Max extends well beyond the boundaries of the new Mac mini. Foundry Is it bigger than a couple of decks of standard playing cards? Yes, of course, it’s not that tiny. But it’s not as much bigger as you’d expect. Foundry Do you love coffee? Me, too. But I bet you’re not used to your coffee mug dwarfing your desktop computer. Foundry Even a PS5 DualSense controller is bulkier than the Mac mini. Foundry Here’s a great way to visualize the Mac mini: stack two standard household smoke detectors on top of each other. That’s almost exactly how big this little computer is. Foundry I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t have any other desktop computers small enough to easily wear my sunglasses.

Read more »

tvOS 18.2 beta, AdBlocker framework hints at Apple devices being able to ignore “Hey Siri” commands from TVs in the near future
If you’ve been annoyed by various TV ads triggering the “Hey Siri” command on Apple devices over the years, this might be coming to an end. Per 9to5Mac, the latest beta of tvOS 18.2 released this week introduced a new framework called “AdBlocker.” Although at first glance the name suggests that this would be a […] Source

Read more »

Rumor: Apple Store retail locations to begin reducing Vision Pro retail/demo space
Apple may be reducing/consolidating the amount of space it dedicates to the Vision Pro headset in some of its retail store locations. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, while most stores have two tables dedicated to the ‌Apple Vision Pro‌, one for display units and one for customer demos, Apple is planning to move both the […] Source

Read more »

MacBook Pro comparison: 14- vs 16-inch MacBook Pro
Macworld As of November 2024, Apple sells two MacBook Pro models: a 14-inch model with either the M4, M4 Pro, or M4 Max, and a 16-inch model with either the M4 Pro or M4 Max. The company used to sell a 13-inch MacBook Pro but this model was discontinued. The M4 chip in the 14-inch MacBook offers adequate power for most users, but the M4 Pro and M4 Max processors are superior and rather incredible. However, the MacBook Pro is more than just a killer processor. It’s full of great features like a ProMotion HDR display, HDMI output and MagSafe. If you’re having trouble deciding which one to get, here’s how they compare. For more advice about choosing the Mac laptop for you read: MacBook buying guide: Which Mac laptop is best? and MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air. 14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: Specs compared We’ll discuss some of the more salient differences point-by-point, but first here are all the most important specs at a glance. 14-inch MacBook Pro16-inch MacBook Pro16in MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) reviewStarting Price$1,599/£1,599$2,499/£2,499Maxed-out Price$7,049/£7,049$7,349/£7,349Dimensions0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71 inches1.55 x 31.26 x 22.12 cm0.66 x 14.01 x 9.77 inches1.68 x 35.57 x 24.81 cmWeightM4: 3.4 lbs (1.55 kg)M4 Pro: 3.5 lbs (1.60 kg)M4 Max: 3.6 lbs (1.62 kg)M3 Pro: 4.7 lbs (15 kg)M3 Max: 4.7 lbs (2.16 kg)ProcessorM4, M4 Pro, or M4 MaxM4 Pro or M4 MaxCPUM4: 10 cores (4 performance)M4 Pro: 12 or 14 cores (8 or 10 performance)M4 Max: 14 or 16 cores (10 or 12 performance)M4 Pro: 14 cores (10 performance)M4 Max: 14 or 16 cores (10 or 12 performance)GPUM4: 10 coresM4 Pro: 16 or 20 coresM4 Max: 32 or 40 coresM4 Pro: 20 coresM4 Max: 32 or 40 coresNeural Engine16-core16-core RAMM4: 16GB, 24GB, 32GB (120GBps)M4 Pro: 24GB, 48GB (273GBps)M4 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 128GB (410GBps)M4 Pro: 24GB, 48GB (273GBps)M4 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 128GB (410 or 546GBps)Storage512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TBDisplay3024×1964, 1,000 nits HDR (1,600 peak), 600 nits SDR, P3 wide color, True Tone, 120Hz ProMotion3456×2234, 1,000 nits HDR (1,600 peak), P3 wide color, True Tone, 120Hz ProMotionFaceTime camera12MP Center Stage with Desk View12MP Center Stage with Desk ViewThunderbolt portsM4: 3 Thunderbolt 4/USB-CM4 Pro & M4 Max: 3 Thunderbolt 5/USB-C3 Thunderbolt 5/USB-C Other portsMagSafe 3, HDMI 2.1, SDXC card slotMagSafe 3, HDMI 2.1, SDXC card slotBattery LifeM4: 16 hrs web, 24 hrs videoM4 Pro and Max: 14 hrs web, 22 hrs videoM4 Pro: 17 hrs web, 24 hrs videoM4 Max: 14 hrs web, 21 hrs videoPower Adapter70W or 96W USB-C with MagSafe140W USB-C with MagSafe 14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: Price The first thing you’ll notice is the price difference between the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 and the 14-inch and 16-inch models with M4 Pro. You have to pay an extra $400/£400, but that price does include more than a CPU upgrade–you get more GPU cores, and more memory. The M4 Pro MacBook Pro models also offer more memory customization options–the M4 Pro has a maximum limit of 48GB, while the M4’s limit is 32GB. The price gap between the M4 Pro and Max laptops is similar. For example, the high-end 14-inch M4 Pro model is $2,399, and to upgrade that to an M4 Max adds $600/£600. The starting price for a 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro is $3,499/£3,499, which is $300/£300 more than the top-end 14-inch M4 Max MacBook Pro standard configuration. To summarize, the M4 Pro models are more expensive than the M4 models, but they’re more capable because they have more CPU and GPU cores and can have more memory. Upgrading from M4 Pro to M4 Max is a good price/performance deal–so much so that you might forego an M4 Pro altogether and go with the M4 Max. 14-inch MacBook Pro, M4 (2024) M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 512GB SSD: $1,599/£1,599 M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 1TB SSD: $1,799/£1,799 M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, 1TB SSD: $1,999/£1,999 Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) Read our review Price When Reviewed: $1,599 | $1,799 | $1,999 Best Prices Today: $1,581.82 at Amazon | $1599 at Apple | $1599 at B&H 14-inch MacBook Pro, M4 Pro/M4 Max (2024) M4 Pro, 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, 512GB SSD: $1,999/£1,999 M4 Pro, 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, 1TB SSD: $2,399/£2,399 M4 Max, 14-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB unified memory, 1TB SSD: $3,199/£3,199 Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Price When Reviewed: $1,999 | $2,399 Best Prices Today: $1,949 at Amazon$1999 at Apple$1999 at B&H 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max) Price When Reviewed: $3,199 Best Prices Today: $3,129.94 at Amazon$3199 at Apple$3199 at B&H 16-inch MacBook Pro, M4 Pro/M4 Max (2024) M4 Pro, 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, 512GB SSD: $2,499 / £2,499 M4 Pro, 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 48GB unified memory, 512GB SSD: $2,899 / £2,899 M4 Max, 14-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB unified memory, 1TB SSD: $3,499 / £3,499 M4 Max, 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 48GB unified memory, 1TB SSD: $3,999 / £4,099 Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Price When Reviewed: $2,499 | $2,899 Best Prices Today: $2,449.99 at Amazon$2499 at Apple$2499 at B&H Read our full Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) review Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max) Price When Reviewed: $3,499 | $3,999 Best Prices Today: $3,419.94 at Amazon$3499 at Apple$3499 at B&H 14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: Performance The new M4 has an 10-core CPU (4 performance, 6 efficiency cores) and according to Apple, is 3.4 times faster than the M1. For more money, you can step up from the M4 to an 12-core M4 Pro chip, which offers a 52 percent increase, or to a 14-core M4 Pro.  However, because of the Pro’s core configuration, it might be a better investment to step up to a 14-core M4 Max. The M4 chip family starts with the base M4.Apple The 14-inch MacBook Pro is available with the M4, M4 Pro, or M4 Max chips; the 16-inch MacBook Pro comes with either a M4 Pro or M4 Max chip. The M4 Pro and Max are available with different CPU and GPU core options, and they also have more memory configurations available. 14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: Display quality and screen size The 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro have mini-LED displays with slim bezels. Screen sizes are actually 14.2 inches and 16.2 inches measured diagonally. The screens offer good energy efficiency, contrast, and brightness. The brightness with SDR content has been boosted from 500 to 600 nits compared to the early 2023 14- and 16-inch models. With HDR content the new displays can go up to 1,000 nits sustained and 1,600 nits peak. That’s incredible HDR performance that beats nearly any other laptop display on the market. ProMotion, when it arrived with the 2021 MacBook Pro models was a game-changer, bringing 120Hz high refresh rates to the MacBook Pro, while also allowing for dynamic variable refresh rates down to 24Hz, which is not only great for movie-watching, it’s a big benefit to battery life. 14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: Speakers, mics, and headphones The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro have a six-speaker sound system that promises high fidelity in addition to support for Spatial Audio. All the MacBook Pros have a beamforming three-mic array, but the 14-inch and 16-inch models have improved sensitivity and a lower noise floor, so recordings should sound better. There’s a headphone jack on all the MacBook Pros, and it supports high-impedance headphones. That’s great for studio headphones, which need more power to drive them. The 2023 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro’s HDMI port supports multichannel audio output. Foundry 14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: Webcam (and the notch) The MacBook Pros have a 12MP Canter stage webcam with Desk View support. That’s an upgrade from the 1080p camera used in the previous MacBook Pro models. The webcam is housed in a pretty significant-sized notch at the top of the display, which first made an appearance on the 2021 MacBook Pro models. Despite looking very much like that on the iPhone, it’s not a TrueDepth sensor. There’s no Face ID or Animoji or anything like that. The notch doesn’t actually cut into the main display area, though. The area beneath the notch is a 16×10 display, just like all prior MacBooks. The display area on either side of the notch extends upward from there, adding screen area on top of the 16×10 rectangle. The menu bar is located in that area, effectively giving you more vertical space for all your apps. Developers can choose to use that extra screen space if they want to. 14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: Connectivity and expansion Years ago, Apple got rid of our beloved MagSafe charging connector, opting instead to take up one of the few Thunderbolt ports for charging. And they got rid of the SD card slot and HDMI port, too. When Apple updated the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in 2021, Apple gave us one additional Thunderbolt port, and it brought back the HDMI port, SDXC card slot, and MagSafe connector. Somewhat confusingly, the company also uses MagSafe as the brand for the iPhone’s magnetic charging and accessory attachment technology, which is sort of a different thing but also involves magnetic charging. In the M4 MacBook Pro, Apple now offers three Thunderbolt/USB-C ports; the M3 model it repalces had only two ports. The M4 MacBook Pro’s ports use the Thunderbolt 4 specificaion, while the M4 Pro and Max laptops use Thunderbolt 5, which offers more bandwidth and faster performance. Most users won’t notice the difference between Thunderbolt 4 and 5 unless they are using Thunderbolt 5 devices and are performaning very large data transfers. Thunderbolt 5 also supports higher wattages for charging and running devices. 14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: Touch Bar The 13-inch MacBook Pro had a Touch Bar. Apple dumped that laptop with the introduction of the M3 series in the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, which also meant that it dumped the Touch Bar completely. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro doesn’t have a Touch Bar, they have a full-height row of Function keys with a Touch ID sensor at the right. Both systems have a Touch ID button in the upper right of the keyboard like the iMac’s Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. The Touch Bar is gone, and in its place a row of full-size Function keys.Apple 14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: Battery life The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros have really excellent battery life specs. The 72.4Wh battery in the 14-inch M4 model will keep it going for 16 hours; the same battery in the 14-inch M4 Pro and Max laptops will last about 13 to 14 hours. The 16-inch model gets 21 to 24 hours of video playback out of its 100Wh battery. The M4 and M4 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro come with a 70W power adapter, and both also offer an option for a 96W adapter. The 96W model is necessary for fast charging and comes standard with some configurations, otherwise, it’s a $20 upgrade. The 16-inch model comes with a 140W power adapter in all configurations. Verdict The 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro is the absolute pinnacle of the portable Mac. We recommend getting as much RAM and storage as you can afford. The sweet spot for most people will be the 12-core CPU/16-core GPU M4 Pro with 24GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but we’re confident that you’ll be happy with any of the configurations Apple offers.  If you’re looking for a 13-inch M3 MacBook Pro, you won’t find it. Apple replaced it with the 14-inch MacBook Pro, which has a different design, no Touch Bar, a better display, and a higher price. Overall, the M4 MacBook Pro is a better laptop, but if you love the Touch Bar, you either have to accept the new keyboard, stick with your Touch Bar laptop, or find a 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro from a third-party seller or Apple’s Certified Refurbished Store. Alternatively, the 13-inch MacBook Pro might be the best option for you, see our comparison of the MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air. If you are on a budget and the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro looks attractive, you won’t be disappointed. It’s a much better deal than the M3 MAcBook Pro it replaced. For more buying advice read our Best Mac guide. 

Read more »

How to import your old passwords into the new Apple Passwords
Apple now has an official password manager, but importing your old passwords from other apps into Apple Passwords can be a bit of a pain.Any password manager can import to Apple Passwords, so long as you have a Mac.The introduction of iOS 18 and macOS Seqouia has seen the old iCloud Keychain be rolled into the new Apple Passwords app, alongside a few other Apple password management features. If you already use a password manager outside of iCloud Keychain, you'll probably want to import your passwords if you intend on using Apple Passwords.Do note that Apple's new Passwords app is really built for storing login passwords. It does not, as yet, store the items like credit card numbers, software serial numbers, or secure documents, that other password managers too. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Glyde 4-in-1 Portable Charging Station review: Mobile charging without compromise
Glyde's specially designed sliding charging station is a great way to charge all your smaller Apple devices.Glyde 4-in-1 Portable Charging Station reviewCharging stations make it easier to get more done with fewer wires, and this one is space-efficient by being retractable. In a way, it's a spiritual successor to the MagSafe Duo, or TwelveSouth's version of the 2-in-1 MagSafe design.Journey is an Australia-based consumer tech company that specializes in chargers and cases. One of its latest releases is the Glyde 4-in-1 Portable Charging Station. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Security Bite: Mechanics of Apple CarPlay
9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple devices work-ready and enterprise-safe is all we do. Our unique integrated approach to management and security combines state-of-the-art Apple-specific security solutions for fully automated Hardening & Compliance, Next Generation EDR, AI-powered Zero Trust, and exclusive Privilege Management with the most powerful and modern Apple MDM on the market. The result is a totally automated Apple Unified Platform currently trusted by over 45,000 organizations to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. This week, I want to share a fascinating talk I came across on social media about an Apple service that doesn’t seem to get as much attention in the community: CarPlay. While Apple has not publicly disclosed the exact number of CarPlay users, I’d venture to say it’s one of its most used services. And one of the biggest concerns is anything that could compromise driver safety or privacy. So, how secure is CarPlay? more…

Read more »

Netflix now lets you share screenshots of your favorite moments from a movie or show
Pretty much every video streaming platform has DRM-protected content, which aims to prevent users from distributing copyrighted material. Unfortunately, this also means that users can’t easily share screenshots of specific moments of something they’re watching with others – but Netflix is introducing a new feature that will change that. more…

Read more »

iPhones stored for forensic analysis unexpectedly reboot, causing problems for police
Multiple iPhone units stored for forensic analysis have rebooted themselves, causing concern among law enforcement officials that Apple has a new security feature.iPhones stored for forensic analysis have reportedly begun rebooting themselves.The phones in question had a few things in common, they were all running iOS 18.0, and they had been disconnected from cellular networks for some time. They were sent into a forensics lab on October 3, 2024.The affected devices even included one that was in Airplane Mode and another that was kept in a Faraday cage, which prevents electrical signals from accessing the device. While it's most likely that the devices began boot-looping or that they ran low on battery, officials believe the restarts were caused by something else entirely. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Grab an M1 MacBook Air at hundreds off
Pick up the perfect laptop for students at a price that's perfect for anyone. Get a refurbished M1 Macbook Air on sale for just $514.99. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

Read more »

Two senior presidential campaign officials' iPhones maybe hacked by Chinese group
Evidence suggests that the earlier Chinese Salt Typhoon breach of American telecoms may have led to the potential hacking of two presidential campaign officials' iPhones.iPhones potentially breachedWhether the hack actually happened, what data might have been obtained, or which officials were breached have not been revealed. The FBI is investigating claims by a security startup called iVerify that tie the events together.According to a report from Forbes, iVerify flagged anomalous behavior on two iPhones belonging to senior officials for one of the presidential candidates. Settings had been changed on the iPhones in "patterns that are not observed on healthy devices." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Playlist cover artwork app ‘Denim’ now integrates with Spotify
As previously covered here on 9to5Mac, Denim is a powerful app that provides tools for creating and customizing cover artwork for playlist. Following an update in August that added many new options to the app, Denim is now getting another update – this time with Spotify integration. more…

Read more »

Apple’s App Store revenue rises 14% in October
Apple's App Store revenue experienced a 14% year-over-year increase in October, excluding currency fluctuations. This solid performance… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

Rivian adds support for Control Center widgets in iOS 18
Following Tesla last month, Rivian is now rolling out support for Control Center widgets for iPhone users running iOS 18. more…

Read more »

9to5Mac Daily: November 7, 2024 – iCloud glitches, EU investigations
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by CardPointers: The best way to maximize your credit card rewards. Save 30% and get a $100 Savings Card today.  more…

Read more »

Belkin debuts compact Travel Bag for Apple Vision Pro
Following the launch of the Belkin Head Strap earlier this week, Belkin today is further expanding its accessory lineup for Apple Vision Pro. The company has unveiled its new Belkin Travel Bag as a “compact and lightweight” alternative to Apple’s own Travel Case. more…

Read more »