New Apple Magic Mouse has all the same problems, but Lightning ain’t one [Review] ★★★☆☆
The Magic Mouse has been updated with USB-C, and … well, that’s about it. You can ditch the Lightning cable on your desk, at least. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Yes, the 10 worst passwords still include ‘password’ and ‘secret’
Some six years after virtual private network company NordVPN started searching data breaches for the most-used passwords, things are every bit as bad as when the company started. Each year, the company searches the dark web for passwords stolen by malware or exposed in security breaches to determine the most commonly-used passwords, and this year’s crop is as depressing as ever … more…

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Apple accused of misleading consumers over AirPods Pro ‘audio defect’
Macworld A class-action lawsuit filed this month accuses Apple of misleading AirPods Pro customers and failing adequately to address an audio defect reported shortly after the product’s launch in 2019. The suit (via ClassAction.org) focuses on two seemingly widespread problems with the 1st-gen AirPods Pro: unwanted crackling sounds, and the failure of Active Noise Cancellation to work correctly. These issues were publicized within months of release, but it took Apple almost a year to address them with a service program offering to replace units made before October 2020, free of charge. Apple’s own support document acknowledges that affected units could exhibit “crackling or static sounds that increase in loud environments, with exercise or while talking on the phone” and “Active Noise Cancellation not working as expected, such as a loss of bass sound, or an increase in background sounds, such as street or airplane noise.” A happy ending, then? Not quite. The theory was that AirPods Pro made after October 2020 would not be affected by the audio defect because Apple’s engineers had solved the problem, which is why such units were not eligible for a free replacement. But according to the lawsuit, they had not solved it at all. “…The replacement set of AirPods Pro Gen 1 contained the same Audio Defect,” claims the lawsuit. “In other words, those users simply received another defective set of AirPods Pro Gen 1, with many users later experiencing the Audio Defect with the defective replacement set as well.” It adds that microscopic examination of AirPods Pro units sold before and after October 2020 “reveals that there are no significant component differences.” Although Apple reportedly experimented with different microphones in 2020, this did not impact the defect and was subsequently reverted. Apple’s own actions at the time are ambiguous, but may to some extent corroborate the plaintiffs’ claims. First, while it never extended the service program to cover AirPods Pro made after October 2020, it did give consumers an extra year to make claims, suggesting it was aware that complaints were continuing. (The lawsuit flatly insists that Apple “extended the program because it knew it could not fix the problem.” However, the extension only gave consumers more time to claim on the pre-October 2020 units that would not in any case have been affected by Apple’s attempted fixes, successful or not.) Furthermore, Apple changed the audio design for the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro launched in September 2022, a decision the plaintiffs interpret as a giveaway that the company knew the 1st-gen model was fatally flawed and needed to be overhauled. “In particular,” the suit claims, “Apple appears to have attempted to solve the AirPods Pro Gen 1’s Audio Defect in the redesign of AirPods Pro Gen 2 by (i) increasing the processing speed of the DSP processor (responsible for noise canceling or decreasing background ambient noise), and by (ii) redesigning the speakers to add angular striations along its periphery to improve low frequency (base tone) response.” It’s a long and complicated saga, but the lawsuit’s argument boils down to four central allegations: Apple knew that the 1st-gen AirPods Pro were faulty and that it couldn’t fix the problem without a redesign. The service program was inadequate because it failed to cover post-October 2020 units, which were also subject to the defect and replaced defective units with other defective units. Apple failed to contact owners of defective AirPods Pro to notify them they were entitled to a replacement. Apple continued to knowingly sell faulty AirPods Pro units at a premium price right up to 2022 and made false claims about their audio capabilities in its marketing material. At this point, the class-action lawsuit is at the filing stage. But at some point in the future, if the suit is successful, readers who owned a set of 1st-gen AirPods Pro may be entitled to compensation.

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New Apple Magic Trackpad is still the best ever [Review] ★★★★☆
The new Apple Magic Trackpad with USB-C still holds the crown for the best Mac peripheral. It is, simply, the best trackpad in the world. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Snapchat rolling out Find My Friends style feature for families
Snapchat is rolling out a new feature which will work in a similar way to Apple’s Find My app, but will be limited to family members. Parents will be able to request the location of the teens, and vice-versa, with some automated location reporting also available … more…

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Lawsuit by US workers accuses Apple chipmaker TSMC of ‘anti-American discrimination’
TSMC’s Arizona plants will enable Apple chips for older devices to be made in the US for the first time, but things haven’t exactly been going to plan. The latest development is that a group of the company’s US workers have filed a lawsuit accusing the Taiwanese company of ‘anti-American discrimination’ … more…

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OWC Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD offers fast 6GB/s data transfers
OWC has released the Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 SSD, an external drive that takes advantage of the M4 Pro and M4 Max Mac's connections.OWC Envoy UltraAs part of its M4 Mac upgrades, Apple upgraded some of the ports on its M4 Pro and M4 Max models to use Thunderbolt 5. Following a preorder period, OWC has now started to ship a drive that takes advantage of the increased amount of bandwidth.The OWC Envoy Ultra is a Thunderbolt 5-based portable SSD, claimed to be the first in the world. Taking advantage of the massive bandwidth of Thunderbolt 5, it can transfer data to and from a Mac at speeds exceeding 6,000MB/s. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple Faces UK 'iCloud Monopoly' Compensation Claim Worth $3.8 Million
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: U.K. consumer rights group 'Which?' is filing a legal claim against Apple under competition law on behalf of some 40 million users of iCloud, its cloud storage service. The collective proceeding lawsuit, which is seeking 3 billion pounds in compensation damages (around $3.8 billion at current exchange rates), alleges that Apple has broken competition rules by giving its own cloud storage service preferential treatment and effectively locking people into paying for iCloud at "rip-off" prices. "iOS has a monopoly and is in control of Apple's operating systems and it is incumbent on Apple not to use that dominance to gain an unfair advantage in related markets, like the cloud storage market. But that is exactly what has happened," Which wrote in a press release announcing filing the claim with the U.K.'s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). The lawsuit accuses Apple of encouraging users of its devices to sign up to iCloud for photo storage and other data storage needs, while simultaneously making it difficult for consumers to use alternative storage providers -- including by not allowing them to store or back-up all of their phone's data with a third-party provider. "iOS users then have to pay for the service once photos, notes, messages and other data go over the free 5GB limit," Which noted. The suit also accuses Apple of overcharging U.K. consumers for iCloud subscriptions owing to the lack of competition. "Apple raised the price of iCloud for UK consumers by between 20% and 29% across its storage tiers in 2023," it wrote, saying it's seeking damages for all affected Apple customers -- and estimating that individual consumers could be owed an average of 70 pounds (around $90), depending on how long they've been paying Apple for iCloud services. "Anyone who has 'obtained' iCloud services, including non-paying users, over the nine-year timeframe since the Consumer Rights Act came into force on October 1st, 2015," will be included in the claim. U.K.-based consumers will have to opt-out if they do not want to be included. "Consumers who live outside the U.K. and believe they are eligible to be included must actively opt-in to join the action," adds TechCrunch. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Apple Faces UK 'iCloud Monopoly' Compensation Claim Worth $3.8 Billion
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: U.K. consumer rights group 'Which?' is filing a legal claim against Apple under competition law on behalf of some 40 million users of iCloud, its cloud storage service. The collective proceeding lawsuit, which is seeking 3 billion pounds in compensation damages (around $3.8 billion at current exchange rates), alleges that Apple has broken competition rules by giving its own cloud storage service preferential treatment and effectively locking people into paying for iCloud at "rip-off" prices. "iOS has a monopoly and is in control of Apple's operating systems and it is incumbent on Apple not to use that dominance to gain an unfair advantage in related markets, like the cloud storage market. But that is exactly what has happened," Which wrote in a press release announcing filing the claim with the U.K.'s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). The lawsuit accuses Apple of encouraging users of its devices to sign up to iCloud for photo storage and other data storage needs, while simultaneously making it difficult for consumers to use alternative storage providers -- including by not allowing them to store or back-up all of their phone's data with a third-party provider. "iOS users then have to pay for the service once photos, notes, messages and other data go over the free 5GB limit," Which noted. The suit also accuses Apple of overcharging U.K. consumers for iCloud subscriptions owing to the lack of competition. "Apple raised the price of iCloud for UK consumers by between 20% and 29% across its storage tiers in 2023," it wrote, saying it's seeking damages for all affected Apple customers -- and estimating that individual consumers could be owed an average of 70 pounds (around $90), depending on how long they've been paying Apple for iCloud services. "Anyone who has 'obtained' iCloud services, including non-paying users, over the nine-year timeframe since the Consumer Rights Act came into force on October 1st, 2015," will be included in the claim. U.K.-based consumers will have to opt-out if they do not want to be included. "Consumers who live outside the U.K. and believe they are eligible to be included must actively opt-in to join the action," adds TechCrunch. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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The reported Apple smart home camera will combine ultimate privacy with Apple Intelligence
Earlier this week Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that we’ll see an Apple smart home camera in 2026, with the company confident it will prove to be a popular accessory, selling in the tens of millions per year. Given Apple’s habit of minimizing the number of products it makes, if the report is accurate the company must feel there’s good reason to enter a crowded product category, and I think an Apple camera will likely differentiate itself in two ways: privacy, and Apple Intelligence … more…

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Google Gemini Live takes on Siri via a standalone iOS app
Google is increasing the competition with Siri and Apple Intelligence on iPhone, by releasing a standalone iOS app for Gemini.Google GeminiGoogle's Gemini has been available to use for some time on the iPhone, but as part of the main Google app. Now, Gemini is available as its own standalone app for iOS, and is being framed even more as a personal AI assistant.In an official blog post, Google explains that the app offers something called Gemini Live, a version of the assistant offering "free-flowing conversations." Using Live, users can have a back-and-forth conversation with Gemini, complete with the ability to interrupt mid-response, or to pause a conversation to pick it up later. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Hands-on with AirPods 4: better in every way
, and they are awesome. As a pair of on-ear wireless earbuds, they are really hard to fault. I have used AirPods 2 for the past five years — skipping the third-generation model due to fit concerns — and AirPods 4 are what I have been waiting for. The new AirPods are available in two models: $129, or . I have the ANC buds and I’m thrilled with them, but I predict even the base model is going to drive a lot of sales this holiday season. more…

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Best MacBook Air deals this month
Macworld In March 2024, Apple introduced new MacBook Air models with M3 chips bringing the MacBook Air into line with the MacBook Pro models that had featured the M3 and variants of that chip since October 2023. Then in October 2024, when Apple updated the MacBook Pro models to M4 chips, Apple doubled the unified memory in the MacBook Air. While the MacBook Air models are still running M3 chips, they now ship with 16GB RAM as standard rather than 8GB. The boost is likely due to the requirements of Apple Intelligence. The news means that now is a great time to buy a MacBook Air, either one of the models with 16GB RAM or one of the older models, if they have had a decent price drop. In this round-up of the best MacBook Air deals you can find the best prices for all MacBook Air models right now–including older models, which are often heavily discounted. Read on to save money on the MacBook Air. We follow all the Apple resellers all year round, so we know the best prices resellers have sold Apple products for–and we know if they have a really good deal and not just an ok deal. Check out the best deals we are seeing right now below. If you aren’t sure whether to buy the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro we recommend you read about the differences between the MacBook Air and Pro. We also have a MacBook buying guide to help you decide. Watch out for the best deals over Black Friday. See our round up of the Best Apple Deals this Black Friday and our Best Black Friday 2024 MacBook deals. Best MacBook Air deals right now Note that in October 2024 Apple increased the amount of RAM in the MacBook Air from 8GB as standard to 16GB. Since it costs $200/£200 at point of sale to upgrade the RAM from 8GB to 16GB we suggest that you don’t consider a MacBook Air with 8GB Unified Memory unless the price is $200/£200 less than it was previously or the amount of storage is high enough to warrant the price in comparison with a newer model. U.S.: Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M2 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $749 ($250 off with coupon, MSRP $999) Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $899 ($200 off, MSRP $1,099) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $1,099 ($200 off, MSRP $1,299) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $1,299 ($200 off, MSRP $1,499) U.K.: KRCS, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM) £989 (£110 off, RRP £1,099) Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/24GB RAM) £1,379.97 (£110 off, RRP £1,499) KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM) £1,234.05 (£65 off, RRP £1,299) KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM) £1,349.10 (£149 off, RRP £1,499) Every MacBook Air deal right now In the tables below you will see the best price right now for the various MacBook Air models Apple makes. Note Apple’s recommended retail price and you will be able to see just how good the deals on the MacBook Air are. M2 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 256GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $999/£999 Retailer Price $799 View Deal $799 View Deal $929 View Deal $999 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 256GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $1,099/£1,099 Retailer Price $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $1024 View Deal $1099 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $1,299/£1,299 (was $1,499/£1,499) Retailer Price $1,099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1209 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, 24GB RAM, MSRP $1,499/£1,499 Retailer Price $1,299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1389 View Deal $1699 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 256GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $1,299/£1,299 Retailer Price $1,099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1209 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $1,499/£1,499 (was $1,699/£1,699) Retailer Price $1,299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1389 View Deal $1399 View Deal $1499 View Deal $1499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, 24GB RAM, MSRP $1,699/£1,699 Retailer Price $1,499 View Deal $1499 View Deal $1699 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Discontinued MacBook Air models While stock is still available you may be able to pick up a deal on these discontinued Macs. Apple has recently doubled the RAM in the MacBook Air but you may be able to find a model with 89GB RAM on sale – just make sure you get a good deal on those models as you can’t add extra RAM at a later date and to update the RAM from 8GB to 16GB costs an extra $200/£200 at point of sale. M2 13.6-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 256GB, was $999/£999 – Discontinued (Previously: $1,099/£1,149 and $1,119/£1,249 at launch) Retailer Price $749 View Deal $749 View Deal $799 View Deal $844 View Deal $1049 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M2 13.6-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, was $1,199/£1,199 – Discontinued (Previously: $1,399/£1,449 and $1,499/£1,549 at launch) Retailer Price $949 View Deal $949 View Deal $949 View Deal $949 View Deal $1029 View Deal $1499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB, MSRP was $1,099/£1,099 – Discontinued Retailer Price $799 View Deal $899 View Deal $985.29 View Deal $999 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB, MSRP was $1,299/£1,299 – Discontinued Retailer Price $999 View Deal $999 View Deal $1114 View Deal $1149 View Deal $1,182.99 View Deal $1299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M1 13.3-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/7-core GPU, WAS $999/£999 (Discontinued) New Refurbished Retailer Price $631.99 View Deal $739 View Deal $739.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price $599.99 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket M3 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 256GB, 8GB RAM, MSRP was $1,299/£1,299 – discontinued Retailer Price $999 View Deal $999 View Deal $999 View Deal $1114 View Deal $1199 View Deal $1299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, 8GB RAM, MSRP was $1,499/£1,499 – discontinued Retailer Price $1,199 View Deal $1199 View Deal $1199 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1349 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M2 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 256GB, WAS $1,299/£1,399. (Discontinued) Retailer Price $1049 View Deal $1,199 View Deal $1244 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M2 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, WAS $1,499/£1,599. (Discontinued) Retailer Price $1,199 View Deal $1249 View Deal $1399 View Deal $1434 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M1 13.3-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, WAS $1,249/£1,249 (Discontinued) Retailer Price Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Where to buy the MacBook Air You can buy a MacBook Air directly from Apple in the US or at Apple UK, but the stocks may be low and Apple very rarely drops prices – see Where is the MacBook Air in stock. You may however find a MacBook Air in stock and discounted at one of these resellers. There are plenty of stores and Apple Premium Resellers around the world that offer discounts on new and old Macs, so it’s worth shopping around (read our Where to buy a Mac article for more advice). One benefit of buying from Apple is you could trade in your old Mac and get money off. We have an article explaining How to get money off with Apple’s trade-in program. We recommend the following resellers in the U.S. and U.K.: U.S. retailers Want to buy a MacBook Air from Apple? View the MacBook Air in the Apple Store. You may be able to save money on a refurbished MacBook Air. View the MacBook Air in the Apple Refurbished Store. Get an education discount: View the MacBook Air in the Apple Education Store. View the MacBook Air at Amazon. View the MacBook Air at B&H Photo. View the MacBook Air at Best Buy View the MacBook Air at Walmart. You can find the MacBook Air at Adorama. Looking for other ways to save money. Find out if you can save money buying Apple products from another country. U.K. retailers If you want to buy a MacBook Air from Apple: View the MacBook Air in the Apple Store. You may be able to get money off an older model from Apple’s refurb store: View the MacBook Air in the Apple Refurbished Store. Save money if you are a teacher or student: View the MacBook Air in the Apple Education Store. Get a Mac from Amazon where we often see discounts: View the MacBook Air at Amazon. AO.com also offers discounts from time to time: View the MacBook Air at AO.com You may find the MacBook Air at Argos, although we only tend to see deals in conjunction with events like Black Friday. We often see great deals on MacBook Air at BT Shop. View the MacBook Air at Currys. View the MacBook Air at Ebuyer View the MacBook Air at John Lewis. We often see discounts on the MacBook Air at Laptops Direct. . You may also find discounts on the MacBook Air at Very. U.K. Apple Authorised Resellers KRCS Insight iStore Select Western Computer Jigsaw Best refurbished MacBook Air deals The deals you will see above are from Apple resellers rather than Apple itself – Apple very rarely drops the prices of the Macs it sells. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t save money buying from Apple: if you want to get a discount on a Mac from Apple you can buy a refurbished Mac. It’s not only Apple that sells refurbished Macs, but Apple does offer some great incentives to buy from Apple’s Refurbished Store, so we do recommend taking a look there for great MacBook Air deals. The Macs in Apple’s refurbished store may be ex-display stock, or they may have been returned to Apple due to a fault, but they are fully reconditioned now and come with a full year’s warranty. It’s not like buying secondhand. Read about buying a refurbished Mac. In the U.S. you’ll find the following MacBook Air available in the refurbished store: 13-inch MacBook Air, M1, 7-core GPU 13-inch MacBook Air, M1, 8-core GPU 13-inch MacBook Air, M2, 8-core GPU 13-inch MacBook Air, M2, 10-core GPU You can save as much as $210 off a MacBook Air with M2, compared to the original price. Get a refurbished MacBook at Apple's refurbished store (U.S.) In the U.K. you’ll find a slightly smaller selection of Mac laptops available from Apple’s refurbished store. Here’s what you can find: 13-inch MacBook Air, M1, 7-core GPU 13-inch MacBook Air, M1, 8-core GPU 13-inch MacBook Air, M2, 8-core GPU 13-inch MacBook Air, M2, 10-core GPU There are savings of £220 off a MacBook Air with M2, compared to the original price. Get a refurbished MacBook at Apple's refurbished store (U.K.) You can get refurbished Macs from other suppliers too, including the following refurbished resellers listed below: In the U.S.: Apple Amazon Back Market Best Buy Decluttr Gainsaver OWC Mac Of All Trades Refurb.me In the U.K.: Affordable Mac Apple Amazon BackMarket Hoxton Macs Laptops Direct MacFinder Mac 4 Sale Music Magpie Amazon also has a certified refurbished store for Apple products, but we would advise against buying any products that are older than five years – most of the products we see on the Amazon refurbished store are very old. Another place to look is BackMarket US and BackMarket UK, which sells refurbished Macs and other Apple products. We also recommend Hoxton Macs in the U.K. Other ways to save money Students should check the Apple Education Store, where they will be able to pick up a discount (as long as they qualify for one). Read more: How to get a student discount from Apple. There is also Apple holds a “Back To Uni” event which runs in the US from June to September (and in the UK from July to October) and means you will get free AirPods with your purchase!

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The incredible M4 Macs create Apple’s biggest challenge yet
Macworld As the cavalcade of M4 Macs rained down upon us last week, it became clear that Apple has established a solid rhythm for updates to its processor line. So far, it’s been four years and we’ve seen four generations of Apple silicon chips, each more impressive than the last. In everything from computational and graphics capability to power efficiency, the era of Apple-made processors has proven to be a ground change for the company. But even such an astounding success comes with challenges. As Apple has increasingly carved out its own category in the PC market, the company has left behind many of its classic competitors. It’s rarely compared to old rivals like Dell or HP; even its biggest counterparts, such as Meta and Google, don’t care about the same categories. In truth, Apple has been left with just one real challenger—the one company it can never quite beat. Itself. Time is marching on Like the clocks on which they depend, the improvement of Apple’s processors has been a constant drumbeat. Every year’s chip cores see gains of roughly 20 percent over the previous generation; wait a few years, and you’ll see improvements of 60 to 80 percent over the previous generation. Then layer on top improvements in graphic cores, memory bandwidth, and so on. But despite that seemingly inexorable march, the real impressive part of the Apple silicon era is the degree to which older models stay relevant. I have both an M2 Pro Mac mini and a MacBook Air with an M1 chip–the first model that the company announced when they made the transition back in 2020. And what strikes me is that the M1 feels just as capable today as it did four years ago. That’s not a given in technology. Plenty of people keep their computers for long times–my mother’s 2011 iMac says a very slow hello–but oftentimes that’s even as they adjust to the fact that those computers just aren’t as fast. But that just hasn’t yet proved true in the Apple silicon era; even those base-level chips still feel just fine. That’s quite the feat in an era where even a four-year-old iPhone can start feeling like its ripe for replacement. Apple has carved out an impressive amount of headroom, making each chip faster than the next, to the point that base-level chips can outperform older high-level processors. I recently reviewed the M4 Mac mini and found that the M4 outpaced my M2 Pro mini from just last year on more than a few tasks. The M1 MacBook Air is four years old but for most of its users, it still provides the performance that’s needed.Foundry A lot of that is a testament to Apple’s engineering, of course. But it’s also somewhat due to the Mac’s long history, and the fact that the tasks people are doing with them haven’t changed as radically in the last several years as in prior decades or with other devices. (What you can do with iPhone now versus ten years ago is a much bigger swing than with the Mac, for example.) That’s great for users because it means the hardware they buy is relevant for longer. And it’s mostly great for Apple because it’s a good selling point: buy this Mac and you’ll have it for five maybe even ten years. But it also has downsides. Hitting for the upgrade cycle For Apple, increasing the longevity of its Macs means a longer upgrade cycle—more time before Apple can sell you another Mac. That’s not great for a company trying to rack up Mac sales, of course. One might argue that it falls under the heading of “good problems to have” but in a financial society that seems to prioritize growth above all, it’s not ideal. (Whether that’s a reasonable expectation, well, that’s a different and much longer treatise.) Increasing the longevity of its Macs means a longer upgrade cycle. That’s not great for a company trying to rack up Mac sales. Still, there are always people who have long eschewed buying an Apple computer–the much-vaunted “switchers”–and there are, frankly, always new people, period. Both of those provide a solid basis for growth, even if they don’t provide the steady cadence of long-time Mac users upgrading. But as the Mac continues to move forward, it starts to feel a little less like one needs to be on the cutting edge, and more like every year brings something a little more predictable. Or maybe even, dare I say, boring? That’s certainly not an image one wants to cultivate. So how to upend it? Year over year Apple spent more than a decade trying to create a car, a project it ultimately shut down when it became clear it wasn’t going to happen. But there are still elements of that project the company could (and should) take away, and not all of them are about the purely technology side of things. Car companies, after all, are the standard bearers of predictable updates. Models get revamped regularly, year over year, and mostly don’t change too much. There are longer and longer times between the upgrade cycles for many buyers. And the ultimate form of a car–four wheels, storage, steering wheel–has largely gone unchanged for decades. And yet car companies remain in business. The Mac mini had its first redesign in 14 years.Mit KI erstellt (Microsoft Copilot, Adobe Sensei) What can Apple learn from them? Well, when in doubt, change the packaging. We’ve long seen the supercycle of iPhone purchases where a change in case design spurs a buying spike–that may not be as apparent in the Mac, given the broader product line fragmentation of update timing over the last many years–but it’s hard to believe it’s limited to smartphones. Witness the new Mac mini, for example. It’s the first redesign the desktop has seen in 14 years, and if that doesn’t provide a bump in the product’s sales, I’d be surprised. Returning color to the iMac line with the Apple silicon transition is another good example. These kinds of changes, superficial though they may seem, can still make a big difference when it comes to consumers. It’s a little harder to picture these changes for laptops, to be fair; Apple seems to have settled on its platonic ideal of a notebook computer. But the revamping of the base model MacBook Pro shows another angle: Apple added a Thunderbolt port to the other side of the computer, a nicety that can make a big difference for people’s daily use. Just like the front-mounted ports on the Mac mini and Mac Studio, it shows that Apple is thinking about how its customers use its products. And there’s no better way of ensuring loyalty than making it clear that you’re serving your customers’ needs. Apple Mac mini (M4) Price When Reviewed: $599 | $799 | $999 Best Prices Today: $564 at Walmart Electronics$599 at Apple$599 at B&HNot Available at Amazon Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro) Price When Reviewed: $1,399 Best Prices Today: $1399 at Apple$1399 at B&H$1399 at Best Buy Read our full Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro) review Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) Price When Reviewed: $1,599 | $1,799 | $1,999 Best Prices Today: $1,474 at Amazon$1484 at Walmart Electronics$1549 at B&H Read our full Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) review Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Price When Reviewed: $1,999 | $2,399 Best Prices Today: $1,839 at Amazon$1849 at Walmart Electronics$1999 at Apple Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max) Price When Reviewed: $3,199 Best Prices Today: $3,103.58 at Amazon$3199 at Apple$3199 at B&H Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Price When Reviewed: $2,499 | $2,899 Best Prices Today: $2314 at Walmart Electronics$2,433 at Amazon$2499 at Apple 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: $3,379.19 at Amazon$3499 at Apple$3499 at B&H Apple iMac (M4) Price When Reviewed: $1,299 | $1,499 | $1,699 | $1,899 Best Prices Today: $1,204 at Amazon$1214 at Walmart Electronics$1299 at Apple Read our full Apple iMac (M4) review

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UK group wants $4 billion payout for iCloud users
The UK's "Which?" consumer group and publication is to sue Apple over what it claims is the company's anti-competitive way of locking users into paying for iCloud storage.Apple's iCloud promo — image credit: AppleIt's not the first lawsuit against Apple over iCloud storage, and the company's free 5G has certainly been aggravating for many years. Now Which? has announced what it describes as a landmark legal claim over Apple's "rip-off prices" for iCloud."We believe Apple customers are owed nearly 3 billion pounds [$3.8 billion] as a result of the tech giant forcing its iCloud services on customers and cutting off competition from rival services," said Anabel Hoult, Which? CEO, in a statement. "By bringing this claim, Which? is showing big corporations like Apple that they cannot rip off UK consumers without facing repercussions." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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MacBook Air and Pro compared: Battery capacity in watt-hours
Macworld Measuring MacBook battery life in straight hours of real-world usage (as Apple likes to do) is not always an accurate metric for comparison purposes as so many use and environmental factors play a part. We can, however, rely on straight technical specifications to tell us the stated battery capacities of each MacBook. Where Apple is secretive about iPhone battery specifications (see our list of iPhone battery capacities based on teardowns), the company does list MacBook capacities in Watt hours (Wh). We have trawled through the Apple product Tech Specs pages from 2009 to 2024 to bring you as complete a list as we can gather using official Apple battery declarations. The watt-hour is a unit of energy equivalent to one watt (1W) of power utilized for one hour of time. it is calculated by multiplying the number of Amps with the battery voltage. The higher the number of Wh the longer a battery will last using the same application. Batteries will lose efficiency over time so don’t expect a 2009-era MacBook battery to still possess the same power as it did when it was new or more than a 2024 model, even if it had an originally higher Wh rating. Read How to test a MacBook battery: see if it needs replacing & replace it. Our list starts with older MacBooks that used an Intel processor, and works its way to the latest M-series (for example, M1, M2 Pro, M3, M4) MacBooks. MacBook Air battery capacities 11-inch MacBook Air (Intel) 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Late 2010:   35Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2011:   35Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2012:   35Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2013:   38Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Early 2015:   38Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Early 2015:   38Wh 13-inch MacBook Air (Intel) 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2009:   40Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Late 2010:   50Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2011:   50Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2012:   50Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2013:   54Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Early 2014:   54Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Early 2015:   54Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, 2017:   54Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Retina, 2018:   50.3Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Retina, 2019:   49.9Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Retina, 2020:   49.9Wh 13-inch MacBook Air (M-series) 13-inch MacBook Air, M1:   49.9Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, M2:   52.6Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, M3:   52.6Wh 15-inch MacBook Air (M-series) 15-inch MacBook Air, M2:   66.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Air, M3:   66.5Wh MacBook Pro battery capacities 13-inch MacBook Pro (Intel) 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2009:   60Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2010:   63.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Early 2011:   63.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Late 2011:   63.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2012:   63.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, Late 2012:   74Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, Early 2013:   74Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, Late 2013:   71.8Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2014:   71.8Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2015:   74.9Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2016, 2x TB3 ports:   54.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2016, 4x TB3 ports:   49.2Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2017, 2x TB3 ports:   54.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2018, 4x TB3 ports:   58Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2019, 2x TB3 ports:   58.2Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2019, 4x TB3 ports:   58Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2020, 2x TB3 ports:   58.2Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2020, 4x TB3 ports:   58Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro (Intel) 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2009:   73Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2010:   77.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Early 2011:   77.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Late 2011:   77.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2012:   77.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2012:   95Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2 Retina, 2013:   95Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2014:   95Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2015:   99.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2016:   76Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2017:   76Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2018:   83.6Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2019:   83.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro (Intel) 16-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2019:   98.8Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro (Intel) 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Early 2009:   95Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2009:   95Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2010:   95Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Early 2011:   95Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Late 2011:   95Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 13-inch MacBook Pro, M1:   58.2Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, M2:   58.2Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 14-inch MacBook Pro, M1 Pro:   69.6Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro:   69.6Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max:   69.6Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M3:   69.6Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro:   72.4Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max:   72.4Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M4:   72.4Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro:   72.4Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max:   72.4Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Pro:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Max:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max:   99.6Wh How much battery life does my MacBook have? Now that you know the numbers for your model, how does that Wh battery capacity play out in terms of real-life usage? Here are Apple’s claims for the running potential of its M-series MacBook Pro and Air batteries. All the MacBook Air models, whether with a 13-inch or 15-inch screen, M1, M2, or M3 chip, last the same amount of time, according to Apple. There is more variance with the Pro models, which range in screen size from 13 to 16 inches. 13-inch MacBook Air (M-series) 13-inch MacBook Air, M1:  Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 13-inch MacBook Air, M2:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 13-inch MacBook Air, M3:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 15-inch MacBook Air (M-series) 15-inch MacBook Air, M2:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 15-inch MacBook Air, M3:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 13-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 13-inch MacBook Pro, M1:   Up to 20 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 17 hours wireless web 13-inch MacBook Pro, M2:   Up to 20 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 17 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 14-inch MacBook Pro, M1 Pro:   Up to 17 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 11 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 12 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 12 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M3:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 12 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Pro:   Up to 21 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 14 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Max:   Up to 21 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 14 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web Does the MacBook Pro have a better battery than the MacBook Air? As you can see from the above battery capacities, the MacBook Pro features higher capacity batteries than the MacBook Air, although not by a truly significant margin. For example, the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air’s battery is rated at 52.6Wh, while the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro has a 58.2Wh battery. The larger the laptop, the higher wattage is the battery—as they generally require more power to run the larger, brighter screens. The Air features a Liquid Retina display with 500 nits brightness while the Pro has a superior 1,000-nit Liquid Retina XDR display. The newer MacBooks with more efficient processors will also gain extra battery life by not stressing the batteries as hard to complete the same tasks. Apple claims that the current 13-inch MacBook Air (52.6Wh) boasts up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback. The 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro has a higher capacity 69.6Wh battery and can keep going for 22 hours on the movie playback. The 16-inch Pro has the same 22-hour video playback claim despite its near 100Wh battery but it has to run the larger screen. Battery life depends on many factors, particularly which and how many applications you are running at one time. For more information on the differences between Apple’s laptop models, read our feature MacBook Air vs Pro: Which Mac laptop is right for you. When you want to charge the MacBook’s battery, make sure you use the appropriate charger. Check out our recommendations for the best USB-C charger for your MacBook.

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UK consumer rights group sues Apple for maintaining an ‘unlawful’ iCloud monopoly
UK consumer rights group Which? is leading a lawsuit against Apple, targeting Apple’s dominance over cloud services on iPhone and iPad. Essentially, it argues that Apple forces iOS device users to buy iCloud storage as it does not allow other cloud services to integrate deeply with the system for data backup. Apple said it “rejects any suggestion that … iCloud practices are anticompetitive”. The class action is looking for damages of about £70 per individual, although this figure could change dramatically once the case goes to trial, or a settlement is reached. The case could also be thrown out entirely. Details of the suit can be found at cloudclaim.co.uk. more…

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British wireless carrier post provides hint as to iOS 18.2 release date
Following up on Apple’s confirmation that the iOS 18.2 update will be released sometime in December, a specific release date may have surfaced. Based on a recent notice that British carrier EE provided to its customers, EE said it will be discontinuing an iPhone feature known as “Wi-Fi calling on other supported iCloud-connected devices” on […] Source

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Three separate malware apps for macOS capable of bypassing macOS security tied to North Korean developers
You can never be too careful with security, even on a Mac. Per AppleInsider, a trio of malicious macOS apps found online have been tied to North Korea. The report, which was published by Jamf Threat Labs, noted that the apps were developed using Google’s Flutter platform and feature names like “New Updates in Crypto […] Source

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Why Apple maxes out at two active SIM/eSIMs on its hardware
Macworld Why can’t you have three cellular network IDs on your iPhone or iPad active at once–two eSIMs and one SIM or three eSIMs? Or even more? You might think Apple is trying to frustrate you. But it’s a hardware limitation that’s designed around what Apple thinks represents the vast majority of its users’ needs. The short answer is that Apple has the necessary hardware built into some iPads and iPhones could allow two (iPad) or three (iPhone) cellular subscriptions at once, but the architecture of those devices only allows one (iPad) or two (iPhone) to be in use at any given time. Newer U.S. models of iPhones have only the circuitry required to manage two active cellular subscriptions, not three, making it an entirely moot point. Let’s dig into the details. SIMpathy for the traveler The SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is a way for a device with cellular capability to identify itself to any compatible network nearby. It’s essentially an ID connected to a billing account. When a cellular phone, watch, or other device connects to a cell network base station, the SIM serves as a unique identifier that allows the operator of that base station to check for active service–all in a split second. During the explosion of smartphones, the Mini SIM format was dominant and measured about 1 by 0.6 inches (25 by 15 mm). Most of that was a plastic surround to protect the circuitry. However, the form factor shrunk over several years to Nano, about 0.5 by 3.5 inches (12.3 by 8.8 mm)—otherwise known as “the size that when you drop it, it will slip into any crack and be lost forever.” Wikipedia (Jbond2018) An eSIM (embedded not electronic SIM) does away with the packaging and the ability to remove it. But it’s still a SIM: an eSIM is circuitry built into a phone, tablet, watch, or other hardware that can load SIM information. It acts like and looks like a SIM to a cellular network. Apple and other companies use software to program the eSIM with subscriber information. Due to high roaming costs, SIMs were a convenient way for travelers to cut costs by installing a SIM for a local service plan in the country or region they arrived in. A common task for many people upon entering a country other than their own was to find an airport kiosk or convenience store, purchase a SIM with a cheap plan, find a paperclip or SIM removal tool, and carefully swap out the SIM. You could eventually pre-purchase these SIMs, but I recall a very tedious time of swapping four Nano SIMs for my family on landing in London after 14 hours of flying. The eSIM does away with the need to have a physical item. Using one of a few methods, the eSIM is loaded with the correct subscriber information and activated just like a SIM card. Apple began including an eSIM module with the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR; the list of starting models for iPads with eSIMs has nine entries! The limits on total SIMs With a SIM/eSIM iPhone or iPad, you can activate the eSIM as the only cellular plan on your device. In Apple’s peculiar phrasing, you can install “eight or more” eSIMs–why not one or more if the company doesn’t specify the top limit? An iPad can only have a single SIM or eSIM active, but you can use the Dual SIM feature starting with those iPhone models above with iOS 12.1 or later. To use 5G this way, you need an iPhone 12 series phone or later with iOS 14.5 or later installed. The Dual SIM lets you activate a SIM and eSIM or, starting with the iPhone 13 series, either that or two eSIMs at once. Apple eliminated the SIM module from iPhones sold in the United States, starting with the iPhone 14 models. Because an eSIM is a physical piece of hardware, the limitation on how many SIM/eSIMs you can use is physical, too, not an arbitrary software restriction: On iPhones that support Dual SIMs with two eSIMs, Apple has two eSIM modules in the phones. On iPhones that support a single SIM and one eSIM, Apple has the SIM card slot and a single eSIM module. On an iPad that can handle a SIM or eSIM and on iPhones with the capability of a SIM/eSIM or dual eSIM option, Apple made a choice: it clearly built the hardware to route just one SIM signal, even though it could have had two (iPad) or three (iPhone). For that last choice, I assume Apple didn’t think the extra cost of supporting a SIM plus two eSIMs made any sense for its user base, particularly since the company was already moving to reduce the cost of goods with its shift to eSIM-only iPhones in the United States. Eventually, when eSIMs are supported by the vast majority of carriers (a point we’re nearing) Apple will certainly ditch the SIM slot on all iPhones and iPads worldwide just as it got rid of the headphone plug on iPhones years ago. This Mac 911 article is in response to a question submitted by an anonymous Macworld reader. Ask Mac 911 We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently, along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, we’re always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com, including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered; we don’t reply to emails, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.

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