Tag: macbook
Top Stories: Apple Card Savings Account Launches, 15-Inch MacBook Air Rumors, and More
This week also saw the launch of the savings account companion to Apple Card and the promised smoke and carbon monoxide alarm sound recognition feature for HomePod, while Tim Cook was surprised by one user’s vintage Mac as Apple opened its first two retail stores in India, so read on for all the details on these stories and more!
Apple Card Savings Account Launches With Over 4% Interest Rate
Six months after being announced, the Apple Card’s savings account is now available in the United States. With a competitive 4.15% APY, the account allows Apple Card users to earn interest on their Daily Cash cashback and money deposited from a linked bank account.
The savings account is offered by Goldman Sachs and can be completely managed in the Wallet app on the iPhone. The account has no fees and no minimum balance requirement.
15-Inch MacBook Air to Offer Two M2 Chip Options, No M2 Pro Configuration
The long-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air will be equipped with the M2 chip, according to the latest info shared by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The first Macs with the M3 chip are likely still months away. Kuo said Apple’s next-generation M3 chip will enter mass production in the second half of 2023, slightly ahead of higher-end M3 Pro and M3 Max chips destined for the next 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
The MacRumors Show: Mark Gurman Talks WWDC 2023, Apple Headset, and New Macs
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman joined us on this week’s episode of The MacRumors Show to talk through all of the latest rumors about the software updates and new hardware expected to be previewed at this year’s WWDC, which starts on June 5.
New information revealed by Gurman during the episode included word that the Apple silicon Mac Pro won’t be debuting at WWDC and that iOS 17 will include improvements for the Wallet app and Find My.
watchOS 10 Described as Apple Watch’s Biggest Software Update Since 2015
watchOS 10 will be the Apple Watch’s biggest software update since the initial version of the operating system was released in 2015, according to Mark Gurman. Apple is expected to announce watchOS 10 at WWDC in June.
Gurman expects watchOS 10 to include an updated interface, with an anonymous leaker claiming that the Home Screen will be redesigned, though Gurman says he does not expect the core design of the platform to change.
HomePod Can Now Alert You If Your Smoke Alarm Goes Off
As promised earlier this year, Apple has now expanded the Sound Recognition feature on the second-generation HomePod and the HomePod mini to be able to detect smoke and carbon monoxide alarm sounds and send a notification to the user’s iPhone.
Sound Recognition was first introduced on the iPhone in 2020 and can detect a wide variety of sounds, including a doorbell, a baby crying, a car horn, a door knock, and others.
Watch Tim Cook’s Reaction as Fan Brings Vintage Macintosh to Apple Store Opening
Apple opened its first two retail stores in India this week, and CEO Tim Cook was in attendance to celebrate. At the new store in Mumbai, Cook was very surprised when a customer showed up carrying a vintage Macintosh SE from the 1980s.
Cook has been touring India this week, meeting with the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many other prominent local figures during his trip.
MacRumors Newsletter
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This article, “Top Stories: Apple Card Savings Account Launches, 15-Inch MacBook Air Rumors, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirPods Max Return to $449.99 Along With All-Time Lows on iMac, MacBook Pro, and More
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.
AirPods
- What’s the deal? Take up to $99 off the AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods 2
- Where can I get it? Verizon and Amazon
- Where can I find the original deal? Right here
All of Apple’s current AirPods models are available at a discount this week across Verizon and Amazon. This includes solid deals on the AirPods Pro 2 ($199.99, $50 off), AirPods 3 ($149.99, $20 off), and AirPods 2 ($99.00, $30 off). We’re also tracking the first $99 discount of 2023 on the AirPods Max, priced at $449.99 in multiple colors on Amazon.
Apple Watch
- What’s the deal? Take up to $70 off the Apple Watch SE, 8, and Ultra
- Where can I get it? Amazon
We’re tracking a large selection of Apple Watch discounts on Amazon today, including a few record low prices on the Apple Watch SE ($219.00, $30 off) and Apple Watch 8 ($329.00, $70 off). There’s also the Apple Watch Ultra for $749.00 in numerous configurations, which is $50 off and a solid second-best price.
MacBook Pro
- What’s the deal? Take $200 off the new 14-inch MacBook Pro
- Where can I get it? Amazon
- Where can I find the original deal? Right here
Earlier in the week, Amazon and B&H Photo introduced a new deal on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, available for $1,799.00, down from $1,999.00. This deal on the 10-Core M2 Pro, 512GB notebook is a match of the best price we’ve ever tracked on the notebook.
M1 iMac
- What’s the deal? Take $299 off the M1 iMac
- Where can I get it? Amazon
- Where can I find the original deal? Right here
Following the MacBook Pro, Amazon also introduced an all-time low price on the M1 iMac this week. You can get the 8-Core, 256GB computer for $1,199.99, down from $1,499.00, and it’s still available in multiple colors as we head into the weekend.
Additionally, there are a few other 24-inch iMacs on sale today on Amazon, including the 7-Core GPU, 256GB model for $1,099.99, down from $1,299.00. Lastly, the 8-Core GPU, 512GB M1 iMac is on sale for $1,499.99, down from $1,699.00.
iPad Air
- What’s the deal? Take up to $119 off the 2022 iPad Air
- Where can I get it? Amazon
- Where can I find the original deal? Right here
Nearly every model of the 2022 iPad Air saw a discount on Amazon this week, and they’re still available right now. Prices start at $499.99 for the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air and $649.99 for the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad Air. If you head to our full article on the sale, you’ll also find discounts on both cellular devices.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
This article, “Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirPods Max Return to $449.99 Along With All-Time Lows on iMac, MacBook Pro, and More” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Kuo: 15-Inch MacBook Air to Offer Two M2 Chip Options, No M2 Pro Configuration
In a tweet shared earlier today, Kuo said that he expects the new MacBook Air to be available with two M2 chip options that have different numbers of cores like the existing 13-inch model. The news comes as a revision of Kuo’s previous forecast, which predicted that the 15-inch MacBook Pro could be configurable with either the M2 or M2 Pro chip.
The 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip that Apple launched last year is available in 8- and 10-core GPU variants, and the M1 model from 2020 was available in 7- and 8-core GPU options. The 15-inch MacBook Air is therefore likely to mirror the 13-inch model in terms of chip specifications.
Kuo also affirmed that the new model will explicitly be branded as a 15-inch MacBook Air, rather than a new product line. He expects the device to reach five to six million unit shipments in 2023. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman recently reported that the 15-inch MacBook Air will be announced at WWDC in June.
This article, “Kuo: 15-Inch MacBook Air to Offer Two M2 Chip Options, No M2 Pro Configuration” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air Again Rumored to Feature M2 Chip
According to the blog’s Taiwanese supply chain source, Apple’s decision to use an M2 chip was not down to production issues at chipmaker TSMC, but was due to a combination of factors, including market conditions and inventory adjustment.
A previous report out of Korea earlier this month claimed that Apple temporarily halted production of its M2 series chips at the start of 2023 following a pronounced slump in global demand for MacBooks.
The suspension is said to have continued through February, after which production of M2 series chips resumed, but they were “only half the level of the previous year,” said the Korean-language report at the time, quoting a person familiar with the matter.
Last week, an unreleased 15-inch MacBook Air with a processor “on par” with the M2 chip was spotted in App Store developer logs. The MacBook Air configuration had an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, just like the M2 chip, along with 8GB of RAM. The new Air was also listed with a display resolution equal to that of the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
It’s unclear exactly when the 15-inch MacBook Air will be released, but it will likely be announced by WWDC, which begins June 5. The existing 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip launched in July 2022 after being announced at WWDC a month earlier.
The release of an M3-powered Mac is expected to come at a later date, and will represent a transition to a 3-nanometer production process from the current 5-nanometer standard. The 3nm process, which is also being used in this year’s iPhone 15 series, allows for significantly improved performance and more efficiency.
This article, “Upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air Again Rumored to Feature M2 Chip” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Video Review: Three Months With the M2 Max MacBook Pro
The 2023 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models haven’t changed in design since Apple introduced the M1 Max and M1 Pro models, so the main difference is the chipset. In terms of performance, there is a noticeable difference between the M1 Max’s performance and the M2 Max performance. The M2 chip is able to handle intensive video editing tasks with ease, and it’s not too far off from the M1 Ultra.
Dan’s 14-inch machine has 32GB RAM and a 1TB SSD, and there are also noticeable improvements in SSD speeds. As for the size, the 14-inch form factor is better for travel, though it is nice to have the larger display real estate of the 16-inch machine, and you’ll also notice thermal management deficiencies between the 14 and 16-inch models.
Dan has a lot of other thoughts on the M2 MacBook Pro models compared to the prior-generation versions and other Mac options, so the full video is well worth watching.
This article, “Video Review: Three Months With the M2 Max MacBook Pro” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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This $30 USB hub finally ended my MacBook port struggle
Deals: Apple’s M2 Pro 14-Inch MacBook Pro Hits Best-Ever Price of $1,799 ($200 Off)
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
At $200 off, this is the best price we’ve ever tracked on the 2023 14-inch MacBook Pro. So far this year, we haven’t seen any retailer other than B&H Photo hit this record low price on this model of the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Right now, B&H Photo only has stock on the Space Gray model, but you can get the deal on the Silver color if you are okay waiting the two-to-four week delivery estimate. Amazon has the Silver color at this price, but delivery has slipped into mid May.
Other than the entry-level 512GB 14-inch model of the new MacBook Pro, there are a few other solid discounts across Amazon and B&H Photo on other versions of the computer. With these deals listed below, you can save up to $250 on higher-end models, including the 16-inch size of the notebook.
- 14-inch 12-Core M2 Pro, 1TB – $2,249.00, down from $2,499.00 [B&H]
- 14-inch 12-Core M2 Max, 1TB – $2,899.00, down from $3,099.00 [Amazon / B&H]
- 16-inch 12-Core M2 Pro, 1TB – $2,549.00, down from $2,699.00 [Amazon / B&H]
- 16-inch 12-Core M2 Max, 1TB – $3,299.00, down from $3,499.00 [Amazon / B&H]
Apple updated the MacBook Pro line in January 2023 with the new 14-inch and 16-inch models. This included next-generation M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, increased maximum memory, longer battery life, HDMI 2.1 with 8K display support, faster Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3 support.
You can find the best monthly deals on all new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air notebooks in our new “Best Deals” guide. Be sure to visit the guide and bookmark it if you’re on the hunt for a new Apple notebook; we’ll be updating it weekly as we discover new MacBook offers across the web.
This article, “Deals: Apple’s M2 Pro 14-Inch MacBook Pro Hits Best-Ever Price of $1,799 ($200 Off)” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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13-Inch MacBook Pro Said to Remain in Apple’s Lineup With New Model Planned
The report does not offer any additional details about the next 13-inch MacBook Pro, so it remains to be seen if the laptop will receive any external design changes, or if it will remain the last new Mac that Apple sells with the Touch Bar. Apple last updated the machine at WWDC last June with the M2 chip and support for high-impedance headphones.
A previous report indicated that the next 13-inch MacBook Pro will be powered by Apple’s M3 chip, which the company has yet to announce. It’s unclear when the laptop would launch, but a release later this year is likely at this point.
Gurman said Apple is also working on a larger 15-inch MacBook Air with a processor equivalent to the M2 chip, an updated 13-inch MacBook Air, a new 24-inch iMac, and a Mac Pro tower powered by Apple silicon. Last, he expects updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips to be released in the first half of 2024.
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Gurman: 15-Inch MacBook Air With M2-Like Chip Spotted in Developer Logs
The report indicates that the chip in the new MacBook Air configuration spotted in the logs has an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, just like the M2 chip, along with 8GB of RAM. The laptop has the model identifier “Mac 15,3” and is listed as running macOS 14, which is expected to be announced at WWDC alongside iOS 17 and other updates. The new Air is also listed with a display resolution equal to that of the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
There have been conflicting reports about which chip the 15-inch MacBook Air will use, but the developer logs and Gurman saying the M3 chip is “coming later” suggest that the initial 15-inch model will be powered by the M2 chip, like the 13-inch model.
A larger MacBook Air was first rumored in 2021, with production of 15-inch display panels reportedly ramping up in recent months. It’s unclear exactly when the laptop would be released, but it will likely be announced by WWDC, which begins June 5. Apple announced the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip at WWDC last year.
Apple is also working on an updated 13-inch MacBook Air, according to Gurman.
This article, “Gurman: 15-Inch MacBook Air With M2-Like Chip Spotted in Developer Logs” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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