Apple’s biggest WWDC keynote in years will still feel a little empty
Macworld Apple’s most important event each year is its Worldwide Developers Conference–the fall iPhone event might be the most significant annual event for Apple’s bottom line, but WWDC is more important. It’s where Apple unveils the new operating systems, the heart of the major hardware devices the company makes, and developers get to find out how to take advantage of the new OS features. Apple hardware isn’t really the main focus of WWDC. But at recent WWDCs, Mac hardware has been a major part of the event. The transition to Apple silicon was announced at WWDC, and after that, the event was used to provide progress reports and reveal new M-series Macs. But this year, it’s different. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in a recent Power On newsletter that we won’t see any new hardware at WWDC24. As a Mac hardware enthusiast, I don’t just use a Mac, I like to follow Apple’s hardware developments. But considering what’s at stake for Apple this year and in the near future, this year’s WWDC agenda makes sense, but I can’t help but feel a sense of melancholy about the idea. WWDC 2019: New Mac Pro Historically, Mac hardware has had a scattered presence at WWDC–some years we get Mac hardware news, others we don’t. But the recent past has been remarkable, starting with WWDC 2019 where Apple revealed the long-awaited redesigned Mac Pro, a tower design that not only replaced its “trash can” predecessor but also harkened back to the beloved “cheese grater” Power Macs. Apple also revealed the high-priced Pro Display XDR to go with the it. The 2019 Mac Pro was the star of WWDC 2019. The 2019 Mac Pro was the star of WWDC 2019.IDG The 2019 Mac Pro was the star of WWDC 2019.IDG IDG The 2019 Mac Pro came at a time when customers were dissatisfied with Apple’s approach to its most powerful Mac. The new Mac Pro came two years after Apple admitted that it needed to go back to the drawing board and it made a powerful tower that satisfied the needs of its audience, instead of dictating to that audience how it should do things. What we didn’t know at that time is that the 2019 Mac Pro was the start of a major presence of Mac hardware at WWDC for the next few years. It was the start of something exciting for Mac enthusiasts. Those who know their Apple history could argue that the start of this current roll was with WWDC 2017, where Apple previewed the iMac Pro and made updates to the iMacs and across the MacBook lineup. But that was followed by no Mac hardware at WWDC 2018. Also, there’s a connection between the 2019 Mac Pro announcement and WWDC 2020 that better exemplifies the current status of Mac hardware at WWDC–read on and you’ll see what I mean. WWDC 2020: Buh-bye, Intel It turned out that the 2019 Mac Pro was the last major Intel Mac to be unveiled at WWDC. At WWDC 2020, Apple made an announcement that changed the Mac forever by revealing that it will replace Intel processors with its own chips. No new hardware of any kind was revealed at WWDC20, only OS updates, but Apple did explain why it was dropping Intel for its own silicon and provided an overview of how the transition would work. Apple provided details on its transition away from Intel chips to its own silicon at WWDC 2020. Apple provided details on its transition away from Intel chips to its own silicon at WWDC 2020.Apple Apple provided details on its transition away from Intel chips to its own silicon at WWDC 2020.Apple Apple WWDC20 didn’t need new hardware. We got something better than that: a plan of how the Mac was going to be not just viable but lead the PC market going forward. It was both exciting and scary, but the scary part disappeared and the excitement was amplified when Apple released the M1 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini later that year. WWDC 2021 to 2023 In 2021, we saw a break in Mac hardware announcements. You can blame the Covid pandemic for messing up the supply chain and production schedules. WWDC 2022 was bursting with all kinds of announcements, including significant Mac hardware ones (even after the Mac Studio had just made its debut in March): the M2 arrived along with the first Macs to run it: the redesigned MacBook Air and refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro. While the M2 wasn’t as exciting as the M1, it did provide insight as to how Apple would approach chip upgrades and what kind of improvements to expect. It also was Apple’s opportunity to get a production cycle going with the M-series chips after a sputtering start, thanks to the pandemic. WWDC 2023 will forever be known as the Apple Vision Pro event, and rightfully so. But Apple made three major Mac hardware announcements as well: the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, the M2 upgrades to the Mac Studio, and the long-awaited Apple silicon Mac Pro. The 2023 Mac Pro was the last Mac to get an M-series chip. The 2023 Mac Pro was the last Mac to get an M-series chip.Foundry The 2023 Mac Pro was the last Mac to get an M-series chip.Foundry Foundry WWDC 2024: Don’t expect Mac hardware announcements After all these years (with one gap year), this year’s WWDC will have very big announcements–it could be Apple’s most important WWDC in its history. Apple needs to highlight its developments with artificial intelligence, which isn’t just a technology trend, it’s redefining how technology impacts how we do things. Hardware is important to AI, which is demanding of processing power. Conveniently, Apple needed to cut short its M3 chip series cycle to bring in the more powerful M4, which was revealed in the new iPad Pro, not a new Mac. According to reports, M4 Macs won’t be ready until later this year. And macOS 15 won’t ship until the fall–those new M4 Macs will have the new version of the Mac operating system. The timing means that we won’t most likely won’t see new Mac hardware at WWDC24. That’s a letdown because the Mac has a lot of momentum going and I want to see more. But it was a pretty good run for Mac hardware at WWDC, and there’s always next year. You can learn more about Apple’s upcoming WWDC24 keynote in our superguide. Mac, MacOS

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Apple confirms 9-core GPU for M2 iPad Air
As nifty as the new M2 iPad Air may be, Apple has confirmed that it’s lighter one GPU processor core than initially advertised. A month after its release, Apple has updated its hardware configuration description of the new iPad Air’s GPU. As noted by 9to5Mac and Macworld, the technical specifications for the iPad Air now […] Source

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Craig Federighi ignited Apple's AI efforts after using Microsoft's Copilot
Despite years of working to develop AI systems, it wasn't until Christmas 2022 when Craig Federighi played with Copilot that the company truly got behind the idea.Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, Craig FederighiThe conventional wisdom is that Apple is far behind the rest of the technology industry in its use and deployment of AI. That has seemed nonsensical since Apple has had Siri for almost 15 years, and a head of AI since 2018.However, a new report from the Wall Street Journal claims that despite all these years working on Machine Learning, and despite having ex-Google AI chief John Giannandrea, it could be true that Apple is substantially behind. Reportedly, Giannandrea and his team have struggled to fit in with Apple, and to get AI implemented. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Assassin’s Creed Mirage launches for the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPads with the M1 chip or newer
If you were eager to play Assassin’s Creed Mirage on your iPhone 15 Pro or iPad Air or iPad Pro tablets with an M1 chip or newer, now’s your change. The marquee game has arrived at the App Store, and will be available starting today. Due to time zones, it is already available in countries […] Source

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Nearly All of Apple's Newest Devices Have an Unannounced Thread Radio On Board
Apple has quietly added a Thread radio to nearly all of its newest iPads, MacBooks, and iMacs. The Verge reports: While the company doesn't list Thread on the specs of any of these products, FCC reports indicate that many of Apple's latest devices have had Thread radios tested for compliance. Generally, you don't test a radio that's not there. We found evidence of Thread testing in the following models: iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) (Wi-Fi + Cellular), iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) (Wi-Fi + Cellular), iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) (Wi-Fi), iPad Air 11-inch (M2) (Wi-Fi + Cellular), iPad Air 13-inch (M2) Wi-Fi, MacBook Air 15-inch (M3), MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3), MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3 Pro or M3 Max), MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Pro or M3 Max), iMac (M3, two ports), and iMac (M3, four ports). The FCC requires manufacturers to list every radio contained in a device and to test them in every possible scenario to make sure they comply with its transmission regulations. Tom Sciorilli, director of certification for Thread Group, told The Verge that the FCC reports reference FCC 15.247, "which confirms the device will essentially 'stay in its lane' and not interfere with other radios when operating." The reports we found are tests of the IEEE 802.15.4 transmitter functionality -- 802.15.4 is the radio standard Thread runs on. While it supports a number of technologies, the reports mention Thread explicitly. Thread is the primary wireless protocol for the new smart home standard Matter, which Apple helped develop and that is now the underlying architecture for its Apple Home smart home platform. A low-power, low-bandwidth, mesh networking protocol specifically designed for IoT devices, Thread is shown to be faster than Bluetooth and offers better range, making it ideal for connecting products like smart lights, locks, thermostats, and sensors. [...] So why is it there? The Apple Home app runs on Macs and iPads, and Thread radios could allow them to communicate directly with smart home devices and act as Thread border routers. It's possible Apple is planning to turn your Mac or iPad into a home hub, but iPads used to be home hubs, and the company discontinued that capability for its new Apple Home architecture. Those iPads didn't have Thread radios, though. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Nearly All of Apple's Newest Devices Have an Unannounced Thread Radio On Board
Apple has quietly added a Thread radio to nearly all of its newest iPads, MacBooks, and iMacs. The Verge reports: While the company doesn't list Thread on the specs of any of these products, FCC reports indicate that many of Apple's latest devices have had Thread radios tested for compliance. Generally, you don't test a radio that's not there. We found evidence of Thread testing in the following models: iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) (Wi-Fi + Cellular), iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) (Wi-Fi + Cellular), iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) (Wi-Fi), iPad Air 11-inch (M2) (Wi-Fi + Cellular), iPad Air 13-inch (M2) Wi-Fi, MacBook Air 15-inch (M3), MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3), MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3 Pro or M3 Max), MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Pro or M3 Max), iMac (M3, two ports), and iMac (M3, four ports). The FCC requires manufacturers to list every radio contained in a device and to test them in every possible scenario to make sure they comply with its transmission regulations. Tom Sciorilli, director of certification for Thread Group, told The Verge that the FCC reports reference FCC 15.247, "which confirms the device will essentially 'stay in its lane' and not interfere with other radios when operating." The reports we found are tests of the IEEE 802.15.4 transmitter functionality -- 802.15.4 is the radio standard Thread runs on. While it supports a number of technologies, the reports mention Thread explicitly. Thread is the primary wireless protocol for the new smart home standard Matter, which Apple helped develop and that is now the underlying architecture for its Apple Home smart home platform. A low-power, low-bandwidth, mesh networking protocol specifically designed for IoT devices, Thread is shown to be faster than Bluetooth and offers better range, making it ideal for connecting products like smart lights, locks, thermostats, and sensors. [...] So why is it there? The Apple Home app runs on Macs and iPads, and Thread radios could allow them to communicate directly with smart home devices and act as Thread border routers. It's possible Apple is planning to turn your Mac or iPad into a home hub, but iPads used to be home hubs, and the company discontinued that capability for its new Apple Home architecture. Those iPads didn't have Thread radios, though. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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iPlay offers thousands of fresh, new games to play all year long on your Mac or iPhone
Macworld Unlimited access to over 4,400 games: Everything from adventure blockbusters like BioShock to classic favorites like Solitaire and Match 3 are available, and they’re all playable with absolutely no ads. Apple and Android compatibility: iPlay can be accessed on virtually any device, whether that’s your iPhone or PC, and there’s even a popular 100 top games list available for each device.  Exclusive members-only deals: As an iPlay member, you’ll receive regular offers that allow you to score premium games at exceptional prices. One-time fee for a year of gameplay: No monthly fees means you can play as many games as you want as many times as you want for an entire year. Endless variety: iPlay updates its list with new titles weekly, giving you endless opportunities to immerse yourself in fresh, engaging games. Stay challenged and entertained with thousands of games with a one-year subscription to iPlay, now available for just $29.99.   iPlay: 1-Year Subscription Only $29.99 at Macworld StackSocial prices subject to change. Accessories

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iPhone’s standard warranty no longer covers hairline display cracks
Going forward, Apple won't process a single hairline display crack repair on the iPhone or Apple Watch under its standard warranty. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Macworld Podcast: What will happen at WWDC24?
Macworld Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off with a keynote presentation on June 10, and on this episode show, we’re going to preview WWDC24. This is episode 887 with Jason Cross, Michael Simon, and Roman Loyola.  Click the button below to listen to episode 887 on Apple Podcasts Macworld Podcast 887 on Apple Podcasts Listen to episode 887 on Spotify Get info  For more information about WWDC, click on the links below.  WWDC 2024: Everything you need to know  iOS 18 Guide  macOS 15: Everything you need to know about the next big Mac update Subscribe to the Macworld Podcast You can subscribe to the Macworld Podcast—or leave us a review!—right here in the Podcasts app. The Macworld Podcast is also available on Spotify. Or you can point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader at: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/macworld To find previous episodes, visit Macworld’s podcast page or our home on MegaPhone. Apple Apple Apple Apple Inc, iOS, MacOS

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Apple went all in on AI after Craig Federighi tested Github Copilot during his Christmas break
As we await Apple’s tantalizing iOS 18 and other announcements at its WWDC conference next week, the Wall Street Journal has an interesting profile about changing attitudes towards AI inside Apple, and how the company became more comfortable with taking risk. In particular, it pinpoints the moment when Apple’s approach on AI shifted. The report says SVP Craig Federighi was testing Github’s Copilot code completion features in late 2022, during his Christmas holiday break, and came away impressed. This swiftly led to an internal mandate in the software engineering group to explore and productize as much artificial intelligence functionality as possible. more…

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Find your soundtrack with $90 off Beats Fit earbuds
Macworld Sound that fits the moment: These 2021-model Beats let you switch on active noise-canceling to filter out background chatter, or transparency mode when you need to keep an ear on your surroundings. Impressive battery life, with the earbuds alone capable of going 6 hours nonstop, or an entire day with the help of the charging case. Pressed for time? Use Fast Fuel capability for enough juice for an hour of audio in just five minutes. Dynamic head tracking — great for gamers — that makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the action. Three different-sized silicon tips, with a fit for any ear. “Open-box” item, which means that may have been used for display or demonstration — a deep discount for tech that’s certified as new. Get these open-box Beats Fit Pro Earbuds today for 45% off at $109.99 (reg. $199).   Beats Fit Pro Earbuds – Tidal Blue Blue (New – Open Box) – $109.99 See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Headphones

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Apple needs an AI iPhone fold to stem its increasing decline in China
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple has cut its iPhone component orders by 15% year over year, as users in China increasingly prefer AI and foldable smartphones from Huawei.Apple's iPhone 15 ProIt has already been repeatedly reported that iPhone sales have dropped sharply in China, although there have been signs of recovery. Tim Cook tried spinning the decline as a consequence of worldwide economics, but now Ming-Chi Kuo says there are specific factors that are not going to be fixed by the iPhone 16.2024 iPhone shipments likely to decline significantly by about 15% YoY due to structural challenges / iPhone 202415% YoYhttps://t.co/MKL4B67IvY— (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) January 30, 2024 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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How to optimize your MacBook battery life
Features in your MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, along with good user practices, can help optimize your battery's lifespan and health - whether you leave it plugged in all the time or not.The Mac has a wealth of tools to help optimize your battery's lifespanBoth Apple Silicon-based and Intel-based Mac notebooks have features built-in that help manage and protect the battery. In addition, some basic tips can also make a notable difference both in the time you can squeeze from the battery when you need it, and its overall longevity. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Heybike Hero review: sparing almost no expense in a carbon fiber e-bike
The Heybike Hero has a carbon fiber frame that weighs just six pounds, so it can be stuffed to the brim with features like a 1,000W motor and full suspension without exceeding 100 pounds.Heybike Hero review: heavy duty carbon fiberI've reviewed a few Heybike products and can say the Heybike Hero is the best of the bunch. I would hope that this flagship model was the best, given the price and feature set, but that's not always a guarantee.There are a lot of e-bikes out there, so it isn't easy to stand out, especially when many manufacturers rely on standard parts and aluminum frames. Heybike Hero makes a strong first impression with its striking angles and orange highlights. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iPadOS 18 feature request: Clamshell mode, better Stage Manager, more
We’re just a few days away from WWDC 2024, when Apple will finally unveil the next versions of its operating systems – including iPadOS 18. Although I consider myself a Mac person, I also have an and I like to use it for specific tasks. However, there’s a lot of room for improvement in the iPad software – so read on as I share my feature request for iPadOS 18. more…

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iPhone and Apple Watch single hairline display cracks no longer covered under standard warranty
Apple has made a notable change to its repair and standard warranty policies for iPhone and Apple Watch this month. According to multiple sources, Apple is no longer covering “single hairline cracks” under the standard warranty for the iPhone and Apple Watch. Instead, these repairs are now being processed as “accidental damage” claims, and users are required to pay. more…

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Apple’s market cap passes $3 trillion … but so does Nvidia’s
Apple had a great day in the stock market on Wednesday, but Nvidia had an even better one. And it's all about AI. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Parallels Desktop updated with improved support for Windows 11 virtual machines
Parallels Desktop is certainly one of the most popular tools for running virtual machines on macOS, and also one of the easiest for running Windows on a Mac. The software has recently been updated with many improvements to make the experience of running Windows 11 virtual machines more seamless, plus some new features. more…

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What do the Apple Watch buttons do? Click, double-click and hold.
In watchOS 10, Apple adds a new Widgets view, assigns Control Center to the side button and changes what double-clicking the Digital Crown does. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple TV+ series ‘The Morning Show’ to tackle AI, DeepFakes, and misinformation in season 4
The showrunner of the Apple TV+ series 'The Morning Show' tells Deadline that season 4 will address such subjects as AI, DeepFakes, and… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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