Category: News

  • Tim Cook says he owns cryptocurrency and is interested in the space

    Tim Cook says he owns cryptocurrency and is interested in the space

    The news: Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed on Tuesday that he owns cryptocurrency and that Apple is broadly exploring it while he appeared at the NYT DealBook Online Summit.

    • While clarifying that he was not providing investment advice, Cook said “I think it’s reasonable to own it (crypto) as part of a diversified portfolio…it’s something from a personal point of view that I’m interested in”
    • The CEO clarified that Apple as a company has no plans to purchase cryptocurrency with cash on the balance sheet, saying that folks don’t buy Apple stock to get exposure to crypto…but that they are exploring the space
    • Cook said that Apple is exploring crypto integration but has no immediate plans to accept it as payment or implement it in products like Apple Pay yet

    Our take: As a fellow crypto bro, Cook is spot-on here: owning crypto at this point is a no-brainer for at least some of your financial portfolio. I’m disappointed that he didn’t announce any official plans for crypto integration today, but I’m incredibly excited to see what the future holds for Apple and blockchain technology. Just imagine a crypto wallet built into the Wallet app on iPhone…

  • Beats Fit Pro released with new in-ear design, ANC & Spatial Audio

    Beats Fit Pro released with new in-ear design, ANC & Spatial Audio

    The news: An all-new pair of Beats headphones just dropped with a slew of features comparable to AirPods Pro.

    • The main difference between these and every other pair of Beats buds or AirPods is the built-in wing design that bends for a more secure fit inside your ear
    • Multiple ear tips, active noise cancellation (ANC), and Spatial Audio compliment the fresh design on Beats Fit Pro…making these quite similar to Apple’s $249 AirPods Pro
    • Beats Fit Pro are available to order now for $199 and being arriving on Friday, November 5

    Our take: I remember seeing a report a while back that Apple was planning a major revamp for the Beats brand…something that a lot of us were skeptical of considering Apple’s ramped up efforts with AirPods. But over the past two years, we’ve seen the launch of four entirely new products from Beats: PowerBeats Pro in 2019, Beats Flex in 2020 and Beats Studio Buds and Beats Fit Pro in 2021. This isn’t to say I’ve been super impressed with these releases, but I like that the Beats brand is forging their own path alongside AirPods to fit different use cases and serve different customers.

  • Redesigned ‘iMac Pro’ details: 120Hz Mini-LED display, HDMI port & $2000 starting price

    Redesigned ‘iMac Pro’ details: 120Hz Mini-LED display, HDMI port & $2000 starting price

    The leak: Apple’s upcoming redesign for the larger 27-inch iMac is happening in the first half of 2022, according to Dylandkt (77.5% accurate).

    Here are the details from the best Mac leaker in the game right now:

    • Similar look to new 24-inch iMac and Pro Display XDR
    • Internally being called “iMac Pro”
    • 27-inch 120Hz ProMotion Mini-LED display
    • Face ID in testing
    • Base model specs: 16GB RAM, 512GB storage
    • M1 Pro and M1 Max chips (additional configuration may be happening)
    • Dark bezels
    • HDMI port
    • SD card slot
    • USB-C
    • Ethernet port built into power brick
    • Starting price at or over $2000 USD
    • Release in the first half of 2022

    Our take: Everything about the new, larger iMac redesign sounds exactly like what I’ve been asking for…I just wish the screen was getting larger than 27-inches. After using the Pro Display XDR for a week or two now, I’ve fallen in love with 32-inches of screen real estate and I would LOVE to see this on the next iMac.

    https://twitter.com/dylandkt/status/1454472271104520195?s=20
  • 21.5-inch iMac discontinued by Apple (finally)

    21.5-inch iMac discontinued by Apple (finally)

    The news: Apple finally stopped selling the severely outdated 21.5-inch iMac models on Saturday, October 30, 2021.

    Our take: The presence of this on Apple’s website was extremely confusing considering that everything about it became outdated to oblivion once the M1 iMac was unveiled in April. Glad to see it finally retired…but if for some reason you still need one, many 3rd-party retailers still have stock.

  • Blue, orange and yellow HomePod mini colors now available for purchase

    Blue, orange and yellow HomePod mini colors now available for purchase

    The news: After their unveil in October, Apple has officially released new colors for the HomePod mini today.

    • You can now buy the new blue, orange and yellow colors in-store or order them to be delivered as soon as November 3
    • AppleTrack previously reported that the new colors would become available this week

    Our take: Linking some hands-on of the new colors below so you can get a better real-world look at them. I must saw the yellow looks pretty dope.

  • Exclusive: New HomePod mini colors will be available next week

    Exclusive: New HomePod mini colors will be available next week

    The exclusive: The final products announced at Apple’s October ‘Unleashed’ event will release next week, according to people familiar with the matter.

    • New Blue, Orange and Yellow color options for HomePod mini will be available for order as soon as Monday, the people said
    • The fresh colors that were announced alongside third-generation AirPods and redesigned MacBook Pro models earlier this month join the existing lineup of Space Gray and White

    Our take: While Apple has confirmed the new colors will launch in November, they haven’t provided an official date. We’re hearing November 1.

  • Gurman: No more Apple events in 2021

    Gurman: No more Apple events in 2021

    The rumor: Apple’s media blitzes are done for 2021, according to Mark Gurman (87.3% accurate, via Power On).

    • “I wouldn’t expect a third event this year or any other major announcements…if Apple had any more Macs to launch this year, it would have announced them this past week…there’s really nothing else left of substance in the road map that would be ready for 2021,” Gurman says
    • The next products we’ll be seeing from Apple may include “a larger Apple Silicon iMac, new Mac mini, new iPhone SE and new iPad Pro”

    Our take: No way we see another event from Apple this year. Nothing else is rumored to be ready and all of Apple’s major announcements (iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, AirPods) have already happened. But I’d bet on another March-April event in the first half of 2022 similar to what we saw this year.

  • New 2022 MacBook Air renders show white bezels and notch + MagSafe charging

    New 2022 MacBook Air renders show white bezels and notch + MagSafe charging

    The images: New renders courtesy of Jon Prosser (74.6% accurate) and RendersByIan provide our best look yet at Apple’s upcoming, redesigned MacBook Air.

    Our take: Call me crazy…but I love it. I’m highly skeptical of the exact level of thinness shown in these renders (because it looks impossibly slim), but I dig the white look for this notebook. Still, I down with the idea of the MacBook Air being ultra-thin and fun with the MacBook Pro being a thicker, more serious machine.

  • New images claim to show AirPods Pro 2 for the first time

    New images claim to show AirPods Pro 2 for the first time

    The leak: AirPods Pro 2 will have the same design but include a redesigned charging case with speakers, according to MacRumors (78% accurate, source).

    • The AirPods Pro 2 buds look almost identical to the original AirPods Pros although the optical sensor has been removed (likely for a skin-detection based solution like on AirPods 3)
    • An updated case shows speaker holes, a metal loop for a strap and improved Find My integration

    Our take: I don’t think these are real: they contradict most of the rumors we’ve heard from credible sources for AirPods Pro 2 thus far, and even MacRumors sound skeptical in their own article. I’m just not convinced right now.

  • Redesigned 27-inch iMac launching in early 2022 with Mini-LED 120Hz ProMotion display

    Redesigned 27-inch iMac launching in early 2022 with Mini-LED 120Hz ProMotion display

    The rumor: Apple is preparing to launch the redesigned iMac with Apple Silicon early next year, according to display analyst Ross Young (100% accurate).

    • The new iMac, which is rumored to launch between January and March 2022, is said to feature a Mini-LED display capable of 120Hz ProMotion…just like the new MacBook Pro models that just dropped
    • A previous tweet from Young suggested that this new display would be a standalone monitor, but the report has since been updated

    Our take: Looks like the redesigned, larger iMac won’t end up having a larger display after all: Young says it’s sticking at 27 inches. But ProMotion coming? This is the first we’ve heard of the feature dropping on an iMac. Normally I would be skeptical. But Young was the first source to call ProMotion on the new MacBook Pros…and we indeed got it.

  • Redesigned MacBook Pro unveiled with new design & notch, M1 Pro chips + 1080p FaceTime camera

    Redesigned MacBook Pro unveiled with new design & notch, M1 Pro chips + 1080p FaceTime camera

    The news: The first MacBook Pro design refresh in five years just happened at Apple’s ‘Unleashed’ event.

    • All-new design that is thicker and heavier
    • New 14/16-inch Mini-LED displays with 120Hz ProMotion and notch, up to 1000 nits of sustained brightness
    • HDMI, MagSafe and SD card readers return
    • Full-size function row on keyboard replaces the Touch Bar
    • New 1080p FaceTime lens with larger image sensor equaling 2x low-light performance
    • Better mics and larger speakers for much upgraded sound quality with 80% more bass’
    • Both models configurable with M1 Pro or M1 Max chips
    • Up to 64GB RAM
    • Battery life of up to 21 hours of video playback on the 16-inch plus fast charge capability
    • Available for order today and available next week