苹果早餐：蒙特利的初期麻烦
Apple generates a lot of news, and it can be hard to keep up. If your mind was on other things this week, our Saturday-morning roundup of Apple-related headlines will bring you up to date.
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Monterey’s teething troubles
macOS Monterey arrived last week and mostly we’ve had a great experience with it – but that’s sadly not the case for everyone. This week we’ve been hearing about all the problems people are having.
First of all there were reports that some USB hubs do not work properly with updated systems. Then we heard about a memory management bug that is causing some Macs to run out of free memory, with users reporting seeing the warning: “Your system has run out of application memory.” Now, to top it all, there are concerning reports that some Macs are being bricked when Monterey is installed.
The problem seems to be affecting older Intel-based models with the T1 and T2 chips. One possible fix is to restore the Mac’s firmware – Apple explains how to do that here – but it’s not an easy one to fix. We detail all the problems with Monterey here.
If you haven’t installed the latest version of macOS yet it might be worth sticking on Big Sur for just a bit longer.
News in brief
Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube are losing money as a direct result of Apple’s new iPhone tracking protections, according to the Financial Times. How much money? Nearly $10bn.
Could the wrongest Apple analyst actually be right about something, wonders the Macalope.
Pour one out for the 21.5in Intel iMac, which Apple has stopped selling. Intel has not been completely banished from the Apple Store, since you can still buy the 27in model, but it takes us one step close to complete M1-ification.
One good bit of news: according to the vandals at iFixit, who have been busy tearing down Apple’s latest laptops, the new MacBook Pro is easier to repair because the battery isn’t glued in place.
Now that people are getting their hands on the various configurations of MacBook Pro we are seeing some impressive benchmarks for the M1 Max – especially compared to the Mac Pro. See: M1 Max beats Mac Pro benchmarks again.
The M2 Macs probably aren’t worth waiting for, reckons Roman Loyola.
Sometimes you get the impression that reviews of the iPhone and Apple Watch are not written for the reader, but for the author and those exactly like them. Tech reviews need to change, argues Halyna Kubiv in this week’s Different Think column.
Apple’s next chips could have 40 cores and mind-blowing speeds.
Apple has killed off three of its Beats headphones models: the Powerbeats3, Beats Solo Pro and Beats EP. This may reflect a diversion of resources to higher-priority models while the chip shortage continues, or a preparation for more launches, to go with the new Beats Fit Pro.
Talking of the chip shortage, expect long delays on the iPad in the run up to Christmas.
Apple has posted a second job advert mentioning the mysterious term “homeOS”, suggesting that a new operating system is in development. On the other hand, it could just be a rebranding of HomePod OS.
Video of the week
Apple’s 27in iMac is reportedly next in line for an M1 Pro upgrade, as the company continues its two-year transition to Apple Silicon. The latest Pro-level MacBooks use new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, which is what the new iMac is expected to get, along with mini-LED screens, ProMotion displays and maybe Face ID. Meanwhile, some M1 Pro/M1 Max MacBook Pro users have reported memory leak issues.
In the video embedded below, Michael Simon and Ken Mingis join Juliet Beauchamp to discuss those leaks and the iMac expectations.
Reviews roundup
The Macworld team continue to wrestle with Apple’s autumn product firehose, and two more reviews have been added to the site. Here they are:
We’ve already got a raft of iPad and iPhone reviews for you to enjoy:
- iPhone 13 mini review
- iPhone 13 review
- iPhone 13 Pro review
- iPhone 13 Pro Max review
- iPad mini 6 review
- iPad 10.2in (2021) review
We’re working on our Apple Watch Series 7 review as well, and the end is in sight. What a ridiculous autumn it’s been.
Software, bugs & problems
With the EU threatening to force Apple to let iPhone owners install apps from places other than the App Store, Craig Federighi has launched a full-on charm offensive to convince everyone that would be a Very Bad Idea. Speaking at the Web Summit conference, Hair Force One called sideloading “a cybercriminal’s best friend” and said the move would lead to “a gold rush for the malware industry”. Them’s fighting words, Craig!
iOS 15.2 is on its way, and could be an important update for iPhone owners: it brings parental control in Messages, a new way to make emergency calls, and App Privacy Report.
There are plenty of features still to come in Monterey, and Apple has started work on the beta of macOS 12.1: the latest version includes SharePlay. It’s possible that macOS 12.1, which you can read about in our complete guide to Monterey, will also include Digital Legacy and Universal Control.
Not all Monterey features will run on every machine, though, with Macs that pre-date the M1 revolution particularly likely to miss out. Find out more in our guide to which Monterey features don’t work on Intel Macs.
The rumour mill
We’re hearing more and more rumours about the replacement for the 27in iMac, including one tweeter who described it as an iMac (Pro), leading to speculation that it might be a replacement for the discontinued iMac Pro. Read more in New iMac (Pro) under development, claims leaker.
This week we also saw some concept art for the rumoured iPhone SE 3 that shows how the iPhone SE might look with a notch. We think it’s unlikely that Apple will drop the Home button from the iPhone SE, though. Surely the company needs one phone with a button – there are people who need this function!
The next iPad mini will get a 120Hz ProMotion screen, according to the latest report. Hopefully that will put a stop to the ol’ jelly scrolling.
An OLED-based MacBook (probably a MacBook Pro) is on the way… but it’s been delayed from its originally planned launch in 2025. Look forward to buying that for nine thousand galactic credits in the year 4728.
Apple deals of the week
We’re getting perilously close to Black Friday (which falls this year on 26 November) but you don’t need to wait that long to save money on Apple products. Retailers started rolling out their Black Friday sales at the start of the month, and some have been banging that particular drum since October.
I’ve embedded a list of the best current Apple deals below, but other than that, we’re done for this week. See you next Saturday, enjoy your weekend, and stay Appley!
Top 10 Apple Deals
Apple 11in iPad Pro (2021, M1, 2TB) – Wi-Fi + Cellular
1
From: Amazon
Was: £1899
Now: £1,314.16 (£584.84 off)
We’re not sure if Amazon will bring back the £639 discount we saw in October on this iPad Pro M1 variant, but almost £600 off is still an excellent deal. See our review of the 11in iPad Pro with M1.
Adobe Creative Cloud – All Apps (1 Year)
2
From: Adobe
Was: £49.94 per month
Now: £39.95 per month (£119.88 off)
Adobe’s slashed 20% off its Creative Cloud subscription prices. The offer ends 14 April.
Apple AirPods 3
3
From: Amazon
Was: £189
Now: £159 (£30 off)
The AirPods 3 offer better battery performance, an updated design, and support for Spatial Audio and Adaptive EQ. Save £30 from Amazon.
Smarty 12GB data SIM-Only
4
From: Smarty
Was: £8 per month
Now: £4 per month (50% off for 3 months)
Grab three months of 12GB data for just £4 per month. If you’re after more data, you can see all its plans here. You can cancel anytime.
Apple iPad mini (2021, 6th gen, 64GB, Cellular)
5
From: Amazon
Was: £619
Now: £464 (£155 off)
This is the best deal we’ve seen on the iPad mini you can get the 64GB Cellular (RRP £619) for just £464 – which is less than the RRP for the Wi-Fi model!
Apple MacBook Air, M1, 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU, 256GB (2020)
6
From: John Lewis
Was: £999
Now: £887 (£112 off)
For some time a gang of retailers have been offering the entry level MacBook Air for £889, but this month John Lewis has dropped the price to £887, RRP £999. Very has the same deal.
You can also get the £999 MacBook Air with 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU in gold for £889 from Currys or Amazon, and AO.
Apple Watch Series 6 (40mm)
7
From: Amazon
Was: £319
Now: £229 (£90 off)
Bag the last gen Watch 6 for under £300 at Amazon’s Spring Sale!
Apple Watch Series 6 (44mm, Cellular)
8
From: Amazon
Was: £509
Now: £349 (£160 off)
Amazon’s just slashed £160 off the Watch Series 6 with Cellular connectivity as a part of its Spring Sale.
Apple 10.2in iPad (2021, 256GB, Wi-Fi)
9
From: Amazon
Was: $479
Now: $429 ($50 off)
Save $50 on the latest regular iPad. It’s a great affordable slate that’s perfect for web browsing or video calls.
Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard for iPad Pro 11
10
From: Amazon
Was: £189.99
Now: £115.99 (£74 off)
Save an excellent £74 on this Logitech keyboard for the iPad Pro 11 – this is currently the best discount we can see. The Combo Touch works with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd gen models.
Apple AirTags
11
From: Amazon
Was: £99
Now: £79.60 (£19.40 off)
Grab this set of Apple AirTags for just under £80 – that’s a saving of roughly £9 per AirTag, which costs £29 separately.
Apple Watch Series 7 (GPS, 41 mm)
12
From: Amazon
Was: $399
Now: $279 ($120 off)
The Apple Watch Series 7 has a solid $120 discount in Amazon’s Prime Day sale, making it one of the best prices around.
Beats Solo 3 Headphones
13
From: Amazon
Was: £179
Now: £99 (£80 off)
Get £80 off the Beats Solo3 Wireless on-ear headphones (which we gave four stars in our review). They’re available in a range of colours.
Apple AirPods Pro with MagSafe charging case
14
From: John Lewis
Was: £239
Now: £189 (£50 off)
Amazon’s excellent £64 saving on the AirPods Pro from March is no longer available. Multiple sites are selling for £189 (a £50 saving), including AO and Laptops Direct – but we’d go with John Lewis on account of its two-year guarantee.
Apple Watch SE 2021 (44mm, GPS)
15
From: Amazon
Was: £299
Now: £239 (£60 off)
Get a great saving on last year’s Apple Watch SE from Amazon.
Logitech Crayon
16
From: Amazon
Was: £64.99
Now: £53.99 (£11 off)
Want a more affordable alternative to the Apple Pencil? Check out the Logitech Crayon, which works with all iPads from 2018 and later.
Apple iPhone 12 mini (256GB)
17
From: Amazon
Was: £729
Now: £619.99 (£109.01 off)
The 256GB iPhone 12 mini has over £100 off from Amazon.
Apple iPad mini (2021, 6th gen)
18
From: Currys PC World
Was: £479
Now: £464 (£15 off)
A handy saving on Apple’s new iPad mini model for 2021, but note that this price applies to the Starlight colour finish only. eBuyer is matching the deal on certain colours.
Apple iPad Air (2022, 256GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular)
19
From: KRCS
Was: £569
Now: £557.62 (£11.38 off)
KRCS has knocked money off the 2022 iPad Air. You will find savings across the whole range.
Apple MacBook Air, M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 512GB (2020)
20
From: Very
Was: £1,249
Now: £1,099 (£150 off)
An excellent deal, this. Save money on the MacBook Air with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU from Very. The discount applies to the silver version only.
This deal is only slightly better than Currys who has the silver model for £1,099.97. John Lewis had the same deal, but it is currently out of stock there.