Top Stories: Universal Control Enabled in New Betas, Core i9 vs. M1 Max, and More
It was certainly an exciting week in the Apple software department, with new iOS 15.4, macOS 12.3, and associated betas delivering a host of new features including the much-anticipated Universal Control functionality.
The new round of betas follows the public release of iOS 15.3 and associated releases, which were mainly focused on bug fixes and security improvements. This week also saw some rumors about Apple’s product release roadmap, early benchmarks of Intel’s latest high-end mobile processors compared to Apple’s chips, and more, so read on for all of the details!
Universal Control Enabled in iPadOS 15.4 and macOS 12.3 Betas
Apple this week seeded the first betas of iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and macOS Monterey 12.3 to developers for testing, and after several months of waiting, Universal Control has finally been enabled. The feature lets you control multiple Macs and iPads side by side with a single mouse or trackpad.
iOS 15.4 also introduces the ability to use Face ID while wearing a mask without needing an Apple Watch, adds dozens of new emoji, makes a new Apple Card home screen widget available, and more. Check out our list of everything new in iOS 15.4!
Apple also released iOS 15.3, iPadOS 15.3, macOS 12.2, watchOS 8.4, and tvOS 15.3 with important security and bug fixes.
Apple Preparing ‘Widest Array of New Hardware Products in Its History’ for Later This Year
We’re now several weeks into 2022, and while the start of the year has been quiet, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman recently said Apple is “readying the widest array of new hardware products in its history” for this fall.
Announcements expected later this year include the usual iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 refreshes, in addition to several other new products that we have outlined in our dedicated Upcoming Products Guide.
Benchmarks Confirm Intel’s Latest Core i9 Chip Outperforms Apple’s M1 Max With Several Caveats
Benchmark results have surfaced for MSI’s new GE76 Raider, one of the first laptops to be powered by Intel’s new 12th-generation Core i9 processor.
Intel previously said that its new high-end Core i9 processor is faster than Apple’s M1 Max chip in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and early Geekbench 5 results do appear to confirm this claim, but there are several caveats to keep in mind as usual.
Apple’s Most Questionable Design Decisions in Recent Memory
Apple is known for having well-designed products, but every once in a while the company makes some questionable design decisions.
We’ve put together a list of six of the most controversial Apple product designs introduced in recent years, including the much-maligned butterfly keyboard on recent MacBook models, the original Siri Remote for the Apple TV, the Magic Mouse 2, and more.
Apple Reports Record 1Q 2022 Results: $34.6B Profit on $123.9B Revenue
Apple this week reported its financial results for the December quarter, with the company registering a host of all-time records including revenue and profit. All of Apple’s product segments with the exception of iPad also recorded record revenue.
The record-breaking performance came despite continued supply issues due to chip shortages. Apple says that those constraints should start to ease by the end of the current quarter.
Apple Launches Black Unity Braided Solo Loop Alongside New Watch Face
February is Black History Month and, ahead of time, Apple has released a new Black Unity Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch, along with a new Black Unity watch face designed using 2D ray tracing.
Apple also announced that it is spotlighting Black voices and businesses in February with a variety of content across its services, such as the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Books, Apple News, and more.
Apple Still Struggling to Meet Demand for Redesigned 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro
Three months have passed since Apple released redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by its latest M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, and demand remains strong.
The new MacBook Pro models are estimated to ship in several weeks, with some configurations not available for delivery until early March. Pandemic-related supply chain disruptions are certainly not helping the situation.
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