New Macs

but something is missing.

Author

Brandon Butch
March 08, 2024 • 📖 Read time: 12 minutes

Welcome back! đŸŽ
Here’s what’s new with Apple.

  • New Macs have arrived, but something else is missing

  • The Apple vs Epic battle heats up… again

  • A week full of new software updates

  • & more!

📖 Read time: 3.5 minutes

📊 Poll

In the last poll, I asked: Have you bought an iPhone case from Apple?

Here are some of my favorite replies:

Yes - “I’m actually kind of disappointed in my Apple silicone iPhone case. After moderate use over just a few months, it’s started to peel in multiple places. While the design is otherwise fine and MagSafe is nice, I’m not sure it’s worth the price for sub par protection and longevity.”

No - “If there is one area where 3rd party manufacturers deliver more choice in price & quality, it’s in cases. Apple’s are way too expensive and lack in design & versatility.

This week: When did you first upgrade to an M-series Mac? Do you plan to upgrade anytime soon?

When did you upgrade to an M-series Mac?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

📢 Announcement

We just launched my favorite wallpaper collection yet: REWIND!

This is a collection of carefully crafted wallpapers that transform your iPhone’s Lock Screen into a nostalgic blast from the past!

If you love classic devices like the iPod Classic/Shuffle, Moto Razr, Nokia 3310, NES, GameBoy, etc., you are going to love this concept.

Warning: Be prepared for people to ask where your wallpaper is from.

🗞️ The Latest

💻 New Macs Arrive, But Something is Missing

Apple

Apple launched the new M3 MacBook Air this week via press release.

What you need to know:

  • 13” starts at $1099, 15” at $1299

  • Both come standard with 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD

  • M3 = 60% faster than the M1 MacBook Air, and 13x faster than the fastest Intel-based ‌MacBook Air‌

  • Supports 2 external displays when the laptop lid is closed.

    • M3 MacBook Pro will get this feature with a software update

  • Wi-Fi 6E, better microphones, more fingerprint-resistant finish for the Midnight color option

  • Apple calls it the “best consumer laptop for AI"

  • Available starting today!

While this might seem like a minor refresh to us tech nerds, it’s actually a solid upgrade for Intel-based MacBook owners. Stay tuned for my coverage on YouTube!

I answer more specifics on who should/shouldn’t upgrade to this machine + the outlook on future Macs in the Q&A section at the end of this issue (for AppleDen+ users).

Something is Missing

MacRumors

While it was fun to see Apple announce new MacBooks, one question remained throughout the week: Where are the iPads?

  • For the past few months, we’ve heard rumors from highly credible sources that new iPad Pro & iPad Air models are coming in March.

  • Allegedly, there’s a special version of iOS 17.4 for the new iPad Pro that isn’t scheduled to be ready until the end of March.

I’ve written that the special version of iOS 17.4 for the new iPad Pro isn’t scheduled to be ready until the end of the month. That doesn’t align with an announcement this week. Nor does Apple’s in person MacBook Air briefings today (multiple sessions seems impossible).

Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

Strange. He also only mentioned the iPad Pro. Does that mean the iPad Air will launch separately? We will have the answers as early as next week!

New Apple Watch Bands

Also this week, Apple dropped new Apple Watch band colors for the Spring.

  • Sport Band: Soft Mint, Sunshine, and Light Blue.

  • Sport Loop: Soft Mint and Ocean Blue.

  • Solo Loop: Pink, Soft Mint, Ocean Blue.

  • Braided Solo Loop: Sunshine, Light Blue, and Raspberry.

And for the big ballers, there are new Hermès color options:

  • Hermès Toile H Single Tour: Bleu CĂŠleste/Écru and Framboise/Écru.

  • Hermès Twill Jump Single Tour: Bleu CĂŠleste/Bleu Jean and Jaune d'Or/Bleu Jean.

  • Hermès Kilim Single Tour: Blanc and Bleu CĂŠleste.

New Silicone Cases

Lastly, Apple launched fresh new colors for their Silicone Case with MagSafe: Sunshine, Soft Mint, Light Blue, and Pink.

This is bad timing given last week’s story about Apple’s FineWoven case disaster. Ha!

📲 Fresh Software

Along with those software updates, visionOS 1.1 was also released for the Apple Vision Pro.

This update greatly improves the digital Personas that show when you FaceTime somebody while wearing the headset.

For those asking for video overviews of the software, like the co-founder of AngelList (stoked that he watches my videos!), they’re coming later this year with visionOS 2.0 Beta.

Sideloading Outside of the EU?

One of the top questions surrounding Apple’s implementation of sideloading has been: can I spoof my location to access 3rd party app stores?

The answer to that is no. Here are the specifics of how it works:

  • Apple uses a combination of the region associated with your Apple ID account + on-device geolocation checks. Apple does not collect your device's location.

  • However, even if you are located in the EU, if your location changes to another region outside EU, you will no longer be able to access previously sideloaded apps or download new ones.

  • Apple says there’s a ‘grace period’ for short travel, but doesn’t specify an exact duration.

  • That duration might be the same 30-day ‘grace period’ that applies to geo-blocked content on streaming services.

iOS 18 Features

According to MacRumors, there are some interesting new Accessibility features coming with iOS 18 and macOS 15 later this year.

  • Adaptive Voice Shortcuts will allow users to map a unique spoken phrase to an accessibility setting.

  • There will be new categories for the Live Speech feature.

  • More apps will be support custom font sizes.

🥊 Apple vs Epic Reignites

The infamous Apple vs Epic Games feud has been injected with more fuel to add to the fire. Here’s why:

  • Epic was planning to release a 3rd party app store on iOS (in the EU), so that users could play Fortnite again.

  • 3 weeks ago, Apple approved their new developer account for Sweden.

  • But earlier this week, Apple terminated that new developer account and sent them a letter explaining why.

  • Apple basically said: you’ve broken the rules before and said bad things about us, so why should we trust you this time?

  • In the press release, Apple said one of the reasons for terminating their developer account was because Epic CEO Tim Sweeney publicly criticized their proposed DMA compliance plan.

  • Here’s what Apple responded with:

Epic's egregious breach of its contractual obligations to Apple led courts to determine that Apple has the right to terminate "any or all of Epic Games' wholly owned subsidiaries, affiliates, and/or other entities under Epic Games' control at any time and at Apple's sole discretion." In light of Epic's past and ongoing behavior, Apple chose to exercise that right.

Apple, in response to Epic

And to that, Sweeney responded with, “Apple is doing everything they can to sow fear so that, even if they’re forced to end this blockade, every developer will know Apple can crush any of us on a whim, and therefore that competition is futile. It’s a sad slope for the world’s most respected company to be slipping down, but slipping it is, and it’s a long way down.“

Apple will not be letting this go, as they want full control over the App Store and do not want any competition on their platform.

But at the same time, Epic has a boatload of cash, so don’t expect them to wind down any time soon.

Now that the EU is getting involved and asking Apple for further clarification, we could see more fireworks in the coming months.

Whose side are you on?

📰 Quick News Bites

🔑 Q&A + Wallpaper

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