Category: Apple Insider

M1’s support for USB4 isn’t exactly an earthshaking leap on the same level as Apple’s custom GPU, Neural Engine, or the Unified Memory Architecture of its new M1 System on a Chip. But it is noteworthy that Apple has been able to quickly implement and deliver a new emerging standard on its own custom Apple Silicon— a rapidly expanding advantage the Mac maker now holds over Windows PC and Android licensees.

The USB4 specification is largely an attempt to simplify and streamline the confusing array of definitions related to USB 3.x and other protocols that can work over USB-C cables, including HDMI and DisplayPort.

USB4 also represents the shift of Intel’s proprietary Thunderbolt protocol from a paid licensing scheme that required an Intel controller chip to an openly licensed standard now under the control of the USB standards body. In fact, most of the technical improvement in USB4 is effectively a copy of Thunderbolt 3’s high-speed connectivity features, now available from the nonprofit group that promotes USB as an industry standard.

Apple’s ability to develop its own custom controller supplying Thunderbolt 3 speed and compatibility, right on the M1, comes directly from Intel’s move to share the technology as part of USB4. The fact that Apple’s M1 hit the market before Intel could even finish its own chips supporting the new standard is eye-opening.

M1 MacBook Pro connected via 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 to an Intel Mac in Target Disk Mode

Thunderbolt was initially developed by Intel in partnership with Apple, originally under the name “Light Peak.” It was intended to be a modern, optical replacement for FireWire— a standard Apple had developed on its own in the early 90s but failed to gain broad PC industry adoption.

But a decade later, Intel’s Thunderbolt has seemingly suffered the same fate as FireWire: enthusiastic adoption by Apple on its Macs but with limited penetration on generic PCs with less appetite for pushing state of the art. Adoption of Thunderbolt has mostly been stymied by PC makers’ cost-cutting efforts to settle on the cheaper to implement but much more limited USB as “good enough” for most users.

Last year, Intel announced plans with Apple, Microsoft, HP, and chipmakers Renesas, STMicroelectronics, and Texas Instruments to define a unified USB4 standard. It would offer the same ultra-fast 40Gpbs bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3 along with improved support for tunneling USB 3.2, DisplayPort, and PCIe protocols across USB-C cables.

In addition to mandating USB-C, USB4 also requires support for the USB-PD (Power Distribution) specification for charging devices over the same cable that delivers data.

Defining USB-C as a requisite part of USB4 should help to broaden the use of the modern, omnidirectional, and more robust USB-C hardware standard for cables and ports that Apple has exclusively standardized on in its recent Macs. This is happening even as some critics have bemoaned the loss of the legacy USB-A connectors that have been in widespread use since they were first popularized by the original iMac back 1998.

Apple added USB-C to its iPad Pro and now ships its newest iPhones with a Lighting to USB-C charging cable. Apple has also shifted to USB-C across its charging adapters for MacBooks.

The USB4 standard also offers the potential, but not the requirement, to support existing Thunderbolt 3 peripherals, which involves supporting some unique differences from the core definition of USB4. For the first time, that means that other companies apart from Intel could build their own silicon controllers delivering Thunderbolt 3 speeds and even compatibility without needing to buy a component from Intel.

This agreement was ideal for Apple— and was necessary for the company to deliver its new M1 Macs with support for both the refreshed new USB4 and compatibility with existing the Thunderbolt 3 devices that Mac users already have. Previous Apple Silicon chips— including the A-series SoCs used to power iPhones and iPad— never could support Thunderbolt.

That’s why Apple’s WWDC20 Developer Transition Kit, basically a Mac mini case outfitted with an iPad Pro-class A12Z Bionic chip, could only deliver the same USB 3 support as the iPads that chip was initially designed for.

The Developer Transition Kit specs reflected a souped up A12Z iPad Pro

PC makers who wait for Intel to deliver chips for them are expected to gain support for USB4 early next year with Intel’s Tiger Lake processors. However, there isn’t much urgency elsewhere because those PC makers can already license Intels’ existing Thunderbolt 3 chips if they want to deliver ultra-fast connectivity.

No other PC makers have shown any ambition to develop their own custom silicon in the model of Apple’s M1, and few have been that enthusiastic about Thunderbolt. USB4 should help drive the adoption of cost-effective USB disks that can achieve Thunderbolt 3 speeds faster than the more typical 5Gbps of USB 3.x devices. That should benefit everyone, including Mac users.

Effectively, USB4 as a wide standard should help make the technology used by Thunderbolt 3 more broadly available. In supporting both existing Thunderbolt 3 devices and new devices appearing under the revised standard branded as USB4, M1 Macs will be ready for the peripherals of the future as well as the high-performance devices existing Macs can already use.

The new Apple handset has reclaimed DisplayMate’s “Best Smartphone Display” ranking, a similar honor given to past handsets like the iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone XS Max. Currently, the iPhone 12 Pro Max holds DisplayMate’s highest-ever A+ performance grade.

In an in-depth analysis of the device’s display following lab testing, DisplayMate said that the iPhone 12 Pro Max has a “state-of-the-art” display that sets or matches records across 11 different performance metrics.

“The iPhone 12 Pro Max joins the very select Top Tier of Smartphone Displays which all provide Close to Text Book Perfect Calibration Accuracy and Performance that is Visually Indistinguishable From Perfect, so they all received and maintain Concurrent DisplayMate Best Smartphone Display Awards,” the display testing firm wrote.

That includes full screen brightness, high contrast ratio, sharpness, low reflectance, and absolute color accuracy. The iPhone 12 Pro Max received “visually indistinguishable from perfect” in several categories, such as “shift in color accuracy and intensity scale” and “shift in image contrast and intensity scale.”

DisplayMate also praised some of Apple’s proprietary display technologies, such as True Tone and Night Shift, and noted that the device’s display is also up to 10% more power efficient than the previous iPhone 11 Pro Max.

On the display itself, the iPhone 12 Pro Max sport’s Apple’s largest ever iwth a 6.7-inch screen and a 2778 x 1284 resolution; a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, peak brightness of 800 nits or 1,200 for HDR; and support for the P3 wide color gamut.

The full DisplayMate “shootout” goes into further detail about the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s display technologies, and the report is available from the research firm.

If you have previously had to read a website that’s written in language you don’t know, then there have long been tools to help you. Doubtlessly you’ve become familiar with Google Translate, perhaps you’ve come to rely on PopClip to speed up using that.

In a few but increasing cases, though, that’s over — if you’re using Safari. Rather than copying and pasting a few paragraphs at a time to see what they are in English, you can now visit the site and let Safari translate it all for you.

That’s clearly useful, it’s obviously quicker, but actually it’s transformative. Instead of picking out paragraphs from a foreign-language site, instead of trying to find what you need, you can now just read the site.

1. Go to a foreign-language website
2. If it’s in one of the few languages Safari can translate, it will say so
3. The words “Translation Available” will briefly be displayed instead of the address
4. A translate icon will then appear to the far right of the address
5. Click on that translate icon
6. Choose Translate to English
7. Read the site

You’ll barely be able to see the “Translation Available” notice in the address bar, it goes by so quickly. Yet you do sometimes still have to wait a few moments after it before the clickable translate icon appears.

Then once you’ve clicked Translate to English, you certainly have to wait a few more moments. Just sometimes, though, after a few moments you won’t see any difference — and there’ll be a small warning notice saying the translation failed.

Safari translates languages but retains a site’s font and design.

“Unable to connect to translation,” appears as a single line at the top of the website. This is always an internet connection issue as Safari attempts to send the website’s page to its translation servers, though.

So trying again immediately is usually enough to make it work. However, you can’t try again until you click the X to dismiss the error message.

When this works, though, it works startlingly well. You will find yourself still waiting for the translation, not noticing that it has done it.

That’s because it translates in-line, replacing all text on the foreign-language site. It replaces every word, but it matches all fonts perfectly.

Purely anecdotally, we can also say that the translation seems extremely good. It’s not a straight word-for-word lookup where, say, it just changes the French “maintenant” into the American English “now.”

Instead, what appears to happen is that there is real intelligence here — presumably Machine Learning — so that it knows when to say “now” or, for instance, “today.”

The biggest limitation on translation is that, at least as Big Sur launched, Safari has only been able to translate between seven languages. These are English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Russian, and Brazilian Portuguese.

There is also that while this feature is sometimes described as being able to translate entire sites, really it’s usually able to do one page at a time. That would hardly be unreasonable, and it’s quick enough to click that Translate to English button each time you go into a new page.

Yet it could be better, it’s supposed to be, and just sometimes, it is. While AppleInsider has only occasionally seen this, Apple says that if you have translated a page and then go to another one on the same site, it will be translated too.

In fact, Safari is supposed to keep on translating everything until you visit a different site — and that new site isn’t in the same language. If you’ve been reading one French site and then go to another, for example, the new site should be translated too.

That’s yet to happen more than a couple of times for AppleInsider, but if it does become the norm, it’s adding a great feature on top of an already excellent one.

Safari’s translation does require an internet connection. There’s no option to use it offline as you can with the Translate app in iOS 14.

The translation appears to be much more intelligent than a simple word-for-word dictionary lookup

Apple says that as soon as it has sent the contents of your site to its servers, and performed the translation, the page is discarded. The company also says that it does use web pages to improve its translation, but says these are not the ones you’ve sent it, they are solely publicly-accessible pages.

Although it discards the translated contents, however, Apple does keep the address of the website. Apple says this is to help improve its technologies, and that it will retain the site’s address for up to five years.

If you don’t want that to happen, you can use Safari’s Private Browsing. Translation works exactly the same in that mode, but Apple will not store the website’s address.

1. On a translated website, click the translate icon at far right of the address bar
2. Chose View Original

That’s all you need to do. There is one more option under that translate icon, though, and it’s Preferred Languages…, which takes you into System Preferences.

There you can add or select a language so that the translate icon’s menu defaults to saying, for instance, Translate to French.

Posted to Twitter on Saturday, leaker “@L0vetodream” told followers “You’ll get a Christmas surprise from Apple.” The tweet didn’t state what it was, but offered clues by claiming it is “Winter exclusive” and “good for winter.”

While the leaker often provides accurate leaks for unreleased Apple products, they are typically easier to understand and work out than in the latest cryptic tweet. A follow-up post highlighted that they didn’t mention what the “Christmas gift” was nor the date of its release, and that it was “a game, a riddle game” for their followers.

Considering it would be unwise for Apple to launch hardware products over the holiday shopping period, and that it has just completed three months of product launch events, it seems extremely unlikely for something like “AirTags” or “AirPods Studio” to launch and go on sale during that time.

Since that basically rules out the majority of physical items, that leaves Apple with providing something software or data-based to consumers.

This would present a big opportunity for Apple to promote its Services business to consumers, by offering something from it for free. Possible candidates include special content on Apple TV+ that’s free to view, or free content from the App Store, both of which could easily cover the “Winter exclusive” hint.

There’s also an outside chance Apple could relaunch its “12 Days of Gifts” promotion, an annual tradition that ceased in 2014.

Lastly, the mention of a “Christmas surprise” could be a reference to Apple’s 2019 holiday ad campaign, one called “The Surprise.”

Forum threads are suggesting there are issues with how Apple’s Bluetooth connectivity functions for users of MFi-compatible hearing aids. Pairing to the iPhone, the “Made for iPhone” hearing aids are able to stream audio from the iPhone to the user’s ear, such as music, phone calls, and notification sounds, among other benefits.

An email tip from an AppleInsider reader explains how they endured connection issues when they moved to the iPhone 12. While the iPhone 11 Pro Max and current-generation iPad Pro 12.9 both work without issue, the same can’t be said about the iPhone 12, with the reader experiencing rapid disconnections and reconnections, with seemingly no stability at all.

For the reader, the problem is also still evident when using the beta of iOS 14.3.

Users on the HearingTracker forum also say there are problems using hearing aids with the iPhone 12, while connecting to other Apple devices worked fine. The connection issues included a “massive amount of static” through two hearing aids for one user, then one or both of the hearing aids disconnect.

Similar issues were also endured by others, as well as individual hearing aids becoming unpaired. One user also claimed they were informed it would be potentially fixed in the iOS 14.2 update, though it still persists.

Posts made to Apple’s support forums advise of the same sort of problems, including static and disconnections, and again seemingly limited to the iPhone 12 generation of devices.

This is not the first time hearing aid users have encountered difficulty in using new iPhone models. An update for iOS 13.1.3 was released in October 2019 to fix Bluetooth connection reliability issues, specifically for hearing aids.

It is probable that a similar fix will be issued by Apple as part of an incremental software update in the coming weeks.

The iPhone deals below offer free phones on installment, pre-paid card offers and more, putting a lot of money back in your pocket just in time for Black Friday. We’ve highlighted our top picks below, but be sure to check each retailer’s website for specific terms and conditions pertaining to each offer. Wondering which service is right for you? We compared 5G plans across popular carriers.

Ringing in as one of the most aggressive deals available, AT&T Wireless is offering users up to $700 in bill credits when you trade in a qualifying device. AT&T subscribers must select an eligible unlimited plan, but this is a great way to save on a new iPhone if you plan on using AT&T’s wireless service.

Verizon is also getting in on the deal action by offering buy one, get one deals on both the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Requirements include a new line, monthly payments and an eligible plan.

Shoppers can also snag a deal on the new iPhone 12 mini at Red Pocket Mobile. Save $70 on the device and add unlimited wireless and AppleCare for a low rate of $40. This unique bundle stipulates AppleCare will remain active on the $40 per month plan (or higher) for up to 3 years so long as your account remains active.

Proving to be a popular offer when we covered the promo during last month’s iPhone 12 release, Xfinity customers can still save $250 when upgrading to Apple’s latest iPhone.

T-Mobile is also running a competitive offer on the new iPhone 12 Pro Max. Save up to $950 on the iPhone 12 Pro Max or iPhone 12 Pro via 30 monthly bill credits when you join T-Mobile and trade in an eligible device.

AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running additional exclusive discounts on hardware that will not only deliver the lowest prices on many of the items, but also throw in bonus discounts on protection plans, software and more. Here are some of the offers:

On November 10, Apple opened preorders for the new Apple Silicon MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. The first customers to place orders will likely see their devices delivered on or near November 17, Apple’s announced availability date for the models.

AppleInsider staffers ordered personal units within minutes of preorders going live, and have received these notifications. In our case, expected arrival is November 22 and November 24, with both orders for a Mac mini. We have yet to receive one for the MacBook Air, but have been informed by readers that deliveries are expected between November 17 and November 24.

It is unlikely that many — if any — customers will see their devices before November 17. As with the first wave of orders and other previous product launches, Apple works with delivery partners to try and maintain the set release date for its products, meaning that deliveries will largely occur on or after Apple’s mandated release date.

All three devices were announced at Apple’s “One More Thing” event on November 10. They are the first of Apple’s computers to feature the new Apple M1 chip.

The new Mac mini starts at $699, the MacBook Air starts at $999, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 chip start at $1,299. They are also available at an educational discount, bringing their prices down to $679 for the Mac mini, $899 for the MacBook Air, and $1,199 for the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

In addition to orders from Apple.com and the Apple Store app, the company said that M1-equipped Mac models will be stocked at select Apple Store and Apple Authorized Resellers the week of November 16, as well.

These are the monitors and configurations Apple says works with the new machines.

The Mac mini with an M1 processor can run a single external display using the DisplayPort 1.4 rating in the Thunderbolt 3 spec. This means you can have a single 6K monitor like the Pro Display XDR or a single 4K monitor attached at any time through the USB-C ports.

The M1 Mac mini can run a second monitor via the HDMI 2.0 port which supports up to 4K connections.

The Intel Mac mini has support for up to two 4K displays via Thunderbolt 3 and one 4K display via HDMI, or one 5K display via Thunderbolt 3 and one 4K display via HDMI. The Intel Mac mini was unable to run 6K displays, as it lacked the necessary controller for running external displays at that resolution.

The MacBook Air with an M1 processor can connect only a single external display at a time, in parallel with the internal display. It supports up to 6K at 60Hz so monitors like the Pro Display XDR will work fine.

The 2020 MacBook Air with Intel could connect up to two 4K displays, one 5K display, or one 6K display using the Thunderbolt 3 ports, beyond the internal display.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 processor can connect only a single external display at a time in conjunction with the laptop’s screen. It supports up to 6K at 60Hz just like the MacBook Air.

The Intel 13-inch MacBook Pro allowed two 4K displays, one 5K display, or one 6K display using the four Thunderbolt 3 ports, in conjunction with the built-in display.

Apple’s M1 is the reason for the number of external display limitations, since macOS can run multiple external displays on Intel variants. So, essentially each Mac with Apple Silicon can only run one external monitor via a Thunderbolt 3 port, and the Mac mini is the exception due to having an additional HDMI port.

The Apple streaming service largely got off to a slow start, with fairly underwhelmed audiences and lackluster adoption. However, new data from research firm Parrot Analytics suggests that Apple’s later shows are doing better among viewers.

The top three most “in-demand” TV series on the Apple TV+ include “Defending Jacob,” “Truth Be Told,” and “Servant,” the Parrot Analytics data (via Business Insider) suggests. None of those titles were day-one launches for the streaming service.

Apple’s original shows “See” and “For All Mankind” filled out the top five in-demand shows, based on viewership, desire, and engagement by a series weighted by importance. Here’s how the rest of the top 10 breaks down.

Credit: Parrot Analytics

Of course, critics and audiences often have different reactions to shows. For example reviews for the top six TV shows by audience demand range from terrible to lukewarm — except for “Servant,” which carries an 83% Rotten Tomatoes critic score.

On the flip side, some of Apple’s most critically acclaimed series, such as “Little America” and “Central Park,” didn’t make Parrot Analytics’ top 10 list.

Apple has yet to release actual subscriber numbers for Apple TV+, but CEO Tim Cook said that the service was “off to a rousing start” during an earnings call in January. Analysts have suggested that the platform could hit 100 million subscribers by 2025.

According to a separate analytics firm, Antenna, Apple TV+ has largely seen sluggish subscriber growth. But it saw a spike in new subscribers ahead of the release of Tom Hanks film “Greyhound” in July.

In a note to investors seen by AppleInsider, analyst Samik Chatterjee believes that the most important announcement at Apple’s November 10 event will be at least one new Mac model equipped with the proprietary Apple Silicon chip.

This device will officially kick-start the two-year transition to first-party chipsets in macOS devices, Chatterjee said. The transition will ultimately allow Apple to leverage the gains it has made with its own proprietary silicon.

“With the move to in-house capabilities, Apple is looking to regain control over the pace of the technology roadmap on the processor chips, and create a common architecture across all Apple products, making it easier for developers to write and optimize applications for the product ecosystem,” the analyst writes.

For consumers, Chatterjee believes that a lower bill of materials cost with a new Apple Silicon chip could lead to Mac devices with a lower price point targeting a wider market. More specifically, the analyst contends that Apple could release an SKU with a price point between that of the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air.

The analyst estimates a standalone market opportunity of 10 to 15 million unit volume for the new Mac device, with a starting average selling price (ASP) of $1,000. That implies about a $15 billion opportunity for Apple, “which will assure multi-year growth in a lackluster PC market.”

In addition to gains in compute power and efficiency, a move to proprietary Apple Silicon could also allow Apple to bump up its pace of technological innovation once it has control of the chip design roadmap. Intel, which Apple has used for 15 years, has seen delays in its roadmap in recent years.

All in all, Chatterjee believes that an internally designed chipset could lead to a reduction in BOM costs of about $75 by “engaging directly” with foundry partners like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

That could be important to future Mac growth as Apple’s ASP for the lineup tracks around $1,400, which is quite a bit higher than competitors. A less expensive Mac device could provide a “runway for growth” with an expanded lineup.

In addition to Mac announcements, JP Morgan also forecasts that Apple could release non-related products such as a new Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband “AirTags” tracking accessory.

Chatterjee is maintaining his AAPL price target of $150, based on a 2022 earnings-per-share of $4.85 and a blended price-to-earnings multiple of around 31x.