New Pro Features

One of the most significant new features in iPadOS 16 is Stage Manager, which is a multitasking feature that is designed for iPad Pro models with an M1 chip. Stage Manager allows you to organize your apps and windows into a single workspace, making it easier to work on multiple projects at once.

Another new pro feature is Reference Mode, which is designed for color-critical workflows. Reference Mode allows you to calibrate your iPad Pro display to match professional standards, ensuring that your work is displayed accurately.

iPadOS 16 also includes a number of new features that are designed to make the iPad more versatile.

These features include:

1. Live Text: Live Text is a feature that allows you to copy and paste text from images. In iPadOS 16, Live Text has been expanded to include the ability to translate text and perform other actions, such as making a phone call or sending an email.
2. Virtual Memory Swap: Virtual Memory Swap is a feature that allows the iPad to use its storage as memory when it runs out of physical RAM. This can help to improve performance when working with demanding apps.
3. New Keyboard Shortcuts: iPadOS 16 includes a number of new keyboard shortcuts that make it easier to navigate and use the iPad. These shortcuts can be customized to your liking.

Expanding iPad’s Versatility

In addition to new features, iPadOS 16 also includes a number of changes that are designed to make the iPad more versatile. These changes include:

• Support for external displays: iPadOS 16 now supports external displays with resolutions up to 6K. This allows you to use your iPad as a second monitor for your Mac or PC.
• Improved Sidecar: Sidecar has been updated in iPadOS 16 to make it easier to use your iPad as a second display for your Mac. You can now use your iPad to mirror your Mac’s display or to extend your Mac’s workspace.
• New multitasking gestures: iPadOS 16 introduces a number of new multitasking gestures that make it easier to switch between apps and windows. These gestures include a new pinch gesture for switching between apps and a new swipe gesture for closing windows.

Overall, iPadOS 16 is a major upgrade that is designed to make the iPad even more pro-like and versatile. The new features in iPadOS 16 will make it a more powerful tool for creatives, professionals, and students.

After iterating for over a decade in the iPhone and iPad, Apple in 2020 brought its custom silicon chip technology to the Mac, enabling major performance and power efficiency improvements. Since then, Apple silicon has expanded to every Mac model, spurring new designs and capabilities that were previously impossible.

Understanding the distinctions between Apple silicon chips will help you make an informed decision when selecting the right Mac for your needs. There have been two generations of Apple silicon for the Mac, each with four different chip variants. The main differences between the four different chip variants are as follows:

• M1 and M2: Standard Apple silicon chip with a balance of performance and power-efficiency.
• M1 Pro and M2 Pro: Apple silicon chip with additional high-performance CPU cores and twice the memory bandwidth of the M2 chip (200GB/s).
• M1 Max and M2 Max: Doubles the GPU cores and memory bandwidth (400GB/s) of the M1 Pro or ‌M2‌ Pro chips for better graphics performance.
• M1 Ultra and M2 Ultra: Encompasses two M1 Max or ‌M2‌ Max chips for double overall CPU and GPU performance, as well as twice the memory bandwidth (800GB/s).

Apple Silicon Generations

With the introduction of the ‌M2‌ series of chips in 2022, Apple made some key improvements over the initial M1 series from 2020.

The below table provides a comparison between the ‌M1‌ and ‌M2‌ series, highlighting differences in the chips they are based on, node, CPU clock speed, Neural Engines, and more:

The standard ‌M2‌ chip also features several additional changes over its ‌M1‌ predecessor, including:

It is worth noting that all Apple silicon chips other than the ‌M1‌ chip contain media engines for hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW video.

Devices

Each Apple silicon chip is only available in a select number of Apple devices. The standard ‌M1‌ and ‌M2‌ chips are present in a large number of laptop and desktop devices, several ‌iPad‌ models, and even the upcoming Vision Pro headset, owing to their requirement for a balance of performance and efficiency. On the other hand, the ‌M2‌ Ultra, Apple’s most powerful custom silicon chip to date, is only available in the high-end Mac Studio and Mac Pro.

CPU and GPU Cores

CPU cores are individual processing units within a Central Processing Unit (CPU) responsible for executing instructions and performing general-purpose tasks, while GPU cores are specialized units within a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) designed for parallel processing and graphics-intensive tasks.

The number of CPU and GPU cores in an Apple silicon chip impacts the performance and multitasking capabilities of a Mac, with more cores leading to faster and more efficient execution of tasks, especially in intensive workloads. The table below presents a comparison of the core configurations and GPU specifications for the different variants of the ‌M1‌ and ‌M2‌ chips:

Deciding how many CPU cores you need depends on the specific tasks and workflows you intend to perform on your Mac. For example, if you primarily engage in basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption, an eight-core chip should suffice. On the other hand, if you work with demanding workloads like software development, opting for a higher core count can provide significant performance benefits. Similarly, graphics-intense workflows like video editing, 3D modeling, or gaming will benefit from additional GPU cores.

Benchmarks

Computer benchmark scores are standardized measurements that evaluate the performance of chips, providing a numerical representation for comparing capabilities and assessing performance against industry standards. The data on this chart is calculated from Geekbench 6 results users uploaded to Geekbench. Geekbench 6 scores are calibrated against a baseline score of 2,500 (which is the score of an Intel Core i7-12700 performing the same task).

The below Geekbench 6 scores show the range from the lowest specification chip in the least powerful Mac to the highest specification chip in the most powerful Mac.

Both the ‌M1‌ and ‌M2‌ chips demonstrate significant performance improvements in single-core and multi-core tasks as you move from the base to the Ultra variants, with the ‌M2‌ chip showcasing even higher performance across the board. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that benchmarks do not tell the whole story. Benchmarks focus on specific tasks and synthetic workloads, and do not always accurately capture real-world usage scenarios and variations.

Unified Memory

Apple silicon chips have a unified memory architecture, meaning that the RAM is tied directly to the processor for maximum speed and efficiency. This means that the chip you choose determines what memory option are available, and it is not upgradable at a later date.

Deciding how much RAM you need depends on your specific tasks and usage patterns. 8GB should be enough for most users, but upgrading to 16GB or 24GB could be sensible for users with more intense multitasking requirements. Amounts of memory beyond 32GB are generally reserved for seriously demanding workflows.

Final Thoughts

Overall, if you are new to Apple silicon and are still not sure which chip to buy, use the following rationale:

• Buy M1 or M2 if… you need a good balance of price, performance, and battery life and have normal day-to-day computing requirements.
• Buy M1 Pro or M2 Pro if… you need a performance-focused chip for slightly more intense workflows.
• Buy M1 Max or M2 Max if… you need additional graphics performance for working with images, videos, graphic design, or games.
• Buy M1 Ultra or M2 Ultra if… you need the best possible overall performance for extremely intense professional workflows.

It is generally not worth upgrading from any of the individual ‌M1‌ chips to their direct successors and it may be better to wait for Apple to launch the M3 series of chips. Apple has not yet released any M3-series chips, but the company is rumored to launch the ‌M3‌ chip toward the end of 2023. It is expected to be Apple’s first chip based on TSMC’s 3nm process, a significantly smaller node, which should lead to major performance and efficiency improvements over the ‌M1‌ and ‌M2‌ chips that are currently on offer.

This article, "Apple Silicon Buyer's Guide: All the Differences Explained" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Some AirPods will be gaining a new hearing health feature, supported by iOS 17, that can check yourself for potential hearing issues and may be able to determine your body temperature via your ear canal, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in today’s Power On newsletter. He also says all of Apple’s new headphones will include USB-C, and that the company is planning new AirPods Pro and AirPods Max models — but he doesn’t think new hardware is coming soon.

AirPods already support audiograms — audio profiles that tell the AirPods where your hearing may be weakest so that they can tune themselves to your hearing abilities. Right now, you can generate an audiogram using the app Mimi, which Apple would be Sherlocking — an infamous Apple tendency to fold third-party features and apps into its operating system — with a built-in hearing test feature.

Other wireless earbuds have similar capability built in as well. The Jabra Elite 75t added a feature in 2020 called MySound that creates custom sound profiles after playing a series of tones in each ear and prompting wearers to tap their screen when they hear a noise, and the Nothing Ear 2 launched with its own hearing test and audio profile feature this year.

Gurman says Apple is also exploring positioning the AirPods as hearing aids, now that the FDA has approved over-the-counter sales of hearing aids without a prescription.

Next, Gurman added that future AirPods could take your temperature with your ear canal. Rumors that Apple would do this go as far back as late 2021, and the Apple Watch Series 8 introduced something similar last year, albeit as a relative temperature that’s only really used for menstrual cycle tracking.

Expanding temperature tracking to the AirPods could be more accurate, he says, and would potentially let Apple more accurately tell a wearer if they’re starting to get sick. Gurman didn’t say whether this would be exclusive to the AirPods Pro, but it seems likely.

The bad news from the Power On newsletter is that the updated AirPods Pro might not be coming soon. Gurman believes the new health features are “several months or even years away,” and that although USB-C AirPods may be coming soon, AirPods Pro themselves are so far on a three-year refresh cycle. A sample size of two is hardly enough to say that’s how it will always be, but the fact that the 2nd gen AirPods Pro were released only last year doesn’t bode well for a new pair this year.

Then again, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in March that he expects a USB-C version of the AirPods Pro to come later this year, in the second or third quarter, and that Apple didn’t seem to have plans for either the original AirPods form factor or the more bulbous AirPods 3. It’s possible the new hardware could only be a new case with the updated charging port, similar to what Apple did when it introduced a standalone MagSafe case for the AirPods Pro in 2021.

Kuo also predicted in January that $99 AirPods and a new set of AirPods Max will come soon, as early as next year.

Update July 2nd, 2023 9:15AM ET: Added that other earbuds have hearing test features, such as the Jabra Elite 75t and the Nothing Ear 2.

]]> https://www.latest-apple-news.com/2023/06/29/how-to-trade-in-your-macbook-macos-desktop-iphone-or-ipad/ Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:18:55 +0000 https://www.theverge.com/23775945/trade-in-macbook-macos-iphone-pad-how-to

If you’re looking to trade in your Apple product — be it a MacBook, iMac, Mac desktop, iPhone, or iPad — you stand to get a pretty good return. Apple’s tech has a reputation on the secondhand market for retaining value long after release. This speaks to build quality but mostly to Apple’s long-lasting software support for its older products. The trend is positive both for buyers, who will end up with a product that could continue to work for years, and sellers, who will make a good percentage of their original purchase price back.

There are plenty of ways of trading in your old Apple products for cash. You can easily net an extra $50 to $100 from a sale if you’ve taken care of your tech, as buyers will pay more for products that look closer to new condition. So it pays to make sure that your hardware is in good shape.

Clean your gear

How you clean your Apple product will vary depending on what it is you’re selling. You’ll want to apply some screen cleaner to your iPhone, MacBook, iMac, or iPad before listing it for sale. While doing so, take note of any scratches or other defects in the display or the body, and be sure to accurately report them during the selling process, or you’ll probably be met with an unhappy buyer and no sale.

Remove any stickers from your tech, and if you have a can of compressed air, clean out any ports and grilles. There’s no reminder more immediate that your device is preowned than forgetting to clean out port gunk.

If you’re selling a macOS desktop, like a Mac Pro or Mac mini, open it up and gently remove any dust that has accumulated within, and if you want to add some RAM to sweeten the deal for buyers, this is your chance.

Detach your services

You’re going to perform a factory reset, which should take care of anything you have associated with your computer or iPhone, but just in case…

• Make sure you’re completely backed up on iCloud (or your favored backup solution).
• Sign out of services such as Messages, Find My, and iCloud.
• Unpair devices such as an Apple Watch and any headsets or earbuds.

Perform a factory reset

Ensuring that your computer, phone, or watch is properly wiped is mutually beneficial for both buyer and seller. What good is hardware that you can’t access due to an unknown passcode? Depending on what product you’re dealing with, the process for initiating a factory reset will be different, but it’s usually easy.

MacBook or macOS desktop

On your MacBook or macOS desktop, first make sure you’ve backed up all of your personal files to your cloud storage service of choice or to an external hard drive. Once you’ve ensured that everything is duplicated and safe in a location other than your hard drive, you can wipe the computer.

If you’ve got a system running macOS Ventura:

• Go to System Settings > General.
• You’ll see Migration Assistant on the right. Click on Erase All Content and Settings and follow the directions from there.

If you have macOS Monterey:

• Go to System Settings > System Preferences.
• Click on Erase All Content and Settings and follow the directions from there.

If you have an older system that hasn’t been updated, or if the directions above don’t work, try this:

• Click the Apple logo up top, and hit Restart.
• Once you hear the startup chime, hold down the Command + R keys until the Apple logo appears on your screen. This will load you into the recovery partition of your hard drive, letting you obliterate your personal information once and for all.
• Of the applications listed, open Disk Utility, then click into the first option listed under your hard drive’s name. If you haven’t changed its name, it will probably be called “Macintosh HD.”
• Navigate to Erase and confirm the selection. If you choose to securely wipe your computer, it will take a few hours for the operation to write over your drive several times.
• With this step finished, you’re ready to reinstall the operating system. Click the red x, and you’ll be popped back to the recovery menu. Make sure your machine is connected to the internet, then hit Reinstall macOS to return it to factory settings.

iPhone or iPad

Before you wipe your phone or tablet, switch on iCloud to sync all of the information that you want to keep. Then:

• Open up the Settings app and navigate to General.
• Once you’re there, scroll down to Transfer or Reset Phone, then hit Erase all content and settings at the bottom of the screen. (If you’re transferring to a new iPhone and aren’t sure you’re ready, tap Get Started under the subhead Prepare for New iPhone first.)
• If asked, enter your passcode or Apple ID password.

Apple Watch

We have directions on how to reset your Apple Watch to factory settings here.

Trade or sell your Apple hardware

You can simply trade in your hardware via Apple itself, or you can go to a number of sites that will offer you the chance to sell your stuff.

Apple Trade In will give you Apple Store credit in exchange for your computer, iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch. (It will even do a trade-in for an Android phone.) On Apple’s site, you can find out how much you can get for your device — click on the blue Find your trade-in value button. You’ll just need to answer a few questions to find the value. You can either mail your device in or trade it in at Apple Stores in the US and Canada. Apple may not pay you as much for your device as it might go for on the public market, but it’s a good option if you just want to flip your tech without a fuss.

If Apple isn’t offering enough for your tech, or if you prefer cash, you can sell it instead. You’ll find passionate people from all over who will likely take interest in your gear if it’s priced well and in good condition (and even if it’s not, so long as it’s priced accordingly).

There are a variety of services where you can go to sell your hardware. These are just a few:

• You may want to start with sites such as Flipsy and SellCell, which offer comparisons from a number of different buy-back sites.
• If you are selling a tablet, phone, laptop, or certain types of desktops, you can try Swappa, which allows you to either post your device to sell on its site or sell it immediately to one of Swappa’s trade-in partners for less money (but a presumably faster response).
• Decluttr buys and sells a variety of refurbished tech. It operates the way many similar trade-in sites do: you go through a questionnaire and get a quote on your device; if you accept the quote, you send in the device. If they find that the device is in the condition stated, you’re paid by direct deposit or PayPal. Decluttr also says it will recycle the original box and charger that came with your device if you choose to send them.
• If you’re a frequent Best Buy customer, then it might be worth it to try that store’s trade-in service; you will receive a Best Buy gift card in the amount of your trade-in.
• Comparatively, Craigslist doesn’t limit what you want to sell or charge you for listing your items. In fact, for better or worse, it doesn’t hold your hand at all. It will be up to you to arrange the meeting point, negotiate a price, and, finally, decide on how money will be exchanged. This can be stressful, but it can also be super easy and fast. Just make sure that you meet in public places and don’t fall for an offer that seems too good to be true.

Update June 29th, 2023, 10:18AM ET: This article was originally published on January 14th, 2020, and has been updated to reflect a number of changes in trade-in policies and in operating system features.

iOS 17 lets people add a Personal Voice

It’s called Personal Voice, and it uses on-device machine learning to analyze recorded audio clips to create a personalized voice model directly on the user’s iPhone that accurately mimics their unique voice.

Read more…

iOS 17 lets people add a Personal Voice

It’s called Personal Voice, and it uses on-device machine learning to analyze recorded audio clips to create a personalized voice model directly on the user’s iPhone that accurately mimics their unique voice.

Read more…

iOS 17 lets people add a Personal Voice

It’s called Personal Voice, and it uses on-device machine learning to analyze recorded audio clips to create a personalized voice model directly on the user’s iPhone that accurately mimics their unique voice.

Read more…

iOS 17 lets people add a Personal Voice

It’s called Personal Voice, and it uses on-device machine learning to analyze recorded audio clips to create a personalized voice model directly on the user’s iPhone that accurately mimics their unique voice.

Read more…