If you’re enrolled in the Big Sur public beta, you can check to see if the latest release is available on your Mac by heading to System Preferences > Software Update.
As we’ve previously mentioned, we’re not seeing many user-facing changes in these late beta releases as we’re approaching the public launch of macOS Big Sur. But overall the new software includes a big refresh to the UI that’s inspired by iOS. Other new features include Control Center, Safari improvements, new Messages app features like pinned messages, customizable widgets, and much more.
Check out everything that’s new with macOS Big Sur in our coverage below:
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Amazon is offering the Sabrent Mac Mini Mount for $9.99 Prime shipped. If you are not a Prime member, orders that exceed $25 will qualify for free shipping. That’s $5 off the typical rate there and is a match for the lowest price we have tracked. This versatile mount features a silver powder coating to protect your Mac mini from scratches and scuffs. Its design is open along the back, providing easy access to buttons, ports, and slots. Screws and drywall anchors come in the box, helping you get the job done with no other accessories required. Rated 4.7/5 stars. Swing by our mounting guide to find some tips and tricks.
If you’d rather invest in an Apple TV Mount, check out this affordable $8 solution. It’s made with both Apple TV 4 and 4K models in mind. An added perk is the inclusion of a silicone Apple TV Siri Remote case. This will add a bit more bulk and grip, something most of us wish it had to begin with.
Oh, and for those of you that are running low on outlets, don’t forget about the deal we just spotted on CyberPower’s 6-foot Surge Protector. It’s price has fallen to $8, delivering the lowest offer we’ve tracked in 2-years. There are a total of six outlets in tow, adding quite a bit of additional power sources to any setup.
Sabrent Mac Mini Mount features:
Mount easily and securely your Mac mini.
Allows full access to power button, output jacks, and cables.
Silver powder coating helps protect your Mac Mini from scratches or damage.
Compatible with Unibody Mac Mini.
Screws, drywall anchors, and easy installation instructions included.
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The upcoming “iPhone 12 Pro Max” is anticipated to have a number of unique high-end features not found on any other iPhone, such as its screen size, LiDAR scanner, faster 5G, and potentially a higher display refresh rate.
Leaks have suggested that the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch display could support a 120Hz refresh rate, but doubt has been cast on the feature arriving in the final product. Supposed PVT (production validation test) models indicated that the iPhone 12 Pro Max will be able to “alter the refresh rate from 120Hz to 60Hz in accordance to the content displayed on-screen,” and have a resolution of 2788 x 1284 resolution with 458 pixels per inch. This model is also speculated to have Y-OCTA support, 10-bit color, and be XDR capable.
Other rumors have said that the device will not have a 120Hz display after a series of production setbacks. Instead, the feature could arrive in 2021 alongside the adoption of low-power LTPO displays and a variable refresh rate that preserves battery life. Adding a ProMotion display to the iPhone without the LTPO technology may result in an undesirable battery drain, although it is worth noting that the iPad Pro uses ProMotion without LTPO.
Supply-chain analyst Ming Chi-Kuo has said that iPhone 12 models will not support a 120Hz refresh rate due to battery life considerations, and could alternately arrive next year with LTPO.
Moreover, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is widely believed to have a LiDAR scanner, which has otherwise only appeared on the 2020 iPad Pro, for enhanced augmented reality and photography experiences. The same alleged PVT models used the LiDAR scanner for “assisted autofocus and subject detection for Video and Night Mode.” Some rumors have proposed that LiDAR will be exclusive to the iPhone 12 Pro Max since it is a high-end feature.
Rumors intimate that the iPhone 12 Pro Max will also be the only model to have faster mmWave 5G. Sub-6GHz 5G, which is the slower but more widespread form of 5G, is expected to be present on other new iPhone models. Only the largest iPhone in the lineup supposedly has the internal space to accommodate the antenna design needed to implement mmWave at this time, along with the larger battery needed for its higher power usage.
For more on what to expect from the 2020 iPhone models, be sure to see our dedicated roundup.
The laptops are very much on the bleeding edge of technology, but not much is expected to change on the outside – those who are looking for new design ideas and up to date technology outside of the move to ARM are going to have to wait until the back half of 2021.
Apple CEO Tim Cook presents new products, including new Macbook laptops, during a special event at … [+]the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Howard Gilman Opera House October 30, 2018, in New York. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
One area where Apple is behind the competition has been the screen. Windows 10 laptops, especially in the high-end markets where the MacBook Pro lives, have featured innovations such as edge to edge screens and increased brightness. They have already started to move to the next level of screen technology… the use of mini LED to create a more responsive screen with a wider and more accurate range of colours.
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Apple’s move to mini LED on its laptop range has been discussed by many, but the latest details from analysts looking at the supply chain suggest that consumers looking for the best screen possible on their Mac will have to wait until the second half of next year. Tim Hardwick reports:
“[Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo] has said a mini-LED version of a 16-inch MacBook Pro is in the works for a possible late 2020 release, and that Apple is also working on a mini-LED 14.1-inch MacBook Pro, although he hasn’t provided launch information for the latter beyond suggesting there are several mini-LED devices in the works for 2021. According to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce, Apple suppliers won’t begin competing to win manufacturing orders for new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with mini-LED displays until the first quarter of 2021.”
Apple’s two suppliers for miniLED screens are presumed to be Epistar and Sana Optoelectronics. With two companies in the supply chain Apple can expect to see both resilience in production, and the two companies ensuring their screens are competitively priced. But it’s the impact on this year’s two MacBook machines that will be most noticeable.
Both the MacBook Pro and thew newly mono-monikered MacBook will be running the latest hardware inside the chassis, but with older technology on the outside. For machines that are going to be highly prized by the geekerati, these machines may have game-changing internals, but they’re going to look tired and boring on the outside if they come with older screens and lumbering bezels,
Perhaps that’s the plan. The Intel-powered MacBooks will not suddenly disappear overnight, and while Apple still has to confirm just how much support the computers will have over the next few years they will remain the more dependable and stable choice for business critical environments.
Assuming the geekerati discover all the flaws, bugs, and gotchas in macOS for ARM over the next twelve months, when the ARM machines are ready ‘for wider public consumption’, the new technology such as mini LED will give the MacBook platform a much needed refresh.
It’s just that waiting another 12 months for Apple to catch up to the innovations in Windows 10 powered laptops feels out of character, especially as the innovations continue to appear on the various iPhones and iPads.
Apple today seeded the Ninth beta of an upcoming macOS Big Sur update to developers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the eighth beta and more than two months after the new update was unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
The macOS Big Sur beta can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center and once the appropriate profile is installed, subsequent betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.
macOS Big Sur introduces a refreshed design to the Mac operating system, overhauling the entire look from the curvature of the window corners to the dock icons to the system sounds. Everything feels fresh but familiar, with a lighter and more modern appearance. There’s a new customizable Control Center that mirrors the Control Center on iOS devices, putting key system controls right at your fingertips.
The Notification Center has been redesigned with iOS-style widgets that are available in multiple sizes, plus there are more interactive notifications that are now grouped by app to make it easier to see what’s going on. Safari is faster and more battery efficient, plus there’s a new start page that can be customized with wallpapers and sections that include Reading List and iCloud Tabs, which makes Safari more tailored to your individual usage needs.
Tabs have been redesigned, there’s a built-in language translation feature, Chrome and Firefox Extensions can be ported to Safari, and YouTube supports 4K video playback. There’s also an option to choose which sites an extension works with for greater privacy. Speaking of privacy, a new Privacy Report feature lets users know the trackers Safari is blocking when you visit websites.
Messages is more similar to the Messages app on iOS with support for pinned conversations, mentions, inline replies, and Memoji creation, plus the built-in search feature has been overhauled to make it easier to find links, photos, and conversations in the app.
Apple redesigned the Maps app to add support for Look Around, indoor maps, and Guides, which are lists of notable attractions, restaurants, and more created by trusted sources. Maps can also be used to generate directions for cycling routes and electric vehicle trips that can be sent to iPhone, and shared ETA updates are now viewable on the Mac.
Photos includes a better Retouch tool, Apple Music‘s For You section has been replaced with a Listen Now section, HomeKit Secure Video cameras support Face Recognition and Activity zones, and Siri can answer a wider range of questions than before.
In the future, the macOS Big Sur App Store will help users better understand privacy practices with clear info on the information that an app collects, and after installing macOS Big Sur, you’ll see faster updates that begin in the background and then finish more quickly to make it easier to keep your Mac up to date.
For more on everything that’s new in macOS Big Sur, make sure to check out our roundup.
Apple has released iOS 14.2 beta 2 to registered developers, coming two weeks after the release of the first iOS 14.2 beta. Other new releases from Apple today include macOS 11 Big Sur beta 9 and watchOS 7.1 beta 2.
iOS 14.2 beta 2 is available to developers via an over-the-air update in the Settings app. As usual, if the update does not immediately appear for download, keep checking as it sometimes takes a few minutes to roll out to all registered developers. The update features the build number 18B5061e for iPhone users and comes in at just over 1GB.
To add the new Shazam music recognition toggle to Control Center, first make sure you’re running the developer beta of iOS 14.2, which is rolling out today. Then, open the Settings app, choose “Control Center,” then look for Shazam beneath the “More Controls” header. You can then add the Shazam toggle and rearrange it as you see fit.
Apple has also released macOS 11 Big Sur beta 9, iPadOS 14.2 beta 2, watchOS 7.1 beta 2, and tvOS 14.2 beta 2 to developers today. One of the complaints with iOS 14.2 beta 1 was that it excluded some of the new Apple Watch Series 6 functionality and new watch faces, so ideally that has been fixed with today’s release of beta 2.
As for iOS 14.1, it’s likely that Apple skipping straight to 14.2 for beta testing indicates that iOS 14.1 will be coming soon to the general public — or Apple could be saving it for the new iPhone 12 launch next month.
If you spot any changes in iOS 14.2 beta 2, or the other new betas from Apple today, let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @9to5Mac. Stay tuned for our full hands-on coverage with the new releases right here at 9to5Mac today.
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Microsoft tested a Windows XP theme that closely resembled Mac OS X’s Aqua GUI, reports The Verge.
A recent Windows XP source code leak has revealed various unreleased themes that Microsoft developed in 2000, at a time when Microsoft was in heated competition with Apple regarding desktop operating systems.
One of the themes, codenamed “Candy,” mirrors the design of Apple’s Aqua interface, which was first introduced at the Macworld Conference & Expo in 2000. Aqua was an iconic Apple design and gave a sense of depth through the use of shadow and translucency, metallic textures, and rounded liquid-like assets.
The theme was described as a “Whistler skin with eye candy,” with “Whistler” being the codename for Windows XP, and was marked as “for internal use only.” Though the theme was never finished, fundamental aspects such as the Windows Start button and various UI elements were a close match for Aqua.
Most striking is the replication of Mac OS X’s rounded water-like buttons. Windows developers reportedly used the theme as a placeholder to build the theme engine for Windows XP.
The theme was ultimately rejected in favor of the blue and green Luna theme for the final version of Windows XP released in 2001. The source code leak reveals another instance of the influence of the Mac on Windows behind the scenes.
The second beta of iOS 14.2 introduces the new Emoji 13 characters that Apple previewed earlier this year as part of World Emoji Day. New emoji options include ninja, people hugging, black cat, bison, fly, polar bear, blueberries, fondue, bubble tea, and more, with a list below. Faces – Smiling Face with Tear, Disguised Face People – Ninja, Person in Tuxedo, Woman in Tuxedo, Person…
Earlier this week, Apple released updates for iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS—but nothing for macOS. Usually, Cupertino updates all its operating systems at once, but we’re in an odd place right now with new annual releases of the former three making their way to users’ devices while macOS Big Sur still sits an indeterminate amount of days away.
However, Apple nonetheless followed up today with an update for macOS Catalina labeled 10.15.7. It’s likely the last update to Catalina before Big Sur is released. The company also released new versions of Final Cut Pro X and iMovie for the Mac.
The Catalina update is a modest one that fixes three bugs: a graphics-related problem on new iMacs with Radeon Pro 5700 XT graphics cards, a bug that prevented automatic connection to Wi-Fi networks, and an iCloud Drive syncing issue.
Want it straight from the source? Here are Apple’s release notes for macOS Catalina 10.15.7:
macOS Catalina 10.15.7 provides important security updates and bug fixes for your Mac.
Resolves an issue where macOS would not automatically connect to Wi-Fi networks
Fixes an issue that could prevent files syncing through iCloud Drive
Addresses a graphic issue that may occur on iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020) with Radeon Pro 5700 XT
Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices. For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
The updates to Final Cut Pro X and iMovie are also about fixing bugs. Here are the Final Cut notes:
Fixes an issue in which XAVC media from the Sony PXW-FX9 camera is not recognized
Fixes an issue where brightness levels shift when switching between Better Quality and Better Performance in the viewer
Fixes an issue in which effect keyframes are not added correctly when using onscreen controls
Improves stability when using the transform tool with multiple clips in the timeline
Improves reliability when exporting an FCPXML that contains Compound clips
Addresses an issue which could prevent sharing at certain resolutions
Fixes an issue in which sharing a Compound or Multicam clip from the timeline was disabled
The iMovie update improved stability and fixed an export bug. Yesterday, Apple also released an update for Xcode that fixed a problem that could “cause Xcode to crash while viewing documentation.”
As Tim Cook’s Apple heads into a brave, new ARM-powered world of macOS, it has to make a decision about legacy support and older hardware. If you want to see how that’s going to work out, just watch the MacBook Air over the next year or two.
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 30: Tim Cook, CEO of Apple unveils a new MacBook Air during a launch event at … [+]the Brooklyn Academy of Music on October 30, 2018 in New York City. This is Apple’s first full upgrade of the laptop in three years. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
Getty Images
What made the MacBook Air stand out in 2008 is now passé in 2020. The ‘Air’ is still seen as a machine that is ‘thin’, and there are countless thin laptops in the world. If you pick up the MacBook Proyou’ll find a laptop that is 1.56 cm thick. The MacBook Air is 1.61cm. Yes it has the taper to the front edge unlike the constant depth of the Pro, but is a small wedge enough to justify the Air moniker?
Personally I don’t think so, and from what we have learned from the supply chain, Apple is of a similar mind. When the ARM-powered macOS laptops pop up later this year, the machine built around power and performance will be the MacBook Pro, while the machine built around lightweight and ultraportable computing will simply be known as MacBook.
There is no place for the MacBook Air in the brave new world. Apple is taking the popular laptop brand and tearing it down with the belief that a stronger forest will grow in its place.
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But there is one area where the MacBook Air is an important indicator of macOS’ future. And that’s how Apple treats the existing customer base. There are rather a lot of MacBook Airs in the wild, and they continue to be sold through Apple Stores both to consumers and especially into the education department.
These machines will need to be supported by Apple for a number of years at an operating system level. Apple’s Product Environmental Report for the MacBook Air states that “Apple assumes a four-year period for power use by first owners. Product use scenarios are based on historical customer use data for similar products.” I would hope that Apple continues to support the MacBook Air for at least those four years.
The question will be just how expansive that support will be. The next version of macOS – Big Sur – will run on the Intel-based machines, and you would expect the usual support cycle of a year of updates. Beyond that, it gets a bit more interesting. Offering support could stretch from little more than patching security vulnerabilities, right through to keeping the next our years of macOS intel compatible until the mic-drop in 2024.
This is why the MacBook Air is the future of Apple in miniature. First up, the product itself is being ruthlessly cut from the main portfolio to make way for something new. Secondly, in the short term it will continue to be supported. Finally, it’s going to die in the long term. Apple has made no concrete statements on how long that support will last; everyone is left looking at environmental reports, relying on a historical data point from sixteen years ago, or reading tea leaves.
Apple is happy to abandon the past and push consumers to new hardware. The iconic MacBook Air will always have a place in history (as will the manila envelope Steve Jobs pulled it out of when he literally revealed it to the world), but its time is past.
