Category: Technology

In addition to a slew of Macs, new Silicon and a compelling new Vision Pro headset, Apple also introduced a 15-inch MacBook Air at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) today. The larger MacBook Air not only offers a bigger display than its 13-inch counterpart, but it also comes with a more sophisticated sound system and battery life that’s rated for hours longer. I was able to pick one up to see how it feels here at Apple Park today, though I wasn’t allowed to do much else with it. 

I do like how thin and light the new MacBook Air is — at 11.5mm (0.45inches) thin and 3.3 pounds (1.49 kgs), it beats the Dell XPS 15, which is both heavier and thicker. Apple’s machine has a slightly smaller 15.3-inch Liquid Retina Display, though, whereas Dell’s comes in at 15.6 inches.

The 15-inch MacBook Air’s screen can get up to 500 nits of brightness, and though I never got a chance to view it outdoors, the photos and interfaces I did see were lovely and crisp. Colors were vibrant and rich, and when an Apple rep showed me photos of long-haired dogs and a woman in a red dress in front of some cliffs, the details were tack sharp.

I also got to see how the laptop handles tasks like photo-editing and gaming, which thanks to its M2 chip happened impressively quickly. An Apple rep used Photonator to erase multiple kayaks from a topdown photo of canoes on a river, and also changed the colors of certain parts of the image. Everything happened instantly and accurately. They also showed me part of a game called Stray so I could see how the laptop handled the graphics rendering of things like light reflecting off a puddle. These were very controlled demos, so while they all did perform well and without lag, I would rather evaluate the MacBook Air based on our own realworld testing.

I did get to check out the new six-speaker sound system with spatial audio when a rep played some songs for me, including Beyonce’s Cuff It. Unfortunately, because the demo space we were in was fairly noisy, it was hard to gauge how well the audio sounded. I stuck my ear right next to the machine and was only barely able to hear the song. This is another feature we’ll have to wait for a review unit to test for ourselves.

I wasn’t able to do much else with the new laptop, really, but here’s a quick recap of some of its features. It has the same notch design from the 13-inch MacBook Air that houses its 1080p webcam, but unlike the smaller model, this year’s device comes with a 10-core GPU across the board instead of 8 cores. It also ships with the dual-port 35W charger by default and has a larger trackpad. 

If you’re intrigued, you can order the 15-inch MacBook Air today, starting at $1,299, and it’ll be available in stores on June 13th. 

Follow all of the news from Apple’s WWDC 2023 right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-macbook-air-15-inch-preview-portable-power-213455527.html?src=rss 

Apple isn’t letting us try on its Vision Pro mixed reality headset just yet, but I was able to briefly glimpse the hardware after fighting through the crowds at WWDC. And, well, it looks like yet another headset — almost like a souped up version of the Meta Quest Pro. But even with just a short glance, it’s clear that the Vision Pro is pure Apple: It’s like seeing the iPod compared to the clunky MP3 players of its era, or the iPhone next to a BlackBerry. 

The Vision Pro is Apple’s bold entry into the world of spatial computing, and it seems like the company has learned a lot from the VR and AR headsets before it. The front of the device features an OLED screen that can display your eyes, making you more connected to the people in the real world. Its springy side bands and ribbed rear headband look like suitably high-end. And, simply put, it has the wow factor you’d expect from a prestige Apple product. 

Still, there’s some reason for concern. The required battery pack is a bit un-Apple, since you’ll have to stuff it into your pocket or find somewhere to store it. And we’ve yet to see someone wearing this headset in the real world. Apple’s event staff stressed that we couldn’t touch the Vision Pro or lean too close. Of course, we won’t see if Apple’s spatial computing vision lives up to its slick promotional videos until we can actually wear this thing.      

Follow all of the news from Apple’s WWDC 2023 right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-vision-pro-first-look-spatial-computing-future-201844231.html?src=rss 

Like clockwork, Apple will release the latest operating systems for its various products this fall. And, as ever, the company will leave some older generations of its devices by the wayside. 

If you’re still clinging onto an iPhone 8 (that thing was great, so I don’t blame you), iPhone 8 Plus or an iPhone X, you won’t be able to update it to iOS 17. In other words, your iPhone will need to have an A12 Bionic or later chip to install the new OS. If you have an iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, iPhone SE (second-gen) or later, you’ll have access to features including Live Voicemail transcripts, the StandBy display mode and, at ducking last, better autocorrect.

Apple is adding customizable lock screens, the Health app, interactive widgets and much more to the iPad. Unfortunately, folks using a fifth-generation iPad or the first-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro will not be able to install iPadOS 17. The following tablets will be supported:

iPad (6th generation and later) 

iPad mini (5th generation and later)

iPad Air (3rd generation and later)

12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation and later)

10.5-inch iPad Pro

11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation and later)

As for Apple Watch users, there’s some good news. Apple is continuing to support all devices that run watchOS 9. If you have an Apple Watch Series 4 or later, you’ll be able to use watchOS 10, which places more focus on widgets. There are upgrades to the Cycling and Compass apps, along with a slew of other updates.

Widgets are also coming to the Mac via macOS Sonoma. Along with other features, the desktop and laptop operating system will feature a new Game Mode that prioritizes CPU and GPU performance to deliver higher framerates for every game. The following Macs will support macOS Sonoma:

iMac (2019 and later)

Mac Pro (2019 and later)

iMac Pro (2017)

Mac Studio (2022 and later)

MacBook Air (2018 and later)

Mac mini (2018 and later)

MacBook Pro (2018 and later)

Last year’s big update, macOS Ventura, was compatible with the 2017 and later iMac, 2019 and later Mac Pro, 2017 iMac Pro, 2018 and later Mac mini, 2018 and later MacBook Air, 2017 and later MacBook and 2017 and later MacBook Pro.

Last but not least, tvOS 17 will finally bring FaceTime to Apple TV. Other new features include a way to find a misplaced remote with the help of your iPhone. The operating system will be available on Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.

Follow all of the news from Apple’s WWDC 2023 right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ios-17-drops-support-for-iphone-8-and-x-200718892.html?src=rss 

Apple’s new mixed reality headset may have stolen the show at WWDC, but it was not the only piece of tech the company announced. Apple debuted a 15-inch MacBook Air today that will join the classic 13-inch model as the iPhone maker’s thinnest and lightest notebooks. The company is positioning the larger model as the ideal 15-inch laptop, boasting that it has a better balance of performance, features and battery life than any 15-inch PC notebook. Here’s how you can order the 15-inch MacBook Air, plus the rest of the readily available products announced at WWDC 2023.

Apple MacBook Air 15

Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air is available to order today starting at $1,299 and will be widely available on June 13th. Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air M2 now starts at $1,099, and the 13-inch MacBook Air M1 remains in the lineup, starting at $999.

The first 15-inch laptop in the Air series runs on Apple’s M2 chipset, and it looks much like an enlarged version of the 13-inch MacBook Air. The new laptop has a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display that’s surrounded by 5mm borders and only interrupted by a notch that includes a 1080p webcam for video calls. Its profile is similar to that of the 13-inch model, with rounded square corners, and it measures only 11.5mm thick and weighs 3.3 pounds. Unsurprisingly, such a svelte design doesn’t leave a lot of space for ports. The 15-inch MacBook Air has just two Thunderbolt ports on one side, along with a MagSafe charging port, and a headphone jack on the other edge. The 15-inch Air will likely have similar performance to the 13-inch model since it runs on the same chipset, so it should be plenty fast for most people. Apple claims the larger laptop will get 18 hours of battery life as well.

Mac Studio & Mac Pro

The Mac Studio and Mac Pro are available to order today starting at $1,999 and $6,999, respectively. They’ll both be more widely available on June 13th.

The second-generation Mac Studio could be seen as a larger and more powerful version of Apple’s compact desktop, the Mac Mini. The biggest thing to note about this upgrade is that it can run on the new M2 Max or M2 Ultra chips, which Apple claims will excel at laborious tasks like 8K video editing, 3D modeling and the like. Apple claims the M2 Max version of the Mac Studio will be 50 percent faster than its predecessor, and the M2 Ultra version will be twice as fast as that.

As for the Mac Pro, it remains a very expensive and very powerful desktop that will have even better performance thanks to the M2 Ultra chip. It’ll come with a 24-core CPU and it will support up to a 76-core GPU and up to 192GB of memory. In addition to that, the Mac Pro will come with seven PCIe expansion slots, seven Thunderbolt 4 ports, two 10GB Ethernet ports, three USB-A slots and two HDMI connectors that can output 8K resolution at 240Hz. Needless to say, this is overkill for most people, not to mention its sky-high price tag will put it out of reach for most consumers.

Apple Vision Pro

Apple debuted its long-awaited mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro, at WWDC 2023. The headset looks much like the VR headsets we’re used to seeing from the likes of Facebook and Sony, but with a unique Apple spin. The Vision Pro is a standalone device that doesn’t need a physical controller — instead, users operate it using a mix of hand gestures, voice input and the built-in Digital Crown on the headset. Apple showed off a number of uses cases for the Vision Pro including using with your Mac to expand your screen real estate, using Vision Pro apps alongside Mac apps, watch 3D movies and content from services like Disney+ and play games from Apple Arcade. But unlike the other hardware mention here, Vision Pro is not available today — it’ll be available in early 2024 starting at $3,499.

Follow all of the news from Apple’s WWDC 2023 right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-order-the-15-inch-apple-macbook-air-190535960.html?src=rss 

Apple’s Vision Pro mixed reality headset will run on visionOS, company executives announced following the bombshell reveal of its long-rumored wearable at WWDC 2023. The operating system, internally codenamed “Oak,” has reportedly been in development since 2017. It’s existence further leaked via source code references last February. Behold, the dawning of the spacial computing era.

While visionOS is based on the existing MacOS and iPadOS platforms, the unique nature of spacial computing requires lower latency than one would need for a mobile or desktop OS. The new headset will an immersive mixed-reality 3D interface that, “frees apps from the boundaries of a display,” according the the company. This means that instead of being displayed in a separate virtual environment, the app windows will appear to float in the physical space in front of the user can be moved and scaled just as they would on a desktop — except now, it can be your actual physical desktop, not just your laptop’s home screen. 

The virtual screens Vision Pro displays can appear as gigantic as 100-foot wide wraparound billboards or they can fit into the space of your living room. The system responds to the room’s natural light and shadow to provide the user with a better sense of scale and distance. The system’s new and novel Eyesight feature will adjust the opacity of the user’s surrounding view to increase immersion but automatically clear the visor when another person approaches, allowing each person to look the other in the eye, without having to take off the headset.

Users won’t need cumbersome controllers or motion-sensing wands to use the Vision Pro, as the headset utilizes nearly dozen cameras and sensors peppered around the device to monitor their gaze and hand motions turning their eyes, voices and fingers into virtual pointers and clickers. You’ll be able to browse through menus by looking at them, selecting items by tapping their fingers and inputting text with the spoken word.

Vision Pro’s applications will skew hard towards gaming, media consumption, and communication and will offer Apple apps like Messages, FaceTime and Apple Arcade — the latter of which will offer more than 100 playable MR gaming titles at launch. Apple is already working with a number of media companies to bring their products and content into the new Vision Pro ecosystem. This includes Disney which, as part of its 100th anniversary celebration, announced Monday that it will bring immersive features to Disney+ content, “by combining extraordinary creativity with groundbreaking technology,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said. “Disney+ will be available ‘day one,’ [of the headset’s availability].” It appears that ESPN content won’t be far behind, based on the few glimpses we saw during the demo.

Apple’s announcement comes just days after rival Meta unveiled its own mixed reality headset, the Quest 3. The Vision Pro is slated to go on sale next year and retail for $3,499.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-realityos-ar-vr-headset-operating-system-wwdc-2023-185901735.html?src=rss 

Apple’s Vision Pro headset will introduce a new approach to security in the company’s products: your eyes. The mixed reality device will use a previously rumored Optic ID system that studies your irises through invisible LED light exposures, and compares it against your enrolled eye data to sign you in. You can use it as a password replacement and to make purchases in the App Store or using Apple Pay.

The company stresses that your eye data is encrypted and isolated in the headset’s Secure Enclave. It never leaves the device and isn’t available to apps. As with Face ID and Touch ID, there won’t be actual images or ways for intruders to abuse the raw information.

Optic ID comes alongside other privacy protections in the Vision Pro headset. Neither Apple nor anyone else will have access to eye tracking data. Camera and sensor data is processed at the system level, so apps won’t get to peek at your surroundings just to enable spatial functionality. And if you’re capturing photos and videos, there will be a visual indicator to alert people around you. You might not have to worry about a Google Glass-style public outrage.

Iris scanning isn’t a new security concept. Samsung introduced iris sign-ins with its ill-fated Galaxy Note 7, for example. It’s a relatively novel idea for headsets, though, and could be appreciated if you’d rather not reach for a keyboard (real or virtual) to start using your headset or a specific app. That’s particularly important given Apple’s goals: it sees Vision Pro as the start of a “spatial computing” platform where you may spend hours in mixed reality, and conveniences like Optic ID may make that platform more compelling.

Follow all of the news from Apple’s WWDC 2023 right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-vision-pro-headset-will-use-your-eyes-to-sign-in-with-optic-id-191328667.html?src=rss 

Apple’s efforts to bring high-profile games to the Mac appear to be paying off. Hideo Kojima has revealed that Death Stranding: Director’s Cut is coming to the Mac later this year. Future Kojima Productions games will be available on the platform, too, although it’s not clear if that includes Death Stranding 2. There’s no mention of any changes, but it’s safe to presume you’ll want an Apple Silicon-based Mac to make the most of the title.

As on other platforms, this edition of Death Stranding is ultimately a refinement of the 2019 original. You’ll see new missions, more boss fights, updated combat mechanics and activities like racing and a shooting range. If you thought the initial release leaned too much on cinematics and not enough on gameplay, this is the version you want.

Like Resident Evil Village, No Man’s Sky and Stray, this is ultimately a port of a not-quite-recent title. You probably aren’t about to buy a Mac just to experience Norman Reedus’ courier adventures. However, Apple they reflect Apple’s revived interest in gaming. Between this, macOS Sonoma’s Game Mode and improved porting tools, the company clearly wants the major titles that have previously been limited to Windows PCs and consoles.

Follow all of the news from Apple’s WWDC 2023 right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/death-stranding-directors-cut-is-coming-to-the-mac-175801242.html?src=rss 

Apple took to the stage at WWDC today to announce that video-calling service FaceTime is finally coming to Apple TV hardware for the first time, thanks to a robust tvOS update. This seems to be a full-featured version of the company’s proprietary live-streaming app that takes full advantage of the recently-released Continuity Camera feature.

For the uninitiated, this feature lets you use your iPhone as a replacement webcam for your laptop, so you’ll now be able to use your iPhone or iPad as the primary camera for TV-based FaceTime conversations. Apple says wireless integration happens automatically and that the service can also use the phone or tablet’s microphone when joining or initiating a call. The company says the software has been designed so that you always remain in the center of the frame. You can also quickly switch the feed between devices with just a swipe and interact using gestures. FaceTime will be available for Apple TV 4K devices starting this fall. 

FaceTime is the main draw of tvOS 17, but not the only improvement. The company redesigned the control center to make it more intuitive and, more importantly, added Find My Remote support. Just use Siri on your phone, tablet, or computer to locate any mischievous Apple TV remotes. Apple also noted that video conferencing apps like Webex by Cisco and Zoom will launch on tvOS later this year. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facetime-is-coming-to-apple-tv-182616297.html?src=rss