Eagerly awaited M1x chip expected to star and be unleashed in new Macs
For the second time in October Apple is hosting a virtual event to reveal new products and software. On October 18, 2021 at 10 the show will start, streamed as usual, from Apple Park.
Virtual events have become the norm since the pandemic restricted the possibility for live audiences. A bright side for this is that the production values for the virtual event have improved drastically in the last year and that makes for great streaming and online consumption after the fact in various forms of edited clips and screen shots.
Coming hot on the heels of the big iPhone 13 extravaganza earlier this month, this is turning out to be a big year for long awaited new products, and the M1x will potentially be the crowning achievement of the year.
Already a hit in the initial release the M series was received with a near ecstatic reaction with many in a state of awe when the upgraded capabilities were tested and measured in the wild.
As is widely known, the Intel i-7 chip was the workhorse for many years, with added cores and clock speeds helping somewhat, but with the M1 there was finally something that could usher in a new era of processors, particularly when used with optimized software from Apple and others.
With the M1x (with being the projected moniker with the actual designation to be confirmed on the 18th) there could be an even larger leap into faster, more efficient processor performance.
Gear lined up according to rumors and best intel on the street
Highly anticipated are MacBook Pros, with various larger screens and possible other hardware upgrades in addition to the new M1x, a mac mini with updated specs would be huge and many have pointed to an AirPod 3rd generation with unknown improvements.
As is often the case, if there are additional announcements they are likely to be big surprises and very interesting, the consensus is so all pervasive that is there is any deviation (like the absence of any of the above) it is going to be a shock.
The tweet from Apple Mktng SVP Greg Joswiak has a fun video that sets the tone for the virtual presentation and is likely to be followed with great content live streamed on Oct. 18th, with the option to tune in later for replays.
Even without surprises this will be a very important event with immense repercussions for all mac users. We will be covering the action live with additional details so please stay tuned.
The new Os’s are free and will be adopted fast if recent past is a guide
Apple has had a fairly predictable cycle for new iPhone releases and the yearly, free, software upgrades. If you use your apple devices for business or WFH like many, this ritual can be excruciating since you already know you will have to get your hands on the best new gadgets.
Nevertheless, with sky high prices for the best devices not going away, choosing when exactly to upgrade which devices can be a tricky process requiring skill, cunning and some serious bucks.
A lot of us see the iphone top-of-the-line product as a must upgrade either every cycle or every-other year if budgets are tight (and some years do seem like “off” years).
For iPads, various mac machines, Apple Watch, Apple TV and so on, there is more leeway and potential confusion. And for mac, there are times (like now!) when we all know the next iteration of various models (macbook Pro, mac mini, mac pro, iMac 27” +) are on the way but there is the unknown factor of what to pick and when-the-heck it can be ordered and shipped.
We all know there is a chip shortage, and with the Apple Silicon M1 potentially being upgraded for a slew of machines to the M1X, M2 or M2X as various rumors have discussed, the timeline is very uncertain.
The best things in life are free, software edition
All this leads us to the good, even very good, if obvious, news. iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey have been in public beta for some time now and, if history is a guide in this case, should be released publicly soon after the Apple Fall Event announcements on September 14th, regardless of what hardware is coming down the pike, or in what particular order.
Generally the hard date for the new OS systems to be public available is the date that any new hardware, always optimized for the new OS, hits the street and becomes deliverable.
Sometimes certain iPhone models, such as the very high end Pro Max, etc., are delayed, but whichever model ships first that device should also be shipped with the Golden Master of the new operating system, iOS 15 in this case.
This is not 100% guaranteed, as nothing in like and Apple releases is 100%, but this looks extremely likely. Therefore we could and should see the new iOS and macOS going live publicly soon, possibly this week.
What to watch our for and expect, besides great new features and work-flows
Often in the past, a “Golden Master” release has been followed within a day or two with an update patching issues that arise once a mass “test” has revealed flaws and weaknesses in the initial public version.
This is nothing to worry about, as per past experiences, but if you are someone that gets easily annoyed by constantly updating, you could wait a week or so to bypass these intermediate “patch fix” versions.
Also, since with Apple, as opposed to Android, the adoption rate for people to upgrade quickly to the newest versions of the OS is extremely high there will be a sea change in the air. That means that within a few weeks up to a billion devices, or more, could be running the newest OS systems across all the various devices in the wild.
This is great news, because some of the best features in all the new software upgrades function best with various devices within an iCloud account or family group and, in some cases, between two devices anywhere interacting, as long as they both have the newest systems.
The best new features are only going to get better after the launch, more so even than usual; here’s why
During our tests of the various systems, first in the developer-only phase and then in the more recent public beta, one thing was a small annoyance that, after the full launch, will instead become a huge plus.
When operating within a company, for example, and in some cases with multiple devices on the same iCloud account, there have been a lot of glitches related to how the Big Sur devices interact with the macOS Monterey devices, or an iPhone with iOS 14 and one with iOS 15 function in tandem.
This is because, more so than in any previous upgrade cycle, this system focuses on virtually every built in app that is bundled with the OS, like photos, mail, messages, notes, FaceTime, reminders, calendar, contacts, voice memos, etc, etc, etc.
There are so many, with so many upgrades it is hard to make a list, as above, of what they are all called and what they do. In the best Apple fashion, they “just work” and we tend to take them for granted.
In case you ever wanted to know the complete list (for iOS 15) we have added it at the bottom of this post.
These apps are pretty much all getting big upgrades in iOS 15, along with a similar situation happening for iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey, TVOS, WatchOS etc. The difference this time is that they are being actively designed to become more and more interoperable and interactive between devices and system software types.
The big picture is extreme big, much wild, and will be quite a ride…
This is a huge push that will go on for years. We call it the Apple System Singularity. And it is a big deal!
It will, ultimately, create a kind of seamless clarity of function between your devices, particularly the mobile or semi-mobil variety, such as iPhones and iPads, and the slightly less mobile (laptops, desktops) of the macOS variety.
Meaning that the ultimate transition that is being made possible through the switch to Apple Silicon and that a whole new concept philosophy and structure of the device hardware and software. And it’s all being created via the interaction and potential synergies coming available and these are being maximized during the process.
All of this is not to mention machine learning, neural networks, A.I. and all the interactive hardware and software upgrades that are now nearly continuous and happening without a user to intervene.
An example of this is in the photos app where various library functions, a.i. object and facial recognition, search cataloguing, etc. are continuous while you sleep. Another example is how iCloud manages data and storage across your devices regardless of geography or proximity 24/7/365.
Welcome to the first phase of this with the first devices incorporating Apple Silicon across all product lines being harmonized more and more via, guess what, the free system upgrades.
These upgrades will yield maximum fruit in the short term after the world wide population of devices adopts the new systems, and longer term, as more and more devices out of the total are already using and maximizing performance and features by having Apple Silicon and other associated hardware & software upgrades under the hood.
Rest assured, while this sounds complicated, and there will be glitches, the transition starting this fall, and over the life of iOS15, iPadOS15 and macOS Monterey (around a year as usual!) will be one of continuous change, improvement and discovery, unlike any you have seen in the history of Apple.
According to MacRumors who spoke with DigiTimes, Apple has plans to have a series of events in the month of September. This would clearly deviate from how the company approached the launches of its newest products last year.
In an unusual twist at the time, the launches were spread out into three separate product events that landed during the fall months of September, October and November.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, last year’s event was live-streamed versus in-person, which may have allowed Apple to better adapt its product rollouts in digital form.
There are many new products rumored to be released that include the iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7, next generation AirPods, a new baseline iPad, an updated iPad mini, as well as the much anticipated 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pro laptops.
Another “credible” leak sited by MacRumors now predicts possible new iMac color palette
According to Mac Rumors, a Reliable leaker whose twitter handle is @L0vetodream hinted, via the juxtaposition of the classic “like a rainbow” images of the, then-state of-the-art, G3 iMacs alongside the colorful “Spring Loaded” graphic that accompanied the initial announcement of the April 20th event.
The obvious implication is that Apple may debut its rumored redesigned and colorful iMac at its “Spring Loaded” event on Tuesday.
This comes after a previous story which also cited a credible source, where the new iMac were said to likely not only have an “M series” chip, which everyone by now expects, but would also be “really big”, that is, a size larger than the current max 5k versions.
In the above tweet, the leaker posted an image of Apple’s logo used for marketing the upcoming event and an image of the retro rainbow Apple logo alongside the colorful lineup of G3 iMacs.
As can be seen from the image concept render above, and the MacRumors concept for colored iMacs below, there is a lot of excitement building for this announcement in particular and the event in general.
With the additional rumor of a larger size in the mix also, it’s worth tuning in on Tuesday to get the full skinny right from Apple, in real time.
Above: Apple Spring Loaded Event Poster Credit: Apple
“Loaded” is a loaded concept and let’s hope it rings true
After weeks of fits and starts, and even a bizarre siri advance confirmation leak, it’s finally official: Apple will be hosting a product reveal event on Tuesday, April 20 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California.
Naturally, as with all event scheduled this year so far this will be digital only and streamed live from various platforms including the Apple events page.
The event is expected to reveal new 2021 product updates and more, and the rumor mill has been busy so there’s a lot of potential for both news that’s been hinted at, as well as surprises.
Highest on the list of anticipated possible reveals are; iPad Pro models, a new low-cost iPad and a new iPad mini.
Less expected but also very much in the realm of possibility are refreshed iMacs, the endlessly rumored AirTags and more updated news on chip development as will as advance information ahead of WWDC2021 and the fall big show where typically new iPhones appear.
Apple will be streaming live on its website and with the Apple TV app starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, April 20.
As big a splash as last year? Predictions are affirmative
Apple revealed its schedule for this year’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). To take place in an all online format on June 7th through 11th there will be a large audience due to the unlimited size of the venue (virtual) and, as was the case last year, the software and app developers event will also be an opportunity for Apple to highlight plans for new hardware designs.
As is customary, of course, the keynote address will thoroughly update the progress on the upcoming OS versions; iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8 and tvOS 15. Rumored expectations of hardware such as the highly anticipated iPad Pro, possibly a new MacBook Pro, new iMacs and the new Apple TV that is overdue and oft talked about.
Any or all of these, as yet unconfirmed, predictions could be upended by a prior release date, the iPad Pro for one, is rumored to be likely to get an announcement before June.
Above: Photo / Apple
The bulk of the conference is devoted to the software and if the upgrades are anywhere near as substantive as they were in 2020 that will be a lot to dive into.
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