Macworld_UK_February_2023

4 Apple expands iPhone and Mac self-repair programme to Europe 6 US labour board charges Apple with using illegal tactics against retail workers 9 Apple is reportedly working on a folding screen that won’t be an iPhone 11 Apple’s rumoured car project is reportedly delayed – and far less ambitious 13 Apple’s mixed-reality headset may be arriving later than we thought

once-great products Apple killed in 2022

The Mac fell short of expectations in 2022, but still blew us away

Apple’s most significant moves of 2022 had nothing to do with the iPhone 14

Apple expands iPhone and Mac self-repair programme to Europe

Customers in the UK and seven other European countries can now buy replacement parts and repair kits from Apple. David Price reports

Apple customers in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden and Poland can now use the company’s iPhone self-repair

programme, which launched in the US in 2021. After years of resistance to user repairs, Apple finally moved to offer some accommodation for anyone who wishes to fix devices

themselves, and it is now welcoming even more DIY repairers into its programme. The European countries have been added as drop-down menu options on the company’s selfservicerepair.com website. It’s not clear at this point if and when Apple plans to add more countries.

The programme lets users order certified genuine replacement parts and repair tools for their Apple products (limited to the iPhone and Mac at present), and offers free manuals to help them perform the repairs. The company also encourages users to return used and damaged parts to be reused if possible and recycled if not.

The launch of the Self Service Repair programme followed years of pressure from the Right To Repair campaign and was initially greeted with widespread positivity. It quickly became apparent, however, that it did not offer the sort of intuitive, welcoming user experience we have grown used to from Cupertino: rather, as YouTube host and human guinea pig Luke Miani discovered, the tools were expensive and intimidating and the manuals were confusing.

The whole thing, we suspect, will cost you even more time and stress than money, and we’re not the only

media outlet to wonder if Apple decided to deliberately sabotage its own program to push users into more lucrative first- and third-party repairs. Still, it’s nice to have the option.

US labour board charges Apple with using illegal tactics against retail workers

Board rules that Apple violated federal law in its effort to prevent unionization. David Price reports

Apple deployed illegal means to suppress unionization in Atlanta this year, according to a ruling from the NLRB. The Cupertino company is accused of “interrogating

and coercing” employees, Bloomberg reports (fave.co/3WX1r31), discriminating against union supporters, and holding mandatory anti-union meetings.

Despite the ruling, the National

Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has no power to impose punitive damages, but its actions may lead to a federal case if Apple declines its remedies. The NLRB concluded that Apple violated federal law by interrogating and coercing employees, and while the board has historically declined to rule against mandatory anti-union meetings, it is indicating that this may change in the near future. General counsel Jennifer Abruzzo argues that “captive audience” gatherings are inherently coercive and illegal, and is pursuing cases against other companies that may change the precedent.

Unions have attempted to establish themselves at an unprecedented number of Apple retail stores this year, with mixed results. In June, staff at one outlet in Maryland voted to join the International Association of Machinists (IAM) – making this the first unionized Apple Store in the entire US, a mere 21 years after the first branch opened – while Oklahoma City employees chose to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA) in October. But other attempts have been unsuccessful, and Apple’s role in negotiations has come under an

increasingly harsh spotlight.

The IAM withdrew a unionization filing for a store in St Louis in late November despite apparent support from 82 employees, complaining that “anti-union practices and increased hostility towards workers” were factors in its decision. The union accused the company of “requiring the St Louis Apple store employees to attend a captive audience meeting and making threats of reprisal if the employees choose to organize with the IAM”. The NLRB has also issued a complaint against Apple concerning a store in New York, citing interrogation and surveillance of staff, and discrimination against union supporters. And it’s been reported this year that Apple sent out a script of anti-union talking points to its retail managers.

But the most well-known case involves the store in Cumberland, Atlanta, where the CWA withdrew a unionization attempt in May, days before the vote was due to be held. The union accused Apple of “a systematic, sophisticated campaign to intimidate [workers] and interfere with their right to form a union”.

Apple’s position on unionization is uncompromising and difficult to defend. It has argued that

“union organizations do not have an understanding of how Apple runs and may not be committed to employees as Apple is”. Try telling that to the employees who in 2021 reported “a profound breakdown in how the company’s corporate values translate to the front lines”. They said that complaints about working conditions and pay were ignored, that performance evaluations were based on factors outside their control, and that insufficient support was given to employees exposed to stressful situations. It would be interesting to see what a well-supported union would make of such working conditions.

In February, Apple changed its compensation for retail workers, doubling sick days from six to 12, increasing vacation days for full- and part-time employees, and adding paid parental leave and discounted emergency child care benefits.

“Apple executives think the rules don’t apply to them,” the CWA said in response to the NLRB ruling. “Holding an illegal forced captive audience meeting is not only union-busting but an example of psychological warfare. We commend the NLRB for recognizing captive audience meetings for

exactly what they are: a direct violation of labour rights.”

Apple is reportedly working on a folding screen that won’t be an iPhone

A new report from The Elec says Apple is developing a massive 20inch folding display. Roman Loyola reports

If you’re dying for Apple to make a foldable device (according to a certain phone commercial, you are), then this rumour will give you something to look forward to. According to South Korea-based The Elec, Apple is working on a device

that features a 20.25-inch OLED display that measures 15.3 inches when folded and could be available as early as 2026.

The Elec’s original article is in Korean and a Google Translate version of the article includes

mentions of the MacBook and iPad as points of comparison. The Elec speculates that “it is highly likely that this project product will be in a form close to a MacBook (laptop)”, but there are no details on what the design of this 20-inch MacBook would be and how components such as the keyboard and trackpad would come into play with the form factor.

The report states that this device won’t become available until after Apple implements OLED displays in all its products. The Apple Watch and iPhone are currently the only Apple devices using OLED displays, though The Elec claims that the iPads will get OLED upgrades in 2024, while an OLED MacBook won’t show up until 2025 or 2026. So this folding device is still a long way off.

The Elec also states that Apple could release an “iPad-shaped foldable product” before the 20-inch device and that a foldable iPad that replaces the iPad mini in 2025 is in the works. Back in October, The Information reported that Apple is working on a 16-inch iPad that might release as early as 2023.

As for a foldable iPhone, The Elec states that there’s a “low” possibility of it happening because there’s no noticeable advantage to it.

Apple’s rumoured car project is reportedly delayed – and far less ambitious

Report claims the car, which has never been officially confirmed, will not debut until 2026. David Price reports

Anew report from Bloomberg (fave. co/3IhFwzv) claims that Apple has once again shifted its ambitions around producing its own vehicle. According to the report, the car’s target launch

date has been pushed back about a year, to 2026, and it won’t have its most lauded feature.

The vision for the entire project appears to have shifted. Dubbed Project Titan within the company, the Apple car was said to be a fully

Credit: Getty Images/Just_Super

autonomous vehicle, without even a steering wheel or pedals. This new report claims that Apple has decided it simply isn’t possible to achieve this with current technology, and instead intends to produce a vehicle with full driving controls and is only fully autonomous on highways. According to the report, the current plans are to let drivers do things like watch a movie or play a game on a freeway and to be alerted with plenty of time to switch over to manual control when needed.

While Apple has never formally acknowledged that it is even working on a car, it is one of the tech industry’s worst-kept secrets. The project is big enough to require significant hiring and has been going on for so long that it has already seen a lot of turnover.

The car is said to use a new custom processing unit developed by Apple’s silicon team that is several times more powerful than its highend Mac chips along with an array of custom sensors. Bloomberg’s report claims that the car will cost less than $100,000, down from the original price point of $120,000, but still firmly in high-end luxury car territory. Apple is reportedly investing $1 billion a year in the project, though

those costs will likely increase – it is in a ‘pre-prototype’ stage with lots of design elements and features yet to be decided. The report claims Apple intends to have those in place by 2024 with extensive testing through 2025.

Then again, we’ve heard projected dates on the Apple car for years now, and every year they seem to move back another year. If you’re hoping your next car will be made by Apple, you might be waiting a long time.

Apple’s mixed-reality headset may be arriving later than we thought

Software issues cited as much-anticipated launch pushed back again. David Price reports

Apple’s mixed-reality headset, arguably its most highly anticipated new product launch, has been hit by yet another delay. The respected industry analyst MingChi Kuo predicts that it may have

been pushed back from the second quarter of 2023 to the second half of that year.

In a Twitter thread largely focused on the impact of the delay on supplier firms, Kuo cites unspecified “software issues” as the reason for

Credit: Getty Images/izusek

the change. One result of this, he says, is that fewer than 500,000 units will be shipped in 2023, down from the previous estimate of between 800,000 and 1.2 million.

My latest survey indicates that the mass shipment schedule of Apple’s MR headset may delay to 2H23 because of software-related issues (vs the previous estimate of 2Q23).

(Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) 4 December, 2022

Kuo notes, however, that it “still needs to be determined” whether the announcement of the headset will move. It was thought that if Apple was to make an announcement about the new product in January it would do so at a special event, the first January event since Apple announced the iPad in January 2010.

It is still possible that Apple could still hold an AR event in January 2023, although this would mean an even longer gap between announcement and shipping – and Apple has been burned before when announcing products too early. However, it also has unveiled major products such as the iPhone and Apple Watch months before shipping to avoid major leaks and

get developers on board. It also could announce the new platform at WWDC in June.

The device, referred to as a ‘mixed-reality’ headset because it’s understood to combine elements of virtual and augmented reality, has been a steady source of both exciting rumours and disappointing delays since it was first mooted well over a decade ago. (Back in 2008 Apple filed a patent for a headset with a slot for an iPhone or iPod, which gives a sense of how much the concept has evolved.) At one stage it was confidently predicted that an Apple headset would launch by 2020, so readers would be forgiven for feeling sceptical about the 2023 theory. Of course, it’s debatable whether it’s fair to call these delays since Apple has never confirmed a launch schedule.

Apple’s reality plans have been in the spotlight recently, with reports that the company has come up with an entirely new operating system called xrOS – likely forming the basis of an entirely new ecosystem of products – for the device. Along with the headset, pundits expect Apple to launch a smart ring, as part of a larger ‘metaverse’ of mixedreality products.

5 once-great products Apple killed in 2022

Pour one out for the products we lost this year. Michael Simon reports

It’s been an eventful year for Apple. Not only did we get a new iPhone and iPad, updates to the Apple TV and AirPods Pro, a new standalone display, and a slew of software features, but we also got

the first brand-new Mac and Apple Watch in years. But among all those new products, Apple also killed several older devices in 2022. Here are five Apple devices you won’t find for sale on Apple.com anymore.

Credit: Getty Images/Nazarii Neshcherenskyi

2. iPHONE 11

1.

1. APPLE WATCH SERIES 3

If there was one product we would have bet a bundle on reaching retirement age in 2022 it would have been the Apple Watch Series 3. Approaching its fiveyear birthday with an aging design, pokey chip, and single sensor, it was overpriced at half of its £179 MSRP. Unfortunately, its demise means there isn’t an Apple Watch that starts under £200 anymore, but the Apple Watch SE 2, which received a price cut to £259, is a better bargain anyway.

Losing the oldest iPhone model to make way for the new one at the top of the line-up isn’t anything new, but the discontinuation of the iPhone 11 is notable. Now, all three non-SE iPhone lines Apple sells – the iPhone 12, 13 and 14 – all have the same design, and Apple doesn’t sell an iPhone that doesn’t support 5G. There are rumours that the iPhone 11’s design will be recycled for the next iPhone SE, but for now, pour one out for rounded edges.

2.

3.

3. APPLE TV HD

The Apple TV HD was great in 2015, but it’s been a terrible buy for years. Costing just £30 less than the Apple TV 4K, it was the worst kind of budget device: slower and inferior in every way yet cosmetically identical to the better model. Apple completely shuffled the Apple TV

line-up in 2022 and pushed out the Apple TV HD for good – and we won’t miss it.

4. iPOD TOUCH

We really wanted the iPod touch to have a comeback, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Instead of a redesigned model with a full-screen design, A12 processor, and a headphone jack, Apple discontinued the last remaining iPod this year with little fanfare other than a promise that music players will live on at Apple. That may be true, but there’s nothing in Apple’s line-up quite like the iPod

touch – an inexpensive device that does everything an iPhone can do except make calls. The iPod touch deserved better.

5. 27-INCH iMAC

When Apple launched the 27inch Studio Display alongside the Mac Studio in March, it meant two things: Mac fans could finally buy an affordable standalone display from Apple again, and the 27-inch iMac was redundant. Apple wasted no time in removing it from the store – as soon as the event was over it was gone. There have been persistent rumours that Apple may bring back the largescreen iMac, but 24 inches is as big as you can get now. We like the M1 iMac, but we’d love a bigger version.

The Mac fell short of expectations in 2022, but still blew us away

Covid lockdowns, software issues, and supply chain struggles all kept Apple from reaching its full potential in 2022. Jason Snell reports

Sometimes it’s easy to think of Apple as above it all. The company is so big, so beloved, and so successful that surely it can’t be touched, its momentum can’t be slowed. But of course, that’s not true.

Apple is of the world, not above it, and when the company warns all of us that it can’t predict the future in the era of Covid, we really ought to take it at its word.

When I predicted what 2022 would be like for the Mac, I clearly didn’t

foresee how the company’s ability to assemble Macs would be sidelined by a spring pandemic lockdown. The result was that my predictions for the Mac’s ahead-of-schedule transition to Apple silicon were entirely wrong – but to be fair, Apple was taken by surprise, too.

I expected Apple to ship an iMac Pro, a Mac Pro, and a souped-up Mac mini, officially closing the door on the Intel era of Macs. But in the intervening two years since Apple announced a two-year transition to Apple silicon, enough has gone wrong in the global supply chain and in Apple’s own factories that the company is clearly behind where it expected to be.

No, Apple doesn’t pre-announce products – and if a product was never announced, can it really ever be considered ‘delayed?’ Apple’s declaration that it would finish the transition to its own processors was pretty much the closest it’ll ever come to setting a timeline for future products. And look what happened. They missed the target. See if Apple ever predicts anything ever again.

If you paid attention to analyst and press reports, though, it sure seems like Apple is six to nine months behind where it had expected to be. The M2 MacBook Air, which was announced in June and shipped in July (and which I did predict, for the record), was originally rumoured to ship last fall. Whether or not Apple planned on selling it that early, it sure seems the company didn’t expect to have to wait until summer to get it out the door.

An Apple silicon replacement for the Mac Pro was not released within the two-year time frame that Apple initially announced for its Mac transition.

I’ll save my predictions for a column later, but I think it’s perhaps safe to expect that 2023 will finally be the year that Apple shows Intel the door. You know Apple doesn’t like having Intel

Macs on its web pages any more than the rest of us do. It’ll get rid of them as soon as it can.

Speaking of delayed products, I have to admit that I believed the hype when it came to Apple’s VR headset product. Surely 2022 will be the year, I thought last December, imagining a full 12 months in which Apple could finally unveil its much-rumoured device. It was another whiff, as the product remains the subject of intense speculation but no actual details.

Having dined on ashes long enough, please allow me at least a little bit of back-patting. This year we did cash in on several of my predictions: the new iPhone SE exists (though I imagined Apple would ditch its Home button, which it didn’t do). The iPhone 14 was exactly as much of a minor update (but for the camera upgrades) as it seemed, leaving the mind-blowing new design of the iPhone 15 for –you guessed it – 2023.

I also correctly predicted the arrival of the M2 iPad Pros but missed Apple’s failure to upgrade

the display on the smaller model. In hindsight, the new iPad Pros feel like transitional products, an extra iteration on an aging design meant to eke out a few more years before the new design can be ready.

I regret to inform you, however, that Apple’s exciting new strategy of smart-home products is still nowhere to be seen. Perhaps this is just part of the greater fact that a lot of Apple’s plans got delayed or deferred in 2022 due to the hangover from Covid. The Matter specification just became official last month, and perhaps that’s a sign that every new smarthome product is waiting for things to settle down this year. Still, I’m disappointed that we didn’t get the fancy new HomePod with the camera

Apple updated the iPhone SE in 2022 and kept the Home button.

and display that I hoped for.

I saved the best for last. For years now – seriously, years – I have been trying to wish a new standalone Apple display into existence, and what’s more, imagine that Apple would update the iPad to support external displays. Rather than being crushed down by Apple steadfastly refusing to give me what I wanted, I persevered. And in 2022, I was rewarded with the new Studio Display and the introduction of external display support in iPadOS 16.2 (which is technically still in beta, but should be final by the end of the year, so I’m counting it).

Yes, there’s a monkey’s-paw aspect to the whole thing. Stage Manager has a lot of issues – and that external-display support was supposed to arrive this fall but had to be punted to a later version. And the Studio Display got dinged for Apple’s insistence on using an ultrawide camera and Centre Stage rather than a higher-quality webcam. But as someone who bought a Studio Display with my own money, I honestly don’t mind.

This brings me to the biggest thing I didn’t predict in 2022: the Mac Studio. Who knew that Apple would be introducing an entirely new Mac

model, one that’s sort of like a mega Mac mini or a miniature Mac Pro? Yes, there were some reports that Apple was considering such a move, but they seemed outlandish.

And yet, as I write to you here in December 2022, I’ve traded in my trusty iMac Pro for a Mac Studio connected to an Apple Studio Display. What a combination: a long dreamed-about product attached to something I never expected to exist for even a moment. Sure, the big story of 2022 is that a lot of Apple’s big Mac plans got deferred until 2023 – but what managed to land this year was pretty good.

Apple’s most significant moves of 2022 had nothing to do with the iPhone 14

Some of Apple’s most important manoeuvres this year didn’t make major headlines. Dan Moren reports

At the time of writing, the end of the year is nigh, and with it comes a host of pieces looking both back at the year that was in Apple news, and forward to the year that will be. And who am I to eschew such a trend?

2022 was dominated perhaps, more than anything else, by

economic challenges for Apple, including the disruption of the global supply chain, continued pandemic-related problems, and of course, inflation. But despite what is charmingly termed ‘headwinds’ by market watchers, the company persevered and delivered yet another impressive slate of products, with the financial performance to back it up.

When it comes to major moves the company itself made in 2022, they may not always be obvious at first glance. You can’t always directly tie these decisions to Apple’s ongoing success. They’re more often the kind of small moves that lead to big changes later on down the road.

didn’t live up to its talk. The company certainly took its lumps this year –increased ads in the App Store, for one, lingering questions about data leaks from iOS, for another – but it’s hard to argue that the company has not doubled down on improving the security of its devices.

SECURITY AND PROSPERITY

Over the past decade or so, Apple’s increasingly put itself forth as a bastion of privacy and security in a digital world that increasingly wants your information. And though the company could rightfully lay claim to that mantle, its often in-yourface promotion of that facet left it ripe for the skewering when its walk

In December we saw the start of the roll-out for Advanced Data Protection, which finally gives users the ability to encrypt their iCloud backups, closing a loophole that allowed access to data (such as cloud-based iMessage) that would otherwise be considered end-to-end encrypted. But that’s just the icing on top of a handful of other major security improvements from the company. Last autumn, iOS 16 and macOS Ventura rolled out support for passkeys, a technology that Apple (and other tech companies) are hoping will supplant the password. The company also introduced a Lockdown Mode that aims to protect the most Apple continues to provide users with a secure environment for its devices.

targeted users of the platform by disabling certain features that could be exploited by high-level attackers.

Security is a cat-and-mouse game; there’s no resting on your laurels because those looking to find vulnerabilities certainly aren’t. But Apple’s overall security push this year goes a long way to making sure the company lives up to the advertising promise that what happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone.

SPREAD IT AROUND

There’s probably no bigger story in the world of Apple this year than the company’s supply chain. While it may not be a barn-burner of a topic, the infrastructure used to build and ship the company’s products is absolutely critical to its success. And with continued Covid lockdowns in China, the pressure for Apple to start expanding the places where critical components are built and its products assembled has increased.

The process of building infrastructure is a slow and gradual one, but it’s clear from Apple’s moves this year that it’s one the company is serious about. The new TSMC semiconductor factory in Arizona is just one example: though it may

not provide a significant portion of processors for Apple’s products in the near term, it’s a concrete step towards reducing reliance on a single region (and, in the case of its semiconductor production, a single country).

Likewise, Apple has started looking towards countries like Vietnam and India for building some of its products: mostly for smaller volume items like the iPhone SE and AirPods at the moment, but it’s hard not to see those products as test balloons for more infrastructure investment in the future.

Manufacturing is one place that Apple’s legendary penchant for control has actually opened it up to problems: its relationships in China gave it so much ability to mandate exactly how its products were built that it was willing to overlook the risk of putting so many eggs in one basket. But as they say, the best time to diversify your manufacturing outside of China was yesterday – the next best time is today.

THE BIG MAC ATTACK

In 2021, I dubbed the Mac Apple’s most exciting product line – no small feat for a device whose 40th birthday isn’t far off. 2022 did nothing

to dissuade me of that trend: while it may not provide the huge chunk of Apple’s revenue that the iPhone does, the Mac has continued going strong this year, bolstered by several significant product releases.

The Mac Studio’s appearance this spring was a surprise even to many Apple watchers, but the impressive performance and expandability it brought were enough to satisfy all but the most demanding of power users. (And, in retrospect, it also did well to tide them over since the promised Apple silicon Mac Pro still has yet to appear.) June’s announcement of the M2 MacBook Air likewise showed that Apple was committed to pushing its in-house processor development forward, though the aforementioned Covid lockdowns seem to have prevented it from upgrading further models in rapid succession. And with the Studio Display the company at long last fulfilled the hopes of many Mac users who longed for a quality display to go with their computer, without the price tag of the Pro

Apple released a redesigned MacBook Air that helped carry the company’s momentum with its Macs.

Display XDR. All of those show a big investment by Apple in the Mac line, with the promise of more to come.

Even if Apple missed its promised date to transition the entire Mac line to Apple silicon in two years, well, it’s only by a smidgen, with the Mac Pro and the Intel Mac mini the only legacy products remaining. But complaints about that blown deadline have been few and far between, a testament to the overall success of the product line.

THE NEXT 12

And that’s 2022 in a nutshell. More happened in the Apple world, of course: increased scrutiny from regulators around the world forcing

the company to start looking at changing its business models was a close runner-up, the Apple Watch Ultra gave a much-needed boost to that wearable line, and there was finally a price hike for Apple’s services as revenue growth in that category started to slow.

The next 12 months are likely to be no less eventful, which means plenty to look forward to. On page 28 I’ll detail the biggest rumours to keep an eye on as we flip the calendar over to 2023.

Which of the biggest Apple rumours will become reality in 2023?

An AR headset? USB-C iPhone? Apple silicon Mac Pro? Apple is poised to make some big moves this year. Dan Moren reports

We’ve made it through 2022. The past couple of months might have been a little slow, especially on the Mac front, but it was still a big year for Apple. And now we can turn our eyes

to the horizon, to the undiscovered country that is… 2023.

With the biggest moves of 2022 in our rear-view mirror, it’s time to pontificate on what Apple might have in store for the year ahead. What will we be looking back at, a year hence,

Credit: Getty Images/choi dongsu

as the company’s biggest moves in 2023? Here then are my picks for the areas that most deserve your attention over the next 12 months.

GET REAL

At this point, I’ve predicted enough times that Apple ought to make a virtual reality game where Lucy holds a football as I try desperately to kick it. But like Bullwinkle attempting to pull a rabbit out of his hat – if I may mix my cartoon metaphors – this time for sure.

Smoke around Apple’s mixed reality headset has only been thickening over the past couple of years, though no doubt challenges like Covid and the ensuing supply chain woes have pushed back whatever announcement window the company was initially targeting. But as we pull into 2023, the clouds have cleared a bit and it seems like this virtual reality might finally become a real reality.

This would mark one of the biggest new categories that Apple’s entered in several years and, like many of those

previous markets, it’s one that has plenty of existing players (Sony, HTC and, of course, Meta) but is still only in its infancy. That’s often the kind of situation where Apple excels, bringing clarity of vision and its expertise in delivering what consumers want (even if they don’t know it yet).

All of that is, of course, tempered by the reports that the company’s initial offering will likely be expensive and perhaps aimed more at developers in advance of a later, more streamlined product. But if nothing else, 2023 should be the year that we see the outline of Apple’s plan for this category, which could also end up being the last big product of Tim Cook’s tenure as CEO.

Meta is going to have new competition from Apple in 2023. Mark Zuckerberg, watch out.

KEEP ’EM INTEROPERATED

At the beginning of 2021, I outlined three battles that Apple would be facing in the year ahead, and the last of those – Apple versus governments around the world – is still just ramping up almost two years later. While the company has remained largely inured from serious challenges in the US, regulators elsewhere around the world have taken a harder look at Apple and found it wanting. Chief among them is the European Union.

The region’s Digital Markets Act, which comes into effect in 2024, has the potential to upend Apple’s cart, potentially requiring the company to let competitors offer their wares on iOS and iPadOS (and

presumably tvOS) outside of the App Store. Recent reports suggest that Apple is currently planning for such an eventuality, which could come in an announcement alongside iOS 17’s debut.

But that’s not the only disruption that the company will see as a result of this regulation. It might also affect everything from browser engines on iOS to messaging protocols to private APIs. The EU’s law about charging ports also takes effect in 2024 and it’s widely expected that the next iPhone will replace the proprietary Lightning port with USB-C ahead of that requirement.

It’s likely that the iPhone joins the iPad in switching from Lightning to USB-C.

From a macro view, though, it will be fascinating to see how Apple, a company that prizes control to an almost fanatical degree, deals with decisions being taken out of its hands. I expect this to be one of the biggest challenges the company has ever had to face from a strategic standpoint and it means 2023 is shaping up to be one of the most

interesting years to watch in Apple’s recent history.

THE TRANSITION LENS

Even as Apple missed its selfappointed deadline to transition the entire Mac product line to Apple silicon within two years, rumours have sprung up that the company is scaling back plans for its upcoming Mac Pro, the last major model to make the jump.

The Mac has been going pretty strong in the wake of that transition and I don’t expect that to change in 2023. But Apple’s going to be making some choices in the year ahead about where it spends its time and energy developing its computers, which will be interesting to see. Dialling back the Mac Pro, as rumour would have it, from a ridiculously powerful machine to just a tremendously powerful machine will no doubt disappoint some, but it’s a good indication of the fact that Apple knows where its market is. The Mac Pro is already a niche product that accounts for a tiny percentage of Macs and the highestend configurations are only a small percentage of those sales.

Selling products that appeal to more consumers is a lot like robbing

banks: that’s where the money is. This is why it’s also little surprise that the company is said to be planning a larger version of the MacBook Air, its most popular model. The future of the Mac Studio and the iMac will also help clarify the company’s marketing philosophy, assuming they are indeed updated in the year ahead. In any event, with the excitement of Apple’s latest chip transition coming to a close, it’s time to see what business as usual looks like for the Mac as its 40th anniversary looms.

EVERYTHING ELSE

Those are only the highlights of what I’m looking for in 2023: there’s a full year of Apple events, new products, and upgrades to come. What will the iPhone 15 bring? Does the Apple Watch Ultra design start trickling down to the rest of the product line? Hey, what about that classical music app Apple said was coming in 2022? And does anybody know what’s going on with the iPad these days?

This past year has been packed with its fair share of surprises, and there’s no reason to think 2023 will be any different. So pop in your AirPods, fire up the Apple TV, and binge away on the latest Apple TV+ content as we usher in the new year.

2023 shaping to be Apple’s biggest year yet – literally

Could we see a 15-inch MacBook Air, iMac Pro and a larger iPad Pro? Count on it. Jason Snell reports

We’ve reached the start of the year, and just like last year that means it’s time for me to look ahead at what’s coming for us in 2023. These are my fearless predictions. Okay, maybe there’s a

slight bit of fear. Don’t look directly into my eyes. I’m sensitive that way. While 2022’s Mac line-up was a little less than I expected – probably due to supply-chain issues – I suspect that’s going to result in a huge 2023 for the Mac. And on the

iPad side, while I expect a quiet year, there’s still a wild card that might make a bit of noise.

THE RISE OF THE SUPER MACS

Apple promised the end of the Apple silicon transition in two years, and that was two years ago, so… barring any surprise end-of-year Mac announcements, we’re going to have to assume that the final pieces of the Apple silicon puzzle will be a part of the company’s 2023 Mac slate.

This means that in 2023, the more advanced versions of the M2 processor the company introduced this summer will finally arrive. And while the M2 is definitely a small step forward from the already-impressive M1, I have the feeling that the forthcoming high-performance M2 variants will push the Mac into places it’s never been before.

Let’s start with the easy stuff: it had been rumoured that Apple’s MacBook Pro and Mac mini updates were originally targeted for this autumn, but they were apparently pushed off into the new year. What a great way to start 2023.

We’re talking 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros that will be largely unchanged on the outside from the redesigned 2021 models… but they’ll be powered by M2 Pro processors on the inside, pushing the Mac laptop line to new heights.

On the Mac mini side, it’s finally time to retire that Intel-based, Space Gray high-end Mac mini and replace it with a new model that uses the M2 Pro processor, bringing the Pro-tier chip to the desktop for the very first time. (I assume there will be both a plain M2 and M2 Pro variation, while the Mac Studio continues to chill with its M1 Max and M1 Ultra options… for now.)

Then things start to heat up. The Apple silicon Mac Pro. This is going to be the year. The real question is, what does a Mac Pro running Apple silicon look like? Based on reports and common sense, I’m going to

The Intel-based Mac mini’s days are numbered.

predict that it’s a smaller version of the Intel Mac Pro design, complete with cheese-grater holes and big loopy handles, and on the inside, there will be options for high-speed storage and networking expansion as well as extra processing power. Whether Apple supports expansion standards or builds something new, I don’t know. I would bet the Mac Pro is more expandable than we fear but less traditionally expandable than the Mac Pros of the Intel era.

11-inch MacBook Air comeback? Nah, Apple is going bigger.

backlighting and ProMotion that will put the current Pro Display XDR to shame. 2023 is a good time to make it happen.

OLD FRIENDS AND NEW

Based on reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, everyone expects the Mac Pro to be powered by an M2 Ultra chip. Think of it as a really, really big Mac Studio. And what better pairing for the Mac Pro than a new Apple external display? After years of predicting one and being wrong, I finally got it right with the arrival of the Studio Display in 2022. But rumours abound that Apple’s working on an even pricier model with Micro-LED

If you think about how important laptops are to the Mac line, it’s actually surprising how few model variations Apple offers. There are three MacBook Pros, but only one MacBook Air – two if you count the M1-generation model still being sold for £999. That’s a bit odd for Apple’s single most popular Mac model, don’t you think?

If the rumours are true – and they’re really too logical to deny – we’ll see a second MacBook Air

this year. Unfortunately, I don’t think my dreams of a smaller model than the 13-inch one will come true. Instead, it’ll be a larger model, 15 inches, allowing people to buy a bigger laptop with a nice big screen without shelling out for MacBook Pro performance that’s unnecessary for most users.

This brings us to Apple’s flagship desktop Mac, the iMac. The 24-inch M1 iMac was released with fanfare in 2021, but it’s now a bit long in the tooth. Time for an update, with a new processor and maybe even some new colours. But more exciting than a new iMac is the prospect of a new, larger model – let’s call it iMac Pro – with a similar design but a larger screen. The iMac Pro will also bring M2 Max and Ultra chip options to the iMac line for the first time.

That new iMac sounds great. If I hadn’t bought a Mac Studio and Studio Display this year, I’d want one myself. Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that it won’t be available in fun colours because that’s just not how Apple rolls for products with Pro in the

name. You’ll get it in silver or Space Gray and if you’re very, very lucky, maybe Midnight. That’s it.

iPAD: THE QUIET TIME

It sure feels like we’re in a lull for iPad hardware. Apple just revised the low-end iPad and the iPad Pro, and those are products that tend to only get updated every 18 months or so. The iPad Air is ready for an M2 speed bump, I suppose, but isn’t the M1 really a better fit for that product?

So is there going to be anything interesting in 2023 when it comes to the iPad? While I’m not entirely

A mega iPad Pro in 2023? Seems like it.

convinced this is going to happen, I’m going to take the plunge: There won’t be new 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, but 2023 will be the year when Apple introduces the nextgeneration iPad Pro design language in the form of a mega 15-inch iPad Pro (or iPad Studio?) complete with new accessories to let it be an artist’s tool, work in a laptop configuration, or even dock with an external display. The smaller iPad Pro models will have to wait for 2024 to pick up features from big brother.

Now, what about the iPhone, wearables, and any brand-new product categories? What will 2023 bring for Apple in those areas?

For the answers – and yes, we are treating my predictions as answers for the purposes of these articles – you’ll need to see page 37.

Ultra Max and the next big thing: How Apple’s 2023 will change everything

And thoughts on the AirPods Max and HomePod. Jason Snell reports

Apple’s 2022 was a little slow on the Mac side, but there are brighter days ahead in 2023 if you ask me. But what about the iPhone, Apple’s most important product? And what about the rest of Apple’s product line-up – including product lines not yet introduced? 2023 promises to be a big one. Here are my

predictions for the iPhone, AirPods, HomePod, and Apple foray into an AR/VR headset.

AN ALL-NEW iPHONE – SORT OF

By all rights, 2023 should be the year when Apple performs a makeover to the iPhone’s overall design language since the current design has been

around for three model years since the iPhone 12 line was introduced in late 2020.

But the iPhone line isn’t what it once was. Now there are two distinct iPhone model tiers – the iPhone and iPhone Pro – and two sizes in each. The Pro models have been gradually differentiating themselves from the non-Pro line, and it’s worth pondering if Apple is really planning on giving four phone models a complete redesign in a single cycle.

My guess is that it won’t. There might be some minor changes to the design of the iPhone 15 (all new iPhones will sport USB-C ports instead of Lightning, for example), but I suspect it will soldier on for

another year looking a lot like the current iPhone 14 model. However, there’s one iPhone 14 Pro feature that I do think will make its way to the iPhone 15: the Dynamic Island.

The Dynamic Island is one of Apple’s most clever iPhone interface changes in years, and there’s certainly an argument to be made that it should be reserved as a way to motivate people to buy the more-expensive iPhone Pro models. But consistency across a product line has value, and Apple can add the Dynamic Island to the iPhone 15 without removing most of the differentiation between the lines.

I’m also wondering if maybe the iPhone 15 Pro might not look any different than the iPhone 14 Pro. You’d think this would be the year for Apple to goose iPhone sales with a new design – and you’d be right. But I think Apple’s going to take the approach it The

Dynamic Island will make its way to Apple’s non-pro phones.

did with the Apple Watch Ultra and introduce a new high-end model that shows off design flourishes that will make it into the rest of the line eventually. Out with the iPhone 14 Pro Max, in with the iPhone 15 Ultra – a new model that’s big, boldly designed, and equipped with a new camera subsystem, unlike anything we’ve seen on an iPhone before. (Rumours about Apple toying with a periscope-based system to increase focal length have been out there for some time.) People who want the most cutting-edge iPhones will need to save up for the privilege. And guess what? A whole lot of people will.

The AirPods Max needs an update and may finally get one in 2023.

WEARABLES, HOME AND ACCESSORIES

It’s hard to predict what changes Apple will make in its line of accessories. The AirPods line seems pretty solid, with the exception of the aging and quirky firstgeneration AirPods Max headphones. So I’ll go out on a limb and predict that we’ll see a better-designed, more sensible set of AirPods Max headphones in 2023.

When I consult my Magic 8-Ball about the Apple Watch, all it says is “Reply hazy, try again later.” I kind of expect the main-line Apple Watch to get a little redesign to pick up some of the features of the Apple Watch Ultra, especially the Action button. It feels like the Apple Watch design is in due of a refresh in general, but I’m not confident that 2023 will be when it happens.

And in terms of home tech, while I’ve been repeatedly burned in predicting Apple’s introduction of new home-based products, I choose to believe that Apple was simply biding its time, waiting for the Matter specification to be finalized so that it could spring into action. (Give me this, okay?) So I’m doing it

again: I predict Apple will actually do something new in the home.

The question is, what? Maybe it’ll be a new take on the original, larger HomePod. Maybe it’ll be a homecinema device that combines tvOS with speakers to create an awesome soundbar experience. Maybe it’ll be a HomePod with a screen for the kitchen. I don’t know which one is most likely, but it feels like Apple has to do something, right?

A BIG DOSE OF REALITY

Finally, the big one. After years of rumours and what seems to be numerous delays in 2022, it feels like 2023 is when Apple finally, finally takes the wraps off its new augmented-reality headset.

My best guess: Apple will unveil the product in a spring event and then ship it later in the summer after developers have had some time to dig into the details about how they can build apps for a brand-new Apple platform.

I’m also going to swim against the tide regarding reports that the product will be wildly expensive and sell in only very small amounts. That just doesn’t sound like an Apple product roll-out to me. Don’t get me wrong – I’m sure it’ll be pricey. But

I suspect it will cost less than the £2,000-plus price tag being bandied about in some reports, even if Apple has to swallow its usual wide margins in order to get it out there.

Apple is going to want to motivate people, at least adventurous ones, to give this product a try. And for developers to get excited and put in the effort to build apps, the product needs a market and an audience. Apple will be highly motivated to get this first headset out there and start building momentum, and an ultra-expensive developer kit isn’t how you do that.

Some of these predictions will, of course, be wrong. But I’m confident that many of them will be correct, or close to it – and if that’s the case, 2023 may be the most exciting year for Apple watchers in a decade. I can’t wait to see what’s coming – and for all my predictions to be utterly vindicated, of course.

3 surprise Apple products that could arrive in 2023

Is Apple lining up more security, upgrades to headphones and an iPhone Pencil for 2023. Martyn Casserly reports

As a new year rolls around, there are plenty of stalwart devices that we know we’ll see in 2023 –new iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple

Watches will all make appearances through the year. But there are also sure to be some surprises that no one saw coming – except us. Here are three completely unexpected

products that may debut in the early months of 2023.

APPLE SECURITY KEY

Apple has announced that it will introduce support for physical security keys for Apple IDs to add extra protection for users worried about their iCloud data being hacked. We’ve already seen the feature in the iOS 16.3 beta, which we expect to arrive early this year. Essentially, if you choose to use it, this will replace the current two-factor authentication method that sends you a code to input on the device you want to access. Instead, you’ll be able to plug in a dongle-style security key, such as the popular Yubikey by Yubico, that will handle the authentication on your behalf.

But what if Apple made its own key instead? Adoption of security keys will likely be small but Apple could change that if it released its own key. We already saw how people rushed to by the £19 Polishing Cloth, and a security key like

Google’s Titan Security Key would be a great way to get more people interested in advanced security. Security keys offer even more security for your Apple ID, particularly for those whose data is at high risk of being compromised. As Apple describes, “Security Keys strengthens Apple’s twofactor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors. This takes our twofactor authentication even further, preventing even an advanced attacker from obtaining a user’s second factor in a phishing scam.”

An Apple NFC key would be a fantastic surprise to promote the new feature – and we’d love to see Apple take a crack at designing one. Maybe glossy white, or brushed

Apple may launch its own security key like Yubico’s Yubikey (pictured).

aluminium, or matte black with a small embossed Apple logo.

AIRPODS MAX 2

Apple first introduced its over-theear headphones at the end of 2020 and since then there have been no updates to Apple’s premium (both in quality and price) AirPods Max headphones, nor have there been many rumours. But we’re thinking that a new version is on the way. And there are several clues that a new model could arrive sooner than later. At the time of writing, delivery times are showing from one to two weeks at the Apple Store, which means the product won’t arrive until the second week of January. And at Amazon, where AirPods Max are always on sale, several colours are out of stock. Contrast this with the third-gen AirPods or AirPods Pro which are readily available and it  suggests either Apple is either having problems with its supply chain or keeping stock levels low in the run-up to the release of the second-gen model.

Hopefully, this time around Apple will address the concerns we had with the first generation, mainly the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack for zero-latency when editing

audio or listening to lossless files, the heavy weight of the headphones themselves, and the god-awful ‘Smart Case’ that Apple somehow let escape its design lab. There are also a number of features introduced with the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro that could make an appearance – enhanced noise cancellation, Adaptive Transparency, better battery life, and touch controls. Oh and we wouldn’t mind a USB-C port instead of Lightning.

APPLE PENCIL FOR iPHONE

Okay, we’ll admit this is the longest of shots. But hear us out. We reported earlier this year on rumours that Apple had intended to release a stripped-down stylus at the iPhone 14 event that would have worked with the iPhone’s display (and would have been a neater solution for the 10th-gen iPad (10th gen) and its dongle). Now, you probably know that Steve Jobs was famously against the idea of a stylus for the iPhone, but the success of the Apple Pencil, matched with the larger displays, means an iPhone Pencil isn’t so crazy of an idea anymore.

According to the rumours, the iPhone Pencil was akin to the

Samsung S-Pen, in that it didn’t require direct charging and instead drew power from the phone. It was smaller so that it was easier to use with an iPhone, didn’t have the pressure sensitivity of the iPad’s Apple Pencil, and was expected to be priced at around £49, perfect for people who wanted to jot down notes on their iPhone. Apparently, the device even began its massproduction run before Apple suddenly cancelled the project.

So why would Apple release it in early 2023? For the past two years, Apple has launched a new iPhone colour to juice sales midway through the cycle – green in 2022 and purple in 2021 – so it’s not uncommon for Apple to give some attention to the iPhone in the middle of the cycle. And with production issues plaguing the iPhone 14 Pro line all through the holiday season, Apple is going to want to get as many iPhone sales as it can in the first quarter. And a cheaper and smaller stylus made just for the iPhone could be just the thing.

Review: Apple TV 4K

Price: £149fromfave.co/3Bhlukv

Apple has the best streaming box out there. It’s the fastest and most responsive, with the best audio and video quality (support for both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision), and with the update in 2021, it finally has a great remote, too. The operating system works well, shows are consolidated neatly in the TV app for most major services (with the notable exception of Netflix), and

the Siri voice commands are for the most part convenient and reliable.

If you use other Apple products, the synergy between them makes it even more delightful to use.

Unfortunately, the Apple TV 4K has also maintained its spot as the most expensive of the popular streaming platforms – by far. With a starting price of £169, it was easily three or four times the price of the best streaming boxes from Roku,

Amazon or Google.

The new thirdgeneration Apple TV 4K makes a number of minor but welcome improvements, most of which won’t make much of a difference in your day-to-day use. But it also comes with a much reduced price – £149 for the 64GB model and £169 for the 128GB model. That’s a £20 reduction in price for a product that is better than the one it replaces. In today’s world of inflation and higher prices, it’s nice to see a product – an Apple product of all things – going in the opposite direction.

The new Apple TV 4K (right) is smaller and lacks vents and a fan.

smaller now and operates without a fan (not that you would ever hear the fan on the old model). It’s still a small, rounded black glossy square that fits neatly in your AV set-up.

While it’s still far more expensive than its contemporaries, the thirdgeneration Apple TV 4K is at least a better deal than ever, and easier than ever to recommend.

SMALLER, FASTER, MORE STORAGE, AND USB-C

The new Apple TV 4K is more or less just like the second-generation model it replaces. It’s physically

The processor has been updated from an A12 to an A15, a substantial leap in performance. But the A12 already handled every video app with ease and scrolled through photos or music tracks without hesitation. You’ll only really notice the difference in performance if you play games on your Apple TV, which doesn’t appear to be a very popular activity.

Storage has doubled on each model – the £149 version now has 64GB, and the £169 has 128GB. Again, this matters most to those playing premium games on their Apple TV, as most media apps easily fit in the old 32GB limit with room to spare. Still, more is good and leaves

room for the future.

The remote hasn’t changed much since its upgrade in 2021, but the Lightning charge port on the bottom has been replaced by a USB-C port, another welcome change.

In terms of technical capabilities, the only significant difference is the addition of support for HDR10+. That’s mostly a Samsung-specific upgrade to the standard HDR10 format that allows for unique metadata per video. Dolby Vision, supported since the first-gen Apple TV 4K, is a more widespread and superior format.

In other words, there’s no reason to upgrade if you have the secondgeneration Apple TV 4K unless you’re in the very narrow group of users that plays premium games on your Apple TV 4K and frequently find yourself annoyed by poor performance and limited storage space.

VERDICT

If you don’t have an Apple TV 4K, this update is your best excuse to get one. The improvements may be relatively minor, but the starting price is now £149, £20 less than before despite the more powerful

processor and double storage.

You should note that the £149 model does not have an Ethernet port or support for Thread networking, but the £169 model with 128GB of storage does. That’s probably worth the £20 difference in price, even if you don’t think you’ll need those things right now.

So the story of the thirdgeneration Apple TV 4K is much the same as the last two generations: This is the best streaming box, especially for those that have an iPhone or other products in the Apple ecosystem, but it costs more than twice what the competition does. Yet the hardware refinements make this an even more clearcut winner for the crown of best

The new remote (right) is just like the old one, but charges via USB-C.

streaming box, and the reduced price, while not where it really needs to be, offers better value than before. There’s no need to upgrade if you already have an Apple TV 4K, but this is probably the best time to jump on board if you don’t. Jason Cross

SPECIFICATIONS

• tvOS 16

• Apple A15 processor

• 64GB/128GB storage

• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO

• Bluetooth 5

• IR receiver

• Apple TV: 1x HDMI, Gigabit

Ethernet. Siri Remote: 1x USB-C

• Apple TV: 93x93x31mm. Siri Remote: 136x35x9.25mm

• Apple TV: 214g. Siri Remote: 66g

Why I bought a 2021 Apple TV 4K instead of a new one

It may be the smartest purchase I’ve made. Michael Simon reports

Recently I decided to update my 2017 Apple TV 4K to a newer 2021 model after writing about a killer Amazon deal: I bought the 32GB model for £99 on something of a whim. But it was the smartest purchase I’ve ever made.

I didn’t need it, mind you. Even with a five-year-old chip, my 2017 Apple TV box was as fast and responsive as the day I bought it,

and I had long jettisoned the terrible first-gen Siri remote for a Caavo one. But for £70 off, I decided to update to the 2021 model even though the 2022 update is now available. Here’s why it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

I NEED ETHERNET AND WANT THREAD

With the 2022 Apple TV, Apple made the surprising move to drop Ethernet

and Thread support from the entrylevel model. Even if you don’t care about using wired Internet for the fastest possible connection, you should care about not being able to use your Apple TV 4K as a home hub. This might not seem like a big deal now, but as Matter support grows over the coming months, Thread will become more important.

My old Apple TV 4K was already hooked up to wired Internet over Ethernet so that’s a necessity, which now means for me, the cheapest Apple TV 4K model that Apple sells is £149. At £100 for the 2021 model with Ethernet and Thread, it was a no-brainer.

HDR10+ ISN’T W ORTH IT

The main upgrade in picture quality for the 2022 Apple TV 4K is the addition of HDR10+. However, it’s not really an exclusive feature – for one, the Apple TV app on other devices was just updated to support HDR10+ and for another, it’s mainly a feature for Samsung and some newer Hisense TVs that don’t support Dolby Vision. I actually own a Samsung TV but it’s still not worth the upgrade. I can always use the Apple TV app built into my television if I want to watch Ted Lasso in HDR10+. And besides, I also got an upgrade to high-frame-rate HDR, which was introduced last year.

THE SIRI REMOTE IS INCREDIBLE

Apple completely changed the Siri Remote with the 2021 model with a new design, new buttons, and new functionality. I hadn’t used it until now and I can’t say enough great things about it. It’s one of the best

The Siri Remote isn’t just better than the old one – it’s one of the best remotes ever made.

remotes I’ve ever used, and it’s already replaced my beloved Caavo remote that I bought for the previous model. It’s simple, yet highly functional, has a pleasant thickness, and feels good to hold. The only new remote control feature in the 2022 model is the switch to USB-C instead of Lightning, but I have plenty of Lightning cables lying around – and besides, it needs to be charged so infrequently, I can dig up a Lightning cable when I need it.

The 2021 Apple TV 4K has the same HDMI 2.1 port as the new model.

EXTRA STORAGE IS POINTLESS

Apple doubled the storage on the new Apple TV 4K, from 32GB and 64GB to 64GB and 128GB. That would be a bigger deal if it was an iPhone or iPad, but I use so little storage on my Apple TV, I could probably get away with 16GB.

THE PROCESSOR IS MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH

The new Apple TV 4K has an A15 processor. The 2021 model has

an A12 processor. The 2017 model that I was using had an A10X Fusion processor. Apps launch and shows begin playing so quickly, I can barely tell the difference between the A10X and the A12. I can’t imagine the jump to the A15 would matter much at all.

THE HDMI PORT IS THE SAME

The 2021 Apple TV 4K featured an upgraded HDMI 2.1 port, but Apple didn’t actually add any features like 120Hz or Auto Low Latency Mode. The new model has the same HDMI 2.1 port, so any new features – such as QMS VRR, which lets TVs switch between different frame rates without needing to flash a black screen first –should come to both models.

IT’LL LAST FOR AS LONG AS I NEED IT TO

As I said, I had my prior Apple TV 4K since 2017 and it was working just fine–better than fine, actually. Except for the remote, it’s very hard to tell the 2017 and 2021 models apart, and the differences are even smaller with the 2022 model. I expect this model will last for years and years, since new TVs, and things like 8K and variable refresh rate won’t matter to me for a while.

Apple processor comparison: A16 versus M1, M2 and every Apple chip

How does the latest processor compare to other chips it Apple’s lineup? Roman Loyola reports

At the heart of every Apple device is an Apple processor. Apple has been using its own processors in its iPhones and iPads for some time, while the Mac line-up has nearly completed its transition

away from Intel chips. Apple has far more devices with its own silicon than Intel’s now – all that remain are the higher-end Mac mini and the Mac Pro – and before the end of 2023, every product Apple makes will likely be powered by a home-grown chip.

What’s remarkable about Apple silicon is its performance – major PC and Android chip manufacturers can’t ignore Apple’s chips because they’re being outpaced. But all chips aren’t created equally. Understanding the performance differences between each chip will help with your buying decisions, especially when you’re deciding between iPhone 14 or MacBook models. Knowing how each chip performs gives you a better idea of what products to buy and whether or not it’s worth your money to step up to a higher model.

Let’s take a look at how the new processors compare with the rest of the processors in the iPhone, iPad, and Mac line-up and see how each performs and what that means to you. For the sake of consistency, we’ve used Geekbench 5 benchmarks. (The results are all our own, but we’ve checked our numbers against the Geekbench database to be sure the results are expected.) Here’s every chip and how the benchmarks compare with each other.

EVERY PROCESSOR COMPARED

Before we get into the individual processor, let’s let the chips fall where they may. It’s a somewhat

predictable chart of course, with the M1 Pro/Max Macs at the top, followed by a mix of iPads and iPhones. But there are still some fascinating results: Owners of the iPad Pro can say their tablet is about as fast as a MacBook Air and that wouldn’t be an exaggeration. And the difference between the £449 iPhone SE and the £849 iPhone 14 isn’t as huge as their price difference indicates.

Geekbench 5 (multi-core)

M1 Ultra (64-core GPU): 23,369 M1 Ultra (48-core GPU): 23,369 M1 Max (32-core GPU): 12,590 M1 Max (24-core GPU): 12,590 M1 Pro (10-core CPU, 16-core GPU): 12,544

M1 Pro (8-core CPU, 14-core GPU): 9,948

M2: 8,908 M2 (iPad Pro): 8,404 M1: 7,708 M1 (7-core GPU): 7,454 M1 (iPad Air): 7,140

A16 Bionic (iPhone 14 Pro): 5,378

A15 Bionic (iPhone 14): 4,819

A15 Bionic (iPhone SE): 4,557

A15 Bionic (iPhone 13): 4,543

A15 Bionic (iPad mini): 4,409

A14 Bionic (iPad Air): 4,210

A14 Bionic (iPad): 4,175

A14 Bionic (iPhone 12): 4,107

Geekbench 5 (Compute)

M1 Ultra (64-core GPU): 88,678

M1 Ultra (48-core GPU): 72,180

M1 Max (32-core GPU): 68,534

M1 Max (24-core GPU): 55,687

M1 Pro (10-core CPU, 16-core GPU): 42,862

M1 Pro (8-core CPU, 14-core GPU): 34,794

M2: 27,284

M2 (iPad Pro): 32,962

M1: 21,774

M1 (7-core GPU): 19,283

M1 (iPad Air): 20,975

A16 Bionic (iPhone 14 Pro): 15,644

A15 Bionic (iPhone 14): 12,325

A15 Bionic (iPhone SE): 11,010

A15 Bionic (iPhone 13): 10,764

A15 Bionic (iPad mini): 13,430

A14 Bionic (iPad Air): 12,512

A14 Bionic (iPad): 12,480

A14 Bionic (iPhone 12): 9,439

iPHONE PROCESSORS

Before we compare the performance of each iPhone processor, let’s take

a look at the specifications so we can understand the differences between them – see the table below.

Now let’s look at how each processor performs. Not surprisingly, the A16 Bionic in the iPhone 14 Pro is the fastest. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 both have an A15 Bionic processor, but the iPhone 13 has one fewer GPU core than the iPhone 13 Pro, which gives it better graphics performance.

Apple still sells the iPhone 12, which has an A14 Bionic. It’s actually not much slower than the iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic–the specs between the two processors are practically the same, with the A15 Bionic’s performance cores having a slightly faster clock speed and more RAM. If price is the main priority over the camera and other features, consider the iPhone 12 instead of the iPhone 13.

The speed difference is more obvious between the iPhone 12’s A14

Bionic and the chips in the iPhone 14 models. This could be the last hurrah for the A14 Bionic, since the iPhone 12 will be replaced by the 13 as the low-cost option with Apple’s next major iPhone roll-out next autumn, though it’s possible it makes its way into the next Apple TV revision.

Geekbench 5 (multi-core)

A16 Bionic: 5,378

A15 Bionic (Pro): 4,794

A15 Bionic: 4,543

A14 Bionic: 4,107

Geekbench 5 (Compute)

A16 Bionic: 15,644

A15 Bionic (Pro): 14,487

A15 Bionic: 10,764

A14 Bionic: 9,439

iPAD PROCESSORS

The staggered release of Apple’s iPad line-up creates an odd-looking performance order of CPU and its device. The M2-equipped iPad

Pros are the fastest models, and the gap between them and the iPad and iPad mini is significant. Apple claims that the M2 is 15 percent faster than the M1 that it replaced in the previous iPad Pros and is in the current iPad Air.

The new iPad that was released in the autumn of 2022 has an A14 Bionic, an upgrade from the A13 Bionic in the previous model. Apple says the new iPad offers a 20 percent CPU boost and a 10 percent graphics increase.

Geekbench 5 (multi-core)

A16 Bionic: 8,404

A15 Bionic (Pro): 7,140

A15 Bionic: 4,409

A14 Bionic: 4,175

Geekbench 5 (Compute)

A16 Bionic: 32,962

A15 Bionic (Pro): 20,975

A15 Bionic: 13,430

A14 Bionic: 12,480

MAC PROCESSORS

With Apple’s M-series of chips for the Mac, the company’s release schedule involves the base version in the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and other Macs. Apple then modifies it to create higher-end versions. The latest M-Series chip is the M2, which was released with the new 13inch MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air in the summer of 2022, right after WWDC. The M2 replaces the M1 in those Macs, but Apple may keep

around M1 models to offer as lowcost options, such as the £999 M1 MacBook Air.

With the M2, Apple claims an 18 percent improvement in general CPU performance over the M1. In the multi-core CPU test, we are able to confirm Apple’s claim. The singlecore CPU test showed a lower 13 percent increase for the M2.

The M1 Ultra is a beast of a chip, doubling the CPU multi-core performance of the M1 Max, which

13-inchMacBook Pro,MacBook Air,24-inchiMac, Mac mini

MacBookAir, 24-inchiMac

has half as many CPU cores. It blazes in GPU performance too.

As for the M1 Max, it separates itself from the M1 Pro with its graphics performance – the 32-core GPU gives it a big boost. The only device we haven’t personally tested is the 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU of the M1 Pro in the £1,899 14-inch MacBook Pro, but online benchmarks show CPU performance around 20 percent slower than the 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU M1 Pro.

An interesting comparison between the 8-core CPU M1 Pro and the low-end M1 can be found. The 8-core M1 Pro offers about a 30 percent increase, and the £1,899 14-inch MacBook Pro costs about 33 percent more than the M1-based £1,349 13-inch MacBook Pro. In terms of just pure performance, you’re paying a little more than a dollar per percentage point.

The chip that started it all, the good old M1, may seem slow compared to the M1 Pro and M1 Max – but that’s not to undermine Apple’s original Mac processor. Remember, the M1 blows past the Intel processors it replaced, resulting in a significant price/performance value.

How Apple can solve its Mac Pro processor problem

Even without a super-fast M2 Extreme chip, Apple can still make its most powerful Mac stand out. Michael Simon reports

If you’ve been anxiously awaiting the launch of the Apple silicon Mac Pro and dreaming of the fastest Mac ever, you might be in for a disappointment. A report last month from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman (fave.co/3i3a7X5) said

that Apple is having major problems producing the so-called M2 Extreme chip that was supposed to power the new machine.

As a result, Gurman says, the topof-the-line Mac Pro will likely have a slightly faster M2 Ultra chip with

24 CPU cores and 76 GPU cores. Granted, that’s still a very fast chip, but for Mac Pro buyers who have been waiting to see the next speed evolution of Apple silicon on the Mac, it’s likely to be a disappointment. The gap between the Mac Pro and the next fastest Mac is supposed to be massive, and the chip Gurman describes won’t be.

The Mac Studio could be a stop-gap machine that never gets an update and fades into oblivion.

But all is not lost. Even without a crazy fast chip, Apple can still make the Mac Pro the centrepiece of its Mac line-up. Here are three ideas on how to address this major problem.

KEEP INTEL INSIDE

The easiest way to overcome its chip issues would be to just keep Intel around. The people who buy a Mac Pro wouldn’t necessarily care which company makes the CPU as long as it’s fast, and Intel makes plenty of newer Xeon W chips it could use.

It’s not a crazy notion. While Apple’s Mac chips are ridiculously fast, many Mac Pro buyers would

probably rather just replace one of their existing Intel Macs with a faster one than worry about the potential compatibility and expandability issues with a new Apple silicon machine.

FOCUS ON EXPANDABILITY

The most interesting titbit in Gurman’s report wasn’t the supposed cancellation of the Extreme chip, it was his claim that the new Mac Pro “will retain one of its hallmark features: easy expandability for additional memory, storage, and other components”. That’s a somewhat vague statement

that’s open to some interpretation, but it seems to indicate that the Mac Pro’s processor will feature a new architecture that doesn’t use unified memory.

That alone will be a powerful selling point for the Mac Pro. No other Apple silicon-based Mac offers aftermarket upgrades in any way, so if users are able to add memory and storage, that would definitely be a unique selling point. But what would make it more unique is if Apple sold the components itself. It would be pricey for sure, but if Apple sold RAM sticks, SSDs, and standalone GPUs, it would surely cover up the fact that the Mac Pro isn’t as fast as everyone thought it would be.

RETIRE THE MAC STUDIO

If the Mac Pro is only slightly faster than the top Mac Studio configuration, perhaps Apple doesn’t need to sell the Mac Studio anymore. It always felt like a stopgap machine, kind of like the iMac Pro – a powerful niche Mac that was filling the space between Mac Pro models. If the Mac Studio is a one-and-done machine, no one would be surprised or upset, especially if an updated M2 Pro/M2 Max Mac mini and the rumoured iMac Pro revival arrives this year as well.

Boost your Mac’s performance with one of these cleaner apps

Speed up your Mac, reclaim storage and improve performance with a Mac cleaning app. Here are our top picks. Martyn Casserly reports

If your Mac is slowing down, frequently freezing, regularly running out of RAM or just not behaving like it used to, then it probably needs a clean. No, we don’t mean you need to get a cloth out and dust it. What you need is a

Mac cleaner app that will delete the clutter and digital debris from your system and free your RAM from memory hogs.

Thankfully, there are a wealth of tools available to rectify that can clean up your Mac and get

it working properly again. We’ve picked some of the best clean-up apps for Mac below so you can find one that suites you.

The apps included in the list below all offer free trial versions. Some of these trials will merely show you how much space you can free up, but there are a few that will actually allow you to make space on your Mac for free. These include the trials for CleanMyMac, Parallels ToolBox and MacCleaner Pro featured below.

1. MACPAW

CLEANMYMAC X

Price: £35 from fave.co/3hRBa7n

A heavy hitter in the clean-sweep stakes is CleanMyMac X by MacPaw. At time of writing, it’s £35 for a one year subscription for one Mac. It’s also available to buy as a onetime purchase if you don’t want to get into a subscription. Plus, there’s a free version available to download if you’d like to try before you buy.

This popular utility gathers a number of useful tools all in one package, including a file cleaner that will delete junk and unnecessary cache files, optimisation and maintenance tools, an application uninstaller (so that you delete all the files that the app scatters around your Mac) and a malware remover. New in version 4.11.0 is a substantial update to the Menu Bar, which now has additional information, such as your laptop’s battery, temperature, and health, your hard drive’s capacity and overall health, your free RAM capacity, and your CPU load and hardware temperature. You’ll also find information, such as drive capacities, CPU speeds, system temperature, system load, and network activity readouts, all readily accessible.

It has a simple layout that offers a

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variety of functions. These include a general system clean that optimises space by removing temporary files that could be lingering, as well as slimming down unnecessary elements of applications and removing any odds and ends left behind after uninstalls.

There’s also the ability to search through your Photos, Music, and Mail folders to remove and clean up waifs and strays that could be slowing down your system.

CleanMyMac is a comprehensive package, which offers several additional tools for uninstalling apps cleanly, removing various extensions, improving disk performance, and digitally shredding files that you don’t want anyone to revive.

We have been using CleanMyMac since we had to delete a lot of files in order to install Big Sur, one of our favourite features is that fact that the tool sits in the menu at the top of the screen so we can see a simple overview of our system at all times, which also means its a simple oneclick process to free up memory when RAM is getting low.

All of this functionality doesn’t come free though. There is a free trial version available on the Mac App Store and from MacPaw’s website

(fave.co/3WG8sFx), but it restricts the app to only remove files up to a maximum of 500MB – and in the middle of deleting files it will demand you pay the license fee for the app. You can download that limited version and scan your Mac to see just now much space you can save before committing to buying the app.

The license can be transferred to a new machine, so long as the previous installation is deactivated first.

MacPaw is currently running a 30% discount for students – submit your university email address and receive a download code here.

2. MACCLEANER PRO

Price: £32.95 from fave.co/3BV2FDS

MacCleaner Pro from Nektony is actually a suite of six applications developed to clean up and speed up your Mac. It offers tools to find and remove duplicate files and folders and also offers the ability to merge similar folders. It will also safely and completely uninstall apps.

In the bundle is MacCleaner Pro (for deleting those extra files), App Cleaner & Uninstaller, Disk Space Anazlyzer Pro, Duplicate File Finder Pro, Memory Cleaner (to clear inactive RAM), and the Funter tool (to

find hidden files and folders).

The free trial version of the will actually perform some of the tasks you need to do, rather than ask you to buy the full version. With the full version of MacCleaner Pro you can delete junk files and files occupying significant disk space, free up memory and it will help you manage disk space.

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For the latter the app will show you an easy to understand overview of all the files you can remove from your Mac, so you can decide whether or not to delete particularly large files that the system shows up.

If you want to find duplicate files, uninstall applications or analyse disk usage you will need the Pro tools, which you have to pay for.

3. DAISY DISK

Price: £8.99 from fave.co/3WDNlDD

No one ever said tracking down and eliminating all the stuff that was devouring space on your Mac would be pleasant, but DaisyDisk succeeds

in making it pretty simple and actually somewhat fun. DaisyDisk is focused on file management, presenting what’s taking up invaluable disk space, and allowing you to work with it.

If all you need is to make some space on your Mac (perhaps because you are trying to update the macOS and it needs more space than you have) then you could go for a tool that simply finds and deletes unnecessary files for you. If this sounds like you then DaisyDisk is an excellent tool for seeing the contents of your drive in a colourful and interactive graph.

The files are sorted into various groups such as Large files, Documents, Music, and Downloads, each of which are allocated their own colours and spokes that show how

much space that area is taking up.

It’s a good at-a-glance method for understanding where all your space has gone. Each section can be clicked to bring up another circular breakdown of its contents, with each sector representing a file. These can be previewed to see whether you want them or not, and if it’s a case of the latter then you simply drag them to the bottom of the screen where all your junk files are stored.

We’re not actually sure if this is any easier to understand than Apple’s own method of showing you how much space the different types of data on your Mac are taking up – you can see this if you click on the Apple logo > About This Mac > Storage.

But the point of DaisyDisk is that it will delete the files you don’t

need for you – rather than you trying to locate them. A job that could take hours takes minutes and there is no danger of deleting something important.

If you visit the DaisyDisk site then you’ll be able to download a trial version that shows you how the app works. This is useful, but as the delete feature has been disabled you won’t be able to clear out any files. Instead, go for the full-blown version which costs £8.99 – at least that’s not a yearly subscription.

4. PARALLELS TOOLBOX

Price: £20.99 from fave.co/3VhoAfA

Parallels Toolbox is a bunch of tools that can be used to perform various actions on your Mac – such as Download Video, Record Audio, Hide Desktop Files,

Resize Image, Clipboard History, Find Duplicates, Free Memory, and even the ability to set alarms. Among all these tools on offer is one that can be

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used to clean your Mac. Mac cleaning tools provided in Parallels Toolbox that could also be useful when cleaning a Mac include: Clean Drive, Uninstall Apps, Find Duplicates, and Free Memory. The Clean Drive tool scans your drive and then lets you choose what to delete.

You can delete applications by dragging them to the trash, but this doesn’t always completely delete them. Often files and folders can be left scattered around your system that were related to that now gone app. Parallels’ Uninstall Apps tool will remove apps and their associated files from your Mac.

Similarly you can run Find Duplicates to dig out any identical files – even ones that have different file names.

Parallel’s Toolbox costs

£20.99 a year, but the excellent news is that the free 7-day trial will actually delete your files, free memory and do all those other useful things without you buying the app.

You can get an overview of Toolbox’s various features, and download the seven-day trial, from the company’s website.

5. APP CLEANER & UNINSTALLER

Price: Free from fave.co/3hOyQOz

Also from Nektony, is the simple and easy to use App Cleaner & Installer. This lightweight app is actually bundled with MacCleaner Pro (above), but this free version alone does a good job of clearing out the broken links, files, and other gubbins that get left behind when apps are uninstalled.

It also, as the name suggests, allows you to uninstall apps cleanly from the get-go, and set which ones

back memory, and general performance enhancing duties, but also includes Virus and Malware scans to keep your Mac free from malicious software.

launch at start up. The free version does most of these tasks, but if you pay £9.99 for the Pro upgrade you’ll also be able to remove system extensions, executable parts of files, and uninstall apps, plus the ads that adorn the free version disappear. Easy to recommend due to both its price and quality.

6. MACBOOSTER

Price: $50 (around £41) from fave.co/3hG36LD

5. 6.

Now in version 8, MacBooster is a powerful app that not only offers the standard disk clean-up features like removing duplicates, scanning for large files, claiming

As you can see, it has a similar interface to CleanMyMac X (above), and a similar collection of tools. The benefit here is that there’s one price to pay, rather than a yearly subscription. We also found that MacBooster identified a few more files for deletion than CleanMyMac did.

While it’s certainly a comprehensive suite, the power under-the-hood could prove a

little too much for beginners. We’d also heavily recommend, as with any app in this round-up, that you make a complete backup of your system before you begin deleting files.

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A trial of MacBooster 8 is available, but if you want to delete anything you will have to buy the app – it costs $29.95 (around £25) for single Mac license or $89.95 (around £75) for three Macs.

7. ONYX

Price: Free from fave.co/3WzyZUM

There’s a reason Onyx from Titanium Software has been among the tools of choice for Mac techies for such a long time. It offers a great set of tools and an incredible level of customization. Onyx also combines a unique, bare-bones approach to its user interface while offering an incredible level of customization as to what files are affected during a repair.

Onyx can repair permissions,

rebuild databases, reorganize file structures, check hard disk structures, and restore indexes. It can even repair Unix-level functions that would otherwise only be accessed through Terminal.

The main downside is that it’s not all that simple to use and it’s easy to make errors. Luckily there are handy FAQ links on the Titanium Software website as to common issues.

There are versions of Onyx for each version of the macOS going all the way back to Mac OS X.1 Puma right up to Ventura.

8. PIRIFORM SOFTWARE

CCLEANER

Price: £29.95 from fave.co/3jo6XNQ

CCleaner from Piriform achieves what it sets out to do: help clean up

gigabytes of cache files, Internet history files, and locate and purge large files on your Mac, all with an impressive level of control.

It’s easy to both analyze a hard drive to determine how much space certain files might be taking up. Options include Uninstall, Startup, Erase Free Space, Large File Finder, and Duplicate File Finder. You can customize which cookies you want to save or purge and chose between ‘Normal file deletion’, which is faster or ‘Secure file deletion’, which takes longer.

Our only nitpick is that the user interface makes it feel very much like a Windows port. In fact, CCleaner has had a similar look and feel for the better part of 20 years.

It’s freeware, but there’s an option

to pay for a professional version and its appropriate annual license.

9.

MACKEEPER

Price: £71.64 from fave.co/3HRB3U5

We have to start by addressing the fact that MacKeeper doesn’t have the best reputation, although in recent years the company’s new owner – Clario – has tried very hard to rectify that. MacKeeper’s poor reputation wasn’t helped by the fact that it was difficult to uninstall an used scareware tactics to encourage people to upgrade to a paid version. Those issues should now be in the past. The software has received a good grade from AV-Test and has notarization from Apple, among other things, that should give users confidence.

In terms of what it can do, MacKeeper offers 11 tools including an antivirus scanner, adware remover, a clean-up

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feature, a duplicate file finder, and a smart uninstaller. There’s also a memory cleaner, a software update tracker, and a start-up item locator. You’ll also find a ID theft guard, a VPN, and an online ad blocker.

There’s a free version, that gives you access to most of the tools, as well as a £5.97 a month for a yearsubscription. A subscription includes 24-7 tech support through which you can email, chat with, or talk to support staff.

You can probably find individual products – and in some cases, more robust products – for each of the features in MacKeeper. But having all these tools under one roof makes for ease and convenience.

AVG AntiVirus for Mac

Price: Freefromfave.co/3WzFS8A

Though so many antivirus and security products charge annual subscriptions, there are still free options out there with little or no strings attached. The freebies typically offer more basic or limited protection, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth using. One such product that fits the bill is AVG

Antivirus for Mac. Designed to block viruses and spyware, AVG offers real-time and on-demand scanning to prevent malware from infecting your Mac.

If you are happy to pay there are plenty of options but, for a free program, AVG covers all the bases, blocking viruses and malware from websites, downloads

and email attachments. AVG can scan applications and files on your Mac for potential threats and automatically remove them. Running in the background, the program’s Resident Shield tool checks out every file you open or save to make sure there’s no hidden malware inside. An auto-update feature keeps AVG up to date with the latest virus definitions to combat any new threats lurking about.

INSTALLATION

Installing AVG Antivirus is quick and convenient. After it’s nestled on your Mac, the software alerts you to update certain options in System Preferences (known as System Settings in macOS Ventura) to enable the real-time and on-demand scanning. But the process itself is simple; just click a Fix all button, and the program takes you directly to the necessary screens and shows you exactly how to enable the right options. When you’re done, AVG confirms that you now have basic protection.

FEATURES

AVG’s dashboard is clean and uncluttered, showing you the right amount of information. You

can see that your computer, your web browsing, and your email are protected. You’re told if the virus definitions are up to date. And from the dashboard, you can run a manual live scan.

The live scan first checks to make sure that your virus definitions are up to date. Then it scans your folders and files for viruses and malware and finally lets you know whether it discovered any malicious content. Running the scan on my Mac uncovered no malware but AVG did highlight three ‘advanced’ issues, specifically two folders vulnerable to ransomware, my network not being monitored for threats, and my system being vulnerable to fake websites through DNS hijacking.

Unfortunately, resolving any of the advanced issues would have necessitated an upgrade to the paid flavour of AVG, a prospect that costs $2.49 (around £2) per month for a one-year subscription. Free products typically try to convince you to upgrade to the paid edition, so I didn’t mind the sales pitch. But just be aware that the smart scan will try to encourage you to upgrade each time you run it.

From the dashboard, you can also check other features of the software

The live on-demand scan didn’t find any viruses on my Mac but did point out three ‘advanced’ issues that would have required the paid version to resolve.

to make sure they’re enabled. The real-time File Shield scans every file you copy or open on your computer. The Quarantine feature shows you any malicious files that have been blocked and isolated from the rest of your system. The Web Shield blocks unsafe files and downloads from the Internet. And the Email Shield puts the kibosh on malicious email attachments.

A menu accessible

from the dashboard will take you to a Statistics screen that shows you how many scans have been run, how many files scanned, how many malicious files and email attachments blocked, how many websites checked for threats, and other details.

Another menu choice takes you to the Preferences screen where you can configure the various features in AVG Antivirus. For example, you’re able to make

A handy Statistics screen keeps you up to date on how the software is protecting you, both over the last 30 days and over its lifetime.

sure that automatic updates are enabled, that AVG starts when you sign into your Mac, and that you’re notified when virus definitions are updated. Here, you can also control the behaviour of the program, choosing whether infected files should automatically be quarantined, whether the on-demand scan should check Time Machine backups and archives, and which files you may want to add as exceptions so that they’re excluded from scanning.

AVG Antivirus proved adept and detecting and blocking the EICAR test malware.

by AV-Comparatives awarded AVG Antivirus for Mac a grade of 100 percent for malware protection.

VERDICT

PERFORMANCE

AVG Antivirus proved capable and effective at stopping malware. The software easily caught the various EICAR test files I threw at it, including the eicar.com file, the eicar text file, and the eicar zip file. (But even here, the program initially tried to coax me to upgrade to the paid edition.) In a June 2022 review (fave.co/3hM38l8), AV-Test gave the software its top marks for malware detection and usability. A review from October 2022 (fave.co/3FMzLXW)

As a free security product, AVG Antivirus for Mac lacks the ransomware and phishing defences and other advanced features found in paid products. But the program is cleanly designed, easy to use, and effective at thwarting malware. If you just need basic protection, you won’t go wrong here. Lance Whitney

Best home printers

Whatever your needs, these are the best printers you can buy right now. Chris Martin reports

Printers might be boring devices in the world of tech but we all need one at some point and even more so with the increase of working from home that’s now normal due to the pandemic. Printers can be hard to find in the current climate, but we have rounded up the best

we’ve tested. You might want to print a calendar, gig tickets, a boarding pass or some photos you’ve taken on your phone. Many printers are multifunction and therefore also handy for scanning and copying, too. Whatever your needs, buying a new printer can be a confusing process. Not only do you have to

Credit: Getty Images/Cunaplus_M.Faba

worry about the upfront cost and whether it can print a good photo, but you’ve also got to consider print speeds, ongoing costs and a host of potential features. It’s worth bearing in mind that the printer market moves slowly, and the latest printers aren’t always the best. Printer tech moves slowly so reviews might not be from this year or even the year before that but they stay on sale for a long time unlike categories like phones or laptops.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Inkjet versus laser

Printers come in two main forms: inkjet or laser, with colour and mono flavours of each. Lasers tend to be more expensive to buy, but provide better quality output, particularly where lots of text is involved. And they can be faster. Notice we said ‘tend’ – lasers aren’t always best.

As a basic rule, if you need to print only text, and a lot of it, a mono laser printer will offer the crispest text output and the best combination of fast page-per-minute output and low ink costs.

If you need to print photos, choose an inkjet printer. A dedicated photo printer with individual cartridges for each colour will suit those who print only photos.

If you’re working from home and need to print a lot, a laser printer is likely going to be a better option.

Running costs

When buying a printer, remember that the price you pay in the store is just the beginning. Be sure to consider the cost of replenishing toner and other consumables over the lifetime of the printer. This is particularly important if you print a lot. A set of toner cartridges can easily approach the cost of a colour laser printer.

You’ll need to consider the cost of replenishing tones and other consumables over the lifetime of the printer.

Credit: Getty Images/ronstik

Most manufacturers quote a ‘page yield’ estimate for their ink cartridges, which is the typical number of pages you can expect to print before the cartridge runs out of ink. You can use the page yield to calculate the average cost per page and you’d be surprised to find how much this can vary from one printer to another.

Of course, if output quality matters more to you than cost, scoot over to the other end of the cost spectrum where there are more specialised printers that use five or even six inks for printing photographs. Those additional inks can produce excellent results for your photo prints, but they add to the cost, sometimes pushing the cost for photos up to 10p or more per page.

Some brands offer a cartridge subscription service, like HP’s Instant Ink, to keep costs to a minimum.

Multifunction printer

Most modern printers are multifunction ‘all-in-one’ devices that include a scanner too. This allows you to scan photos and other documents and convert them into digital files that you can store on your computer or share with friends

or colleagues. You can also print copies of your scanned documents, allowing the printer to stand in for a photocopier too. Some models even include a fax machine. If you require a scanner and a photocopier as well as a printer, you’ll save money by buying in all-in-one – but if a standalone printer suits your needs, you may be able to spend less.

Print speed and features

Speeds quoted by manufacturers are almost never matched by real-world performance. If you often need to print in a hurry, look for independent reviews when choosing your printer.

Other useful features to look out for include additional USB ports and memory card slots that will allow you to print photos direct from a camera.

High-capacity paper trays capable of holding hundreds of sheets of paper, or an automatic document feeder that can handle scanning and copying work while you go and do something more important, might be worth looking out for. Double-sided printing is handy for halving your paper usage.

It’s also worth thinking about the bundled software that comes with your printer. Some printers include software that provides basic editing

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features, such as red-eye removal or adjusting the colour balance – some even allow you to perform simple editing tasks using controls on the printer itself.

1. BEST OVERALL

Canon Pixma TS7450

Price when reviewed: £79 Full review: fave.co/3EpoLjP

features and versatile printing including documents and photos. Cheaper printers can be expensive to run but the TS7450 doesn’t even fall into this category. The mobile apps are a little frustrating at times but print quality is good, although you’ll want to stick to proper glossy paper for photos. Note that the TS7451 is the same printer, only in white.

2. BEST COMPACT FAMILY PRINTER

HP Envy Inspire 7220e

Price when reviewed: £130 Full review: fave.co/3TiU2ZS

Those looking for a compact and easy-to-use printer for the whole family might have just found it. The Envy Inspire 7220e is an

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Printers are hard to even find in stock right now so a great value allrounder from Canon at under £100 is worth snapping up, even though it is quite heavy. This is a great value all-inone printer that’s easy to set up and use. It’s also no slough with lots of

excellent all-rounder for those needing to regularly print text and photos at good speeds and affordable costs. The printer looks nice, has wide support for different wireless printing services and offers high-quality results.

It doesn’t have an automatic document feeder but that’s normal, so as long as you don’t need to print on A4 glossy paper, it’s a bit of a steal.

3. EXCELLENT VALUE INKJET

HP DeskJet Plus 4120

Price when reviewed:£59

Full review: fave.co/3A0hBj7

Those on a budget needing a printer for a mix of different tasks should consider the DeskJet Plus 4120. It’s basic in style and design with things

like a simple LCD display but keeps costs down, especially if you use HP’s Instant Ink subscription service. Despite the low price, it can print on both sides of the paper and also has Amazon Alexa compatibility. Middling text quality and misaligned photos stop it from scoring higher.

4. BEST INK TANK PRINTER

Epson EcoTank ET-3850

Price when reviewed: £429

Full review: fave.co/3Umgkei

Anyone against traditional cartridges should consider this EcoTank model from Epson. The ET-3850 offers high-quality printing at decent speeds while keeping the cost down, even if you’re printing A4 colour pages on a regular basis. It’s more expensive to buy the device itself than cartridge rivals but may well work out better value in the long run. And it has virtually the same specs as higher-end EcoTank models, including the PrecisionCore print head.

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One of the main practical downsides is that it doesn’t offer

4. duplex printing and Epson only offers a one year warranty or 50,000 pages – whichever comes first.

will be a solid choice for certain users. Those needing a reliable workhorse for the home or office will get a printer that’s fast, versatile with various functions and can be easily controlled and managed from your phone. It also offers reasonable running costs if you buy XL cartridges but bear in mind the genuine ones are costly and the scanner available is limited to A4 size.

6. BEST BUDGET

5. BEST A3 INKJET

Brother MFC-J5340DW

Price when reviewed: £274 Full review: fave.co/3A0hZOB

It’s not much to look at and it’s a bulky 17kg but the MFC-J5340DW

Canon Pixma TS3350 MkII

Price when reviewed: £39 Full review: fave.co/3Un3AEv

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If you’re looking for a cheap printer to handle day-to-day tasks then the TS3350 MkII (or TS3320 in the US) is an excellent choice. This is not only affordable but offers great quality printing for a range of jobs, including colour images. This is even a copier and scanner too so you’re getting a lot for your money. It’s quite slow so isn’t a workhorse and

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you’ll want to get XL cartridges to keep running costs down. For printing the occasional letter, boarding pass or family photo without breaking the bank it’s perfect.

7. BEST LASER

Brother DCP-L3510cdw

Price when reviewed: £264 Full review: fave.co/3taxoZ0

If you don’t need to print photos on photo paper but instead need a printer primarily for documents then a laser is a great choice. The Brother DCP-L3510cdw uses LEDs instead of a laser, but it’s very similar and can reliably handle lots of printing with crisp quality at a decent speed. You’ll need more room for it than a typical inkjet printer but running

costs over the long term are more affordable and with Brother’s EcoPro subscription you get the printer for just £1.20. This model has a basic LCD screen but still has useful features including 2-sided printing, a single-sheet scanner and Wi-Fi, complete with AirPrint support.

8. INKJET WITH ADF

HP Envy Pro 6420

Price when reviewed: £90

Full review: fave.co/3TgMZAJ

Here HP offers an all-in-one inkjet printer at under £100 making it a tempting buy for a home office or

7.

9. BEST BUDGET INK TANK

Epson EcoTank ET-1810

Price when reviewed: £189 Full review: fave.co/3hs8hOH

8. 9.

similar. Like other HP printers, the value is best when used with the Instant Ink cartridge subscription. The Envy Pro 6420 has lots of things to like including excellent print quality, two-sided printing and an automatic document feeder (ADF). However, there’s no screen but worse is that it struggles to cope with heavier weight paper if that’s something you plan to use.

Those wanting an ink tank printer don’t have to spend as much as the EcoTank ET3850. The ET-1810 is a very affordable option and still offers you low-cost printing and it’s readily available at prices much lower than its retail price. It still offers excellent printing quality and could be used for sublimation too, although can’t be reverted back. There are a few things to bear in mind with this cheaper EcoTank model, though. It won’t print borderless, the black tank is no bigger than the others, the plastic build is basic and it doesn’t offer duplex printing either. If none of this matters to you then it makes for a good value option in the ink tank market.

10. BEST PORTABILITY

Epson Workforce WF-110W

Price when reviewed: £219

Full review: fave.co/3hl93Nn

There’s a premium cost for the portable design but with almost

10.

all printers being bulky and heavy if you need one to travel around with you then the Workforce WF-110W is the best option.

It’s not particularly fast and replacement black ink is expensive but the quality is as good as a conventional rival. There’s also USB charging so you can even print when away from mains power.

Review: Jabra Elite 5 ANC

Price: £119fromfave.co/3GcEh36

Owned since 2020 by GN

Audio, a Danish audio company with a history dating back to the telegraph, Jabra has long enjoyed a strong reputation in the earbud and wireless headphone field. The manufacturer now sells six different pairs of true wireless earbuds at retail list prices ranging from £80 all the way up to £170.

The Jabra Elite 5 true wireless headphones sit squarely in the middle of the product range, and they’re well designed earbuds with an array of features that will appeal to casual listeners. Are there better-sounding ANC earbuds on the market? Sure (the second-gen AirPods Pro spring to mind), but few can match the Jabra 5’s balance of convenience, performance and price.

The

When you take the buds out of the case and put them in your ears, a musical tone tells you they’re active, and then a recorded human voice announces whether they’re connected. The faceplate of each earbud is a large, impossible-to-miss control button. The left earbud switches between active noise cancellation and transparency mode (or HearThrough, as Jabra calls it) and, again, an actual human voice announces which setting you’re using. The right earbud controls play and pause.

BATTERY LIFE

The beige gold Jabra Elite 5 earbuds that I tested needed a charge out of the box. A full charge takes about 3 hours, and the earbuds offer 7 hours playback, or up to 28 hours if you include charges from the case.

When opening the charging case lid, lights on each earbud reveal battery status with a green, yellow, or red light. A 10-minute fast charge in the case will deliver an hour of playback time if the case has at least a 30-percent charge left. The case itself is Qi charging pad-

Jabra Elite 5 comes with a wide range of features, but spatial audio isn’t one of them.

The Jabra Elite 5 true wireless headphone comes with three sizes of ear tips and a charging cable.

compatible but can also be charged via the USB-C port on the back of the case using the included USB-C to USB-A cable.

IN THE BOX

In addition to the earbuds, case, and cable (you must supply your own power adapter), the Jabra Elite 5 comes with three pairs of the company’s Eargels tips in small, medium and large sizes.

BLUETOOTH

Each earbud for the Jabra Elite 5 true wireless headphone is labelled so you don’t put them in the wrong ears.

Each Elite 5 earbud has 6-mm drivers and supports Bluetooth 5.2, allowing for connection to two devices at the same time. The earbuds support the SBC, AAC and Qualcomm aptX codecs, allowing for higher-quality streaming from both Apple and Android devices.

Playback automatically pauses when you take out the left earbud, but not the right one. The music doesn’t automatically restart when you put the left earbud back in, either. That’s not how other earbuds with this feature work, but playback restarts with a tap of the right earbud.

You can use a single earbud at a time if you’re in a situation where you need to better hear your surroundings or if you’re just looking to keep the music going when you’re low on a battery charge.

The Jabra Elite 5 supports both Microsoft Swift Pair and Google Fast pair, but iOS users will have to open Bluetooth settings to make the first connection.

CONTROLS

The tactile experience of the physical button action with each faceplate is superior. In addition to the controls described above, pressing and

holding the right earbud will raise the volume, while pressing and holding the left earbud will lower it.

A double press of the right earbud will skip to the next track, while a triple press will restart the current track. Triple-press again to skip to the previous track. A double press of the left earbud will activate your device’s default voice assistant.

PHONE CALLS

The Jabra Elite 5 delivers excellent call quality with its 6-mic call technology, including dedicated microphones to reduce wind noise.

Unlike most other ANC earbuds, Jabra’s call technology seems to be incompatible with noise cancellation.

If you’re listening with ANC turned on and take a phone call, the noise cancellation turns off, returning only after you end the call and resume your music, podcast, or audiobook.

After using the earbuds for a few weeks, the lack of ANC during calls seemed like much less of an issue. Calls sound great, so that particular quirk isn’t such big a deal.

APP

Jabra’s Sound+ app for iOS and Android offers clear and intuitive control over the earbuds. You can go

online to download the full device manual, but everything you’ll need to know is presented in the app.

The device home screen displays battery levels for each earbud and the case. In the Sound Modes control, you can adjust the level of ANC and HearThrough to your personal taste. There’s a music equalizer to customize the sound as well as six EQ presets, including Neutral, Speech, Bass boost, Treble boost, Smooth and Energize. If you create an EQ setting that you want to keep, you can save it and give it a name.

There is also a series of builtin soundscapes designed to mask the noise around you or provide a relaxing audio backdrop, including nature sounds plus pink or white noise. These background noises are electronically generated, and thus they’re not quite as pleasing as the real-life field recordings in an app like Environments. Still, Jabra’s artificial soundscapes are much better than what you’ll get from most bedside noise generators.

The Jabra Elite 5 is also compatible with Spotify Tap playback. If you’re a subscriber and enable the function in the Sound+ app settings, a double tap on the

left earbud will resume the last song you were playing on Spotify if the app isn’t currently open, or play a Spotify recommended track if the app is active.

AUDIO QUALITY

The Jabra Elite 5 headphone has a very flat tuning that the app even identifies as ‘neutral’. There’s also none of the digital signal processing that artificially adds depth and widens the soundstage. Rather than the spatial audio ambitions of Apple, Bose, Sony, and Soundcore, Jabra simply offers a nice (if narrower) stereo image.

Streaming The B-52’s 1979 selftitled album via Apple Music was enlightening. With the Jabra Elite 5, Rock Lobster sounds a lot like it did when I first heard it played on a stereo system at my local record store. Listening to the same track with my second-generation AirPods Pro, there’s more detail in each instrument and a wider soundstage.

Do the AirPods Pro have more appeal for a serious music

listener? Definitely, but the Apple headphone also lists for £130 more than the Jabra Elite 5. Jabra has put a lot of effort into the total experience with the Elite 5, with audio quality being just one factor in the overall equation.

VERDICT

The Jabra Elite 5 offers a wealth of features given the price point, and it’s those features that are the most compelling reason to buy them. The controls are fantastic. The ANC function is strong and effective without creating the disorienting sense of being in a vacuum. The

The Jabra app allows you to control ANC, change EQ modes, or enable Spotify Tap for the Jabra Elite 5 true wireless headphone.

HearThrough function is one of the best implementations of that feature in the market. The app is easy to use, the battery life is good, and the call quality is excellent.

While the Jabra Elite 5 headphone performs well across a wide range of scenarios, such as listening to podcasts or audiobooks, taking phone calls, and streaming tunes, they’re not aimed at the high-end audio market.

That’s not a knock, to be clear. Yes, you can find other in-ear headphones that sound better than good or even great for music, but they won’t necessarily have all the other features Jabra offers, and they’ll probably cost a lot more.

Bottom line? If you’re a casual listener and the Jabra Elite 5’s feature set sounds appealing, this headphone is an excellent choice. James Barber

Review: Audeze MM-500

Price: £1,699fromfave.co/3PL4o4k

Audeze isn’t the first headphone manufacturer to try to gain an advantage by enlisting a Grammy-winning audio engineer to endorse its product, but the open-back, over-ear Audeze MM500 planar magnetic headphone might be the only one that doubles as both a professional-grade studio

tool and an excellent option for home audio enthusiasts.

The ‘MM’ in MM-500 is Manny Marroquin, who’s one of the most successful audio engineers of the past two decades with hundreds of sessions since the early 1990s with artists as diverse as Bruno Mars, Beyoncé, Imagine Dragons, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Lady Gaga,

John Legend, Migos, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Kanye West, Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Leon Bridges, Ariana Grande, Juice WRLD, Vampire Weekend, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Ozzy Osbourne, Katy Perry, HAIM and Elton John.

That’s a long list, but there’s a point. Even if you didn’t know his name before, you’ve heard his work on some of the biggest records of the 21st century. And let’s not forget that he mixed tracks on Jon Batiste’s We Are, which won the most recent Grammy for Album of the Year.

Audeze makes a big deal about the fact that Marroquin designed

the MM-500 and didn’t just endorse or ‘tune’ them. These cans sound like they were created by and for a professional engineer and Audeze says that Marroquin used the MM500 to mix tracks on Kendrick Lamar’s 2022 album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, an album that joins Lamar’s other albums with its own Album of the Year nomination.

Spending time with this headphone has been a joy, but the MM-500 is at its heart a pro tool that won’t appeal to every listener. If my description of what they do catches your interest, you should find a way to check these out, because they offer a compelling alternative to other highend headphones.

BUILD QUALITY

If you’re just looking to store the Audeze MM-500 headphone at home, there’s a satin-lined bag that’s an alternative to the hard-sided road case.

The Audeze MM500 are built for durability, with a metal band over the head and metal earcups. That means the unit weighs just over a pound. The MM-500 is fine for sitting in one place and listening to music

It would seem like the best part of having a headphone deal would be seeing your name embossed on the side of a production model.

for an extended period, but they’d be a burden if you used them to walk around with a phone.

Not that you’d be walking around with a phone anyway, because the MM-500 comes with a braided headphone cable that has mini XLR connections to the headphone and a 1/4-inch connector to plug into an audio source. You’ll be limited to using the MM-500 with stationary and relatively high-end audio gear.

These are over-ear, open-back headphones, so there’s going to be some sound leakage when compared to closed-back headphones. The MM500 also use planar magnetic drivers instead of dynamic drivers. Without

digging too deeply into the engineering differences between the more traditional dynamic drivers and planar drivers, know that planar headphones deliver a very detailed and precise signal with less of the dynamic driver artificial bass boost that many listeners prefer.

The MM-500 features a neodymium N50 magnet, what Audeze calls an ‘ultra-thin Uniforce’ diaphragm and a 90mm transducer. Frequency response is 5Hz-50kHz, impedance is 18 ohms and, the recommended power level is >250mW.

One design choice that might surprise some listeners is the fact that the earpads are glued to the earcups, so swapping them out on a whim is impossible. There are likely engineering reasons behind this decision, but it’s a choice that might surprise buyers of other headphones in this price range.

If you’re just looking to keep the dust off in a studio or your home listening room, there’s a luxe velour

The pads on the Audeze MM-500’s earcups are glued on.

storage bag with a satin lining, but travelling audiophiles will appreciate the hard-sided road case with a protective foam lining, a carry handle, and a luggage lock. The case is a massive 11.5x9x7.25 inches, which is giant by consumer headphone standards but is in fact a miniature version of the experience you’d have traveling with a giant wheeled case full of studio outboard gear.

AUDIO QUALITY

For close listening, I plugged the MM-500 into an RME ADI-2 DAC

connected to a MacBook Pro via a USB cable. Since Manny Marroquin used the MM-500 for reference when he mixed the LP, I played a 24-bit 48kHz stream of Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

The detail is remarkable and the ideas behind the collaboration between Marroquin and Audeze are immediately obvious. There’s an extraordinary amount of audio detail here, something that’s perfect

The Audeze MM-500 headphone needs an audiophile DAC to deliver the high-resolution signal that justifies the investment.

for a mix engineer. For comparison, I used the Focal Celestee closedback headphone. The Focal has a more relaxed sound that some listeners will find to be more musical. The Celestee offers a less precise presentation of the music, which might count as ‘warmer’ or ‘more analogue’.

VERDICT

Egg carton-style foam protects the Audeze MM-500 headphone when the case is closed.

An ideal situation for all of us would be to have a half-dozen or so audiophile headphones in our collection, with each having slightly different strengths than all the others and deployed whenever we played music that perfectly matched those strengths. That’s not how things work for most of us, though.

The Audeze MM-500 was designed for a pro-audio environment where a need for clarity is paramount. As we move into a world where true high-resolution audio is available for streaming to the masses, listeners who are fascinated with the extra detail a higher bit rate can deliver will be attracted to the kind of detail the MM-500 was designed to reproduce.

Listeners who grew up with the lower resolution and distortion (aka ‘warmth’) of vinyl might find this kind of listening too intense and possibly even unmusical. Highres audio delivers an experience that might or might not reflect the intentions of artists and engineers who couldn’t or didn’t contemplate a future beyond magnetic tape, cutting lathes, and vinyl. Some of those old mixes deconstruct themselves at those higher bitrates. That offers a fascinating experience for hardcore audiophiles, but it might not be the best option for more casual listeners. I’d absolutely welcome the Audeze MM-500 as a reference tool in a recording studio. They

Like most planar headphones, the Audeze MM-500 features a large earcup to create more surface area for the speaker’s vibrating diaphragm.

deliver the flat response that allows engineers, producers, and artists to dig into a mix. The fact that Audeze has partnered with a creative force like Manny Marroquin means that they realize there’s a market opportunity for this kind of presentation in the pro-audio world but also a growing number of home listeners who will enjoy replicating that in-studio experience as much as they possibly can.

The Audeze MM-500 won’t work with your phone. Well, that’s not technically true, because you can track down an inexpensive 1/4-inch to USB-C adapter and use that with an external DAC, but there are

no guarantees about sound quality.

Realistically, you’re going to need a home hi-fi setup or a desktop DAC that’s compatible with this headphone. If you record your own music and are looking for a way to mix from a laptop, buying the MM-500 would be an excellent choice because they’re versatile enough to double as your primary headphones when you’re listening for pleasure. If you’re into high-resolution audio and looking to recreate the in-studio listening experience at home, the Audeze MM-500 paired with a great DAC could be the answer. They’re tuned for active, critical listening and offer a remarkably immersive music experience. James Barber

Solutions to all your Mac problems. Glenn Fleishman reports

FACETIME GOT YOU UPSIDE DOWN? TURN THAT FROWN AROUND

The orientation lock is an easily overlooked option in iOS/iPadOS Control Centre that lets you prevent apps from rotating their view when your device detects it’s turned a corner. This can be useful when

viewing a video, reading a book, or engaging in other activities that you don’t want to have the app reformat from portrait to landscape or landscape to portrait.

FaceTime honours the orientation lock in a way that might confuse other people: they always see your locked orientation. If you don’t remember

Credit: Getty Images/Ridofranz

Rotation lock and FaceTime can result in you being at right (or wrong) angles to other people in a call.

that you have orientation lock enabled, other participants in a call may think it’s their fault that they can’t

If Portrait Lock is on the Lock icon will be white.

get you in the right direction.

With rotation lock off, you can rotate your device, and you see both yourself in the inset preview in the correct orientation to your iPhone or iPad, and the other person or participants also see you the right way up.

However, enable rotation lock and rotate your phone or tablet 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise (or even 180 degrees upside down), and while you rotate in your preview, the view other people have of you is the original orientation – so you’re sideways or upside down. Their response would likely be to rotate their device to get you into the right position, but when they do that, FaceTime on their iPhone or iPad rotates you again to the ‘right’ position relative to what you’re transmitting. The illustration might help (see top left).

How to stay the right way up in FaceTime

The solution is simple: 1. Swipe to reveal the Control Centre.

2. Tap the orientation lock to disable it (it will be black, not white, once disabled)

iCloud Photos syncs images across your linked devices.

CAN’T SYNC PHOTOS FROM A MAC WHILE TETHERED? SWITCH TO WI-FI

iCloud Photos synchronizes images and movies across all your linked Apple devices that have the feature enabled. It can sometimes be recalcitrant, requiring a real kick (fave. co/3OIp5xm) to restart syncing. But Photos should upload and download queue photos via iCloud almost any time it’s connected to a network, and there’s enough power remaining in your iPhone, iPad or Mac laptop.

There’s an exception, though that’s hard to spot: when you’re using cellular data from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac via USB. It’s seemingly not a popular option, as most people rely on the Personal Hotspot feature that lets you connect via Wi-Fi to your iPhone or iPad: no cables required.

However, I’m a fan of plugging in a USB-C to Lightning cable to charge my iPhone while using a cellular network connection. I find it more reliable, and I don’t run out of juice during the sometimes heavy power draw required to relay cellular data.

In testing during a planned electrical outage at my house to upgrade service, I discovered that iCloud Photos refused to sync while connected via USB. The solution was simple: click the Control Centre menu icon, click the right-pointing arrow next to the Wi-Fi section, and select your iPhone or iPad’s Personal Hotspot. Once connected, syncing starts immediately.

HOW TO RE-ORDER THE PEOPLE IN YOUR FIND MY PEOPLE LIST

The Find My app is a bundle of former and new services for tracking your

stuff and, with permission, other people. If you have several people or more in your Find My People list, you might opt to favourite them to have them appear at the top of the list.

But what if you want to have those favourites appear in a particular order, or just alphabetically? Apple offers no option for this.

You can achieve it, however: remove the favourite star from each of your Find My contacts, then add them as favourites again in precisely the order you want.

HOW TO DISABLE ACTIVATION LOCK ON BROKEN AND MISSING APPLE HARDWARE

Activation Lock prevents someone who illicitly obtains your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Watch from making it their own. Even after a device is erased, Activation Lock requires that the person setting it up enter the password for the associated Apple ID that enabled Find My.

However, when you intended to sell or give away a device, or you purchased one or received one you were entitled to use, this can be quite frustrating. There’s an easy solution, so long as the hardware’s owner retains access to their Apple ID

Erasing a device via Find My also disables Activation Lock.

account – and if they’re not you, if you can reach them.

Apple lets you disable Activation Lock through Find My via the iOS/ iPadOS and macOS app or using Find My iPhone at iCloud.com. (It’s Find My Device, really, but labelled with ‘iPhone’ on the site.) It’s an indirect operation: you won’t find a label that reads Disable Activation Lock. Instead, you select your device and set it to erase.

In iOS/iPad in the Find My app:

1. Select your device in the Devices list.

2. Tap Erase This Device.

3. On the Erase Device screen, tap Continue.

4. Skip entering your phone number

since this isn’t part of a process to get your device returned to you.

5. Tap Erase and confirm.

In macOS in the Find My app:

1. Control-click or right-click your device in the Devices list at left.

2. Choose Erase This Device.

3. Click Continue.

4. Skip entering your phone number.

5. Click Erase and confirm.

To use iCloud.com:

1. Go to the Find My iPhone page (fave.co/3F8aKHh).

2. Enter your password for iCloud.com when prompted.

3. Choose your device from the All Devices menu in the top middle of the page.

4. In the device information pane that appears, click Erase Device.

5. Confirm by clicking Erase.

Once you’ve chosen to erase a device, the next time it has an Internet connection, the device receives the command and erases itself. You’ll receive a notification. To complete removing Activation Lock, return to a Find My app or iCloud. com and remove the device from your

Apple ID-associated hardware:

iOS/iPadOS: Go to Settings > Account Name > Device Name and tap Remove from Account.

In macOS Mojave and earlier: Go to System Preferences > iCloud > Devices, select the device, and click Remove from Account.

In macOS Catalina through Monterey: Go to System Preferences > Apple ID, select the device in the left-hand list, and click Remove from Account.

In macOS Ventura: Go to System Settings > Account Name, select your device in the pane under the Devices label, and click Remove from Account.

At the Apple ID site (fave. co/3gQFlNb): Go to the Apple ID site, click Sign In and authenticate, click the Devices link in the left-hand list, select your device, and click ‘Remove from account’.

Follow confirmation prompts to finish removing your device. Only then is Activation Lock disabled.