Apple (Hacker News, MacRumors):

With M4, MacBook Pro is up to 1.8x faster than the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 for tasks like editing gigapixel photos, and even more demanding workloads like rendering complex scenes in Blender are up to 3.4x faster. With a Neural Engine that’s over 3x more powerful than in M1, it’s great for features in Apple Intelligence and other AI workloads. The M4 model also supports two high-resolution external displays in addition to the built-in display, and now features three Thunderbolt 4 ports so users can connect all their peripherals.

[…]

The new MacBook Pro with M4 Pro is up to 3x faster than models with M1 Pro, speeding up workflows like geo mapping, structural engineering, and data modeling.

[…]

With M4 Max, MacBook Pro delivers up to 3.5x the performance of M1 Max, ripping through heavy creative workloads like visual effects, 3D animation, and film scoring.

[…]

The new MacBook Pro introduces an all-new nano-texture display option that dramatically reduces glare and distractions from reflections.

[…]

MacBook Pro includes a new 12MP Center Stage camera that delivers enhanced video quality in challenging lighting conditions.

[…]

MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and M4 Max features Thunderbolt 5 ports that more than double transfer speeds up to 120 Gb/s, enabling faster external storage, expansion chassis, and powerful docking and hub solutions.

The nano-texture display and its non-crazy price are my favorite news here. There are still only 3 Thunderbolt ports, whereas the Intel MacBook Pros had 4. If more Thunderbolt 5 ports are not possible, I wish they would add some USB-C ports, like with the Mac mini. I’d also still like to see a smaller trackpad.

I’m still quite happy with my M1 Pro MacBook Pro, except for when a Lightroom import destroys it. However, this is a tempting upgrade; I’m mainly put off by the RAM and SSD prices. I would probably get it if I used the internal display more.

Jason Snell:

Unlike last year, where only more expensive configurations gained access to the Space Black shade, this year all MacBook Pro models come in just Silver and Space Black, even the base M4 model.

[…]

All three chip levels get a major webcam upgrade to the 12MP Center stage camera, which is the first Mac laptop webcam upgrade in quite a while. And Apple is claiming that all models can get up to 24 hours of battery life, which seems like a bit of a major milestone, even though (as always) battery life is not a simple thing to measure, and can vary widely based on how you use the computer in question.

Jonathan Deutsch:

The battery characteristics on the M4 vs M4 Pro vs M4 Max are interesting.

If you were hoping for a battery life upgrade like me from the M1 Pro, going for the M4 Max would not do very much.

Previously:

• Apple M4 Pro and M4 Max
• Mac mini 2024
• iMac 2024
• Apple M4
• MacBook Pro Late 2023

Update (2024-10-31): Joe Rossignol:

The new MacBook Pro models unveiled today feature display brightness enhancements in both bright outdoor lighting and low lighting.

Joe Rossignol:

Center Stage is available in video calling apps like FaceTime and Zoom. The feature was previously limited to newer iPad models and Macs connected to Apple's external Studio Display. The new MacBook Pro and iMac models are the first Macs to support Center Stage without needing to rely on a Studio Display.

I hope the video quality is better than on the Studio Display. The fact that the camera is 12MP doesn’t mean much if it’s only using part of the image.

Shadowfacts:

The RAM ceiling for the Pro chip has technically increased to 64GB, but unfortunately it’s almost moot because, on the laptop, “64GB or 128GB available with M4 Max with 40-core GPU.” It’s an artificial limitation, the Mac mini doesn’t have the same constraint.

I would probably go for 64 GB instead of 48 GB if I could get it with the M4 Pro, but I don’t need or want the M4 Max.

Adam Engst:

Apple’s storage prices are sky-high: you can buy an external 8 TB SSD for $500–$600, compared with Apple’s $2200, and it’s easy to find SSDs under $75 per terabyte.

[…]

Personally, I’m most intrigued by the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the base-level M4 chip because it can drive a pair of external displays. I rely on two 27-inch displays, but until now, that would have required either an expensive MX Pro-level machine or closing the lid on an M3 MacBook Pro or M3 MacBook Air.

Mitchel Broussard:

Best Buy is already providing early pre-order discounts exclusively to My Best Buy Plus and Total members at up to $150 off.

Adam Chandler:

So $50-$150 off a brand new computer and members get AppleCare ($279-$399 value) included.

I’m still so curious how BestBuy can just advertise these prices as an Apple Premium Reseller.

Adam Chandler:

Here’s an article from 2012 (LOL) talking about Apple’s advertised price rules retailers have to follow.

Clearly something changed.

Previously:

• Apple’s Stale Mac Displays

Pixelmator (Hacker News):

Today we have some important news to share: the Pixelmator Team plans to join Apple.

[…]

Pixelmator has signed an agreement to be acquired by Apple, subject to regulatory approval. There will be no material changes to the Pixelmator Pro, Pixelmator for iOS, and Photomator apps at this time. Stay tuned for exciting updates to come.

Tim Hardwick (tweet):

Based in Vilnius, Lithuania, Pixelmator has developed a suite of well-regarded creative tools that compete with Adobe’s offerings while maintaining a focus on ease of use and performance. The company’s apps have been exclusively available on Apple’s platforms, including Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

[…]

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The deal marks Apple’s latest investment in professional creative tools, following previous acquisitions in the space such as Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro.

My initial assumption is that this is an acqui-hire. It doesn’t seem like their stuff really fits into Photos.app. But I suppose it’s possible that Apple wants to add a new iWork/Pro app.

Jason Snell:

I don’t know what this means for the future of Apple’s apps—though I hope it means Photos is going to get a serious infusion of new talent and functionality!

If you’re a Pixelmator Pro or Photomator user, this has to be a bit of a bummer, but there’s some good news: It will probably take a few years for Apple to fully integrate the team into whatever is happening next, and the existing apps will probably still be around until then.

John Gruber (Mastodon):

Pixelmator and Photomator already look like Apple’s own “pro” apps. From the get-go, the Pixelmator team hasn’t just followed Apple’s own trends and guidelines for UI design, they’ve helped define those trends.

Does Apple want to fold these advanced features into Photos? Or do they once again see the need for separate consumer/professional first-party apps? Logic, for example, was an acquisition — but that was all the way back in 2002. If Apple keeps Photomator as an actively developed product, it would be a return to the same genre they walked away from when they discontinued Aperture in 2014. And if Apple keeps Pixelmator going, it would be the first time they go head-to-head against Photoshop itself.

Steve Troughton-Smith:

The calls for Apple to have its own Photoshop competitor date back to the early days of Mac OS X, and the heyday of the Final Cut Suite, when Apple had an entire lineup of pro software for various niches.

Today, this Pixelmator acquisition could have far-reaching implications for iPad and Vision Pro, who have not been as well-supported by third parties making pro apps like the Mac has.

I would very much welcome an Apple that cares as much about, and fights for, pro apps as it used to.

On the flip side, Apple has a graveyard of pro apps it acquired, extracted all the value from, and left to rot along with their legacy userbases 😅

Nick Lockwood:

I’m sorry if that seems cynical, but Apple’s track record with software acquisitions is abysmal. My guess is either they’ll kill it completely or replace it with something unrecognisable in a year or two.

Mario Guzmán:

Pixelmator Team could AppKit harder than Apple and I now feel like Apple is going to ruin this marvelous app. Damn it. Damn iiittttttt. Pixelmator Team makes Mac-ier apps than even Apple. Apple just ships even-more-stretched out iPad apps

Federico Viticci:

Welp.

Nick Heer:

I am also a touch worried. The first thing I thought of was Apple’s purchase of Workflow, now Shortcuts. In the past seven years, the capability of Shortcuts has been expanded tremendously, but it has also been routinely broken in iOS updates. There are frequent errors with syncing, actions stop working without warning, and compatibility does not always feel like a priority in new first-party software releases.

So, good for Pixelmator for attracting Apple’s attention and delivering quality software for years — software which can go toe-to-toe with offerings from companies far larger and richer. I hope this acquisition is great news for users, too, but I think it is fair to be apprehensive.

Eric Schwarz:

As someone who does all the graphics work on this site and others with Pixelmator, I’m a little nervous what the future will bring. The last big Apple acquisition of a beloved app was Dark Sky and that was eventually killed off and rolled into the Weather app. There may be some good news—Apple also acquired Workflow, improved it and renamed it Shortcuts. Looking back even further, Logic Pro was actually an acquisition, too.

Ryan Jones:

Ballpark Pixelmator acquisition math.

Chris Adamson:

Apropos of nothing surely, Acorn remains a great Core Image-based Mac app for working with images.

See also: Mac Power Users Talk, TidBITS Talk.

Previously:

• Elegy for the Native Mac App
• Photomator for Mac
• Sunsetting Dark Sky
• Pixelmator Photo Switching to Subscriptions
• Apple Acquires Primephonic
• Pixelmator Pro Gets AppleScript Support
• Apple to Acquire Intel’s Modem Business
• End of the Line for Aperture
• Pixelmator Pro vs. Photoshop CC
• Why Did Apple Spend $400M to Acquire Shazam?
• Apple Acquires Buddybuild
• Apple Acquires Workflow

Flexibits (MacRumors):

We’ve spent the last 4 years making Fantastical better than ever across Apple devices, and with version 4.0 we decided to go even bigger by finally bringing the world’s best calendar app to a Windows PC near you.

For the Mac and iOS versions, it adds a Control Center widget and support for Miro conference calls, but otherwise the release notes show bug fixes. The price has increased from $40/year to $57/year. They are still honoring old, non-subscription purchases with the old feature set.

Flexibits:

The short version is all of the core sync and business logic is shared with Mac (we reuse our Objective-C) and we leverage AppSDK + WinUI for the UI. Currently we don’t make use of Swift on Windows and don’t have plans at the moment to.

Nicholas Riley:

So far Fantastical for Windows is resource-hungry and unstable, despite its feature completeness. First time I tried to edit an event, it hung. Not sure if this resource usage is typical (memory usage is still climbing, up to about 1.2 GB now) but it’s more than I afford on my work machine, and way more than on the Mac; will try again in a bit I think!

They’re not using Electron, and it doesn’t seem like there would inherently be a lot of extra overhead from using Objective-C, so hopefully they can get the resource usage down.

Previously:

• The Sad State of Mac Calendar Scripting
• Fantastical 3

Update (2024-11-02): The subscription price was actually increased in 2023 and is unchanged since then.

Ryan Christoffel:

Hurricane Helene has caused massive damage and taken over 100 lives across several US states. Many thousands of people are without power and/or cell service. But in the wake of the storm, reports have surfaced about a key iOS 18 feature that has been a lifeline for survivors: Messages via satellite.

[…]

To learn more about Messages via satellite, Apple has a support document available here.

Satellite messaging was added in iOS 16 (for iPhone 14 and newer) but only supported contacting emergency services. With iOS 18, you can also contact family and friends when there’s no Wi-Fi or cellular coverage.

Eric Berger:

Unfortunately, the National Climatic Data Center is based in Asheville, North Carolina. As I write this, the center’s website remains offline. That’s because Asheville, a city in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, is the epicenter of catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Helene that has played out over the last week. The climate data facility is inoperable because water and electricity services in the region have entirely broken down due to flooding.

[…]

So how does a region nearly 500 miles from the Gulf of Mexico become devastated by flooding from a hurricane that originated there?

The answer is that Helene’s rapid movement inland—it was one of the fastest-moving storms at landfall in the Gulf of Mexico in recent history—created a massive river of atmospheric moisture and funneled it into parts of North Carolina, northern Georgia, and southeastern Tennessee.

Kanishka Singh:

The White House said on Monday dozens of Starlink satellite systems that provide high-speed internet access were in use in North Carolina, with over 100 more in transit to areas devastated by Hurricane Helene.

Tommy Greene (Hacker News):

Spruce Pine sits about an hour northeast of Asheville, Mitchell County, and is home to the world’s biggest known source of ultra-pure quartz—often referred to as “high-purity quartz,” or HPQ. This material is used for manufacturing crucibles, on which global semiconductor production relies, as well as to make components within semiconductors themselves.

[…]

Spruce Pine supplies around 70 percent of the naturally occurring HPQ that is needed for computing devices and products. The site’s market position and significance were underlined in 2019 when a manager for Quartz Corp, one of the two main mining companies that works the deposit, told the BBC: “Inside nearly every cell phone and computer chip you’ll find quartz from Spruce Pine.”

Previously:

• iOS 18
• Emergency SOS via Satellite Pricing
• iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus

Filipe Espósito (MacRumors):

As noted by one of our readers, it’s no longer possible to buy an Apple USB SuperDrive online via the official Apple Store in the US. The product’s webpage says that it’s “Sold Out,” and given that it’s a product introduced in 2008, it seems very unlikely that Apple will ever produce new units again.

[…]

The MacBook Air was the first MacBook without a built-in CD drive, which led the company to introduce an optical drive sold separately. Apple completely phased out optical drives from its computers in 2013, when all the Macs available in the lineup no longer had a CD reader.

I still use mine now and then. It does work with Apple Silicon Macs. There are third-party alternatives, but I don’t know how reliably they work with macOS. The DiscRecording framework never got deprecated, but it’s been adding bugs for years. The documentation no longer shows up in Xcode or on Apple’s Web site.

See also: Mr. Macintosh.

Previously:

• SuperDriveiMaciLifeQuickTimeiCaliPhoto

Apple has reached a provisional agreement with its first unionized retail store in Towson, Maryland, marking a significant development in the company's labor relations (via Bloomberg).


Apple has agreed to a tentative collective bargaining agreement with retail employees at its Towson store, the first of its kind for the company's operations in the United States. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Coalition of Organized Retail Employees (IAM CORE) announced the deal on Friday, detailing improvements in pay, work-life balance, and job security. This agreement is now pending a vote by the store's approximately 85 employees on August 6.

The proposed three-year contract includes an average pay raise of 10%, with increases in starting pay for 80% of job classifications. The agreement aims to improve work-life balance through enhanced scheduling protections for both full-time and part-time employees. The deal also includes limits on the use of contracted employees, a new transparency and accountability procedure for disciplinary action, and an updated severance clause to provide financial protection in the event of layoffs. The tentative agreement maintains all current benefits and includes a commitment to negotiate any future additions.

The Towson Apple store made headlines in June 2022 when its employees voted to join IAM, becoming the first Apple retail store in the United States to unionize. Since then, IAM CORE has been in negotiations with Apple management, with discussions starting in January 2023. Frustration over the slow pace of negotiations led to a strike authorization vote in May 2024. The Towson store agreement may set a precedent for labor negotiations at other Apple retail locations and could potentially influence unionization efforts across the company's 271 U.S. stores.
This article, "Apple Finalizes First Retail Union Contract With Maryland Store" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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