MacLife July 2021

This issue we’ve made a few changes to the look and feel of the magazine. They’re relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, but I thought it was about time we tidied things up a bit. Apart from the obvious new color shots of myself and the team on this page, and Olivia — our new Production Editor—we’ve renamed some of the sections, added some info to help things make more sense, and taken away what didn’t. As I said, you probably won’t notice the changes, but they are there! If there’s anything else you think we should change to make things better, then do let me know at the usual Mac|Life address: letters@maclife.com. Speaking of changes, Apple’s all–new iMac, as you’ve already seen on the front cover, is a…

THE LATEST NEWS about the iPhone 12 mini implies that it may not have been the hit Apple was hoping for. The dinkiest iPhone seemed to finally offer something for those saying the continuing “embiggening” of handsets is leaving them behind, but a report from Nikkei Asia says that Apple recently cut its planned production by 70%. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s under-performed by 70% compared to Apple’s hopes, but there have been multiple reports since its release that the iPhone 12 mini has been experiencing more mini sales than the clamor around it would suggest, and they’ve created enough smoke to suggest a tiny fire. Does this mean there isn’t really all that pent up demand for a smaller phone? Maybe, though I think it’s a phone that appeals more to…

APPLE MUSIC SUBSCRIBERS will be able to enjoy two major upgrades to music quality, at no extra cost, from June — provided their hardware is up to it. First, tracks will be available in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, an immersive audio format that enables musicians to mix music so it sounds like the instruments are all around you when you listen on a Dolby Atmos capable device. All Apple Music subscribers using the latest version of Apple Music on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV can listen to thousands of Dolby Atmos tracks using any headphones. On Apple or Beats headphones with an H1 or W1 chip, Dolby Atmos music plays automatically when available for a track. You can also hear Dolby Atmos music using the built–in speakers on a compatible…

REVIEWS OF APPLE’S nifty little AirTags have been resoundingly positive. (See Mac|Life’s own definitive test on page 46.) But a handful raise security concerns. A Washington Post columnist says the device does not have sufficient safeguards against stalking. AirTag does have built–in precautions against “unwanted tracking,” as Apple calls it. Your iPhone will detect if someone else’s AirTag is traveling with you, and alert you. After a while, the AirTag will start playing a sound to let you know it’s there. But the Post columnist says these alerts are ineffective — the sound plays only after three days and is just 15 seconds of “light chirping” measured at 60 decibels from 3ft away. That seems too little and too late for those concerned about privacy and potential domestic abuse situations. It…

MACBOOK IN COLORS COMING? Reports claim a redesigned MacBook is coming soon, with a choice of case colors echoing the design of the new 24–inch iMac line. Like the iMac, the new laptop is said to be ultra–thin — barely thick enough to accommodate the USB–C port, without the wedge shape of the current MacBook Air. The bezel around the screen will be off–white, like the iMac’s, instead of black. The MacBook Pro could be offered in a narrower range of more subdued colors than the consumer models, and reportedly features a new generation of Apple silicon with up to 64GB of memory, compared to the current max 16GB on the M1 Macs, plus the return of an SD Card slot and a MagSafe charging connector. MACBOOK ALREADY BOOMING Apple’s laptop shipments rose 94%…

1 XGIMI Horizon Pro $1,099 From us.xgimi.com This surprisingly affordable compact projector throws a full–fat 4K HDR picture up to 300 inches in size. It’s based on the True 4K pixel shifting system which uses a non–4K image sensor to create the 8.3 million distinct pixels required for a 4K picture. Brightness is 2200 ANSI lumens with an LED light source rated at 30,000 hours. There’s also a neat AI image–sensing system which autofocuses and auto keystone corrects the picture. The 8.2 x 8.7 x 5.5in body has an aluminium frame with a 16W Harman Kardon speaker system, Bluetooth-enabled for wireless music streaming. Apps are available via the Android TV 10 OS which uses Google Assistant voice control, or hook it up straight to your TV streamer of choice. 2 Linn Klimax DSM Around…