Macworld May 2022

The launch of the Mac Studio (see page 54) was a big moment for Apple. Following years of preparation, that launch marked an important milestone in the Mac’s journey. Apple exec John Ternus’ declaration that the M1 chip family is complete marks the end of the first Apple silicon product cycle. But the wheel keeps turning. The first cycle answered numerous questions we had less than two years ago—but many more remain. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, this is only the end of the beginning. MYSTERIES REVEALED Before the Apple silicon transition was announced in June 2020, there were many questions about how it might work. Many of us had concerns that Apple’s processors, designed for the iPhone and then beefed up for the iPad, would not be able to handle the needs of…

Recycling is good. Just ask Apple. After Greenpeace repeatedly called out the company for poor performance on environmental issues, it began a process to detail all the ways it was being green, including that now-familiar slide that appears at the introduction of every Apple product detailing how it’s made from recycled materials, doesn’t contain toxic byproducts, and more. You know the one. But in recent years Apple has also become an expert at a different kind of recycling. The company has found strategic advantages in designing an increasing amount of its hardware in-house—and then, to make the most of it, it uses that hardware again and again in different products. The most obvious example, at least this month, is the Apple Studio Display. It has the same Center Stage camera system that…

As Apple releases more Macs with its M1-series system on a chip, it seems like Apple’s lineup is getting more complicated. When the rollout is complete, it will be easier to discern what Macs address which markets. There’s one consideration users don’t need to make any more thanks to Apple silicon: You don’t have to worry about compromising performance if you decide to go with a laptop instead of a desktop Mac. Before Apple started using its own silicon in Macs, the company used Intel processors. Intel’s processors are designed as mobile or desktop chips, and they differ based on thermal dynamics and power consumption. That usually meant a MacBook would be slower than a desktop Mac. We’ve reviewed a few of Apple’s M1-equipped Macs, and for the most part, there are…

The recent introduction of the Mac Studio got me thinking about how strange the final few years of the Intel-based 27-inch iMac were. When the 27-inch iMac was refreshed in 2020, we all knew it was the end of the line. Apple silicon iMacs were coming, but just before Apple shut the door on the old iMac, it got a final revision out the door. Consider the features of that iMac: an optional nano-texture display and a 3.6GHz 10-core Intel Core i9 processor. Macworld’s reviewed iMac configuration cost $4,499—it was clearly aimed at pro users. Now consider that the original iMac, when it was introduced in 1997, was underpowered and cost $1,299 for the general consumer. The evolution of the iMac took a strange turn. What happened? NO PLACE TO GO After the Intel…

When Apple discontinued the Thunderbolt Display in June 2016 after a five-year run, it wasn’t pulled off the shelf right away; it stuck around for a few months until its stock ran out. Instead of issuing a new display to replace it, however, Apple worked with LG Electronics, and by the end of 2016, the UltraFine 4K and 5K displays went on sale. So for nearly three years, Apple’s “official” display offerings were the LG UltraFine displays. The LG displays were fine displays (pun intended)—despite an early hiccup with Wi-Fi interference—but the design was typical of any ordinary PC display. Apple’s partnership with LG seemed to focus on the technical aspects of the screen. I’m not downplaying it at all, but one of the reasons Apple customers love Apple products is…

It happens every spring and fall. For a period of weeks, major regions that observe daylight saving time (that’s “saving” without an “s,” thank you) fall out of sync. For instance, most of the United States and Canada are offset by one fewer hour from Western and Central Europe than we are the rest of the year for about two weeks. The reverse happens in fall. If you work or have family across international time zones a bit east or west of you, or you’re just trying to remember how far ahead or back is Rocky Mountain Time, the free app Clocker provides those details at a glance—and some warnings, too. You populate Clocker with one or more cities or time zones around the globe and mark your most commonly consulted ones…