Macworld https://www.macworld.com Macworld is your best source for all things Apple. We give you the scoop on what's new, what's best and how to make the most out of the products you love. Tue, 21 Nov 2023 15:06:16 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 Copyright (c) 2023 IDG Communications, Inc. 178044738 iPhone 16: Everything you need to know about the next big iPhone release Tue, 21 Nov 2023 14:24:14 +0000 Macworld

Now that the iPhone 15 lineup is on shelves, and now we can officially start thinking about the iPhone 16. Naturally, any rumors or leaks you see this early are going to be fluid at best–even if they are accurate now, plans can and do change and there’s still plenty of time to do so before the iPhone 16 enters production.

With all that said, here’s what the most prolific leakers and tipsters say we can expect about the iPhones coming in the fall of 2024.

Update 11/21: Added a rumor about the iPhone 16 Pro battery.

iPhone 16: Release date

The iPhone lineup is always announced at an event in September and usually ships a week or two later. There have been times when a particular model or variant will ship in October because of supply chain shortages, however.

The typical day for the iPhone and Apple Watch event is the second Tuesday in September, which this year is September 12. So we can expect the iPhone 16 line to be announced on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, with preorders starting likely on Friday, September 13, and at least some models shipping on September 20.

iPhone 16: Price

For reference, the most recent iPhone lineup (iPhone 15) is priced as follows:

  • iPhone 14: $799/£749
  • iPhone 14 Plus: $899/£899
  • iPhone 14 Pro: $999/£999
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max: $1,199/£1,199

There’s no new information about the pricing of the iPhone 16 line, so it makes the most sense to assume it will cost the same as the iPhone 15 line, at least until we hear otherwise. That means the standard size iPhone 16 for $799 and the larger Plus model for $899, while the iPhone 16 Pro may cost $1,099 and the iPhone 16 Pro Max might go for $1,199. There are also some reports that say Apple will introduce a higher-end Ultra model with a larger screen than the Pro Max, which. would obviously have a higher price tag.

A hand holding an iPhone 14 Pro Max against a PS5 controller.

The iPhone 16 may have a smaller Dynamic Island.

Artur Tomala / Foundry

iPhone 16: Design

There are few details about the iPhone 16 lineup so far, except that it should look, well, like an iPhone. The entire iPhone 15 line now has the Dynamic Island, so expect that pill-shaped cutout on the iPhone 16 models as well. Some rumors say Apple has found a way to put some of the Face ID sensors under the display, so the iPhone 16 Pro models could have an even smaller camera cutout than the standard models.

Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young both report that the display size on the Pro models will be getting bigger–about 0.2 inches measured diagonally–with a slightly taller aspect ratio. That means the iPhone 16 Pro will have a 6.27-inch display and the Pro Max a 6.86-inch display (up from 6.12 and 6.69 inches). The larger size is reportedly necessary to accommodate more sophisticated camera hardware but will also add a bit of screen real estate.

Speaking of the camera, you should also expect to see a larger camera array on the iPhone 16 Pro models due to the inclusion of a periscope super-zoom telephoto lens and other new camera tech.

The iPhone 15 Pro models were originally expected to introduce new solid-state buttons, but more recent rumors suggest they simply won’t be ready in time and will appear on the iPhone 16 Pro instead. Regardless, all iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to feature an Action button in place of the mute switch, which should expand to the entire iPhone 16 lineup in 2024.

iPhone 14 Pro camera

The iPhone 16 could have an even bigger camera array.

Thai Nguyen/Unsplash

iPhone 16: Specs and features

With each new iPhone comes a new A-series processor, and you can bet the trend will continue next year. The iPhone 16 Pro will therefore likely feature the A18 Pro processor, while the non-Pro iPhone 16 models could adopt a cut-down version of the A17 Pro that debuted in the iPhone 15 Pro. It is far too early to speculate about next year’s chip’s features and performance, but it’s unlikely that next year’s non-Pro iPhones will have the same Pro chip as this year.

A report on 9to5Mac infers from part of an unrelated supplier report by Ming-Chi Kuo that Apple will be using Sony’s new stacked CMOS image sensor technology in the iPhone 16 Pro models next year, which should mean sensors with greatly increased low-light sensitivity. Additionally, Kuo reported in September 2023 that the smaller iPhone 16 Pro will gain the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s periscope camera.

A report from MacRumors cites a “Weibo account with a proven track record for disclosing accurate information about Apple’s plans” in saying that the iPhone 16 Ultra (or whatever the high-end model is called) could take Spatial Photos and Videos meant for viewing on the Apple Vision Pro. Apple already introduced the ability to record spatial videos on the iPhone 15 Pro so it makes sense that Apple will expand this feature to photos on the iPhone 16 Pro.

Apple has been hard at work on its own wireless chips for years, and even Qualcomm’s CEO expects Apple to use its own 5G modems starting in 2024. Obviously, this is contingent on continued successful development and testing, which has been a challenge for Apple and every other company trying to make top-tier 5G technology. A report by Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities in October 2023 claimed that the iPhone 16 will use use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 5G modem, which delivers “better speeds, coverage, mobility, link robustness and location accuracy.”

In addition, Pu reports that we can expect Wi-Fi 7 in the iPhone 16 Pro models. Wi-Fi 6E only arrived in the Pro models this year, so it’s possible Apple uses it for another year, but there are already a dozen Android phones with Wi-Fi 7 and it would be unusual for Apple to be two years behind if it had to wait until the iPhone 17 in 2025.

Naturally, the iPhone 16 line will feature USB-C instead of Lightning for charging and wired connectivity. That change already came with the iPhone 15 and Apple isn’t about to backtrack. Prior rumors about Apple attempting to make a completely port-free iPhone seem to have fizzled out.

A rumor in November 2023 claimed that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a new battery design with a metal casing instead of black foil, a new connector, and a slightly larger capacity (3,355mAh vs 3,274mAh).

iPhone
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2007943/iphone-16-release-date-specs-features-rumors.html 2007943 Best early Black Friday Mac deals Tue, 21 Nov 2023 13:57:21 +0000 Macworld

Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year and in 2023 it falls on Friday, November 24. If you are looking for a great deal on a new Mac we’ll be checking all the best resellers in the U.S. and the U.K. to track down the best deals you can get in the Black Friday sales – and right now. We are here to help you save money on a new Mac for Black Friday.

We’ll start by sharing the best deals we have found so far, to give you an idea of what to expect, including some for the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but we also deal with Apple’s laptops elsewhere, see: Best Black Friday MacBook Deals.

We also share some shopping tips that should help you get the best deals available over Black Friday 2023.

Black Friday: Apple’s Mac deal

Each year Apple holds a Black Friday four-day shopping event, but rather than offering discounts it just gives gift vouchers for certain products. In 2023 you can get gift cards for the following amounts with the following Mac purchases made on Apple’s U.S. site or Apple’s U.K. site.

15-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip$200£160
13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip$175£140
13-inch MacBook Air with M1 chip$150£120
Mac mini$100£80

Black Friday: Best Mac deals

You don’t have to buy from Apple though. Many Apple resellers are offering big discounts for Black Friday. These are the biggest savings we have seen for the iMac, Mac mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro in the run up to Black Friday 2023:

Best Black Friday Mac mini deals

U.S.

U.K.

For deals on all Mac mini Apple sells see our Best Mac mini deals round up.

Best Black Friday iMac deals

The iMac just gained an M3 chip, but we don’t expect to see many deals on that model yet. There are however savings to be had on the older M1 model that’s just been discontinued by Apple.

U.S.

U.K.

Note that Apple put iMac prices up in the U.K. at the end of 2022, so keep that in mind when looking for so-called deals.

For deals on all 24-inch iMacs see our Best iMac deals round up.

Best Black Friday Mac Studio deals

U.S.

U.K.

See the Best Mac Studio deals available now.

Best Black Friday MacBook Pro deals

The MacBook Pro just gained an M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max chip, and in the U.K. Amazon is already offering discounts on some of those new models! There are also savings to be had on the older M2-series models that have just been discontinued by Apple.

U.S.

U.K.

Here are the Best MacBook Pro deals this month

Best Black Friday MacBook Air deals

U.S.

U.K.

Take a look at the Best MacBook Air deals

Black Friday shopping tips

  • We often find the best savings are for older models.
  • Be sure to confirm what the generation is of the discounted model so that you know exactly what you are buying and what it’s really worth.
  • Sometimes resellers switch to selling refurbished or used products once their stock of brand new models run out. Make sure you check that the model discounted isn’t actually a used Mac and therefore not as good a deal as it might look. On Amazon, for example, look for Buy New prices.
  • Mac deals are not limited to Black Friday. There are good deals to be had all year round, so don’t feel pressured into buying during Black Friday.

Black Friday 2023: More Apple deals

Check out these roundups for even more Apple deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Apple deals

Best Black Friday 2023 MacBook deals

Best Black Friday 2023 AirPods deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Apple Watch deals

Best Black Friday 2023 iPad deals

Best Black Friday 2023 iPhone deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Apple TV deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Mac monitor deals

Best Black Friday 2023 SSD and external hard drive deals

Which resellers have the best Black Friday deals

Look out for the best deals over the Black Friday week, but many resellers are already offering Black Friday discounts.

U.S.

U.K.

  • KRCS has already reduced Mac prices by 10%.
  • AO.com has various Black Friday savings.
  • Laptops Direct’s Black Friday sale has started.
  • eBuyer has a Black Friday Early Access Sale with up to 45% off.
  • Very‘s Black Friday sales is underway.
  • John Lewis is running Black Friday deals.
  • Currys has up to 40% off for Black Friday.
  • Argos has a price promise that the prices won’t go any lower for Black Friday.
  • Amazon’s Black Friday week starts on 17 November.
Mac
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/1373696/best-mac-early-black-friday-deals-2023-2.html 1373696 Best MagSafe wireless chargers for iPhone 2023 Tue, 21 Nov 2023 13:45:00 +0000 Macworld

We’ve rounded up the best MagSafe and MagSafe-compatible magnetic chargers, from the plain to the multi-functional (up to six devices charged) and even the most colorful—from snap-on chargers and modular stands to foldable power bank and full desk mat.

Apple’s MagSafe technology presents a more efficient way of wirelessly charging compatible iPhones. MagSafe is the ring of magnets around the iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15’s internal charging coil, which senses compatible accessories and magnetically snaps securely into place with the right accessories.

MagSafe is supported by all models of iPhone 12/13/14/15. It allows certified and compatible accessories to magnetically clamp to the back of the iPhone, creating a strong and less wasteful connection.

MagSafe charging can be twice as fast as standard Qi wireless charging for a number of reasons. First, it supports 15W iPhone charging, compared to the usual 7.5W from a Qi charger. Standard non-MagSafe magnetic chargers–also known as “MagSafe-compatible wireless chargers”–are limited to 7.5W.

A new Qi2 standard, supported by the iPhone 15 family, should mean that even merely MagSafe-compatible chargers will be able to charge supporting phones at the full 15W—if they are certified for Qi2, of course.

In our tests, MagSafe speeds slowed to under 10W once the iPhone reached 50 percent charged. That’s still faster than the compatible chargers but the speed benefit of certified MagSafe isn’t quite as stark as the simple numbers suggest.

Second, a magnetic connection is much more precise than what you get from just placing your phone on top of a standard wireless charging pad. Wireless charging is inefficient, losing as much as 50% of its power through poor placement and a handful of environmental factors. With MagSafe’s optimum positioning, that wireless inefficiency is more like 30% wastage compared to cabled charging via Lightning.

And you’re less likely to wake up to find your phone wasn’t correctly placed so didn’t charge at all!

Apple Made for MagSafe logo

Apple

MagSafe certification

Apple certifies MagSafe accessories with its Made for iPhone (MFi) badge. This ensures that the output charging is 15W, compared to non-certified but MagSafe-compatible Qi chargers that are usually just 7.5W. Certified MagSafe chargers also have a single-wire NFC antenna that allows the iPhone to identify the device, a built-in magnetometer, and a compass to prevent interference while you are using your iPhone while it’s charging.

Don’t rule out mere MagSafe-compatible chargers as they are often high quality and nearly always noticeably cheaper. “MagSafe compatible” is used widely to mean any accessory that includes a bunch of magnets.

Outside of Apple’s own products and a couple from favored accessory maker Belkin, there aren’t a lot of MFI-certified MagSafe chargers to choose from anyway. These two companies have the certified market sewn up, although Zens makes some deluxe products available from the Apple Store.

We have avoided the many cheap models found online and focused on the premium brands, while also including those that offer something different.

While super-cheap charging cables should be avoided as they can be unsafe, compatible wireless charging is inherently safer due to the technology. But we’d still stay clear from something that looks too cheap.

And, of course, the iPhone 12/13/14/15 models work with non-magnetic chargers, too; check out our roundup of the best wireless chargers for iPhone. We also have a round up of the Best MagSafe portable battery packs and power banks. And for many MagSafe chargers reviewed here you’ll likely still need a wall charger to power the —here’s our recommendations of the best iPhone chargers.

Multi-device magnetic chargers

The most basic form of MagSafe or magnetic charger is the simple pad that latches on to the compatible iPhone. Some pads feature a pop-out arm so the iPhone can be propped up while charging.

There are also products that can charge an iPhone and other Apple devices, such as an Apple Watch or wireless AirPods charging case, at the same time. Note that the AirPods case must be of the wireless variety, and the original AirPods case lacked this functionality. The base of a multi-charger could also be used to charge a second iPhone but mostly not magnetically and at 5W rather than 7.5W or 15W. Also see our round up of the Best Apple Watch chargers and stands.

Apple MagSafe Charger – Simple MagSafe charger if you must buy Apple

Apple MagSafe Charger – Simple MagSafe charger if you must buy Apple

Pros

  • 15W (MagSafe)

Cons

  • Short cable
  • Cable charging is faster
Price When Reviewed: $39
Best Prices Today: $29 at Walmart$33.99 at Target $34.99 at Amazon

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Cable: 1m (3.3ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: White

The most obvious MagSafe Charger to buy for your Apple iPhone is, of course, the Apple MagSafe Charger. It’s the charger that Apple would have shipped with the iPhone if it did such things anymore.

It’s as minimalist a design as you’d expect from Apple–it looks a lot like the Apple Watch Charger.

You can also use it to charge your AirPods.

Its main advantage over the non-certified competition is its 15W charging power. It’s still half as fast as using a Lightning cable, however, and if you are going to the bother of connecting this to a USB-C charger, why not just use a Lightning (iPhone 12/13/14) or USB-C (iPhone 15) cable? You can fast-charge an iPhone to 50% battery in around 30 minutes using a cable, while it takes around 50 minutes to wirelessly charge iPhone from 0 to 50% using even 15W MagSafe.

And the Apple MagSafe Charger is not perfect. It is too small and light to stay on the desk when you pick up your iPhone, making it a poor wireless charging pad. The 1m cable is far too short to comfortably charge and use your iPhone at the same time.

Don’t forget that it still requires a USB-C wall charger (at least 20W recommended if you want the full 15W potential).

We think there are better MagSafe and MagSafe-compatible alternatives.

Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro Wireless Charger Pad with MagSafe – Best simple MagSafe charger

Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro Wireless Charger Pad with MagSafe – Best simple MagSafe charger

Pros

  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Kickstand
  • Long, strong cable

Cons

  • More expensive than Apple charger!
Price When Reviewed: $59.99
Best Prices Today: $19.99 at Amazon$59.99 at Belkin

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Cable: 2m (6.6ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: Black, White

Available in two predictable colors, the Belkin MagSafe Charger Pad is as fast as Apple’s Charger and comes with a longer cable and handy pop-up stand.

The cable is twice as long as Apple’s, which makes using the phone much easier when charging. It’s also thicker nylon-braided cable with a handy integrated silicone cable tie.

It is pricier than Apple, which is a surprise, so you’re paying a premium for the longer premium cable and the kickstand but we think it’s worth the extra if you must have a certified 15W MagSafe charger. Again, a straight cable connection will be faster but we like the kickstand, which you don’t get with a standard cable connection.

You can buy direct from Belkin with a 27W power adapter included or just on its own if you already have a wall charger to use.

Anker PowerWave Magnetic Pad – Best budget magnetic charger

Anker PowerWave Magnetic Pad – Best budget magnetic charger

Pros

  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $22.99
Best Prices Today: $17.97 at Amazon

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: White

Another basic magnetic charger, Anker’s PowerWave Magnetic Pad works just like the Apple and Belkin chargers, but at the lower 7.5W as it’s not officially certified by Apple.

It works just fine, though, and is one of the cheaper premium magnetic chargers.

The cable is a decent length at 1.5m.

ESR HaloLock Kickstand Wireless Charger – Best budget magnetic charger with kickstand

ESR HaloLock Kickstand Wireless Charger – Best budget magnetic charger with kickstand

Pros

  • Inexpensive
  • Kickstand
  • Color options

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $35.99
Best Prices Today: $21.99 at Amazon

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: White, Black, Blue, Pink

This is a small, simple magnetic charging pad that has a kickstand that lets you prop your attached iPhone 12/13/14/15 up either in landscape or portrait mode for video viewing or hands-free FaceTime calls.

The cable length is reasonable at 1.5m.

It’s available in four colors, so is wildly more flamboyant than the other magnetic wireless chargers tested here.

Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe – Best 3-in-1 magnetic charger to save desk space

Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe – Best 3-in-1 magnetic charger to save desk space

Pros

  • 3-in-1 charging
  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Fast charge Watch
  • Adjustable
  • Includes charger

Cons

  • Only in black
Price When Reviewed: $149.99
Best Prices Today: $149.95 at Apple$149.95 at Apple$149.99 at Twelve South

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Apple Watch fast charge: Yes

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: 40W AC power adapter

Colors: Black

A 3-in-1 charger that can re-power iPhone, AirPods and Watch is a boon for Apple fans, but most of the products we’ve tested take up quite a lot of desk space. The stylish HiRise 3 Deluxe, as its name suggests, goes more vertical and so has a smaller footprint—handy for bedside tables and other places where a giant charging stand is less welcome.

It is fully Apple certified, so can fast-charge any MagSafe iPhone (iPhone 12, 13, 14 or 15 models but not SE) at 15W as well as fast-charge an Apple Watch (Series 7, 8, 9, SE and Ultra) at 5W and Apple AirPods (2nd and 3rd generation AirPods, and all AirPods Pro) at 7.5W.

It’s 15.4cm (6in) high, 15.9cm (6.3in) deep and 8.5cm (3.4in) wide. In comparison, the Belkin 3-in-1 is 13.5cm wide. For an even smaller footprint, consider the OtterBox 3-in-1 Charging Station, reviewed below.

The MagSafe iPhone charger can angle and tilt by 35-degrees, and hold the device in either landscape or portrait—so works well in iOS 17’s StandBy mode.

The base charges at 7.5W and can be used to power up AirPods or a second iPhone, and the Watch part fast charges at 5W.

Read our full Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe review

OtterBox 3-in-1 Charging Station with MagSafe – Fast 3-in-1 magnetic charger

OtterBox 3-in-1 Charging Station with MagSafe – Fast 3-in-1 magnetic charger

Pros

  • 3-in-1 charging
  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Fast charge Watch
  • Includes charger
Price When Reviewed: $149.95
Best Prices Today: $149.95 at OtterBox

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Apple Watch fast charge: Yes

Cable: 2m (6.6ft)

Wall charger: 36W AC power adapter

Colors: Black or White

This 3-in-1 charger for iPhone, Watch and AirPods has a small footprint, a little smaller than even the Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe reviewed above. It also matches that charging station in terms of charging speed. It’s fully certified for iPhone (so fast 15W) and Watch (fast 5W). Non-certified rivals will charge an iPhone at 7.5W and Watch at 3W. The lower charging pad is rated at 5W and can be used to charge your AirPods or a second phone, although not magnetically and much slower than the main MagSafe pad.

While this is an impressive 3-in-1 charger, we prefer the HiRise 3 Deluxe for its adjustable iPhone pad and more flexible Watch charging module.

It does beat the Twelve South charger by being available in both white and black, which might blend in with your environment better than the black-only HiRise.

It measures 5.6 inches high, and 4.6 inches both wide and deep (13.9-x-11.7-x-11.7cm).

Read our full OtterBox 3-in-1 Charging Station with MagSafe review

Zens 2-in-1 MagSafe + Watch Travel Charger – Best 2-in-1 travel MagSafe charger

Zens 2-in-1 MagSafe + Watch Travel Charger – Best 2-in-1 travel MagSafe charger

Pros

  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Charges iPhone and Apple Watch

Cons

  • Not Watch fast charge
Best Prices Today: $99.99 at Zens

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Apple Watch fast charge: No

Cable: 1m (3.3ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: White

Coming in its own hard-shell travel case, the Zens 2-in-1 MagSafe and Watch travel charger is a portable delight for owners of iPhone (12/13/14/15 series) and Apple Watch.

It is officially certified as Made for MagSafe, so charges at the full wireless 15W. Sadly the Watch doesn’t fast charge, too, but its arm folds out to create a kickstand for the iPhone in either portrait or landscape orientation.

Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe – Best 3-in-1 compact magnetic charger

Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe – Best 3-in-1 compact magnetic charger

Pros

  • 3-in-1 charging
  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Fast charge Watch
  • Compact
  • Includes charger

Cons

  • Heavy
Price When Reviewed: $149.95
Best Prices Today: $149.95 at Amazon$149.95 at Anker$149.95 at Apple

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Apple Watch fast charge: Yes

Cable: 1.5 m (5ft)

Wall charger: 30W AC power adapter

Colors: Gray

This 3-in-1 MagSafe charger is certified by Apple, so offers full 15W wireless charging for iPhone 12/13/14/15 plus 5W for AirPods and 5W for Apple Watch.

Although on the heavy side, it’s super-compact and great for travel. The Watch charging part is hidden in the cube until you need it. It comes with a 30W USB-C wall charger with switchable UK and EU plug fittings that slide onto the US plug prongs.

Its tiny footprint means it takes up little space on your desk or bedside cable, too.

The stand works in landscape and portrait orientations but isn’t high. It does have adjustable viewing angles up to 60°.

A similar 3-in-1 charger from the same company is the A-frame Anker 737 MagGo, which can also simultaneously charge an iPhone (at 15W), AirPods and Watch. Aside from the shape, the only real difference from the Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe is that the slightly cheaper 737 doesn’t support fast-charging for the Apple Watch.

Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charging Station – Best 3-in-1 travel MagSafe charger

Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charging Station – Best 3-in-1 travel MagSafe charger

Pros

  • 3-in-1 charging
  • Fast charge Watch
  • Foldable for travel
  • Super compact design

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $119.99
Best Prices Today: $119.99 at Journey

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Apple Watch fast charge: Yes

Cable: 1.5 m (5ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: White

This 3-in-1 iPhone/Watch/AirPods charger folds up extremely neatly into a compact and lightweight package that you wouldn’t really notice in a coat pocket. Of course, despite being wireless when charging your devices it still requires a wall charger (not included); it does comes with a USB-C cable.

The MagSafe charger is compatible so only 7.5W but the Watch does offer 5W fast-charging for your wearable.

The Watch module can lie flat or flip up for Nightstand mode—perfect for a bedside table.

Read our full Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charging Station review

Evolved 3-in-1 Foldable Charger – Best 3-in-1 travel MagSafe charger stand

Evolved 3-in-1 Foldable Charger – Best 3-in-1 travel MagSafe charger stand

Pros

  • 3-in-1 charging
  • Foldable for travel
  • Super compact design

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $89.95
Best Prices Today: $89.95 at Evolved

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Apple Watch fast charge: No

Cable: 1 m (3.3ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: Gray

The Evolved 3-in-1 Foldable Charger is a neat, portable way to charge all your Apple mobile devices—Watch, iPhone, AirPods—at the same time.

It’s special because it folds up into such a compact package—measuring 3.5-x-2.4-x-0.9 inches (9-x-6.1-x-2.3cm). We also like the ESR HaloLock 3-in-1 Travel Wireless Charging Set, reviewed below, which is an inch longer and a little wider, but nearly half the depth. The Evolved 3-in-1 beats the ESR because its Apple Watch charger is integrated and not an attachable module.

The Journey SWIV 3-in-1 reviewed above is a little larger but noticeably lighter, and also can fast-charge the Apple Watch.

The Evolved charge, however, makes a higher and more adjustable stand. If you don’t own an Apple Watch, the ESR is a lighter, thinner package.

As it is “compatible with” rather than certified MagSafe, it wirelessly charges the iPhone at 7.5W rather than 15W.

You need to buy a separate, or provide your own, USB-C charger (at least 20W).

ESR HaloLock 3-in-1 Travel Wireless Charging Set

ESR HaloLock 3-in-1 Travel Wireless Charging Set

Pros

  • 3-in-1 charging
  • Foldable for travel

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $89.99
Best Prices Today: $59.49 at Amazon$86.99 at ESR

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Apple Watch fast charge: No

Cable: 1.5 m (5ft)

Wall charger: 20W AC power adapter

Colors: Black

The ESR HaloLock 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Set is certified by Apple for Apple Watch but is just compatible with MagSafe for iPhone 12/13/14/15 charging, so offers 7.5W rather than 15W.

The Watch charging part is separate but plugs in once the stand is unfolded. When folded it can be used as a wireless charging pad. The iPhone can be set in either landscape or portrait orientation when the charger is doubling up as a stand.

It’s lightweight and foldable, which makes it a great travel solution if you own iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch. The Evolved 3-in-1 Foldable Charger is a more compact package for Apple Watch and iPhone owners because its Watch-charging module is built-in. The Journey SWIV is about the same weight as the ESR but without the detachable nature of the Watch charger. It also can fast-charge a Watch unlike the ESR or Evolved foldable chargers.

It measures 4.5-x-2.6-x-0.63 inches (11.3-x-6.6-x-1.6cm).

There’s a smart travel case included that fits in the 20W charger, cable, Watch attachment and folding charging stand.

OtterBox 2-in-1 Power Bank with MagSafe – Best 2-in-1 MagSafe power bank stand

OtterBox 2-in-1 Power Bank with MagSafe – Best 2-in-1 MagSafe power bank stand

Pros

  • 2-in-1 charging
  • 10000mAh power bank
  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Watch fast charging

Cons

  • Chunky
Price When Reviewed: $149.95
Best Prices Today: $149.94 at OtterBox

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Watch fast charge: Yes

Cable: 0.5 m (1.6ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: White

This is an interesting charger, being able to charge both an iPhone 12//13/14/15 and an Apple Watch—as well as being a large-capacity power bank so you charge your devices while away from a power socket.

Fully certified by Apple, it can wirelessly charge an iPhone at 15W and can also fast-charge an Apple Watch at the same time. You need to attach at least a 20W USB-C charger.

The adjustable iPhone stand folds right down and the Watch charger folds back to keep the OtterBox 2-in-1 Power Bank flat and easily transportable.

It is, however, quite large at 6-x-3.2-x-1.3 inches (15.3-x-8-x-3.4cm), and hefty (12oz (340g). It’s a bit of a brick to slip in a pocket and walk around with, but for a home/office power bank with iPhone stand that can move around your space, it’s perfect.

You can use it as a standard iPhone charging stand (connected to a wall charger) and then just pick it up and use it’s power bank facility when you need to move around.

Belkin Magnetic Portable Wireless Charger Pad – Best budget magnetic charger with 2m cable

Belkin Magnetic Portable Wireless Charger Pad – Best budget magnetic charger with 2m cable

Pros

  • Inexpensive
  • Long cable

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $29.99
Best Prices Today: Not Available at Amazon

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Cable: 2m (6.6ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: Black, White

Belkin doesn’t just make MagSafe chargers; it has a range of compatible magnetic products, too.

Its low-end Magnetic Charger Pad is not as fast as Apple’s Charger as it’s one of the non-MagSafe-certified products, but it is cheaper and comes with a cable that is twice as long as Apple’s, which gives you more flexibility depending on the distance of your power socket to where is most convenient for you for charging. It also features a handy cord wrap.

An LED indicates if there’s any charging interruption from another object that maybe could harm your phone.

If you don’t mind the slower 7.5W charging, this is an affordable solution that beats the official Apple product with its longer cable.

Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand – Best 2-in-1 MagSafe charger

Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand – Best 2-in-1 MagSafe charger

Pros

  • 2-in-1 charging
  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Includes charger

Cons

  • AirPod LED can't be turned off
Price When Reviewed: $99.99
Best Prices Today: $77.99 at Amazon$99.99 at Belkin$114.5 at Walmart

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Cable: 1.2 m (4ft)

Wall charger: 40W AC power adapter

Colors: Black, White

As an officially MFi-certified MagSafe charger, the Belkin Charge Pro hits the 15W heights just like the Apple chargers.

Like Apple’s own Duo Charger it can simultaneously power up your AirPods at 5W on its Qi circular base, plus it has the bonus of being a stand that can hold the iPhone in either portrait or landscape mode with its stable weighted base.

It’s a bit plasticky but still looks suitably Apple-ish, and it beats the Apple 2-in-1 on price.

A small LED shows whether the placed AirPods case is wirelessly charging.

Anker PowerWave Magnetic 2-in-1 Stand – Best budget 2-in-1 magnetic stand

Anker PowerWave Magnetic 2-in-1 Stand – Best budget 2-in-1 magnetic stand

Pros

  • 2-in-1 charging
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $39.99
Best Prices Today: $39.99 at Amazon$39.99 at Walmart

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Cable: 1.2 m (4ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: White

Built to charge both an iPhone 12/13/14/15 and wireless AirPod case charger, the Anker PowerWave isn’t MFi certified and therefore doesn’t reach the 15W phone charging heights of the Apple.

Its 7.5W charging is fine if you have the time; if you’re in a real hurry you’d be better off using a cable than using a 15W certified MagSafe charger anyway.

The AirPods are charged at 5W, which is standard for all such multi-device magnetic chargers.

You get angled landscape and portrait modes with this good-looking stand from one of our favorite premium accessory makers.

The magnetic link is super strong so you don’t need to worry about the iPhone falling off even during re-angling.

Anker MagGo 633 Magnetic Wireless Charger – Best charger stand with portable power bank

Anker MagGo 633 Magnetic Wireless Charger – Best charger stand with portable power bank

Pros

  • Charging stand
  • Magnetic power bank

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $119.99
Best Prices Today: $86.00 at Amazon$119.99 at Anker

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Cable: 1.5 m (5ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: White, Black, Misty Blue

Anker’s MagGo 633 isn’t just another passive iPhone and wireless AirPod case charger stand with angled landscape and portrait modes. It is much cleverer than that.

You can remove the charging section from the stand and use it as a 5000mAh portable magnetic charger that clamps onto the back of an iPhone 12/13/14/15 and will charge your phone on-the-go up to a near full charge.

The power bank holster on the stand can be angled up to 40 degrees.

The detachable power bank is powered up while in the stand, via the connected 1.5m USB-C cable that requires a decent (at least 20W) wall charger. You can swap out the cable for a longer or shorter one if that’s what you require.

This is a great combination of desk-bound charger and portable power bank. For more options, read our roundup of the best MagSafe power banks.

Alogic has a similar modular charger stand that can take a MagSafe-compatible battery pack; reviewed with the 3-in-1 stands (with magnetic Apple Watch charger) but also available as a 2-in-1.

Read our full Anker MagGo 633 Magnetic Wireless Charger review

Zens 4-in-1 MagSafe + Watch Wireless Charging Station – Best 4-in-1 MagSafe charging stand

Zens 4-in-1 MagSafe + Watch Wireless Charging Station – Best 4-in-1 MagSafe charging stand

Pros

  • 4-in-1
  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Stylish
  • Includes wall charger

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Not Watch fast charge
Price When Reviewed: $169.99
Best Prices Today: $169.99 at Zens

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Apple Watch fast charge: No

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: 45W AC power adapter

Colors: Black, White

Similar in looks to the Belkin 3-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand, the aluminum Zens 4-in-1 MagSafe + Watch Charging Station beats it on two fronts: it has a much smaller footprint and can charge four devices simultaneously. It is certified Made for MagSafe so can fast-charge an iPhone 12/13/14/15 at 15W compared to just 7.5W for merely compatible magnetic chargers.

The base features a 5W Qi charging pad allows for charging wirelessly rechargeable AirPods or other Qi compatible device

The fourth device is charged using a side-mounted USB-C port, so is wired rather than wireless like the parts for iPhone, Watch and AirPods. Rated at 18W charging, this USB-C connection can fast-charge another iPhone or charge an iPad.

The supplied 45W wall charger comes with US, UK and EU adapter plugs so you can take the Zens 4-in-1 Charging Station on your travels.

Alogic MagSpeed 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station – Best budget 3-in-1 magnetic charger

Alogic MagSpeed 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station – Best budget 3-in-1 magnetic charger

Pros

  • 3-in-1
  • Inexpensive

Cons

  • Short cable
  • Not Watch fast charge
Price When Reviewed: £109.99
Best Prices Today: $109.99 at Alogic$130.74 at Amazon

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Apple Watch fast charge: No

Cable: 1m (3.3ft)

Wall charger: Not included, except in Australia: 20W AC power adapter

Colors: Black

For a budget 3-in-1 magnetic stand that will charge your iPhone 12/13/14/15, AirPods wireless-charging case and Apple Watch, the Alogic MagSpeed 3-in-1 Wireless Charger is a simpler product than the Belkin 3-in-1 but works just fine – although at the lower charging speed as it isn’t MagSafe certified.

The iPhone can be angled in either portrait or landscape mode, but it can’t be angled up or down.

If you are buying in Australia (Alogic is an Australian company), you get a 20W charger, but elsewhere you’ll need to use your own wall charger.

Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand with MagSafe – 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stand

Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand with MagSafe – 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stand

Pros

  • 3-in-1
  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Stylish
  • Includes wall charger

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Not Watch fast charge
  • Large footprint
Price When Reviewed: $149.99
Best Prices Today: $89.99 at Amazon$149.95 at Apple$149.99 at Belkin

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Apple Watch fast charge: Yes

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: 40W AC power adapter

Colors: Black, White

Belkin has a 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger that is a stand where the phone and Watch are held high and the AirPods case sits underneath in a Qi-compatible hollow on the base.

This is more stylish that other wireless charging stands, having a Sixties space-age design with chrome arms, and a silicone-covered plastic base.

A stand is useful as it lifts the charging phone to a height that makes it easier to FaceTime or watch videos without having to hold the phone aloft. It can hold the phone in either portrait or landscape mode.

In order to support the weight of the phone, the circular base has to be quite wide, at 13.5cm. For a smaller footprint 3-in-1 charger consider the Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe or OtterBox 3-in-1 Charging Station—both reviewed above.

An LED indicates if the AirPods are charging, and it ships with its own power supply unit.

Journey Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station – Tilting 3-in-1 magnetic charger

Journey Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station – Tilting 3-in-1 magnetic charger

Pros

  • 3-in-1
  • Small profile
  • Tilts
  • Detachable Watch charger

Cons

  • 7.5W
  • Not Watch fast charge
Price When Reviewed: $139.99 + $6.95 shipping
Best Prices Today: $139.99 at Journey

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Apple Watch fast charge: No

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: Black, White

The Journey Rapid Trio 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station, like the Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe, has a small footprint for such a multi-device charger. It’s only a tiny bit larger than the HiRise 3, at 16.9cm (6.7in) high, 13.3cm (5.3in) deep and 8.6cm (3.4in) wide.

It does have some tricks up its sleeve, though, as its detachable USB-C Apple Watch charger means you can take it with you on your travels and simply plug it into a USB-C port—say on your MacBook—to charge your Apple Watch away from the charging stand.

Like the HiRise 3 Deluxe, the phone charging part can also tilt, unlike the more static 3-in-1 chargers reviewed here, for more flexible viewing angles—it can be set in either portrait or landscape mode.

Being just MagSafe compatible, the phone charges at 7.5W; the base at 5W, and the Watch part at 3W.

Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with MagSafe – Best 3-in-1 MagSafe charging pad

Belkin Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with MagSafe – Best 3-in-1 MagSafe charging pad

Pros

  • 3-in-1
  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Fast charges Watch

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Phone lies flat
Price When Reviewed: $149.95
Best Prices Today: $120 at Best Buy$149.95 at Apple$149.99 at Target

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Apple Watch fast charge: Yes

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: 40W AC power adapter

Colors: Black, White

Belkin has two models of 3-in-1 wireless charger, both MFi-certified, that can simultaneously charge your portable Apple goodies: iPhone, AirPods and Watch.

If you’ve bought into the whole Apple device ecosystem, this one will charge all you pocketable or wearable devices. of particular note is that it can fast-charge the Apple Watch.

This model is a flat pad that also includes the possibility to leave the Watch in Nightstand mode as a bedside or desk clock. We would have preferred if the phone charger could also be angled to prop up the phone for video viewing.

While minimalist in design, it does take up a fair section of desk–measuring about 23cm across and 8cm wide, and the iPhone sticks out at either side.

The pad format is better for travel portability than a charging stand, and it comes with its own wall power supply unit, so you don’t need to add your own USB-C charger.

An LED indicates if the AirPods are charging.

Alogic Matrix 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock – Best modular 3-in-1 magnetic charger

Alogic Matrix 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock – Best modular 3-in-1 magnetic charger

Pros

  • 3-in-1
  • Small profile
  • Detachable Watch charger
  • Fast charges Watch
  • Can add portable power bank

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $129.99
Best Prices Today: $129.99 at Alogic

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 7.5W

Apple Watch fast charge: Yes

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: 40W AC power adapter

Colors: Black, White

Alogic has created a modular system that transforms what is often a static charging station into something more dynamic and portable. It’s called Matrix and features several products, some of which can be used with each other depending on your charging needs.

The Matrix 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock with Apple Watch Charger features a MagSafe-compatible wireless charging stand to charge an iPhone at 7.5W, a Qi cradle neatly placed at the back for charging compatible AirPods, and a detachable charger for the Apple Watch. You can take the small Watch charger with you and plug it into a USB-C charger or device with output charging. Be patient, though, at just 2W it can’t fast-charge an Apple Watch—for that you need Apple’s USB-C Magnetic Fast Charging Cable and at least a 5W USB-C charger—but it is more portable as it doesn’t require a long cable, having its USB-C connector built-in.

As with the Anker 633 Wireless Charger, reviewed above, you can also swap out the wireless phone-charging block and add the Matrix Wireless Power Bank (sold separately). This 5000mAh portable power bank can work in the static charging stand or come with you as a neat, portable magnetic battery pack—ready powered up for the stand. This can charge two phones or devices: one wirelessly and the other simultaneously via USB-C cable. In our tests, it charged a flagging iPhone 13 Pro from 10% to 94%.

There’s even a Matrix Magnetic Wireless Charger with Car Mount available, which the power bank can be slotted into. We’d have preferred this and the 3-in-1 Charger to be available without the non-portable charging block for those users who already own the power bank.

If you don’t own an Apple Watch, the Matrix 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock will save you some money, and the side-mounted USB-C Port means you could add the Watch module at a later date should you succumb to the full Apple device roster.

Zens 4-in-1 Modular Wireless Charger

Zens 4-in-1 Modular Wireless Charger

Pros

  • 4-in-1 (up 6-in-1)
  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Modular
  • Includes wall charger

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Not Watch fast charge
Price When Reviewed: $179.95
Best Prices Today: $179.95 at Apple$179.99 at Zens

MagSafe: Certified

Output charging: 15W

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: 65W AC power adapter

Colors: Black

The Zens 4-in-1 Modular Charging Station for iPhone with MagSafe, AirPods, Apple Watch and iPad is a MagSafe-certified charging stand that can handle not just four Apple devices but more if you buy extra charging modules to connect.

Any MagSafe iPhone (12/13/14/15) can be wirelessly charged at up to 15W, faster than non-certified MagSafe-compatible chargers. AirPods and Apple Watch will each charge wirelessly at 5W.

The iPhone can be placed in either portrait or landscape mode. At the back is a stand where you can place an iPad, which can be wired charged via a side-mounted USB-C port at up to 30W.

All devices can be charged simultaneously as the power supply has a 65W total output.

The Watch module that ships with the 4-in-1 charger can handily be situated on either the right- or left-hand side depending on your preference. Modules attach magnetically.

The Apple Watch extension can be disconnected from the main station and charged via a USB-C port to become a standalone wireless charger when travelling.

Up to three modules can be added, and different modules are available separately. Aside from extra Watch modules, the Single Wireless Charger Extension is a 10W wireless charging pad, and the Modular USB-hub Extension lets you recharge a USB-A powered device.

If you don’t own an Apple Watch, the cheaper 3-in-1 Modular Charging Station charges iPhone, AirPods and iPad. Also available from Apple.

As an environmental bonus, the Charging Station and all modules are made from recycled plastic.

Belkin Boost Charge Pro Wireless Car Charger with MagSafe – Best MagSafe Car Charger

Belkin Boost Charge Pro Wireless Car Charger with MagSafe – Best MagSafe Car Charger

Pros

  • 15W (MagSafe)
  • Dedicated car accessory

Cons

  • Not compatible with all car vents
  • Expensive
  • US only
Price When Reviewed: $99.95
Best Prices Today: $99.95 at Apple

Output charging: 15W

Cable: Built-in

Wall charger: 12V car charger included

Colors: White

Use your iPhone for satnav directions or to have easy access to your playlists in the car with this MagSafe-certified wireless charger and car vent mount, which works in both landscape and portrait modes.

It has an integrated USB-C cable, and a 12V car charger adapter for cars come with USB-A ports.

The magnetic link is strong, which should mean that it can cope with any big bumps in the road. It works best with straight, horizontal vent slats up to 3mm in thickness and 20mm in depth. It does work with vertical slats, but there might be slight movements if the mount is overloaded with weight, says Belkin.

As the only dedicated MagSafe-certified 15W car mount available, it is expensive. If you can handle a lower charger rate, the Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger 10W does pretty much the same job for a lot less. Or you can buy Spigen’s Mag Fit Phone Holder Car Mount and add Apple’s MagSafe Charger (reviewed above) for pretty much the same 15W result. That product is also available in black, like most car vents.

At the moment, the only place to buy the MagSafe version is via Apple’s US Store.

Journey ALTI Desk Mat – Best wireless charging desk mat

Journey ALTI Desk Mat – Best wireless charging desk mat

Pros

  • Stylish desk mat
  • Reversible

Cons

  • 7.5W
Best Prices Today: $129.99 at Journey

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: Black, Light Gray

This smart desk mat includes a detachable side strip that includes a magnetic wireless charging pad for phone and a non-magnetic section to charge your AirPods. Not only is the mat reversible, with smooth, wipeable vegan leather on one side and warmer-feel felt on the other, but you can pull back the mat to stow paper and notes to help reduce clutter.

It’s quite a large mat, measuring 780 x 70 x 4mm. The Light gray color is actually more of a warm stone tone.

The charging panel connects to the mat with a light magnetic snap, and can be positioned on either side simply by flipping the mat round 180 degrees, depending on whether you are left or right handed.

As it’s MagSafe compatible rather than certified, it charges the iPhone at 7.5W rather than 15W, but will charge other compatible phones at the higher power. Earbuds can be charged at up to 5W. The magnetic fit is strong so you can’t knock it off its charging position with a stray flick of an arm.

It comes with a USB-C cable but requires a charger; recommended 20W or higher.

Journey NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve with Wireless Charging

Journey NEXA 4-in-1 Laptop Sleeve with Wireless Charging

Pros

  • Luxury MacBook sleeve
  • MagSafe charging

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $109.99
Best Prices Today: $109.99 at Journey

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Cable: 1.5m (5ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: Black, Light Gray

The premium-quality, vegan leather Journey NEXA laptop sleeve bills itself as a “4-in-1”, and it certainly is multi-functional.

As well as protecting your laptop during travel, it includes two wireless chargers (one MagSafe compatible at 7.5W; one 5W for AirPods or a second phone) and can work as both a desk mat and mousepad to free your workspace of clutter.

While it comes with a USB-C cable, you’ll need to add your own charger (check our roundup of the best iPhone chargers) to connect with the USB-C port in the sleeve. Alternatively you can charge the MacBook itself while it sits protected in the sleeve—for this you’ll need a more powerful MacBook charger.

Casetify Magnetic Wireless Charger – Most fun magnetic charger collection

Casetify Magnetic Wireless Charger – Most fun magnetic charger collection

Pros

  • Hundreds of options

Cons

  • 7.5W
Price When Reviewed: $40
Best Prices Today: $40 at Casetify

MagSafe: Compatible

Output charging: 7.5W

Cable: 1m (3.3ft)

Wall charger: Not included

Colors: Many cool and/or odd patterns

We picked the English Breakfast pattern for its sheer wanton oddness but there are plenty of other patterns (Acid, Checks, Cherry Blossom) and pictures (Yeti, Harry Potter, Snoopy) to choose from.

Indeed, there are 238 different wireless charger fronts to choose from.

This 100% recyclable slim charger has eco sustainability points, too, as it’s made with recycled aluminum and printed with eco-friendly ink.

Why wireless?

Wireless charging is convenient and fine for situations when you don’t need a super-fast recharge.

If you’re leaving your home in 20 minutes and need as much juice as possible, plug in the Lightning cable as even a 12W USB charger can power up an iPhone a third faster than wireless, and 50% faster if you use a 20W USB-C-to-Lightning PD charger.

It is less wearing than constantly inserting a cable into your phone, and more reliable as that vulnerable Lightning port can fill with fluff and dust after all the time spent in your trouser pocket or bag and it’s one of the most common reasons that an iPhone refuses to charge even when connected with a cable.

It’s easy to clean with a toothpick (but please do it softly!) but will affect most of us at some time.

Wireless charging isn’t affected by the build-up of dust and fluff in the phone port and is also less vulnerable to oxidation and corrosion.

With wireless, you don’t have to remember to run around trying to find who’s taken your Lightning cable, and it’s certainly a lot neater.

Of course, wireless charging is not really wireless, unless you are using a portable MagSafe battery pack. The MagSafe charger is still connected by a cable to your wall charger; it’s just the connection to the phone that is properly wireless.

What else you need

Some MagSafe chargers come with their own wall charger, but most require you to add your own. Apple recommends at least a 20W USB-C power adapter (wall-socket charger) and we agree. You won’t get over 15W charging power from the MagSafe charger to the iPhone, but 20W all but guarantees you’ll get as much power as you can.

We have tested the best iPhone wall chargers to help you choose a recommended solution.

Mobile Phone Accessories, Power
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/668980/best-magsafe-chargers.html 668980 Best early Black Friday Apple deals Tue, 21 Nov 2023 12:48:07 +0000 Macworld

If you’re looking for an Apple deal, there’s no better time to get one than Black Friday weekend. No matter what you’re looking to buy, you are likely to find a great price on it—possibly the lowest ever.

And while sales have been going on all throughout November, the best ones are this week—Black Friday through Cyber Monday. We’re already seeing all-time low prices on iPads, MacBooks, and AirPods, and we expect to see the deals continue all throughout the weekend. So keep checking this page for the very best deals.

Black Friday 2023: Best Apple deals

We’re constantly tracking the best Apple deals, so stay tuned to this list for the best bargains we find.

U.S. deals

MacBook Air and Pro

iMac, Mac mini & Mac Studio

AirPods

Apple Watch

iPad

Accessories

Apple TV

Displays

U.K. deals

MacBook Pro

MacBook Air

iMac

Mac mini

Mac Studio

AirPods

iPads

Apple Watch

iPhone

  • Box, iPhone 15, 512GB, £989.10, £109 off
  • John Lewis, iPhone 14 Pro Max: £1,139 (£60 off, plus two-year warranty; RRP before being discontinued in fall 2023 was £1,199)
  • John Lewis, iPhone 14 Pro: £1,039 (£60 off, plus two-year warranty; RRP before being discontinued in fall 2023 was £1,099)
  • Amazon, iPhone 14 Plus: £749 (£50 off; RRP £799)
  • Amazon, iPhone 14: £649 (£50 off; RRP £699)
  • Amazon, iPhone 13: £549 (£50 off; RRP £599)
  • Amazon, iPhone 13 mini (128GB): £603.64 (£45 off; RRP before being discontinued in fall 2023 was £649)
  • Currys, iPhone 12: £499 (£100 off; RRP before being discontinued in fall 2023 was £599)

iPhone accessories

Apple TV

Accessories

Black Friday 2023: Apple’s shopping event

Every year Apple holds shopping event from Black Friday (November 24) to Cyber Monday (November 27). However, since Apple rarely discounts its products, the event consists of gift card offers rather than actual savings. The newest products are excluded, so don’t expect any offers on the iPhone 15 or M3 MacBooks, but the Apple Watch Series 9 is included this year.

In 2023 you can get gift cards for the following amounts with the following purchases made on Apple’s U.S. site or Apple’s U.K. site.

ProductU.S.U.K.
iPhone 14$75£60
iPhone 13$50£40
iPhone SE$25£20
iPad Pro$50£80
iPad Air$75£60
iPad mini$50£40
iPad (10th gen.)$50£40
15-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip$200£160
13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip$175£140
13-inch MacBook Air with M1 chip$150£120
Mac mini$100£80
Apple Watch Series 9$50£40
Apple Watch SE$50£40
AirPods (2nd generation)$25£20
AirPods (3rd generation)$25£20
AirPods Pro (2nd generation)$50£40
AirPods Max$75£60
Apple Pencil (2nd generation)$25£20
HomePod$50£40
Apple TV 4K$25£20

Black Friday 2023: Where to shop for Apple deals

Stay tuned to Macworld throughout November to find the best deals as they arrive. But if you’re looking for a specific color or capacity, you can check out the following retailers. In the U.S., here are the best stores to shop for Black Friday deals:

If you’re based in the U.K., you’ll find deals at the following shops:

Black Friday 2023: All Apple deals

Stay on top of the best Black Friday deals as they arrive with our dedicated roundups

Best Black Friday 2023 MacBook deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Mac deals

Best Black Friday 2023 AirPods deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Apple Watch deals

Best Black Friday 2023 iPad deals

Best Black Friday 2023 iPhone deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Mac monitor deals

Best Black Friday 2023 SSD and external hard drive deals

Apple Inc
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/1375970/best-apple-early-black-friday-deals-2023.html 1375970 Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station review: Tiny, tidy, and mighty Tue, 21 Nov 2023 12:30:00 +0000 Macworld

At a glance

Expert's Rating

Pros

  • 3-in-1 charging
  • Fast charge Watch
  • Foldable for travel
  • Super compact design

Our Verdict

We love the snappy neatness of this multi-device charging station, which is not just a great way to declutter your desk or bedside table, but a properly portable solution, too. It is a foldable, small-footprint charging station for iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods that can slip into your pocket but also look like a premium desk-based product when unfolded.

Price When Reviewed

$119.99

Best Prices Today: Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charging Station

Retailer
Price
Journey
$119.99
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Price comparison from Backmarket

If you own not just an Apple iPhone but AirPods and Apple Watch too, a 3-in-1 multi-device charger will keep your desk free of snaking cables and three different chargers requiring power.

One charging station means one power supply, ridding your workspace or bedside table of too many cables and chargers looking for power sockets.

We’ve reviewed the best iPhone chargers and best Apple Watch chargers, but some can tackle the charging demands of both, as well as taking on AirPods charging case.

Journey makes some of our favorite Apple accessories, and its SWIV 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station is a great solution for not just multi-device charging but also what you take on your travels.

Performance

The SWIV 3-in-1 is certified for Apple Watch, so can fast-charge any Apple Watch (Series 7 or later) at 3W. It’s MagSafe-compatible for the iPhone side, which means it can charge at 7.5W rather than the certified Made for MagSafe 15W.

MagSafe works with the iPhone 12 and later (but not the SE). The Qi charging pad is rated at 3W for Apple AirPods (2nd and 3rd generation AirPods, and all AirPods Pro).

Journey SWIV charger closed

Journey

Design

While there are faster and more flexible 3-in-1 charging stations, such as the Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe and OtterBox 3-in-1 Charging Station with MagSafe, neither is portable like the Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station is.

The SWIV can be laid flat to take on all its charging duties but is also easily folded for transit. The MagSafe pad folds back onto the Watch charging module and magnetically snaps shut.

It’s a really neat design and the best travel-friendly folding charger that we’ve tested.

You can place your Apple Watch in Nightstand mode or flat on the base as the charging module can flip up to your preference.

Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station

Journey

It’s made of aluminum with a vegan leather material base and has a small-footprint design—taking up less space on your desk than an iPhone Pro: 8.3 x 2.9 x 0.5 inches (21 x 7.4 x 1.3cm) when open, and 5.2 x 2.9 x 1 inches (13.3 x 7.4 x 2.5cm) closed. It weighs just 5.2oz (147g), and is available in just one color: white

It doesn’t ship with a power adapter, so you’ll need at least a 20W USB-C charger, though Journey does supply a 5-foot (1.5m) USB-C cable.

ESR’s HaloLock 3-in-1 Travel Wireless Charging Set is also great for portability in a smart case, but it doesn’t offer fast charging for the Watch and comes in multiple parts, unlike the one-piece Journey SWIV. The 2-in-1 Zens MagSafe + Watch travel charger is more portable but not a Watch fast charger—and can’t handle an AirPods case at the same time. We have reviewed more products in our roundups of the best MagSafe chargers and best Apple Watch chargers.

Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station flat flipped

Journey

Price & availability

The Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station costs $119.99/£89.99/€112,95 and is available directly from Journey (U.S./U.K./CA/AU/E.U.).

Should you buy the Journey SWIV 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station?

We love the neatness of this multi-device charging station, which is not just a great way to declutter your desk or bedside table by removing multiple cables and wall chargers, but a properly portable solution, too. It is a foldable, small-footprint charging station for an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods that can slip into your pocket but also look like a premium desk-based product when unfolded.

Accessories, Mobile Phone Accessories, Power
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2146632/journey-swiv-3-in-1-wireless-charging-station-review.html 2146632 iPhone 16 Pro leak could point to a big battery breakthrough Tue, 21 Nov 2023 12:15:00 +0000 Macworld

The iPhone 16 Pro is still many months away, but parts are already starting to leak. The first comes from Kosutami on X (formerly Twitter), who has shared images of a battery from an early-stage iPhone 16 Pro prototype.

The battery is unique in several ways. For one, it has a frosted metal shell instead of a glossy black foil shell as used in prior models. That’s presumably to help with heat dispersion and has been used on the Apple Watch since the Series 7. Earlier this month, Kosutami reported that Apple was “actively working on graphene thermal system of iPhone 16 Series to solve the heating problem” and would adopt a metal battery casing “for the same reason.”

Additionally, there is a “redesigned connector” as well as a fractionally larger capacity. The image shows a battery with a 3,355mAh capacity, which is slightly bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro’s 3,274mAh battery. 

The iPhone 16 Pro could yet have significantly better battery life, however; there have been reports that Apple is working on new battery and thermal tech to help iPhones last longer. It’s impossible to tell from these photos whether any of that is at play here, but the leak certainly suggests big changes are coming to the iPhone 16 Pro’s battery. The new casing coupled with the new connector indicates that Apple is exploring new ways to increase battery efficiency.

The iPhone 16 isn’t due to arrive until September 2024, so many things could change between now and then. Follow along with all the rumors through next year in our iPhone 16 roundup.

iPhone
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2147100/iphone-16-pro-battery-casing-connector-leak.html 2147100 Best early Black Friday MacBook deals Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:50:27 +0000 Macworld

Black Friday, the biggest shopping event of the year, takes place on Friday November 24, 2023. If are looking for a great deal on a new MacBook Pro or MacBook Air you have come to the right place as we will share the best deals below.

We check all the best resellers in the U.S. and the U.K. every month, so we always have our fingers on the pulse of the best deals you can and could get – which means we know exactly what the best MacBook deals are. We have already seen some great deals and we share them below so you can get an idea of what to expect around Black Friday 2023.

But you don’t have to wait until Black Friday: in this article, you will also find the best prices for MacBooks that are available right now. So if it’s a MacBook Air you are after you can jump to that section, or if you’re looking for a 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro you’ll find specific deals in the section below.

We also have some shopping tips that should help you get the best deals available on Black Friday. If you would like to buy an iMac, Mac mini or Mac Studio check out our round-up of the Best Black Friday Mac deals for the best desktop discounts.

Our bargain hunters have hand-picked the best MacBook deals currently available as the Black Friday season approaches., read on to find ut how much you can save.

Black Friday: Apple’s Mac deal

Each year Apple holds a Black Friday four-day shopping event, but rather than offering discounts it just gives gift vouchers for certain products. In 2023 you can get gift cards for the following amounts with the following Mac purchases made on Apple’s U.S. site or Apple’s U.K. site.

15-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip$200£160
13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip$175£140
13-inch MacBook Air with M1 chip$150£120
Mac mini$100£80

Best Black Friday MacBook Air deals

There are already some great deals on the MacBook Air, but prices could drop even further around Black Friday.

U.S.

U.K.

Best Black Friday MacBook Pro deals

We are already seeing discounts on the newest MacBook Pro models.

U.S.

U.K.

The MacBook Pro has recently been updated to the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max and in the U.K. these models are already being discounted. There are also some discounts to be had on the older M2-series models.

For more deals take a look at our Best MacBook Pro deals and latest MacBook Air deals round-ups.

Black Friday shopping tips

  • We tend to find that the best savings are on older models.
  • Check the generation of the model that is discounted to make sure you know exactly what you are buying and what it’s really worth.
  • We’ve seen resellers switch to selling refurbished or used when the stock of brand-new models run out, so check that the model discounted isn’t actually a used Mac and therefore not as good a deal as it might look.
  • That’s not to say you should avoid refurb models – you just need to make sure that you aren’t buying refurb without knowing.
  • Mac deals aren’t limited to Black Friday. We see good deals all year round, so don’t feel pressured into buying during Black Friday.

Black Friday 2023: More Apple deals

Stay on top of the best Black Friday deals as they arrive with our dedicated roundups.

Best Black Friday 2023 Apple deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Mac deals

Best Black Friday 2023 AirPods deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Apple Watch deals

Best Black Friday 2023 iPad deals

Best Black Friday 2023 iPhone deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Apple TV deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Mac monitor deals

Best Black Friday 2023 SSD and external hard drive deals

Best resellers for Black Friday deals

Look out for the best deals over the Black Friday week, but many resellers are already offering Black Friday discounts.

U.S.

Adorama is advertising Holiday Deals.

Amazon has Holiday Deals.

Best Buy’s Black Friday sale has started.

B&H Photo has a Holiday Head Start sale.

Walmart’s Black Friday deals have already started.

U.K.

  • KRCS has already reduced Mac prices by 10%.
  • AO.com has various Black Friday savings.
  • Laptops Direct’s Black Friday sale has started.
  • eBuyer has a Black Friday Early Access Sale with up to 45% off.
  • Very‘s Black Friday sales is underway.
  • John Lewis is running Black Friday deals.
  • Currys has up to 40% off for Black Friday.
  • Argos has a price promise that the prices won’t go any lower for Black Friday.
  • Amazon’s Black Friday week starts on 17 November.
MacBook
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/1373543/best-macbook-early-black-friday-deals-2023.html 1373543 Apple finally does the right thing. Please, hold your applause Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:30:00 +0000 Macworld

Who says Apple doesn’t listen? Who says it doesn’t change its mind? Who says it can learn to do the right thing?

Was it Gary? Dang it, Gary. We talked about this.

Despite the company’s reputation to the contrary, Apple changed course not once but twice in the last week. Meaning that it has fulfilled its changing-its-mind quota for the current 12 months. Do not look for Apple to change its mind again until November 2024.

Yes, surprising many last week, Apple announced out of the blue (bubble) that it would be implementing RCS messaging in Messages next year. Before you ask, RCS message bubbles will be green, just like SMS and MMS messages. Your dreams of a rainbow coalition of bubbles will have to wait for another day.

But that wasn’t the only thing the company did.

“Apple to pause advertising on X after Musk backs antisemitic post”

After whatever Faustian bargain Tim Cook struck in his meeting with Elon Musk a year ago, Apple had continued to advertise on Musk’s home for the criminally gross, having its ads placed next to fine products like monkey wax and disposable pants. Musk’s latest bon mots caused an outcry from many corners, including a brief email-writing campaign directed at Cook.

The Macalope is just going to say it: Elon Musk is a bad person. The horny one knows a lot of people really don’t want to believe that, but it’s true.

“But he does the space stuff! Maybe he’s just complicated.”

Macalope

IDG

No, he’s not complicated. He’s just awful. Look, the Macalope loves space. It’s his second favorite place after Earth. But even Musk’s space business is quite bad!

“A SpaceX Worker Died and They Kept It a Secret”

Musk has not apologized for the comments that led advertisers to flee Twitter like rats leaving a sinking, antisemitic ship. He only haughtily assured everyone that he was not antisemitic.

See, he’s not antisemitic, he just happens to like and voice agreement with posts that are antisemitic. Okay? Understand now? So simple.

It is good that Apple changed its mind on these two issues. But let’s not clap the company on the back too hard. Or, really, at all.

Both of these course corrections came way later than they should have and only happened because of pressure. Upcoming EU legislation was likely what caused Apple to finally commit to RCS. RCS isn’t perfect, of course, but now that Apple’s on board, it says it’s going to work to have end-to-end encryption included in the standard. That’s a win for everyone.

It could have done that earlier.

Apple’s pullback from advertising on Musk’s playground for petulant incels only came after IBM pulled ads. When you’re beaten by the company that sold technology to the Nazis during World War II and then only call it a “pause” to advertising, you don’t really deserve a lot of accolades for finally doing the right thing. This stinks of putting a hold on ads until things blow over.

The Macalope isn’t sure how antisemitism “blows over”, particularly when the person committing the antisemitism insists he’s not. It’s going to be a real disappointment if Apple quietly starts ads up again in a few weeks without anything at all having fundamentally changed.

Ultimately we can say Apple did the right thing in both these instances. We can also ask the company to do better.

iOS
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2147031/dont-give-apple-too-much-credit-for-doing-the-right-thing.html 2147031 iPhone comparison chart: Every iPhone compared Tue, 21 Nov 2023 10:19:10 +0000 Macworld

Picking out an iPhone used to be easier—just get the newest one with all the storage you can afford. We still recommend buying as much storage as you can afford, but the choice of which iPhone isn’t quite so simple. Apple currently sells eight iPhone models, four of which launched in fall 2023, two in fall 2022, one in spring 2022, and one in 2021. Plus you can still buy older refurbished models from the Apple Refurbished Store and elsewhere. Apple offers all this choice because, quite simply, different people have different priorities.

Apple’s latest iPhone lineup includes the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, which it sells alongside the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 13, and iPhone SE (3rd gen). The best iPhone depends on your own personal preferences, so it’s not necessarily the case that the number one iPhone is the one you should buy. This group test of all the iPhones Apple sells should give you a good idea of which iPhone will suit you, and whether you can save money or if it would be worth spending more.

For more help choosing the iPhone for you read our Buying Guide where we explain how each iPhone is different in terms of price, specs and features, cameras, screens, and durability. See: Which iPhone should I get?

Want to buy a new iPhone 15? Don’t pay more than you need to! We have also collected the best deals for the iPhone 15-series in the U.K. and the best deals for the iPhone 15-series in the U.S. in separate articles. You can also find out all about the new features in the iPhone 15 series in our guide: Best new iPhone 15 features.

iPhone specs compared

Apple sells four current-generation model iPhones: the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. You can also buy the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 13, iPhone SE (3rd gen). Unfortunately, the iPhone 13 mini is no longer available. Here’s how their most important specs compare, but remember, specs aren’t everything! We’ve put these in price order, so scroll across to find the phone you are after.

iPhone SE (3)iPhone 13iPhone 14iPhone 14 PlusiPhone 15iPhone 15 PlusiPhone 15 ProiPhone 15 Pro Max
Current price$429/£429$599/£599$699/£699$799/£799$799/£799$899/£899$999/£999$1,199/£1,199
Screen size4.7″6.1″6.1″6.7″6.1″6.7″6.1″6.7″
Size (H x W x D)5.45″ x 2.65″ x 0.29″5.78″ x 2.82″ x 0.30″5.78″ x 2.82″ x 0.31″6.33″ x 3.07″ x 0.31″5.81″ x 2.82″ x 0.31″6.33″ x 3.06″ x 0.31″5.77″ x 2.78″ x 0.32″6.29″ x 3.02″ x 0.32″
Weight5.09 oz6.14 oz6.07 oz7.16 oz6.02 oz7.09 oz6.60 oz7.81 oz
ColorsStarlight, midnight, redPink, blue, midnight, starlight, redBlue, purple, midnight, starlight, redBlue, purple, midnight, starlight, redPink, yellow, green, blue, blackPink, yellow, green, blue, blackNatural, blue, white, blackNatural, blue, white, black
DisplayLCD (326 ppi)OLED with HDR (460 ppi)OLED with HDR (460 ppi)OLED with HDR (458 ppi)OLED with HDR (460 ppi)
2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)		OLED with HDR
(460 ppi)
2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)		OLED with HDR (460 ppi), ProMotion 120Hz
2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)		OLED with HDR (460 ppi), ProMotion, 120Hz
2000 nits peak brightness (outdoor)
ProcessorA15 Bionic (4-core GPU)A15 Bionic (4-core GPU)A15 Bionic (5-core GPU)A15 Bionic (5-core GPU)A16 Bionic (5-core GPU)A16 Bionic (5-core GPU)A17 Pro (6-core GPU)A17 Pro (6-core GPU)
Storage64/128/256GB128/256/512GB128/256/512GB128/256/512GB128/256/512GB128/256/512GB256/512GB/1TB256/512GB/1TB
AuthenticationTouch IDFace IDFace IDFace IDFace IDFace IDFace IDFace ID
Rear Camera12MP f/1.8 Wide camera12MP f/1.6 Wide camera,
12MP f/2.4 Ultra Wide camera		12MP f/1.5 Wide camera,
12MP f/2.4 Ultra Wide camera		12MP f/1.5 Wide camera,
12MP f/2.4 Ultra Wide camera		48MP f/1.6 Wide camera,
12MP f/2.4 Ultra Wide camera		48MP f/1.6 Wide camera,
12MP f/2.4 Ultra Wide camera		48MP f/1.78 Wide camera,
12MP f/2.2 Ultra Wide camera (macro),
12MP f/2.8 Telephoto (3x)		48MP f/1.78 Wide camera,
12MP f/2.2 Ultra Wide camera (macro),
12MP f/2.8 Telephoto (5x)
Front Camera7MP f/2.2 camera, 1080p12MP f/2.2 camera, 4K HDR12MP f/1.9 camera, 4K HDR12MP f/1.9 camera, 4K HDR12MP f/1.9 camera, 4K HDR12MP f/1.9 camera, 4K HDR12MP f/1.9 camera, 4K HDR12MP f/1.9 camera, 4K HDR
Battery capacity1,821mAh3240mAh3,279 mAh4,325 mAhTBCTBCTBCTBC
Wireless features5G (sub-6 only), Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0,
NFC		5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0,
NFC, Ultra Wideband		5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0,
NFC, Ultra Wideband		5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0,
NFC, Ultra Wideband		5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3,
NFC, 2nd-gen Ultra Wideband		5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3,
NFC, 2nd-gen Ultra Wideband		5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3,
NFC, 2nd-gen Ultra Wideband		5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3,
NFC, 2nd-gen Ultra Wideband
PortLightningLightningLightningLightningUSB-CUSB-CUSB-CUSB-C
MagSafeNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
All the iPhones currently sold by Apple

1. iPhone 15 Pro – Best new iPhone

iPhone 15 Pro - Best new iPhone

Pros

  • Customizable Action Button
  • Powerful A17 Pro chip
  • USB-C port with support for USB 3 and DisplayPort
  • Camera improvements over predecessor

Cons

  • Boring color options
  • Some features are waiting on software updates
Price When Reviewed: $999
Best Prices Today: $999.99 at Best Buy

The iPhone 15 Pro is made from titanium rather than stainless steel, a first for the iPhone line. Titanium is stronger and lighter than stainless steel, and unsurprisingly the iPhone 15 Pro is 9% lighter than its predecessor at 6.60oz compared to 7.27oz. There are four shades to choose from: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, and Natural Titanium. You’ll still need a case though as that titanium is still covered in glass, see: Best iPhone cases.

Also bringing the weight down is the slight reduction in the size of the handset, made possible because Apple has reduced the size of the bezels around the display.

Another new feature is the Action Button, which replaces the mute switch on the side of the Pro iPhones. When ‘pressed’ you get a haptic response and the Dynamic Island animates. It’s customizable so it can be set to quickly perform complex actions, launch any apps, launch the camera, start a voice recording, and so on. 

Inside the iPhone 15 Pro is the A17 Pro processor. This is the first 3nm chip to appear in a consumer device. Apple claims that the two high-performance CPU cores are “10 percent faster”, the four high-efficiency cores are “faster”, the 6-core GPU (there were 5-cores in the 14 Pro) offers “20% faster peak performance and better energy efficiency”, and the Neural Engine is “up to twice as fast”.

Estimated battery life is the same as the iPhone 14 Pro at up to 23 hours of video playback and fast-charge is still 50% in 30 minutes when plugged into a 20W adapter. Speaking of charging, you will be able to charge an Apple Watch or a set of 2nd-gen AirPods Pro by plugging them into your phone, aka reverse charging. 

Another big difference for 2023 is that the iPhone 15-series replaces the Lightning port with USB-C. This brings a number of benefits, particularly to the the Pro models, which gain a faster USB 3 connection offering up to 10 Gbps of bandwidth. The new ports also have DisplayPort support, so they all can output video at up to 4K/60Hz to an external display.

The iPhone 15 Pro also offers Wi-Fi 6E, while the standard iPhone 15 sticks with Wi-Fi 6, like the iPhone 14 range. The 15 Pro models are also the only ones to gain the low-power home networking mesh networking technology Thread. All 2023 iPhones also get the second-generation U2 Ultra Wideband chip that is more accurate at a greater distance. 

As for the camera, on paper, it doesn’t look like a huge generational difference, but in reality, the 48MP main camera on the newer iPhone is larger than the predecessor’s (and larger than the new 48MP camera on the iPhone 15). Like the iPhone 15, the Pro model shoots a new default 24MP HEIF image. This 24MP mode can use different areas of the image sensor to produce three different zoom levels: equivalent to 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm lenses. The telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro is an improved 12MP camera, still with a 3x zoom (or 77mm equivalent).

Read our full Apple iPhone 15 Pro review

2. iPhone 15 Pro Max – Best for photography features

iPhone 15 Pro Max - Best for photography features

Pros

  • 5x optical zoom and other camera improvements
  • Smaller and lighter
  • Action Button

Cons

  • May be too big for some users
  • Some features require software updates and are not yet available
Price When Reviewed: 1,199
Best Prices Today: $1,199.99 at Amazon$1199.99 at Best Buy$1249 at Walmart

Apple’s Pro Max iPhones are generally a larger version of the standard Pro model, but sometimes they offer a few extra features, and for 2023 the Pro Max model is much more than a big iPhone 15 Pro thanks to some new camera tech including a 5X zoom on the telephoto camera. 

Like the Pro model, the iPhone 15 Pro Max features a titanium exterior (covered in glass) that comes in the same four shades: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, and Natural Titanium. Like the standard Pro model, the 15 Pro Max is smaller, thanks to the reduced bezels, and lighter than its predecessor at 7.81oz rather than 8.47oz.

Both Pro models also offer the same A17 Pro processor, Apple’s first 3nm chip. Apple makes some strong claims about it, as you can see from the iPhone 15 Pro details above. The GPU in both of 2023’s pro iPhones is up from 5 to 6 cores, compared to 2022’s equivalents, and uses a new shader architecture. There are new graphics features like mesh shading and it offers hardware ray tracing acceleration, which Apple claims is the fastest in any smartphone and up to four times faster than software ray tracing. Apple has incorporated a hardware AV1 decoder for the first time. 

The iPhone 15 Pro Max gets a new “tetra prism” periscope lens that bounces light four times internally for a longer focal length: 120mm, or a 5x zoom. This is a big increase over the 3x/77mm telephoto camera on the iPhone 15 Pro. The digital zoom also increases from 15X to 25X.

The new ultra-wide camera, in both of the pro iPhones, gets a new anti-glare lens coating and better night mode quality.

Both of 2023’s Pro models feature the Action Button, which replaces the mute switch. The button is customizable so it can be used to perform complex actions, launch any apps, launch the camera, or start a voice recording. 

Read our full Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max review

3. Apple iPhone 15 – Cheapest new iPhone

Apple iPhone 15 - Cheapest new iPhone

Pros

  • Good value for money
  • Much better camera
  • Cheaper than the iPhone 14 was in 2022

Cons

  • No Always-On Display
  • No Pro Motion
Price When Reviewed: From $799
Best Prices Today: $829.99 at Best Buy

While the standard iPhone 15 model doesn’t get all the bells and whistles of the Pro models, it does offer some great new features in comparison to 2022’s iPhone 14. 

First up is the Dynamic Island, the breakthrough feature of the iPhone 14 Pro and Max which transforms the notch into something a little more useful. The iPhone 15 doesn’t get the other features of the iPhone 14 Pro though: there’s no ProMotion and no Always-On display, for example. 

The camera for the iPhone 15 is also better than the predecessor’s. It gains a dual-lens rear camera with 48MP f/1.6 Main, 12MP f/2.4 Ultra Wide; and up to 2X optical zoom. That’s compared to the 12MP Main with ƒ/1.5 aperture in the iPhone 14. Like all the 2023 iPhones it also gains Smart HDR 5. 

This year’s colors: black, blue, green, yellow, and pink are a bit more muted than the bolder blue, purple, yellow, midnight, starlight, and Product Red of 2022.

Where the iPhone 15 Pro models are smaller, due to reduced bezels, the iPhone 15 is actually a tiny bit taller than the iPhone 14 at 5.81in (147.6cm) compared to 5,78in (146.7mm). It also weighs a fraction more than the predecessor did. 

All the 2023 iPhones offer a USB-C port where the Lightning port once was. It seems the USB-C port on the Pro models offers some more pro features though, for example, the USB-C on the iPhone 15 supports USB 2 while the same port on the iPhone 15 Pro supports USB 3 up to 10GB/s. 

The iPhone 15 gets the processor of the iPhone 14 Pro, the A16 Bionic. It has a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU and should offer a nice boost compared to that in the iPhone 14. 

All this and the iPhone 15 starts at $100/$100 less than the iPhone 14 did in 2023. The iPhone 14 was $829/£849 at launch, the iPhone 15 is $799/£799.

4. Apple iPhone 15 Plus – Get a big iPhone for less

Apple iPhone 15 Plus - Get a big iPhone for less

Pros

  • Lower price than the 2022 Plus started at
  • A16 Bionic
  • Lighter than the Pro Max model

Cons

  • No Always-On Display
  • No Pro Motion
Price When Reviewed: $899
Best Prices Today: $929.99 at Best Buy

The iPhone 15 Plus is essentially a larger version of the iPhone 15 and it shares the same features,  including the new USB-C port and A16 Bionic chip with 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU). 

It has a 6.7-inch display like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, but is actually slightly larger than the pro variant. Despite this, it’s lighter than the Pro Max at 7.09oz rather than 7.81oz, and is also lighter than the 2022 Plus model was. 

The Pro Max is the superior phone with its “tetra prism” periscope lens, 5x zoom, and other features, but the iPhone 15 Plus does at least get an improved camera compared to the previous generation, with a new 48MP main camera with a ƒ/1.6 aperture compared to the 14 Plus’s 12MP, ƒ/1.5 aperture. It also offers Smart HDR 5. 

Like the iPhone 15, the Plus gets the Dynamic Island, which transforms the notch into something a little more useful. You won’t find the other features of the iPhone 14 Pro though: there’s no ProMotion and no Always-On display. 

The price is better for 2023. The iPhone 14 Plus started at $929 / £949 but the iPhone 15 Plus will start at $899/£899. 

Read our full Apple iPhone 15 Plus (128GB) review

5. Apple iPhone 13 – A good value option

Apple iPhone 13 - A good value option

Pros

  • Same generation processor as the iPhone 14
  • Can get more storage for your money

Cons

  • Lacks Action Mode
  • Lacks the camera improvements of the iPhone 14
Price When Reviewed: Now $599
Best Prices Today: $629.00 at Amazon$729 at Apple$816 at Visible

The iPhone 13 costs $100/£100 less than the iPhone 14 and $200/£200 less than the iPhone 15. If you want to buy a new iPhone this two-year-old model is still a good option.

For many spending the extra money to get a newer iPhone with more features will make sense. However, there are reasons to choose the iPhone 13 over the iPhone 14.

The key reason, we feel, is that the extra money spent on the iPhone 14 could be spent on increasing the storage in the iPhone 13. The iPhone 14 costs $699/£699 with 128GB storage, but you could get an iPhone 13 with 256GB storage for $699/£699. There is certainly an argument for getting the maximum amount of storage you can afford – especially if the phone you are upgrading from has more storage.

There are many ways in which the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 are similar, in fact visually there is little to tell the 13 and 14 apart (which means that at a glance nobody will know you have last year’s phone. You might even prefer the deeper colors of the 2021 iPhone in contrast to the muted shades for 2022. Where the iPhone 14 and 13 have a small notch at the top of the screen, the iPhone 15 has the Dynamic Island, so it’s more obviously a new phone.

If you are looking to upgrade from an older iPhone, but don’t have the cash for the iPhone 15, the main point is you won’t be sacrificing as much as you would have in previous years in choosing the iPhone 13 over the iPhone 14. So if you want to save your money you can confidently do so.

Read our full Apple iPhone 13 review

6. Apple iPhone SE (2022) – The smallest iPhone and it has a Home button

Apple iPhone SE (2022) - The smallest iPhone and it has a Home button

Pros

  • A15 chip
  • Cheapest iPhone

Cons

  • Old, mediocre quality cameras
  • Dated display with huge bezels
  • No mmWave support
  • Disappointing battery life
Price When Reviewed: $429 (64GB) | $479 (128GB) | $579 (256GB)
Best Prices Today: $424.71 at Amazon$429 at Apple$437.57 at Walmart

Since the iPhone 13 mini has been discontinued, the iPhone SE is now the only small iPhone sold by Apple. It’s a similar size to what the iPhone 8 was, so if that’s the iPhone size that’s right for you then this is the iPhone to consider – although we’d suggest an iPhone with a 6.1-inch screen (the iPhone 13, 14 or 15) would be preferable (the screen is larger, but the iPhone isn’t a lot bigger).

However, there’s one other important reason why for some people the iPhone SE is a good choice. Anyone who feels that they need the Home button will probably feel lost with any iPhone other than the iPhone SE. While most of us can adjust to Face ID and swiping rather than pressing a button, some benefit from the accessibility of a physical button, and there is no doubt that is the reason why Apple still sells an iPhone with a button (although we don’t know for how much longer that will be the case). There is a way to add a software Home button to any iPhone though. Read: How to add a software Home button.

The other reason to choose the iPhone SE is (2022) that it is Apple’s cheapest iPhone you can buy new. It now costs $429/£429. (Although that is more than the older generations cost – at one point the iPhone SE cost $399. Just make sure you aren’t buying one of the older iPhone SE models: this is the third-generation iPhone SE, the first arrived in 2016 and the second in 2020!

While we don’t really recommend buying the iPhone SE, if you need that Home button–and we know some older folk who are concerned about not having that button–it’s the only available option.

Read our full Apple iPhone SE (2022) review

7. iPhone 14 Plus – Big phone, lower price

iPhone 14 Plus - Big phone, lower price

Pros

  • Large format at a lower price
  • Great battery life

Cons

  • No Dynamic Island
  • No always-on display
Price When Reviewed: Now $799
Best Prices Today: $899 at Apple$979 at Walmart

When it was introduced as a brand new model in 2022, the iPhone 14 Plus rocked the boat a bit because it meant that people who might have chosen the iPhone 14 Pro Max, because they wanted a big iPhone, now had a choice. They could save a decent amount of money and purchase a new iPhone with standard features. Or, to look at it another way, they could save money and get more storage by choosing a 512GB iPhone 14 Plus over a 256GB iPhone 14 Pro Max. For some, more storage will trump additional Pro features.

Now Apple has dropped the price of the iPhone 14 Plus to $799/£799 from $929/£949, and slotted it in below the iPhone 15 Plus at $899/£899. It’s a decent saving if you opt for the older model, or you could get double the storage on the iPhone 14 Plus for the same price as the 128GB 15 Plus.

There are a whole lot of reasons why the iPhone 15 Plus is a better choice if you don’t need that extra storage (and you might not if you use pay for iCloud). The camera is better, there’s the Dynamic Island, and you’ll get a better processor. But if you want to save money and you want a big iPhone, the iPhone 14 Plus is a good choice.

Read our full Apple iPhone 14 Plus review

8. iPhone 14 – Good enough

iPhone 14 - Good enough

Pros

  • Action Mode is a benefit over the iPhone 13

Cons

  • No Dynamic Island or always-on display
  • Few changes as compared to the iPhone 13
Price When Reviewed: Now $699 (128GB) | $799 (256GB) | $999 (512GB)
Best Prices Today: $729.00 at Apple$729.99 at Best Buy$829 at Visible

It’s been a few years since Apple last introduced an S iPhone, but the iPhone 14 could just as easily have been called the iPhone 13s. Rather than upgrading the processor to the A16 Bionic, as seen in the iPhone 14 Pro (and Max), the iPhone 14 (and Plus) instead features the A15 Bionic, albeit the variant from the iPhone 13 Pro, which means it has an extra graphics core compared to the iPhone 13, which is still on sale.

The fact that the iPhone 13 is still on sale, and similar in so many ways, is the biggest challenge facing the iPhone 14. If you are looking for a cheaper iPhone upgrade there are two very similar iPhones: one of which will save you $100/£100.

But there are some features offered by the iPhone 14 that might justify the extra $100/£100 if they appeal to you. The cameras are by far the biggest difference between the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13–the newer model includes a faster aperture (ƒ/1.5 rather than ƒ/1.6) and a larger sensor on the main camera to bring better overall performance and improvements in low-light shooting. The iPhone 14 also benefits from a new Photonic Engine computational system that helps capture more detail in challenging light and aids features such as Foreground Blur. This isn’t just about getting better low-light photos – you don’t have to hold the iPhone still for as long, which is a real bonus.

The Action Mode is another bonus feature that makes the iPhone 14 a better phone than the iPhone 13. Action Mode means you can video while walking, or even running and get a steady result. It’s a fun feature that people will probably take advantage of. The selfie camera on the front is also improved on the iPhone 14, with a bigger aperture and autofocus.

There are other features that the iPhone 14 offers and the iPhone 13 lacks, such as the Crash Detection feature. If you are in such a situation then you’ll probably be glad to have the 14.

As for how the iPhone 14 compares to the iPhone 15, which also costs just $100/£100 more, the newer iPhone offers a lot for that extra money, including a superior 48MP camera, USB-C port, Dynamic Island, and the A16 Bionic chip. There’s not really a good reason to save money and get the iPhone 14 rather than the iPhone 15, especially when you could save even more and opt for the iPhone 13.

Read our full Apple iPhone 14 review

That’s the low down on every iPhone Apple sells as of the end of 2023, but there are a few iPhones that Apple no longer sells, but are worth considering should you see them on sale. Also read our Best iPhone Deals to get a good price on all iPhones at stockists near you.

Best iPhones Apple doesn’t sell anymore

If you are lucky enough to see the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max on sale at a good price we still recommend these handsets. You may still be able to find the iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max, which would be superior to the iPhone 13 and similar to the iPhone 14. And if it’s a small iPhone you want, and you see an iPhone 13 mini at a good price, then it could be the iPhone for you.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Apple iPhone 14 Pro
Read our review
Price When Reviewed: Was $999
Best Prices Today: $859 at Walmart | $999 at Visible | $999.99 at Best Buy

The iPhone 14 Pro (and Max) gained the always-on display and Dynamic Island. Implementation of the always-on display is excellent and Dynamic Island a revelation.

Thanks to the always-on mode the time and date, lock screen widgets and notifications remain visible when your phone isn’t in use. Apple dims the screen significantly, but there is a small impact on battery life. If you place your iPhone screen down on a table, or leave the room while wearing a connected Apple Watch, the screen will turn off.

There are other improvements to the screen tech. The most significant: the iPhone 14 Pro can crank up to 2,000 nits in bright sunlight so you can see the screen on a sunny day.

There is a 48MP main wide-angle camera and an f/1.78 aperture. These combine with the new Photonic Engine to create better low-light photos. You can take 48MP shots if you shoot in ProRAW. There are improvements to macro photography (which can now also be used for video).

The front camera has a f/1.9 aperture (up from f/2.2) and autofocus (the same update is available on the iPhone 14). Video recording offers support for 4K at 30fps in Cinematic Mode and Action Mode that stabilizes video recorded on the move (also on iPhone 14).

The iPhone 14 Pro (and Max) got an A16 Bionic chip, which was a newer generation of chip than the A15 Bionic inside the iPhone 14. It’s the same chip as found in the iPhone 15. Our tests suggested that it’s not a huge leap up from the A15. In our battery tests the 14 Pro lasted an impressive 9 hours and 44 minutes, which was about half an hour longer than the iPhone 13 Pro. Apple claims 23 hours of battery life for the iPhone 13 Pro based on its own tests.

The iPhone 14 Pro, like the whole iPhone 14-series, can detect if you are in a car crash. There is also a satellite SOS feature, so your iPhone can contact the emergency services if there is no cellular service. That’s only available in the U.S. and Canada right now. In the U.S. the iPhone 14 series has no SIM tray, meaning that you’ll need an eSIM.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Read our review
Price When Reviewed: Was $1,099
Best Prices Today: $859 at Walmart | $999.99 at Best Buy

There’s a lot that’s the same when you consider the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, so many of the features of the iPhone 14 Pro Max are discussed in the section above including the always-on display, Dynamic Island, and the camera improvements. But there are some significant ways that the iPhone 14 Pro Max trumps the iPhone 14 Pro, such as battery life and the larger display. However, choosing between the two phones is really a matter of personal taste: for some the Max is too big, for others the Pro too small.

Like the iPhone 14 Pro, the Max offers an always-on screen. Having an always-on display will mean you can see the time and important notifications without waking the iPhone. There are some battery implications to this, but they aren’t huge – and the battery in the Max is huge: Apple indicates that you can expect 29 hours of video playback on the Max, while the Plus can achieve 26 hours in the same test. In our tests (Geekbench 4) the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s battery lasted 12 hours and 40 minutes–about an hour longer than the iPhone 13 Pro Max and much longer than the 14 Pro, which lasted 9 hours and 44 minutes. We haven’t yet tested the battery in the iPhone 14 Plus, but we know it to be the same 4,325 mAh battery as the Pro Max, so it is feasible that battery life, in our tests, could be even better since it lacks power guzzling features such as ProMotion and the Always-On display.

If you run out of battery all iPhones can take advantage of fast charge with a USB-C 20W power brick (which you’ll have to purchase separately). The larger phones take 35 minutes to charge to 50%, while the smaller phones take 30 minutes for the same – but obviously those batteries are smaller.

There are a variety of camera updates that the complete iPhone 14-series benefited from, including the ability to take 48MP photos – but this is now a feature of the iPhone 15 too. Note that the camera doesn’t take 48MP photos by default, only when in ProRAW mode. Also, 48MP photos take up a lot of space – so you’ll need an iPhone with as much memory as you can afford if you want to use the feature.

You do get more for your money with the iPhone 14 Pro Max: a larger phone has more room for a bigger battery, and the extra screen space is attractive to many. However, the bulk of the iPhone is off-putting for many and this is the most expensive handset Apple sells – especially if you need more than 128GB storage.

iPhone 13 Pro

iPhone 13 Pro
Read our review
Price When Reviewed: Was $999 (base model)
Best Prices Today: $984 at Visible | $999 at Apple | $999.00 at Amazon

The iPhone 13 Pro has the exact same camera as the iPhone 13 Max, so pick the size that suits you.

Compared to the regular iPhone 13, the Pro models also had a much larger sensor on the standard Wide camera, and a wider aperture, too (f/1.5 vs. f/1.6). They also had the telephoto camera that the regular iPhone 13 lacks, with a more useful 3x zoom instead of the 2x zoom found on older models. The Ultra-Wide camera had a wider aperture along with a 2-centimeter minimum focal distance, which allows you to take awesome macro shots.

iPhone 13 Pro Max

iPhone 13 Pro Max
Read our review
Price When Reviewed: Was $1,099 (base model)
Best Prices Today: $714 at Walmart | $936.86 at Amazon | $1080 at Visible

The iPhone 13 Pro Max had the fastest new A15 processor with 5 GPU cores instead of 4 on the standard iPhone 13. This extra core really comes into its own in high-end 3D games. While the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max have identical performance, the huge battery in the iPhone 13 Pro Max means epic battery life (and nothing drains your battery like gaming).

Apple iPhone 13 mini

Apple iPhone 13 mini
Read our review
Price When Reviewed: Was $599
Best Prices Today: $599 at Apple | $643.07 at Walmart | $720 at Visible

There is one more iPhone 13 generation model you may want to try to get your hands on. The iPhone 13 mini.

If you want a small iPhone, and some people do, the iPhone 13 mini is a great option, although now discontinued by Apple. The iPhone 13 mini has a 5.4-inch screen, which is bigger than the iPhone SE’s 4.7-inch screen, but the iPhone size isn’t all that different.

The iPhone 13 mini is the only small iPhone with Face ID and it also offers a lot that the iPhone SE lacks, such as better water resistance (the SE offers Water resistance to a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes while the iPhone 13 mini offers Water resistant to a depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes). The iPhone 13 mini features a Ceramic Shield front, which the iPhone SE lacks, so the glass on the front of the 13 mini should be less likely to smash the first time you drop it.

The iPhone 13 mini has a much better screen than the SE as well. It’s a Super Retina XDR display, that’s OLED and offers HDR. Resolution is 2,340-by-1,080-pixels at 476 ppi, there’s a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 800 nits max brightness (typical), 1200 nits peak brightness (HDR). In contrast, the SE has a Retina HD display that’s LCD with IPS technology, 1,334-by-750-pixel resolution at 326 ppi, 1400:1 contrast ratio, and just 625 nits max brightness (typical).

There’s a nice bunch of color finishes to choose from with the iPhone 13 mini: Green, Pink, Blue, Midnight, Starlight, Red. The SE only comes in Midnight, Starlight and Red.

One final, and key, reason to choose the iPhone 13 mini if you want a small iPhone is that the cameras are much better than those on the SE. The mini offers two cameras on the rear while the SE only offers one camera.

iPhone
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/228816/best-iphone-pro-mini-max.html 228816 Score these real-time translation earbuds for under $90 this Black Friday! Tue, 21 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000 Macworld

The internet may have made the world smaller metaphorically, but technology still hasn’t done much to help when it comes to people from different countries meeting IRL. That is, until the Mymanu CLIK S earbuds arrived.

Not only are these superior audio tech, but they can translate your speech into one of 37 languages, opening a whole new world of communication with over 2 billion people worldwide. Through December 3 and ahead of Black Friday, you can score these translation earbuds for only $89.97 (reg. $157)!

To translate, you simply pair the Mymanu CLIK S with the MyJuno app, speak clearly, and the earbuds will help you speak and write in Spanish, German, French, and other supported languages. This proprietary speech translation technology made the Mymanu CLIK S an honoree for the 2019 CES Innovation Award!

They’re compatible with Apple and Android, and can deliver up to 30 hours of hi-fi audio when you’re not making new friends. Plus, they’re designed to be comfortable, coming with various-sized memory foam ear tips for a custom fit, are water-resistant, and offer voice assistance from Siri or Google (depending on the device they’re paired with).

Enjoy early Black Friday savings on the award-winning Mymanu CLIK S Translation Earbuds, now just $89.97 through December 3 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. No coupon is necessary to score this exclusive offer!

 

Mymanu CLIK S: Award-Winning Translation Earbuds – $89.97

See Deal

Prices subject to change.

Accessories
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2147021/score-these-real-time-translation-earbuds-for-under-90-this-black-friday.html 2147021 Stop doom scrolling with Black Friday savings on Headway Premium, now under $50 Tue, 21 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000 Macworld

We all strive for professional and personal growth. But reading just one nonfiction book at a time to learn something new can be time-consuming. Want a way to learn new things in a fraction of the time? Then check out Headway Premium. Ahead of Black Friday, a lifetime subscription is now only $49.97 (reg. $299) until November 27.

Headway takes nonfiction bestsellers and condenses them into short, easily digestible summaries. Instead of spending hours on one title, you can just read or listen to 15-minute summaries to take away the author’s main concepts and ideas. From there, you decide whether the entire book is worth your time. If it’s not, you can move on to something else!

A summary on its own, of course, isn’t a good substitution for an entire book. But if you’re perusing several titles and aren’t sure which to read, Headway can help you choose the right one and save you time. 

To keep you motivated to learn, Headway offers widgets and streaks, and you’ll receive personalized, curated recommendations and relevant content depending on your interests. 

Get a head start on Black Friday when you grab a Headway Premium Lifetime Subscription for just $49.97 through November 27 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. No coupon is needed to score this exclusive deal!

 

Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription – $49.97

See Deal

Prices subject to change.

Accessories
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2147013/stop-doom-scrolling-with-black-friday-savings-on-headway-premium-now-under-50.html 2147013 If you’re looking for a new iPad, you won’t beat this incredible Black Friday deal Mon, 20 Nov 2023 22:55:42 +0000 Macworld

It might have an old chip and an old design, but Apple’s 9th-gen iPad is still a great tablet for $329, but it’s even better when it’s on sale. The sale price is usually $279, but Amazon is cutting the price even more for Black Friday: You can get the 64GB iPad for $230, a savings of $99 and the best price we’ve ever seen for this model.

The 9th-gen iPad has a 10.2-inch display, an A13 Bionic processor, and a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage. It’s the only iPad that still has Apple’s classic Home button design and a Lightning port, but it’s still one of the best tablets you can buy for kids, students, and anyone else looking for a lightweight tablet for games, movies, and work.

We’ll be tracking Apple sales all week, but we don’t think we’ll see an iPad deal better than this. So go grab one before it’s gone forever.

iPad
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2145041/the-ipad-has-never-been-this-cheap-and-youd-be-crazy-to-pass-it-up.html 2145041 Vision Pro might launch later than Apple hoped Mon, 20 Nov 2023 21:25:59 +0000 Macworld

Next year Apple will roll out its biggest product launch since the iPhone: Vision Pro, the company’s long-awaited entry to the mixed-reality hardware space. But even though the product has been officially unveiled, and we even know the launch price, Apple has yet to say when it will be released.

During the announcement at WWDC 2023, Apple told U.S. customers to expect Vision Pro “early next year,” which many pundits took to mean the spring; the company has often made major announcements at a dedicated event in March or April. (This would somewhat echo the launch of the very first Apple Watch, which was announced in September 2014 and then released in April the following year.) But five months on from WWDC, we still don’t have a clearer idea of when the launch will take place.

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, however, feels confident enough to make a prediction. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, the leaker-analyst makes the surprising claim that Apple originally intended “early” in 2024 to mean exactly that: at one point, he says, Vision Pro was slated for what would have been a January release.

While Apple has previously released new products in the first month of the year, as it did every year at the Macworld Conference and Expo back in the days when that ran, and as recently as 2023 when it introduced the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro in January, it would be unusual for Apple to release significant products in the first month of the year, that being a time when many consumers are still counting the cost of the holiday season. As previously mentioned Vision Pro is incredibly significant for the company’s long-term prospects. This is the platform that Cupertino hopes will one day replace the iPhone.

Mind you, the January launch plan, even assuming Gurman’s information is sound, is no longer happening. As a result of testing and distribution arrangements taking longer than originally expected, Vision Pro will now launch “sometime around March.” And we’re back to where we started.

So much for the U.S. launch, anyway. At WWDC Apple made it clear that Vision Pro will initially launch in the U.S. only, with other countries (so far not specified) set to follow “later next year.” In a July report Gurman did suggest that the Vision Pro could launch in Canada and the U.K. by the end of 2024, with Asia and other parts of Europe following “soon after”.

Virtual Reality
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2145968/vision-pro-set-to-arrive-march.html 2145968 Beats Studio Pro are over half off in this AirPods Max killer Black Friday deal Mon, 20 Nov 2023 19:23:35 +0000 Macworld

If you’re looking to buy over-the-ear headphones for your Apple device, you might be eyeing the AirPods Max. We don’t blame you—it’s got “AirPods” right in the name. But it’s not the best pair of cans Apple makes. That distinction belongs to the Beats Studio Pro, which do nearly everything the AirPods Max do (other than on-ear detection), sound better, and cost less. And they offer a lot of other great features too, like 3.5mm and USB-C audio input and a real carrying case.

Normally $349, they’re already a better buy than the $549 AirPods Max. And they’re often on sale—but never for this low.

Right now, Amazon has the Beats Studio Pro for just $169, which is over 50 percent off the retail price and the lowest price we’ve ever seen. And Best Buy has the same deal, if you’d rather purchase from there. We don’t expect an update to the AirPods Max until late next year at the earliest—and they’re unlikely to be any cheaper—so if you want an excellent pair of noise-cancelling headphones, grab this deal right now.

Retailer
Price
Amazon
$169.95
Best Buy
$169.99
Adorama
$349.95
Apple
$349.99
Apple
$349.99
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Beats Studio Pro Noise cancelling Headphone Bluetooth – Navy
$254.95
Price comparison from Backmarket

Beats Studio Pro

Beats Studio Pro
Read our review
Price When Reviewed: $349.99
Best Prices Today: $169.95 at Amazon | $169.99 at Best Buy | $349.95 at Adorama
Headphones
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2146771/beats-studio-pro-are-over-half-off-in-this-airpods-max-killer-black-friday-deal.html 2146771 If you’re waiting for a 5G MacBook, it’s coming–but not for a while Mon, 20 Nov 2023 19:17:31 +0000 Macworld

MacBooks are great portable computers, but they lack one key feature for true, on-the-road usability: cellular connectivity. That may change in a future MacBook—but it’s going to take a while.

In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman provides a progress report about Apple’s in-house chip development. One major project Apple has been working on is its own cellular modem, which has been in the works for some time. Gurman reports that the modem could be ready by 2026, but it will take “two or three additional years” for it to be used in the iPad and Apple Watch (both of which can be bought with Qualcomm modems), and yes, the Mac.

If the modem is ready in 2026, why so long for it to be used in the Mac? Gurman says Apple needs that time to figure out how to integrate the modem into the System on a Chip–a.k.a. the M-series chip at the heart of every Mac.

Speaking of the SoC, Gurman mentions that Apple will eventually create chips using a 2-nanometer process, but no timeline is provided. The M3, which Apple uses in the new iMac and MacBook Pro that just started shipping less than two weeks ago, is made with the 3nm process, a process that we’ll likely see for a couple of generations, at least.

A cellular-equipped MacBook would be a boon for users, especially those who often work on location. Public Wi-Fi isn’t reliable and often not secure–if Wi-Fi is available at all. (Gurman also reported that Apple is working on its own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip.) Lots of MacBook users resort to using their iPhone as a hotspot, which means battery life is being expended by two devices. Alas, it looks like those solutions will be it for now and we’ll have to wait until the end of this decade to see what cellular connectivity looks like on the Mac.

MacBook
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/2146450/5g-cellular-connectivity-mac-modem.html 2146450 Master the macOS command line: How to delete files and folders using Terminal Mon, 20 Nov 2023 18:00:00 +0000 Macworld

When it comes to quickly taking care of daily tasks, the command line can be both powerful and dangerous. Take the commands in this article as an example: the rm command allows you to remove (or delete) files. The rmdir command does the same to directories (also known as folders). But be careful: Unlike when you move files to the Trash from the Finder, there’s no way to get them back if you use these commands.

Still, if you want to tap into Terminal’s powers in macOS Sonoma or older versions, this is a command you can’t overlook. I’ll show you how to add a safeguard to ensure that you only delete files you really want to delete.

Why bother deleting files with the command line?

Deleting files with the Finder isn’t too difficult, plus you can always fish files out of the Trash if you change your mind. So why bother using the command line? Here are some reasons:

  • You can use wildcards to delete multiple files quickly and efficiently.
  • You can remove files from the Trash when you encounter stubborn errors.
  • You can delete files that are hidden in the Finder. These files, which can contain settings for certain apps or parts of macOS, contain a dot (.) before their names and the Finder doesn’t show them.
  • If you’ve lost access to the Finder because your Mac is on the blink, you might be able to use the command line to troubleshoot the problem.

How to delete files

It’s dangerously easy to delete files with the rm command. Here’s an example. After you launch Terminal (in your /Applications/Utilities folder) type cd ~/Desktop to navigate to the Desktop directory. To delete a file on the Desktop, type rm filename, replacing filename with the actual name of the file you want to delete. (If you have a file name with spaces, you need to put the name in quotes: "For Example.txt".) If you had a file here named MyFile.rtf that you never, ever wanted to see again, you could run this command:

rm MyFile.rtf

When you press Return, the file will go poof! The Mac doesn’t confirm if you want to delete the file. It will be gone, toast, history. You can’t get it back.

You can even delete multiple files in a single command. If you have three files on your Desktop that you want to delete, and you want to delete them all at once, you can do so like this (if you have a file name with spaces, you need to put the name in quotes: "For Example.txt".):

rm MyFile.rtf MyCV.rtf MyGreatAmericanNovel.rtf

Again, pressing the Return key does the dirty work.

A safety net

It’s worth repeating: this command deletes files. It nukes them. You can’t get them back. You can’t click on the Trash icon and retrieve files you’ve accidentally deleted.

But there is a safety net: it’s the -i (interactive) flag. So if you’re feeling cautious, you could run the above commands with this flag as follows:

rm -i MyFile.rtf

Or, in the case of deleting multiple files:

rm -i MyFile.rtf MyCV.rtf MyGreatAmericanNovel.rtf

In each case, pressing Return won’t actually activate the rm command, because the -i flag acts as a pause button. You’ll see the following in Terminal when running these commands:

macOS Big Sur remove file confirm

IDG

In order to proceed, you need to type yes, or simply y. In the case of multiple files, you’ll see one query for each file. Granted, it’s easy to get into the habit of quickly typing y, but the question is intended to make you stop and think very carefully about whether you really want to delete that file.

How to delete empty directories (a.k.a folders)

Deleting directories, or folders, is a bit different. If you try to run the rm command on a directory, you’ll see the following message:

macos big sur terminal rm directory error

You can’t delete a directory using the rm command.

IDG

There’s a special command for deleting directories: rmdir. So to delete a directory named Archives, run this command (If you have a directory name with spaces, you need to put the name in quotes: "For Example".):

rmdir Archives

You can’t use the -i flag with the rmdir command, so the command is a bit riskier.

Note that this command only deletes empty directories. If you want to delete a directory and the files it contains, read on.

How to delete everything in a directory

The rm command has a powerful option, -R (or -r), otherwise known as the recursive option. When you run the rm -R command on a folder, you’re telling Terminal to delete that folder, any files it contains, any sub-folders it contains, and any files or folders in those sub-folders, all the way down. You enter the command as rm -R directoryname, where you substitute directoryname for the name of the directory you want to delete. (If you have a directory name with spaces, you need to put the name in quotes: "For Example".)

For example, let’s say you have a directory full of archives, containing sub-directories and files. Deleting each item individually from the Finder or the command line can take a long time. So just run the command like this:

rm -R Archives

Remember, this deletion is final. But you can use the -i flag for protection:

rm -iR Archives

This will ask you to confirm the deletion of each item. This can be annoying, but unless you’re really sure you want to delete all those files, it’s probably best to be safe.

Can’t empty Trash in the Finder? Use the Terminal

When can the rm -R command come in handy? Say you can’t empty the Trash on your Mac. A file might be locked or you may not have permission to delete one or more files. This sort of glitch is annoying, but you can use the command line to provide an easy solution.

In Terminal, type the following:

rm -R

Then type a space.

In the Finder, open the Trash, and then drag the items it contains to the Terminal window. You’ll see one or more files with paths such as /Users/.Trash/file.txt.

If there are lots of files, you may find that the resulting list—all on one long line, wrapping in the Terminal window—may be very long. If you’re absolutely sure that you want to delete all these items, press Return. Terminal will empty the Trash. Command line win!

macOS Big Sur Terminal drag drop trash

IDG

Want to learn more? See our articles about navigating the file system with the command line, learning from man pages, and copying and moving files.

Mac, MacOS, Professional Software
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/222596/command-line-deleting-files-folders-mac-terminal.html 222596 Apple Vision Pro: Everything you need to know Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:52:31 +0000 Macworld

Apple has announced the long-rumored headset, which will be called Vision Pro. That suggests that one day in the not-so-distant future we will see a cheaper Vision headset, rumored to arrive in 2025.

Apple isn’t calling Vision Pro a VR headset. Rather it’s referring to the headset as its “first spatial computer” with a big emphasis on how a user will be able to stay present in the physical world while wearing it. Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke about how the Vision Pro ushers in “the beginning of a new era for computing.” Here’s everything we know about the Vision Pro headset so far.

Want to know what it’s like to wear a Vision Pro? Macworld’s Roman Loyola has and he describes the experience here: I entered Apple’s thrilling Vision Pro world and didn’t want to leave! We also discuss his experiences with the Vision Pro below.

Update November 20: Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reports that Apple is targeting a March 2024 launch for Vision Pro.

Apple Vision Pro: Release date

Apple has said that the Vision Pro headset will be available “early next year” so a spring 2024 release date looks likely. The headset will initially only be available in the U.S., with other countries having to wait until “later next year”. There will likely be a dedicated event to officially launch the headset, much like the Apple Watch event in 2015.

In past years we’ve seen Apple hold an event in the spring on the following dates:

  • 2023: No event
  • 2022: Tuesday, March 8
  • 2021: Tuesday, April 20
  • 2020: No event due
  • 2019: Monday, March 25
  • 2018: Tuesday, March 27
  • 2017: No event

In November 2023, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported that Apple had initially hoped to launch the Vision Pro in January but is now targeting a March release date.

What about the rest of the world? Apple hasn’t said anything about when the Vision Pro will launch outside the U.S., beyond a vague “later next year”, but in July 2023 Gurman suggested that the U.K. and Canada could see the new headset launch before the end of 2024, and in Asia and other parts of Europe “soon after”.

Apple Vision Pro: Price

Apple has confirmed that the Vision Pro will start at $3,499, Apple hasn’t confirmed the price outside the U.S. yet, but based on Apple’s usual pricing structure that’s probably around £3,499 in the U.K.. There will be an additional cost associated with any prescription lenses that are required, but we don’t yet know what that will be. We also don’t know whether there will be additional options or accessories other than an external battery pack.

Apple Vision Pro design

Apple

Will there be a cheaper version of Vision Pro?

We took the fact that the Vision Pro has the word Pro in its name as a big hint that a less Pro version will be coming down the line. That’s not exactly evidence, but Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes that a cheaper headset will arrive in 2025.

In a June 2023 newsletter, he wrote that a “cheaper” version of the Vision Pro is in development. It will likely have “lower quality screens, either an iPhone-grade chip or an older Mac chip, and fewer cameras.” He also reported in October that Apple’s Vision pro is already working on the sequel to the headset, which will be cheaper than the original model.

Gurman suggests the cheaper headset will be called either Apple Vision or Apple Vision One.

Apple Vision Pro: Design

Apple has picked the materials that the Apple Vision Pro is made from to make it as “wearable” as possible. A custom aluminum alloy frame curves around the user’s face and a modular design means it can be “perfectly” tailored to fit each user.

The Light Seal is made of a soft textile that comes in a variety of sizes and shapes to suit the user’s face for a precise fit. There are flexible straps that can be adjusted to fit the head and ensure that the Audio Pods are positioned near the ears. The cushioned Head Band is available in multiple sizes and can be changed for another size or style.

Apple Vision Pro: Prescription eyewear

Those who need glasses will be able to purchase custom optical inserts to correct their vision. These ZEISS Optical Inserts are sold separately and magnetically attach to the headset’s lenses. The additional lenses are not included in the price of the headset, so there is an additional cost associated with them.

When Macworld’s Roman Loyola tried out the Vision Pro at Apple Park an optometrist measured his prescription and Apple fitted the headset with the appropriate lenses. He then removed his glasses when he put the headset on. He said he was able to see, but thought that maybe the prescription wasn’t exact because he noticed fuzziness with text.

Apple confirmed to Loyola that when you order Vision Pro you will have to submit a prescription from your optometrist. It’s unclear as to how that will work when buying at an Apple Store. Possibly a customer will have to submit a prescription at the retail store.

Apple Vision Pro: Compatibility

Apple hasn’t said anything about compatibility in terms of whether you will need a particular generation of iPhone to use the Vision Pro, but it seems likely that it won’t be supported by every handset.

In fact, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that the iPhone 15 will feature an upgraded Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip for this purpose–which may mean no other iPhone will support the Vision Pro.

Apple Vision Pro: Specs and features

The Vision Pro will, according to Apple, “deliver phenomenal compute performance.” It is powered by both an M2 processor and a new R1 chip used to process input from 12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones, it also eliminates lag to avoid latency. Apple says it can update images at eight times faster than the blink of an eye. The headset “runs virtually silent”, according to Apple.

There are two ultra-high-resolution displays that combine to produce 23 million pixels and create a 4K display for each that could generate a display that appears to be 100 feet wide. Video can be rendered at 4K resolution and text appears sharp from any angle.

There are two individually amplified drivers inside each audio pod that can deliver Personalized Spatial Audio based on the user’s own head and ear geometry. As a result, the sound feels like it is coming from the space around you. Vision Pro also matches the sound to the room using audio raytracing. There’s also an advanced sensor array.

Inside the lenses, a high-performance eye-tracking system uses cameras and a ring of LEDs to project invisible light patterns on the user’s eyes. As a result, the Apple headset is able to tell what way the user is looking and use high-performance eye tracking to control the interface. There are no external accessories other than controllers for playing games.

The Vision Pro also recognizes the user’s iris via a new method to unlock the device and authenticate passwords and purchases called Optic ID. Like the iPhone and Mac, all data is stored on a dedicated Secure Enclave processor.

There’s also a nifty feature called EyeSight that projects the correct perspective of your eyes to the people looking at you. EyeSight also includes a visual indicator that makes it clear to others when a user is capturing a spatial photo or video.

Apple Vision Pro: Battery life

Apple says the Vision Pro’s external battery pack provides up to two hours of use. It can also be used while plugged in.

Vision Pro Apps interface

Apple

Apple Vision Pro: Software and apps

With a Vision Pro headset users will be able to watch a movie, listen to music, browse photos, look at 3D objects, and even collaborate on a presentation.

The Vision Pro headset will run visionOS, an operating system that Apple has designed from the ground up for visual computing. On June 21, Apple announced that the visionOS software development kit is now available to members of the Apple Developer Program. Next month, the company will open developer labs at its Cupertino, California headquarters, as well as in London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo. At the lab, developers can get hands-on experience with Apple Vision Pro hardware and support from Apple engineers. 

There will be an App Store via which users will be able to download familiar iPhone and iPad apps as well as new apps designed for Vision Pro. Apple says that there will be lots of apps available at launch, including Microsoft Office Apps, third-party video conferencing apps, and Adobe Lightroom. Apple also previewed a SkyGuide app that can “transfer” you to space.

Apple says that Vision Pro “makes new types of games possible”. Apparently, users will be able to play over 100 Apple Arcade games on a screen as large as they want with support for popular game controllers.

There will also be a number of well-known Apple apps available at launch, such as Safari, Messages, and FaceTime. Here are some of the apps you can expect to see:

Video Conferencing

FaceTime will be available for the Vision Pro and will be able to take advantage of the room around you so that you can see everyone you are talking to in life-size tiles. The participant’s voice will also come from the direction of their tile thanks to Spatial Audio.

Apple has created a novel solution to the fact that you have a mask on and don’t have a camera in front of you. It can show call participants a ‘Persona’–a digital representation of the user created using Apple’s most advanced machine-learning techniques. The Persona is based on your appearance and can even reflect face and hand movements in real-time.

Apple Reality Pro Eye Sight

Apple

TV and movies

Entertainment was a major part of the WWDC presentation, with Apple showing off an immersive experience when watching movies and TV shows. With the new Cinema Environment, you’ll be able to watch shows and movies “at the frame rate and aspect ratio the filmmaker intended with immersive Spatial Audio” and watch movies on what feels like a 100-feet screen. Vision Pro will also support 3D movies including Avatar: Way of the Water.

The latest update to the AirPods Pro with a USB-C case added support for lossless audio when used with an Apple Vision Pro headset.

Photos and videos

You’ll be able to take spatial photos and spatial videos in 3D with Vision Pro, and then “relive those cherished moments like never before with immersive Spatial Audio.” And of course, you’ll be able to view your plain 2D photos and videos as well, for example, Panorama photos shot on an iPhone will expand and wrap around the user.

In iOS 17.2, there’s a new option in the Camera settings to record spatial vision for Vision Pro.

Disney+

Disney CEO Bob Iger joined Apple on stage to demonstrate his excitement about the new technology. In a video demo, he showed movies, TV shows, and sports on Vision Pro that bring entertainment to new levels, including special movie presentations, court-side views, and interactive experiences. Iger said Disney content will be available on day one.

Apple Vision Pro experience: What is is like to use Vision Pro

Macworld’s Roman Loyola was able to spend an hour wearing a Vision Pro, an experience he described as “emotional, immersive, and completely captivating.”

The device he tried on was an early beta, so it’s possible—likely even—that the hardware or software could change before next year

During the keynote presentation that introduced Vision Pro Apple said that the Vision Pro input system is controlled by a person’s eyes, hands, and voice. But the real control happens with your eyes: Vision Pro is able to detect exactly where you are looking. As a result, users can browse through apps by simply looking at them, tapping their fingers to select, flicking their wrist to scroll, or using voice to dictate. You can just look at a text input and begin dictating, for example.

Loyola confirmed that you don’t have to hold out your arms to gesture to control the interface, you navigate by looking at what you want to see, and then use hand gestures to perform actions. Loyola said he didn’t have too hard a time adjusting from a using fingers to tap icons to using his eyes and that “Eye tracking was accurate and didn’t feel like it put a strain on my eyes,” he reported. It took about 20 minutes for controlling the interface this way to feel natural, Loyola said.

When you first put on Vision Pro you see your surroundings. You can freely move apps to fill the space around you and they can expand into your space. Apple says you can control how immersed you are in Vision Pro with a twist of the Digital Crown.

Loyola described being put right in the middle of the recorded memory that “triggered memories and emotions of my own from similar moments.” He said that the immersive video gave him “thrills,” explaining: “My body reacted to situations and my mind responded to the sights and sounds.” In one demo, Loyola “got to pet a freakin’ dinosaur. Not a beast that looks like a 3D model set against an illustrated background, but a realistic-looking dinosaur that sniffed my hand and let me pet it.” It all sounds pretty impressive.

According to Loyola, you do see the headset while wearing it, though it doesn’t interfere with the sense of immersion.

While there are other headsets that can offer an immersive experience, Loyola notes that “the difference with the Apple Vision Pro is the two displays set in front of each eye. The resolution and color they display are fantastic and make things look realistic.” While Loyola did experience some pixelation and playback stutter (of the people in the room with him not of the videos) he was impressed.

If you are concerned that the Vision Pro might not fit you, fear not. Loyola, who feels that his head is large, said that “when I first put the Apple Vision Pro on, I had to tighten–not loosen–the straps to get a proper fit”. He added: “The headset had a Velcro strap that goes across the top of your head–this strap is not shown in Apple’s product photos or videos. I think that after the measurements were taken of my head, Apple determined that I would benefit from this top strap”. There is also a Light Seal that fits across the forehead where the eyebrows are, Apple said that this seal is available in multitudes of shapes and sizes to ensure the perfect fit.

After wearing the Vision Pro for an hour Loyola said that he didn’t have any fatigue in his neck or any tenderness where the headset and straps hugged his head. There were some reports of testers suffering from soreness around the top of their head, but it’s very possible they were also dealing with sunburn since Apple’s keynote had been delivered outside in bright sunlight.

Apple described one design goal of Vision Pro as being to be “Never isolated from the people around you”. It achieves this in various ways, one is by displaying your eyes when there is someone near you. This is called EyeSight and it is designed to send a clear signal to people that you can’t see them when that is the case. Similarly, if someone is near by they will appear in your view. This way it should still be easy to interact with the world around you while wearing the headset.

A user can bring Mac wirelessly into Apple Vision Pro just by looking at it. The contents of the Mac screen are then brought on to the 4K display you see through the Vision Pro. Loyola wasn’t able to test this feature.

An advanced Spatial Audio system is core to the Apple Vision Pro experience, creating the feeling that sounds are coming from the environment around the user and matching the sound to the space, according to Apple. The Vision Pro will also work seamlessly with familiar Bluetooth accessories, according to Apple.

Apple Vision Pro: Terminology

  • VR = Virtual Reality (completely replaces your view)
  • AR = Augmented Reality (overlays real world with graphics and information)
  • MR = Mixed Reality (combining AR and VR)
  • XR = Extended Reality (combining AR, VR and MR)
Apple AR glasses patent illustration
An early Apple Patent

Apple

Apple Vision Pro: Problems and prohibitions

If you have any of the following conditions you may not be able to use an Apple headset.

Those are all standard limitations for VR headsets, but nonetheless it illustrates the fact that this headset won’t be for everyone.

Computer Accessories
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/557878/apple-reality-headset-ar-vr-design-features-specs-price.html 557878 Best iPad 2023-2024: Compete guide to which iPad to buy Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:46:52 +0000 Macworld

Which iPad should you buy? There is a lot of choice and it can be confusing. There are four different varieties of iPad, listed below, and each is available with or without cellular (including 5G on certain models), which costs extra. That’s before we get into storage capacity, colors, and second-hand alternatives.

Our in-depth buying guide assesses the whole range of iPads sold by Apple and explores all the factors that should influence your iPad buying decision such as value for money, how much storage you need, and whether or not to buy a cellular version. We also reveal whether an updated version of each device is likely to be launched soon – answering the question of whether now is a good time to buy an iPad.

If you’re thinking of buying an iPad for college or university you might also like to read our Best iPad for students guide. You may also like to read our Best iPad for kids guide.

Apple iPad Comparison Chart

The table below summarises the main features of the iPads Apple sells, and highlights the price for each. We have more information about the individual iPads and buying advice below. Click the links in the table of contents to got to the section most relent to you.

Model (launch date)Key features + specsStorage + cellular optionsPrice + buy link
iPad 10.9-inch
’10th gen’
(October 2022)

• Medium 10.9-inch screen
• Touch ID on the Power button
• A14 processor
• 12MP/12MP cameras
• Supports Apple Pencil 1
• 248.6mm x 179.5mm x 7mm
• 481g

64GB
256GB


64GB (4G)
256GB (4G)

$449 / £499
$599 / £679


$599 / £679
$749 / £859

iPad 10.2-inch
‘9th gen’
(September 2021)

• Medium 10.2-inch screen
• Touch ID on the Home button
• A13 processor
• 8MP/12MP cameras
• Supports Apple Pencil 1
• 250.6mm x 174.1mm x 7.5mm
• 487g

64GB
256GB


64GB (4G)
256GB (4G)

$329 / £369
$479 / £549


$459 / £519
$609 / £699

iPad mini ‘6th gen’
(September 2021)

• Small 8.3-inch screen
• Touch ID on the Power button
• A15 processor
• 12MP/12MP cameras
• Supports Apple Pencil 2
• 195.4mm x 134.8mm x 6.3mm
• 293g

64GB
256GB


64GB (4G)
256GB (4G)

$499 / £569
$649 / £749


$649 / £749
$799 / £929

iPad Air
‘5th gen’
(March 2022)

• Medium 10.9-inch screen
• Touch ID on the Power button
• M1 processor
• 12MP/12MP cameras
• Supports Apple Pencil 2
• 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm
• 461g

64GB
256GB


64GB (5G)
256GB (5G)

$599 / £569
$749 / £719


$749 / £719
$899 / £869

iPad Pro 11-inch ‘4th gen’
(October 2022)

• Medium 11-inch screen
• Face ID
• M2 processor
• 12MP/10MP/12MP cameras
• Supports Apple Pencil 2
• 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm
• 466g

128GB
256GB
512GB
1TB
2TB


128GB (5G)
256GB (5G)
512GB (5G)
1TB (5G)
2TG (5G)

$799 / £899
$899 / £1,019
$1,099 / £1,249
$1,499 / £1,699
$1,899 / £2,149


$999 / £1,079
$1,099 / £1,199
$1,299 / £1,429
$1,699 / £1,879
$2,099 / £2,329

iPad Pro 12.9-inch ‘6th gen’
(October 2022)

• Huge 12.9-inch screen
• Face ID
• M2 processor
• 12MP/10MP/12MP cameras
• Supports Apple Pencil 2
• 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm
• 682g

128GB
256GB
512GB
1TB
2TB


128GB (5G)
256GB (5G)
512GB (5G)
1TB (5G)
2TB (5G)

$1,099 / £1,249
$1,199 / £1,369
$1,399 / £1,599
$1,799 / £2,049
$2,199 / £2,499


$1,299 / £1,429
$1,399 / £1,549
$1,599 / £1,779
$1,999 / £2,229
$2,399 / £2,679

Every iPad Apple sells

Apple’s iPad lineup is perhaps one of the most expansive product lineups presented by the company. Below we offer information about each model, but we also answer questions further down the article such as which iPad is best value for money, which size is best, how much storage you need, and whether to get cellular (you can jump to these sections from the table of contents above).

The iPad that is best for you will depend on what you need from an iPad. If you just want an iPad for reading books, watching movies and TV shows, email and web browsing, then you don’t need all the bells and whistles. An iPad or iPad mini might be best here.

If you are looking for an iPad that will do everything that a laptop can, then you might want to consider a model that is more powerful and supports additional components, including one of Apple’s newer keyboards or the Apple Pencil, the iPad Air might suit you.

And if you will be using your iPad for gaming, video editing, photo editing, or anything high-powered and graphic intensive, then you will probably be looking at an iPad Pro.

Below we will run through every iPad you can buy so you can find the one that’s best for your needs.

Apple iPad (2021, 9th gen) – Best for button lovers

Apple iPad (2021, 9th gen) - Best for button lovers
Price When Reviewed: $329 (base model)
Best Prices Today: $249 at Walmart$249.99 at Best Buy$329 at Adorama

This is the cheapest iPad you can buy (although Apple actually increased the price of this iPad everywhere other than in the U.S. when the 10th-generation model launched). Despite it’s age (it launched in 2021) it’s still powerful enough for most purposes.

The 9th gen iPad screen is 10.2-inch, which is smaller than the 10th gen’s 10.9-inch display, but still a good screen size for gaming and watching movies, while remaining slim, light and portable.

The biggest reason to buy this iPad is the Home button–this is the only iPad with a Home button, which will be a key selling point for some users.

Pros: Thin and light, although not as thin and light as the Air. Low price. Its A13 chip will handle what’s on the App Store right now, although the arrival of the M1 chip in the Air and the M2 in the Pro models could end up pushing the top tier of apps out of this iPad’s reach.

Cons: Feels cheap due to the unlaminated screen. Can only use the first-gen Apple Pencil.

Best for: Anyone who needs a big screen (not a huge screen; they’ll want the 12.9-inch iPad Pro) but is on a budget, and can cope without the latest in processing and camera power. It’s a good option for kids, students and anyone who wants a Home button and has a lot of Lightning cables that they don’t want to go to waste (this is the only iPad not to have switched to a USB-C port).

Is now a good time to buy? The 10th generation iPad doesn’t cost a lot more so we’d recommend that you choose that instead, if you want the Home button though, you should probably snap one up before Apple discontinues this model.

See: Best iPad (9th/10th gen) deals

Apple iPad (2022, 10th gen) – Best value for money

Apple iPad (2022, 10th gen) - Best value for money
Price When Reviewed: $449 (64GB) | $599 (256GB)
Best Prices Today: $349 at Best Buy$349.00 at Amazon$399.99 at Target

64GB: $449/£499
256GB: $599/£679
64GB (cellular): $599/£679
256GB (cellular): $769/£859

The 2022 iPad (10th generation) isn’t the cheapest iPad, that’s the previous generation iPad that is still on sale (see above), but the new look iPad does offer a lot of features that its older sibling lacks. While it costs about $120/£130 more, it does feel like it’s worth the extra money–or at least it is worth the extra money if you like the fun colors (the old model only came in Space Gray and silver), want a larger 10.9-inch screen (up from 10.2-inch), and prefer a USB-C connector to Lightning. It’s also capable of 5G (if you were looking at the cellular model you wouldn’t want the 4G-capable 9th gen).

Pros: Thinner and lighter than the predecessor, but not as thin and light as the Air. Same size display as the Air. A14 chip will be powerful enough for a good few years. No more Home Button – but there is Touch ID (on the Power button).

Cons: Still feels cheap due to the unlaminated screen (will Apple ever update this?). Can only use the first-gen Apple Pencil.

Best for: Anyone who needs a big screen (not a huge screen; they’ll want the 12.9-inch iPad Pro) but is on a budget, and can cope without the latest in processing. It’s a good option for anyone who likes the look of the iPad Air, but not the price.

Is now a good time to buy? There are rumors that Apple could update the standard iPad in early 2024.

See: Best iPad (9th/10th gen) deals

Read our full Apple iPad (10th gen, A14, 2022) review

Apple iPad mini (6th gen, 2021) – Best for those on the go and kids

Apple iPad mini (6th gen, 2021) - Best for those on the go and kids
Price When Reviewed: $499 (64GB) | $649 (256GB)
Best Prices Today: $399.99 at Amazon$499.99 at Target $549.99 at Best Buy

This generation of iPad mini launched in September 2021. The iPad mini is available in four colors: silver, gold, Space Gray and purple.

The iPad mini is Apple’s smallest iPad with a 8.3-inch display. The biggest draw of the iPad mini is probably its diminutive stature. This is the smallest and lightest iPad and as such is perfect for carrying around in a bag or handing to children when they need entertaining. Whichever version you go for, you’ll get an A15 Bionic processor chip, a Liquid Retina screen and 12MP/12MP rear/front cameras.

It might be small, but it is actually more powerful than the standard iPad thanks to it’s A15 processor, which is a generation newer than the A14 in the 10th gen iPad.

Pros: Very portable and respectably powerful. Affordable, and cheapest version has good amount of storage (64GB). Supports second-gen Apple Pencil.

Cons: Small screen, which may not be great for those who get eyestrain or who like immersive films and games.

Best for: The portability-conscious. Gamers on the go. Tablet photographers. Ebook enthusiasts. Kids.

Is now a good time to buy? Like the iPad there is an expectation that the iPad mini will be updated in the spring of 2024. Keep up with the latest speculation with our iPad mini 7 guide.

See: Best iPad mini deals

Read our full Apple iPad mini (6th gen, A15, 2021) review

Apple iPad Air (5th gen, 2022) – Best for power in an affordable package

Apple iPad Air (5th gen, 2022) - Best for power in an affordable package
Price When Reviewed: $599(64GB) | $749 (256GB)
Best Prices Today: $499.99 at Amazon$499.99 at Best Buy$559 at Walmart

The iPad Air has a 10.9-inch display, like the 2022 iPad, but it’s smaller, thinner and lighter than that device. It’s also got an M1 processor that is powerful and energy-efficient (you may remember it from its widely praised performance in the Mac). The M1 pushes the iPad Air far ahead of the iPad mini and standard iPads with their A-series chips. The M1 also makes the Air an appealing alternative to the more expensive Pro models, with their faster M2 processors.

Like all recent iPads, the Air features an all-screen design with no Home button. As with the 10th-gen iPad and the iPad mini, biometric security is handled by a fingerprint sensor in the power button rather than Face ID, which is reserved for the Pros. It has superb cameras (the front-facing 12MP camera and Center Stage), supports a wide range of Pro accessories, and now features 5G.

Pros: Beautiful design. Superb processing and graphics power. Cheaper than the iPad Pro.

Cons: Screen doesn’t feature ProMotion.

Ideal for: Tablet gamers and anyone who wants to be able to run the most demanding apps now and in the future. Pro users (business, creative, design) who can’t afford an iPad Pro.

Is now a good time to buy? Absolutely. It came out in March 2022 and won’t be updated until 2023.

See: Best iPad Air deals

Read our full Apple iPad Air (5th gen, M1, 2022) review

11-inch iPad Pro (4th gen, 2022) – Best for power in a small package

11-inch iPad Pro (4th gen, 2022) - Best for power in a small package
Price When Reviewed: $799 (128GB, Wi-Fi only)
Best Prices Today: $629.1 at Adorama$749 at Walmart$783.94 at Amazon

The current generation of iPad Pro models went on sale in October 2022. While this update brought no external changes, a number of important upgrades were hidden within.

The iPad Pro comes in two sizes and a variety of capacities all the way up to a massive 2TB. The 2022 Pros feature M2 chips, as found in the 2022 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The iPad Pro is incredibly powerful – some might say more powerful than it has any right to be.

The 11-inch iPad Pro is a very different proposition to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro though. While both iPad Pro models benefit from ProMotion screens, which means that the refresh rate can be really high so that users experience smooth scrolling and better gaming performance, only the 12.9-inch model has a superior Liquid Retina XDR display, which can support 1000 nits max full screen, 1600 nits peak brightness.

The front-facing camera is 12MP and on the back you will find two cameras, a 12MP Wide and 10MP Ultra Wide for flexible photography and video options.

Pros: Slim and light; dual cameras; Face ID; devastatingly quick and power-efficient processor.

Cons: Very expensive. Its power could be overkill for many.

Ideal for: Creative types who don’t need the absolutely largest screen. It’s great for watching films and TV shows (and offers quad-speaker audio to match), but there are other screens in the range that are a similar size and a lot more affordable.

Is now a good time to buy? The current Pros came out in October 2022, there are likely to be a new iPad Pro with M3 chips coming in 2024. There are also rumors of a 14-inch iPad Pro.

See: Best iPad Pro deals

Read more: iPad Pro 11-inch (2022)

12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th gen, 2022) – The ultimate iPad power package for creative pros

12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th gen, 2022) - The ultimate iPad power package for creative pros
Price When Reviewed: $1,099 (128GB, Wi-Fi only)
Best Prices Today: $1039.00 at Best Buy$1,049.00 at Amazon$1099.00 at Adorama

The iPad Pro 12.9-inch, last updated in October 2022, offers the biggest screen ever on an Apple tablet, squeezed into a relatively small and very thin chassis. In other respects it’s largely the same as the 11-inch Pro (above): super-fast processor (the M2) with lots of RAM, excellent cameras, and a user experience that looks more than capable of replacing a laptop.

The main exception is the XDR display, which means it can get really bright – 1,000 nits max full screen, 1,600 nits peak (HDR content only). This feature is only available on the 12.9-inch model. The 11in iPad Pro tops out at 600 nits max brightness. The XDR display is backlit by a huge array of mini-LEDs, offering subtle localized dimming across the screen, plus a million-to-one contrast ratio.

This is all thoroughly impressive. But on the downside, the 12.9-inch Pro is far less portable than the mid-size iPads (it remains admirably slim, but the sheer screen area makes it a handful) and ruinously expensive, particularly at those upper storage tiers.

Pros: Huge screen (12.9-inch); extremely fast processor with bags of RAM; excellent dual cameras; four speakers; Face ID, XDR display.

Cons: Least portable iPad currently available (although it is very slim); very expensive; processor speed will be overkill for many prospective buyers; hugely inflated prices outside of the U.S.

Ideal for: Creative types most of all, but anyone who needs a big screen will be interested. Gamers and those who enjoy consuming media on the go will like the combination of a sumptuous screen and a quad-speaker audio system.

Is now a good time to buy? The current Pros came out in October 2022, we expect new iPad Pro with M3 chips in 2024. There are even rumors of a 14-inch iPad Pro.

See: Best iPad Pro deals

Read more: 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022)

Read our full Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th gen, M2, 2022) review

iPad Buying Guide: What to look for when buying an iPad

As you can see from the above there are a lot of iPads sold by Apple – and that doesn’t even include the many previous-generation iPads that are still on sale at various resellers and at Apple’s Refurbished Store.

When confronted by so much choice what should you consider when deciding which iPad to buy?

For many the choice will be based on price and value for money. Some may be influenced by the screen size, others by the weight. The ability to get more than 256GB storage may be important, as may the inclusion of Face ID – or Touch ID. Finally, the decision of whether to get a cellular version, which invites the assessment of the minefield of network contracts, will no doubt be a factor for some.

We will look at each of those factors below.

Which iPad is the best value for money?

One person’s value for money is another person’s extravagance.

You might be looking for the cheapest iPad. That would be the 9th generation iPad, launched in September 2021, but, despite the introduction of the 10th generation iPad, still being sold by Apple. This is the cheapest iPad Apple sells right not, but it isn’t the cheapest it has been sold for. If you are based outside of the U.S. the 2021 iPad has has a price hike. But even if you are based in the U.S. where the price stayed at $329, that’s not the price you have to pay – we’ve seen it discounted to $299 during Amazon’s Prime Day, for example.

If you are happy to buy an older iPad model then there are plenty of discounts available while they are still in stock. There are also some great savings to be had on refurbished models. We recommend you check the following deals roundups, where you can see the best prices right now on various iPads: 

Other buyers simply want the best iPad they can get for their money, but that all depends on budget. Back in the day we would have suggested that if you wanted a powerful iPad you should steer clear of the cheapest model in the range. But that’s not true any more: even the 10.2-inch iPad that launched in September 2021 offers a reasonably impressive package. The device’s low price, combined with some great tech, makes this budget iPad an attractive option.

But that iPad has effectively been superseded, despite the fact that it is still on sale. The 10th generation iPad introduced in October 2022 has a bigger 10.9-inch screen, a 12MP rear-facing camera (rather than 8MP), an A14 rather than A13 processor, and 5G. Plenty of reasons to justify spending a little more to get the newer model. How much more you will need to pay depends on where you live. In the U.S. the 10th gen iPad costs from $449, $120 more than the 9th gen model. For U.K. readers the 2022 iPad costs $499, which is £130 more than the 9th gen model. That $120/£130 may we worth spending if you want a bigger screen, better camera and newer processor.

If you have more to spend, what can you get for your money? The iPad mini more than justifies its slightly higher price tag of $499/£569 with it’s faster A15 processor, True Tone flash, and a fully laminated, better quality, display, among other things. But its biggest draw will probably be its size – for those who want a small iPad. The iPad mini is not much bigger than a hard-backed book making it the perfect size to carry around in a bag and a great size for kids.

iPad 2022
The 2022 iPad

Apple

Next up is the iPad Air, which starts at $599/£669, so another £150/£170 on top of the 10th generation iPad or $100/£100 more than the mini. It might be worth every extra penny if you want an M1 processor in your iPad – which means you will have access to features that the less powerful iPads lack. You might be thinking that now the iPad has a 10.9-inch display there is less of a difference between the iPad and iPad Air, but the iPad Air display is still superior, fully laminated and with an antireflective coating (like the iPad mini).

The iPad Pro, updated in October 2022, is the ultimate in this category. Starting at $799, the Pro has a lot to offer, with advanced cameras and an M1 chip for starters. But we think these features are probably more than the average person needs.

Those are the prices that Apple sells its iPads for, but you don’t have to pay that much. Take a look at our regularly updated iPad deals page for the lowest prices and best discounts on iPads new and old.

iPad screen size: Which size iPad to choose

All the iPads 2022

Apple

Size is a question of taste rather than simply going for the biggest iPad you can get your hands on. Bigger isn’t necessarily better if what you need is small and light.

The most obvious aspect of this decision comes down to screen size. You’ve got five options:

  • 8.3-inch iPad mini
  • 10.2-inch iPad (9th gen)
  • 10.9-inch iPad Air and iPad (10th gen)
  • 11-inch iPad Pro
  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro

All screens are measured diagonally from corner to corner, or from the place where the corners would be.

A larger screen size doesn’t necessarily mean that the iPad itself is a lot larger, in the case of the 9th generation iPad the 10.2-inch display fits in a 250.6 x 174.1 x 7.5mm unit, but the iPad 10th generation dimensions are 248.6 x 179.5 x 7mm, despite the 10.9-inch screen.

But how big a screen do you really need?

You can get an idea of the comparative sizes in the picture above. But you can also think of the tablets in terms of print publications: the mini is roughly the height and width of a paperback book; the mid-size iPads are closer to a hardback (albeit much slimmer); and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is like a magazine.

The larger screen is obviously better for immersive entertainment. Whether watching films or playing games, it’s a more enjoyable, richer experience. But really this is a question of priorities. Are you more set on getting maximum screen space, or are you willing to compromise on that front in order to get a lower price tag and improved portability?

  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2022): 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm; 682g/684g (Wi-Fi/cellular)
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (2022): 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm; 466g/468g
  • iPad Air 10.9-inch (2022): 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm; 461g/462g
  • iPad 10.9-inch (2022): 248.6 x 179.5 x 7mm; 477g/481g
  • iPad 10.2-inch (2021): 250.6 x 174.1 x 7.5mm; 487g/498g
  • iPad mini 8.3-inch (2021): 195.4mm x 134.8mm x 6.3mm; 300.5g/308.2g

Also read: Every iPad display compared.

Want the lightest iPad? As you’d expect, the iPad mini is a lot lighter than the other iPads, and even more so since the September 2021 update. There’s a big gap between that device and even the mid-size iPads. As well as its markedly lower weight the mini also has a smaller body, which slips easily into a rucksack or jacket pocket. If you plan to mainly use your iPad out and about, on holiday or commuting, or perhaps you’re buying an iPad for a child, the mini is your best bet.

The iPad, iPad Air and 11-inch Pro are pleasingly portable, but they still can’t match the mini for portability. The iPad has a similar length and width to the Air, but is thicker and heavier; the Pros are slimmer still.

The 12.9-inch Pro is considerably less portable than its smaller cousins, but we think Apple has done well to keep it down to 682g: it remains a slender, relatively lightweight and portable alternative to a laptop.

How much storage do you need?

How much iPad storage
The iPad Pro can feature 2TB storage

Apple

The five iPads offer anywhere from 64GB to 2TB of storage, but if you are looking at an old, refurbished or preowned iPad you could be confronted with as little as 32GB storage – right now we will tell you that 32GB is not enough!

But what storage capacity do you really need for an iPad?

Well, first of all remember that you can’t upgrade the storage of an iPad at a later date: this is your limit from now until you buy another iPad, so aim high and buy as much storage as you can afford. It’s better to spend an extra few pounds now than to buy an entire new iPad in six months’ time.

Storage capacity is mainly used up by three things: music, photos, and videos, in increasing order of storage drain. If you want to keep lots of films or TV shows–or even a few, to be honest–then you need high storage: probably 128GB or higher for video fans. (If you’re buying an iPad with the kids in mind, remember that you’ll want storage space for multiple episodes of their favorite show on a long car journey.)

The same applies to large photo or music libraries, to a lesser extent, although iCloud Photos and iTunes Match make it possible to keep your stuff in the cloud and access it remotely (if you pay the fees for iCloud storage).

The other thing that will fill up your storage is apps, especially games which will use up a lot of space. For that reason gamers should aim high on storage: 128GB is a good bar to aim at.

See: How much storage do you need on an iPhone or iPad? for more advice.

Should you get the most powerful iPad?

The iPad Pro models are, as you would expect, faster than their smaller and cheaper equivalents, next up is the Air, then the iPad mini and finally the iPad. You can get an idea of relative speed by looking at a few relevant specs:

  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2022): M2; 8GB/16GB RAM
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (2022): M2; 8GB/16GB RAM
  • iPad Air (2022): M1; 8GB RAM
  • iPad mini (2021): A15 Bionic; 4GB RAM
  • iPad 10.9-inch (2022): A14 Bionic; 4GB RAM (tbc)
  • iPad 10.2-inch (2021): A13 Bionic; 3GB RAM

The M2 and M1 chip has won widespread acclaim in the Mac range and produces outstanding performance in the iPads. But that doesn’t mean the A chips are sub-standard, or incapable of running modern apps; keep in mind that much of the software on the App Store was designed with A chips in mind, and even now most developers will want to make their software accessible for as many iPad owners as possible.

There is a good reason to choose the M-series chips over the A-series though. Some of the best iPadOS 16 features will only work with the M2 or M1 iPads. These include features like Stage Manager, which is a new feature for organizing your windows. There are also rumors that one day Apple may make a cutback version of macOS available on the iPad – but this will be probably be restricted to the M2 chip, if indeed it ever happens..

But speculation aside, how powerful you need your iPad to be will be based on your your requirements (and how long you intend to use your iPad for). The most demanding graphic-design, video-editing and audio apps will see better performance on the M2 and even M1 processor, so if you’re looking at high-level workloads multiple years down the line the M2 and M1 would be a better option.

But for most users the A15 will be comfortably fast enough for the mid- and quite long term, and even the A14 (from 2020) and A13 Bionic (which arrived in 2019) perform perfectly well on today’s apps.

Another important factor to consider is memory. The iPad 10.2-inch has 3GB of RAM; the mini and iPad 10.9-inch have 4GB. The Air gets a jump up to 8GB, while the 2022 Pros have either 8GB or a whopping 16GB of RAM, depending on your storage tier: the 1TB and 2TB versions get the higher RAM allocation.

Overall, we would advise those who want to use highly demanding apps, such as video and image editors and graphically advanced games, to choose an iPad Pro or Air. If you’re going to be using your tablet for the odd bit of email and web surfing, you’ll find an iPad or iPad mini perfectly decent.

With these general observations out of the way, it’s time to look at each device in more depth. For each iPad we record the essential information, its pros and cons, which buyer should pick it and whether now is a good time to buy.

Should you get a Cellular iPad?

For most people cellular connectivity is a luxury, even if it’s a nice one to have. For an extra $100 or so, you’ll be able to access the web and email, and use connected apps, away from a Wi-Fi network. You need to factor in the cost of a data plan and find a network provider.

Consider carefully how often you’re going to do that: with an iPad mini there’s likely to be more on-the-go use than with a full-size iPad, but it’s still a lot to pay for something you may only use from time to time. Have you got a regular (overground) commute where you’d enjoy catching up on news headlines or email? Then it could be worth the extra.

We think the best option, if you want to be able to get data on your iPad when you are out and about, is to create a hotspot and share it from your iPhone. Then you can use your iPad as if it was on the cellular network. Read about how to create an iPhone hotspot to share your mobile web connection to your iPad.

Just bear in mind that the cellular option also brings with it a GPS radio, meaning you’ll be able to input accurate location data when using your device on the go.

The other concern when buying a cellular iPad is whether to buy your iPad on a contract. Network providers will allow you to pay for your iPad and the data contract over a number of months – but after that term is up, and certainly not before, you may not be able to switch to a different data provider. Buying on contract may also mean that the iPad is locked to the original contract provider – which can also be a problem if you want to sell it in the future. Here’s how to unlock an iPad from its network, once you’ve fulfilled your contractual obligations.

Should you buy a refurbished iPad?

Refurbished iPads
You can buy a refurbished iPad from Apple

Apple

We’ll mention this only briefly because it’s covered in detail here: Why a refurbished iPad could be the best tablet for you, but one option you should absolutely consider is Apple’s Refurbished Store. It’s a sort of halfway house between new and second-hand: the devices are generally ones that have been returned within the 28-day period in which you are legally allowed to change your mind about a purchase, or they have been returned due to a fault that has been rectified, or they were ex-display or ex-demo units from Apple’s stores or marketing. You can rest assured that Apple has checked all the refurbished iPads that it sells thoroughly, replaced any problematic components, and rated them as good as new (and you get a full one-year warranty to prove it).

Apple’s not the only place to buy a refurbished iPad, so beware that all refurbished iPads are not the same, so do check the small print before you buy. Look for refurbished models that have been fully checked out by Apple certified engineers, especially those that come with a guarantee.

Our best advice is to only consider the current or previous generation iPads when looking at refurbished models, then you are less likely to be caught out by a sub-par tablet.

Buying a refurbished iPad from a reputable company is definitely preferable to buying a used iPad from someone on eBay. It’s too often the case that secondhand iPads sold that way end up as useless bricks because the person selling it didn’t properly log out of their account.

Another way to save money is to buy from a reseller who is selling discontinued stock at a discount. We often see resellers significantly dropping the price on older iPad models that are usually just one generation out of date – just beware, they sell out quick!

Should you buy the newest iPad generation?

Speaking of older iPads, even if functioning perfectly right now, older models will reach the end of their useful life sooner than the newest models and that is a good reason to avoid buying an iPad that is more than one or two generations old. But keep in mind that iPads tend to start slowing down at around two to three years of age; at the four- or five-year mark you should expect noticeable loss of performance and you won’t be able to get all the latest software updates.

The ‘current’ iPad range was mostly updated in 2022: including the iPad Pro models in October 2022, the iPad 10th-generation in October 2022, and the iPad Air in March 2022. The iPad 9th-generation and iPad mini came out in September 2021.

Another reason to buy a recent iPad is the operating system it runs. Apple only supports the most recent three versions of iPadOS with security updates, so that means that only iPadOS 15, 16 and 17 are currently supported. See How long does Apple support iPads? for more information.

The following iPads can run iPadOS 17:

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd gen)
  • iPad Pro 11 (3rd, 2nd and 1st gen)
  • iPad Pro 10.5
  • iPad (10th, 9th, 8th, 7th and 6th gen)
  • iPad mini (5th and 6th gen)
  • iPad Air (5th, 4th and 3rd gen)

The iPads that have been removed from support include:

  • 2016 iPad Pro 9.7-inch with an A9X chip
  • 2015 iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation) with an A9X chip
  • 2017 iPad (5th generation) with an A9 chip

So, while you don’t have to buy the newest generation, we would recommend that you buy one that was launched relatively recently to be sure that Apple will support it for as long as you intend to own it. On that basis, any of the iPads listed above should be a safe bet because they support the iPadOS that Apple will support for the next three years, and for many the support will stretch on for more years.

Buying advice: Which iPad should you buy?

The iPad 10.2-inch (9th gen, 2020) is a good option for newcomers and those whose usage will be light, but it’s now been superseded by the 10th gen iPad 10.9-inch, which offers much better features for a higher price, if you can afford to spend more it would be worth it.

For most people, however, our recommendation is the iPad Air (2022). The update in March 2022 brought it an M1 processor, which is more than enough for an iPad right now. Mind you, it’s still expensive compared to the standard iPad and the iPad mini, and to most rival tablets out there.

The iPad mini is mainly recommended for those who see portability as their main priority. It’s an excellent little device, although the smaller screen makes it less immersive for games and entertainment options.

The remaining iPads will be too expensive for the average buyer. The 11-inch and 12.9-inch Pro models are amazingly powerful and well made, and the arrival of the M2 is excellent news – but probably more power than anyone really needs right now.

The only reason not to update is Apple’s failure to upgrade any iPad in 2023, which means early 2024 looks likely for range updates that you might want to take advantage of.

Finally, before taking the plunge, have you considered if a laptop might suit your needs better? See iPad vs MacBook for more advice on that front.

iPad
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/670670/which-ipad-best.html 670670 Best early Black Friday Apple Watch deals Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:35:06 +0000 Macworld

Black Friday comes but once a year–and in 2023 it falls on November 24. In recent years, however, the deals season has expanded to cover the week leading up to Black Friday, Cyber Monday afterward (that’s November 27 in 2023), and often most of the month of November.

In the weeks leading up to Black Friday–and on Black Friday itself–we expect to see some good deals on a new Apple Watch. Check regularly as we move deeper into November for the best deals we can find. If you want to buy an Apple Watch before then, check out our list of the Best Apple Watch deals this month.

Black Friday 2023: Apple’s shopping event

Every year Apple holds shopping event from Black Friday (November 24) to Cyber Monday (November 27). However, since Apple rarely discounts its products, the event consists of gift card offers rather than actual savings.

In 2023 you can get gift cards for the following amounts with the following Apple Watches purchased from Apple’s U.S. site or Apple’s U.K. site.

Apple Watch Series 9$50£40
Apple Watch SE$50£40

Black Friday: Best Apple Watch deals

Our expert deal hunters have hand-picked the best-value Apple Watch deals currently available as the Black Friday season approaches.

Apple Watch Series 9

U.S.

U.K.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

U.S.

U.K.

Apple Watch SE

U.S.

U.K.

Apple Watch Series 8

The Apple Watch from last year is still in stock at a variety of retailers, so markdowns are likely to be pretty steep over Black Friday as the remaining inventory is cleared out.

U.S.

U.K.

For a more in-depth guide to the available deals–as well as any deals that have popped up since we last updated this article–see our automated tables below for the lowest prices currently available on each Apple Watch model. If you’re not sure which model is right for you, read our comprehensive Apple Watch buying guide.

Black Friday: Latest Apple Watch Ultra 2 deals

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 came out in September 2023. It has an MSRP of $799/£799.

Retailer
Price
Best Buy
$739
Amazon
$739.00
Walmart
$774
Adorama
$799
Apple
$799
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Price comparison from Backmarket

Black Friday: Latest Apple Watch Series 9 deals

The Series 9 is also new, having launched alongside the Ultra 2 in September. It has an MSRP of $399/£399.

Retailer
Price
Walmart
$349
Adorama
$399
Apple
$399
Best Buy
$399
Target
$399.99
Amazon
$429.00
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Price comparison from Backmarket

Black Friday: Latest Apple Watch SE (2022) deals

Apple’s first budget SE smartwatch came out in 2020; this is the second-gen model, which launched in September 2022. It currently has an MSRP of $249/£219. We expect deals to surface over Black Friday.

Retailer
Price
Best Buy
$189
Walmart
$229
Target
$249.99
Target
$299.99
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Apple Watch (Series 2) 2022 – Wifi Only – 40 mm – Aluminium Starlight – Sport band Beige
$219.00
Price comparison from Backmarket

Black Friday: Latest Apple Watch Ultra (first gen) deals

The original Apple Watch Ultra had an MSRP of $799/£849 at launch, but has since been discontinued. You may be able to find stock at third-party retailers, but look for a big discount.

Retailer
Price
Best Buy
$799.00
Target
$799
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Apple Watch (Ultra) September 2022 – Cellular – 49 – Titanium Titanium – Alpine loop Green
$699.00
Price comparison from Backmarket

Black Friday: Latest Apple Watch Series 8 deals

Last year’s Apple Watch Series 8 had an MSRP of $399/£419 when it came out, but it’s since been discontinued. Only buy if you can find a major discount of $100 or more.

Retailer
Price
Amazon
$297.97
Adorama
$319.95
Walmart
$319.95
Best Buy
$319.99
Target
$379.99
Target
$399.99
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Apple Watch (Series 8) September 2022 – Wifi Only – 41 – Aluminium Midnight – Sport band Midnight
$268.99
Apple Watch (Series 8) September 2022 – Wifi Only – 45 – Aluminium Midnight – Nike Sport loop Midnight
$319.99
Price comparison from Backmarket

Retailers worth checking out

U.S.

U.K.

Black Friday: All Apple deals

Stay on top of the best Black Friday deals as they arrive with our dedicated roundups:

Best Black Friday MacBook deals

Best Black Friday Mac deals

Best Black Friday AirPods deals

Best Black Friday iPad deals

Best Black Friday iPhone deals

Best Black Friday Apple TV deals

Best Black Friday Mac monitor deals

Best Black Friday SSD and external hard drive deals

Apple Watch
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/1376743/best-apple-watch-early-black-friday-deals-2023.html 1376743 Best early Black Friday AirPods deals Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:21:04 +0000 Macworld

It’s that time of year again—Black Friday, the yearly shopping event where everyone hunts for the biggest deals. Apple’s AirPods are famously popular gifts and travel companions, and various models are often on sale throughout the year. So keep your eyes peeled for great deals on AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max as the Black Friday sales take off.

We typically see Black Friday deals starting in early November, and culminating in the post-Thanksgiving weekend. In 2023 Black Friday falls on November 24 and Cyber Monday on November 27. We expect to see some truly fantastic deals. For example, in 2022 we saw discounts of $50-100 on various AirPods models.

Return here throughout November as we highlight the best deals leading up to and through Black Friday.

Black Friday 2023: Apple’s shopping event

Every year Apple holds shopping event from Black Friday (November 24) to Cyber Monday (November 27). However, since Apple rarely discounts its products, the event consists of gift card offers rather than actual savings.

In 2023 you can get gift cards for the following voucher amounts with AirPods purchased on Apple’s U.S. site or Apple’s U.K. site.

AirPods (2nd generation)$25£20
AirPods (3rd generation)$25£20
AirPods Pro (2nd generation)$50£40
AirPods Max$75£60

Black Friday: Best AirPods deals

Heading into Black Friday, these are the best deals we’ve found so far.

Deals in the U.S.:

Deals in the U.K.:

Black Friday 2023: Latest AirPods Pro deals

The 2nd-generation AirPods Pro look just like the first-gen model, but they sound better, have longer battery life, and offer a few other welcome improvements. You should look for the just-updated version with a USB-C charging case, which retails for $249 / £229 but is often on sale for at least $50 off.

Retailer
Price
Amazon
$189.99
Best Buy
$189.99
Walmart
$229.99
Adorama
$249
Apple
$249
Target
$249.99
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Price comparison from Backmarket

Black Friday 2023: Latest AirPods deals

The third-generation AirPods are a significant upgrade over the 2nd-gen model. They typically retail for $179 / £179 with the wireless charging case, but you can often find them a little cheaper. Apple also sells a model with a wired Lightning case for $169 / £169.

Retailer
Price
Best Buy
$139.99
Target
$149.99
Apple
$179
Adorama
$179.99
Walmart
$189
Amazon
$199.99
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Apple AirPods 3rd gen (2021) – MagSafe Charging case
$115.21
Price comparison from Backmarket

The biggest discounts are typically found on second-generation AirPods. They’re a bit out of date and don’t have nearly the features or sound quality of the third-gen model, but if you primarily want to use them for phone calls rather than music, they’re not a bad buy and you can save a lot of money. Apple sells them for $129 / £129 but you can easily find them for a lot less.

Retailer
Price
Adorama
$31.62
Best Buy
$69.99
Amazon
$79.99
Target
$79.99
Walmart
$99
Costco
$99.99
Target
$114.99
Staples
$119
B&H
$124.95
Abt
$129
Apple
$129
Newegg
$134
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Apple AirPods 2nd gen (2019) – Lightning Charging case
$86.77
Apple AirPods 2nd gen (2019) – Wireless Charging case
$104.95
Price comparison from Backmarket

Latest AirPods Max deals

Frankly, AirPods Max are overpriced (even on sale). Compared to other consumer-oriented over-the-ear noise-cancelling headphones, you might pay hundreds more. Apple’s price is $549 / £499, and they’re easy enough to find for up to $100 less, but a good price would be under $400.

Retailer
Price
Best Buy
$449.99
Apple
$549
Target
$549
Walmart
$549
Amazon
$594.99
Adorama
$599
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
Product
Price
Price comparison from Backmarket

Black Friday 2023: All Apple deals

Stay on top of the best Black Friday deals as they arrive with our dedicated roundups.

Best Black Friday 2023 MacBook deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Mac deals

Best Black Friday 2023 AirPods deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Apple Watch deals

Best Black Friday 2023 iPad deals

Best Black Friday 2023 iPhone deals

Best Black Friday 2023 Mac monitor deals

Best Black Friday 2023 SSD and external hard drive deals

Headphones
]]> https://www.macworld.com/article/1377158/best-airpods-early-black-friday-deals-2023.html 1377158