March is just around the corner and that means our first good opportunity to launch Apple products in 2021, as the company frequently has significant launches in March or April each year. We hear rumors about the MacBook Pro, iMac, AirPods and many more, although many of them will appear at different times during the year.
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This week there was also a macOS update to address a significant issue with some of the latest MacBook Pro models when connected to certain USB-C hubs and docks, while our videographer Dan Barbera took a second look at the MagSafe leather wallet launched alongside the iPhone 12 models. Read on for all the details!
New MacBook Pro models with HDMI port and SD card reader will be released later this year
Last month, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple plans to launch new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in the second half of this year with brighter Mini-LED displays, a new design with a flat top and in the bottom, the return of additional ports and a MagSafe charging cable and physical function keys instead of the Touch Bar.
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This week, Kuo received more details about those additional ports, claiming that the two new MacBook Pro models will be equipped with an HDMI port and at least one SD card reader.
If these rumors are eliminated, this may be one of the most significant revisions ever made by the MacBook Pro, with many features preferred by returning fans. There’s also a lot of anticipation around next-generation Apple silicon chips, given the already impressive performance of the M1 chip in next-generation cars, such as the MacBook Air and the base 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The mini-LED backlight could be extended to a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro that is rumored to be launched in March.
2021 iMac said it will come in five colors, Apple Silicon Mac Pro will look like Mac Minis “stacked”
Apple’s next-generation iMac will be available in the same colors as the latest iPad Air, including Silver, Gray Space, Green, Sky Blue and Rose Gold, according to leaker Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech.
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BloombergMark Gurman previously reported that the new iMac will be redesigned with thinner frames and no metal chin under the display and a flat back case similar to that of the latest generation Pro Display XDR. This would be the first redesign of the all-in-one desktop computer in 2012.
Gurman also reported that Apple is developing a smaller version of the Mac Pro with an Apple silicon chip, and Prosser claimed this week that this machine will look similar to three to four Mac mini devices in a stack. The design is reminiscent of the Power Mac G4 Cube, released in 2000.
Third-generation AirPods may be displayed in leaked images
It is rumored that Apple is working on third-generation AirPods for launch later this year, and an alleged image of the headphones and their charging case appeared this week on the Chinese website. 52audio.
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The new AirPods are expected to have design clues from the “AirPods Pro” with a smaller stem and silicone ear tips, but it looks like they won’t have state-of-the-art features, such as Active Noise Canceling, allowing a price smaller. The current AirPods are priced at $ 159 with a wired charging case and $ 199 with a wireless charging case, while the AirPods Pro is $ 249.
Japanese website Mac Otakara previously claimed that second-generation AirPods Pro are also scheduled for launch in April. Apple aims to make the second-generation AirPods Pro more compact by eliminating the stem protruding from the bottom, resulting in a more compact design like Google’s Pixel Buds, according to BloombergMark Gurman.
Apple launches macOS Big Sur 11.2.2 to prevent damage to non-third-party docking MacBooks
A new MacOS Big Sur 11.2.2 software update has been released for Mac users, which prevents MacBook Pro models from 2019 or later and MacBook Air models from 2020 or later from being damaged when connected to certain USB-C powered by third-party, non-compliant hubs and docks, according to Apple.
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There have been several reports of Reddit from Mac users who have connected USB-C hubs and docks to their machines, which has led to the operation of the machine. Affected Macs appear to remain blank and do not respond shortly after the dock is connected. Many of the users who encountered problems used hubs and docks that were not purchased from reputable companies.
The new macOS Big Sur 11.2.2 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.
Review of the Apple MagSafe leather wallet after 3 months
On our YouTube channel this week, MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera reviewed Apple’s MagSafe wallet for iPhone 12 models after using the accessory for three months, and his impressions were more favorable after this extended use.
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Dan didn’t like the MagSafe Wallet at first because he found it had a weak magnetic connection and easily fell off the iPhone when he put the device in a pocket, but he learned to adjust his usage habits in a way that worked better for him.
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