Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Top Apple headlines from January 23, 2023. The new Mac mini and MacBook Pro models are praised for their performance, there's an unlikely but desirable "Apple Watch X" rumor, and Spotify is the latest technology firm to make staff redundant.
Apple is more than just the iPhone manufacturer. This $2 trillion company's decisions impact many facets of technology, financials, and everyday life. When the company is rumored to be getting into something new, the entire world pays attention. And since 1997, AppleInsider has been covering this fascinating electronics maker from every possible angle. From details of the next-generation iPhone and MacBook to key indicators expected to drive the company’s stock price, AppleInsider Daily has you completely covered on a daily basis.
Welcome to the AppleInsider Daily for Monday, January 23, 2023.
Today the first reviews of the new M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook have been released, and every one of them says the same thing -- performance is amazing, but not so amazing that owners of the last generation should upgrade.
TechCrunch says the battery life is "straight up awesome", and praises the performance of the new MacBook Pro models, but still argues that the M2 MacBook Air is the best option for most buyers.
Engadget thinks the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a "blessing for creatives", but says only buyers who plan to use the machine to its full potential will see the "phenomenal results".
It's a similar story with the new M2 and M2 Pro Mac mini. The Verge says it's really a Mac Studio Junior, but argues the M2 is for everyday users, and the M2 Pro is only for creative professionals.
iJustine calls the new Mac mini impressive, and PC Magazine said it was a "revelation" -- even if it's still in the same box it was ten years ago.
Speaking of ten years, an extremely sketchy report that appears to have come from America, via Vietnam, and then ultimately through France's iPhoneSoft site, says Apple is planning an "Apple Watch Ten" for later this year.
That's Ten spelt with a roman numeral X, and that's Apple Watch Ten as in iPhone Ten - the claim is that the next Apple Watch will bring in as big a change as the iPhone Ten did.
Except that's supposition based on the name, and how next year is the tenth anniversary of the announcement of the Apple Watch.
Also promised for this year is an alternative to Apple Wallet, the system that lets you store credit cards, train tickets and so on in one place in your phone. Banks including Wells Fargo are working together with their Zelle firm on this as-yet unnamed digital wallet.
Zelle expects to launch with Visa and Mastercard by the second half of 2023, though first reports of how users will actually use the service sound as clunky as the failed CurrentC alternative to Apple Pay.
Perhaps Zelle needs more staff with technology experience, and unfortunately, they now have yet more to choose from as Spotify joins the ranks of tech firms laying off workers. Spotify is cutting 600 workers, or about 6% of its workforce and, like Microsoft, Google and more before it, says it's down to the unsustainable growth during the pandemic and the current economic climate.
So Spotify is the latest to lay off workers, the Mac mini and MacBook Pro are the latest Macs to get praiseworthy updates, and the Apple Watch Ten may be doubtful, but you still want one.
You can hear more news from AppleInsider on the weekly AppleInsider podcast every Friday. There's also our HomeKit Insider Podcast for smart home users, that's out every Monday. Links for both shows are in the notes for this one.
Thanks for listening, I'm William Gallagher and this has been the AppleInsider Daily for January 23, 2023.