macOS Big Sur - page 2

macOS 11.1 shows Apple changed the way its assigns version numbers

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macOS 11.1 beta 1 was seeded to developers on November 17.
The first macOS Bug Sur 11.1 beta seems to indicate we’ll probably get macOS 12 in 2021.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Less than a week after the very messy launch of macOS Big Sur 11.0.1, Apple seeded the first beta of the replacement to developers. Apple hasn’t yet revealed what new feature are coming in version 11.1.

But the new version number indicates Apple changed the system it uses to assign such things.

macOS Big Sur bricks some older 13-inch MacBook Pro models

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Apple
Beware Big Sur if you have an older MacBook Pro.
Photo: Apple

You might want to avoid Apple’s fancy new macOS Big Sur upgrade if you’re running an older MacBook Pro. Some owners report that the update rendered their machines completely unusable.

The problem seems to be affecting late-2013 and mid-2014 MacBook Pro models. It is believed Apple is aware, but there is no fix just yet.

macOS Big Sur does not pave the way for a touchscreen Mac

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macOS Big Sur offers a lot, but not a touchscreen Mac.
macOS Big Sur isn’t the first step toward a touchscreen Mac.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s head of software development threw cold water on speculation that macOS Big Sur was designed with a touchscreen Mac in mind.

Instead, Craig Federighi says the latest Mac operating system is more similar to iOS and iPadOS so it’s easier for users to switch between an Apple laptop, phone or tablet. Designers weren’t thinking about a touch-based Mac.

Apple fixes frustrating delays in macOS Big Sur downloads [Update: Maybe not!]

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Get your macOS Big Sur download now.
Here’s why you couldn’t download macOS Big Sur earlier.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Anyone who struggled to download the just-released macOS Big Sur might not be surprised to learn that Apple’s backend systems experienced major problems Thursday. By early afternoon, Apple said it fixed the problem. However, glitches lingered, as Apple admitted late in the afternoon.

“At present, you may see this error message appear when attempting to download macOS Big Sur,” Apple Support said on Twitter. “Apple is aware of this behavior and is currently investigating. Try waiting a while and attempting the download again.”

macOS Big Sur unlocks the power of Apple Silicon chips

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With macOS Big Sur, Apple takes things to the next level.
With macOS Big Sur, Apple takes things to the next level.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new macOS operating system Big Sur is the first Mac operating system to be built with the new Apple Silicon M1 chip in mind. Big Sur brings with it a dramatic redesign and a host of big improvements to key apps like Messages, Maps and Safari.

The M1 chip optimization will also mean some massive speed improvements for top apps — including the ability for your Mac to immediately turn on when you wake it up, similar to the way an iPhone does when you pick it up.

And you don’t have long to wait.

New Apple M1 chip will make Macs faster, less power-hungry

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Apple M1 chip
Apple's new M1 chip will blow your socks off.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Tuesday delivered on its promise to unveil the first Apple Silicon chip before the end of 2020. Its brand-new M1 system-on-chip (SoC) promises industry-leading performance and power efficiency for the fastest, most impressive Macs to date.

The M1 chip is the first 5-nanometer computer chip, packing a whopping 16 billion transistors and the world’s fastest CPU cores. It also features an 8-core GPU that’s “in a class of its own,” Apple says.

macOS Big Sur takes a big step toward release [Updated]

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macOS Big Sur on a MacBook Pro
All the new features of macOS Big Sur might be just days away.
Photo: Apple

Apple seeded a final version of macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 to developers on Thursday, Nov. 5. This is the last step before introducing it to the general public.

The wait probably won‘t be much longer — it’s widely expected that Big Sur will finally reach customer’s Macs after Apple’s “One More Thing” event.

Update: Apple seeded a second macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 Release Candidate to developers on November 10. And it announced the public launch will be Thursday, November 12.

How to leave the macOS Big Sur beta program before public release

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How to leave the macOS Big Sur beta
Don't be stuck with buggy beta releases.
Image: Cult of Mac

With the public release of macOS Big Sur right around the corner, it’s a good time to think about leaving the beta program — especially if you’ve been running the new release on your primary machine.

Dropping out ensures you get stable releases and quick fixes as soon as they’re available, and prevents potentially buggy future betas from being installed on your device. We’ll walk you through the process.

How to prevent AirPods from automatically switching to different devices

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AirPods-Pro-how-to
Take care of switching manually like you used to.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple recently gave AirPods and AirPods Pro the ability to automatically switch between different devices depending on what you’re doing. Sometimes the feature is useful, but other times it’s really frustrating.

You may have noticed it after updating to iOS 14 on your iPhone or iPadOS 14 on your iPad. The good news is, it’s possible to disable the feature and take care of switching yourself.

We’ll show you how.

iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 bring new features to iPhone, iPad

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The wait is almost over for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14.
The wait is over for both iOS 14 and iPadOS 14,
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple released the full version of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 on Wednesday. iPhone owners get Home screen widgets and a new way to organize their devices. And iPad owners get handwriting recognition and new drawing tools.

While reports indicate not everyone has access to the new versions yet, Apple says it released them at 1 p.m. Pacific time. The Golden Master versions of these upgrades went out to beta testers Tuesday.

Quick turnaround for latest iOS 14 beta likely means no more new features

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iOS 14 beta 2 adds a Files widget.
A Files Home screen widget appeared in iOS 14 beta 2. It’s unlikely any more new features like this will be forthcoming before the full release.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple seeded the sixth beta of iOS 14 to developers Tuesday, along with the iPad equivalent. That’s a week since the last betas were introduced — and the quick turnaround is a strong sign that Apple won’t add any more surprise features before the full release of these operating systems this autumn.

Trio takes to the sky to re-create macOS Big Sur’s soaring wallpaper

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It took a helicopter and some luck to re-create the macOS Big Sur wallpaper.
Scratch out the names and you might be hard-pressed to tell which is Apple’s and which is a re-creation of the macOS Big Sur wallpaper.
Photo: Andrew Levitt

Andrew Levitt and friends went to new heights to re-create Apple’s gorgeous wallpaper for macOS Big Sur. It’s not the first time they followed in Apple’s footsteps to capture pictures that mirror Mac wallpaper, but they had to hop in a helicopter to get this latest photo.

Levitt filmed a video showing everything it took to get an exact shot of the rugged California cost. Watch it now:

macOS Big Sur’s Digital Color Meter icon is a little off and it’s driving people crazy

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Digital Color Meter Big Sur 1
Spot anything weird about that pipette?
Photo: Roel Van Gils/Apple

When it comes to design, Apple’s not a lazy company. Cupertino sweats the small details, which — like that anecdote about Van Halen’s “no brown M&Ms” concert rider — shows it sweats the big details, too.

That’s why Apple fans seem so surprised to see that the icon for macOS Big Sur’s Digital Color Meter has something, well, just a little off about it. Can you see what’s wrong?

Get ready for Big Sur with $300 off MacBook Pro, $100 off MacBook Air

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macBookpro
Big discounts on almost all models.
Photo: Apple

If your Mac is getting a little long in the tooth and even basic tasks result in long load times, you might want to think about upgrading before the huge macOS Big Sur update rolls out this fall. And it’s a great time to do it!

Amazon is currently offering up to $300 off the newest MacBook Pro models, as well as $100 off the latest MacBook Air. These are limited-time discounts, so enjoy them while you can.

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