Apple has announced that it’s expanding the use of recycled materials across its devices by 2025. This new commitment sees the tech giant utilize 100 percent recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries.
On top of transitioning to 100 percent recycled cobalt, Apple will use magnets that will exclusively use rare earth elements. Plus, the Cupertino company has committed to using 100 percent recycled tin soldering and 100 percent recycled gold plating across all Apple-designed printed circuit boards.
In a statement released today, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “Every day, Apple is innovating to make technology that enriches people’s lives, while protecting the planet we all share.”
In 2022, Apple reaffirmed its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. The designs across the entire Apple Watch series utilize recycled materials. The AirPods Pro are another sustainability-focused product that uses fewer plastics and rare earth elements.
The company is also making a firm commitment to eliminate plastics from the company’s packaging. Apple products have been steadily adopting sustainability efforts. In the past, Apple has removed the use of plastic wrapping in exchange for rip tags. In 2020, Apple removed the power brick from the packaging of iPhones. This measure is intended to reduce waste and allow Apple to create smaller packaging designs. The company also digitally prints labels onto the box of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, removing the use of labels and adhesives.
Apple is already using recycled cobalt across its devices. 25 percent of the cobalt Apple used in 2022 was recycled. However, that figure jumped from 13 percent the year prior. This upward firing trend is ambitious, yet the company claims it’s committed to the goal. Plus, devices like iPhones, iPad, MacBooks, etc. feature 38 percent recycled tin.
Apple is also leaning on its iPhone disassembly robot, Daisy, to help recover cobalt and other materials. The company estimates that since 2019, it has extracted more than 11,000 kgs of cobalt from devices thanks to Daisy.
Apple is reportedly considering adding OLED displays to its MacBook Air lineup, according to a recent report from Korean tech website The Elec This would be a major shift for the MacBook Air, as none of Apple’s MacBook laptops feature OLED panels. All current MacBooks, including the Pro and Air models, feature a Liquid Retina displays based on LCD technology.
According to the publication, LG Display is currently developing OLED panels for Apple’s 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro tablets, but it does not have the capacity to develop OLED panels that could be used in a laptop screen. As a replacement, Apple has reportedly turned to Samsung to produce OLED panels for its MacBook Air.
There is no release date yet for the OLED MacBook Air, according to The Elec. It’s also unclear whether the OLED MacBook Air will even be released or if it’s just a test for Samsung’s production capabilities.
Other notable industry analysts have also said that Apple is working on an OLED MacBook. For example, display analyst Ross Young said that Apple would release an OLED display sometime in 2024, and the rumour was backed-up by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
(6/6) It's expected that with Apple's adoption, the growth of OLED laptop shipments will continue to surge in the coming years.
OLED panels would allow Apple’s laptops to be thinner, lighter, and have better battery life. OLED displays also permit “more diverse form factor design options,” according to Kuo.
Apple’s MacBooks are already known for their superb displays, and the addition of OLED tech could take them to the next level. It remains to be seen when or if Apple will launch an OLED MacBook Air, but with multiple reports indicating that the company is exploring the technology, it seems likely that we’ll see OLED displays on Apple’s laptops sooner rather than later.
Yes, I said it. Laptop makers should stop including chargers with their laptops.
I fully expect this will be an unpopular opinion. After all, people are still upset that many smartphones no longer come with chargers in the box. And to an extent, I agree — it sucks to open up a brand new piece of tech and not be able to charge it if you don’t have a charger! But I’ve also lived on the other side, and there’s a glorious freedom to not getting a charger too.
First off, I am admittedly in a very niche group. As someone who reviews laptops for a living, I am blessed (or cursed, depending on your perspective) with the ability to switch laptops on a somewhat regular basis — certainly more often than anyone should switch laptops. On one hand, this puts me in the unique position of having way too many laptop chargers. On the other, I also think it gives me some insight into the world of laptop charging.
Over the last year or so, I’ve noticed two significant changes in the laptop world. First, the laptops I test almost exclusively use USB-C ports for charging. Even when they offer a different primary charging method, USB-C charging is still present. For example, Microsoft’s Surface devices offer the Surface Connect port but can also charge off USB-C. Similarly, Apple brought MagSafe back to MacBooks, but USB-C charging is still an option. In fact, I can’t think of a single laptop I’ve used in the last two years that hasn’t supported USB-C charging.
The other thing I’ve noticed? A rapid proliferation of USB-C chargers that rival the ones you get with a laptop. Since August 2022, I’ve tested a handful of charging accessories made by Ugreen, and they’ve been great for charging laptops. They were so good, I started leaving chargers that came with the laptops I was reviewing in the box. But more than that, I really appreciated not having to swap cables around whenever I started reviewing a new laptop. I set my desk up with a Ugreen dock so I could plug one cable into whatever laptop I was testing to charge it and also give access to my monitor as a secondary display.
Take control of your charging
Again, I recognize that I’m in a unique position compared to the average laptop user, but I think some of my experience can be extrapolated to larger trends. If you’re buying a laptop now or in the next few years, chances are it will charge via a USB-C port. And if you’ve already got a reliable USB-C charger for charging a laptop, do you really need another?
To be fair, there will also be plenty of people with laptops that don’t have USB-C chargers. Being forced to buy a new charger because your new device doesn’t come with one sucks. I won’t deny that. As with smartphones, I think companies should offer something to cater to people who might have an old charger that won’t work with their new device, like a charger trade-in program or a credit towards a charger if you don’t have one. Whether I think companies should do that or not, I doubt many will. But hey, if you have to buy a charger, might as well buy a good one that will outlast your laptop.
There are other benefits to not getting a charger, though how much any of these matter will vary from person to person. For one, less electronic waste (e-waste) by reducing the number of redundant chargers. As a knock-on effect, you’d reduce the amount of packaging too. For another, more consumer control over their gadgets and accessories. Oh, and if you forget your laptop charger at home, chances are someone can spot you if everyone’s rocking USB-C chargers.
All that said, there will still be some scenarios where it might be necessary to include a charger. Gaming laptops are one example that comes to mind since many have greater power demands than the average laptop (hence the massive bricks attached to most gaming laptop chargers).
Ultimately, most laptops already use one type of charger. Let’s commit to it and stop wasting time, money and resources on giving people the same charger they already have.
Local Toronto company, InsideSticker, has started selling unofficial Apple M1 holographic stickers. Yes, you read that correctly.
The series includes the standard “M1 Inside” design. However, you can also find M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra variants alongside M2 options as well.
Each sticker costs $7.99 and offers a colour pallet unique to each variant. InsideSticker also provides a $13.99 Sticker Pack, where you can choose any three stickers for a discounted rate.
Each sticker is 25.4 x 32.7mm and includes Apple’s logo alongside an original design, highlighting the M-series chip. According to InsideSticker, every sticker is made with a “premium vinyl material” and a glossy finish. Each sticker is also made with eco-friendly inks.
Running along the bottom is the word “Inside” written on a holographic material. This will surely help it stand out if you want to brag and boast about your pricey new M2-powered MacBook Air. It’s worth noting that the vinyl stickers are listed as not being 100 percent waterproof. Instead, “they will resist limited amounts of water.”
Naturally, these stickers are designed to be used on Mac products. With one of these flashy stickers, you can ensure everyone knows you’re no longer in the Intel era. Moreso, these stickers are reminiscent of the Intel/Nvidia/AMD stickers commonly featured on PCs and laptops.
InsideSticker states shipments in Canada are estimated at roughly two weeks.
In its Q1 2023 earnings report, Apple revealed that its overall sales during the typically lucrative holiday quarter were five percent lower than last year.
This marks the company’s first year-over-year decline since 2019.
In a press release, Apple CEO Tim Cook cited three factors for the company’s weak sales: production issues in China affecting iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max manufacturing, the strong dollar and the worldwide macroeconomic environment.
Given the lengthy order times across all of Apple’s iPhone 14 devices (and some other products, too), the tech giant specifically citing supply constraints as a key reason for eight percent year-over-year downtown in iPhone earnings isn’t surprising.
Apple’s Mac sales also declined a substantial 28.66 percent year- over-year, which, again, makes sense, given the MacBook Pro (2021) revamp that was well-received by critics (including myself) didn’t launch in 2022. That said, the company did release the M2 MacBook Air and Mac Studio in 2022.
“As we all continue to navigate a challenging environment, we are proud to have our best lineup of products and services ever, and as always, we remain focused on the long term and are leading with our values in everything we do,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in the company’s earnings press release.
Below is a breakdown of earnings across all of Apple’s various divisions:
Apple’s MacBooks will one day shift over to an OLED display, but whether that’s 2024 or later is still unknown.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the OLED MacBook will come by the end of 2024 at the earliest.
Previously, display analyst Ross Young said that Apple would release an OLED display sometime in 2024. Additionally, Young says that this device would be a 13-inch model, and it’s most likely a MacBook Air.
Either way, the 2024 launch window is only possible according to Kuo. He makes it clear that the device would only come by the end of 2024 at the earliest.
(6/6) It's expected that with Apple's adoption, the growth of OLED laptop shipments will continue to surge in the coming years.
The Apple Watch and iPhones use OLED displays; however, they aren’t included with iPads or MacBooks. With an “at the earliest” 2024 launch window, it does seem like we’ll get OLED screens on MacBooks before too long. These MacBooks would have better displays and be thinner and lighter than other devices.
Sooner or later, we’ll probably see it on iPads as well.
The MacBook Air is the perfect laptop for most people. The M2-powered MacBook Air (2022) is the perfect laptop for most people. The M2 MacBook Pro is the perfect laptop for most people.
Do you see the conundrum with Apple’s current laptop lineup yet?
I’m hard-pressed to call it an issue since every laptop Apple sells for under $2,000 is great. But, it still doesn’t make walking into an Apple Store and buying the right computer for you any more straightforward.
There are a few perks that make the refreshed M2 Air feel new, and realistically, a $200 price bump over last year’s M1 Air isn’t that much, but when it comes down to it, the new laptop doesn’t do very much to stand out from the crowd.
In 2020 when Apple introduced the M1 series of chips, it was an incredible achievement to see the tech giant’s ARM-based chipsets running laps around Intel-equipped Macs. This year, the M2 chip is just as impressive, but the context surrounding it has changed. No longer are we comparing it to Intel-based computers. Instead, now we get to compare it to the M1, and the improvements aren’t as exciting.
The world’s best-selling MacBook
This photo is staged to show off the blue hue. Under most lighting conditions it looks black.
The MacBook Air has been slowly taking over the wonderful world of MacBooks since Steve Jobs first pulled it out of that iconic manila envelope in 2008. What started as a premium alternative to the white plastic MacBook, has grown into a stellar entry-level MacBook and now even into a base-level MacBook Pro replacement.
The latest iteration is the most potent Air yet, and it can handle way more than a laptop of its size should be able to do. The M2 Chipset is ridiculously quick and the tiny computer’s battery life shocked me. I was easily able to get more than 12 hours out of it and opening apps was never a problem. It only slowed down once I started to edit a three-layered 4K unboxing video. I’ll mention here that my review unit only features 8GB of RAM, so it maxed out pretty quickly. If I was buying a new Air to edit videos, I’d step up to 24GB.
The new model also comes in two new colours – ‘Midnight,’ the same dark blue from the Apple Watch Series 6, and ‘Starlight’ which has become Apple’s latest gold hue. Of course, the classic ‘Silver’ and ‘Space Grey’ options return.
The screen in the new MacBook Air is also an improvement. It now supports 10-bits of colour, and it features a peak brightness of 500 nits, making it slightly brighter and more colourful than the older Air. On top of that, the display has been pushed out 0.3-inches and features a notch like the redesigned MacBook Pro (2021) The notch isn’t overly noticeable, and the larger screen feels like an improvement over its predecessor’s display. Overall the screen is a subtle upgrade, but there’s no denying it looks excellent and features great colour accuracy.
Other improvements include an impressive new 1080p webcam. Compared to the softness of the Studio Display’s webcam and the graininess of the MacBook Pro’s 1080p camera, it’s a nice step up and likely more than enough for most people’s video chatting needs. Apple says a new signal-to-noise processor in the M2 chip helps the camera look its best all the time. The three built-in microphones are also clear and work as expected.
To help hear your video calls, there’s a new four-speaker array that features Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio when you’re sitting right in front of the new Air. MacBooks have always offered impressive speakers and the M2 Air is no different. Its speakers aren’t as deep or as rich as the 14-inch MacBook Pro, but detailed, loud and clear without much tinny distortion like other laptops often fall victim to.
A compelling package but not without flaws
As much as I was excited about the new MacBook Air’s redesign, there’s a part of me that’s disappointed Apple didn’t push the aesthetic a little further. For instance, unlike the new MacBook Pro, the Air didn’t get its name etched into the bottom of the chassis. My best guess is that Apple did this to save space to add as much battery as possible, but it would have been nice to see these little details on the new laptop. The new design looks exactly like a thinner/smaller 14-inch Pro but with fewer ports. It’s actually one millimetre thinner than the previous MacBook Air, but without the iconic wedge shape. It still feels small and light, and the weight even feels a little more evenly distributed in the new model.
My main pain point is mostly to do with the port selection. The new Air only features four ports: one MagSafe charger, two USB-C ports and a single high impedance headphone jack. While this is enough, the two USB-C inputs are a little too close together for my liking, and an extra one on the right side of the laptop would have been helpful. Hopefully, Apple will remedy this in the future, but looking at its current sub-$2,000 laptop lineup, I wouldn’t hold my breath. This means that many people will still be living the dongle life if they opt for the new MacBook Air.
On top of that, the MacBook Air with M2 only supports a single external display. The new chip supports 6K screens, which is nice, but it would’ve been impressive to see Apple extend this to at least two1080p displays or even one 4K and one 1080p option, without requiring a workaround.
Looking past the above issues my gripes fall less with the new Air and more with how Apple has positioned it within its current laptop lineup. I assume that the company is throwing every MacBook at the wall to help account for supply chain delays, but maybe the tech giant is just trying to see if selling a wider range of products results in more sales. Either way, the new MacBook Air would fit much better in the product lineup at $1,299, with the older M1 Air being killed off and replaced with a more cost-effective device (perhaps the rumoured M-series chip equipped 12-inch MacBook successor?)
The benchmarks
As I mentioned above, the new Air is an M2 MacBook Pro killer since they both run the same chipset and the M-series of chips don’t need a fan unless you’re pushing it to the extreme. I’d argue that if you plan to push your computer that hard, you should jump up to the M1 Pro or Max chips for extra performance.
While I did see remarkably similar performance between the two machines in our tests, none of the benchmarks we run stress the machine for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. For tasks that would take a lot longer than that, like exporting a long video, the added fans of the M2 Pro might give it more of an edge over the M2 Air. The longest running test was Cinebench and the Air did appear to start slowing down significantly near the end.
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That said, from what we’ve seen, there doesn’t seem to be any significant reasons to justify the existence of the M2 Pro for most circumstances, and in day-to-day tasks, both computers likely perform the same.
When it comes to gaming, the Air can handle most indie games without too much of a hassle, but AAA games are still a little much for the tiny machine unless you’re playing on low settings. Not that there are many games to play on Mac, but if you’re a gamer, be warned. Having said that, I’m a casual gamer and I’m pretty impressed with the new Air’s capabilities.
My first MacBook was a 2014 MacBook Air, and it could barely run the indie game Kentucky Route Zero. With that in mind, the fact that I can run Hitman even if it has to be at low settings, the new Air is a pretty exciting jump forward for me. Combine that power with the Metal 3 framework that Apple talked about at WWDC, and perhaps we’ll finally start to see more games trickle over to macOS during the next few years.
Apple’s new M2-powered MacBook Air was only revealed last week, but that hasn’t stopped rumours about its successor from swirling.
According to display analyst Ross Young, it’s likely the tech giant will release a MacBook Air and an iPad Pro with an OLED display at some point in 2024.
An excerpt from Young’s report can be found below (via 9to5Mac):
“It is looking increasingly likely that Apple will launch a 13.3″ OLED notebook in 2024 in addition to the 11″ OLED and 12.9″ iPad Pro’s. It is expected to be a MacBook Air, but could potentially become a MacBook, MacBook Pro or new category.”
Young goes on to say that the OLED iPad Pro and MacBook Air will feature “tandem stack” display technology that improves screen brightness, longevity and reduces power consumption by 30 percent. Other features include the same variable refresh rate technology found in several of Apple’s current displays, which should add additional power efficiency.
This would mark a shift from the current mini-LED technology Apple utilizes in its iPad Pro (2021) and MacBook Pro (2021) models. While mini-LED allows for higher overall brightness than OLED, its local dimming isn’t quite as good. On the other hand, OLED screens have the potential to suffer from screen burn-in and consume more power.
9to5Mac says that Apple is investing in new micro-LED technology that aims to combine mini-LED and OLED’s strengths into a new form of screen tech.
Apple is expected to release an iPad Pro refresh later this year.
Apple has finally revealed that the M2 MacBook Pro is hitting store shelves on June 24th. Pre-orders go live on June 17th at 5 AM PT (8 AM ET).
The computer starts at $1,699 CAD, but you can snag it for $1,574 with the Apple education discount.
The MacBook Pro 13-inch is a strange device since the only thing that Apple has done to the design in years is remove USB-C ports, but it’s also keeping it modern with the M2 chipset.
Unlike the new MacBook Air, both versions of the MacBook Pro that Apple sells start with the M2 that includes the 10-core GPU, which combined with the fan design of the Pro, should offer longer sustained top performance than the Air.
However, many shoppers might want to wait for the new Air since it features the same chip, a separate charging port and is significantly lighter. Either way, the competition between Apple’s sub $2,000 laptops is fierce this year, so make sure to keep your eyes on MobileSyrup for more detailed product reviews on both computers in the coming weeks.
During WWDC, Apple said that the new MacBook Air would go on sale in July, but we still don’t know what day.
What’s the worst thing for you to lose? Your keys? Your wallet? I’d argue it’s your phone, tablet, or computer. Not because they’re expensive but because your keys and wallet don’t know everything about you. Only our personal electronic devices know everyone you’ve ever talked to, every place you have been, and likely more information about you than what we know about yourself.
If you’re lucky, you’ll never lose one of your Apple devices. However, if you do, it’ll be a stressful situation. So if you lose an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook, I’ve put together a helpful five-step guide to help reduce your stress in this lousy situation. Each step is meant to provide an explanation and resources to help you recover your device and protect your personal data.
Step 1: Check ‘Find My’
‘Find My’ is Apple’s device tracking solution. iPhones, iPads, Macs, and iPod Touches (may they rest in peace) use Wi-Fi or cellular data to mark their location. In addition, many of Apple’s devices will continue to ping their approximate location via low-powered Bluetooth signals with other Apple devices after their battery dies.
When you misplace one of your devices, the first thing you should do is to check the Find My app on another Apple device or visit iCloud.com/find. If prompted, sign in with your Apple ID. If using the iOS or Mac app, tap ‘Devices,’ and you’ll see a map of where your devices are. If they aren’t currently reporting their location, you may see the device’s last known location (pending that setting was enabled).
Ideally, you’ll see your missing device. Tap on the device’s name and tap ‘Play Sound’ or tap ‘Directions’ to hear it play a sound or get turn-by-turn directions. If the device isn’t reporting a location or seems unretrievable, move on to step 2.
To enable Find My on an iOS device:
1. Launch Settings
2. Tap your name at the very top
3. Tap Find My
4. Tap Find My iPhone
5. Toggle Find My iPhone, Find My network, and Send Last Location to on (green)
To enable Find My on macOS:
1. Launch System Preferences
2. Click Security & Privacy 3. Click the Privacy tab
4. Click the lock icon in the lower left-hand corner
5. Enter your password
6. Click Unlock
7. Click Location Services 8. Check ‘Enable Location Services’ to on
9. Check ‘Find My’ to on
10. Click the back arrow in the top left corner
11. Click Apple ID 12. Click iCloud 13. Check ‘Find My Mac’ to on
Step 2: Mark as Lost
Once we’ve verified that our device seems immediately unrecoverable, we should mark it as lost within the Find My app. Marking your Apple device as lost has several benefits. First, when the device reconnects to a network, it will present a special message on the lock screen and stop showing your personal notifications.
Additionally, lost mode disables Apple Pay. Finally, if the device gets erased, it will require your Apple ID to be usable. Not to worry, if you find your device again, you can turn lost mode off by either entering your device’s passcode or turning it off via the Find My app.
To mark a device as lost:
1. Open the ‘Find My’ app
2. Tap Devices 3. Select the missing device
4. Tap Activate under ‘Mark As Lost’
5. Tap Continue
6. If prompted, enter a phone number
7. Tap Next 8. Enter in a message that will come up on your lost device
9. Tap Activate
Step 3: Contact your Carrier
Now that we’ve disabled your Apple hardware, we need to contact your carrier to disable your SIM card if it’s an iPhone or cellular iPad. If your SIM doesn’t have a passcode, someone could remove it from your missing device and put it in their own. That would allow the thief to receive all of your text messages and two-factor SMS codes. You can learn more about placing a PIN on your SIM card in our 10 best ways to secure your iPhone article.
Additionally, your carrier can have your iPhone or cellular iPad marked as blocklisted on a national database shared by all Canadian cellular providers. This shared blocklist ensures that a lost or stolen device cannot be activated on another cellular network. If you have your carrier add your device to the shared blocklist and recover your missing device, you’ll have to contact your carrier again to get the device removed. You can read more about the shared blocklist or check the IMEI of a device here.
Lastly, if you pay for a lost and stolen warranty through your cellphone provider, this would be the time to begin the claims process. Ask your provider what they need from you to be able to file a claim. Optionally, contact your credit card company, or whomever else may provide you with lost and stolen warranty coverage. The customer service numbers for most major Canadian cellphone providers are below.
Bell: 1-888-214-7896
Telus: 1-866-558-2273
Rogers: 1-877-559-5202
Virgin Plus: 1-888-999-2321
Fido: 1-888-481-3436
Freedom Mobile: 1-877-946-3184
Sasktel: 1-800-727-5835
Eastlink: 1-888-345-1111
Vidéotron: 1-877-512-0911
Koodo: No public phone number, it’s recommended you start with Koodo’s chat on their website to schedule a callback with its customer service.
Step 4: File a theft report
When you first lose your device, it’s important to lock it via the Find My app and disable your SIM card with your carrier. Those two steps remove the likelihood that someone may gain access to your data or receive your personal text messages.
Assuming no one has contacted you using the phone number you provided when locking the device via Find My, it’s likely time to file a report with your local police department. In addition, filing a theft report may be needed to receive a replacement device from your warranty provider. Theft reports can also allow police to return your device should they somehow recover it.
When contacting law enforcement to file a theft report, do not call 911. Instead, find your local law police department’s non-emergency number. For example, the Halifax Regional Police’s non-emergency number is 902-490-5020. The Toronto Police Service’s number is 416-808-2222, and they offer an online reporting option at tps.ca/report.
Step 5: Erase Device
After you have waited some time and your device seems permanently lost, it’s time to erase the device remotely. You can permanently erase all of your content off the device remotely using the Find My app on another Apple device or via iCloud.com/find. Doing this means if you do recover the device in the future, you’ll have to set it back up as new or with an iCloud backup. While you can do this step early on after losing your device, most people want to wait to see if they can recover it to avoid needing to set back up the device.
You can remotely erase your missing device by:
1. Opening the ‘Find My’ app
2. Tap Devices 3. Tap on the missing device
4. Tap Erase This Device 5. Tap Continue 6. Enter in an optional recovery message
7. Tap Erase
After you have waited some time and your device seems permanently lost, it’s time to erase the device remotely. You can permanently erase all of your content off the device remotely using the Find My app on another Apple device or via iCloud.com/find. Doing this means if you do recover the device in the future, you’ll have to set it back up as new or with an iCloud backup. While you can do this step early on after losing your device, most people want to wait to see if they can recover it to avoid needing to set back up the device.