Possibly the actual Apple occasion was the press releases we bought alongside the best way

Welcome to our weekend Apple Breakfast column, which incorporates all the Apple information you missed this week in a useful bite-sized roundup. We name it Apple Breakfast as a result of we expect it goes nice with a morning cup of espresso or tea, but it surely’s cool if you wish to give it a learn throughout lunch or dinner hours too.

Welcome to the non-event

Apple is the king of press occasions, and as soon as held three in consecutive months to launch a raft of merchandise together with the Apple Watch Collection 6, the iPhone 12, and the primary technology of Apple silicon Macs. There was loads of pleasure to go round, and the tech reporters who needed to cowl the occasions didn’t even complain about it… all that a lot. However these had been massive launches, properly price intensive stage time, and this week we noticed Apple’s strategy when it isn’t fairly so positive of itself.

On Tuesday (at an uncomfortably early hour for U.S.-based journalists, who I’ll repeat are completely the final to complain about their sorrows), the corporate unveiled the newest model of the Mac mini, geared up with the M2 and brand-new M2 Professional processors, and up to date 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional fashions with the M2 Professional and super-fast M2 Max. Early on Wednesday, it introduced the confounding return of the full-size HomePod. However none of these items was deemed worthy of an precise occasion, as a substitute plopping into inboxes within the self-deprecating type of a press launch.

Now, I’m the primary to confess that these weren’t blockbusting reveals. Not one of the new Macs bought a bodily redesign, and the beneficial properties provided by the M2 chips over the M1 are understandably extra iterative than revolutionary. It isn’t instantly apparent, in the meantime, how the 2nd-gen HomePod addresses the constraints that led to its predecessor being discontinued, and it even seems to be the identical. (This doesn’t cease me from eager to attempt it out, thoughts you. For all its faults, I’m a sucker for the HomePod.) However it’s peculiar all the identical that Apple selected to not make this an appointment to view.

Apple

One suspects that there was disagreement about this very query at Cupertino as a result of the corporate seems to have compromised by basically making a digital occasion after which hiding it on the web site as a substitute of sending out invitations. That is no bizarre product demo video: it’s practically 20 minutes of bulletins, and options all of the hallmarks of an Apple digital occasion, from the drone zoom into Apple Park to the useful flashcards summarising the specs and key options. (Go to Apple.com and click on “Watch the announcement” to see what I imply.) Apple put in nearly all of the work of organizing an occasion however then determined to scrap it. I’ve written earlier than in regards to the professionals and cons of lifeless occasions, so I received’t rehearse all of the arguments once more. However that is curious conduct, to say the least.

Maybe the reply lies sooner or later. It’s possible that Apple is appearing coy as a result of it needs to maintain its powder dry forward of the principle occasion in March or April once we’ll get our first glimpse of the AR headset. Appearing because the vanguard of a complete ecosystem of recent merchandise, the rumored Actuality Professional may sign a change of focus for Apple that can final for years to return, and it’s comprehensible that the corporate would need all eyes on that, reasonably than getting distracted by minor {hardware} updates.

However come on, lads. January is boring as heck, and we actually wouldn’t have begrudged you a little bit of razzle-dazzle.

Foundry

The thrill of Apple silicon is already gone, laments David Value.

The 2nd-gen HomePod is a really unusual product.

Michael Simon asks the $50,000 query: When will Apple full its Mac chip transition?

The “contact” a part of a touchscreen Mac is a sensitive job, the Macalope discovers.

The HomePod mini’s secret temperature sensor isn’t so secret anymore.

The rumor mill

Apple is reportedly not creating AR glasses attributable to ‘technical challenges’.

As a part of a main smart-home push, Apple is creating a magnetic iPad-like show, good shows, and a quicker Apple TV.

Podcast of the week

Within the latest historical past of Apple, January is usually a quiet month for product releases. However not this 12 months! We’ve bought new MacBook Execs, new Mac minis, and new M2 chips, and we’re speaking about all of them on this episode of the Macworld Podcast!

You possibly can catch each episode of the Macworld Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our personal web site.

Software program updates, bugs & issues

Apple has acknowledged a crash detection bug inflicting snowboarding falls to be reported as automotive accidents.

The subsequent iOS 16 replace will embrace two massive iPhone fixes.

Your HomePod is getting a main replace subsequent week.

And with that, we’re accomplished for this week. In the event you’d prefer to get common roundups, join our newsletters. You can even observe us on Twitter or on Fb for dialogue of breaking Apple information tales. See you subsequent Saturday, take pleasure in the remainder of your weekend, and keep Appley.