Fantastical Updated for macOS Big Sur With New Design, Widgets, Native Support for Apple Silicon, and More

Flexibits today announced the release of version 3.3 of its popular calendar app Fantastical for Mac, with key new features including full compatibility with macOS Big Sur, native support for Apple Silicon, and a new design.


Fantastical version 3.3 also supports macOS Big Sur's revamped Notification Center widgets with customizable themes and sizes, displays sunrise and sunset times in the weather forecast, provides severe weather alerts, adds support for adding Microsoft Teams meetings to events on Office 365, and more.

Many of these new features and others have also been implemented in the latest version of Fantastical for iPhone and iPad.


Fantastical is free on the Mac App Store/App Store for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, with a Fantastical Premium subscription required to unlock all features. A subscription costs $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year in the United States.

Related Roundup: macOS Big Sur

Tags: Fantastical, Apple Silicon

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Apple Updates iWork and GarageBand With Refreshed Icons and Designs for macOS Big Sur

Following today's release of macOS Big Sur, Apple has updated a number of its apps to support the new operating system version and upcoming Apple Silicon Macs.


Apple's suite of iWork apps is among the updates, with Pages, Numbers, and Keynotes all sporting refreshed icons and a "refined new design on ‌macOS Big Sur‌." Stability and performance improvements are also included. Alongside the updates on the Mac side, the iWork apps for iOS have seen minor updates for stability and performance improvements.


GarageBand for Mac has also been updated with a new icon and refreshed ‌macOS Big Sur‌ design, among other improvements and additions.

- Refined new design on ‌macOS Big Sur‌
- Improved performance and efficiency on Mac computers with Apple silicon
- Allows customisation of region colours in your tracks
- Adds 1,800 Apple Loops in a variety of genres including Hip-Hop, Chill Rap, Future Bass, New Disco, Bass House and more
- Adds over 190 instrument patches and 50 vintage and modern drum kits

Apple updated its professional video and audio apps, including Final Cut Pro and Logic, earlier today.

Tags: iWork, GarageBand

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First iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max Orders Arriving to Customers in New Zealand and Australia

It's already November 13 in Australia, New Zealand, and countries in Asia which means iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max launch day has officially kicked off.

Customers in New Zealand and Australia are always the first to get their hands on new devices due to time zone differences, and the ‌iPhone 12 Pro‌ Max and 12 mini are arriving to those who preordered on November 6.

‌iPhone 12‌ mini image via Instagram
New devices photos and videos are popping up across the web on Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and more.

My ‌iPhone 12 Pro‌ Max has arrived.

It is indeed huge.

Feels like I could use it as a shield if needed. pic.twitter.com/6K4fAgeVvo

— Kirk Burgess (@kirkburgess) November 12, 2020

Because there are no Apple Stores in New Zealand, customers in Australia are the first to be able to purchase one of the new models in an Apple retail location. Available in-store stock in Australia will give us an idea of what we can expect in other ‌Apple Stores‌ worldwide.

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A post shared by Sarah Burnett (@seza8louise)

‌iPhone 12 Pro‌ Max orders placed now aren't delivering until December for the most part, but ‌iPhone 12‌ mini orders will arrive before the end of November. Still, those who don't want to wait may prefer to pick up an order in store tomorrow.

開封#iPhone12ProMax pic.twitter.com/wrWRjF0E8f

— Daiki Shimizu (@432daiki) November 12, 2020

Following New Zealand and Australia, ‌‌iPhone 12‌ mini‌ and 12 Pro Max sales will begin in the Middle East, Europe, and then North America. ‌‌Apple Stores‌‌ globally are opening up right around 8:00 a.m. local time to allow customers to pick up reserved devices and make walk-in purchases.

Line for #iPhone12Mini & #iPhone12ProMax pickup is HUGE! pic.twitter.com/n6nWHSGSMr

— Frankie Herrera (@frankie_tech) November 12, 2020

Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors tomorrow and throughout next week, because we'll have plenty of ‌iPhone 12‌ mini‌ and 12 Pro Max coverage that includes a hands-on and some in-depth camera comparisons.

Related Roundups: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro

Buyer's Guide: iPhone 12 (Buy Now), iPhone 12 Pro (Buy Now)

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Code in iOS 14.3 Adds Support for Third-Party Bluetooth Trackers With Find My Integration

Code in iOS 14.3 suggests that Apple is rolling out the groundwork to add support for third-party item trackers to the Find My app, as well as additional support for AirTags.


Apple alongside iOS 14 launched a Find My Network Accessory Program that's designed to allow third-party products and accessories to integrate with the ‌Find My‌ app. With these feature, users can track third-party lost items directly on their Apple devices using the ‌Find My‌ app.

It is, in fact, similar to the ‌AirTags‌ that Apple is working on, but for third-party products. It's not yet clear what manufacturers plan to implement this functionality, but it seems like it could be added to a range of different Bluetooth devices.

There are several strings of code in iOS 14.3 that hint at how it will work, with the info discovered by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.

• You are connecting to an item that is paired to someone else's Apple ID.


• This item has been moving with you for a while.


• The owner can see its location.


• This item was seen nearby.


• The owner of this item will be able to see its location.


• Replace battery on [item] soon.


• This item is not supported. Please try again in a few minutes. If the problem persists, you may need to contact the manufacturer.


• Change or charge the battery for this item and try again.


• This device doesn't support Bluetooth. Bluetooth is required to connect your item.


• Adding items is not supported on this device.


• Contact the manufacturer of this device to learn if ‌Find My‌ is supported.


• Make sure the item is nearby and ready to connect.


• To add items to ‌Find My‌, you'll need to first update your account security.


• You have added the maximum number of items to your ‌Apple ID‌. You can add another item once you remove one.


• Turn on precise location to more accurately locate the distance between you and your friends, devices, and items.


• Removing this item will allow it to be set up and used by another person and it will no longer be linked to your ‌Apple ID‌.


• You can learn more about lost items, or see if the owner has left a message, by connecting to it.


• Select an emoji and name that best represents your item.


• If this item is not familiar to you, learn how to disassemble it and stop sharing your location.


• Keep track of your everyday items by adding ‌Find My‌ compatible accessories.

The beta also includes related icons (one of which may unveil the design of AirPods Studio) and some ‌AirTags‌ images that we've previously seen, all under the codename "Hawkeye."


It's not clear when we might see the first items that are able to integrate with the ‌Find My‌ app, but it appears that Apple is gearing up for support so we could perhaps be seeing some Find My-compatible Bluetooth items in the near future.

Related Roundups: iOS 14, iPadOS 14

Tag: Find My

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iOS 14.3 Icon Hints at AirPods Studio Design

An icon in the iOS 14.3 beta that was briefly released this afternoon before being pulled could reveal the design of the upcoming AirPods Studio headphones.


Found by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser and also highlighted by 9to5Mac, the icon is simple in design but does not depict a current headphone design used by Apple. The icon has deep oval shaped ear cups and what appears to be a padded band, and it is similar to leaked images that allegedly depict the ‌AirPods Studio‌.

A mockup of what ‌AirPods Studio‌ might look like based on leaked images
The headphone icon and related icons depicting a backpack and a set of luggage are also in iOS 14.3, suggesting that all of the icons are perhaps related to Apple's upcoming AirTags. We've been seeing hints of ‌AirTags‌ in Apple's software for months now.


Rumors have suggested that Apple's ‌AirPods Studio‌ headphones will have a retro design with interchangeable ear cups and Active Noise Cancellation functionality. There may be two variants, one that is made from lighter weight materials and one that is made from higher-end materials.

New Pairing video in the Find My app in iOS 14.3 beta 1 with the codename Hawkeye hints at Apple Tags support and new Apple over ear headphones. pic.twitter.com/oVdCLQcaWc

— Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) November 12, 2020

Neither ‌AirPods Studio‌ or ‌AirTags‌ are expected to be released before the end of the year, and it's likely that we'll see these two products unveiled at some point in early 2021.

For more on ‌AirPods Studio‌, make sure to check out our roundup.

Related Roundup: AirPods Studio

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Apple Silicon M1 Chip in MacBook Air Outperforms High-End 16-Inch MacBook Pro

Apple introduced the first MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini with M1 Apple Silicon chips yesterday, and as of today, the first benchmark of the new chip appears to be showing up on the Geekbench site.



The M1 chip, which belongs to a ‌MacBook Air‌ with 8GB RAM, features a single-core score of 1687 and a multi-core score of 7433. According to the benchmark, the M1 has a 3.2GHz base frequency.

When compared to existing devices, the M1 chip in the ‌MacBook Air‌ outperforms all iOS devices. For comparison's sake, the iPhone 12 Pro earned a single-core score of 1584 and a multi-core score of 3898, while the highest ranked iOS device on Geekbench's charts, the A14 iPad Air, earned a single-core score of 1585 and a multi-core score of 4647.



In comparison to Macs, the single-core performance is better than any other available Mac, and the multi-core performance beats out all of the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro models, including the 10th-generation high-end 2.4GHz Intel Core i9 model. That high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro earned a single-core score of 1096 and a multi-core score of 6870.

Though the M1 chip is outperforming the 16-inch MacBook Pro models when it comes to raw CPU benchmarks, the 16-inch MacBook Pro likely offers better performance in other areas such as the GPU as those models have high-power discrete GPUs.

It's worth noting that there are likely to be some performance differences between the MacBook Pro and the ‌MacBook Air‌ even though they're using the same M1 chip because the ‌MacBook Air‌ has a fanless design and the MacBook Pro has an new Apple-designed cooling system. There's also a benchmark for the Mac mini, though, and it has about the same scores.


The ‌Mac mini‌ with M1 chip that was benchmarked earned a single-core score of 1682 and a multi-core score of 7067.

Related Roundups: Mac mini, MacBook Air

Tags: Apple Silicon, M1

Buyer's Guide: Mac Mini (Buy Now), MacBook Air (Buy Now), 13" MacBook Pro (Buy Now)

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Apple Selling New Solo Loop and Sport Bands in Kumquat, Northern Blue and Plum

Apple today added new Solo Loop and Sport Apple Watch bands to its online store, expanding the number of colors available for the two band options.


Both the Solo Loop and the Sport Band now come in an orange shade called Kumquat, a lighter blue that Apple is calling Northern Blue, and a deeper purple red called Plum. Plum and Kumquat match iPhone 12 Silicone cases available in the same shades.

Apple last introduced new band colors in September with the launch of the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Apple Watch SE, which is also when the new Solo Loop bands were debuted.

The Solo Loop has a clasp-free design and comes in nine different sizes, which can make finding the right fit difficult. For those interested in purchasing a Solo Loop, we have a fit guide available.

(Thanks, Leonard!)
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Nanoleaf Launches HomeKit-Compatible 'Essentials' LED Bulb and Lightstrip

Nanoleaf, the company that makes wall-mounted modular light panels in various shapes, today announced the launch of a line of "Essentials," which includes a new light bulb and lightstrip.


The Smart Color Changing LED Bulb and LED Lightstrip are simpler, everyday lighting options that are meant to be used alongside the light panels. Compatible with HomeKit, both the bulb and the lightstrip have support for ‌HomeKit‌ Adaptive Lighting, which allows them to shift color temperatures during the day.


Cooler lighting temperatures that better match daylight are used during the day, and at night, the lights will cut down on blue lighting to allow for better sleep. The Essentials Bulb, which has a unique shape, supports color temperatures from 2,700 to 6,500K and feature an average brightness of 806 lumens with a max brightness of 1,100 lumens.

The Lightstrip has four white LEDs per LED set, two warm and two cool, and there are 21 LED sets per meter. The Lightstrip measures in at 80 inches and can be augmented with 40 inch expansion strips. Lightstrips can be cut as needed and can reach a maximum of 10 meters with brightness between 2,000 and 2,200 lumens.


According to Nanoleaf, the Essentials are the first smart lighting product to work with Thread, which is a low latency and low power mesh network. With Thread support, users can count on improved connectivity, a wider control range, and an option for setting custom schedules.

Nanoleaf plans to add smart features and integrations in future updates such as Color Scenes, Screen Mirror, and Rhythm Music Sync, which will be made available through the Thread support. No hub is required for Nanoleaf's products, which will connect to ‌HomeKit‌ over Bluetooth.

Nanoleaf's Essentials are launching exclusively in Apple retail stores and the Apple online store. The Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Bulb is priced at $20 and the Nanoleaf Essentials Lightstrip is priced at $50.

Tag: Nanoleaf

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Apple's New M1 Chip Brings 6K Display Support to Mac Mini and Base 13-Inch MacBook Pro For the First Time

Apple's new Mac mini and 13-inch MacBook Pro models with the custom-designed M1 chip are compatible with up to a 6K display, including Apple's Pro Display XDR. By comparison, the previous-generation Intel-based Mac mini and Intel-based entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt 3 ports support up to a 5K display.


The new MacBook Air with the M1 chip can also drive a 6K display, but so could the previous Intel-based MacBook Air released earlier this year.

6K display support is becoming widespread across the Mac lineup, with other capable models including the 2018 and newer 15-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro, 2019 or newer iMac models, and 2019 Mac Pro. Apple's Pro Display XDR is also compatible with any Mac model with Thunderbolt 3 ports that is capable of being paired with a Blackmagic eGPU.

The new Mac mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air mark the beginning of Apple's transition away from Intel processors in Macs. In June, Apple revealed its plans to begin using its own custom chips in Macs, promising industry-leading performance per watt. At the time, Apple said that the transition would take about two years to be completed.

Apple says the M1 chip delivers up to 3.5x faster CPU performance, up to 6x faster GPU performance, and up to 15x faster machine learning, while enabling battery life up to 2x longer than previous-generation Macs.

Related Roundups: Mac mini, MacBook Pro

Tag: Pro Display XDR

Buyer's Guide: Mac Mini (Buy Now), 13" MacBook Pro (Buy Now)

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Photo Depicts Alleged AirTag Keychain

Rumors have suggested Apple's upcoming AirTags Bluetooth item trackers will come with various accessories to allow them to be attached to items, and now an alleged AirTag keychain has surfaced on Twitter.


Leaker Fudge (@choco_bit) shared what might be an AirTag carrying accessory in a Saddle Brown color.

A patent for an 'AirTag' accessory
As Fudge points out, the design of the ring is similar to what's been seen in an AirTag patent, but it is something that's easy to fake and therefore the legitimacy of the accessory in the photo cannot be confirmed. Fudge suggests taking the leak with a "bit of salt" because it's easy to reproduce, but if legitimate, this could be our first look at an AirTag accessory.

Another AirTag accessory patent image
‌AirTags‌ themselves are believed to be small, round discs that can be attached to items to allow those items to be tracked in the Find My app right alongside iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other Apple devices.

A rendering of what ‌AirTags‌ could look like
There have been a lot of mixed rumors on when ‌AirTags‌ first launched, and there's still no clear word on when we might see them. It's possible ‌AirTags‌ will make an appearance at the November event, but it may not be likely given the event's expected Mac focus.

Instead, Apple could hold ‌AirTags‌ until sometime in 2021. For more on what to expect when Apple launches ‌AirTags‌, check out our guide.

Tag: AirTags

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