Top Stories: Apple Maps with Waze features, Intel Downplays M1 chip, MacBook Pro charging issue fixed

This week saw another good mix of news and rumors, led by the discovery that Apple Maps is going to get Waze-like features for crowdsourcing accidents, hazards and speed traps.

Intel is also generating some headlines for a new ad campaign and questionable benchmark data targeting Apple’s latest M1 Macs, while Apple Car rumors are still in the news, with Hyundai / Kia apparently firing itself in the foot by previously acknowledge that he is in talks with Apple to produce the vehicle. Read for details on these stories and more from the past week!

Apple Maps adds Waze-like features in iOS 14.5

iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, which are still in beta, will soon be major software updates for the iPhone and iPad. We already highlighted several new features last week, such as the ability to unlock an iPhone with an Apple Watch while wearing a mask, support for 5G in Dual-SIM mode on iPhone 12 models, and AirPlay 2 streaming for Apple Fitness + workouts, and we’ve since learned that the update adds new Waze-esque features to Apple Maps for crowdsourced accidents, speed traps, and road hazards.

Starting with iOS 14.5, Siri also remembers which streaming music service a user chooses, allowing third-party services like Spotify to be set as the default instead of Apple Music – here’s how. This functionality does not seem to work perfectly for all users of the beta yet.

Finally, the YouTube mobile website appears to be working again with “Picture in Picture” mode on iOS 14.5 beta. Apple has indicated that iOS 14.5 should be released to the public in “early spring”, which probably means it will be sometime in late March.

Intel lowers Apple’s M1 chip with ‘carefully crafted’ benchmarks

Three months after the launch of Apple’s rave reviews M1 Macs, Intel has shot back with benchmarks and a new ad campaign, but there are some starlets involved.

First, Intel chose some very specific benchmark tasks to demonstrate that Windows laptops powered by the latest 11th generation Core processors are superior to Macs with Apple’s custom M1 chip, such as exporting a PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file. file.

Intel also used different processor SKUs depending on the test, switching from the 13-inch MacBook Pro to the MacBook Air for battery life, so there are a lot of slideshow inconsistencies.

“Inconsistent testing platforms, varying arguments, omitted data, and the not-so-faint scent of despair,” said Apple columnist Jason Snell, who writes for Six Colors. Today’s M1 processor is a low-end chip for low-end systems, so Intel only has a small window to compare itself favorably with these systems before shipping the more expensive Apple Silicon Macs and making its job that much more difficult. “

Apple is offering free battery replacements for MacBook Pros from 2016-2017 that cannot charge more than 1%

Apple this week released macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 to fix an issue that could prevent the battery from charging in some 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models.

Apple says a “very small number of customers” have encountered an issue where the battery charges no more than 1% and is offering these customers free battery replacements. Our article provides steps to identify your Mac model to see if it qualifies.

If your MacBook Pro is not experiencing this issue, it is still highly recommended as a precaution that you update to macOS 11.2.1 as soon as possible. There is also an additional macOS Catalina 10.15.7 update that addresses the issue.

Buying Guide: Don’t buy a MacBook Pro now

If you’re thinking about getting a new MacBook Pro anytime soon, let this serve as a reminder that this may not be the best time to do so.

In recent weeks, renowned sources such as TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman have claimed that there will be some significant changes to the MacBook Pro this year, such as the return of MagSafe charging and more ports, including an SD card reader.

Kuo and Gurman also said Apple plans to replace the controversial Touch Bar with a physical row of Fn keys, and that a modest redesign is expected with flatter edges on the top and bottom of the MacBook Pro. Other expectations include a brighter screen and next-generation Apple silicon.

If you do buy a MacBook Pro now, we recommend choosing the lowest 13-inch model, which already uses Apple silicon. Otherwise, it’s a wise choice to wait for the rumored 14-inch and 16-inch models later this year.

Bookmark it MacRumors Buying guide for more purchase recommendations!

Hyundai and Kia now say they are not in discussion to develop Apple Car

After weeks of rampant “Apple Car” rumors, Hyundai and its subsidiary Kia said in regulatory filings this week that they are not (or at least no longer) in talks with Apple to collaborate on the development of a self-driving electric car.

Hyundai last month confirmed that Apple was in talks with several global automakers, including Hyundai. However, the automaker backed off the statement several hours later, saying only that it had “received requests for possible cooperation from several companies regarding the development of autonomous EVs”.

Bloomberg reported that talks between Apple and Hyundai “had recently been interrupted,” adding that Hyundai’s original statement and subsequent reports “upset Apple,” a company known for its culture of secrecy.

Apple is still believed to be considering partnerships with other automakers such as Nissan, Honda and Mazda. In any case, it is widely believed that the Apple Car is still several years away from becoming a reality.

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