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Black Friday is around the corner and officially starts on November 26, and combined with Cyber Monday 2021 on November 29, it’s undoubtedly the best time of year to pick up a new MacBook Air or MacBook Pro on a sweet discount.
Apple now only sells MacBook laptops with the company’s own M1 line of processors. The 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air run on the standard M1, while the newer 14-inch MacBook Pro runs on the M1 Pro, and the new 16-inch MacBook Pro runs on the M1 Max.
There will surely be Intel-based MacBook deals out there, which have their place. However, Apple’s M1 processor is so far ahead in terms of performance and price than Intel-based MacBooks that we’re only recommending M1-based MacBooks.
As of the time of writing, however, early Black Friday deals on Apple laptops are pretty scarce. We’ve already encountered deals that have gone out of stock within the time this article was written. We’ll update this page as soon as new deals pop up.
Best early MacBook deals for Black Friday 2021
MacBook Air M1 (2020)
The MacBook Air is the least expensive laptop you can buy from Apple, and yet it runs on the same M1 processor as the 13-inch MacBook Pro M1. That means it’s equal in power to the 13-inch MacBook Pro for $200 less. The main difference is that the 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with a built-in fan that’s designed to better cool the M1 processor for intense workloads, especially video or photo editing. The MacBook Pro also has slightly better battery life, too. Otherwise, it’s the Mac laptop that most people should opt for.
The latest MacBook Air released in late 2020 gains Apple’s new M1 processor, which brings impressively fast performance and long battery life, for under $1,000, making it the best Apple laptop overall.
The MacBook Pro is barely thicker or heavier than the MacBook Air, and it comes with better battery life and a slightly brighter screen. The built-in fan will help for longer intensive workloads.
Keep this article bookmarked throughout the Black Friday shopping season, as we’ll be updating it regularly with the latest MacBook deals and keep scrolling to read more about why the best deals are worth your time and money.
MacBook Black Friday FAQs
What MacBook deals did we see last year?
Last year, we saw the M1 MacBook Air go down to $899 from its usual $999 price. We also saw the M1 13-inch MacBook Pro get up to $150 off.
We saw deals for Intel-based MacBook laptops, since they were still around, and we can surmise that we’ll see something similar for this year’s M1-based MacBook Pro laptops. Last year, the 13-inch Intel-based MacBook Pro was between $150 to $230 off, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro had deals that took up to $300 off.
When will MacBook deals start?
MacBook deals have already started, but we’re expecting the best deals on Black Friday itself. The best deals may not stick around during the Thanksgiving weekend, but they could pick back up on Cyber Monday.
Should I wait for Black Friday to buy MacBook products?
That’s a tough one. MacBook laptops with deals can fly off the digital shelves very quickly considering their popularity, especially when the best deals hit on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you’re looking for the best deals on a MacBook laptop, you’ll likely have to be very active on Black Friday and Cyber Monday rather than casually perusing — keep this page open on your computer to get the latest on deals and when they’re in stock.
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Apple;Alyssa Powell/Business Insider
Table of Contents: Masthead Sticky
MacBooks, iPads, AirPods, and other Apple products fall to all-time lows for Black Friday and Cyber Monday — often with short-lived stock. That means you’ll have to act fast and know what you want to buy, in order to ensure you don’t miss a rare deal.
Cyber Monday, the online-exclusive follow-up to Black Friday, lands on November 29 this year, and several deals have already launched ahead of the event. Though better prices are likely to come when the sale officially begins, you can find discounts on AirPods, the Apple Pencil, Mac Mini, and MacBook Air right now.
Keep in mind, however, that Cyber Monday deals are still pending on a lot of Apple products, so some items aren’t on sale just yet. It’s also unclear if we’ll see price drops on some of the company’s newer items, like its latest Apple Watch and MacBook Pro models. We’ll update this page as new deals go live.
Best Cyber Monday deals on Apple Watches
Apple Watch Series 7
Our pick for the best Apple Watch overall, the Series 7, improves slightly on the Series 6 with a larger screen and thinner bezels. It offers the same health and fitness sensors as its predecessors, like blood oxygen saturation measurement and an ECG scanner. We’re not sure if this brand-new model will see any deals on Cyber Monday this year, but we’ll update this section with any discounts we come across.
Watch Series 7 (medium, Preferred: Amazon)
Apple Watch Series 6
Though Apple no longer sells the Series 6 directly through its store, you can still find this model at other retailers. Since performance is basically the same as the Series 7, the Series 6 remains a good buy when it’s available at a discount.
Watch Series 6 (40mm, GPS) (medium, Preferred: Amazon)
Apple Watch SE
If you’re looking to spend a little less, consider the Apple Watch SE. Apple’s lower-priced watch comes with all of the basic functionality of the Series 7 and 6, but without blood oxygen monitoring, an always-on display, or ECG monitoring.
Watch SE (40mm, GPS) (medium)
Apple Watch Series 3
The Apple Watch Series 3 has been on the market for four years, but it’s still a decent smartwatch if you can find it for the right price. It runs the latest Apple Watch software, so you’ll see many of the same basic features offered by the SE and Series 6/7.
We don’t typically recommend the Series 3 unless it’s on sale due to its age and low storage space, but if you can find one discounted during Cyber Monday, it could be worth a buy for shoppers on a budget. You shouldn’t pay any more than $169 for the 38 mm or $199 for the 42 mm.
Watch Series 3 (38mm, GPS) (medium, Preferred: Walmart)
The best Cyber Monday deals on AirPods
Apple AirPods Pro
Compared to Apple’s standard AirPods, the Pro model offers active noise cancellation, improved audio, and customizable ear tips. They’re a bargain at $200, but the lowest we’ve seen them sell for was $169 at Walmart. It’s possible they could drop to a similar or even better price on Cyber Monday this year.
AirPods Pro (small)
Apple AirPods (second generation)
Looking to spend a little less? Apple’s second-gen AirPods are on sale now. These AirPods offer convenient features like quick pairing, hands-free Siri access, and automatic playing and pausing, but without the Pro’s more advanced features and higher price tag.
Airpods (2nd Generation) (small)
Apple AirPods (third generation)
The third-generation AirPods feature a revised design with upgrades over its predecessor. They have shorter stems, improved audio drivers, longer battery life, a wireless charger, and IPX4 water and sweat resistance. They just launched on October 26, so it’s unlikely we’ll see very many deals for them this Cyber Monday.
AirPods (3rd Gen) (medium)
Apple AirPods Max
Though they’re pricey, the Apple AirPods Max offer excellent sound quality and comfortable build with superb noise cancellation. They’re not for everyone, but audiophiles and Apple aficionados should keep an eye on price drops this Cyber Monday.
Airpods Max (medium, Preferred: Amazon)
Best Cyber Monday deals on iPads
Apple iPad (2021)
The ninth-generation iPad features an A13 Bionic processor and second-generation Apple Pencil compatibility. It’s the cheapest iPad you can buy and offers solid performance, making it one of the best options for casual users. If you’re looking for something with more computing power and mouse input support, you’d be better off with an iPad Pro.
10.2-inch iPad 9th Generation (2021) (medium)
Apple iPad Air (2020)
With its sharp screen, updated design, and newer Apple Pencil compatibility, the 2020 iPad Air is a good choice for those planning to use it a bit more seriously, like for work. It’s USB-C compatible and also features a Touch ID sensor on the top lock button.
iPad Air 2020 (4th Gen, 64GB) (medium, Preferred: Apple)
Apple iPad Pro
The newest iPad Pro is the ideal choice for creative professionals. It brings faster performance and better cameras than Apple’s other available models — for a bigger price tag.
11-inch iPad Pro (2021) (medium)12.9-inch iPad Pro (2021) (medium)
Apple iPad Mini
Apple’s smallest tablet is an ideal option for Apple fans that prioritize portability above all else in a tablet. The new 2021 iPad Mini features USB-C charging, improved camera specs, an A15 Bionic chip, and compatibility with the second-generation Apple Pencil. We still like the 2019 iPad Mini for its small form factor and low price tag, but it’s difficult to find stock available for purchase.
iPad Mini 6th Generation (2021) (medium)
Apple Pencil
Apple’s proprietary stylus, the Apple Pencil, comes in two different models. The first-generation pencil uses a Lightning charger and works with earlier iPad generations. The second-gen model improves upon its predecessor with a sleek, seamless design, wireless charging, and a magnetic attachment to your iPad. It’s compatible with every iPad that charges with USB-C.
Since it’s still very new, deals on the iPhone 13 are not very common. If you’re hoping to snag a discount on one, this is the best time to try. Notable features of the newest generation include 120Hz refresh rates for the Pros, sensor-shift optical stabilization, Cinematic Mode, and Photographic Styles.
If you have an eligible iPhone to trade in, you can take advantage of these carrier deals on an iPhone 13 right now:
Get up to $900 in credit after eligible trade-in from T-Mobile.
Get up to $440 in credit after trade-in from Verizon.
iPhone 13 (medium)iPhone 13 Mini (medium)iPhone 13 Pro (medium)iPhone 13 Pro Max (medium)
iPhone 12
Now a generation old, the iPhone 12 is more likely to see deals this Cyber Monday than it was last year. The iPhone 12 lineup was Apple’s first series of smartphones to come with 5G. The phones offer a boost in camera quality over older models that makes them better at taking photos in dark environments.
Current trade-in deals you can take advantage of when buying an iPhone 12 include:
Get up to $900 in credit after an eligible trade-in from T-Mobile.
iPhone 12 (medium, Preferred: Walmart)iPhone 12 Mini (medium, Preferred: Walmart)iPhone 12 Pro (medium, Preferred: Walmart)iPhone 12 Pro Max (medium)
Best Cyber Monday deals on MacBooks and Macs
MacBook Air
The 2020 MacBook Air is light and extremely portable, but its M1 chip means that it’s still powerful enough for students and those looking for a laptop for casual work. Like Apple’s other recent laptops, it comes with the company’s improved Magic Keyboard, which is much more comfortable and durable than the keyboards on older models released from 2015 onward.
MacBook Air (medium, Preferred: Amazon)
MacBook Pro
Apple’s latest MacBook Pro lineup includes brand-new 14- and 16-inch models, while carrying over the 13-inch model released in 2020. The new MacBook Pros come with the M1 Pro or M1 Pro Max chip, greatly improving their performance power. Meanwhile, the 13-inch model from last year uses the regular M1 chip.
It’s unlikely that we’ll see big deals on the newest models this Cyber Monday, but we’ll list any discounts we find here. That said, you can already find some deals on older Intel-based MacBook Pros, which could still be a good fit depending on your needs and budget.
MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) (medium)MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) (medium)Macbook Pro 13-inch (2021) (medium)MacBook Pro with Intel Chip (13-inch, 16GB RAM, 256GB) (medium)
Apple Mac Mini (M1)
Apple’s M1 processor brings serious performance gains to the Mac Mini compared to its Intel-powered predecessor, making it an ideal choice for those who want a fast Apple desktop at a decent price.
Mac Mini (2020) with M1 (medium)
Best Cyber Monday deals on Beats headphones
Beats Studio3
If you want the ease-of-use of AirPods but in an over-the-ear format, check out the Beats Studio3. They offer long battery life and noise cancellation at a more affordable price, making them an ideal choice if blocking out distractions is a priority for you.
Studio 3 Wireless Headphones (medium)
Beats Solo Pro
The Beats Solo Pro are a compelling choice for those looking for a solid pair of on-ear headphones. They come with Apple’s newer H1 chip unlike the Studio3, which means they should be able to connect to Apple devices more quickly than headphones powered by Apple’s older chip.
Solo Pro (medium)
PowerBeats Pro
If you’re interested in AirPods but aren’t wild about their fit, consider the PowerBeats Pro. These true wireless earbuds have a lot of the same technology as AirPods — like quick pairing and auto play and pause — but come with a different design that wraps around the ear for a more secure fit. They also offer impressively long battery life and are sweat resistant, making them worth checking out if you’re after a pair of workout headphones.
Powerbeats Pro (medium)
Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones
With Apple’s W1 chip for fast pairing with your iPhone, Siri support, and 40 hours of battery life, the Beats Solo3 are a solid option for Apple loyalists who prefer an on-ear fit versus earbuds or over-ear headphones.
Solo3 Wireless Headphones (medium)
Apple Cyber Monday deals FAQs
Does Apple offer deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Apple rarely offers discounts on its products directly through its own store, and Black Friday and Cyber Monday are no exception. If you’re hoping to snag an iPad or MacBook deal, you’re better off checking out other retailers, like Amazon or Best Buy. Apple does, however, tend to offer gift card and bundle deals for the holiday. We’ll update this list when they surface.
Should I buy from Amazon, Target, Best Buy, or Walmart?
Many of these retailers offer very similar deals on products like the AirPods and the Apple Watch, which means you’ll have a couple of options should one retailer go out of stock. In instances where multiple retailers offer the same product at the same price, consider which retailer is most convenient for you in terms of shipping options. If you have an Amazon Prime membership and want to get the product as fast as possible, it might make more sense to purchase through Amazon. But, if you’d rather pick up the item at your nearby Target or Best Buy, you should consider ordering from your preferred brick-and-mortar retailer. Regardless of which major retailer you buy it from, Apple will support and service the product.
Do these stores offer curbside pickup?
Yes, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart all offer curbside pickup. But, you should check with your local retailer since the rules may vary by location and items purchased.
How do we choose the best Apple deals?
We select products that meet our high standard of coverage based on testing and research. This includes testing Apple’s products as well similar devices from its main competitors.
We also research prices across retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy and compare them against Apple’s prices to find the deals that are worth paying attention to.
How do I return an Apple product?
While the major retailers have generous return policies at the moment, there are exceptions on Apple products. Usually, that means a shorter return window or very specific rules in what you can return.
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Apple’s new MacBook Pro.
Apple
Apple’s new MacBook Pro is now available in 14- and 16-inch models with prices starting at $1,999.
The high-end laptop is configurable with Apple’s powerful new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.
But Apple also back-tracked slightly, reintroducing MagSafe charging and nixing the TouchBar.
MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) (small)MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) (small)
Apple took the wraps off its powerful new MacBook Pro at a hardware event on October 18. The company also unveiled new AirPods and updates to the HomePod Mini.
The new high-end laptop, which comes in a 14-inch model and a 16-inch model, features a larger, more vibrant display, an iPhone-like notch that houses the camera system, and an improved six-speaker sound system with spatial audio.
Both the 14-inch and 16-inch models are configurable with Apple’s new, more powerful chips: the M1 Pro and the M1 Max. Apple says the new chips offer better performance using less power, making the new MacBook Pro ideal for tasks like editing video or designing games.
The new MacBook Pro also has improved battery life (Apple said users can expect 17 hours of video playback on the 14-inch model and 21 hours of playback on the 16-inch model) and fast-charging for the first time on a Mac – Apple said the device will be able to charge up to 50% battery in 30 minutes.
But Apple also back-tracked on a few major design choices. Gone from the new MacBook Pro is the controversial TouchBar, a touchscreen strip that replaced the function keys along the top – in its place are mechanical keys that Apple said are more popular with its pro users.
Perhaps even more notably, Apple is reintroducing its popular MagSafe charger on the new MacBooks. While the most recent Pro models relied on USB-C chargers, the new laptops will use MagSafe 3, the latest version of its magnetic chargers.
And in a shift from previous years, Apple has added ports to the devices – including an HDMI port and an SDXC card slot – rather than remove them and urge users to rely on adapters. Both devices come in silver and space gray.
Apple MacBook Pro 2021 price and release date
The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999, which gets you the following: the Apple M1 Pro processor (with 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine), 16GB of unified memory (commonly referred to as RAM), and 512GB of SSD storage. The laptop also includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB-C), an HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, and a MagSafe 3 power port.
MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) (button)
Meanwhile, the 16-inch model starts at $2,499, which brings with it a larger display with more battery life than ever before in an Apple laptop. However, save for a slightly stronger M1 Pro processor (a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU) to start, this model doesn’t start with anything different from the 14-inch model – even the amount of available ports is the same.
MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) (button)
In order to get one of Apple’s even faster M1 Max processors in either of these models, the company is charging an additional $500 in the case of the 14-inch model and a reduced additional $200 for the 16-inch upgrade at checkout.
Customers can now purchase the new MacBook Pro at Apple.com and other retailers, including Best Buy.
Apple just introduced the latest MacBook Pro, and it walks back years of changes that fans hated.
The new design removes the much-maligned touch bar and reintroduces the beloved MagSafe wire.
Apple reversed “very questionable to bad hardware decisions,” tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee said.
On Monday afternoon, Apple did something it almost never does: It admitted fault on years of bad decisions around its laptops, and made major changes to the latest MacBook Pro design.
“They basically went backwards on three years in a row of very questionable to bad hardware decisions,” tech YouTuber Marques “MKBHD” Brownlee said in a response video to Monday’s presentation, “And just said, ‘Oh, we’ve been listening. You guys didn’t like that. So we fixed it.'”
The list of changes – or, some might say, fixes – that Apple made to its latest Pro laptops would’ve been unbelievable if it were a rumor ahead of the announcement.
The newest MacBook Pro laptops feature a swath of ports, including an HDMI port, which Apple had previously removed;
They’ve lost the much-maligned touch bar, once a key selling point touted by Apple, and it was replaced with actual keyboard keys;
They’ve regained an SD card reader slot, beloved by media professionals who still rely on SD and micro SD cards;
And the charging port is once again the delightfully simple and brilliant MagSafe style, which magnetizes to the laptop and easily breaks away for safety.
And that’s before we start talking about more basic stuff, like Apple continuing to address user complaints about its laptop keyboards, or the introduction of Apple’s own silicon into its MacBook Pro line.
The new MacBook Pro models, in 14 and 16-inch options, both have the same ports: HDMI, several USB-c Lightning ports, an SD card reader, a headphone jack, and a MagSafe charging port.
Apple
As Apple has moved to streamline its laptops in recent years, it has faced repeated criticism for cutting out features that users loved.
The MagSafe charger, for instance, was swapped with a USB-C Lightning port for charging in 2018.
Instead of using a USB-C cable to charge your laptop, MagSafe was a magnetized plug so that if you ever happened to catch the wire while walking by, it would break away from the laptop without causing your expensive computer to come crashing to the floor.
It magnetized to connect, then easily broke away without issue. Better still, it did what Apple’s Lightning port and USB-C ports do: no matter which way you plugged it in, you were doing it right. The design guided you into doing it correctly.
The reason for replacing the port, ostensibly, was to get more out of the port: USB-C Lightning ports can be used for charging the laptop as well as connecting devices to your laptop and/or charging them from the laptop. They also support data transfer, unlike MagSafe cables.
While that’s all accurate, fans criticized the loss of safety that the MagSafe connector enabled. And a lack of other ports – like the reintroduced HDMI and SD card reader – created a mess of dongles for MacBook users to attach any variety of devices to the laptops.
With the new MacBook Pro line, Apple appears to have heard that criticism (among others) and addressed it head on – a rare reversal for Apple, but clearly a welcome one.
Got a tip? Contact Insider senior correspondent Ben Gilbert via email (bgilbert@insider.com), or Twitter DM (@realbengilbert). We can keep sources anonymous. Use a non-work device to reach out. PR pitches by email only, please.
A shot of Apple’s October 18 event intro, which featured a music producer using Apple sounds to create a new song.
Apple
Apple held a major event for its MacBook Pro and AirPods on Monday afternoon.
14-inch and 16-inch models of the MacBook Pro were unvieled, with new chips and redesigned bodies.
The third generation Apple AirPods were also revealed, with a slightly smaller stem and touch panel.
Apple unveiled its first major MacBook Pro redesign in years, and they’re powered by new M1 Pro chips.The new MacBook Pro laptops, with 16- and 14-inch screens.
Apple
The first major MacBook Pro update in years was unveiled as the marquee news from Apple’s Monday event.
There are now two models of MacBook Pro: A 14-inch and a 16-inch model, each powered by Apple’s new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.
The laptop looks distinctly different from the prior model, with the touch bar removed, a variety of ports along both sides, and a streamlined body design. The bezel around the laptop’s screen has been reduced dramatically. Rather than a camera cutout at the top of the screen, there’s an iPhone-style notch built in.
Apple said its new M1 Pro and MAx chips enable the new MacBook Pro models to be signficantly more powerful than the most powerful version of the prior MacBook Pro model.
Of note, Apple appears to have re-implemented a version of its MagSafe charging port — the beloved magnetic laptop port that Apple removed from its laptop lines in recent years.
Both of the new laptop models are available for pre-order starting on Monday, Apple said, with a full launch planned for October 26. The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1999 and the 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2499.
The first major announcement Apple dropped on Monday was a major update to one of Apple’s most popular products: Apple AirPods.
Apple’s third generation AirPods.
Apple
After two years, Apple is finally giving its wildly popular wireless headphones a major update: Apple unveiled the third generation Apple AirPods on Monday.
The new headphones look relatively similar to the previous model, albeit with a slightly shorter stem and the addition of the AirPods Pro force sensor for touch-based media controls. They come with bolstered battery life (“up to six hours of listening time and up to four hours of talk time,” Apple said), the ability to charge through Apple’s MagSafe wireless charging pad, and a $179 price tag.
Apple said the new AirPods can be ordered starting on Monday, and will be available starting next week on Tuesday, October 26.
HomePod Mini gets several new color options.
HomePod Mini now comes in more colors, starting this November, Apple said.
Apple
Alongside news of a new tier of Apple Music comes new color additions to Apple’s HomePod mini lineup, naturally.
The full lineup, seen above, now spans five colors — orange, yellow, blue, white, and space grey — and retains the same $99 price tag. The new colors are expected to start arriving in stores this November.
Apple Music is getting a new, less expensive tier.
The three tiers of Apple Music subscription plans including the new $5/month tier.
Apple
Apple kicked off its event on Monday with a surprise announcement: A new, less expensive tier of its Apple Music subscription service, which competes with Spotify and Amazon Music.
If you’re using Apple Music on “Siri-enabled devices,” Apple said, like, HomePod Mini, AirPods, iPhone, or CarPlay, then this tier is for you.
Notably, you wouldn’t be able to use Apple Music through Android devices with this tier.
Apple’s back-to-school discounts have arrived, and this year the iPhone maker is giving away a free pair of AirPods to students who buy an eligible Mac or iPad device.
The promotion is live now and runs through September 27. Those who are eligible can upgrade from the free standard AirPods with wired charging to the version with a wireless charging case for $40 or the AirPods Pro for just $90. That’s a significant discount from the AirPods Pro’s $250 list price and their typical street price of $220.
The offer is valid on purchases of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini, iPad Pro, or iPad Air. Unfortunately, Apple’s 8th-generation iPad, which we’ve called the best iPad for most people, and the iPad Mini are excluded from this offer.
See below to learn more about Apple’s general education discounts and the eligibility requirements.
Apple’s Education Discounts are available to current or newly accepted college students, parents of students, and faculty, staff, and home school teachers of all grade levels, according to the company’s website.
Here’s who is eligible for the Apple Education Discount:
K-12 staff: Anyone who currently works at a public or private K-12 school can get the discounts. Homeschool teachers are also eligible, as are currently serving school board members who have been elected or appointed to their posts. PTA or PTO executives who are currently serving and were elected or appointed can also get the deals.
Higher education staff and students: Anyone who works at an institution of Higher Education and any students who are attending or have been accepted into the Higher Education system can get the discounts.
Higher education Parents: Parents can get the discounts when they buy devices for their children if their children are currently attending or have been accepted into a public or private Higher Education institution.
Apple offers several deals on Mac computers for students, whether you’re looking for a MacBook Pro or a more powerful desktop computer. The discounts also apply to the new M1-powered iMac that Apple recently released.
Here are the best Mac and MacBook education deals:
If you’re in the market for an iPad, you could get a pretty sweet deal, too. Apple is offering up to $50 off some of its iPad models and $100 off the 12.9-inch iPad Pro for students, so it’s worth buying an iPad through Apple’s education store. There are also some pretty great deals on accessories for the iPad.
Tamagotchis, Pokémon, Furbies – if there’s one thing that people can never get enough of, it’s virtual pets.
If you’re looking for a new virtual pet to look after, and you have a MacBook with a Touch Bar, consider the free Touchbar Pets app. With just a few clicks, you can adopt an animal and walk, feed, and play with it all from your Touch Bar.
Here’s how to get Touchbar Pets set up and adopt your first pet.
How to get Touchbar Pets
Firstly, you’ll have to download the app from the developer’s website.
2. Save the .zip file to your computer, and then double-click it to extract the “Touchbar Pets” app.
3. Open the app and press “Play.”
Click “Play” to get started.
William Antonelli/Insider
4. You’ll be given two options: “Adopt Pet” and “Existing Pets.” Click adopt to make a new pet – once you’ve adopted a pet and closed the app, you can come back later and click “Existing” to see the pet again.
5. In the “Adopt Pet” menu, you can give your pet a name, pick its species (you can have a dog, cat, rabbit, or hamster), and pick its color (white, cream, black, or brown).
Once you’ve got your pet how you want it, click “Create,” and you’re ready to start.
Design your pet and then create it.
William Antonelli/Insider
6. You’ll be brought to the main game menu, and a tutorial will appear. Click through it to learn how the game plays, or check out our guide below.
How to play Touchbar Pets
Once you’ve closed the tutorial, your new pet will appear in the Touch Bar, along with four different stats.
Health tracks how close your pet is to death. If you go too long without feeding it, this will go down, and eventually hit zero.
Hunger tracks if your pet needs food. Letting this drop makes your pet less healthy.
Tokens are the currency in Touchbar Pets. Earn them by taking your pet on walks, and spend them on food, toys, and other collectibles.
Mode tells you how you can currently interact with your pet. “Design” lets you place props in its habitat, “Eat” lets you feed it, and “Play” lets you give it toys.
The main menu and game modes, explained
In the main menu, you have an inventory with six slots, and five options below it. Each of these has its own function and importance.
The main menu gives you five main options.
William Antonelli/Insider
Shop
This is where you’ll spend the tokens you earn. You can buy food, props for your animal’s habitat, and toys. Every animal has its own likes and dislikes, so be sure to read each item’s description.
Every item has a description and price.
William Antonelli/Insider
Just note that food and toys are all single-use – once your pet interacts with them, they’ll disappear, and you’ll have to buy them again.
If your pet dies, you can also spend 150 tokens on a “RevivePotion,” which will bring it back to full health.
Walk
This is probably where you’ll be spending most of your time.
Once you choose a walk duration – you can pick between “Short,” “Average,” and “Long” – you can take your pet on walks by pressing and holding your finger on either side of its habitat. You have to keep your finger on the Touch Bar for the entire walk.
By completing a walk, you’ll earn tokens – $50, $100, and $200 respectively for each duration. But you have to complete the entire walk, since you only get your reward at the very end.
Along the way, you’ll also have the chance to find treasure. Every 250m there’s a chance you’ll find a treasure box, which can be tapped for a prize. There’s also a random chance of finding litter, which might also give you treasure when you tap it.
Walking with a cat and finding litter on the road.
William Antonelli/Insider
However, be sure to notice if your pet poops on the side of the road. You’ll have to tap their waste to clean it, and if you don’t, you’ll be issued a $20 fine.
Pen
This option puts you in “Design” mode and lets you place props in your pet’s habitat.
While in Design mode, you can click a prop in your inventory and then tap a spot in the habitat to place it. Remember that none of the props are functional – they’re just for making the habitat look cute.
Mode
Unlike the other buttons, “Mode” has two icons that you’ll switch between when you click it.
While you have the bone icon selected, you’re in “Eat” mode. This lets you click a piece of food in your inventory, and then tap a spot in the habitat to place it. Your pet will run over and gobble it up. This, as you might expect, is how you keep its hunger and health stable.
If the tennis ball icon is selected, you’re in “Play” mode. Click a toy in the inventory and tap to place it down, and your pet will come over to check it out and then play with it.
“Insider” the cat playing with a cardboard box.
William Antonelli/Insider
Again, remember that food and toys are single-use – once you place it, it’ll be used and gone within moments.
Goals
The Goals menu gives you a list of tasks to accomplish, which you can check off with a star once they’re done. If you’ve ever played a game with achievements, this is similar.
Additionally, if you ever want to read the in-game tutorial again, enter this menu and uncheck the first “Tutorial” goal. As soon as you exit the Goals menu, you’ll be given the tutorial again.
You won’t get any points for completing these goals, but they can be a fun challenge.
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You can only have one pet in a habitat at a time. But feel free to adopt multiple pets – you can switch between them by restarting the app and clicking “Existing Pets” on the intro screen.
Note that to see your pet, you’ll need to be focused on the “Touchbar Pets” app with whatever monitor has the TouchBar. If you click another app, or move the app window to another monitor, your pet will disappear.
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Apple’s M1 MacBook Air
Lisa Eadicicco/Business Insider
Now is the worst time to buy a new Apple MacBook laptop.
Apple is rumored to launch new MacBook Pro and Air models in the coming months.
Plus, we may see deals on current MacBook laptops during Amazon Prime Day and over the summer.
Check out our guide to the best MacBooks for more Apple laptop buying advice.
Thinking about buying a new MacBook? It’s probably in your best interest to hold off.
Unless you’re in immediate need of a new laptop, there are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to wait before purchasing a new Apple laptop. For one, Apple is expected to announce redesigned MacBook Pro models in the coming months that will come with more powerful processors among other improvements, according to Bloomberg.
Even if you’re eyeballing a MacBook Air or are fine with the current generation MacBook Pro, there are a few reasons why it’s worth waiting.
New MacBook Pros may be coming soon.
Apple
The biggest reason to wait on upgrading is simply because newer MacBook Pro laptops may be launching in the coming months.
Here’s a look at what’s in Apple’s pipeline according to Bloomberg.
New high-end MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch): Redesigned versions of the MacBook Pro with faster new chips, more ports, and MagSafe charging could debut as early as the summer, the report says. These new MacBook Pros would come in 14-inch and 16-inch variants, making it the first time since 2019 that Apple has introduced a new size option and updated its larger-sized MacBook Pro. The new Apple processor in these laptops is also expected to bring noteworthy gains in performance. The upgraded processor will reportedly come with a new 10-core design with the option for 16 or 32 graphics cores, the report says. That’s compared to today’s Apple M1, which includes eight computing cores and eight graphics cores.
New MacBook Air: The MacBook Air could get an upgrade toward the end of 2021, according to Bloomberg. This laptop will reportedly come with a different new Apple processor that’s meant to be a direct successor to the M1. It’s also said to come with a refreshed design that’s likely similar to the new look we’re expecting to see on the updated MacBook Pro.
New MacBook Pro (13-inch): There’s also another smaller new MacBook Pro in the works that will be powered by the same processor as the MacBook Air, says Bloomberg. It’s unclear when this model could launch.
There might be deals on Amazon Prime Day.
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Amazon’s Prime Day sale is expected to kick off soon, and that usually means big discounts on electronics — including Apple’s MacBooks.
Last year, for example, the early 2020 MacBook Air was available at a $150 discount on Amazon Prime Day. So, even if you’re content with buying a current generation MacBook rather than waiting for the next update, it’s still best to hold off and see what deals might be available.
Amazon hasn’t announced when Prime Day will take place in 2021, but it’s expected to happen sometime in June. Prime Day typically happens in July, with 2020 (and now possibly 2021) being the exception.
Back-to-school season usually means laptop sales, too.
Lisa Eadicicco/Business Insider
Apple offers discounted pricing for students and teachers year-round, but it usually runs a special back-to-school promotion in the summer.
Product pricing doesn’t usually change, but Apple will typically throw in a free pair of headphones with your Mac purchase during the promotional period. For last year’s promotion, which started in mid-June, Apple threw in a free pair of AirPods with a Mac purchase for qualifying customers.
Although it’s not technically a new discount, waiting a bit longer before upgrading your Mac could mean you’ll get freebies that wouldn’t otherwise be available if you’re a student.
Regardless, other retailers like Best Buy typically offer back-to-school discounts on laptops over the summer, so it’s worth waiting to see if any MacBooks go on sale.
Apple’s iPad Pro has always seemed like an alternative to the laptop. After all, it has a laptop-sized screen, it’s designed to work best with a keyboard, and it now supports trackpad input.
But the company took that idea a step further on Tuesday with the introduction of its newest iPad Pro. The updated model comes with Apple’s powerful M1 chip – the same processor that drives its latest MacBook laptops – new mini-LED display technology with improved brightness and contrast on the larger model, 5G support, and Thunderbolt connectivity.
The announcement served as yet another sign that the iPad Pro is indeed Apple’s answer to the 2-in-1 Windows laptops that have dominated the PC industry over the last decade. It reinforces the idea that we’ll probably never see a touchscreen Mac, because that’s exactly what the iPad Pro has become.
The iPad Pro is following a similar path as new Windows laptops
Many of the upgrades we’ve been seeing on Windows laptops in recent months are also present on the new iPad Pro. These include better microphones and cameras for conference calls, thinner and lighter designs that run on processors based on the same basic architecture as those in our phones, and 5G integration.
Just look back to some of the most interesting laptop announcements from this year’s CES conference for evidence. Lenovo’s new IdeaPad 5G laptop, for example, comes with 5G and runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx processor. That chip is built on the ARM architecture that’s commonly found in the processors that power smartphones and tablets, similar to Apple’s M1 chip.
HP’s Elite Dragonfly Max, meanwhile, comes with a 5-megapixel camera and four wide-range microphones that use artificial intelligence to optimize audio – an upgrade that was clearly intended for the work-from-home era.
Apple now has its own take on how to improve video conferencing as it relates to the iPad Pro. The tablet comes with a new feature called Center Stage, which leverages the iPad Pro’s new wide-angle front camera and machine learning to automatically keep you in the shot as you move. Since it runs on M1, it also uses Apple’s image signal processor, which greatly improves color and brightness as I found when reviewing the MacBook Air.
Of course, some of the additions on the newest model address the iPad Pro’s shortcomings when compared to laptops. The 2021 model comes with Thunderbolt support, for example, which enables support for more powerful accessories like faster storage devices.
And now that the iPad Pro runs on M1, there’s a chance that app compatibility between Mac and iPad will become easier to manage since they’re powered by the same chip architecture.
The iPad Pro is Apple’s vision for the future of computing
It’s unclear whether the iPad Pro has been a hit for Apple in terms of sales because the company doesn’t specify those details in its earnings reports. But what has become clear is that the iPad Pro is Apple’s vision for the future of the personal computer, despite the fact that it’s not technically a laptop.
It’s the iPad Pro, not the MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, that includes new sensors like Apple’s Lidar scanner, a new 12.9-inch display that’s brighter and packs in more pixels per inch, and features such as Center Stage. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro were among the first computers to launch with Apple’s M1 chip, but the iPad Pro feels like the first computer that was really designed to take advantage of it.
The MacBook Air and Pro are excellent laptops, but they feel antiquated in some respects. Unlike modern Windows machines, they lack qualities like flexibility, touchscreens, nearly borderless displays, and facial recognition technology, just to name a few. The iPad Pro, however, has all of those features and more.
I don’t know that most people will be willing to give up their MacBooks for an iPad Pro just yet. And Apple doesn’t want you to; it’s clearly very invested in its Mac lineup. But I do think the iPad Pro is the device to keep an eye on if you really want to understand Apple’s perspective as it relates to the future of computing.
In November 2020, Apple unveiled a sleight of new computers that were powered by the company’s first-ever in-house silicon: The Apple M1 chip.
By early 2021, it looks like Apple’s line of new computers has already been breached by a malicious set of software nicknamed “Silver Sparrow.” Just shy of 30,000 of Apple’s new computers have already been infected, according to the security firm Red Canary, primarily in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Germany.
The infected machines range from the Mac Mini desktop to the latest version of Apple’s laptops. Both the latest MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro are powered by M1 chips.
Notably, security researchers have yet to observe the Silver Sparrow malware actually doing anything harmful.
“Though we haven’t observed Silver Sparrow delivering additional malicious payloads yet,” Tony Lambert, an analyst at Red Canary intelligence, wrote in a blog post. “Its forward-looking M1 chip compatibility, global reach, relatively high infection rate, and operational maturity suggest Silver Sparrow is a reasonably serious threat, uniquely positioned to deliver a potentially impactful payload at a moment’s notice.”
Got a tip? Contact Insider senior correspondent Ben Gilbert via email (bgilbert@insider.com), or Twitter DM (@realbengilbert). We can keep sources anonymous. Use a non-work device to reach out. PR pitches by email only, please.
