Apple News
The end of an era: Mac Pro rendered irrelevant by Apple’s own chips
The secret behind the Mac Pro’s immense power and legendary upgradability was the freedom to install whichever CPUs and GPUs you wanted, along with as much RAM, storage (HDDs or SSDs), or expansion cards as you needed. With the switch to clearly superior Apple Silicon, however, the CPU, GPU, and RAM are now permanently fused onto a single system-on-chip (SoC) package that is soldered to the logic board. As a result, the Mac Pro has lost basically all of the user-upgradable components that once justified its existence.
Doubts about the need for the Mac Pro were further strengthened by the launch of the Mac Studio back in 2022. An M2 Ultra upgrade a year later saw the two machines offer identical performance. Things got even worse for the Mac Pro this year when the Mac Studio got an M3 Ultra chip. That means that the current Mac Studio is actually more powerful than the current Mac Pro while also being substantially cheaper.
The only benefit of the larger and more expensive machine is the availability of PCIe expansion slots and additional ports. However, since you can’t use PCIe slots for beefier graphics cards, they are a very niche need these days. In most cases, a Thunderbolt connection to an external accessory does the job.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported a few days ago that Apple has “largely written off the Mac Pro.”
Sad as I would be to see it go, I think this does make sense. The reason for the Mac Pro’s existence – its expandability – no longer applies. Leaving aside the tiny niche of the tiny niche of Mac Pro owners who benefited from the portability of being able to put all of the additional storage inside the casing, there’s just no benefit over the Mac Studio.
MacDailyNews Take: Being even less torn up about it than Ben, we wrote earlier this week, “Bring on the M5 Ultra Mac Studio and rename it ‘Mac Pro.'”
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Apple releases new firmware for 140W USB-C Power Adapter, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad
Apple has rolled out fresh firmware updates for its popular Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and 140W USB-C Power Adapter, delivering key performance boosts and security enhancements to these essential accessories.
There is no word on what’s included in the updated firmware at this time, but it could offer performance improvements and security updates. Accessory firmware updates are infrequent. The last update to the Magic Keyboard was over a year ago, for example.
These are the first firmware update Apple has released for the USB-C version of the Magic Trackpad and Magic Keyboard that came out in October 2024. The USB-C Magic Trackpad had firmware version 3.1.1 installed at launch, while the keyboards were running version 3.1.4.
After the update, the USB-C Magic Trackpad and Keyboards should all have firmware version 3.1.9 installed.
Magic Trackpad 2 firmware was version 3.1.1 previously, while the new firmware is version 3.1.8.
The 140W USB-C Power adapter had firmware version 1.4.73, and it’s been upgraded to 1.4.84.
MacDailyNews Note: In a move that underscores Apple’s ongoing commitment to seamless ecosystem integration, the upgrades install automatically when paired with compatible iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, or visionOS devices.
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Apple announces finalists for the 2025 App Store Awards
Apple on Wednesday announced 45 finalists for this year’s App Store Awards, recognizing the best apps and games across 12 different categories for creating exceptional experiences that inspire users to accomplish more, reimagine their daily workflows, and push creative boundaries.
Each year, the App Store Awards celebrate developers from around the world whose apps are improving people’s lives, and exemplify the very best in technical innovation, user experience, and design. In the coming weeks, App Store Award winners will be announced, selected from this year’s distinguished group of finalists.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the App Store Award finalists, a diverse and talented group of developers from around the globe,” said Carson Oliver, Apple’s head of App Store Worldwide, in a statement. “Their commitment to excellence is an inspiration, resulting in experiences that empowered users to tap into their creativity, achieve more through technical innovations, and discover new adventures through the world of gameplay.”
iPhone App of the Year Finalists
• BandLab, for helping musicians record and mix tracks with a community.
• LADDER, for taking the guesswork out of strength training.
• Tiimo, for presenting to-dos in a way that feels a bit more calming.
iPhone Game of the Year Finalists
• Capybara Go!, for taking players on a quirky idle adventure as a lovable critter.
• Pokémon TCG Pocket, for making collecting and playing legendary Pokémon cards even better.
• Thronefall, for combining thrilling defense battles with minimalist controls.
iPad App of the Year Finalists
• Detail, for redefining the content creation workflow.
• Graintouch, for bringing the beauty of print art to more creatives.
• Structured, for visualizing the busiest days in the form of digestible timelines.
iPad Game of the Year Finalists
• DREDGE, for delivering a haunting mystery and smooth gameplay to players.
• Infinity Nikki, for immersing players in the whimsical world of Miraland.
• Prince of Persia Lost Crown, for delivering an epic adventure from start to finish.
Mac App of the Year Finalists
• Acorn, for being the go-to tool for pro-level photo edits.
• Essayist, for taking the stress out of sourcing and formatting academic papers.
• Under My Roof, for keeping homeowners organized and prepared.
Mac Game of the Year Finalists
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows, for designing a stealthy journey through feudal Japan.
• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, for captivating players with stunning, futuristic visuals.
• Neva, for depicting an emotionally moving tale enhanced with striking imagery.
Apple Arcade Game of the Year Finalists
• Katamari Damacy Rolling LIVE, for entertaining players through the chaos of a sticky ball.
• PGA TOUR Pro Golf, for transporting fans right onto the golf course.
• WHAT THE CLASH?, for delivering hundreds of silly but memorable mini games.
Apple Vision Pro App of the Year Finalists
• Camo Studio, for offering creators a more flexible way to livestream and create videos.
• D-Day: The Camera Soldier, for pioneering the future of immersive storytelling.
• Explore POV, for transporting users through its library of Apple Immersive videos filmed around the world.
Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year Finalists
• Fishing Haven, for immersing players seeking a retreat into calm waters.
• Gears & Goo, for combining strategic gameplay with endearing characters.
• Porta Nubi, for building atmospheric puzzles that make users feel like a light-bending superhero.
Apple Watch App of the Year Finalists
• GO Club, for helping users stay active and hydrated.
• Pro Camera by Moment, for allowing users to snap pro-level photos directly from their wrist.
• Strava, for connecting the global fitness community through performance.
Apple TV App of the Year Finalists
• HBO Max, for streaming must-see series and prioritizing accessibility.
• PBS KIDS Video, for giving parents peace of mind with kid-friendly entertainment and educational programs.
• Super Farming Boy 4K, for creating a challenging adventure powered by chain reactions and combos.
Cultural Impact Finalists
• Art of Fauna, for capturing wildlife’s beauty in accessible puzzles.
• A Space for the Unbound, for exploring mental health through a touching slice-of-life narrative.
• Be My Eyes, for empowering users who are blind or have low vision.
• Chants of Sennaar, for celebrating the power of language and connection.
• despelote, for creatively crafting culturally grounded gameplay.
• Focus Friend, for gamifying focus sessions into enjoyable challenges.
• Is This Seat Taken?, for fostering empathy and inclusivity.
• Retro, for creating a privacy-friendly social platform that keeps loved ones in the loop.
• StoryGraph, for building an inclusive book community.
• Venba, for spotlighting cultural cuisine with heartfelt storytelling.
• Whoscall, for protecting users against scams.
• Yuka, for helping users make conscious choices about what they consume.
MacDailyNews Note: Links to each app can be found in Apple’s press release here.
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Elon Musk: ‘I’m down’ for Grok – Apple collaboration
Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of xAI, has expressed openness to partnering with Apple to integrate Grok into the tech giant’s long-neglected voice assistant, Siri, potentially breathing new life into its capabilities.
The exchange kicked off on Monday when an X user known as X Freeze posted a pointed critique, urging Apple to swap out Siri’s “outdated” tech for Grok 4.1 to deliver a truly “superintelligent” upgrade.
Musk quickly replied with a straightforward “I’m down,” signaling his enthusiasm for the collaboration despite ongoing tensions, including xAI’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple over AI app favoritism.
Tech enthusiasts have since flooded the thread with excitement, envisioning a sharper, wittier Siri powered by Grok’s advanced reasoning and real-time smarts—though Apple has yet to comment.
I’m down https://t.co/yNY2NtkTEc
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2025
Benzinga:
Recently, Musk had hinted at a potential merger between Tesla Inc. and xAI, as both of his ventures were “trending towards convergence” despite shareholders refusing to vote in favor of an investment in xAI by Tesla at the company’s annual shareholder meeting earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Musk also shared a timeline for xAI’s latest version of its Grok AI model, Grok 5, saying that the model would be available in the first three months of 2026, a delay from the earlier timeline, which targeted an end-of-2025 release for the model.
MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote last month:
Apple would do well to think apolitically and ink deals to use both SpaceX’s superior Starlink satellite connectivity and xAI’s outstanding Grok in Apple Intelligence. – MacDailyNews, October 24, 2025
See also: xAI’s Grok 4.1 surpasses ChatGPT & Gemini on key AI benchmarks – Economic Times, November 18, 2025
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Apple earns 23 Children’s & Family Emmy Award nominations
Apple was honored with 23 nominations across eight programs for the 4th Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards, with nods for series including “Time Bandits,” “Jane,” “Eva the Owlet,” “Wonder Pets: In the City,” “Me,” “Goldie,” “Yo Gabba GabbaLand!” and “WondLa.” The winners will be revealed on March 1 and 2, 2026.
Acclaimed series “Time Bandits” earns seven total nominations, including Outstanding Young Teen Series; Outstanding Lead Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program for Lisa Kudrow; Outstanding Writing for a Young Teen Series; Outstanding Directing for a Live Action Series; Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design; Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup; and, Outstanding Visual Effects for a Live Action Program.
Emmy Award-winning, mission-driven series “Jane” earns three nominations this year, including Outstanding Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Series; Outstanding Writing for a Preschool or Children’s Series; and Outstanding Editing for a Preschool or Children’s Live Action Program, while delightful animated favorite “Eva the Owlet” lands Outstanding Short Form Animated Program and Outstanding Editing for a Preschool Animated Program.
Additional nominated programs include “Wonder Pets: In the City,” “Me,” “Goldie,” “Yo Gabba GabbaLand!” and “WondLa.”
These are the latest Children’s & Family Emmy Awards honors for Apple TV following six wins for the 3rd annual awards including Outstanding Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Series and Outstanding Costume Design/Styling for “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock,” Outstanding Fiction Special and Outstanding Younger Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program for “The Velveteen Rabbit,” alongside Individual Achievement in Animation for “Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin” and Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for an Animated Program for “Frog and Toad.” Apple also landed four wins in 2023 including Outstanding Younger Voice Performance by Maria Nash for “Pinecone & Pony,” Outstanding Writing for a Young Teen Program for “Life by Ella,” Outstanding Visual Effects for a Live Action Program for “Jane” and Outstanding Casting for “Best Foot Forward,” as well as three wins in 2022 including Best Art Direction for “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock,” Outstanding Directing for “Stillwater” and Outstanding Non-Fiction Program for “Who are You, Charlie Brown?” In 2021, Apple TV received four Daytime Emmy Award wins for Apple Original kids and family series including Outstanding Special Class Daytime Animated Program and Individual Achievement in Animation: Character Animation for “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” Outstanding Editing for a Preschool Animated Program for “Stillwater” and Outstanding Multiple Camera Editing for “Helpsters.” Apple TV was the first streaming service to win Daytime Emmys in its first year of eligibility after earning awards for Outstanding Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Programming for “Ghostwriter,” as well as Outstanding Single Camera Editing for “Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10.”
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry.
To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 640 wins and 2,907 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning and history-making comedies “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso,” and Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
Apple received 23 total nominations for the 4th Annual Children & Family Emmy Awards, including:
“Time Bandits”
• Young Teen Series
• Lead Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program — Lisa Kudrow
• Writing for a Young Teen Series — “Kevin Haddock”
• Directing for a Live Action Series — “Kevin Haddock”
• Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design — “Kevin Haddock”
• Hairstyling and Makeup — “Kevin Haddock”
• Visual Effects for a Live Action Program
“Jane”
• Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Series
• Writing for a Preschool or Children’s Series — “Pan troglodytes”
• Editing for a Preschool or Children’s Live Action Program — “Pan troglodytes”
“Eva the Owlet”
• Short Form Animated Program
• Editing for a Preschool Animated Program — “Adventure Night”
“Wonder Pets: In the City”
• Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program — Vanessa Huszar
• Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program — Christopher Sean Cooper Jr.
• Writing for a Preschool Animated Series — “Save the Porcupine! / Save the Runaway Egg!”
• Directing for a Preschool Animated Series — “Save Tate? / Save the Song Birds!”
• Voice Directing for an Animated Series — “Save the Roly Poly! / Save Jack (and the Giant, Too)!”
“Me”
• Younger Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program — Lucian-River Chauhan
• Writing for a Young Teen Series — “Pilot”
“Goldie”
• Writing for a Children’s or Young Teen Animated Series — “Frand or Foe”
• Voice Directing for an Animated Series — “Petey the Stargazer”
“Yo Gabba GabbaLand!”
• Costume Design/Styling — “Me”
“WondLa”
• Music Direction and Composition for an Animated Program — “Heart”
“Time Bandits”
Embark on a comedic, high-stakes journey through time and space with a ragtag group of thieves and their newest recruit: an 11-year-old history nerd. Together, they set out on a thrilling quest to save the boy’s parents — and the world.
“Wonder Pets: In the City”
“Wonder Pets: In The City” introduces a trio of heroes: Izzy the Guinea Pig, Tate the Snake and Zuri the Bunny. These heroic classroom pets live in a kindergarten in New York City and travel all around the globe in their amazing “Jetcar” to rescue animals in musical, mini-opera-themed adventures. When the going gets tough, Izzy, Tate and Zuri always remember to combine their talents and abilities and work together to save the day — because together, there’s nothing they can’t do!
“Jane”
The mission-driven series for kids and families is inspired by the work of world renowned ethologist and conservationist, Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace. Jane Garcia is a 9-year-old budding environmentalist on a quest to save endangered animals. Using her powerful imagination, Jane takes her best friends David and Greybeard the chimpanzee on epic adventures to help protect wild animals all around the world because, according to her idol Dr. Jane Goodall: “Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, can they be saved.”
“Eva the Owlet”
“Eva the Owlet” stars Eva, a creative, cheeky owlet who lives next door to her best friend Lucy in the woodland world of Treetopington. With big ideas and an even bigger personality, Eva goes on high-flying adventures, expressing herself in her diary along the way!
“Me”
“Me” follows a 12-year-old kid named Ben who is in the throes of middle school (complete with bullies, crushes and school dances!) as he adjusts to a newly blended family AND the realization that he has super powers. Throughout the 10-episode season, Ben goes on a journey of self-discovery and learns what having super powers truly means. He finds an ally in his stepsister, Max, who helps him harness these powers and uncover the secrets behind the mysteries and tragedies of his community … all while he tries to come to terms with what it means to be Ben.
“Goldie”
Inspired by Emily Brundige’s award-winning 2019 animated short film of the same name, “Goldie” follows Goldie, a giant girl with a big heart, as she sets off on epic adventures with her best friends in their beloved town of Boysenberg. Across 13 half-hour episodes, together they learn that being different is something to celebrate, and that there’s space for everyone in this world — even giants.
“Yo Gabba GabbaLand!”
Join familiar friends Muno, Foofa, Plex, Brobee and Toodee, and meet new magician Kammy Kam. Dance, sing, play and make learning fun as kids and parents jump into Yo Gabba GabbaLand and discover all the things that make this community so magical. “Yo Gabba GabbaLand!” mixes early childhood milestones with play and popular music. Building on the original Daytime Emmy Award-winning series “Yo Gabba Gabba!,” a full-fledged cultural phenomenon that has amassed over 1.2 billion views on YouTube, young children and families can navigate universal preschool challenges in a diverse visual and musical landscape.
“WondLa”
In the epic final season of “WondLa,” war erupts between humans and aliens. With Orbona’s fate hanging in the balance, Eva must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: recapturing the stolen Heart of the Forest. Along the way, she gathers old friends and unlikely allies for one last stand. But to save Orbona, Eva must do more than find the Heart; she must bridge two divided worlds and prove the ultimate truth: “There is no ‘them.’ There is only us.”
All programs are currently streaming on Apple TV.
Apple TV offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all of a user’s favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.
Apple TV is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV for free.
MacDailyNews Take: Congratulations to all of Apple TV’s Children’s & Family Emmy Award nominees!
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