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M3 comes to Apple's best laptop

M3 comes to Apple's best laptop

MacBook Air gets worthy updates.

Leander Kahney
March 04, 2024

Apple's best notebook for most people just got a very nice update.

The MacBook Air is the finest everyman computer the company makes. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s the world’s most popular laptop, according to Apple.

Today, Apple quietly updated both models (13-inch and 15-inch) with speedier M3 chips, much faster Wi-Fi and a beefed-up Neural Engine that’ll play well with AI updates widely tipped to arrive on macOS and other Apple software later this year.

Check out all the details.

Also in today’s newsletter:

Apple “abused” its music rival Spotify, the European Commission ruled, and the EU fined Apple a couple of billion dollars as a result. A lot of folks are defending Apple’s position, but I see this as a win for consumers.
If you have an iPad, one of the best accessories you can get is Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which turns it into a faux MacBook. But it’s expensive, at least until now. Here’s how to get $120 off.
The iPhone SE is a great low-cost iPhone for kids and other first-timers. Here’s what the next version reportedly looks like.
It’s never a bad idea to buy Apple refurbs, as today’s setup proves.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

New M3 MacBook Air gets big specs boost with same awesome battery life

Apple launches the updated laptop with an M3 chip, Wi-Fi that’s up to twice as fast, and support for two external displays.

EU fines Apple 1.8 billion euros over 'abusive’ treatment of Spotify

Responding to complaints by Spotify, the European Commission fines Apple approximately $1.96 billion over App Store rules.

Alleged iPhone SE 4 renders show an iPhone 14-like design

New renders leak online, showcasing a familiar design, albeit with a single rear camera.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Slash $120 off Magic Keyboard case for 11-inch iPad Pro/iPad Air

Apple is synonymous with high prices as well as high-quality products. But $120 off Magic Keyboard? That's a deal.

macOS 14.4 takes final step before introducing new features

Devs got their hands on the macOS 14.4 Release Candidate, which brings new emoji plus auto-generated transcripts in the Apple Podcasts app.

Fresh springtime colors bloom for iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands

As springtime approaches, Apple releases several fresh colors for silicone iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands.

New Belkin mount connects iPhone to Apple TV for top-quality video calls

The just-launched Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Apple TV 4K makes it easy to hold FaceTime calls with Apple's set-top box.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

AirPods work even better with Mac, thanks to AirBuddy

With the AirBuddy app for Mac, you can make enhanced connections to AirPods, Beats and other earbuds or headphones.

Apple car comes to a screeching halt [The CultCast]

This week on Cult of Mac's podcast: The cancellation of the Apple car project leaves us reeling. Is this good for Apple, or just depressing?

This $60 CompTIA training bundle helps you build a better résumé

With 15 full-length video courses, the Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Bundle provides a quality IT education online.

Today in Apple history: CFO Peter Oppenheimer retires from Apple

On March 4, 2014, the Apple CFO who presided over a decade of skyrocketing growth stepped down from the company.

Mac Studio and Studio Display refurbs seem new [Setups]

The refurbished M2 Max Mac Studio and Studio Display in this neat setup are hard to tell from brand-new gear, the user says.

Tweetz o’ the day

What’ll Apple upgrade first? 5GB free iCloud storage or 8GB of RAM on their computers?
Trick question—the answer is neither.
— Snazzy Labs (@SnazzyLabs)
4:04 PM • Mar 4, 2024

this shape is definitely growing on me
— alexey (@sekachov)
6:00 PM • Mar 3, 2024

Apple Vision Air
— Lucas Crespo 📧 (@lucas__crespo)
5:43 PM • Mar 3, 2024

Dyson worked on an EV for a couple years but ultimately canceled the project. Here is James Dyson showing the original prototype they created.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt)
1:55 AM • Mar 4, 2024

@halidecamera Tell me this is not badass?
— José Benitez Cong (@Jose_Cong)
1:00 AM • Feb 29, 2024

The cool kids have stickers on their devices, right?
— Ras✦Maus (@RasmusNielsen)
9:59 PM • Feb 29, 2024

What an amazing use of VR.
I suspect VR headsets will be supplied to all long-duration astronauts of the Artemis program.
— David Heaney ᯅ (@Heaney555)
6:03 PM • Mar 1, 2024

One more thing ...

❝

OK, tell me what’s wrong with this place? It’s the products! So what’s wrong with the products? The products suck! There’s no sex in them anymore.

— Steve Jobs when he returned to Apple, 1996.

Today’s poll

What's Apple's best laptop right now?

Results from last Friday’s poll: How maddening do you find the iPhone's autocorrect?

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