Top Stories: Top iOS 17 Features, M2 Ultra Chip Benchmarks, and More

With WWDC now in the rear-view mirror, we’ve finally had time to really dig into the new software updates and discover some of our favorite new features and changes.

New hardware was of course another big focus for WWDC, and while the Vision Pro isn’t coming until next year, the updated MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro models began shipping out this week, so we’re learning more about those as well. Read on below for all the details!

Top Five iOS 17 Features

Over a week has passed since Apple previewed iOS 17 at WWDC. The software update will be released later this year for the iPhone XS and newer, and is currently available in beta. Check out how to install the iOS 17 beta with a free Apple developer account.

We’ve put together a video and a list of the top five new features in iOS 17, including a useful new StandBy mode.

We also have an iOS 17 roundup with a detailed overview of the update.

M2 Ultra Chip Benchmark Results Reveal Impressive Performance Gains

The first benchmark results for Apple’s high-end M2 Ultra chip surfaced on Geekbench 6 this week, providing a look at CPU performance improvements for the new Mac Pro and Mac Studio.

Due to Apple silicon’s unified architecture, the new Mac Pro lacks graphics card support and user-upgradeable RAM. Check out our Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro Buyer’s Guide for a comparison of the computers.

15-Inch MacBook Air Reviews: The Sweet Spot for Performance, Size, and Value

The new 15-inch MacBook Air launched in stores and began arriving to customers on Tuesday. One day earlier, the first reviews of the laptop were shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels, offering a closer look at the larger display and more.

Overall, many of the reviews found the 15-inch MacBook Air to be the perfect combination of performance, size, and value for most customers.

Mac Studio Reviews: M2 Ultra Chip, 8K Display Support

The new Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips also launched on Tuesday, and reviews of the desktop computer are now available.

The Mac Studio is now equipped with an HDMI 2.1 port that supports an 8K external display at 60Hz, or a 4K display at 240Hz. Like many other new Macs, the Mac Studio now has faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and support for high-impedance headphones.

Here’s How Apple Watch Widgets Work in watchOS 10

Starting with watchOS 10, Apple Watch users can turn the Digital Crown to scroll through widgets in the new Smart Stack on any watch face.

We’ve put together a guide with a detailed overview of how the widgets work on watchOS 10. The software update will be released later this year for the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer, and is currently available in beta for anyone with a free Apple developer account.

Apple TV to Support VPN Apps on tvOS 17

tvOS 17 includes a handful of new features for the Apple TV, including FaceTime and a redesigned Control Center. Another new feature is support for VPN apps, although it remains to be seen if there will be any limitations in terms of how these apps can be used.

VPN apps could allow for Apple TV users to watch geo-restricted content from any location, such as the U.S. version of Netflix in another country. tvOS 17 will be released later this year for all Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.

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