Multiple Macs tipped for WWDC 2023 unveiling, but what could they be?

Apple's big WWDC 2023 event will kick off on June 5 with the company streaming the big opening keynote for everyone to watch online. There's sure to be a lot to get through and with hopes high, we're now learning more about what we should expect from the big event.

With Apple already expected to announce the Reality Pro AR/VR headset and show off the software that will power the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch into 2024, it's shaping up to be a big event — and that's before you remember that the 15-inch MacBook Air is also on the horizon.

But now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has added further fuel to the fire, stoking expectations that there will be "several new Macs" unveiled at an event that he also believes will be "one of Apple's longest ever." How long? It'll "easily exceed two hours," he thinks.

More Macs, but which ones?

Gurman's news came via a post on Twitter that didn't get into too many details but was just enough to whet the appetite. It also brings up the obvious question of what Macs Apple will show off next week.

At this point the 15-inch MacBook Air is a given — there have been too many rumors for that not to arrive now. But what else will Apple unveil?

The M3 chip is unlikely to be involved. The 15-inch MacBook Air will reportedly use an M2 chip and it would be old news immediately if a new chip arrived in another Mac during the same event.

With that in mind, it seems more likely that Apple will finally announce the Apple silicon Mac Pro, likely powered by at least one M2 Ultra and perhaps even multiple chips fused together. Time will tell, but with the Mac Pro being the last Apple silicon holdout, it's only a matter of time before it gets the refresh it's crying out for.

I’m expecting three major focus areas next week: 1) several new Macs, 2) the mixed-reality headset, 3) the new OSs. With all of the new hardware and software, I expect the keynote to be one of Apple’s longest ever and easily exceed two hours.May 31, 2023

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It's always possible that Apple has a new machine in the works as well. Something that hasn't leaked and will join the existing Mac lineup. But that doesn't seem likely at this point. An M2 Ultra version of the Mac Studio could join the Mac Pro, but that product's usefulness will very much depend on what the updated Mac Pro actually has to offer. Can Apple's lineup carry two pro-level desktop Macs at the same time? They can't both be the best Mac in the lineup, after all.

The loss of the iMac Pro would suggest not. Either way, roll on WWDC 2023. It's sure to be quite the (long) show.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 certification suggests we’re on track for a July launch

We’ve been waiting quite a while for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series, given that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 and its siblings were announced in February 2022. But that wait might almost be over, as the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus and Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra appear to have just been certified.

Nashville Chatter (via GSMArena) has spotted TUV certifications for two Samsung devices with model numbers that have been linked to the Tab S9 Plus and Tab S9 Ultra. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Plus, those model numbers are SM-X816B, SM-X810, and SM-X816N, while in the case of the Ultra they’re SM-X916B, SM-X910, and SM-X916N.

Why three for each? One is apparently for a 5G model, one for a Wi-Fi only version, and one for a South Korean version. So that tells you that both the Plus and Ultra may optionally be available with 5G, but that’s hardly surprising.

The listings also reveal that both slates should ship with a 45W charger, suggesting that the tablets themselves support 45W charging. This too comes as no surprise though, given that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra both support 45W charging.

Could be coming in late July

The Tab S9 could land alongside the next Galaxy Z Flip (Image credit: Future / Alex Walker-Todd)

The biggest news here is simply that these tablets have been certified at all, as these sorts of certifications usually happen quite close to launch.

That means there’s a good chance we’ll see the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series in the next couple of months, which lines up nicely with when we’re expecting to see the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

Both of these foldables are rumored to be landing on July 26, so there’s a high chance the Galaxy Tab S9 series will land alongside them. We’ll likely also see the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series then, so this could be a packed event.

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The Google Pixel Tablet could soon become even more like an iPad

The Google Pixel Tablet is in some ways like an iPad, specifically an iPad 10.9 (2022), as they’re both mid-range slates and have very similar screen sizes. But the gap between looks as though it may continue to narrow.

That’s because – according to leaker @Za_Raczke (via Phone Arena) – Google is working on a ‘Stylus for Pixel Tablet’ and a ‘Keyboard for Pixel Tablet’. They put those terms in quotes, so it sounds like those would be the launch names for these accessories.

In a follow-up tweet, they claim these accessories are still in development, and don’t give any indication of when they will actually launch.

"Keyboard for Pixel Tablet"May 29, 2023

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We’d take this with a pinch of salt then, as it’s always possible that in-development stuff won’t ever see the light of day. Plus, this leaker doesn’t have as much of an established track record as some, though they have accurately leaked things in the past.

Also in support of this, Mishaal Rahman (who does have an extensive and decent track record) replied noting they’d spotted the term ‘Android stylus’ in Android code. Though they added that “this could just be an internal testing-only product.”

A big upgrade to a promising tablet

Still, if Google does launch a keyboard and stylus for the Pixel Tablet, that would make it way better both for work and creation, and give it two more tools that you can also get with an iPad. Coming from Google, it’s likely these accessories would cost less than Apple’s versions too, though that’s just speculation for now.

These would be handy additions in any case. We haven’t finished reviewing the Pixel Tablet yet, but in our hands-on Pixel Tablet review we noted the lack of a keyboard folio as one of our main issues with it.

Otherwise, our early impressions were largely positive. We praised its versatility, with it being able to work both as a tablet and a smart display, along with its competitive price. So the addition of a keyboard and a stylus could potentially turn an already likely good slate into one of the best tablets.

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Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro are finally available on your iPad – here's how to get them

Just two weeks after the initial announcement, Apple's Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro editing software have made landfall on select iPad models.

Both apps function similarly to their desktop counterparts with some customizations so they can take full advantage of the hardware. As stated in our previous coverage, Final Cut Pro will feature a new jog wheel to make interacting with the touch screen easy to do. This includes smoothly navigating the Magnetic Timeline and moving clips for a video. Support for the Apple Pencil is present enabling Live Drawing so you can draw and write on top of content. Additionally, Final Cut Pro on iPad allows for multicamera editing so you can easily combine multiple angles into one timeline.

As for Logic Pro, the music editing software comes with Multi-Touch so you can use your hands to zoom in on tracks or scroll through them. Custom audio boards can be built thanks to Plug-in Tiles. All you have to do is drag audio control plug-ins together like a jigsaw puzzle. Apple Pencil support is here as well for “precision edits”. 

There are even a couple of new features not present on the desktop version. First, you have Beat Breaker, which lets “creators “reshape and shuffle sounds with a swipe of their finger or a pinch. There’s also Sample Alchemy for manipulating music samples with, as you can probably guess, just your finger.

Availability

The apps can do more than what we just described, but we think you get the picture. It doesn’t look like there will be any hiccups in the transition from desktop to tablet. So, how can you buy them?

Both Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro are available through the App Store for $4.99 USD (£4.99 and $7.99 AUD) a month or $49 USD (£49 and $59 AUD) a year “with a one-month free trial.” As you can see, the iPad versions of these apps are much, much cheaper than on Mac. Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro will run you $299.99 (£299.99/$499.99 AUD) and $199.99 (£174.99/$299.99 AUD) respectively.

Do note there are some limitations. The software only works with select iPad models. To use Final Cut Pro, you need to own either a 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th or 6th gen), 11-inch iPad Pro (3rd or 4th gen), or iPad Air (5th gen) with iPadOS 16.4 or later installed. For Logic Pro, the app will work on “any iPad with the A12 Bionic chip or later” like the 7th Gen iPad from 2019. The device must also be running iPadOS 16.4.

It’s worth mentioning there have been rumors of these two applications coming to Apple’s rumored VR headset. This information comes from notable industry insider Mark Gurman who claims “there’s a very real possibility” they’ll roll out to the headset at some point. Apparently, the xrOS platform can run iPad apps.

It’s unknown if that’ll actually happen, but our questions may soon be answered. The company’s big WWDC 2023 event will be held in less than two weeks on June 5. We do expect to see the long-awaited reveal of Apple's VR device among other high-profile gadgets.

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Amazon Fire Max 11 is the company's biggest tablet yet, aims at the iPad 2022

Amazon’s Fire tablets are known for being affordable and usually quite small, but the company’s latest slate breaks at least one of those trends, as the Amazon Fire Max 11 has just been announced, and it has an 11-inch 1200 x 2000 screen.

Previously, the biggest Amazon tablet was the 10.1-inch Amazon Fire HD 10, but an extra inch of screen space isn’t all you get here.

For one thing, the Amazon Fire Max 11 has an 8MP front-facing camera that’s ideally positioned for landscape video calls. That means the lens is halfway down one of the long sides of the slate, which makes a lot more sense for a tablet, as they’re almost always used in landscape orientation for video chats. This isn't the first Fire with that design, but it's something a lot of tablets don't have.

(Image credit: Amazon)

That positioning and the 11-inch size actually makes this potentially one of the closest rivals to the iPad 10.9 (2022), as that has an almost identical screen size and is also the first iPad to have a landscape selfie camera, as well as being one of the cheapest iPads – though it’s still more expensive than Amazon’s slate by quite a way.

Other highlights of the Amazon Fire Max 11 include a 2.2GHz octa-core chipset along with 4GB of RAM. That might not sound special, but Amazon claims this makes it almost 50% faster than the company’s next-fastest tablet.

Amazon also claims that with an aluminum build and a strengthened glass screen, it’s three times as durable as the iPad 10.9 (2022), and the tablet promises 14 hours of battery life, and comes with Dolby Atmos audio and a choice of 64GB or 128GB of storage.

Rounding out the specs, there’s an 8MP camera on the back, a fingerprint sensor – another novel addition for the Fire tablet series – and, of course, it comes with Amazon’s Alexa assistant built in.

(Image credit: Amazon)

There are also accessories for it, including a detachable keyboard case and a stylus, so this could be just as good for productivity and creation as a basic iPad.

The price for the Amazon Fire Max 11 itself starts at $244.99 / £249.99 (around AU$370), but you can get a bundle with those accessories for $344.99 / £374.97 (around AU$530). Separately, the keyboard case retails for £89.99 (roughly $110 / AU$170), while the stylus costs £34.99 (approximately $45 / AU$65).

On paper, this sounds like it could be one of the best cheap tablets (not to mention worthy of our best Amazon Fire tablet list), and if you like the sound of all this, you can pre-order the Amazon Fire Max 11 now in the US and UK (with Australia not likely to get it, based on past form), and it will ship from June 14 – though you might want to wait until we’ve put it through a full review.

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Amazon Kindle Scribe just got a huge update but it might not be all we want

Amazon is rolling yet another major update to its Kindle Scribe e-reader – making this the third one since the device’s launch back in November 2022.

Users will be getting four new features with this patch. Chief among them is the long-awaited support for “direct on-page writing”. Unfortunately, you may be disappointed with the feature as it’s not as extensive as some would have preferred. It only works with certain content such as “guided journals and word games” like crossword puzzles.

Amazon has a section on its online marketplace highlighting which ebooks support the write-on feature. Or you can visit the Kindle Store on the Scribe to see the same thing. For the latter, be sure to keep an eye out for content that has either “Write-on Books” or “On-page writing” listed as a feature.

Kindle Scribe new lasso tool. (Image credit: Amazon)

Brand new tools

Moving down the list, Amazon is introducing a lasso tool for selecting written notes or pen strokes on the device. Unlike on-page writing, the lasso isn’t restricted to just a few apps. You can use it to cut, move, copy, paste, or resize selected content “across your notebooks, sticky notes, and PDFs.” Speaking of which, PDFs will now be easier to read as users will be able to “switch between portrait- and landscape-view mode”. Margins can also be cropped “to increase font size”. Plus, text in PDFs can be highlighted so you can look up a word’s dictionary definition or a translation in another language.

The final inclusion is the ability to convert your Scribe notebook into a .txt file so you can share it via email. There are two ways to do this, according to Amazon. To quickly send out your notes, you select “Convert to text and quick send” in the on-device Share menu. If you want ample time to make a few edits, you choose “Convert to text and email” – also in the Share menu.

In a better state

Kindle Scribe's new convert-to-text feature. (Image credit: Amazon)

Together with the previous two updates, Amazon has now introduced 10 new features to its e-reader.

Keep an eye out for the patch as it makes its way to a Kindle Scribe near you. If you prefer, you can force install by going to the Kindle E-Reader Software Updates webpage and downloading the package from there. But this isn’t the end as the tech giant promises more “free software updates” later this year.

It is good to see Amazon paying so much attention to this new device. When the Kindle Scribe was first released last year, it fell somewhat short of expectations. The Scribe wasn’t awful at launch – far from it. However, it faced stiff competition from better E Ink tablets at the time like the Kobo Elipsa and the Onyx Boox Note Air2. This steady stream of updates is bringing it more in line with the competition.

Needless to say, we’re looking forward to Amazon's future plans for the Scribe and would love to see notes syncing between the e-reader and the Kindle mobile app get a significant upgrade.

Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best Kindle for 2023 if you’re stuck on which one to buy or our guide to the best ereaders if you'd like more choices.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra pics spotted – but you may be disappointed

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 series is expected to arrive at some point in the next few months, and we’ve just been treated to some renders of the S9 Ultra tablet.

This is largest tablet in the next-gen Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 family, with a 14-inch screen that Samsung hopes will make you think of the device as a worthy alternative to the best laptops in 2023.

These new renders come courtesy of OnLeaks on Twitter (a well-known leaker) and MySmartPrice (as first spotted by GSMArena). Check them out below:

Good Morning #FutureSquad!Here comes your very first look at the #Samsung #GalaxyTabS9Ultra (360° video + crispy sharp 5K renders)On behalf of @mysmartprice 👉🏻 https://t.co/Xi2v2Ebf1Y pic.twitter.com/CdsFY1D8MXMay 17, 2023

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In short, the Tab S9 Ultra looks pretty sharp, but the overall design remains much the same as its predecessor tablet from last year.

You have a 14.6-inch AMOLED screen (featuring a resolution of 2960 x 1848-pixels, just the same as the S8 Ultra), and that notch is still present on the front, playing host to two cameras.

(Image credit: OnLeaks / MySmartPrice)

Matters have been switched up a bit around the back of the tablet, with the rear cameras looking neater, having been separated out with their own metal surrounds (rather than all being housed in one rather clunky, pill-shaped panel).

The size of the tablet remains the same (326 x 208 x 5.5mm), although the weight is slightly heavier this time round, at 737 grams (compared to 726 grams – so realistically, you won’t notice any difference).

We’re also told that the Tab S9 Ultra will come with an 11,200mAh battery, again sticking to the template laid down by the S8 Ultra. And, as previously rumored, it will offer 45W fast charging.

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Analysis: Notching things up

While initial reactions to these renders are fairly positive on the whole, there are some rumblings about a lack of change. Specifically, there's some disappointment that the notch is still present. The notch is a very controversial design element, of course, but in the case of a tablet as big as the S9 Ultra, it’s hardly a big issue.

Indeed, in our Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review, we observed barely noticing the notch – because the screen real-estate is so roomy, it really doesn’t cut into the experience (so to speak). On a smaller screen, it’s much more noticeable, of course.

OnLeaks has already shared renders of the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus, and similarly high-quality images at that, which lends this latest bit of spillage a little more weight.

The rumor mill contends that Samsung will unleash the new Galaxy Tab S9 models soon enough, likely in a late July or August launch alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5. Just brace yourself for the price, because this giant-sized tablet will be an expensive proposition, no doubt.

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M3 Pro MacBook Pro could be much more powerful, but it won't launch in 2023

Nobody would ever accuse the current M2 Pro MacBook Pro of being slow, but that doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement. A new report aims to shed some light on what that improvement might look like.

The M2 Pro already beats at the heart of what is probably the best Mac for creatives who don't need to go the whole hog for the M2 Max, but it's said that Apple is already testing what comes next — and it has more cores than ever before.

How many more cores? Only a couple, but that's better than none, right? As for when the chip will debut, that's another story entirely.

More cores, more waiting.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, writing in his weekly Power On newsletter, reports that App Store entries shared with him show that Apple is already testing the new chip inside a MacBook Pro running a beta version of macOS 14. That chip has 12 CPU cores, up from the previous 10, as well as 18 GPU cores — again, an increase of two of the M2 Pro.

Gurman also believes that the new M3 Pro will have an upper limit of 36GB of memory based on the machine that is now being tested.

Interestingly, the two extra CPU cores are of the power-efficient variety, meaning that they'll be used when the MacBook Pro isn't being tasked fully.

This is also thought to be the base model as well, suggesting that there could be higher specced M3 Pro for those who want a little extra horsepower without going to the M3 Max. That chip is expected to offer up to 14 CPU cores and as many as 40 graphics cores, making it a powerhouse in every sense of the word.

All of this will be made possible by a new 3nm manufacturing process, while a release window of "next year" is all we have to go on for now. Macs running the standard M3 chip could arrive later in 2023, however.

All of this comes as another M2-powered Mac is on the horizon. Apple is expected to announce the 15-inch MacBook Air at WWDC in June with the M2 chip making another appearance there. There had been some rumors that it would use the first M3 chip - but that now isn't thought to be the case after all.

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This Dock concept is exactly what we want to see from macOS 14

Whenever Apple is getting ready to announce new software we all have hopes and dreams for what it might bring to the table. The impending macOS 14 announcement is absolutely no different and we can't wait to see what Apple shows off at WWDC23 on June 5. But we just really hope that this concept is a glimpse of what's to come.

That concept shows us a new type of macOS Dock that appears to take more than a cue from the best iPhone feature in recent years — the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro.

Do we want this new Dock and nothing else? Absolutely not, but there's no denying that something like this would be an excellent start to Craig Federighi's walkthrough come dub-dub-day next month.

It's ALIVE!

The Dock today is fine, but it's far from what anyone would call active or exciting. It lets us open apps and switch between them. Sometimes it shows icons with badges that tell us how many unread emails we have or how many things are left undone in our task managers. But what if the Dock did more? The Dock could do so much more.

Enter designer Janum Trivedi.

What if the macOS dock and its icons were more dynamic and fluid?Made a little demo that shows message previews, live music, download progress, and more.Pretty happy with how this turned out! pic.twitter.com/YpzrWU5klAMay 2, 2023

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Trivedi shared a short concept video to Twitter and it's everything we want from a Dock upgrade in macOS 14. We see icons that make way for more live and interactive content, like playback controls in the Music app. There are also what appear to be unread chats or favorites that appear when the Messages app icon is clicked and you can even see Safari making way for what appears to be some kind of download progress display. It's all just so interactive.

We think this is a great start for the kind of thing that macOS 14 could offer, but we still hope for much more.

There are so many things wrong with macOS Ventura today that it's difficult to know where to start. Actually, no it isn't, we'd start by undoing the System Settings situation and going back to something that works. An interface closer to the old System Preferences would do us just fine, but we'll just settle for a window that can be dragged to make more space for whatever options are displayed at the time.

What else? We'd look to Windows 11 for better windowing options, for example. There are plenty of third-party apps out there that make it easier to manage and tile app windows but macOS should do a better job of it on its own.

Finally, it's time for Siri to get smart. We've seen how capable ChatGPT is and what it can do really does put Siri to shame. Apple's focus on privacy isn't helping here of course, but as Microsoft looks to integrate OpenAI tech in more ways, maybe it's time Apple followed suit. We're not 100% on what that could look like, but with so many Spotlight replacements maybe it's time that Apple gave that some love. 

Just imagine having ChatGPT-like functionality baked right into Spotlight! Whether that will ever happen remains to be seen, but with Apple WWDC 2023 right around the corner, one can hope.

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Google officially launches the Pixel Tablet, its latest Android tablet attempt

Google has finally launched the Google Pixel Tablet, its first Pixel-branded tablet in years. It will cost $499/£599/AU$899, and comes with optional case and dock accessories. The Pixel Tablet will go on preorder from May 10 from the Google Store and other retailers, with shipping from June.

Design-wise, the Pixel Tablet is reminiscent of the Pixel 5, though the materials are naturally different. It’s a very minimal design, with an aluminum enclosure and a nanoceramic coating, and it comes in Porcelain, Hazel, and Rose colors (or white, green, and pink).

The display is an 11-inch Full HD panel, and there are four speakers for watching movies and listening to music. Under the hood is the same Tensor G2 processor that powers the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, as well as 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. There’s an 8MP camera which you can use for quick snaps, and Google says the battery is good for up to 12 hours of video streaming.

Google has done some work to improve Android for large displays, and the Pixel Tablet benefits as a result. Features include a new split-pane notification center and lock screen, as well as improvements to apps, ranging from entertainment apps like Google TV and YouTube Music to productivity apps like Google Docs, Drive, and Sheets.

 Giving it another go  

While Google has launched two tablet-style devices – the Pixel C and the Pixel Slate – this is the first to carry the Pixel Tablet branding.

Neither the Pixel C nor the Slate did particularly well, but the Pixel Tablet is an entirely new stab at the form factor in that it’s running a tablet-optimized version of Android rather than ChromeOS, and Google will be hoping it meets with a more positive critical and commercial reception.

This time, Google is targeting a home audience for its tablets rather than a business audience. The optional Speaker Dock accessory, which is available separately for $129 / £105 / AU$150, will allow you to mount your tablet at home. You could use it to watch videos, take video calls with Meet, or could form the base of your smart home life as a Nest Hub replacement. Google says “tablets are homebodies”, and the Tablet reflects that.

Perhaps Google is right that this is the ideal use of the tablet form factor, perhaps not. Several manufacturers, not least Samsung, have produced Android tablets with varying degrees of success, and Apple’s iPad range still dominates the space.

We’ll bring you our full review of the Pixel Tablet soon, so we’ll see how Google’s latest large-screen efforts fare.

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Refurbished M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pros are already for sale from Apple

So you want to get your hands on a beastly new 14 or 16-inch MacBook Pro but you don't want to spend the kinds of sums you're seeing in the Apple Store. We might have the answer you've been looking for.

Apple is now selling both models, including the diminutive powerhouse that is the 14-inch MacBook Pro, in a whole new way — for the first time you can buy refurbished M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pros direct from Apple.

Buying a Mac that has been refurbished by Apple has a number of benefits, not least the fact that you can save some money. How much you'll save will depend on the model you plump for.

More Mac for less

Apple currently lists a few refurbished 2023 models as first spotted by MacRumors. Refurbished Macs normally sell for around 15% less than their brand-new counterparts which means that there are some decent savings to be had.

As an example, the base 14-inch M2 Pro MacBook Pro is just $1,699 whereas it would normally cost $1,999. Want something at the other end of the lineup? How about a refurbished 16-inch M2 Max MacBook Pro for $2,969? That specific configuration would normally set you back $530 more.

Apple says that all of its refurbished Macs are backed by a one-year warranty and that each and every one has been fully tested. Any parts that have been replaced are obviously genuine ones, and a "thorough cleaning" will also have been carried out. You still get all the cables and accessories you'd get when buying new as well, and you can also take out AppleCare+ if that's something you're interested in.

All of that means that buying a refurbished MacBook Pro from Apple could make much more sense than buying one from anywhere else — especially when you consider the prices offered. You might still find a better price on a brand-new laptop if you're lucky though, so we'd still suggest that you shop around before placing your order for what are clearly the best Mac laptops Apple has made to date.

Looking for something a little cheaper or don't need quite so much performance? Apple is expected to announce the 15-inch MacBook Air at WWDC23 next month. That'll be the biggest display ever to go into anything carrying the Air moniker and is expected to boast Apple's M2 chip rather than the M2 Pro or M2 Max.

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The latest Pixel Tablet leak reveals specs, pricing, and an on-sale date

We're coming up to a year since the Google Pixel Tablet was first announced, and so it's fair to say that it's been a long time coming. Now a listing posted to Amazon, apparently in error, has revealed some of the specs, the pricing, and the on-sale date for the device.

There is a caveat though: this listing (via 9to5Google) was on the Amazon Japan site before it got pulled. Still, it gives us some useful clues as to how this tablet might be priced and made available across the rest of the world as well.

The specs are listed as a Tensor G2 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. The screen, meanwhile, is a 10.95-inch affair, with a 2,560 x 1,600 pixel resolution and 500 nits of brightness. Battery life covers 12 hours of video watching, apparently, and there are 8MP cameras on the front and the back.

June 20 pic.twitter.com/6hE7eu9Lo1May 7, 2023

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Price and date

We can see from the pictures attached to the listing that we'll get at least two colors: Porcelain (a sort of beige and white combo) and Hazel (green and black). As previously rumored, the tablet is going to come with ultra-wideband (UWB) support, which enables simple short-range communication between devices.

The starting price is pegged at ¥79,800: Google won't use a straight currency conversion in other countries, but that works out as $590 / £470 / AU$870. For comparison, the entry-level iPad will set you back ¥68,800, so this comes in as slightly more expensive.

Then there's the on-sale date, which looks to be June 20 in Japan. It's difficult to predict if that will be the same worldwide, but it shouldn't be any later than that in other regions. This coming Wednesday, May 10, we have the Google IO 2023 keynote – and we should get more information about the tablet then.

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Analysis: don't forget the tablet

We're expecting a whole host of announcements to be made at Google IO 2023 this week: the Pixel 7a, the Pixel Fold, lots of AI innovations, the Pixel Watch 2, Android 14... the list goes on. In that sort of company you'd be forgiven for thinking that the final Pixel Tablet reveal isn't going to be one of the most important we see on Wednesday.

However, this is a big deal for Google. It's the first tablet that it's launched with the Pixel branding, and so it's something of a step into the unknown – is there a demand for an affordable-ish Android tablet from Google?

It's also clearly going to double up as a smart home hub, with its optional stand and speaker dock, and so the device is set to be an important cog in the overall hardware ecosystem that Google has been putting together.

There aren't a whole lot of great Android tablets out there, though slates like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 and Amazon Fire HD 8 have a certain appeal. With Google now involved, we're hoping that Android becomes a serious proposition on larger screens, and that more app developers cater for bigger displays as well.

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Getting a new 15-inch MacBook Air after WWDC will be much easier this time around

As rumors continue to swirl that Apple will finally announce the oft-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air during WWDC23 a new report adds further fuel to that fire.

That report claims that Apple's suppliers are getting their ducks in a row ahead of the unveiling, making sure that they have enough laptops on hand should sales figures prove positive.

How many laptops? "Stockpiling" is the word being thrown around, suggesting there are plenty of 15-inch MacBook Airs on hand. As well there should be — this is already shaping up to be the best Mac for a whole ton of people thanks to its large screen, M2 performance, and what is sure to be impressive battery life.

Great expectations

This is all according to trade publication DigiTimes whose paywalled report was first picked up by MacRumors.

If Apple's suppliers really are stockpiling laptops it could mean that picking one up won't be all that difficult. The report suggests that Apple itself isn't expecting to sell a huge number of 15-inch models initially, citing unnamed industry sources.

That's perhaps a surprise, however. The 13-inch MacBook Air is already an excellent laptop thanks to its super-fast M2 chip and gorgeous display. But the 15-inch version will take things up a notch, giving buyers the larger display that they would normally have to buy a 16-inch MacBook Pro to get. While not quite as big, the 15-inch MacBook Air is extremely likely to cost a lot less as well.

Despite previous rumors that the 15-inch MacBook Air would be the first to sport Apple's next-generation M3 silicon, that now doesn't appear to be the case after all. Instead, the M2 is expected to get another outing with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of the belief that versions with differing core counts will be offered.

[Prediction update and revision]1. The new 15" MacBook model should be named MacBook Air.2. To reiterate, the upcoming 15" MacBook Air will feature the M2 series and offer two processor spec options. However, two options are more likely to be M2 with different cores (similar… https://t.co/Co4YJhbXO3April 20, 2023

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The 15-inch MacBook Air won't have WWDC all to itself. The rumored Reality Pro AR/VR headset is also expected to be shown for the first time, making the event's June 5 opening keynote a must-watch for many.

The headset is expected to be a costly affair with prices upwards of $3,000 already mentioned. It isn't likely to ship for months after the announcement anyway, allowing developers time to get their apps ready for sales to begin later this year if the rumors are true.

As for the 15-inch MacBook Air, that's likely to go on sale shortly after the event.

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We probably won't get M3 MacBooks this year – here's why I'm not bothered

According to known hardware leaker @Tech_Reve, Apple has reportedly delayed its upcoming M3 chip until at least 2024 – citing ‘yield issues’ with its manufacturing partner TSMC.

This isn’t entirely surprising; the global chip shortage is still ongoing, and TSMC has been having difficulty keeping up with demand – prompting some tech companies to shift over to other major players in the semiconductor fabrication industry, like Samsung. AMD’s new Z1-series processors were delayed due to manufacturing struggles, and Intel has reportedly canceled two new projects with TSMC.

Update: No M3 Mac or iPad for this yearDue to yield issues with TSMC not being able to supply enough of the M3 to Apple, Apple has delayed the release of the M3 until next year.So there will be no M3 Macs and no M3 iPads this year. pic.twitter.com/faL9l7n53sMay 3, 2023

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Speculation from Macworld suggests that Apple is likely focusing on its A17 Bionic chip instead, which is expected to be used in the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro. This isn’t really a shock either; Apple typically sticks to a rigid release cadence for its phones, while Mac products tend to be a bit more spread out.

And so they should be! The upshot of this delay is that we likely won’t be getting any next-gen iMacs or MacBooks (or iPads, most likely) until 2024, but honestly? I think that’s absolutely fine.

Chill out for a minute, Apple

Who among us hasn’t become frustrated with the rapid pace of tech hardware releases at some point? There are few things more annoying than dropping a wad of your hard-earned cash on a new bit of kit, only for the manufacturer to unveil something shiny and new a month later – a new product that usually promises to blow its predecessor out of the water.

Apple is particularly guilty of this; you usually can’t even make it a year before your exciting new device is suddenly old hat. We’ve already had four new MacBook models in the past twelve months alone, most recently the M2-equipped 2023 MacBook Pro.

(Image credit: Future)

If it’s barely been a year since M2 landed, I have to question if we really need M3 this year – especially since computer sales are in decline due to the global economic downturn and Apple no doubt still needs to shift M1 and M2 product stock.

In fact, I think we could wait even longer. The simple fact is that Apple’s M2 silicon is incredibly strong; sure, it only offered modest generational gains over M1, but it’s put Intel and AMD in the hot seat and is working hard to demonstrate that creative laptops don’t need a dedicated graphics card. I think Apple could exercise some patience here, waiting to see what its competitors have up their sleeves in 2024.

Even setting that aside, I think Apple needs to remember that, unlike Intel and AMD fans, die-hard Apple-heads don’t buy its hardware because of the processor inside it. The MacBook Air is (technically) the best-selling laptop in the world, and that’s far more due to Apple’s powerful marketing and design capabilities than the – admittedly impressive – silicon inside it.

So, don’t worry – and frankly, if you want a MacBook, just go ahead and pick up an M1 MacBook Air. It’s still one of the best laptops money can buy, if you prefer MacOS over Windows or Chrome. Hell, you can buy one for $899 on Amazon right now – no need to spend more for a newer model, this bad boy will have you covered.

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Two more classic Apple products are heading for the graveyard

Sad news, Apple fans: the iPhone-making behemoth has reportedly sounded the death knell for two more of its classic products.

According to an internal memo seen by MacRumors, Apple plans to add both the Thunderbolt Display and first-generation iPad Air to its obsolete products list on May 31, meaning neither device will be eligible for repairs at Apple stores or other official Apple service providers after that date.

Both products were discontinued in 2016, but Apple typically supports the servicing of devices for up to seven years after it stops distributing them for sale (the last iPod, for instance, was officially condemned in 2022 but remains eligible for repairs).

Let’s start with an obituary for the Thunderbolt Display, which is – or should that be was? – a 27-inch flat panel computer launched by Apple in 2011. 

Boasting a 1440p resolution, a 720p camera, three USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a FireWire 800 port and, of course, a Thunderbolt port, the display was priced at $999 / £899 / AU$1,199, and intended as “the ultimate docking station for [a] Mac notebook” (per Apple’s 2011 press release titled ‘Apple Introduces World’s First Thunderbolt Display’).

Apple's Thunderbolt Display was designed to be a MacBook companion (Image credit: Apple)

In our review of the device, we described the Thunderbolt Display as “an oddly tricky product to sum up.” TechRadar’s Christopher Phin wrote at the time: “The panel itself is typical Apple fare: very good if not stellar, and when judged in isolation, dizzyingly overpriced. If you have a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac, however, especially if it's a notebook, the sheer convenience of the display is beguiling.”

The Thunderbolt Display wasn’t officially succeeded by another Thunderbolt product following its discontinuation in 2016, though last year’s Apple Studio Display – which retails for $1,599 / £1,499 / AU$2,499 – is essentially the screen’s modern-day equivalent.

The original iPad Air was released two years later than the Thunderbolt Display, in 2013, but was also discontinued in 2016. Just as the original MacBook Air provided a lightweight alternative to Apple’s chunkier MacBooks, this super-thin tablet championed the company’s 'easier to live with' ideal by being 20% thinner, 28% lighter, and having 43% narrower display bezels than the iPad preceding it.

(Image credit: Getty / Carl Court / Stringer)

Boasting a 9.7-inch display, an A7 chip and a starting price of $399 / £319 / AU$499, the iPad Air – which former TechRadar chief Gareth Beavis described as “the best tablet on the market” in his 2016 review – proved immensely popular with Apple fans; so popular, in fact, that Apple released four more of them – the iPad Air 2, iPad Air 3, iPad Air (2020) and iPad Air (2022) in 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2022, respectively. A sixth iteration of the tablet, the iPad Air 6, is rumored to be on the way soon, too.

As the original iPad Air heads to the graveyard, then, Apple fans can take comfort in the knowledge that the company’s first truly slender tablet got the ball rolling on a wildly successful product line. And hey, if you’ve still got one tucked away in a drawer somewhere, why not take it for one last spin? TechRadar’s Senior Audio Writer, Becky Scarott, insists that she won’t be throwing her iPod Classic away any time soon…

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AMD and Samsung could team up for a new wave of super-fast Chromebooks

Have you ever used a Chromebook with an AMD processor? I have, but I’m in the minority there – most Chrome-powered laptops are powered by Intel CPUs.

In fact, if you take a look at our list of the best Chromebooks, you won’t see a single AMD chip to be found; the processors are all either Intel or Qualcomm, and if you go hunting for a super-budget Chromebook, you’ll likely find some MediaTek models out there. But that could all be about to change…

According to a tweet from known hardware leaker @OreXda, AMD has signed on with Samsung to use the Seoul-based tech giant’s foundries for manufacturing 4nm processors – though the leaker says nothing about what these new mystery chips could be used for.

AMD signed to use Samsung Foundry 4nm pic.twitter.com/FuWFJLpvjYMay 1, 2023

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However, we can draw some conclusions here. We already know that the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s biggest manufacturer of processor semiconductors, is practically at capacity for its hotly in-demand 4nm process. Reports have suggested that Samsung has been pumping up its own 4nm production and expanding its facility in Texas.

With that in mind, it looks like AMD might be looking to Samsung to ensure there aren’t delays in putting out its new chips – such as the exciting new ‘Phoenix’ APUs, or the Z1-series chips that will power the gaming handhelds of the future like the upcoming Asus ROG Ally. But there’s one area I’m most excited about – and as you’ve probably already guessed, it’s Chromebook processors.

All Chromed up

All the way back in 2021, Samsung’s plans indicated that it was potentially gearing up to start producing new 4nm chips for Chromebooks. It was unclear exactly who was going to be making those orders, but AMD’s name was bandied about at the time – and now it looks like that could indeed be the case.

I’ve got to say, I’m intrigued. AMD has been doing impressive stuff with its APUs in recent months – not least the Z1 Extreme chip, which should be able to offer pretty incredible performance.

Sure, that processor is earmarked for PC gaming handhelds, but surely that level of performance can be adapted for next-gen Chromebooks? A big problem with the Chromebooks of today is that they’re frequently dependent on lower-powered SoCs that don’t have the grunt to properly compete with the best Windows laptops.

I love Chrome OS. It’s great! Windows is cool and everything, but sometimes I really do enjoy the straightforward simplicity of Google’s signature operating system. But opting for a Chromebook can mean limiting your capabilities when it comes to the work you do – but with powerful new chips from AMD, that could become a thing of the past.

It makes sense. After all, Samsung already has its own Chromebooks. If AMD can partner up with Samsung to deliver a bulk of new processors for the Chrome laptops of the future, Intel could be in trouble – though Team Blue hasn’t been sitting on its haunches. Intel’s next-gen chips will apparently bring incredible laptop performance to the playing field, so I really do hope AMD has something impressive up its sleeve.

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Apple’s rumored third iPad Pro could be more powerful than its M2 MacBooks

Rumors hinting at the development of two OLED iPad Pros have been swirling for a number of months, but we’re now hearing that Apple is working on a third OLED iPad Pro model that could blow its siblings – and its competitors – out of the water.

According to serial Apple leaker Revegnus, this new iPad Pro will be the largest and most powerful iPad model ever, boasting a massive 14.1-inch display and a super-fast M3 Pro chipset. 

Yes, you read that right: Apple’s top-tier iPad Pro will reportedly rival its current best MacBooks – and the upcoming MacBook Air (2023) – in the power department. And it’ll do so by using an advanced cooling system rather than noisy fans, too.

TechSmart notes that this M3 Pro processor could be limited so as not to put too much strain on the iPad’s cooling system – meaning the new device won’t quite match the next MacBook Pros for power, despite sharing the same chipset – but the thought of Apple releasing a tablet that offers more power than today’s best laptops is extremely exciting.

The 14.1-inch iPad will have an M3 Pro.Apple is crazy!!!They are building a monster👽iPadOS will also get a big updateMany features from macOS are coming to iPadOS pic.twitter.com/Z5sYw7ACfBMay 2, 2023

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If indeed this monster-sized iPad Pro does see the light of day, it would surely have to run a modified (read: MacOS-style) version of iPadOS 17, making the experience of using Apple’s best iPad more akin to the experience of using its best MacBooks.

Bigger screen, bigger price

Apple's current largest iPad starts at $1,099 / £1,249 / AU$1,899 (Image credit: Future)

Naturally, having the MacBook experience in the palm(s) of your hand will inevitably come at the expense of your wallet. Apple’s successors to the iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) and iPad Pro 11 (2022) are already rumored to cost more than certain MacBook Pro models, so this 14.1 inch iPad Pro will demand even deeper pockets.

How deep, you ask? Well, given that the next 13-inch iPad Pro is expected to start at approximately $1,800 (around £1,500 / AU$2,700), logic suggests that Apple’s mega-sized model could demand figures as high as $2,000 (£1,600 / $2,900).

Why so expensive? All three iPad Pro tablets are strongly rumored to feature ‘tandem’ OLED displays – which could help them match the best OLED TVs in terms of brightness and increase the life of their respective screens – but these panels reportedly cost twice as much to produce as the mini-LED panels currently used in today’s top-of-the-range iPads.

It figures, then, that Apple would look to offload these additional costs onto consumers. Whether those consumers are willing to part with a small fortune in exchange for a big iPad, though, is an altogether larger question.

Apple's range of OLED-equipped iPad Pros is expected to hit shelves in 2024, but we wouldn't take that prediction as gospel given the level of technology we're talking about here. Before that, the company could debut another new iPad Pro (2023) alongside the iPhone 15 line.

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