This week’s top stories: M1 Mac details, iOS 14.2.1, App Store changes, and more

In this week’s top stories: The first M1 Macs have officially arrived, Apple shakes up its App Store commission structure, iOS 14.2.1 released for iPhone 12 users, and more. Read on for all of this week’s top stories.

M1 Macs

The first M1-powered MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini orders have officially arrived to customers. The first reviews were also published this week, and they were overwhelmingly positive.

For the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, the consensus among early reviewers was that the new M1 chip truly lives up to Apple’s expectations. The machines are powerful and efficient, offering notable improvements in battery life and performance compared to their Intel predecessors. Furthermore, things will only get better as more Intel applications are optimized for the M1 Mac.

9to5Mac’s Stephen Hall also went hands-on with the entry-level MacBook Air, and he was equally as impressed. You can read his full thoughts right here.

App Store changes

In other news, Apple this week introduced the App Store Small Business Program, which will lower the App Store commission to 15% for developers who earned up to $1 million in proceeds during the previous calendar year.

The $1 million number is figured based on post-commission profit. This means developers are eligible for the program until their proceeds, after Apple takes its cut, exceed $1 million. Get the full details in our coverage.

iOS 14.2.1

Apple also released iOS 14.2.1 to the public this week, bringing notable bug fixes for MMS messages, hearing devices, and lock screen responsiveness on the iPhone 12 mini. In fact, iOS 14.2.1 is only available to the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Here are the release notes for iOS 14.2.1 on iPhone. Again, this update is available only for iPhone 12 users, not users of older iPhone models. 

• Some MMS messages may not be received
• Made for iPhone hearing devices could have sound quality issues when listening to audio from iPhone
• Lock Screen could become unresponsive on iPhone 12 mini

These and the rest of this week’s top stories below.

iOS | tvOS |

• Apple releases iOS 14.2.1 with bug fixes for iPhone 12 mini, text messaging, more
• iOS 14.3 beta 2 lets you run shortcuts from the home screen without launching the Shortcuts app
• 15% of iPhone users in the US have already installed apps to customize iOS 14 home screen
• Apple releases second iOS 14.3 beta with Apple ProRAW to developers

iPhone |

• iPhone 12 Pro Max receives ‘highest ever’ rating from DisplayMate, sets 11 records
• Apple aware of display issues affecting some iPhone 12 models
• iPhone 12 Diary: Night mode portraits with the LiDAR scanner are a game-changer
• New iPhone 12 Leather Sleeve with MagSafe now available to order for $129
• Hands-on: iPhone 12 mini versus iPhone 12 Pro Max design
• Halide developer shows what really changes with iPhone 12 Pro Max cameras
• iPhone 12 Diary: Night shots, and early thoughts on the camera
• Folding iPhones enter testing, possible 2022 release, claims Chinese report
• Peek inside your new iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max with iFixit’s X-ray wallpapers

Apple Watch |

• MagSafe Duo charger costs $180, not $129, to charge at full speed

M1 Macs |

• Opinion: Is the base MacBook Air M1/8GB powerful enough for you?
• Apple M1 Mac reviews: Impressive performance and battery life, iOS apps are a mixed bag
• M1 Macs can now run Windows apps and games through CrossOver 20
• Mac mini with M1 chip faster than all Intel Macs in single-core tests
• Craig Federighi says Windows can run natively on M1 Macs but is ‘really up to Microsoft’
• Here’s how the M1 Mac benchmark results translate into real-world performance
• M1 MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro, which should you buy?
• Here are all of the games found to be compatible with M1 Macs so far
• Parallels M1 Mac support in development as Big Sur update lands
• Apple Silicon app database lists all the apps compatible with M1 Macs so far
• Education-only 128GB M1 MacBook Air (MGN83LL/A) available for $799
• M1 Mac mini teardown begs the question ‘Why isn’t it more miniature?’
• Here’s how to install almost any iPhone or iPad app on M1 Macs, including Netflix, Instagram, and more
• Here’s what popular iPhone and iPad apps look like on M1 Macs
• iFixit teardown highlights similarities between M1-powered MacBook Pro and MacBook Air
• MacBook Air with M1 chip beats 16-inch MacBook Pro performance in benchmark test

Top Apple stories, retail |

• Today at Apple unwraps live online sessions and creative projects to brighten your holidays at home
• How to shop at an Apple Store this holiday season
• COVID-19: Which Apple Stores have reopened?

Apps |

• Widgetsmith 2.0 now available with new themes and artwork for iOS 14 home screen widgets
• GeForce Now arrives on iPhone, iPad today; touch-friendly Fortnite coming soon
• 1Password for Mac update brings ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ and better Safari integration

AirPods and HomePod |

• First generation HomePod can now be jailbroken with Checkra1n
• HomePod mini teardown reveals nearly impossible repairs and non-removable power cord

Top Apple stories, company |

• Apple doubles down on upcoming iOS 14 privacy features, slams Facebook for collecting ‘as much data as possible’
• Apple cuts App Store commission rate to 15% for many developers with new Small Business Program
• Apple executives talk Apple Silicon roadmap and more in new interview
• Apple doubles down on upcoming iOS 14 privacy features, slams Facebook for collecting ‘as much data as possible’
• Apple cuts App Store commission rate to 15% for many developers with new Small Business Program
• Apple executives talk Apple Silicon roadmap and more in new interview

Subscribe to 9to5Mac’s YouTube channel for more videos.

This week’s top videos |

• iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max Unboxing & Review: A promise of the future [Video]
• iOS 14.3 beta changes and features — Apple ProRAW looks promising [Video]

9to5Mac Daily |

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Siri features delayed once again – 9to5Mac Daily

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Stuff: Stuff helps you get everything out of your head and into a simple, elegant system—closing open loops and reducing mental stress. Use code 9TO5 at checkout for 50% off your first year. New episodes of 9to5Mac Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available. Stories discussed in this episode: Apple reportedly pushing back Gemini-powered Siri features beyond iOS 26.4 Apple releases iOS 26.3 for iPhone, here's what's new Hands-on: iOS 26.3 changes and features [Video] Apple Music doubles the penalty for fraudulent streaming Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Overcast RSS Spotify TuneIn Google Podcasts Subscribe to support Chance directly with 9to5Mac Daily Plus and unlock: Ad-free versions of every episode Bonus content Catch up on 9to5Mac Daily episodes! Don’t miss out on our other daily podcasts: Quick Charge 9to5Toys Daily Share your thoughts! Drop us a line at happyhour@9to5mac.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.

1. Siri features delayed once again 07:48
2. Apple’s recent acquisitions 08:00
3. App Store changes, MacBook rumors 06:54
4. New CarPlay feature coming soon, iOS 26.4 rumors 07:20
5. Tim Cook’s all-hands meeting, more 07:47

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Week 6 – 9to5Mac Watch Time

This week on Watch Time join 9to5Mac's Zac Hall and Tempo developer Rahul Matta in the final episode of this podcast "season". 9to5Mac Watch Time is a podcast series hosted by Zac Hall. In this series, we talk to real people about how Apple Watch is affecting their lives. Subscribe now to catch up with each episode and automatically hear new episodes as soon as they’re released every two weeks: 🟣 Apple Podcasts | 🟠 Overcast | 🟢 Spotify Follow Zac Instagram @apollozac Twitter @apollozac SpaceExplored.com Follow Rahul Matta Twitter @rmatta Twitter @TempoLog Blog indie.sh Follow 9to5Mac Instagram @9to5mac Twitter @9to5mac Facebook YouTube.com/9to5Mac Listen & Subscribe Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast RSS Read More Toning down the Apple Watch: Tips and feature requests to avoid being overwhelmed Apple releases watchOS 7.4.1 with security improvements Apple Watch blood sugar and blood pressure measurement could be a step closer watchOS 7.4 brings iPhone mask unlock feature for Apple Watch Enjoy the podcast? Shop Apple at Amazon to support 9to5Mac Watch Time!

1. Week 6 46:48
2. With guest Sigmund Judge 42:59
3. Week 5 52:45
4. Week 4 57:20
5. Week 3 56:40

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More Siri delays, imminent new hardware, and Apple’s upcoming 50th birthday  – 9to5Mac Happy Hour

Benjamin and Chance react to the disappointing news shared by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman that the new Siri features are facing even more delays, but in happier news, a bunch of iPhones, iPads and Macs are due for an imminent refresh. Meanwhile, Tim Cook reminisces ahead of Apple’s 50th birthday.   And in Happy Hour Plus, thoughts on the design of the Ferrari Luce and Jony Ive’s sniping comments about his former employer. Sponsored by Shopify: See less carts go abandoned and more sales. Sign up for a $1 per month trial at shopify.com/happyhour. Sponsored by Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/happyhour. Sponsored by 1Password: Take the first step to better security by securing your team’s credentials. Find out more at 1password.com/happyhour and start securing every login. Hosts Chance Miller @ChanceHMiller on Twitter @ChanceHMiller on Instagram @ChanceHMiller on Threads Benjamin Mayo @bzamayo on Twitter @bzamayo@mastodon.social @bzamayo on Threads Subscribe, Rate, and Review Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus Subscribe to 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus! Support Benjamin and Chance directly with Happy Hour Plus! 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus includes:  Ad-free versions of every episode  Pre- and post-show content Bonus episodes Join for $5 per month or $50 a year at 9to5mac.com/join.  Feedback Submit #Ask9to5Mac questions on Twitter, Mastodon, or Threads Email us feedback and questions to happyhour@9to5mac.com Links iOS 26.3: Here's what's new for your iPhone Apple releases iOS 26.3 for iPhone, here's what's new iOS 26.4: Here's when Apple will release the first beta Report: M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro could launch 'as early as' March 2nd New iPhone launching this month with four key changes: report iPhone 17e 'due imminently' with three key upgrades, no price change: report New MacBook Air coming soon: Here's what we know Apple's cheapest iPad to get Apple Intelligence support at just the right time Apple reportedly pushing back Gemini-powered Siri features beyond iOS 26.4 Apple’s iOS 26.4 Siri Update Runs Into Snags in Internal Testing; iOS 26.5, 27 Tim Cook promises Apple will celebrate its upcoming 50th anniversary Latest macOS 26.3 beta adds to signs that new Macs are imminent Leak suggests Apple's M5 Pro and M5 Max may be the same chip Apple reportedly bringing third-party AI chatbots to CarPlay Apple Plans to Allow Outside Voice-Controlled AI Chatbots in CarPlay Apple removing 'iTunes Wish List' feature, here's how to migrate selections New iPad and iPad Air models should be launching soon, but don't get too excited iTunes might be more popular than you think, per report Ferrari reveals name and interior of its first electric car | Electrek Jony Ive Ferrari interior might be a glimpse of the Apple Car Wired Interview with Jony Ive

1. More Siri delays, imminent new hardware, and Apple’s upcoming 50th birthday  01:03:17
2. iPhone 17 leads Apple earnings record, new MacBooks near, and a mysterious $2B acquisition  01:01:45
3. Creator Studio bundle, AirTag 2, new Siri features coming soon 01:10:05
4. iOS 27 chatbot, Apple AI pin, iPhone 18 Dynamic Island rumors  57:00
5. Gemini Siri deal official, Apple Creator Studio, Vision Pro basketball  01:15:31

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Stacktrace has moved! – Stacktrace

As we've mentioned in the last episode, the Stacktrace podcast is no longer a part of the 9to5Mac network. If you're seeing this entry in your podcast player, then you probably need to unfollow Stacktrace and follow the podcast again. Start by unfollowing the show in your podcast player, then just search for "Stacktrace" and follow the show again. You'll notice that the updated show has a new artwork and that episode 179 has already been released there. To learn more about how to listen to Stacktrace, check out our new website. Thanks for listening!

1. Stacktrace has moved! 01:00
2. 178: “Let’s try something new” 01:03:25
3. 177: “The stand is included!” 01:09:24
4. 176: “Extra Keynote Poker” 01:19:00
5. 175: “A Bluetooth fanboy” 54:35

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Apple @ Work Podcast: Zero Trust is really a little trust – Apple @ Work

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1. Apple @ Work Podcast: Zero Trust is really a little trust 21:06
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4. The state of AI and networking 12:21
5. Assesing the most exciting features for IT with Apple's recent software ugprades 27:02

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