Month: May 2022

Apple has been investing a lot in augmented and virtual reality since the introduction of its own ARKit API. However, when it comes to open standards on the web, Apple is still far behind its competitors. In the opinion of industry insiders, the company “has been a drag on innovation in WebAR,” as Safari still lacks support for the WebXR API.

As reported by Protocol, industry experts have been complaining about how difficult it is to deliver AR and VR content to iPhone and iPad users over the web. For instance, marketing agencies have been investing in more immersive AR campaigns to let consumers interact with products in a real environment.

However, on iOS, these experiences require users to download an app – which drops the number of potential consumers. That’s because Safari isn’t compatible with the WebXR standard, a universal API that provides support for augmented and virtual reality headsets on websites.

While Google Chrome on Android began supporting WebXR in 2018, the feature is yet to be added on iOS. Since WebKit is the only web engine allowed on iOS, developers can’t even create a third-party web browser compatible with WebXR.

At least in the US, not targeting iPhone users for a campaign means not reaching the majority of smartphone users. There are some workarounds for reaching iPhone users on the web, but they are more expensive and less efficient than Apple’s ARKit. As a result, the industry has no incentive to create AR content for the web.

Will iOS ever support WebXR?

The answer is yes, probably. But no one knows when this will happen.

WebKit head Maciej Stachowiak stated in 2020 that Apple was “enthusiastic about WebXR.” Since then, nothing more has been said about the API, which has left multiple developers upset. One developer even compared Safari to Internet Explorer due to how long Apple takes to support new features in its browser.

“Everyone and their mother is waiting eagerly for this,” wrote one developer last year. “Very interested in the progress of this issue as clients ‘can’t believe’ that WebXR is not yet supported on iOS,” added another. “Please try to complete this … before 2050,” wrote one commenter, while another on a different thread concluded: “Safari is the new Internet Explorer.”

Luckily for developers, iOS 15.4 and iOS 15.5 beta have experimental support for the WebXR API. However, as noted by Protocol, Apple’s roadmap is still extremely “closely guarded.” With Apple working on its own mixed reality headset, the company may finally enable the API in its mobile operating system sometime this year.

As I’ve overhauled my setup in the last few weeks in conjunction with the new Mac Studio, I’ve used this as an opportunity to add some new accessories as well. This includes a new OWC Thunderbolt Dock, a nifty Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad accessory from Twelve South, and more. Head below for the details.

The best Mac accessories

OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock

One of the more integral additions to my setup is the OWC Thunderbolt Dock, a version of which my colleague Jeff Benjamin went hands-on with earlier this year.

The OWC Thunderbolt Dock I’m using in my setup offers four Thunderbolt 4 ports with support for up to 40Gb/s transfer speeds, four USB-A ports, an SD card slot, a 3.5mm audio jack, and gigabit ethernet. I have the dock mounted on the underside of my desk so it’s hidden and out of the way, but its ports are still accessible.

The OWC Thunderbolt 4 dock is admittedly not quite as useful with the new Mac Studio as it was when I was using my 14-inch MacBook Pro in clamshell mode. This is because the Mac Studio offers its own versatile selection of ports.

If you’re looking for a way to free up the ports on the Mac Studio itself, however, this OWC dock is a great option. It’s also nice for cleaning up your desk and having as few cables as possible snaking from the back of the Mac Studio. If you’re placing an order from OWC, I can also highly recommend the company’s Thunderbolt 4 cable, which is significantly cheaper than Apple’s.

Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

If you’re using an Apple Silicon-powered Mac and you haven’t added a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID to your setup, you’re seriously missing out. Finally being able to use Touch ID with a desktop Mac is a game changer. This includes Apple Pay authentication, accessing password managers, and making App Store purchases.

Of course, this means that you have to be satisfied with the form factor and design of Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which isn’t the case for everyone. I’m still holding out hope that Apple releases a standalone “Magic Button” with Touch ID at some point, but for now, this will have to do.

MagicBridge

Speaking of the Magic Keyboard, if you use the Magic Keyboard alongside a Magic Trackpad, the popular accessory maker Twelve South offers a really nifty MagicBridge accessory. The MagicBridge turns the standalone Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad into a “one piece control surface, tidying up your workspace.”

You do lose some of the flexibility of being about to move your trackpad around on your desk, but in my setup, I much prefer the single piece design. I use a Logitech MX Master alongside my Magic Trackpad, so I can move the MX Master around as needed, and have a clean setup that combines my Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad thanks to the Magic Bridge.

Stream Deck

I’ll have another story going more in-depth on this later, but I’ve also recently added a Stream Deck to my Mac’s setup. I’m still learning my way around the world of the Stream Deck, but right now I’m using it for Mac automation and smart home control purposes.

Here are some of the guides I’ve been following as I learn more about Stream Deck:

• MacStories: ‘Getting Started with Shortcuts for Mac and the Stream Deck’
• Matthew Cassinelli: ‘How to run Shortcuts via the Stream Deck’
• Six Colors: Control ‘HomeKit via Stream Deck’

Satechi Leather Desk Mat

Last but not least, and maybe the accessory I get asked about most often when I feature it in product imagery, is the Satechi Eco-Leather Deskmate. This is a purely visual addition to my setup, bringing a leather desk mat to house my keyboard and trackpad. It’s made out of high-quality eco-leather and is designed to protect your desk while also serving as a soft resting place for your wrists and hands.

Joli Leather Sleeves

I’ve been singing the praises of Joli’s handmade leather sleeves for MacBook since 2015, and nothing at all has changed. Whenever I buy a new MacBook, I always make sure to get a Joli leather sleeve to go along with it. The Joli sleeves are handmade from smooth premium Italian leather, using “luxury full grain waxed leather which shows marks as you use it.”

Joli’s leather sleeves come at a premium, with prices starting at around $130 for the new 14-inch design. With their stunning leather material and handmade touches, however, I find them to be well worth the price.

What’s are Jeff Benjamin’s recommendations?

9to5Mac YouTuber Jeff Benjamin went in-depth on some of his favorite Mac accessories, including the desks, an external SSD, and much more.

Here are Jeff’s recommendations for handy Mac accessories to add to your setup:

• BDI Serif Table
• BDI Stance (lift desk)
• OWC Envoy Express
• Apple Studio Display
• 12.9-inch iPad Pro
• OWC Thunderbolt 4 dock

What are some of your favorite Mac accessories right now? Let us know down in the comments!

Powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max Apple Silicon, the latest MacBook Pro notebooks feature big CPU and GPU improvements, increased RAM, miniLED ProMotion displays, expanded I/O, and much more. Read on for an in-depth comparison of the 14 and 16” new MacBook Pro vs the 13” M1 and 16” Intel machines to help you decide which to pick in 2022.

Update 5/9: New and even existing MacBook Pro orders from Apple are delayed until July for the 14 and 16-inch models. However, certain configurations are available from retailers like Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and Best Buy at the time of writing. However, inventory seems to be shrinking due to supply chain restrictions.

Apple impressed with the M1 MacBook Pro, Air, and Mac mini in late 2020 and the next-level Pro notebooks that landed in late 2021 feature the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

That includes RAM up to 64GB, CPUs with up to 10-cores, and GPUs with up to 32-cores. Other additions see a 1080p webcam, all-new Liquid Retina XDR Display with mini-LED backlighting, updated I/O array with HDMI, SD, and MagSafe returning, and much more.

Below we’ve got the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro notebooks in the middle columns throughout the comparison with the 13-inch MacBook Pro on the far left and 2019 Intel 16-inch MacBook Pro on the far right.

And if you’re on the fence between the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch MacBook Air, check out that detailed comparison.

• MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: Which should you buy in 2022?

14 and 16” MacBook Pro vs earlier MacBooks

New MacBook Pro vs old – Hardware comparison

There’s a lot to take in but for starters, Apple says the M1 Pro offers 70% faster performance than the M1 and 2x faster GPU performance than the M1. And the M1 Pro has 200GB/s memory bandwidth.

Beyond that, Apple says the M1 Max offers 4x faster GPU performance than the M1 and comes with an incredible 400GB/s memory bandwidth.

Both the M1 Pro and M1 Max feature up to 10-core CPUs made up of 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores (base model 14-inch with M1 Pro has an 8-core CPU).

Overall, here’s a closer look at what you get with the M1 Pro and M1 Max:

Both the M1 Pro and M1 Max feature media engines to offer hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW support. But that’s supercharged with the M1 Max with double the ProRes encode and decode engines and double the video encode engines.

If having the maximum GPU power for your workflow is a priority (including support for 4 external displays vs 2), you’ll want to upgrade to the M1 Max. If not, the M1 Pro should be plenty powerful.

New MacBook Pro vs old – Display comparison

A major advancement with both of the new MacBook Pro notebooks is the Liquid Retina XDR Display. It features double the sustained brightness via mini-LED backlighting, ProMotion with up to 120Hz refresh rates, an increased resolution/pixel per inch density, and greatly reduced bezels.

Notably, the new MacBook Pros come with a notch at the top center of the display for the 1080p FaceTime camera. But unlike the iPhone, the notch doesn’t include Face ID hardware/support on the latest MacBook Pro notebooks.

But all-in-all you’re getting much slimmer bezels around the whole perimeter.

New MacBook Pro vs old – I/O comparison

Another big change with the all-new MacBook Pro notebooks is the return of legacy I/O. Apple has included an HDMI port, SDXC card reader, and the return of MagSafe (officially called MagSafe 3).

Apple has also done away with the Touch Bar and with the compromise of more ports overall, there are 3 Thunderbolt 4/USB-C 4 ports instead of 4.

Another big benefit of the M1 Pro and M1 Max is external display support. The M1 Pro supports up to 2 6K displays at 60Hz and the M1 Max offers support for 3 6K 60Hz displays plus 1 4K 60Hz display.

One interesting caveat with the HDMI port, it is limited to 2.0 instead of using the more capable 2. 1 standard.

Size, weight, and finish comparison

The new MacBook Pro notebooks weigh more than their predecessors but considering you’re getting larger screens, a whole lot more power, and more connectivity, the minor weight gain feels very reasonable.

The physical dimensions of the machines are very close, but the overall size is a little larger. The MacBook Pro line-up is available in silver or space gray, as usual.

Battery life comparison

Battery life is impressive with the new machines. But while the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro offer best-in-class performance per watt, the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro will have the longest life when it comes to wireless web use.

As you can see below, the new 16-inch MacBook Pro runs circles around the 2019 Intel model with 10 hours longer video playback and 3 hours longer wireless web use.

Another benefit with the new notebooks is fast charging that gives 50% battery in just 30 minutes. The new MacBook Pros are expected to offer all-day battery power in most cases.

• 16-inch MacBook Pro charger currently only charges at full power via MagSafe

Price comparison

The jump in price from the 13” M1 MacBook Pro to the 14 or 16” is notable, but you’re getting a lot for the money.

Also, when you look at the base price of the 16” M1 Pro MacBook Pro is only $100 more than the 2019 Intel 16” MacBook Pro.

14 and 16” MacBook Pro vs earlier MacBooks wrap-up

If you’re interested in the new MacBook Pro, you probably have a good idea of what specs are best for your workflow. And it’s really nice to see the same custom build options with both the 14 and 16-inch models.

But if you’re on the fence, remember that you can get the same 10-core processor with the M1 Pro and M1 Max. The big difference you’re paying for is the extra GPU power including the more capable media engine and increased external display support with the M1 Max chip builds.

And when it comes to RAM, if you have medium to heavy workflows and plan to keep your new MacBook Pro for multiple years, going with 32GB or more will likely be worth the $400+ upgrade.

Ark Nova is the most hyped new tabletop game since Wingspan burst onto the scene in the early months of 2019, an entire epoch ago, upending industry beliefs on what sort of games could cross over into the mainstream and find commercial success. Three years on, Wingspan — a non-violent game about wild bird populations — has sold over a million copies, and you can find it in your local Target. That’s even with a $50 price point and a steeper learning curve than games typically sold through big-box retailers.

Ark Nova ups that ante even further, coming in at $75, a listed playing time of 90-150 minutes, and an even higher level of complexity than Wingspan. Yet I don’t think it’s going to see the same kind of mainstream success as Wingspan, not because of cost, but because the barrier to entry for new players is simply too high.

Ark Nova is “heavier” than Terraforming Mars, with a weight of rules complexity that is comparable to Gloomhaven, probably the two most commercially successful complex games in the hobby’s modern history. Ark Nova has earned widespread acclaim since its debut at the Essen Game Fair in October, with much of the discussion online revolving around how fast the game has sold out in stores. I’ve played Ark Nova, and it is as good as the hype would have you believe, with plenty of strategy and long-term planning and brief turns to keep it moving. But it’s not one I’ll be breaking out with new or inexperienced board gamers.

The original game by Mathias Wigge is Ark Nova where players create their own zoos from their player boards. It combines a litany of ideas from other complex games in a sort of “greatest hits” mashup of mechanics, producing a satisfying intellectual challenge with very quick turns. Terraforming Mars‘ influence here is a net positive, but Wigge has streamlined some of that game’s more frivolous complexities in order to avoid the analysis paralysis that infects a lot of heavier-weight games (especially those with economic themes).

Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

Each player has their own board with a blank zoo area of hex spaces on which they will place enclosures that they’ve purchased, covering one to five hexes each, and into which they can then place animals. You may need to place other animals in your zoo, but almost all animals offer some benefit. You may gain money or other boosts when you cover certain hexes in your zoo (as in Barenpark), and as you add workers, partner zoos, or university tiles to your board, you’ll gain further immediate benefits (as in Great Western Trail).

Players are given five cards that show five possible actions. These actions include: building enclosures and animals, using sponsor cards, taking card from the central board or taking action on the association board with workers. The strength of each action depends on how long it’s been since the last time you used it; they cycle through spaces numbered one through five below your player board, and in most cases you want to get an action up to four or five before selecting it. You can also acquire strength tokens several ways in the game, and then can use them to increase the power of an action by one per token discarded. You can play sponsor cards that offer an ongoing benefit as well as an opportunity to score points at the end of the game. Or you could take a break and advance the token for the break track by taking an income. Everyone gets income when the break token reaches the end of the track. Workers are retrieved and discarded down to the limit of their hands. The central boards get refreshed. Although it’s complicated, the system works very well.

That’s in part because of the careful streamlining that I mentioned above. One of Ark Nova‘s greatest strengths is that you collect just one resource — money — unlike in Terraforming Mars, where you’re tracking at least six. Ark Nova money is what makes Ark Nova work. You will likely run out of it often in the first part of the game. Your income is a function of how many points you’ve attained, so later in the game you’ll be flush with cash and better able to place large animals only if you’ve saved some cards and have the right enclosures. This makes the game more accessible to less-experienced players right out of the box.

Scoring, on the other hand, is quite a lot of work. Players move their tokens around three tracks, only two of which are directly related to scoring. The appeal track covers most of your points, such as those you get for playing an animal. You can nest inside the conservation track and go in opposite directions to the appeal track. These points can be difficult to obtain, particularly early on in the game. However, they do offer significant bonuses. The game ends when one player’s appeal and conservation markers pass each other (as in Rajas of the Ganges), after which all other players take one last turn and you handle endgame scoring. There’s also a reputation track along the market for the animal cards, and in most cases, you can only take animal cards up to the location of your reputation marker, so boosting that gives you more choices when you take the cards action.

Everyone starts the game with two private objective cards, but unlike most games with that feature, Ark Nova lets you keep both for a while, only requiring that you choose one once any player reaches 10 on the conservation track. The association board has three objectives, with limited spaces. Once someone has taken the top spot on that list, all players are unable to access it. The deck also allows you to acquire conservation cards. This is the same as getting animal or sponsor cards. After claiming one of your own spots, you can make the card public.

The only problem with Ark Nova , is the lack of interaction among players. The main deck has 212 cards, and a small percentage of those are animals that let you do something to your opponents, like hitting them with poison tokens, for instance. It’s quite possible to play an entire game and never even see these cards, and they only last until the next break; Wigge could easily have dispensed with them and spared players from learning three more icons. The only interaction is when another player takes something you want.

Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

Ark Nova has a lot going on, with an intimidating setup and ruleset for less-experienced players. The rulebook is 20 pages, plus a separate appendix to explain sponsor cards and animal cards with unusual powers. There are several dozen icons that appear on cards and the board that you’ll have to learn, although the one-sheet that lists them all is clear and concise.

Ultimately, it’s a game someone has to teach you; I can’t imagine someone who hasn’t played a lot of games picking this up at a store and learning it on their own. It’s a fabulous game for people who know games, but as someone who plays all kinds of games and writes for an audience that includes a lot of casual gamers, I don’t think it’s fair to think of Ark Nova as the next Wingspan.

Wingspan raised the bar, but did so with a short rulebook and clear explanatory text on its cards. There are still communities of people out there who bang their head up against it, however, even with elaborate video tutorials available on YouTube. Ark Nova took me about 20 minutes to set up, after which I watched a nearly 40-minute tutorial video to learn how to play. I’ve played probably 500 different board games in my life, so I’m familiar with just about all of the mechanics involved here — but I’m in the extreme minority.

It’s not the price, not with Return to Dark Tower at $175 and the upcoming Frosthaven at $250, but the complexity that will limit the appeal of Ark Nova. It’s an incredible game in just about every dimension — it’s just not the accessible title that’s going to cross into the mainstream and expand the audience.

Ark Nova is available now. Capstone Games provided retail copies of the game for review and photography. Vox Media is an affiliate partner. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These don’t influence editorial content. Vox Media can earn commissions for products bought via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.

Ark Nova

Prices taken at time of publishing.

* 1-4 players, age 14+

* Playtime: 90-150 minutes

* Game type: Drafting, set collection, and tile placement among others

* Category: Competitive game, solitaire game

* Similar games: Wingspan, Terraforming Mars

New data from SellCell shows that the Samsung Galaxy S22, which debuted in February, has already depreciated by 47%. The Google Pixel 6 isn’t far behind as it’s already depreciated by 42% after launching in October. The iPhone 13 holds the best value by far as it has seen only a 16% depreciation since its launch in September 2021.

Specifically, the Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G 128GB has lost about 58% of its value within two months of its launch; this is an alarming loss for users who have only had the device such a short time. While priced similarly to the iPhone, those looking to trade in a Galaxy S22 in the future will likely have to fork out more cash than those trading in an iPhone 13.

Another reason to purchase an iPhone is that it retains its value much better than its Android equivalents. SellCell did some research last year that shows how the iPhone 13 specifically is potentially Apple’s least depreciating iPhone yet.

iPhone 13 Pro Max holds the best value

The iPhone 13 Pro Max (128GB) is the best in the lineup as the device only has 3. 8% depreciation for one in “Like New” condition. Depreciation typically starts two months after the launch of the phone; just like it did for the iPhone 12 and 13.

SellCell also shows how an iPhone 13 in “Like New” condition lost 18. 7% of its value after its first month. However, its saw some recovery as it only lost 16. 4% of its value after month two. The iPhone is more valuable than Android and sees some recovery after initial loss.

Not only does the iPhone hold its value better than any other smartphone, and more of it, but it actually recovers some of that initial value loss.

The Google Pixel 6 is seeing some of this recovery as well but its losses are still greater than iPhone. Recovery is the same as iPhone, about 2%, for smartphones in “Like New” or “Good” condition.

9to5Mac’s Take

Just a few days ago, we reported that many Apple devices have lost trade-in value. The iPhone as not on that list, and it’s been some months since it has lost trade-in value. I feel like this data goes to show that if you’re looking to make an investment in your smartphone, the iPhone is a good route to go. An Android is fine for those who will keep their phone forever, and won’t trade it in.

Update: Applications are now open. Head below to submit your registration.

In April, Apple announced that WWDC 2022 will take place on June 6. Alongside that, some developers will be able to attend an all-day experience at Apple Park. Now, the company has shared more details for those who want to submit an application for the WWDC 2022 in-person experience.

The most important piece of information is that submissions start on May 9. Apple explains who’s eligible to submit a request:

This event is open to all members of both the Apple Developer Program or Apple Developer Enterprise Program. Invitations will be allocated through a random selection process and are non-transferrable.

Developers can submit their requests to participate in this in-person WWDC 2022 experience from May 9 at 9:00 a.m. PT to May 11 at 9:00 a.m. PT. On May 12 at 6:00 p.m. PT, people will be notified of their status.

To guarantee the health of everyone at Apple Park, attendees “must follow Apple’s health and safety protocols, which also take into account the latest requirements and guidance from public health authorities regarding COVID-19.” Although the company doesn’t mention proof of vaccination, it says a negative COVID-19 test no more than three days before the event is required.

In addition, masks are currently optional, although the company will provide details on the latest requirements to attendees prior to the in-person WWDC 2022 experience.

You can submit your request on May 9 here.

Apart from that, there’s a Swift Student Challenge where developers will have to create a Swift Playgrounds 4 project. You can learn more about this challenge here.

Read more:

• iOS 16: Here’s what we know so far about new features, supported devices, and more
• iPadOS 16: Here’s what we know so far about new features, supported devices, and more
• watchOS 9: Here’s what we know so far about new features, supported devices, and more
• macOS 13: Here’s what we know so far about new features, supported devices, and more