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New Report Shows Apple Mulling Brilliant iPhone Design Upgrade

If you’re a fan of the Apple Watch Edition in its ceramic finish, there could be good news on the horizon. It comes in the form of a new patent that specifies a Zirconia-based ceramic material that could be used in future Watch models. Even more intriguingly, it could be used for the iPhone as well.

MORE FROM FORBESApple Could Release iPhone 14 And iPhone 14 Pro Sooner Than Expected

The patent is called “Electronic Devices with Textured Zirconia-Based Components” and promises a matte finish. It says it can give “a matte appearance to an exterior surface of an electronic device. The texture of the enclosure component may also be configured so that it has one or more tactile properties suitable for use as a wearable device and can be readily cleaned.” It can also be configured to “provide a particular “feel” to the electronic device” and “may be configured so that the zirconia-based component substantially retains its strength and impact resistance.” Although it doesn’t give full details of the material, it specifies that “The zirconia-based component may be formed of a ceramic such as a partially stabilized zirconia ceramic or an alumina toughened zirconia ceramic.”

It could be used as a side surface (such as the case that wraps around the display on an Apple Watch, it seems) or a rear cover for another device. The images suggest that the rear of an iPhone is the focus here and Apple could use this material instead of the toughened glass currently on the back of its phones. Additionally, the matte finish suggests that it could be used for the Pro models in the iPhone range, as the main part of the back of the phone is matte-finish and only the camera panel is gloss.

The image in the patent even shows a central circular panel, perhaps to indicate that the Apple logo would be located there (and would doubtless be as shiny as it is on current phones).

Ceramic has been used on mobile phones before including handsets from Xiaomi and Samsung. It’s a material usually reserved for high-end devices, but has never been used for the iPhone.

As with all patents, there’s no certainty that Apple will implement such a design change soon or even at all. But the prospects of a ceramic iPhone and another ceramic Apple Watch are intriguing.

MORE FROM FORBESApple Watch Series 8: Apple May Have Just Revealed Its Brilliant Upgrade

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iOS 16 Battery Percentage, Google vs Apple on RCS, and VESA Studio Display on the AppleInsider Podcast


AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content.

Apple brings battery percentage back to the status bar in iOS 16 beta 5, Google puts Apple on blast over RCS adoption, we review the VESA mount Studio Display, and more on the AppleInsider podcast.

We discuss how the new battery percentage indicator may be Apple’s most disruptive feature of iOS 16. Many Apple fans are excited by the new feature, though neither of your hosts Wesley and Stephen will be turning it on.

Next, Google’s latest campaign for Apple to adopt RCS continues to push a narrative that’s missing a lot of details. The hosts dive into what’s wrong with RCS today and what it would take for Apple to consider the new messaging platform.

Meanwhile, Stephen’s Studio Display has arrived and he shares some controversial opinions about its speakers and webcam — they’re fine. Also, your hosts consider what it would take for them to upgrade from the existing Studio Display and whether Apple would introduce such a product anytime soon.

The latest product rumors point to new HomePods arriving sometime soon, and the new entry model iPad may see big changes in 2022. There’s also a quick discussion of Apple TV+ and the new animated film “Luck.”

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Batteries App Brings iOS 16’s New Battery Percentage Icon to the Mac

Just a few days after Apple reintroduced a battery percentage icon on the latest iPhones, developer Rony Fadel has updated his popular Batteries app with a new option to enable a similar looking battery percentage icon in the Mac’s menu bar.

ios 16 battery percentage icon on mac
As on the iPhone, the battery percentage appears inside the battery icon on the Mac for a consistent appearance across iOS and macOS. The existing battery indicator on the Mac can be disabled in the System Settings app in the Battery menu.

Starting with the fifth developer beta of iOS 16, it is once again possible to view an iPhone’s battery percentage in the status bar without having to swipe down to open Control Center. The feature is available on most iPhones with a notch, with the exception of the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, standard iPhone 11, and iPhone XR. It’s possible that Apple may expand the icon to additional iPhones in later iOS 16 betas.

Apple had removed the ability to view battery percentage in the status bar when the iPhone X was released in 2017 due to the notch and only brought it back now.

Batteries for Mac is a useful app that lets you view battery percentages for an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, Beats, and other Bluetooth devices in the macOS menu bar. The app can also provide low battery notifications for the devices on the Mac. The app is priced at $8.99 in the US and is also available as part of the Setapp subscription bundle.

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Apple today seeded the fifth beta of iOS 16 to developers for testing purposes, introducing some small but notable changes to the iOS operating system. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We’ve rounded up everything new in the fifth beta below. Battery Percentage in Status Bar The battery icon in the status bar now displays the exact battery percent, a feature that …

Samsung Battery Technology Adapted From EVs Could Boost iPhone Battery Life

Samsung is planning to use a battery production technique normally used for electric vehicles to create more energy-dense smartphone batteries, in a move that could improve the battery life of future iPhone models, The Elec reports. Image via iFixit Samsung SDI, Samsung’s battery and energy division, intends to use a production technique it currently uses to make fifth-generation batteries…

Shazam App for Mac Gains Apple Silicon Support, New Icon

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Apple Responds to User Complaints of Battery Drain After iOS 15.4 Update

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iPhone 14 Pro Predicted to Start With Increased 256GB Storage Alongside Rumored Price Increase

Earlier today, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed iPhone 14 Pro models will be more expensive than iPhone 13 Pro models. Kuo did not reveal exact pricing, but he said that the average selling price of all four iPhone 14 models will increase by about 15% overall. While higher prices would be disappointing for customers, it is possible the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will offer increased…

Kuo: Apple to Increase Prices of iPhone 14 Pro Models

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iOS 16 Beta 5: Battery Percentage Now Displayed in iPhone Status Bar

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iPhone 14 Is Just a Few Weeks Away: Three Tips to Prepare for the New iPhone

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The launch of the new iPhone 14 is just a few weeks away, meaning millions of iPhone customers will soon upgrade their existing iPhone or perhaps get an iPhone for the first time. Exclusive MacRumors iPhone 14 Pro renders by graphic designer Ian Zelbo Whether upgrading from an older model or this is your first iPhone, we’ve rounded up a few tips to help you prepare for the next flagship…

Color Options for All iPhone 14 Models: Everything We Know

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models are rumored to be available in a refreshed range of color options, including an all-new purple color. Most expectations about the iPhone 14 lineup’s color options came from an unverified post on Chinese social media site Weibo earlier this year. Overall, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro’s selection of color options could look fairly similar to those of the …

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Telegram CEO claims Apple is delaying update that will ‘revolutionize’ messaging


AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov claims that Apple has been delaying an App Store update to the app that will “revolutionize how people express themselves in messaging.”

In a Telegram message on Thursday, Durov says that the upcoming update has been stuck in Apple’s review process for two weeks with no explanation from the iPhone maker about the holdup.

“If Telegram, one of the top 10 most popular apps globally, is receiving this treatment, one can only imagine the difficulties experienced by smaller app developers,” Durov wrote.

The Telegram chief executive also hit Apple and Google for charging a 30% commission on app and in-app purchases. Durov says the app review delay is just another harm on the commission, which he likes to a “tax.”

“The regulators in the EU and elsewhere are slowly starting to look into these abusive practices,” he said. “But the economic damage that has already been inflicted by Apple on the tech industry won’t be undone.”

This isn’t the first time that a Telegram update has been stuck in Apple’s app review process. Back in 2018, Apple delayed global updates after Russian authorities demanded the Cupertino tech giant remove the secure messaging app from the App Store.

Other app developers and executives have complained about Apple’s App Review process in the past. In 2021, Hopscotch CEO Samantha John called Apple’s review process “Kafkaesque.”

Apple has made moves to amend its App Store policies in recent years, including updated App Review processes and rules and the introduction of a lower 15% commission for apps making less than $1 million.

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Google is Down: Searches Not Loading Due to Server Errors

It’s not just you: Google is currently down, with search results failing to load due to server errors like Error 500 and Error 502.

google-logo
One of the various error messages reads as follows:

ServerError

We’re sorry but it appears that there has been an internal server error while processing your request. Our engineers have been notified and are working to resolve the issue.

Please try again later.

We’ll update this story as more information becomes available.

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Technology

Break Your Social Media Addiction With This iPhone App

Image for article titled This iPhone App Might Actually Help You Break Your Social Media Addiction

screenshot: Joel Cunningham

I am just full of advice about social media, most of which can be boiled down to “put down your phone” and “stop engaging.” Which is funny, because I am incredibly bad at doing both of those things, despite my best efforts (downloading a little app that grows trees while you don’t use your phone, setting a goal to read more books, having the same conversation with my therapist over and over). But I’ve finally found a trick—a clever iPhone app—that seems to be working. For now.

Ironically, I made this discovery while mindlessly scrolling Twitter on my iPhone, which is what I do during any given moment of inactivity, from taking the dog out to pee, to waiting for the elevator, to putting the kettle on the boil. In these moments, I don’t actually want anything Twitter has to offer; it’s simply a mindless habit, and that lack of purpose never stops that quick swipe from turning into 10 useless minutes.

But this Shortcut Automation app—called “one second” by its innovator, Frederik Riedel (@FrederikRiedel)—seeks to inject some mindfulness into that mindless habit. To use it, you set up an automation that will trigger one sec to run when you attempt to open whatever social media, gaming, or other app is eating into your day. It’s a simple, soothing bit of animation that will interrupt the process, encouraging you to take a deep breath before you tap a second time to confirm that you truly do want to open that app—or not.

You can see how it works in this Tweet from Riedel:

Image for article titled This iPhone App Might Actually Help You Break Your Social Media Addiction

screenshot: Joel Cunningham

I realize that there are many other tools that encourage you to limit social media use, from Apple’s own Focus Modes to screen time alerts, but one sec has worked best for me because it cuts me off at the right moment; it’s easier to force me to think with intention (“6 attempts to open Twitter within 24 hours”) than to scold me into stopping doing something that I’m already doing (any pop-up telling me my app usage for the day has elapsed is instantly ignored). You can block one app for free, and unlock additional features (use with multiple apps, more robust breathing exercises, time tracking, website blocking) with a premiumsubscription ($14.99/year).

Don’t get me wrong, I still have a fairly serious internet addiction. But I’ve also managed to stop myself from staring at my phone while waiting for the dog to poop for five days straight. That’s not nothing.

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Technology

New iOS App Blocks Those Annoying ‘Open in App’ Pop-Ups in Safari

You’ve probably experienced visiting a website like Reddit or LinkedIn on your iPhone only to be greeted with an annoying, almost full-screen pop-up urging you to view the content in their app instead of on the website.

banish safari app pop ups
It’s a common practice for websites that have accompanying iOS apps to push users to open (if they already have the app installed) or download their app from the App Store to view the content they’re trying to view. It can be very annoying for end-users, though, as these pop-ups are usually rather intrusive to the actual content, creating a subpar experience.

Thankfully, there is a new way to block these pop-ups within Safari on ‌iPhone‌ and iPad. Developer Alex Zamoshchin has created a new Safari extension called “Banish” (via daring fireball) that can run on iOS and iPadOS and is designed to specifically get rid of those pop-ups. The app, which costs $2, helps eliminate a majority of those pop-ups in popular web versions of apps, but it doesn’t get rid of similar banners that show up at the top of Safari to recommend opening the current page in an installed app.

The banner at the top of Safari is built into Safari and WebKit itself, so to get rid of those, you’ll have to uninstall the respective app from your device. Banish, instead, gets rid of pop-ups implemented in the websites themselves.

To use Banish, download it from the App Store and follow the on-screen instructions to give the app the needed permission within Settings, Safari, and Extensions. You can learn more about Banish here.

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Business

How a war between China and Taiwan could cause product shortages

China and Taiwan are on the brink of war after a long-standing dispute over the island’s sovereignty came to a head – with potentially massive implications for consumer technology supplies.

Taiwan is home to the world’s biggest producer of computer chips, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

TSMC’s chips are used in a wide variety of phones, including the iPhone 13; cars including the Renault Arkana SUV; gaming consoles including the Nintendo Switch and Playstation 5; and smart home devices including the Revcook smart toaster.

Rising tensions between China and Taiwan could disrupt the production of these chips, with knock-on effects throughout the global consumer electronics industry.

TSMC’s chairman has warned that a Chinese military force or invasion would make the firm’s facilities ‘inoperable’ because it relies on ‘real-time connection’ with Europe, with Japan and the US.

Experts have told MailOnline that, if TSMC is unable to produce chips at its current rate, it could affect availability of some popular tech devices as soon as Christmas – although the biggest effects are likely to be felt next year.

TSMC ¿ the most valuable company in Asia and the 10th most valuable company in the world ¿ develops chips for a range of big companies, predominantly Apple, but also AMD, MediaTek, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Nvidia and more.  The firm makes chips that go into iPhones, iPads and Apple's Silicon Macs, as well as automobiles and gaming consoles, including Nintendo's Switch and Sony's PlayStation 5

TSMC – the most valuable company in Asia and the 10th most valuable company in the world – develops chips for a range of big companies, predominantly Apple, but also AMD, MediaTek, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Nvidia and more. The firm makes chips that go into iPhones, iPads and Apple’s Silicon Macs, as well as automobiles and gaming consoles, including Nintendo’s Switch and Sony’s PlayStation 5

WHAT IS TSMC?

Founded in 1987, TSMC – the most valuable company in Asia and the 10th most valuable company in the world – develops chips for a range of huge players.

TSMC has semiconductor fabrication plants (‘fabs’) around the island, although its main operations are located in Hsinchu in the north.

According to the company’s website, TSMC produces more than 10,000 products for almost 500 clients worldwide.

Its biggest client is Apple, but other clients include AMD, MediaTek, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Nvidia and Marvell.

The firm makes A-series chips that go into iPhones and iPads, as well as M-series chips for Apple’s Silicon Macs.

TSMC chips are also in cars and gaming consoles, including Nintendo’s Switch and Sony’s PlayStation 5.

Ben Barringer, equity research analyst at Quilter Cheviot, told MailOnline that China would likely aim to preserve TSMC and ‘the brain power behind it’ if it took control of the island, in order to gain an advantage over US and Korean based semiconductor manufacturers.

‘Given its market position, the expertise it has and the complexity of the sector, TSMC is likely to remain of strategic importance to whoever governs Taiwan both now and in the future,’ Barringer said.

However, there could be ‘non-combat interventions’ from China such as potential blockades, I have suggested.

‘While this would not prevent TSMC from operating, it would limit what it could achieve and potentially delay any technological advancements,’ he said.

‘Clearly the threat of war in Taiwan would be very troubling for those involved and we can hope any tensions can be resolved diplomatically.’

Barringer also said that delays and shortages in consumer products would most likely occur next year, and that the new iPhone 14, expected to be released next month, will likely be safe because units will have already been built.

‘The third quarter of the year is extremely important for the semiconductor industry as this is when they produce the components that go into the products that will be bought and sold at Christmas,’ he told MailOnline.

‘If China were to invade imminently then we may see some knock-on effect, but even at this point of the year any delays and shortages would most likely occur in 2023.’

Home to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest chip foundry, Taiwan produces more than half of the world's semiconductors

Home to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest chip foundry, Taiwan produces more than half of the world’s semiconductors

Beijing's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is conducting 'important military exercises and training activities including live-fire drills in the following maritime areas and their air space bounded by lines joining,' according to the state Xinjua News Agency

Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is conducting ‘important military exercises and training activities including live-fire drills in the following maritime areas and their air space bounded by lines joining,’ according to the state Xinjua News Agency

TSMC has semiconductor fabrication plants ('fabs') around the island, although its main operations are located in Hsinchu in the north.  Pictured are components sit on circuit boards on display at the Semicon Taiwan exhibition show in 2018

TSMC has semiconductor fabrication plants (‘fabs’) around the island, although its main operations are located in Hsinchu in the north. Pictured are components sit on circuit boards on display at the Semicon Taiwan exhibition show in 2018

Simon Thomas, CEO of British electronics company Paragraf, said consumers will experience ‘longer waiting times and less choice for new products’ if geopolitical conflict were to escalate.

‘As long as supply chain uncertainly continues, the impact on different product availability will become more widespread,’ he told MailOnline.

‘We are hoping that a military invasion of Taiwan is not inevitable, with the world already going through significant turmoil this would certainly be another globally impacting crisis.’

This week, TSMC’s chairman Mark Liu warned that a war between Taiwan and China would make ‘everybody losers’.

Liu told CNN: ‘If you take a military force or invasion, you will render TSMC factory not operable. Because this is such a sophisticated manufacturing facility, it depends on real-time connection with the outside world, with Europe, with Japan, with the US, from materials to chemicals to spare parts to engineering software and diagnosis.’

Mark Liu (pictured) is chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC).  This week, he warned that a war between Taiwan and China would make 'everybody losers' by making the firm's facilities 'inoperable'

Mark Liu (pictured) is chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). This week, he warned that a war between Taiwan and China would make ‘everybody losers’ by making the firm’s facilities ‘inoperable’

China’s escalating military aggression comes in the midst of a global chip shortage that goes back to 2020.

The shortage was triggered when chipmaking factories around the world were forced to shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic as part of social distancing measures, which resulted in months of no production.

It was compounded due to the rise in demand for electronics, as most people were under stay-at-home orders.

Former President Donald Trump also created more demand for TMSC chips because of his sanctions on SMIC, a chip maker based in Shanghai, as well as other Chinese firms as part of his trade war on the country.

Another issue is severe droughts in Taiwan, as TSMC needs 156,000 tons of water every day to operate their microchip manufacturing plant – enough water to fill roughly 60 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The chip shortage is so severe that one major industrial conglomerate resorted to purchasing washing machines and tearing the semiconductors out for use in their own chip modules, Bloomberg previously reported.

Nintendo’s president Shuntaro Furukawa recently said that there’s ‘no end in sight’ to the semiconductor shortage, and so the company’s Switch console will be in short supply this year.

Images of semiconductor wafers at the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) Museum of Innovation in Hsinchu

Images of semiconductor wafers at the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) Museum of Innovation in Hsinchu

Taiwan’s dominance in semiconductors has been referred to as a ‘Silicon Shield’, in that the US and other allies would defend it from military invasion in order to prevent its high-tech industry from falling into Chinese hands.

However, new military actions have stoked fears that this shield could be broken.

On Tuesday, Chinese military began ‘live-fire’ exercises around the self-governing island in an attempt to intimidate its democratic neighbour.

China is also pressing the US into dropping its support for Taiwan, as demonstrated by the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this week.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the visit a ‘serious disregard of China’s strong opposition’ before effectively blockading the island with military drills.

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi leaves the parliament in Taipei, Taiwan on August 3, 2022

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi leaves the parliament in Taipei, Taiwan on August 3, 2022

Why China set its sights on Taiwan

China and Taiwan have a long-standing dispute over the island’s sovereignty.

China considers Taiwan a part of its territory, more precisely a province, but many Taiwanese want the island to be independent.

From 1683 to 1895, Taiwan was ruled by China’s Qing dynasty. After Japan claimed its victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Qing government was forced to cede Taiwan to Japan.

The island was under the Republic of China’s ruling after World War II, with the consent of its allies, the US and UK.

The leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party, Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan in 1949 and established his government after losing the Civil War to the Communist Party and its leader Mao Zedong.

Chiang’s son continued to rule Taiwan after his father and began democratizing Taiwan.

In 1980, China put forward a policy called ‘one country, two systems,’ under which Taiwan would be given significant autonomy if it accepted Chinese reunification. Taiwan rejected the offer.

Taiwan today, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders, is widely accepted in the West as an independent state. But its political status remains unclear.

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Redesigned Eve Aqua has Thread and improved valve mechanism


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The redesigned Eve Aqua has improved mechanics and a new look to help HomeKit owners keep their gardens well-watered.

Following the release of the all-new Eve Motion, smart home accessory maker Eve Systems is out with its latest product. It has redesigned the Eve Aqua, with a refreshed design and durability improvements.

“Eve Aqua looks gorgeous and makes smart gardening easy, safe and joyful,” says Jerome Gackel, CEO, Eve Systems. “Thread eliminates the need for a digital bridge, while the brass faucet adapter ensures a rock-solid physical connection. And of course, our beautiful Eve app brings it all together, making scheduling, and monitoring consumption, a breeze.”

The new Eve Aqua has an IPX4 resistance rating and runs on a pair of AA batteries. It has a sleek new space gray body with a matte black front. The physical watering button has increased in size to make it easier to control.

It requires no bridge outside of your existing Home Hub and supports up to seven watering sessions per day.

On the inside, Eve has upgraded it to a brass faucet connector and magnetic valve that provides increased durability, helps prevents leaks, and is near-silent when opening or closing.

Like the second-generation Eve Aqua, the new model is able to connect via Bluetooth as well as Thread. This marks the 14th product Eve has released with support for Thread.

When Matter is released this fall, Eve Aqua (third-generation) will be updated for free to support the new standard and be compatible with other smart home platforms.

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Linus Torvalds uses M2 MacBook Air to release Linux 5.19


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The latest release of Linux 5.19 has more of an Apple angle than usual, with Linus Torvalds releasing it using an M2 MacBook Air running a version of Linux ported to Apple Silicon.

Linux, like other operating systems, receives updates periodically, with the open source software being no exception. Linus Torvalds, the driving force behind Linux, recently released version 5.19 of the operating system, enabling maintainers of the different Linux variants to incorporate the changes.

spotted by AsahiLinux, Torvalds has passed comment about the use of Apple products in an email to the Linux Kernel Mailing List. Posted on Sunday, Torvalds writes “the most interesting part here is that I did the release (and am writing this) on an arm64 laptop,” referring to the use of Apple Silicon.

Torvalds doesn’t specifically name the model of Mac he is using. But, Asahi Linux claims it is an M2 MacBook Air running its port.

“It’s something I’ve been waiting for for a long time [sic] time, and it’s finally reality, thanks to the Asahi team,” Torvalds continues. In July, the Asahi Linux for Mac project released an update that added Mac Studio support as well as experimental M2 support and fixing Bluetooth.

Torvalds mentions that there has been arm64 hardware running Linux for a while, but that “none of it has really been usable as a development platform until now.”

This marks the third time Torvalds has used Apple hardware for Linux development. He previously did so “for powerpc development on a ppc970 machine,” then over a decade ago with the MacBook Air as it was “the only real thin-and-lite around.”

He admits its usage has been limited, as it hasn’t been used “for any real work” so far. It has been used for “doing test builds and boots and now the actual release tagging.”

Torvalds anticipates using it while traveling “and finally dog-fooding the arm64 side too.”

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