M1 MacBook Pro, HomePod mini, and macOS Big Sur on the AppleInsider podcast

13-inch MacBook Pro with M1

We review the new Apple Silicon M1 13-inch MacBook Pro, discuss the new HomePod mini, review the many design changes in macOS Big Sur, and cover Apple's new small business program.

Reviews for the brand new M1 powered Mac mini, MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro are out and we have our own real-world experiences of these devices to tell you about.

There are some app compatibility issues that may causes issues for early adopters, but we take a deep dive into the specific benefits of M1 over previous Intel-based Macs. You already know these new Macs are fast, and have long battery life, but here's what that really means — and how it really feels — in regular day to day use.

Then the new HomePod mini landed in stores this week and we try out its sound quality and HomeKit hub features. While it doesn't have the same sound stage or volume as the larger HomePod, the new U1 chip inside the HomePod mini does make a big difference when it comes to handing off audio from an iPhone.

There's also macOS Big Sur which has been publicly available for one week. Teething problems aside, this is a giant visual change for the Mac and some of the skeuomorphic icon design can be divisive.

Finally, Apple has announced its App Store Small Business program that reduces the commission rate for developers who earn under $1 million annually to just 15%. AppleInsider spoke with developers who told us what the impact is really going to be.

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