macOS Big Sur 11.1 now available with support for AirPods Max, App Store privacy labels

Users who can update to the latest version can wait for the automatic update to begin overnight, or open the System Preferences app and select Software Update. The update arrives alongside iOS 14.3 which also brought support for Apple Fitness .

The macOS 11.1 update includes support for the newly announced AirPods Max which begin shipping to customers December 15. The expensive over-the-ear headphones have many of the same features of the AirPods Pro and connect instantly using your Apple ID.

The update also includes the app privacy labels that will appear in the Mac App Store. The labels have proven to be controversial among some large companies that rely on heavy user data gathering.

Apple's release notes include all changes made with the macOS 11.1 update:

macOS Big Sur 11.1 introduces support for AirPods Max, TV app enhancements, Apple News widgets, and privacy information on the App Store. This release also includes bug fixes for your Mac.

AirPods Max

• Support for AirPods Max, new over-ear headphones
• High fidelity audio for rich sound
• Adaptive EQ adapts sound in real time to the personal fit of ear cushions
• Active Noise Cancellation to block out environmental noise
• Transparency mode to hear the environment around you
• Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking for a theater-like listening experience

Apple TV

• An all-new Apple TV+ tab makes it easy to discover and watch Apple Original shows and movies
• Enhanced search so you can browse by category such as genre and see recent searches and suggestions as you type
• Top search results shown with the most relevant matches across movies, TV shows, cast, channels, and sports

Apple News

• Apple News widgets are now available in Notification Center

App Store

• New privacy information section on App Store pages that includes a developer-reported summary of the app's privacy practices
• In-game dashboard within Arcade games recommends new Arcade games to play

iPhone and iPad apps on Macs with M1

• New window options for iPhone and iPad apps let you switch between landscape and portrait orientations or expand a window to fill the entire screen

Photos

• Apple ProRAW photos can be edited in the Photos app

Safari

• Ecosia search engine option in Safari

Air Quality

• Available in Maps and Siri for locations in China mainland
• Health recommendations are provided in Siri for the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, India, and Mexico at certain air quality levels

This release also addresses the following issues:

• QuickTime Player might quit when opening a movie with a timecode track after upgrading from macOS Catalina
• Bluetooth connection status was not displayed in Control Center
• Reliability of unlocking your Mac automatically with your Apple Watch
• Trackpad scrolling speed may be faster than expected on MacBook Pro models
• LG UltraFine 5K Display may incorrectly display at 4K resolution on Macs with M1

The previous beta periods included bug fixes for Macs using the M1 processor. The second beta released on December 3, and the first on November 17.

Neither the first nor second beta of macOS Big Sur 11.1 indicated there would be new features in the release. It is likely that the improvements will center upon performance and bug fixes, especially considering the influx of Mac hardware using the M1 processors.