Skip to main content

Apple strips estimated battery time from the latest MacOS developer preview

Normally, OS developers add functionality when updating a platform. New features, better UI changes — the sort of thing a user might hope to see when they launch a computer after a big update. Instead, Apple is once again displaying its courage by removing features in the 12.12.2 beta 4 update; the newest MacOS beta removes the estimated time remaining in your laptop’s battery.

The update comes hot on the heels of complaints from across Apple’s user base that the new MacBook Pros can’t keep up with the lofty battery life estimates promised by Cupertino. We’ve known from reviewing so many systems over the years that laptops almost never reach those estimated goals, even under a mixed load. Poor results also came as no surprise to us — Apple cut the batteries in the new MacBook Pros down by half in the 15-inch version, and by a third in the smaller 13-inch model.

Recommended Videos

So in a sense, Apple’s move to remove the battery life estimates is one the company can claim was done to prevent confusion. Unfortunately, that’s not how it’s going to look to a lot of users. Estimated remaining time is a clutch feature for a lot of Apple users, even though it apparently wasn’t working well.

It’s also a good way to easily disguise the system’s middling battery life. If you don’t show a user that there’s only four hours left when the system is fully charged, they’re less likely to complain when it doesn’t quite last as long as they hoped.

Of course, it isn’t all bad. Apple has also taken the time to include the new wallpapers from the MacBook Pro launch marketing materials. There are also new emojis to match those found in the most recent versions of iOS and WatchOS. Whether that’s enough to ameliorate the crowds of people wondering how much longer before they need to find an outlet remains to be seen.

Brad Bourque
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad Bourque is a native Portlander, devout nerd, and craft beer enthusiast. He studied creative writing at Willamette…
Copilot is Microsoft’s cue to redeem Windows and edge past macOS
The new Surface Laptop 13 on a white table.

There is always going to be a big divide between macOS and Windows. Much of it has to do with the functional disparities that are deeply ingrained at an OS-level. Or if you dive into the heated community debates, you will see it broadly as a battle between seamlessness and flexibility. 

Gaming remains the guiding star for Windows adherents. A handful of highly specialized niche industry tools also remain locked to the Microsoft platform. On the other hand, macOS fans swear by the fluid software, plenty of firepower options in the M-series silicon era, and fantastic hardware. 

Read more
WWDC may not deliver the macOS magic I’d love to see. Here’s why
macOS Sequoia being introduced by Apple's Craig Federighi at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is just two months away, and that means I’m starting to look forward to what could be coming to the Mac at Apple’s big summer show. The problem is that every time I think about WWDC 2025, I can’t shake one feeling: that Apple Intelligence is going to dominate everything at the event.To be fair, I don’t think Apple can do things any other way. As I’ve written about before, this year’s WWDC is make or break for Apple Intelligence. Apple has to not only make sure that its artificial intelligence (AI) platform catches up with rivals like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, but that it actually offers a service that can outdo its competitors in some ways. It needs to convince the public that Apple Intelligence is a worthy contender for their AI needs.And if Apple gets it right, then Apple Intelligence might finally become the system it was always meant to be, with a revamped Siri that possesses incredible contextual awareness and useful additions to key Mac apps that help you in your everyday life.But while I’m really hoping that Apple Intelligence gets the shake-up it so clearly needs, I don’t want the likes of macOS 16 and iOS 19 to miss out as a result. After all, these are the core aspects of Apple fans’ favorite devices. Without meaningful upgrades here, we’re all going to be a little worse off.

Déjà vu

Read more
The Oppo Find N5 put a Mac in my pocket, and Apple needs to take note.
An Oppo Find N5 is being used for remote access to a Mac.

It’s no secret that the biggest strength of Apple’s ecosystem is the seamless cross-device connectivity it offers. Yet, despite commanding the world’s biggest mobile-computing duopoly, Apple hasn’t offered two-way control for iPhones and Macs to remotely operate each other. It’s a shame, because given Apple’s security-first approach, it’s in the best spot to offer such a facility. 

The situation only changed last year, but only halfway through. With the arrival of iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, Apple finally introduced iPhone Mirroring. However, there’s still no equivalent that allows you to access and control your Mac desktop on your iPhone. Or an iPad. Some third-party options have existed, though, but haven't really been stellar. 

Read more