Find My
Last week Apple launched macOS 12.3 Beta 1. There is a universal control that “shares keyboards, mice, etc. between Mac and iPad”, but it is said that clues have been found that indicate the possibility that UWB (ultra-wideband) technology will come to Mac in the future. It has been reported.
According to 9to5Mac, macOS 12.3 Beta 1 includes the frameworks and daemons (processes that run in the background) needed to support UWB technology. These are described as the same tools in use to achieve UWB support on iOS devices with U1 chips. By the way, “iOS device with U1 chip” is specifically iPhone 11 to 13 models, and the 2nd generation iPhone SE is not installed.
UWB here is a technology that can detect the positions of people and things with high accuracy even indoors and underground where the signals of artificial satellites do not reach. When it was first installed on the iPhone 11 as a U1 chip, AirDrop was only enhanced, but it was later adopted by the drop tracker AirTag, and it has come to show its true potential.
In addition, the U1 chip is also installed in Apple Watch Series 6 and later and HomePod mini. Apple’s ecosystem includes CarKey, which allows you to unlock your car with your iPhone in your pocket, AirPlay’s high-speed transfer, and the Find My network to get accurate location for devices with built-in U1 chips.
If the Mac had a U1 chip, these benefits could be brought to the Mac as well. It seems that there are various applications that can be applied regardless of whether it is practical or not, such as “If you bring a bag with a MacBook and bring it close to the car, the door will be unlocked” and “Identify the room where you left your 24-inch Mac in a vast mansion”.
However, even the latest iPad models don’t have a U1 chip, so at the time of writing, the only thing I can say for sure is that Apple is testing UWB technology experiments on a Mac.
There are rumors that Apple will hold a special event in the spring of this year (2022), where it will announce high-end Mac minis and more. Perhaps it will be revealed on the spot that there are plans to expand the adoption of U1 chips in the future.
Source:9to5Mac
