AllYouCanTech

M4 to M5 MacBook Pro Benchmarks Indicate Notable Performance Improvements, However Restricted Practical Benefits

The majority of users replace their MacBook Pro no more often than once every five years, with many extending that period even further. Nevertheless, Apple frequently markets its newest models as markedly improved, as demonstrated by the introduction of the M5 MacBook Pro.

Apple asserts that the M5 chip provides considerable enhancements in AI performance and overall chip functionalities. Built upon third-generation 3-nanometer technology, the M5 incorporates a 10-core GPU architecture with a Neural Accelerator embedded in each core, achieving over four times the peak GPU compute performance relative to the M4. The GPU further showcases improved graphics capabilities, featuring third-generation ray tracing, resulting in a graphics performance increase of up to 45 percent compared to the M4. The CPU of the M5 includes up to six efficiency cores and four performance cores, offering a 15 percent enhancement in multithreaded performance. Additionally, the M5 is equipped with a superior 16-core Neural Engine and nearly a 30 percent rise in unified memory bandwidth.

Benchmark assessments validate Apple’s assertions, revealing notable disparities between the M4 and M5 MacBook Pro. For example, the M5 recorded write speeds of 6440MBps and read speeds of 6725.6MBps, in contrast to the M4’s 3265.3MBps write speed and 2904MBps read speed, indicating a considerable performance boost.

However, practical usage evaluations imply that the tangible advantages of upgrading might not be as significant. In an evaluation by Macworld’s John Brandon, the time saved during demanding tasks was negligible. For instance, exporting 562 photos in Lightroom required 66 seconds on the M4 and 56 seconds on the M5, whereas a complex Blender render took 595 seconds on the M4 and 585 seconds on the M5. The time disparity for these tasks was merely 9 to 10 seconds, which might not make the upgrade worthwhile for many users.

In summary, although the M5 MacBook Pro demonstrates remarkable technical progress, the real-world performance enhancements may not be substantial enough to justify an upgrade for those using the previous generation.

Apple Unveils New APIs for Age Verification and Parental Consent in Texas

Apple has introduced new APIs and sandbox tools to aid developers in meeting the updated requirements for apps in Texas, following the enactment of Texas SB2420. This legislation, effective January 1, 2026, requires age verification and parental consent for minors prior to downloading, purchasing, or continuing to use applications.

In response, Apple has shared comprehensive technical resources, including revised APIs and frameworks, along with a sandbox testing environment. Key enhancements include:

1. **Declared Age Range API**: This API allows developers to assess a user’s age group as stipulated by Texas legislation (under 13, 13-15, 16-17, or over 18) and also provides insights related to age verification methods.

2. **Significant Change API**: A component of the PermissionKit framework, this API empowers developers to seek parental approval for minors to keep using an app after significant modifications are made.

3. **App Consent Revocation**: This functionality addresses cases in which a parent or guardian rescinds consent, hindering the app from launching on the minor’s device.

4. **Sandbox Testing**: This tool enables developers to evaluate the user experience when integrating the new APIs to confirm adherence to Texas regulations.

Developers are urged to submit their SB2420-compliant applications when the Release Candidates of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 are made available. Apple also intends to roll out further tools to support developers in fulfilling legal requirements in other states, such as Utah, Louisiana, and Brazil. For additional information, developers can consult the Apple Developer blog post.

Source Code for Apple’s New Web App Store Front-End Leaked Accidentally on GitHub

### Apple’s App Store Web Interface Source Code Leak: What Occurred?

Just hours following Apple’s launch of a redesigned web interface for the App Store, a project on GitHub was published containing the complete front-end source code of the site. This situation raises concerns about the diligence in production protocols and the ramifications of such a leak.

#### Apple’s Updated App Store Interface

On November 3, 2025, Apple rolled out a new web interface for the App Store, which included dedicated pages catering to various platforms, app categories, and enhanced search capabilities. However, the launch was overshadowed by an error that permitted users to access the entire front-end codebase.

#### The Origin of the Leak

A GitHub user identified as rxliuli noted that Apple accidentally released the new App Store with sourcemaps enabled. Sourcemaps are documents that correlate the minified code back to its original source, facilitating easier debugging for developers. In this instance, the enabled sourcemaps permitted rxliuli to acquire the complete front-end code directly from the live site.

Utilizing a Chrome extension, rxliuli gathered and preserved all available resources from the web App Store and subsequently stored them on GitHub for educational use. The repository comprises:

– Entire Svelte/TypeScript source code
– Logic for state management
– Components for UI
– Code for API integration
– Configuration for routing

#### Consequences of the Leak

While this leak is crucial in unveiling Apple’s front-end framework, it does not immediately jeopardize security or privacy for Apple, developers, or users. Turning off sourcemaps in production settings is a common procedure in web development, and this oversight is viewed as an unusual lapse for a company of Apple’s prominence.

Rxliuli stressed that the source code was gathered from publicly accessible sources via browser developer tools and that the repository is aimed at educational and research objectives. Nevertheless, considering the nature of such leaks, it is probable that the accessibility of this repository may be short-lived.

For individuals keen on grasping how Apple organized the front end of the new web App Store, it might be wise to investigate the repository sooner rather than later, as it could be removed following the leak.

#### Summary

The unintentional release of the App Store’s front-end source code serves as a reminder of the necessity of adhering to best practices in software deployment. While the leak does not present a direct danger, it underscores the importance of vigilance in production settings to avert similar occurrences in the future.