Apple recently launched the new range of MacBooks, and of course, the headliner was the new M1 chip. More battery life, supposedly more power, and some interesting functionality—such as the ability to run iPhone and iPad apps directly on M1 Macs.
This opens up a host of possibilities; for example, if you prefer the Twitter app for iPad, but you want to run it on your main workstation, it should run without too many issues. Developers of these mobile apps can choose to opt out of having their apps on the Mac App Store, but you can still manually download the IPA (iOS application) file and install it on an M1-powered Mac.
But a user on Twitter has taken this to the next level. Quinn Nelson recently shared how he used his new M1-powered MacBook Air as “the world’s biggest car key” for his Tesla. During the video, he demonstrated how—without the use of his iPhone—he managed to remotely enable the horn of his car via the MacBook Air.
This was done by manually installing the Tesla iPhone app on his MacBook Air, and from the video, it appears to offer full functionality. Nelson also used the MacBook Air to unlock the Tesla, calling it the “world’s biggest car key”, although he admitted that this might be “the world’s stupidest use for an M1 Mac”.
Regardless, I think it’s a sign of things to come. Cross-platform (within the Apple ecosystem) compatibility has always been a good thing, and it’s interesting that users are already beginning to find some unique ways to take advantage.
Currently, the M1 chip powers the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and the cheapest Mac in the range, the Mac Mini. At the moment, none of the above are available in Malaysia just yet, but official pricing for the local market has already been revealed. If you’re keen for more details, scroll through the related reading section below.
So, what do you think? If you have any unique uses for the M1-powered Macs, share them in the comments section below!
