Apple seeded the release candidate for iOS 17.2 to developers Tuesday, signaling that beta testing for the upcoming operating system is almost over. The highlight of the update will be the new Journal app that Apple announced last summer.
The release candidates for macOS Sonoma 14.2, iPadOS 17.2, watchOS 10.2 and tvOS 17.2 were also seeded to devs Tuesday. The final versions are all expected to be publicly available to install on December 12.
The number of iPhones running some version of iOS 17 passed a milestone. The total recently topped 60%, according to an analytics firm.
Users were initially slow to make the jump past iOS 16, but a solid majority have now done so.
Apple honored Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus with the Apple Podcasts Award, given each year to honor a show that demonstrates quality and innovation in podcasting.
In the series, the actress and comedian interviews older women about their lives.
Battersea Power Station, home of London’s latest Apple retail store, is decorated for Christmas with an enormous moving art display projected on the front. Reasonably named “Bigger Christmas Trees,” it was created by artist David Hockney on an iPad.
The art installation will continue each evening until December 25.
Apple’s AirTag item tracker can help anyone who keeps misplacing things, and it’s currently available at a tasty 12% discount.
It’s good timing: With the holiday season apron us, an AirTag makes a nice present.
Two of the best shows on Apple TV+ have been canceled. Animated musical comedy Central Park and basketball drama Swagger have not been renewed for new seasons.
The creators of the shows confirmed the cancellations on social media over the weekend.
From the “better late than never” category, a version of the Zoom video conferencing app has launched for Apple TV. This means it’s now easier to make Zoom calls using a TV’s large display.
Turns out the long wait was actually Apple’s fault.
With an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, you can record high-resolution video directly to an external SSD. And the latest version of the iPhone app LumaFusion lets you edit with the video still on the external drive, too. Don’t try that with any other video editor for iOS.
That’s on top of the many other features of the iPhone and iPad application, which offers multitrack video editing with a focus on controlling everything with touch.
The fourth episode of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is out, and anyone who’s been dissatisfied about the amount of screen time kaijus got before will have nothing to complain about.
Read on if you’re ready for Godzilla-size spoilers about the latest episode, plus some speculation about the show’s future.
Apple began selling refurbished AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds Friday. Those willing to buy a previously purchased unit save $40 off the regular cost.
These are Apple’s premium earbuds, and this is the first time the company has put refurb units up for sale.
There’s good news for those who subscribe to both Apple TV+ and Paramount+. Friday brought word of a potential bundle of these streaming video services that would save subscribers money.
If the unconfirmed report pans out, it’ll be the first such deal for Apple TV+.
Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo are set to star as dueling detectives in Criminal Record, a crime drama premiering on Apple TV+ in a few weeks.
The trailer for the series dropped Thursday, offering an early look at the eight-episode series.
Apple released iOS 17.1.2 and macOS Sonoma 14.1.2 on Thursday. These are security patches for bugs that have been actively exploited by hackers. As such, they come strongly recommended.
iPadOS 17.1.2 was also released to take care of the same issues.
★★★★☆
Wrap your iPhone 15 in the GameSir G8 Galileo and you have the physical buttons, triggers and sticks needed for high-end gaming. And it has a USB-C port so it works with Apple’s latest handsets. Plus the game controller includes swappable sticks, pass-through charging, a headphone jack and more.
I tested GameSir G8 Galileo with my iPhone 15. I had a heck of a good time.
Apple silicon processors that TSMC makes at its Arizona plant will be packaged by Amkor at a nearby facility. This will save them from having to be shipped to Taiwan before going into iPhone, Mac, etc.
“Apple is deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing, and we’ll continue to expand our investment here in the United States,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s COO. “Apple silicon has unlocked new levels of performance for our users, enabling them to do things they could never do before, and we are thrilled that Apple silicon will soon be produced and packaged in Arizona.”
All Apple computers run on chips based on technology licensed from Arm. And it turns out the licensing fee is surprisingly low. Pennies per device.
Apple is one of Arm’s most important customers, and the two have a relationship that goes back to the early 1990s. That’s turned into a sweet deal for the iPhone-maker.
iPad makes a spectacular gift. Apple tablets are very popular, and everyone from little Billy to Grandma will enjoy one.
But there’s a wide array of models to choose from. In this guide, we go through all the options to explore their pros and cons as gifts.
★★★☆☆
Adonit Note+ 2 is an iPad stylus with all the usual features as well as pressure sensitivity and a pair of programmable buttons. Plus there are writing tips in hard, medium and soft. These make it much better option for digital artists than typical styli. It actually goes head-to-head with Apple Pencil 2.
An iPad Pro is my primary computer, so I took the Note+ 2 for a hands-on test drive.
One of the best ways to discover new podcasts is by finding out what other people are listening to. Apple made that easy Tuesday by tabulating the most popular podcasts of 2023.
These hit podcasts are available in localized versions for listeners in nearly 100 countries and regions.
Your Apple Watch can still be useful, even when you’re not wearing it. The HEDock holds the Watch up at a convenient angle while it’s charging.
This simple, very affordable accessory could be just what your desk or bedside table needs. And it’s on sale until the end of this year in the Cult of Mac Store for just $7.50.
Parents are mistakenly being warned that they need to quickly deactivate iOS 17’s NameDrop feature on their children’s iPhones. The warnings claim that it’s causing the devices to broadcast their contact information to anyone nearby.
This simply isn’t true.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters stomped onto the list of most popular shows on any streaming service this week. Even better, the Apple TV+ series with Godzilla and other kaiju debuted near the top of the list, according to a market analysis.
At the same time, Brie Larson’s Lessons in Chemistry continued to draw a big audience, week after week.
Apple started the holidays off with Fuzzy Feelings, a combination of stop-motion animation and live action that tells a heart-warming story about reaching out to other people during the holidays.
Apple also released a “making of” video to show how the short film was produced with an iPhone 15 Pro Max and MacBook Air.
Napoleon, a historical epic from director Ridley Scott, is now in theaters around the world. It’s a creation of Apple Original Films, and there are hopes it will clean up at the Oscar awards.
The movie stars Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte, the French emperor who conquered much of Europe. It details the tyrant’s ruthless rise to power and his obsessive love for his wife, Empress Josephine.
Apple TV+ slipped out the third episode of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters a few days early so Godzilla could arrive in time for Thanksgiving. Here’s a quick recap that puts it in context not only with the earlier episodes and MonsterVerse movies but also events of the 20th century.
Read on if you’re ready for massive spoilers about the latest episode, plus some speculation about the show’s future.