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Digital ad agencies aren’t happy about Apple’s new user-tracking notifications

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privacy WWDC
Privacy was a big theme at WWDC.
Photo: Apple

A group of digital advertising associations in Europe have taken issue with Apple’s plan to offer users notifications on which apps track them to offer personalized ads.

At WWDC 2020, Apple announced new tools for iOS and iPadOS that let users better control which apps track them by asking for permission in the form of pop-up messages. The next versions of the iPhone and iPad operating systems will reveal to users what type of data different apps collect. But the digital advertising companies say that this could carry a “high risk of user refusal.”

Fantastic to fugly: All the new app icons in macOS Big Sur

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macOS Big Sur on a MacBook Pro
What do you think of macOS Big Sur's new app icons?
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020There’s a lot to love about macOS Big Sur, but one thing that’s dividing Mac fans is its redesigned app icons. Some look good enough to eat. Others are so ugly they’ll make you want to use Windows (not really). And some have simply lost some of their charm as a result of simplification.

What do you think of Apple’s new desktop icon designs so far? Check out all of them right here.

WWDC 2020’s biggest reveals [Cult of Mac Magazine 355]

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Relive WWDC 2020's biggest moments.
WWDC 2020 gives us a clear vision of the bright future of macOS and iOS.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2020 We didn’t get the new Apple hardware we expected during this week’s WWDC keynote, but we did get a whole bunch of hot new software. Get our take on upcoming updates to Apple’s biggest platforms — macOS Big Sur, iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7 and more — in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.

Don’t miss our roundup of all the cool “hidden” iOS 14 features that Apple couldn’t squeeze into its slick virtual keynote. We’ll also toss in the rest of our coverage of this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, plus some handy how-tos and reviews. Read it all in the free mag (which you can download from the App Store) or in the links below.

We rave about iOS 14’s best ‘secret’ features on The CultCast

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CultCast 442: AirPods with health sensors
Get a second shot of WWDC 2020 talk in this week's podcast.
Image: The CultCast

WWDC 2020 This week on The CultCast: We bring you a huge list of great iOS 14 features that Apple did not mention onstage during this week’s WWDC keynote, and there’s a lot here to love.

Plus: Why iOS 14’s new Home screen widgets aren’t as powerful as you might think. And get ready to log into websites with Face ID or Touch ID.

Today’s episode is supported by CleanMyMac X, an all-in-one utility that takes care of your Mac’s health: It’s a macOS cleaner, a performance monitor, a malware remover and, occasionally, a lifesaver. And until July 5th, you can go to macpaw.com/cultofmac to get CleanMyMac X with a 30% discount.

The best hidden features in iOS and iPadOS 14

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Best hidden features in iOS 14
There's a lot more to discover in iOS 14.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020Apple showcased some major changes and improvements for iOS 14 during its big WWDC 2020 keynote on Monday — and it was just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more that we didn’t get to see.

We’re now discovering what some of those things are, thanks to the first beta release, which is already available to registered developers. Here are our picks for the best hidden features in iOS 14.

Craig Federighi says Apple could adopt aspects of virtual WWDC in the future

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Craig Federighi talks about WWDC 2020, the first virtual Worldwide Developers Conference.
This year's virtual WWDC keynote might be a taste of things to come.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple exec Craig Federighi says the company’s production team “moved mountains” to put together this week’s online-only WWDC keynote. And, while he won’t go so far as to commit to future virtual keynotes, he did say that Apple was very happy with it — and will be looking see what aspects of the presentation it can use in the future.

That’s one of the insights gained from listening to the latest episodes of Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee’s Waveform podcast, which features an interview with Federighi, Apple’s senior VP of software engineering.

Apple execs talk WWDC’s big announcements in video podcast

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After Monday's successful WWDC keynote, Apple software chief Craig Federighi can breathe a sigh of relief.
After Monday's successful WWDC keynote, Apple software chief Craig Federighi can breathe a sigh of relief.
Photo: The Talk Show Remote

WWDC 2020 Apple SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi and VP of product marketing Greg Joswiak discuss all the news coming out of Monday’s WWDC keynote in an interview with Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber.

Topics include the transition to Apple Silicon, the virtual WWDC, iOS and iPad OS 14, macOS Big Sur, tvOS 14 and watchOS 7. They even touch on issues like the current App Store controversy, which may trigger a Department of Justice investigation into Apple.

Check it out below.

Core ML will now let devs update their AI models between app updates

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Core ML
Core ML is a major part of Apple's push into AI.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple has upgraded its Core ML machine learning framework, adding the ability for developers to update their machine learning models on the fly, the company revealed Wednesday.

The ability to update artificial intelligence models outside of the usual app update cycle means that devs can quickly improve the machine learning smarts of particular apps without having to push out an update. That’s huge news for any app developers who feature AI components within their apps.

iOS 14 protects your privacy in important new ways

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During the WWDC 2020 keynote, Apple doubled down on its commitment to privacy.
During the WWDC 2020 keynote, Apple doubled down on its commitment to privacy.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 The next iPhone and iPad operating systems warn you when the microphone or camera is on, let you share your approximate location, and block apps from tracking you. And these are just some of the ways iOS 14 and the iPad equivalent protect user privacy. Apple is clearly working hard to live up to its promise that it regards privacy as a fundamental human right.

This visual guide to WWDC 2020 hits all the high points

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The virtual WWDC 2020 keynote packed in loads of exciting revelations. Breeze through the highlights in sketchnotes!
The virtual WWDC 2020 keynote packed in loads of exciting revelations. Breeze through all the highlights in these very visual sketchnotes!
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Monday’s WWDC 2020 keynote was very polished and a little fast-paced for me. This year, the entire Worldwide Developers Conference is virtual due to COVID-19, and the presentations flowed seamlessly from presenter to presenter, leaving little time for someone drawing to catch a breath. I ended up with five pages of drawings in my notebook.

I sketched out the important new features coming in iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, watchOS 7 and more. For a quick visual recap of the highlights of the WWDC 2020 keynote, check out my sketchnotes below.

Get ready to log into websites with Face ID or Touch ID

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Use Face ID or Touch ID to log into websites with Safari.
Logging in to websites is about to get easier for Apple users.
Screenshot: Apple

WWDC 2020 Safari users soon will be able to securely log into websites using Face ID and Touch ID. The new feature, which Apple is rolling out in iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and macOS Big Sur, should take away one of the most irritating things about using the web — remembering, and then typing in, user names and complicated passwords.

On websites that support the feature, users can opt in to use Apple’s biometric ID systems, making that irritating login dance a thing of the past.

How to customize Home screen widgets in iOS 14

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How to use widgets in iOS 14
Make the most of widgets in iOS 14.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2020iOS 14 will ship with a bunch of built-in widgets that put helpful information on your Home screen (with many more coming from third-party developers this fall), and most are customizable in some way.

Here’s how you can edit widgets so that they display the information that’s most relevant to you.

iOS 14’s new Home screen widgets aren’t as powerful as you might think

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Home screen widgets in iOS 14
Widgets are awesome, but they're missing one thing.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2020 For many iPhone users, the biggest and most exciting change in iOS 14 is the addition of Home screen widgets. It’s a feature we’ve been waiting years to get — and a feature Android has offered since the very beginning. But there’s something you should know before you start using them this fall.

iOS 14 Home screen widgets aren’t quite as powerful as you might think they are.

Catch our reactions to the WWDC 20 keynote on The CultCast

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The CultCast podcast: Get our reactions to all the new software showcased during the WWDC 2020 keynote.
So ... much ... new ... software!
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 On today’s special edition of The CultCast: Catch our reactions to all the great stuff announced at the WWDC 2020 keynote. We highlight our favorite features from iOS 14, MacOS Big Sur, tvOS, iPadOS and watchOS, and so much more.

Today’s episode is supported by CleanMyMac X, an all-in-one utility from MacPaw that takes care of your Mac’s health. It’s a macOS cleaner, a performance monitor, a malware remover and occasionally, a lifesaver. And until July 5, you can go to macpaw.com/cultofmac to get CleanMyMac X with a 30% discount.

After virtual WWDC, Apple should never go back to live keynotes

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During the WWDC 2020 keynote, Apple software chief Craig Federighi reveals big changes coming in iOS 14.
It was certainly a different experience, Craig. I'll give you that.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple turned chicken sh*t into chicken salad with Monday’s WWDC 2020 keynote, and now I don’t want Cupertino to ever go back to doing live keynotes. Crude? Perhaps. Truthful? You bet.

Before the streaming event started, some of my Cult of Mac colleagues discussed how Apple would deal with its first virtual keynote. Some of us thought Apple would simply deliver the same Steve Jobs Theater experience, but with no audience present. (Heck, if Apple wanted to, it could have gone the route of U.K. televised football and added crowd noise.) Others thought Apple would, well, think different.

Apple chose this second option and, in the process, freshened up a formula that has remained the same for years. Here’s why it would be a step backward for Cupertino to consider going back to live keynotes.

‘I Just Go Into Jiggle Mode’ reimagines WWDC keynote as a top-tapping pop hit

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Craig Federighi at WWDC 2020: Is there no end to Craig Federighi's talents?
Is there no end to Craig Federighi's talents?
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 One of the low-key highlights following any Apple keynote is seeing how Jonathan Mann, the musical YouTuber who once made Steve Jobs dance, will turn it into a song. This year, Mann’s winning creation is called “I Just Go Into Jiggle Mode,” using a line uttered by Apple software chief Craig Federighi during Monday’s virtual WWDC keynote.

Along with audio clips from the event, Mann also sings tweets written by various online commentators. The results are weird, hilarious — and more than a little catchy. Check out the WWDC 2020 song below.

2020 iMac, AirTags and other rumored devices skip WWDC 2020

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The 2020 iMac could like a bit like this.
The redesigned iMac wasn’t unveiled at WWDC 2020 as had been rumored.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2020 Although Monday’s keynote address for Apple’s annual developers conference was chock-full of announcements, some much-rumored products didn’t see the light of day.

Despite the rumor mill working overtime in the run-up to WWDC 2020, there was no hardware presented at all.

iPad won’t get some of iOS 14’s best new features

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iPadOS 14 Home screen widgets aren’t nearly as flexible as they are in iOS 14
Home screen widgets in iPadOS 14 can only be placed along the left edge.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple gave the world its first look at iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 at WWDC 2020 on Monday. And while these are still closely linked, one of the signature features added to the iPhone version, the App Library, isn’t making the jump to the iPad version.

And placement of Home screen widgets is very limited for tablet users.

7 huge changes for Apple users from WWDC 2020

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Tim Cook opened and closed WWDC 2020
CEO Tim Cook and other Apple executives handled the tough job of a WWDC 2020 keynote without an in-person audience.
Screenshot: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple rose to the challenge of holding a keynote for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in an empty auditorium Monday. A range of executives took the wraps off operating system upgrades for Mac, iPhone, iPad … the whole swath of Cupertino’s devices.

The presentation went surprisingly well, considering that the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the presence of the usual odd mix of highly enthusiastic Apple employees and professionally skeptical journalists.

watchOS 7 adds new workouts, sleep tracking, shareable watch faces and handwashing

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watchOS 7 introduces new complications and watch face sharing
watchOS 7 introduces new complications and watch face sharing
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Cupertino revealed Monday what it has up its sleeve for Apple Watch when the next iteration of watchOS debuts this fall.

Thanks to rumors and leaked betas over the past few months, we already expected many of the Apple Watch features showcased during the WWDC 2020 keynote, like watch face sharing and sleep tracking. But Apple still unleashed some surprises, including a redesigned and renamed Activity app. There’s even an automatic handwashing-detection feature that could help people keep COVID-19 and other nasties at bay.

macOS 11 Big Sur ushers in sweeping changes to Mac

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WWDC 2020: It's official: The next version of macOS will be called
It's official: The next version of macOS will be called "Big Sur."
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 The next Mac operating system, called macOS Big Sur, will bring the biggest design overhaul in nearly two decades, Apple said Monday. In addition to the massive visual upgrades, MacOS Big Sur will usher in huge changes to the Messages, Maps and the Safari web browser.

Apple unveiled the massive changes coming to macOS on Monday during the company’s keynote kicking off this year’s online-only Worldwide Developers Conference.

“This year, we’re taking the macOS experience you love even further,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior VP of software engineering, as he launched into a deep dive into changes coming soon to Mac.

It’s official: Macs will start ditching Intel for Apple silicon this year

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Apple silicon will power future Mac desktops and laptops
Yesterday's Apple keynote was one of the best in years. And not just because it had great products announced.
Screenshot: Apple

WWDC 2020In a dramatic shift, Apple is giving up Intel chips. Instead, future Macs will run Apple silicon — processors engineered by Apple based on ARM designs.

While Apple revealed a general timeline for the transition at its developers conference on Monday, and unveiled software developers will need to get their applications ready, the first ARM Macs are still months away.