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Apple's online-only WWDC starts on June 22nd, and it's free
Shelter-in-place orders and limits on public gatherings forced Apple to cancel the in-person portion of its Worldwide Developers Conference, but the show will go on -- and now we know when. The company confirmed this morning that this year's online-only WWDC will begin on June 22nd, and will be available for free to “all developers” interested in tuning in. “WWDC20 will be our biggest yet, bringing together our global developer community of more than 23 million in an unprecedented way for a week in June to learn about the future of Apple platforms,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing in a press release.
Chris Velazco05.05.2020
Valve will no longer support SteamVR on macOS
Valve has cancelled support for SteamVR on macOS. Apple may eventually create its own AR/VR headset, though.
Marc DeAngelis05.01.2020
Apple's latest MacBook Air drops to $950 a few weeks after its debut
Apple only announced the 2020 MacBook Air last month, but it's already on sale at B&H and Amazon.
Igor Bonifacic04.21.2020
Apple Maps will show COVID-19 testing locations
Apple is asking healthcare providers to display COVID-19 testing locations in Maps, complete with details of what you need before you go.
Jon Fingas04.11.2020
Safari flaw let intruders hijack cameras on iPhones and Macs
If you're working on a Mac at home or reconnecting with friends on an iPhone, you'll want to be sure you have the latest security updates. Security researcher Ryan Pickren has detailed recently patched Safari vulnerabilities that allowed intruders to hijack the cameras and microphones on iOS and macOS devices. A maliciously crafted website could trick Safari into believing the page had the same camera and mic permissions as one you'd already cleared, such as Skype. The attacker just needed a combination of specially-made web addresses with scripts to perform a "bait-and-switch."
Jon Fingas04.05.2020
Dropbox beta for Mac can finally sync your desktop
Dropbox has been less alluring to some Mac users than iCloud in part because of its limited syncing. Where Apple's service can sync your desktop and Documents folder, you've had to be content with syncing a special folder with Dropbox's service. You might have reason to give it a second look in the near future, though. The 9to5Mac team has discovered that the latest Dropbox beta for Mac (sadly, not easy to grab) has the option of syncing your desktop, Documents and Downloads.
Jon Fingas03.29.2020
Apple rolls out iOS and iPadOS 13.4 with trackpad support
Right on cue, Apple has released iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 -- and they're particularly big news if you're an iPad owner. As promised, iPadOS 13.4 has introduced mouse and trackpad support that lets you treat your tablet more like a laptop, including multi-touch gestures for navigation. Apple clearly built this with the iPad Pro's Magic Keyboard in mind, but you can use it with other iPads if you have the right peripherals.
Jon Fingas03.24.2020
Amazon discounts the 256GB MacBook Air to under $1,000
As part of its latest deal of the day, Amazon has discounted the 2019 MacBook Air. Until the end of the day, you can get the space grey model -- with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage -- for $999. The $300 price drop is the biggest discount the online retailer has offered on this specific model to date.
Igor Bonifacic02.26.2020
Apple brings code-teaching app Swift Playgrounds to the Mac
Swift Playgrounds, Apple's teach-kids*-how-to-code-app for the iPad, is now available to use on your Mac desktop. The title, which enables you to learn the basics of Swift, Apple's newest programming language, uses game-like elements to sneak code into your subconscious. You play by guiding a character, called Byte, through a series of levels, solving puzzles (with code) as you go.
Daniel Cooper02.13.2020
Apple may be testing Macs with AMD processors
Recently discovered references to AMD CPUs within the code of the latest macOS Catalina betas suggest Apple may be testing the chipmaker's processors to see how they work with its Mac computers. A Reddit and Twitter user named "_rogame" spotted the code snippets, which reference several different AMD processors. For instance, one codename that has come up is "Renoir," which correlates to AMD's new Ryzen 4000-series chips.
Igor Bonifacic02.07.2020
Apple will give the option to buy iOS and Mac apps as a bundle
The latest beta of Apple's Xcode development tool adds a small but nifty feature that will make it easier in some situations to buy apps you want to use across iOS and macOS. Developers who decide to take advantage of the feature will be able to bundle together different versions of an app into a single "Universal Purchase." If you buy one version, you'll then get access to the other automatically. As part of the same change, developers will also have the option to sell unified in-app purchases.
Igor Bonifacic02.05.2020
'Rocket League' loses online multiplayer on Linux and Mac
Psyonix has announced that it is withdrawing support for Rocket League on Linux and macOS as part of its push to update the game with "new technologies." In a statement, the company said that it was "no longer viable" to maintain support for the macOS and Linux / SteamOS versions of the title. Consequently, after a final patch in March, online functionality (one of the main reasons to play the game) will be deactivated.
Daniel Cooper01.24.2020
Apple might be developing a 'Pro Mode' to speed up Macbooks
Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro was a return to form for the company, especially when it came to portable power. (We did call it the "ultimate MacBook," after all.) Now, Apple might be developing another way to speed up its notebooks: a new "Pro Mode" that users can manually turn on and off. As 9to5Mac reports, the new mode is referenced in the Catalina 10.15.3 beta build, though it doesn't appear as a working feature just yet.
Devindra Hardawar01.13.2020
Apple will start enforcing its Mac app security policy in February
Apple warned that it would eventually want notarization for non-App Store software running on macOS Catalina, and now there's a firm deadline for that request. The tech firm has informed developers that all of these apps will have to be notarized from February 3rd, 2020 onward if they're going to run "by default." Older apps will still run trouble-free, and you can still run non-notarized apps if you're willing to jump through a few hoops -- this will just prevent you from launching newer apps from beyond the Mac App Store without doing something else first.
Jon Fingas12.24.2019
Apple Arcade is now available as a $50 yearly subscription
Apple Arcade is already a fairly good value at $5 per month, but it's now more affordable still -- provided you're willing to make a deeper commitment, that is. iFun.de has noticed that you now have the option of a $50 annual subscription (£50 in the UK and €50 in the EU) that should save you about $10 per year. Much like Apple Music's yearly plan, this makes the most sense if you fully expect to stay subscribed and don't mind paying up front.
Jon Fingas12.16.2019
Apple confirms shutdown issue with the 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro
Apple's MacBook Pro issues are still ongoing, as it recently issued a support document confirming an unexpected shutdown problem on the entry-level 13-inch 2019 MacBook Pro. According to MacRumors' forum, the model can suddenly shut down when it hits about 25 to 50 percent of its battery life and you can only turn it on again by connecting the charger.
Steve Dent12.04.2019
Apple offers three-month News+ trials through Black Friday weekend
Apple Music has long had three-month free trials, but what if you want to give News+ a similar dry run? You can -- but only if you act quickly. Apple is offering a three-month trial to News+ to American and Canadian users who sign up through Black Friday weekend. That's much longer than the usual one month, and should give you a considerably better feel for what it's like to read magazines and newspapers on your Apple devices.
Jon Fingas11.30.2019
'Steven Universe: Unleash the Light' arrives on Apple Arcade
There's now a way to continue the Steven Universe role-playing saga -- if you have Apple gear. Cartoon Network has released Steven Universe: Unleash the Light as an Apple Arcade title for Apple TV, iOS devices and Macs. The game has you once again leading Steven and pals, this time as they fight two Prism-toting Gems who threaten to disrupt the peace you fought so hard for the last time. The network isn't skimping on talent -- the story is co-written by SU creator Rebecca Sugar, and touts voice acting from the TV show's cast.
Jon Fingas11.27.2019
8BitDo's tiny keychain Switch controller is now available
It feels like 8BitDo can barely let a month slip by without offering a new Nintendo Switch controller. This time around, it's putting its keychain-sized Zero 2 up for pre-order.
Kris Holt11.25.2019
Brave says 8.7 million people use its privacy-focused browser every month
Almost four years after its first release, privacy-focused web browser Brave is officially launching. Starting today, you can download version 1.0 of Brave on Android and iOS, as well as on Windows 10, macOS and Linux. With Brave 1.0, you can now use the company's opt-in ad platform and enroll in Brave Rewards on both iPhone and iPad. In short, this is the release where you can seamlessly use almost all of Brave's marquee features across all platforms.
Igor Bonifacic11.13.2019