Much of the world may have shut down, but Apple continues to forge ahead with the release of new 13-inch MacBook Pro models that boast a Magic Keyboard and twice the standard storage space. Apple also added COVID-19 testing sites to Apple Maps. In financial news, Apple had a bumpy Q2 2020 but still managed to squeeze out a small amount of growth. Michael E. Cohen reviews PDFpen 12, which adds new compression tools and a magnifier. Finally, Julio Ojeda-Zapata puts the new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro through its paces—does it enable the iPad Pro to replace a MacBook? Notable Mac app releases this week include Mactracker 7.9, Ulysses 19.1, GraphicConverter 11.2, and Audio Hijack 3.7.2.
Apple Maps in iOS and iPadOS now displays COVID-19 testing sites throughout the United States.
Despite a pandemic and a pending economic catastrophe, Apple still managed to eke out some growth in Q2 2020, largely thanks to its Wearables and Services categories.
Apple has announced an update to the 13-inch MacBook Pro that eliminates the butterfly keyboard and doubles the standard storage. The higher-end models also feature 10th-generation Intel CPUs for faster performance.
Version 12 of Smile's PDF-editing apps, PDFpen and PDFpenPro, include a new magnifier window, compression and optimization capabilities, new document stationery, a callout tool, and, for pro users, a new digital signature feature.
The Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is Apple’s first iPad cover with an integrated trackpad, and it also features a revised keyboard, a rugged hinge with a built-in USB-C charging port, and a new docking system that holds the iPad in the air. It makes the iPad Pro into more of an alternative to a laptop than ever before.
Watchlist
Adds detailed information about all recent hardware and operating system releases, including the refreshed Mac Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and iPhone 11 models. (Free, 124 MB)
Adds a Material sheets feature for brainstorming and notes plus support for using keywords in Markdown files. ($39.99 annual subscription, free update, 20 MB)
Offers user interface updates, bug fixes, and other improvements to the Swiss Army knife of graphics programs. ($39.95 new, free update, 157 MB)
Brings improvements to the recently added Live Stream feature, including streaming to Facebook Live. ($49 new, free update, 18.3 MB)
