The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro started shipping last week, and we have a roundup of some of the best early reviews so you can decide whether to upgrade—reviews of the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max should be coming in a few weeks. Apple also released iOS 14.1, iPadOS 14.1, HomePod Software 14.1, and tvOS 14.02. HomePod Software 14.1 brings the HomePod into the iOS 14 era and introduces the new Intercom feature. Apple also released watchOS 7.0.3 to fix unexpected restarts on the Apple Watch Series 3. Finally, Rich Mogull examines the blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch Series 6 from his perspective as a paramedic. Notable Mac app releases this week include Lightroom Classic 10.0, KeyCue 9.8, SpamSieve 2.9.40, Airfoil 5.9.2, TripMode 3, Moneydance 2021, EagleFiler 1.9, Audio Hijack 3.7.4, and Piezo 1.6.7.
Apple has responded to widespread reports of unexpected restarts for the Apple Watch Series 3 with the release of watchOS 7.0.3. No other Apple Watch models will see the update.
Apple has released iOS 14.1, iPadOS 14.1, and HomePod Software 14.1, with the first two adding support for playing and editing HDR video and the HomePod update adding the new Intercom feature.
Apple has once again anointed a select few reviewers to get early access to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. Here’s a roundup of their early impressions.
As a paramedic, Rich Mogull has spent decades using pulse oximeters under extreme conditions and environments. While he found the Apple Watch Series 6’s blood oxygen sensor to be quite accurate with just a little focus on positioning, he explains why it’s hard to find the value and use cases for home blood-oxygen monitoring.
Watchlist
Major upgrade for the desktop-focused photo cataloging and editing app brings performance enhancements and new features. ($9.99/$19.99/$52.99 monthly Creative Cloud subscription, free update for subscribers, macOS 10.14+)
The keyboard shortcut and emoji cheat sheet utility adds support for macOS 11 Big Sur. (€19.99 new, free update, 4.0 MB, macOS 10.7+)
Adds support for Mail in macOS 11.0 Big Sur and improves the spam filtering utility's accuracy. ($30 new, free update, 17.7 MB, macOS 10.9+)
Updates the Audio Capture Engine and fixes several bugs. ($29 new, free update, 19.8 MB, macOS 10.13+)
Major upgrade for the data usage control utility introduces a new feature for viewing traffic of all apps in real-time. ($15 new, $7.50/free upgrade, 10.3 MB, macOS 11+)
Major upgrade for the personal finance management app brings a fresh appearance and improved syncing engine with end-to-end encryption. ($49.99 new, free update, 131 MB, macOS 10.11+)
Adds support for macOS 11.0 Big Sur and enhances the user interface. ($40 new, free update, 28.5 MB, macOS 10.12+)
Updates the Audio Capture Engine and adds support for the Jamulus and Jami apps as VoIP sources. ($49/19 new, free updates, 20.9/10.0 MB, macOS 10.13+)