In a welcome change from pundits pontificating, Apple executives Craig Federighi and Greg Joswiak appeared on John Gruber’s The Talk Show podcast to discuss the company’s announcements at WWDC 2020.
There are big changes coming to how you invoke various startup modes on Apple Silicon Macs, but the good news is that you won’t have to remember obscure keyboard combinations.
Don’t have nearly 2 hours to watch the WWDC keynote, fast-paced though it was? Former Macworld and iMore editor Serenity Caldwell narrates a highly edited summary that covers the key points in less than 90 seconds.
Apple unveiled macOS 11.0 Big Sur during the WWDC keynote, showing off overhauls of Messages and Maps, while improving Safari, Photos, and other apps. Mail was conspicuously absent for now.
Described as being the biggest update to macOS since OS X, macOS Big Sur features streamlined design, more customizable controls, privacy enhancements, and increased interoperability with iPadOS and iOS. X hasn’t marked the spot for several years, but we’re now in Spinal Tap territory: it’s macOS 11.0 Big Sur, for those who are keeping score.
The rumors finally came true. At the WWDC keynote, Apple announced that the Mac would be transitioning to custom-designed Apple processors along the lines of those that power the iPad Pro. The first such Mac should be available by the end of this year, with the full transition taking about two years.
Apple has rolled out an ultra-high-end graphics option for the 16-inch MacBook Pro and do-it-yourself SSD upgrades for the Mac Pro.
You’ve been able to trade in old Macs while purchasing online for a while now, but Apple is reportedly planning to extend the program to in-store Mac trade-ins.
Rumors of ARM-based Macs continue to appear. Lower power and longer battery life are always cited. But even more important are the business advantages Apple would reap from switching from Intel to ARM. Former Apple engineer David Shayer explains what would be behind such a processor transition.
Apple has released updates to macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS to address a security vulnerability in the kernel that could allow an app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Update soon!
If you’ve upgraded to macOS 10.15.5 Catalina, note that Apple has licensed a number of lovely fonts you can use for free.
Apple has released macOS 10.15.5 Catalina with a new battery health management feature for recent Mac laptops, along with a necessary option for Group FaceTime, calibration for the Pro Display XDR, and a smattering of bug and security fixes.
Adam Engst was recently turned on to the VintageApple.org site, which has full archives of Macworld, MacUser, and Byte, along with hundreds of vintage books about the Mac and Apple. Check it out!
If you need a new Mac or other Apple product, you may be waiting for a while. Direct orders for some of Apple’s most popular products have longer-than-usual shipping delays. It’s worth checking with independent Apple resellers too.
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.