Apple kept everyone hopping last week with new hardware, updates to all its operating systems, and a strong earnings report. First up was the company’s release of long-awaited updates to the MacBook Air and Mac mini, along with a new iPad Pro that integrates Face ID and supports a redesigned Apple Pencil that significantly improves on the original. Alongside the new hardware came iOS 12.1 and macOS 10.14.1, which add the delayed Group FaceTime feature, plus smaller updates to watchOS 5.1.1, tvOS 12.1, and iOS 12.1 for HomePod. Finally, Apple’s Q4 2018 earnings once again set records, but investors were spooked by flat and declining unit sales, as well as Apple’s refusal to release those numbers in the future. Notable Mac app releases this week include Safari 12.0.1, Security Update 2018-002 (High Sierra) and Security Update 2018-005 (Sierra), SpamSieve 2.9.34, ScreenFlow 8.2, Agenda 2.6, and Luminar 2018 1.3.2.
Apple had yet another record-breaking quarter even though unit sales for the iPhone and Mac were flat, and the iPad’s unit sales declined. The increase in revenue seems to have come from higher selling prices and increased Services revenue.
During its special event in Brooklyn, Apple announced iOS 12.1, which gains the delayed Group FaceTime feature, dual-SIM capabilities for this year’s iPhones, camera improvements, new emojis, and more. Later in the day, the company quietly released macOS 10.14.1 Mojave, also with support for Group FaceTime, along with watchOS 5.1, tvOS 12.1, and iOS 12.1 for HomePod.
Apple has at long last updated the popular MacBook Air with a Retina display, Touch ID, a higher RAM ceiling, and a pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports. But not much separates it from the non-Touch Bar 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the previous MacBook Air and 12-inch MacBook also remain for sale.
Grab your wallet as a set of spiffy new iPad Pros come to town, featuring Face ID, USB-C, and A12X Bionic brains. Apple also released an improved Apple Pencil that charges inductively, sticks to the iPad Pro itself, and won't roll off your desk.
The Mac mini, long believed to be on death’s door, has received an overhaul that brings it up to date and offers configuration options that will please professional users.
Watchlist
Addresses WebKit and Safari Reader security vulnerabilities for macOS 10.12.6 Sierra and 10.13.6 High Sierra. (Free)
Patches a lengthy list of security vulnerabilities in Apple’s last two operating systems. (Free, various sizes)
Brings a variety of changes to improve how the spam filtering utility works with Mail in macOS 10.14 Mojave. ($30 new, free update, 13.9 MB)
Brings a smattering of improvements and a lengthy list of bug fixes to the screencast recording and video editing app. ($129 new, free update, upgrade pricing available, 54.7 MB)
Enables editing of the displayed date label in the calendar popover as a way to jump quickly to a given date. (Free, 29.1 MB)
Introduces the AI Sky Enhancer that uses artificial intelligence to create beautiful skies in your images. ($69 new, free update, 477 MB)
