Fasten your seatbelts! Today’s WWDC keynote introduced us to macOS 10.15 Catalina, iOS 13 and iPadOS, and watchOS 6—read on for how these OS updates will shape your next year as an Apple user. The company also unveiled a beefy new Mac Pro and its companion Pro Display XDR, both due to ship later this year. But last week, Apple worked overtime to clear the decks, releasing iOS 12.3.1, updating the MacBook Pro and iPod touch, and launching a repair program to address the “Flexgate” problem in 2016 MacBook Pro models. Notable Mac app releases in the past two weeks include BusyCal 3.6.2 and BusyContacts 1.3.3, macOS Mojave 10.14.5 Supplemental Update for MacBook Pro (2018, 2019), Carbon Copy Cloner 5.1.9, ChronoSync 4.9.3, DEVONthink 3.0 Public Beta 2, SEE Finance 2.1.2, SpamSieve 2.9.36, RapidWeaver 8.2.1, Ulysses 16, GraphicConverter 10.7.1, TextExpander 6.5.1, SoundSource 4.1, 1Password 7.3, and AirPort Base Station Firmware Update.
Just 11 days after the release of iOS 12.3, Apple has pushed out iOS 12.31 to fix bugs with Voice over LTE calling and unknown senders in Messages.
Failing displays in 13-inch MacBook Pro models from 2016 have prompted another repair program from Apple.
Continuing to clear the decks before next week’s Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple has updated the iPod touch with a faster CPU and the option for a larger storage configuration. Everything else remains the same.
Apple is once again attempting to address issues with its MacBook Pro butterfly keyboards with a new design for its updated laptop models and an expanded repair program for existing ones. Oh, and there are faster processors.
At WWDC, Apple threw back the curtains on macOS 10.15 Catalina, bringing the Mac ever closer to iOS without losing sight of what makes the Mac unique. We’re particularly impressed with the work the company did on accessibility features.
At WWDC, Apple predictably announced iOS 13 with a slew of new features. In a move no one was expecting, however, the company also announced a new, iPad-specific operating system called iPadOS that’s essentially a superset of iOS 13.
With watchOS 6, Apple has made the Apple Watch more self-reliant and more versatile. It gains an App Store with a library of apps that are, in some cases, iPhone-independent. As a health device, it helps protect users’ hearing and assists women in their menstrual and fertility tracking.
It has been a long time coming, but Apple’s new highly configurable Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR monitor raise the bar—and the price—of a high-end Mac workstation. Well-heeled creative professionals who need maximum performance will be delighted.
Watchlist
Maintenance updates with enhancements and bug fixes for the calendar and contacts apps. ($49.99 new for each, free update, 21.2/11.4 MB)
Address a firmware issue involving the T2 Security Chip on 15-inch MacBook Pro models from 2018 and 2019. (Free, 952.9 MB)
Fixes a bug that could lead the drive-cloning and backup utility to conclude incorrectly that a Google Drive volume is not mounted. ($39.99 new, free update, 15.7 MB)
Maintenance release for the synchronization and backup app. ($49.99 new for ChronoSync, free updates; 66.8 MB)
Second public beta for the recently upgraded information management app. ($99/$149/$499 new, upgrades available, 88.0 MB)
Update to the personal finance app brings a new reconciling mode and a Memorized Transactions feature, along with other minor features and bug fixes. ($39.99 new, free update, 28.7 MB)
Enables you to use Outlook rules to organize messages into folders when running Office 365. ($30 new, free update, 14.3 MB)
Improves the speed of export when publishing to a RAM disk and ensuring lists in styled text areas behave better. ($89 new, free update, 78.9 MB)
Adds support for direct publishing to the Ghost publishing and blogging platform. ($39.99 annual subscription, free update, 23.5 MB)
Maintenance update brings improvements and bug fixes to the graphic conversion and editing utility. ($39.95 new, free update, 194 MB)
Tweaks the snippet editor with a number of bug fixes and usability improvements. ($40 annual subscription, free update, 20.9 MB)
Maintenance update to the recently refreshed sound utility with several enhancements and critical bug fixes. ($29 new, free update, 13.7 MB)
Redesigned 1Password mini analyzes Web pages to show only items that can be filled in on a Web page. ($64.99 new, free update, 50.4 MB)
Patches several security vulnerabilities on AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule base stations with 802.11ac Wi-Fi. (Free)
