A week after updating all its operating systems, Apple has pushed out iOS 14.5.1, iPadOS 14.5.1, macOS 11.3.1 Big Sur, and watchOS 7.4.1 to fix an App Tracking Transparency bug and a nasty WebKit vulnerability that may be in the wild. In a quieter update, Apple added 10 Gigabit Ethernet as a build-to-order option for the M1-based Mac mini. Josh Centers explains how to use the new Color Balance feature in tvOS 14.5 to quickly and easily correct color in video from the Apple TV. Finally, Michael Cohen and Josh break down Apple’s record-shattering fiscal Q2 2021. Notable Mac app releases this week include Security Update 2021-002 Catalina and 2021-003 Mojave, Pixelmator Pro 2.0.8, EagleFiler 1.9.4, BBEdit 13.5.6, Airfoil 5.10.3, Acorn 7.0.3, and Zoom 5.6.4.
Apple has issued updates to iOS and iPadOS to fix the App Tracking Transparency, and updates for Big Sur and watchOS—and iOS 12—to fix a WebKit vulnerability.
Looking for more network throughput with an M1-based Mac mini? Good news—Apple quietly started offering a 10 Gigabit Ethernet option for that model, along with support for Lights Out Management.
Calibration is the secret to optimizing your TV’s picture quality, but it’s an obscure and finicky process. The new Color Balance feature in tvOS 14.5 makes it easy, though it won’t affect brightness, contrast, or sharpness.
The world may be a year into a global pandemic, but Apple is healthier than ever. Its quarterly profits more than doubled year-over-year, and its revenues in all sales categories, led by chart-busting Mac and iPad sales, smashed records. As CEO Tim Cook put it, “Another strong quarter.”
Watchlist
Patches security vulnerabilities in Catalina and Mojave. (Free, various sizes, macOS 10.15.7 and 10.14.6)
Adds support for LUT files, enabling you to edit the colors of images using color presets created in other apps. ($39.99 new, free update, 305 MB, macOS 10.14.4+)
Improves the Import ENEX File command to handle invalid XML generated by Evernote 10. ($40 new, free update, 31.4 MB, macOS 10.12+)
Reduces the amount of time required to start a multi-file search of a collection of discrete files. ($49.99 new, free update, 18.7 MB, macOS 10.14.2+)
Updates the Audio Capture Engine to upgrade its sample rate converter and improve drift correction. ($29 new, free update, 34 MB, macOS 10.13+)
Maintenance update with improvements and bug fixes for the recently upgraded image editing app. ($39.99 new, free update, 19.2 MB, macOS 10.14+)
Adds the Vanishing Pen annotation tool and the Immersive View feature. (Free, 24 MB, macOS 10.9+)
