It’s time for yet another slew of Apple operating system updates: iOS 14.6, iPadOS 14.6, macOS 11.4, watchOS 7.5, tvOS 14.6, and HomePod Software 14.6, which primarily offer support for paid podcast subscriptions and Apple Card Family, along with a bevy of security updates. Glenn Fleishman’s article outlining various scenarios around the use and abuse of AirTags revealed confusion about the difference between the Find My feature and Apple’s Find My network. Adam Engst wades into the topic to explain the distinction. Finally, Take Control of Apple TV author Josh Centers reviews the second-generation Siri Remote and offers guidance for those considering the updated Apple TV 4K. Notable Mac app releases this week include Carbon Copy Cloner 6.0, Hazel 5.0.7, Moneydance 2021.1, and Twitterrific 5.4.6.
Apple has released operating system updates to add support for paid podcast subscriptions and Apple Card Family, along with enhanced privacy and anti-stalking protections for AirTags.
Our lengthy article outlining numerous scenarios for ways that the AirTags could be used and misused revealed that some people didn’t understand the difference between Find My iPhone and participating in the global Find My network. They are distinct, and you can use one without the other.
After years of making Apple TV users suffer, Apple has redesigned the Siri Remote. Is the second-generation redesign a big enough improvement to justify its $59 price tag?
The Apple TV has received its first hardware update in years, but is it worth an upgrade? Do you even need an Apple TV anymore?
Watchlist
Major update for the drive-cloning and backup utility with faster backups and a redesigned interface. ($39.99 new, free update, 19.4 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Brings an assortment of bug fixes to the file automation and cleanup utility. ($42 new, free update, 20.3 MB, macOS 10.13+)
Maintenance release for the personal finance management app with a plethora of improvements and bug fixes. ($49.99 new, free update, 144 MB, macOS 10.11+)
Maintenance release for the independent Twitter client with an icon update and bug fixes. ($7.99 new, free update, 26.3 MB, macOS 10.14+)