The holidays are upon us, and we’re taking a two-week break from email issues—see you next on 8 January 2024! Former Apple engineer David Shayer joins us again to look at the significant interface changes in watchOS 10 and explain what Apple was likely thinking. Apple has introduced Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair, a remote tool for troubleshooting hardware problems with iPhones and Apple silicon Macs. We can look forward to a new Stolen Device Protection option in the upcoming iOS 17.3, due early next year, to eliminate the risk of a thief discovering your passcode and stealing your iPhone. Finally, we look briefly at Apple halting sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in response to an import ban and share an article that explains how to turn off a privacy-abusing feature of many smart TVs. Notable Mac app releases this week include 1Password 8.10.22, Arc 1.21, ChronoSync 11.0.1, CopyPaste Pro 3.8, Lightroom Classic 13.1, Microsoft Office for Mac 16.80, Mimestream 1.2.2, OmniFocus 4.0.1, Parallels Desktop 19.2, Pixelmator Pro 3.5, and Skype 8.110.
In keeping with our tradition, we’re going to take a few weeks off to spend time with family and friends over the holidays. You can expect the next email issue of TidBITS on 8 January 2024. Thanks for reading TidBITS, and we hope our articles enriched your year!
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple will introduce a new feature, Stolen Device Protection, to deter the kind of significant digital damage that iPhone passcode thieves have inflicted on victims.
Although the addition of the iPhone 15 lineup and Macs using the M2 family of chips to Self Service Repair is welcome, the release of the remote Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair troubleshooting tool is more interesting.
Some users love the user interface changes in watchOS 10. Others do not. What changed, and how does Apple decide to update a perfectly good user interface, anyway? Former Apple engineer David Shayer explains what Apple changed and likely why, before sharing how Apple approaches major interface changes.
Watchlist
1Password Chrome extension maintains a connection with the 1Password app even when a Chrome update is pending. ($35.88 annual subscription, free update, 4.8 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Adds controls for flipping Split View orientation to the independent Web browser. (Free, 375.2 MB, macOS 12.1+)
Maintenance release following recent major upgrade of the synchronization and backup tool. ($49.99 new, free update, 100.1 MB, macOS 10.14+)
Multiple-clipboard utility updated to a universal app. ($30 new, free update, 18.1 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Bug fixes for the desktop-focused photo cataloging and editing app. ($9.99/$19.99/$59.99 monthly Creative Cloud subscription, free update for subscribers, macOS 12+)
Update focused on improvements and fixes for Outlook. ($149.99 new for one-time purchase, $99.99/$69.99 annual subscription options, free update, macOS 12+)
Brings autocomplete improvements and bug fixes. ($49.99 new, free update, 12.2 MB, macOS 12+)
Major upgrade for the task management app with a modernized, unified interface across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. ($74.99 new, 50% discount on upgrades, 29.6 MB, macOS 13+)
Brings speed improvements to virtual machine cloning. ($99.99 Standard Edition, free update for version 19 licenses, macOS 10.14.6+)
Adds full support for opening, editing, and exporting HDR images and video. ($49.99 new, free update, 609.3 MB, macOS 12+)
Introduces the TwinCam feature for using your mobile device's camera as a dynamic secondary view. (Free, 234.8 MB, macOS 10.11+)
