Start your engines! Apple has released macOS 15 Sequoia, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, tvOS 18, and HomePod Software 18. Adam Engst offers advice on when different types of users should upgrade and provides links to learn more. Apple also pushed out security updates in macOS 14.7 Sonoma, macOS 13.7 Ventura, iOS 17.7, and iPadOS 17.7. We catch up on the big AirPods announcements from Apple’s Glowtime event, recap the results of our Do You Use It? poll asking iPhone 15 Pro users if and how they use the Action button, and look at adoc Studio in AppBITS. Notable Mac app releases this week include Airfoil 5.12.3, Audio Hijack 4.4.4, and Piezo 1.9.4; BusyCal 2024.3.9 and BusyContacts 2024.3.1; Microsoft Office for Mac 16.89; Parallels Desktop 20.0; and Photos Workbench 1.3.
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If you aren’t making the jump to Apple’s just-released major upgrades for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, you can install these security updates instead.
Adam Engst looks at adoc Studio, a new app for creating and previewing AsciiDoc files. AsciiDoc is a markup language for long technical documents, and adoc Studio simplifies the process with a native Mac interface and numerous helpful features.
The results of our poll asking owners of the iPhone 15 Pro if they use the Action button, and if so, for what, show that most people have it toggle Silent mode, just like the Ring/Silent switch it replaces, open the Camera app, or don’t use it at all.
The new AirPods 4 introduce an updated industrial design that Apple says will fit more ears and include a more expensive model with Active Noise Cancellation. However, the more exciting news may be the addition of hearing tests and a Hearing Aid mode for the current AirPods Pro 2.
Apple has released the initial versions of its 2024 operating systems—macOS 15 Sequoia, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, tvOS 18, and HomePod Software 18. You might want to upgrade immediately, but Adam Engst recommends that most people wait at least a bit. Or even longer, for macOS.
Watchlist
Three Rogue Amoeba audio apps add full support for macOS 15 Sequoia. ($35/64/25 new, free update, various sizes, macOS 14.4+)
Adds support for macOS 15 Sequoia to both apps, plus brings context menu improvements in BusyContacts. ($49.99 new for each, free update, various sizes, macOS 10.15+)
Adds the ability to use the keyboard to work with the ribbon in all Office apps. ($149.99 new for one-time purchase, $99.99/$69.99 annual subscription options, free update, macOS 12+)
Major upgrade for virtualization software with support for macOS 15 Sequoia as well as Windows 11 24H2. ($99.99 Standard Edition, upgrades available, free update for subscribers, macOS 10.14.6+)
Adds compatibility with macOS 15 Sequoia and fixes bugs. ($29 new, free update, 5.8 MB, macOS 12+)
