In the iPhone 15, Apple added an option to limit charging to 80% to prolong battery longevity. After seeing the results of a year-long test by Juli Clover of MacRumors, Adam Engst recommends using Apple’s Optimized Battery Charging instead. He also solves a longstanding iPhone puzzle—how to use a Gmail alias in the iPhone’s Mail app rather than the underlying Gmail address. We also briefly note the shutdown of iMore and share a thought-provoking piece about the promise and threats of AI by Stephen Fry. Notable Mac app releases this week include Acorn 7.4.5, Carbon Copy Cloner 7.0.3, Mimestream 1.4.1, OmniFocus 4.4, SoundSource 5.7.1, and Timing 2024.4.
Juli Clover of MacRumors used a new feature of the iPhone 15 lineup to restrict her iPhone 15 Pro Max from charging over 80% for an entire year. It was an inconvenience, but it may have slightly improved her battery longevity.
Frustrated by having to reveal his backend Gmail address, Adam Engst figures out how to configure Mail on the iPhone to use a Gmail alias.
Watchlist
Brings official support for macOS 15 Sequoia to the image editor. ($39.99 new, free update, 36.4 MB, macOS 10.14+)
Brings bug fixes and improvements to the drive cloning and backup utility. ($49.99 new, free update, 24.2 MB, macOS 13+)
Adds compatibility with macOS 15 Sequoia and fixes bugs found in the new operating system. ($49.99 annual subscription, free update, 12.4 MB, macOS 12+)
Brings improved compatibility with macOS 15 Sequoia to the task management app. ($74.99 new, free update, 32.6 MB, macOS 14+)
Maintenance release for the recently upgraded audio control utility. ($39 new, free update, 41.8 MB, macOS 14.5+)
Adds AI-generated summaries of your workday. ($108/$132/$192 annual subscriptions, free update, 26.8 MB, macOS 10.15+)
