Apple has released updates to all its operating systems, but only macOS 15.3 Sequoia, iOS 18.3, and iPadOS 18.3 see notable changes, nearly all related to Apple Intelligence—we run down the details. Apple’s AI-driven features are also now enabled by default, a move that sparked widespread reactions. Adam Engst examines why Apple made this decision and discusses the implications of embracing or deactivating the broad feature set. He also takes advantage of a recent bout of COVID-19 to show that the new Vitals app in watchOS 11 may help identify an oncoming illness, despite Apple’s disclaimers. Our AppBITS column highlights PolyCapture, an elegant app for recording multiple audio, video, and screen sources simultaneously. In ExtraBITS, we warn about how a WhatsApp feature can be exploited for spying and share a comical yet sobering look at Siri’s inability to answer even basic questions correctly. Notable Mac app releases this week include 1Password 8.10.58, Agenda 20.0.1, DEVONagent Pro 3.11.10, and Timing 2025.1.
Need to record from multiple sources at once? PolyCapture handles multiple cameras, mics, and screen captures simultaneously, saving each input as a separate file for production flexibility.
Adam Engst explores whether the Apple Watch’s new Vitals app, which tracks five health metrics, can identify illness onset and shares his experience with COVID-19 detection through abnormal measurements.
Apple’s upcoming operating system updates will make Apple Intelligence the default, sparking widespread reactions. Adam Engst delves into why Apple is making this decision and offers guidance on the implications of embracing or deactivating the broad feature set.
Apple has released its third major operating system update, including macOS 15.3 Sequoia, iOS 18.3, and iPadOS 18.3. These updates improve the Apple Intelligence notification summaries, enhance Visual Intelligence for iPhone 16 users, bring Genmoji to the Mac, and add repeated operations to the Calculator app. They also fix a zero-day security vulnerability.
Watchlist
Maintenance release with a variety of improvements and bug fixes for the password manager. ($35.88 annual subscription, free update, 4.8 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Date-focused note-taking app adds support for collapsing note sections and text filtering of notes. (Free or $34.99 annual subscription for Premium features, free update, 75.8 MB, macOS 10.14+)
Tackles a major change by Google that was blocking access to its search results. ($Free/$4.95/$49.95 new, free update, various sizes, macOS 11+)
Time and productivity tracking app's first update for 2025 brings some helpful improvements. ($108/$132/$192 annual subscriptions, free update, 25.8 MB, macOS 10.15+)
