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Weekly Issues

Adam Engst

#1777: M5 MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro; iPhone visual intelligence reviewed; Apple TV and Peacock streaming bundle

Apple’s latest M5 chip powers speed bump updates to the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro, and Vision Pro. Adam Engst analyzes the improvements to these updated devices. He also takes a deep…

Adam Engst

#1776: Reducing Liquid Glass’s impact, juice jacking protection broken, Apple TV+ rebranded, Apple discontinues Clips

If Apple’s new Liquid Glass interface has been making text harder to read, you’ll appreciate Adam Engst’s detailed guide to taming transparency across all Apple operating systems. Adam also explores how a bug affecting juice…

Adam Engst

#1775: Thoughts about Liquid Glass and iPhone 16 macro photography

We explore the tension between tools and content in Apple’s worldview, as Adam Engst explains his fundamental concern with the new Liquid Glass interface design—it’s not just about occasional illegibility, but rather a philosophical shift…

Adam Engst

#1774: OS 26.0.1, Apple tees off on EU’s DMA, tracking iPhone camera usage with EXIF, OS 26 update predictions

Apple has released 26.0.1 updates across its operating system lineup to fix various early bugs, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth issues on new iPhones, installation problems for the M3 Ultra Mac Studio, and tvOS audio syncing…

Adam Engst

#1773: macOS 26 Tahoe pushes FileVault, removes FireWire support, and snubs M3 Ultra Mac Studios; plus older OS security fixes

Following last week’s big release, we’re focusing on macOS 26 Tahoe details of interest to both early adopters and those waiting on the sidelines. Notably, macOS 26 now enables FileVault boot protection during installation for…

Adam Engst

#1772: OS 26 released, iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, new Apple Watches, AirPods Pro 3, iPhone satellite features remain free

In this packed issue, Adam Engst explores Apple’s latest gadgets, including the iPhone 17 lineup and the sleek iPhone Air, focusing on some under-the-radar aspects of this new model. Additionally, he looks at the new…

Adam Engst

#1771: Apple iPhone event, Google antitrust decision, The Browser Company acquired, AI chatbot training and subscription models, publishing advice

Apple has announced its annual iPhone event for 9 September 2025, with rumors indicating a thinner iPhone 17 Air model replacing the Plus version, along with updates to the Apple Watch lineup. In a significant…

Adam Engst

#1770: OS security updates, Apple TV+ price increase, Apple ecosystem poll results, NMUG talk, AppleCare One issues

We’re taking next Monday’s email issue off for Labor Day, so TidBITS will return to your inbox on 8 September 2025. Apple has released emergency security updates for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS to patch a…

Adam Engst

#1769: Blood oxygen returns to Apple Watch, TickTick task and event manager, comments from Woz, how deep are you in the Apple ecoystem?

Apple has restored blood oxygen monitoring functionality for previously limited U.S. Apple Watch users through iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1, implementing a new iPhone-based processing approach to work around Masimo’s patent claims. Adam Engst explores…

Adam Engst

#1768: T-Mobile’s T-Satellite vs. Apple’s satellite services, Proton Authenticator for 2FA, Dia Pro subscription, GPT-5

In this issue, Adam Engst compares T-Mobile’s new T-Satellite service with Apple’s free satellite features in terms of coverage, user experience, and pricing. He then explores The Browser Company’s pivot to a subscription model with…

Adam Engst

#1767: Apple Q3 2025 results, OS x.6 updates, TrackWeight scale app, ChatGPT study mode, Dropbox Passwords ending

Apple’s Q3 2025 financial results hit record territory with $94 billion in revenue, powered by strong iPhone, Mac, and Services performance despite tariff pressures. On the software front, Apple released security-focused updates across its operating…

Adam Engst

#1766: OS 26 public betas, AppleCare One multi-device protection plan, TidBITS reader preferred work positions

In this issue, Adam Engst looks at Apple’s newly released public betas for macOS 26 Tahoe, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and more, offering guidance on installation considerations and best practices for beta testing. He also…

Adam Engst

#1765: Standing desks, AI answer engines beat Google AI Overview, Seagate ships 30 TB drives

In this issue, Adam Engst examines how AI answer engines outperform Google’s AI Overview, prompted by humor columnist Dave Barry’s amusing encounter with Google declaring him deceased. The comparison shows dedicated AI services providing more…

Adam Engst

#1764: Deep dive into Web browser navigation aids, revealing the user Library folder, origin of the crayon color picker, 20 years of Mac control panels

This week, Adam Engst explores the history and evolution of Web browser navigation aids from multiple windows to bookmarks, tabs, and pinned tabs. He goes on to examine how different browsers handle pinned tabs and…

Adam Engst

#1763: Cloudflare “pay-per-crawl” proposal, Tim Robertson RIP, browser tab poll, SaneBox sponsoring TidBITS, more Anker power bank recalls

Please welcome our latest long-term sponsor, SaneBox, makers of powerful filtering tools to tame your inbox. Adam Engst looks at Cloudflare’s “pay-per-crawl” proposal for managing AI crawlers and muses about how it could offer a…