iOS

Two weeks after releasing the latest watchOS 5.1.3 developer beta, Apple is releasing its final version for consumers later today. The release notes only mention bug fixes, but we’ll update if anything notable is discovered on the new release. iOS 12.1.3 is also coming out to all customers.

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There has long been debate over the extent to which macOS and iOS will converge. Some think we’ve already gone too far down that route, with Launchpad coming in for particular criticism as an unnecessary child-like interface (though it can be made more useful). At the other extreme, some think Apple should go as far as touchscreen Macs and enable people to run either OS on both Macs and iPads.

Apple itself has consistently said that it considers Macs and iPads to be different categories of device, a message somewhat diluted by ads referring to the iPad as a computer.

But I was struck by a suggestion of two iOS features that might work on Mac …

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One of the biggest shake-ups we’ve seen in the iOS user-interface was the replacement of skeuomorphism – making things look like real-life objects – with the complete opposite in iOS 7. Where once we had realistic looking 3D representations, we instead got a ‘flat’ UI which goes out of its way to remain 2D.

While some feel that skeuomorphism looks old-fashioned these days, the approach still has its fans even now – and Apple has shown signs of beginning to adopt a new take on the look using something called anisotropism …

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We want a lot out of iOS 13, but there’s one issue that’s becoming increasingly problematic on iPhones for a lot of customers: spam calls. This is something any future version of the iPhone software should tackle — iOS 13 or a point update like iOS 12.1.3 — if only by giving customers more control over how phone calls are treated.

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Security has been a huge topic of debate over the past several years. Most modern tech companies use some form of two-factor authentication to add a layer of security. Recently, the trend of USB keys has made its rounds, requiring a physical connection to unlock your accounts.

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Screen Time was one of the key features in iOS 12, and it does seem like something Apple is committed to as a focus of iOS going forward. Kids love their iOS devices, so it makes sense for Apple to continue to enhance ways to help parents going forward.

We recently learned that Apple has been cracking down on third-party apps that provide parental controls, so it got me thinking about how Screen Time could be enhanced to give parents greater control with iOS. Here are some ideas I came up with for Screen Time upgrades in iOS 13. If you have any more, please leave them in the comments.
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[Update: Now available (and labeled beta 2 after the initial iOS 12.1.2 beta cycle). The second macOS 10.14.3 and tvOS 12.1.2 betas are also out today. watchOS 5.1.3 beta 2 and public betas for iOS and tvOS are also available.]

Apple is releasing the first iOS 12.1.3 developer beta later today, after releasing iOS 12.1.2 earlier this week following patent claims by Qualcomm which threatened iPhone sales in China. This new beta is actually considered beta 2 because it follows the same train of the previous iOS 12.1.2 beta, but since that version number was taken by the unexpected release, Apple had to increase the patch number. The release notes only mention bug fixes, but we’ll update if anything notable is discovered on the new beta.

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Over the last several weeks, Apple has been using its iOS apps to send a wave of push notifications to users. Just today, Apple is sending a push notification to Apple Music users informing them that Apple Music is now supported on Amazon Echo devices. This is just the most recent example of Apple’s newfound obsession with sending push notifications to users.

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[Update: iOS 12.1.2 is now available with build number 16C101. The first beta was build number 16D5024a.]

Apple just started the beta testing process for iOS 12.1.2 last week, but the company will today release the update to the public. Release notes for the update indicate that it includes eSIM and cellular connectivity bug fixes.

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Following China granting Qualcomm an import and sales ban on some iPhone models earlier this week, Apple announced this evening that it will release a software update to resolve any potential patent infringement. The software update will roll out next week.

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Traditionally, the video creation process follows a somewhat linear set of steps: pre-production, production, and post-production. Now, a Sydney-based team of creative professionals are challenging traditional workflows with a new filmmaking app released today called Nizo.

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