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Although the iPhone 16 Pro’s new Ultra Wide camera enables 48-megapixel macro photos, taking them requires more manual steps, and Adam Engst’s testing shows that the 12-megapixel macro images are often better anyway.

Password manager adds support for signing into the app via QR code. ($35.88 annual subscription, free update, 4.8 MB, macOS 10.15+)

Apple has released updates for its five most prominent platforms, fixing a bug that caused Messages to crash when replying to a conversation with a shared Apple Watch face, along with other high-profile bugs on specific devices. 

In a talk at King's College London, Stephen Fry explores the promise and threat of artificial intelligence, concluding that the core danger is greed and suggesting that our best hope may lie in regulating and controlling AI like money.Read original article

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.

Brings bug fixes and improvements to the drive cloning and backup utility. ($49.99 new, free update, 24.2 MB, macOS 13+)

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+)

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 official support for macOS 15 Sequoia to the image editor. ($39.99 new, free update, 36.4 MB, macOS 10.14+)

Longstanding Apple site iMore will no longer be publishing new content, but at least its 15 years of archives will remain online for posterity.Read original article

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.

Maintenance release with a number of improvements and bug fixes for the videoconferencing app. (Free, 129.1 MB, macOS 10.13+)

Brings support for macOS 15 Sequoia and a variety of improvements to the keyboard-driven launcher. (£34 new, free update, 5.5 MB, macOS 10.14+)

Introduces a new command-line tool called vmcli. ($149.99/$199.99 new, free update, macOS 13+)

Brings a variety of improvements and bug fixes to the Fantastical calendar app. ($56.99 annual subscription new, free update, 67.2/29.9 MB, macOS 12+)

Brings some handy new features to Keynote. (Free, various sizes, macOS 14+)

After spending a weekend with the iPhone 16 Pro, Adam Engst feels even more confident in his earlier recommendation of the iPhone 16 for most people. The iPhone 16 Pro’s increased size and weight, along with the lack of noticeably better macro photos, make…

Despite online criticism that continued through multiple betas of macOS 15 Sequoia, Apple has maintained the monthly permissions prompts for screen recording permissions. Adam Engst explains why these prompts reduce security and are examples of poor interface…

Apple has quietly tightened the requirements for how children under 13 in a Family Sharing group can bypass its on-device detection system for nudity in images and videos.

Audio control utility is stuffed with a plethora of additions, improvements and bug fixes. ($39 new, free update, 41.8 MB, macOS 14.5+)

Adds support for macOS 15 Sequoia, improves customization of the menu bar, and enhances Internet Access Policy support. ($59 new, free update, 27.4 MB, macOS 14+)

Brings full support for macOS 15 Sequoia plus several bug fixes to the venerable backup utility. ($27.95 new, free update, 9.9 MB, macOS 10.13+)

Brings improved compatibility with macOS 15 Sequoia to the task management app. ($74.99 new, free update, 32.6 MB, macOS 14+)

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+)

We plan to move the main TidBITS website on Tuesday night, so let us know in TidBITS Talk if you notice any problems.

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.

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…

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.

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+)