Week 5, March 2023
“Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward; they may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
1. Microsoft announces Security Copilot, leveraging GPT-4 for ‘the new era of security’
● Microsoft has announced the latest way it’s integrating OpenAI’s GPT-4 into its services and software. With a fresh app called Security Copilot, Microsoft believes leveraging GPT-4’s AI will usher in “the new era of security” by helping infosec professionals save time, simplify the complex, catch what others miss, and address the talent gap.
● Twitter has been aggressively pushing its Blue subscription, which unlocks some exclusive features and also gives users a blue verified badge. In another attempt to convince more users to pay for Twitter Blue, the platform will now stop recommending tweets from unverified accounts. More than that, non-Blue users will no longer be able to vote in polls.
3. 40+ macOS keyboard shortcuts you should know [Video]
● You probably use your computer every day without giving it a second thought, but there are lots of shortcuts that you could be using to get the most out of your time. Here are over 40 keyboard shortcuts you should be using in macOS.
4. Do you know these 8 tips and tricks for backing up your iPhone, iPad, and Mac?
● Today, March 31 is World Backup Day — a good reminder to check in on your device backups. Let’s look at 8 tips and tricks to backup iPhone, iPad, and Mac with built-in and third-party options, shared Time Machine backups, NAS, and more.
5. Netflix’s ad-supported tier finally works with Apple TV set-top box
● Netflix launched its cheaper “Basic with Ads” plan back in November. But the launch had a significant gotcha for Apple users: The Netflix tvOS app did not support the ads tier, meaning subscribers on that plan simply couldn’t use their Apple TV set-top box to watch Netflix.
6. Apple updates iWork apps with Apple Pencil Hover, better collaboration, more
● Following the release of iOS 16.4, macOS 13.3, and more earlier this week, Apple is now rolling out updates to its suite of iWork apps. Updates to Keynote, Pages, and Numbers are now available with new Apple Pencil features, improved collaboration, and more.
7. iOS 16.4 expands 5G support to new regions, plus Google Fi users
● Apple released iOS 16.4 to the general public this week with a ton of new features and changes. Alongside what we reported yesterday, iOS 16.4 also expands 5G connectivity to additional users, including support on Google Fi for the first time.
● Code references first spotted by Steve Moser in the iOS 16.5 betas describe a new “Multiview” experience for the Apple TV app, supporting up to four simultaneous streams at once.
9. HomePod and HomePod mini officially coming to Singapore next week
● Apple has been slowly expanding the availability of HomePod, the company’s smart speaker. But the list of countries where HomePod is available is about to get longer, as the company confirmed on Tuesday that both HomePod and HomePod will be officially available in Singapore starting April 6.
10. iOS 16.5 beta brings highly-requested ‘My Sports’ tab to Apple News
● Apple released the first beta of iOS 16.5 to developers on Tuesday, just one day after iOS 16.4 was released to the public. And while today’s update doesn’t seem like a big one, it does bring some small changes. For example, the Apple News app now has a tab dedicated to the My Sports feature.
11. App Store to require iOS 16 compatible apps built with Xcode 14 starting next month
● Starting next month, Apple will require that every app must be built with Xcode 14.1 or later to ensure compatibility with iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, tvOS 16, and macOS Ventura.
12. Apple Pay Later launching today: ‘buy now, pay later’ financing with 0% interest
● Apple has announced that its long-awaited Apple Pay Later financing service will begin rolling out today. At launch, Apple says that it will “begin inviting select users to access a prerelease version of Apple Pay Later.” It will launch to “all eligible users in the coming months” in the United States.
13. Apple Music Classical video tour; how to listen on Mac or iPad; missing countries
● A new Apple Music Classical video tour provides a quick overview of the app, highlighting the powerful search features, hidden gems by popular composers, the ability to browse by instrument, and more. Apple has also explained a workaround for the fact that the app is only available on iOS, explaining how to listen to your selections in the main Apple Music app.
14. iOS 16.4 is now available for everyone: Here’s what’s new
● iOS 16.4 is now rolling out to everyone, and it includes a number of new features for iPhone users. There are new emojis, more powerful web apps, bug fixes, and much more. Head below for the full release notes.
15. Home Widget for HomeKit updated with new shortcuts and actions
● Home Widget for HomeKit is an iOS app that offers advanced tools to enhance the experience of interacting with HomeKit accessories. Following the release of iOS 16.4 to the public on Monday, the app has been updated with new shortcuts and new dimming action for roller shutters and blinds.
16. How to check if iPhone has 5G Standalone turned on and is working in iOS 16.4
● Here’s how to make sure 5G Standalone is turned on with iPhone and how to verify your cellular connection stats.
17. ‘Reimagined’ Microsoft Teams launches with Windows preview, Mac version on the way
● Microsoft launched early access to its major update for its Slack competitor today. Microsoft Teams 2 has been “reimagined” based on user feedback with speed and simplicity as two of the update’s priorities. The all-new experience is available in preview for Windows with the company saying an early version for Mac is coming too.
18. iOS 16.4 brings Voice Isolation for cellular calls, here’s how to enable it
● iOS 15 introduced new Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum modes to change audio capture using the iPhone’s built-in microphone. However, these modes were only available for FaceTime calls and some third-party apps. But with iOS 16.4, Apple is bringing Voice Isolation to cellular calls as well.
19. Apple releases Studio Display firmware update with new ‘Pro Display’ feature
● Apple has released a new software update for its Studio Display today, bringing the external display to firmware version 16.4. The update adds support for a new Pro Display Calibrator feature, as well as stability improvements.
20. Apple releases tvOS 16.4 with new ‘Dim Flashing Lights’ feature
● Rounding out today’s collection of software updates, Apple has released tvOS 16.4 and HomePod Software 16.4. For Apple TV users, there’s a notable new ‘Dim Flashing Light’s feature for the first time.
21. Here’s how to automate iPhone’s always-on display with iOS 16.4
● After debuting with the iPhone 14 Pro last fall, Apple continues to improve its always-on screen with software updates. The latest capability is the option to automate iPhone’s always-on display with iOS 16.4 that’s now available for all users.
22. watchOS 9.4 Lets You Delete Built-In Apps Right From Apple Watch
● The watchOS 9.4 update that came out today has a hidden feature that is designed to allow you to delete built-in apps directly from the Apple Watch. Apple did not mention this function in the release notes for the update, but a support document on deleting built-in apps from various devices has been updated.
