iOS 14 Developer beta 2, the first update since WWDC, has landed, as have Xcode 12 beta 2 and Xcode 12 for macOS Universal Apps beta 2.
Google+ is Officially no More - Replaced on iOS and Android
Google+, the search giant’s ill-fated social network, is officially no more. It has been replaced on iOS and Android with Google Currents, reported 9to5Mac Google.
This launch is starting with a rebrand of Google+ for Android and iOS to Google Currents. The latest version introduces the blue waveform-like icon and gives the application a Google Material Theme redesign. The core UI is mostly unchanged with a home stream ordered by relevance (or chronology), while posts from company leadership can be given priority with a sparkle icon. Text, links, images, and other content from Drive can be shared, along with polls. Otherwise, this internal community tool carries over the concept of “tags” and “streams” from Google+.
The Top New Features in iOS 14, You'll Love 'Em
With the new version of iOS, you’ll get a lot of improved functionality. Here are the top new features in iOS 14 that we’re sure you’ll love.
APFS and Time Machine and Big Sur – TMO Daily Observations 2020-07-07
John Martellaro and Dave Hamilton join host Kelly Guimont to discuss the latest iteration of APFS and how it could affect Time Machine drives.
Samsung Smart TVs Now Offer Apple Music Time-Synced Lyrics
Samsung Smart TVs now have the Apple Music lyrics tool feature available on all models released in 2018 and later.
iPhone Trade-In Prices Have Been Cut
Apple has cut the trade-in values of many iPhone models, adding to the speculation that the iPhone 12 will be announced in the coming weeks.
H.266 Video Codec Uses Half the Data to Stream 4K
The H.266 video codec was recently revealed, and it was designed for 4K and 8K video streaming. It can steam at these resolutions using half the data as previous codecs.
Fraunhofer said that if a 90-minute, H.265/HEVC-encoded movie is about 10GB, it would only be 5GB for the same quality when encoded with the new codec. “Because H.266/VVC was developed with ultra-high-resolution video content in mind, the new standard is particularly beneficial when streaming 4K or 8K videos on a flat screen TV,” Fraunhofer said. At the same time, it will support all formats from 480p on up.
Logitech Launches Mouse and Keyboard for Apple Devices
Today Logitech has launched the MX Master 3 mouse and MX Keys keyboard for Macs and iPads.
Our newest additions to the Master Series and multi-device Bluetooth keyboard lineup have been re-imagined for advanced content creators who need the best tools for their craft and value Apple aesthetics, alongside increased productivity and performance.
Both products mention “For Mac” in the name, but of iPadOS now supports mice and keyboards.
Apple Patent Shows Folding Device With TouchBar
A patent application filed today shows a folding Apple device with a TouchBar and an exposed strip for notifications.
If desired, touch sensors (e.g., a two-dimensional touch sensor), buttons, or other input-output devices may be formed in a region such as region on rear surface R of housing (e.g., so that a user may supply input to one of these regions in response to adjacent content being displayed on protruding portion.
This is probably my own bias showing (because I think folding phones are gimmicks) but I think Apple is going for a folding iPad. That makes sense to me.
Ireland Launches COVID-19 App Based on Apple Model
Ireland has launched its COVID-19 tracking app ‘COVID Tracker Ireland’ and it’s based on Apple and Google’s private exposure notification API.