New data shows that Chrome OS has overtaken macOS to become the second most popular desktop OS. Chrome OS rose from 6.4% in 2019 to 10.8% in 2020.
Despite the fact that macOS landed in third, viewing this as an example of Google beating out Apple directly might not be accurate. Rather, it’s likely that Chrome OS has been primarily pulling sales and market share away from Windows at the low end of the market. Mac market share actually grew from 6.7 percent in 2019 to 7.5 percent in 2020.
Apple announced on Thursday that the Clipper card used for San Francisco Bay Area transit agencies is coming soon to the Wallet app on iPhone.
Apple has paid out US$163,338,890 in historical unmatched royalties for tracks played via Apple Music according to the MLC.
Apple has signed a multi-year deal with Skydance Animation and nabbed “Luck” and “Spellbound” for Apple Original Films.
Benjamin Lyon, a key Project Titan manager involved in Apple’s work to build an autonomous electric vehicle, has left to join a startup.
We have a deal on a MiFi-Certified nylon-braided Lightning cable. It features Kevlar fiber core, nylon-braiding, and precision laser welding, and it’s $9.99 through our deal.
Six mobile advertising companies have come together to form an alliance in response to forthcoming privacy changes from Apple.
Charlotte Henry and Bryan Chaffin join host Kelly Guimont to follow up on the Apple TV chat from Monday, and look at some For All Mankind extras.
Speedtest by Ookla and research firm M Science found that the iPhone 12 Pro Max ranks as the most popular 5G smartphone in 49 out of 50 U.S. states.
Brydge announced on Wednesday a firmware update for its iPad Pro+ keyboard that brings multi-touch capabilities to the trackpad.
At the BBC’s request, email service “Hey” analyzed its traffic and found two-thirds of emails sent to users contained a spy pixel.
Defenders of the trackers say they are a commonplace marketing tactic. This information can then be used to determine the impact of a specific email campaign, as well as to feed into more detailed customer profiles. Hey’s co-founder David Heinemeier Hansson says they amount to a “grotesque invasion of privacy”. And other experts have also questioned whether companies are being as transparent as required under law about their use.
These pixels are tiny 1×1 images embedded in photos that can track a variety of data points. You could turn off “Load Remote Images” automatically in Settings > Mail, but then of course they would load along with other photos when you want to see them.
Utah announced on Wednesday the support of Apple and Google’s Exposure Notification system built into the latest mobile operating systems.
Epic Games has filed a complaint with EU regulators against Apple, its latest move after it was prevented from sidestepping App Store rules.
Security researcher Patrick Wardle found a Safari adware extension called GoSearch22 has been rewritten to target M1 Macs.
Quad9 is a non-profit DNS provider, so called because of its 9.9.9.9 DNS server. It announced on Wednesday it has moved its headquarters from California to Zürich, Switzerland supported by Packet Clearing House and SWITCH.
Quad9’s move to Switzerland is being facilitated by SWITCH, one of Switzerland‘s centers of competence for internet security. The foundation operates several critical infrastructures and has been committed to greater cybersecurity for decades to make the internet a more secure place for its users. SWITCH is taking a seat on Quad9’s foundation council and contributing to Quad9’s governance.
Interesting move. For many people, private services and companies located in a country like the U.S. is a negative. This is because of the Five Eyes Alliance.
The North Dakotan Senate voted 36-11 against bill SB2333on Tuesday, backed by Epic Games and the Coalition for App Fairness.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple a patent for displays with multiple refresh rate modes. It was spotted by Patently Apple.
Apple notes that displays may be operable at a native refresh rate that is equal to the highest refresh rate at which the display has full resolution. When operating at the native refresh rate, each row of pixels may be scanned sequentially. Displays may also be operable in a high refresh rate mode with a high refresh rate. In the high refresh rate mode, the display may operate at a refresh rate that is twice the native refresh rate, three times the native refresh rate, or four times the native refresh rate (as examples). The native refresh rate may be 120 Hz and the high refresh rate may be 240 Hz, as one example. The native refresh rate may be 60 Hz and the high refresh rate may be 120 Hz, 180 Hz, or 240 Hz, as another example.
LastPass announced a move to restrict free users of its password manager. Starting March 16 these users will be limited to one device type.
LastPass offers access across two device types – computers (including all browsers running on desktops and laptops) or mobile devices (including mobile phones, smart watches, and tablets). Starting March 16th, 2021, LastPass Free will only include access on unlimited devices of one type.
As alternatives I recommend 1Password as well as the open-source app, Bitwarden.
Users grant apps on your Mac access to features like the microphone or location services, and can change these privacy and security settings
On Tuesday Apple announced the launch of its first Entrepreneur Camp for Black founders and developers from 13 app companies.
Andrew Orr and Dave Hamilton join host Kelly Guimont to discuss the new features in iOS (beta) 14.5, including a new way to unlock your phone.
The Mac Observer has a couple of people running the iOS 14.5 beta, and here are some of our favorite features.
Hot Pod founder Nick Quah joins Charlotte Henry to discuss the possibility of Apple Podcasts+ before the conversation takes an unexpected turn…
We have a deal on the NYTSTND QUAD, a 4-in-1 charging station that lets you wirelessly charge 3 devices at once with a 5-coil full surface area and built-in MiFi-Certified Apple Watch magnetic charger. It also features an integrated Lightning (or USB-C port) port is available for charging another Apple device while using it. this device is $185.99 through our deal.
