If you or someone you know still uses an iPhone 6s through iPhone X or certain older iPads, install iOS 15.8.7 or iOS 16.7.15 immediately—Apple has backported fixes for vulnerabilities associated with the Coruna exploit kit that has been proliferating among threat actors. Apple announced the AirPods Max 2, bringing the H2 chip and AirPods Pro features to its over-ear headphones after more than five years, and quietly reduced its App Store commission rates in China with none of the pushback it has shown toward EU regulators. We also point to an entertaining Computer History Museum panel featuring famous and not-so-famous figures from Apple’s 50-year history, and separately reflect on how Apple’s 50th anniversary messaging compares with its current actions. Plus, a recounting of—and apology for—last week’s email gremlins. Notable Mac app releases this week include Bookends 15.3.1, Carbon Copy Cloner 7.1.5, ChronoSync 12.0.1, Default Folder X 6.2.7, Mimestream 1.9.15, and Typinator 10.0.
Adam Engst recounts what went wrong when some subscribers received up to 10 copies of TidBITS last week. Unfortunately, we don’t know why it happened and can only hope it doesn’t recur.
This 98-minute CHM Live panel moderated by David Pogue commemorates Apple's 50th anniversary with stories from figures who shaped the company's history—some famous, others less so.
Apple has released critical security updates for older iPhones and iPads to address the Coruna exploit kit, a sophisticated collection of exploits. If you’re still using an older device stuck at iOS/iPadOS 15 or 16, update immediately.
After more than five years, Apple has updated its premium over-ear headphones with the H2 chip, bringing features like Adaptive Audio and Live Translation to the AirPods Max while maintaining the $549 price point.
Apple is cutting App Store commission rates in China from 30% to 25%, with smaller developers paying just 12%. The move follows discussions with Chinese regulators—and it sharply contrasts with Apple’s confrontational stance on EU regulations.
Watchlist
Brings a few Apple Intelligence improvements to the reference management tool. ($74.99 new, free update, 128.5 MB, macOS 11+)
Maintenance update for the drive-cloning and backup utility focused on adjustments and bug fixes. ($49.99 new, free update, 27.2 MB, macOS 13+)
Maintenance update with improvements and bug fixes for the synchronization and backup tool. ($49.99 new, free update, 102.7 MB, macOS 10.14+)
Brings a few improvements to the Open/Save dialog utility. ($39.95 new, free update, 28.7 MB, macOS 10.13+)
Makes a few adjustments to the Private Bush beta notification feature. ($49.99 annual subscription, free update, 12.5 MB, macOS 12+)
Expands the text expansion utility's reach to the iPhone and iPad via a new iOS app. ($29.99 annual subscription, free update, 47 MB, macOS 13+)
