We’re reviving VidBITS with a new format—informal video conversations where developers demo their apps while Adam Engst asks the questions TidBITS readers would want answered. Here’s what to expect.
Paul Brainerd, whose PageMaker revolutionized desktop publishing in the 1980s, has died at age 78. His software gave millions the power to create professionally printed pages, and he also left a lasting legacy in environmental philanthropy.
Apple has invited select media outlets to a “special Apple Experience” on March 4 in New York, London, and Shanghai—an unusual approach that has sparked speculation about rumored new MacBooks, the iPhone 17e, and more. We’ll know soon enough.
After a fainting spell left Adam Engst with a doctor’s order to drink 100 ounces daily, he turned to HiWater. This elegant iPhone and Apple Watch app tracks hydration and nags you to drink—sometimes too well.
Don’t expect new features in Apple’s OS 26.3 updates, but be sure to install them soon. They patch dozens of security vulnerabilities and address an actively exploited flaw Apple says was used in sophisticated spyware attacks.
If you’ve been putting off the Home architecture upgrade introduced several years ago, it’s time to act. Support for the previous version ends on 10 February 2026, and you may be automatically upgraded.
Apple’s help systems have never quite worked out. But with large language models and richer app metadata, a more helpful Siri could finally become the knowledgeable guide that explains the software we’re already using.
Apple has folded Pages, Keynote, and Numbers into its Creator Studio subscription bundle, but the upgrade process has been confusing and the App Store ratings have cratered. Here’s what happened, what’s actually behind the paywall, and what you should do.
Apple’s latest updates for older operating systems extend certificates so iMessage, FaceTime, and device activation continue to work after January 2027. Meanwhile, iOS 16.7.14 may address a Telstra network issue affecting older iPhones in Australia.
How many subscriptions do you pay for, and are you typical? Our poll results reveal surprising patterns in subscription spending, along with thoughts about why different subscription types provoke such different reactions.
With its devices and services bringing in over $140 billion in revenue, its earnings per share rising nearly 20% year over year, and the announced return of Ted Lasso to Apple TV, Apple has a lot to celebrate.
Tired of truncated filenames in Finder’s column view? macOS 26 Tahoe adds a checkbox that automatically resizes columns to fit filenames—and you can enable it in earlier macOS versions too.
The new AirTag needs new software—no surprise there. More interesting are the updates Apple pushed to iOS versions dating back to iOS 12, extending certificates that would otherwise expire in January 2027.
Apple’s second-generation AirTag arrives with a new Ultra Wideband chip that extends Precision Finding range by 50%, a speaker that’s 50% louder, and Precision Finding support on the Apple Watch Series 9 or later.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple will update Siri with a Google-based language model in iOS 26.4 this spring, then unveil a true chatbot interface in OS 27 at WWDC in June.