Today Apple released a developer app on macOS called Apple Developer, which matches the iOS app of the same name. In fact, this could very well be the Catalyst version of the iOS app. The reason I think so is because I noticed my “Get App Icon” gave me the iOS icon, even though I used the Mac link. Or, that could mean nothing. The app is meant to be your one-stop guide to developer news, and also a great place to watch WWDC 2020. Stay up to date on the latest technical and community information; browse news, features, developer stories, and informative videos; catch up on videos from past Apple events and download them to watch offline. There’s also an in-app purchase to sign up for the Apple Developer Program.
Andrew Orr
Since 2015 Andrew has been writing about Apple, privacy, security, and at one point even Android. You can find him most places online under the username @andrewornot.
Articles by Andrew Orr
Apple Card 0% Financing Expanded to More Products
The Apple Card 0% financing program has been expanded to include more products. Previously it was only available for iPhones.
16-Inch MacBook Pro Gets New Graphics Option, Mac Pro Gets SSD Upgrade Kit
Apple has added a new graphics configuration option for its 16-inch MacBook Pro. Meanwhile, the Mac Pro gets an SSD upgrade kit.
Export Shared Photos and Videos With ‘GrannySmith’
GrannySmith is a new tool from Tyler Hall that can export shared photos and videos from Apple Photos, including their comments and likes. They will be exported in a date-based folder structure to keep them organized. If photos and videos are stored in iCloud, GrannySmith will download the originals.
I also want to point out that GrannySmith does not store or transmit your photos, videos, comments, etc. off your Mac. Everything is done 100% locally. I see none of your data and don’t want to see any of your data. Keep all those cute kid pictures to yourself.
Meet ‘a-Shell’, an iOS Terminal Emulator With Vim Built In
a-Shell is an iOS terminal emulator that includes Python, Luna, JavaScript, C, C++, TeX. Transfer files using scp and curl, edit them with vim and ed, process them using grep, awk, and sed. It can be controlled via Shortcuts, like running commands in order, processing files, outputting results to text, and transferring files to other apps. Thanks to iOS 13 you can run multiple instances of a-Shell at the same time with different commands and inside different directories. App Store: Free
Facebook Considers Adding Face ID to Messenger Chats
Facebook’s latest experiment involves adding Face ID / Touch ID protection to Messenger chats.
When enabled, users will need to authenticate their identity using Face ID, Touch ID, or their passcode before they can view their inbox, even if their phone is already unlocked. […] The company is currently testing the new security feature among a small percentage of Messenger’s iOS users, though it could eventually be available more widely, including on Android.
I’d love to seen an option to lock any app with Face ID / Touch ID.
Finally, an Open Source Font App for iPhone and iPad
One feature of iOS and iPadOS 13 was built-in support for fonts (Settings > General > Fonts). But as Michael Potuck notes, I’ve seen very few font apps in the App Store. But now there’s a new one called Fontcase, and it’s open source, too.
Installing custom fonts is super easy with Fontcase, once you have what you want in iCloud Drive or Dropbox, you just import the fonts in Fontcase, download and install a configuration profile, and they’ll be available across iOS/iPadOS.
Explaining the Today View on iPhone and iPad to Use Widgets
The Today View on iPhone and iPad is an area of your home screen that acts as a dashboard for apps to give you useful information.
U.S. Lawmakers Ask Zoom About its Ties to China
Three lawmakers in the U.S. have asked Zoom to clarify its relationship with China after the company suspended user accounts at its request.
Real-Time Transit in Apple Maps Expands to More Countries
Real-time transit information in Apple Maps has expanded to more countries. The full list can be found on Apple’s Feature Availability page.
ShiftCam Launches iPhone 11 Lenses in UK
ShiftCam is launching its ProLens range of iPhone 11 lenses to the U.K. These lenses deliver what the company says is “DSLR” quality to smartphone lenses. There’s a 60mm Telephoto Lens, £84.99; 18mm Wide Angle Lens, £84.99; 10x 25mm Traditional Macro Lens, £84.99; 75mm Long Range Macro Advance Lens, £104.99; Full Frame Fisheye Advance Lens, £104.99; 12mm Ultra-Wide-Angle Aspherical Lens, £134.99; ProLens Deluxe Kit, £399.99.
Snap Partner Summit Announces Tab Bar, Tools for Developers, New Snap Originals
Snap revealed new features to Snapchat during its Snap Partner Summit. One change to the app is a tab bar at the bottom.
Apple Announces WWDC 2020 Sessions
Today Apple revealed its lineup for WWDC 2020 lineup. From June 22 to June 26, there will be keynotes, labs, and State of the Union.
How to File Great Bug Reports According to Apple
Apple shared post to its developer page to give advice on how to file great bug reports. It’s also good advice for people who like to beta test Apple software, so bookmark the page once iOS 14 and macOS 10.16 Redwood have been announced (I’m taking this opportunity to make my macOS name prediction).
You should always file feedback for any bugs you find while developing on Apple’s platforms; after all, we can’t fix problems that we don’t know about. But how can you be sure that the information you provide is helpful for triaging the issue, rather than a bug-solving dead end? Here are some of our top tips for making sure your bug report is clear, actionable, and — most importantly — fixable.
Facebook Helped Hack ‘Tails’ OS to Catch a Child Predator
A report today from Motherboard details how Facebook and the FBI used a zero-day exploit for privacy OS Tails to catch a child predator. The reason I’m specifically linking to it is because of this paragraph:
Facebook told Motherboard that it does not specialize in developing hacking exploits and did not want to set the expectation with law enforcement that this is something it would do regularly. Facebook says that it identified the approach that would be used but did not develop the specific exploit, and only pursued the hacking option after exhausting all other options.
That is a slippery slope argument that will be used by politicians, like how Apple does what it can to help the FBI get into terrorists’ iPhones. “But you helped them before, why not again?” More fuel on the EARN IT fire.
iTunes U to be Discontinued by End of 2021
In addition to discontinuing iBooks Author, Apple is also discontinuing iTunes U by the end of 2021, announced in a support page.
RIP: Apple Discontinues iBooks Author July 1
In an email to users of iBooks Author Apple said that the tool is being discontinued on July 1. Writers should transition to Pages.
Cloudflare Introduces 1.1.1.1 DNS for Families
Cloudflare has introduced 1.1.1.1 DNS for families that adds an extra layer of protection to keep kids safe online. There are now two extra variants of the DNS service. 1.1.1.2 can block malware, and 1.1.1.3 can block both malware and adult content.
Introducing 1.1.1.1 for Families — the easiest way to add a layer of protection to your home network and protect it from malware and adult content. 1.1.1.1 for Families leverages Cloudflare’s global network to ensure that it is fast and secure around the world. And it includes the same strong privacy guarantees that we committed to when we launched 1.1.1.1 two years ago. And, just like 1.1.1.1, we’re providing it for free and it’s for any home anywhere in the world.
Good to see Cloudflare offer more options for people. They aren’t the only company doing this either; I’ve rounded up four other private DNS services to use.
June 21 Apple Watch Activity Challenge Celebrates Yoga
The next Apple Watch Activity Challenge takes place on June 21 to celebrate International Day of Yoga and earn a special badge.
Apple Rumored to Launch Trade-In Program for Macs in US Retail Stores
A new report claims that Apple is planning to launch a trade-in program for Macs in Apple retail stores in the U.S. and Canada.
State of Michigan Launches Map of Free Wi-Fi Hotspots
In partnership with Connected Nation Michigan, the State of Michigan released a free online map of free Wi-Fi hotspots for citizens who don’t have easy access to broadband (although the tool is there to use even if you do have your own internet).
“This pandemic has shown a real need to tackle the barriers of access, adoption, and affordability to fully enable the opportunities that the internet makes possible,” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist said. “If we are going to close the Internet gap, we need to make sure we’re doing everything we can in the interim to expand access to existing broadband options for communities where it’s not readily available or affordable.”
It’s nice to see such a great tool from my state.
Transfer ‘Signal’ Data With its New Update
With a new update rolling out it’s now easier to transfer Signal data between devices. It uses a local connection encrypted end-to-end.
How to Delete Contacts on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Ever wondered how to delete contacts on iPhone, iPad, and Mac? As Andrew explains, it may be faster to do this on a Mac.
Apple Begins Selling Sleep Product ‘Hatch Restore’
Apple is offering a new sleep product on its website called Hatch Restore. It combines a reading light, meditation app, and more.