This week’s top stories: iOS 14.5.1 release, colorful MacBook rumors, more

In this week’s top stories: The Epic vs Apple case begins, new tidbits about AirTags, iPhone 13 design details, and more. Read on for all of this week’s top stories and more.

The Epic vs Apple case

This week marked the beginning of the Epic vs Apple legal trial over App Store policies. While we still have several weeks to go before any decision is made, week one included a variety of fascinating details about the inner-workings of the App Store.

Be sure to check out our full recap of week one right here.

iOS 14.5.1

On Monday, Apple released iOS 14.5.1 to the public with bug fixes for App Tracking Transparency as well as an important security fix. Apple says iOS 14.5.1 fixes a bug that prevented some users from seeing App Tracking Transparency prompts:

This update fixes an issue with App Tracking Transparency where some users who previously disabled Allow Apps to Request to Track in Settings may not receive prompts from apps after re-enabling it. This update also provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.

Colorful MacBooks?

A new report this week indicated that, following the introduction of colorful new iMac models, Apple plans to introduce new colors for the MacBook.

Leaker Jon Prosser said in a video on his YouTube channel that Apple has been testing prototypes of a new MacBook model in more colors, including a blue one. Prosser’s source suggests that Apple will bring in “colors for average consumers,” suggesting that it is likely the MacBook Air — or a new MacBook lineup — that will get color options.

These and the rest of this week’s top stories below.

iOS |

• Apple releases iOS 14.5.1 with fix for App Tracking Transparency bug [U]
• Opting in to App Tracking? Only 4% of Americans are doing so
• Facebook encourages iOS 14.5 users to enable tracking so its apps remain ‘free of charge’
• Apple says iOS 14.5.1 and macOS 11.3.1 patch WebKit flaws that may have been actively exploited
• Apple Card Family members can order their own titanium card, likely coming with iOS 14.6

iPhone |

• Video: iPhone 13 Pro Max dummy unit shows smaller notch with relocated ear speaker
• iPhone: How to use Face ID with a mask
• iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 12 Pro: Which should you buy in 2021?
• Kuo: Apple expected to ship 20 million units of first foldable iPhone in 2023
• Video: Apple highlights iPhone 12 camera with new Everyday Experiments: ‘Full Bloom’

Apple Watch |

• watchOS 8: Four short feature requests for future Apple Watch updates
• Apple Watch blood sugar measurement could be a step closer
• Opinion: It’s time for Apple to discontinue Apple Watch Series 3
• Apple releases watchOS 7.4.1 with security improvements
• Apple surveys Apple Watch users on health features, mentions glucose monitoring

Mac and iPad |

• Did you order a new iPad Pro, 24-inch iMac, Airtag, or Apple TV?
• Kuo: New iPad mini coming later this year
• Rumor: Apple to introduce new MacBook available in iMac-style colors
• M1 MacBook Air vs Pro comparison, which should you buy?
• Zoom gained access to private iPad camera API for special multitasking

Top Apple stories, retail |

• MacArthur Center Apple Store permanently closes May 14
• COVID-19: Which Apple Stores have reopened?

Epic vs Apple |

• Emails reveal 128 million iOS users were affected by ‘XcodeGhost’ malware
• Emails reveal Apple’s attempts to stop Netflix from dropping App Store In-App Purchase support
• Apple banned Shadow app after Microsoft used it as an example to get xCloud for iOS approved
• New emails show Steve Jobs referred to Facebook as ‘Fecebook’ amid App Store conflict
• App Store VP testifies in Epic trial as emails reveal special API access for Hulu and other devs
• Epic case begins; Google undermines key Apple argument
• Epic/Apple case reveals hollow tvOS and watchOS App Stores
• Epic CEO says he would have taken a special App Store deal if Apple had offered
• Epic vs. Apple trial begins in chaos with Fortnite and Apple fans flooding the public call line
• Apple and Epic go head-to-head in fiery opening remarks of highly-anticipated trial
• Emails show Apple’s internal debate over showing ads in the App Store

AirTag |

• AirTags for checked baggage – the good and bad news
• Video: User rebuilds AirTag as a thinner card that fits into wallets
• AirTag stalking ‘frighteningly easy’; multiple problems identified
• The best AirTag keychains, cases, straps, and much more
• Hidden debug mode for AirTags found in iOS 14.5
• Concept: Enhancing AirTag with family sharing, widgets, and an Apple Watch app
• AirTag review: An easy-to-use item tracker empowered by a network of a billion iPhone users
• AirTags withdrawn from sale by Australian chain; safety concerns
• AirTag: What are you using with Apple’s new Find My trackers?

AAPL Company |

• Warren Buffett says it ‘was probably a mistake’ to sell nearly 10M shares of AAPL last year
• With WWDC less than a month away, catch up on our concepts for Apple’s 5 platforms

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This week’s top videos |

• The Rewind: revisiting the iPhone 12 – purple edition [Video]
• The super-easy guide for installing Windows on M1 Macs using Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac [Video]

9to5Mac Daily |

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

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AAPL Q2 earnings and AI promises – 9to5Mac Daily

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Supported by Setapp: Get access to 240+ apps on your Mac for just $9.99. Sign up today for a free 7-day trial.  New episodes of 9to5Mac Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available. Stories discussed in this episode: How much Google paid Apple to be Safari's search engine in 2022 Tim Cook says DOJ antitrust lawsuit against Apple is 'misguided' Apple iPad Event 2024: New iPad Pro, Air, Magic Keyboard, Pencil Coming May 7 – Bloomberg Apple announces Q2 2024 earnings, slightly beating expectations with $90.75 billion revenue – 9to5Mac Tim Cook: Apple has advantages to develop its generative AI Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Overcast RSS Spotify TuneIn Google Podcasts Subscribe to support Chance directly with 9to5Mac Daily Plus and unlock:  Ad-free versions of every episode Monthly bonus episodes  Catch up on 9to5Mac Daily episodes! Don’t miss out on our other daily podcasts: Quick Charge 9to5Toys Daily Share your thoughts! Drop us a line at happyhour@9to5mac.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show. Also, connect with us in the official 9to5Mac Discord server with forums, chatrooms, and more!

1. AAPL Q2 earnings and AI promises 07:26
2. More changes in the EU for App Store and iPad 06:25
3. New ‘Repair State’ Mode in iOS 17.5, more 06:14
4. Beats Solo 4 and Solo Buds, next-gen CarPlay update 08:16
5. M4 iPad Pro, iOS 18 rumors 06:28

9to5Mac Watch Time |

Jeff Benjamin joins Zac Hall to give Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 5 an exit interview before new models are announced. 9to5Mac Watch Time is a podcast series hosted by Zac Hall. In this series, we talk to real people about how Apple Watch is affecting their lives.

Week 6 – 9to5Mac Watch Time

This week on Watch Time join 9to5Mac's Zac Hall and Tempo developer Rahul Matta in the final episode of this podcast "season". 9to5Mac Watch Time is a podcast series hosted by Zac Hall. In this series, we talk to real people about how Apple Watch is affecting their lives. Subscribe now to catch up with each episode and automatically hear new episodes as soon as they’re released every two weeks: 🟣 Apple Podcasts | 🟠 Overcast | 🟢 Spotify Follow Zac Instagram @apollozac Twitter @apollozac SpaceExplored.com Follow Rahul Matta Twitter @rmatta Twitter @TempoLog Blog indie.sh Follow 9to5Mac Instagram @9to5mac Twitter @9to5mac Facebook YouTube.com/9to5Mac Listen & Subscribe Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast RSS Read More Toning down the Apple Watch: Tips and feature requests to avoid being overwhelmed Apple releases watchOS 7.4.1 with security improvements Apple Watch blood sugar and blood pressure measurement could be a step closer watchOS 7.4 brings iPhone mask unlock feature for Apple Watch Enjoy the podcast? Shop Apple at Amazon to support 9to5Mac Watch Time!

1. Week 6 46:48
2. With guest Sigmund Judge 42:59
3. Week 5 52:45
4. Week 4 57:20
5. Week 3 56:40

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Beats Solo Buds, surprising iPad Pro specs, and iOS 18 rumors – 9to5Mac Happy Hour

Benjamin and Chance assess the final iPad rumors ahead of next week’s ‘Let Loose’ event. Beats launches an incredibly compelling new addition to their headphones lineup, the Beats Solo Buds. At the same time, Apple fails to acknowledge what happened with people getting locked out of their Apple IDs over the weekend, in the same week as it releases a statement promising to fix an issue with iPhone alarms.  And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin and Chance discuss what podcast client they currently use and why, and how their listening habits reflect their app preferences. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join. Sponsored by Ladder: Go to Ladderlife.com/HappyHour today to see if you’re instantly approved. Sponsored by Incogni: Limit public access to your private information, mitigate the risks of identity theft, and keep your data from being sold. Use code “happyhour” at the link below to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: incogni.com/happyhour Sponsored by Kolide by 1Password, the device trust solution that ensures that if a device isn’t secure, it can’t access your apps. Close the Zero Trust access gap for Okta. Learn more or watch the demo. Hosts Chance Miller @ChanceHMiller on Twitter @chancehmiller@mastodon.social @ChanceHMiller on Instagram @ChanceHMiller on Threads Benjamin Mayo @bzamayo on Twitter @bzamayo@mastodon.social @bzamayo on Threads Subscribe, Rate, and Review Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus Introducing 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus! Support Benjamin and Chance directly with Happy Hour Plus! 9to5Mac Happy Hour Plus includes:  Ad-free versions of every episode  Pre- and post-show content Monthly bonus episodes Join for $5 per month or $50 a year at 9to5mac.com/join.  Feedback Submit #Ask9to5Mac questions on Twitter, Mastodon, or Threads Email us feedback and questions to happyhour@9to5mac.com Links Beats Solo 4 hands-on: the most iconic Beats headphones just got better Apple debuts new Beats Solo Buds with 18-hour battery life for $79 Apple's Beats Pill speaker could be about to make a comeback Apple users are being locked out of their Apple IDs with no explanation Apple working on fix for bug causing iPhone alarms to not play sounds iOS 18 rumor: These new AI features are coming to Safari EU will force Apple to add app sideloading, alternative browser engine support to iPad Report: iOS 18 to update many of the built-in apps, home screen updates, 'modular' design tweaks Gurman: New iPad Pro may actually be powered by the M4 chip, touting AI features M4 iPad Pro: Will Apple put a brand new chip in its next iPad? New Apple Pencil to include haptic feedback and new gestures

1. Beats Solo Buds, surprising iPad Pro specs, and iOS 18 rumors 59:52
2. iPad Apple event announced, FineWoven winding down, Apple TV FIFA deal 01:16:56
3. iOS 17.5 beta 2, M4 Mac schedule, Humane Pin reviews 57:58
4. iOS 18 rumors, game emulators in the App Store, Vision Pro camera access 47:25
5. Apple home robots, Spatial Personas on Vision Pro, iOS 17.5 beta 58:38

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Stacktrace has moved! – Stacktrace

As we've mentioned in the last episode, the Stacktrace podcast is no longer a part of the 9to5Mac network. If you're seeing this entry in your podcast player, then you probably need to unfollow Stacktrace and follow the podcast again. Start by unfollowing the show in your podcast player, then just search for "Stacktrace" and follow the show again. You'll notice that the updated show has a new artwork and that episode 179 has already been released there. To learn more about how to listen to Stacktrace, check out our new website. Thanks for listening!

1. Stacktrace has moved! 01:00
2. 178: “Let’s try something new” 01:03:25
3. 177: “The stand is included!” 01:09:24
4. 176: “Extra Keynote Poker” 01:19:00
5. 175: “A Bluetooth fanboy” 54:35

Apple @ Work Podcast |

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Security and productivity in the age of AI – Apple @ Work

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1. Security and productivity in the age of AI 29:54
2. Configuration Profile surgery 28:27
3. Dongles need not apply 25:44
4. The iPad's legacy 36:30
5. AI will transform network management 24:48

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