April 11
The big news this week is that this fall may finally be the beginning of the end for iTunes. 9to5Mac’s Gui Rambo independently confirmed that the next major version of macOS will introduce standalone Music and Podcasts apps on the Mac. iTunes is expected to stick around for now, which suggests Apple’s new apps won’t include every legacy feature, but iPad-based versions of Music and Podcasts would actually introduce features to the Mac that aren’t available yet.
March 3
iCloud Photos is probably one of the most impressive services that Apple is currently running. It’s built into every iOS, macOS, and tvOS device (and iCloud.com), and Apple has to be syncing billions and billions of photos and videos across its data centers. I’ve been using it since the early beta period of iOS 8, and I am happily (well unhappily) paying $10 per month for 2 TB of storage which includes my 300 GB library. By design, users are supposed to have individual iCloud accounts, but then link them in Family Sharing. Family Sharing allows families to share iCloud Storage (the 200 GB or higher plan) and Apple Music subscription (family plans). I also assume that Apple’s upcoming TV service will also be integrated into Apple’s family sharing set up as well. But for a lot of families, there is still a key section of Apple’s iOS and macOS experience that has not been integrated well into Family Sharing: iCloud Photos. It’s missing an easy way for families to keep their iCloud Photo libraries up to date with each other. expand full story
November 12, 2018
We take photos to capture moments. A great photo can fill in the blanks of our memory, instantly recalling forgotten details and conversations otherwise lost to time. But has looking at a photo ever raised more questions than it provided answers? Let’s look at reimagining the Photos app to better tell the stories of your memories.
October 5, 2018
In July, Apple announced that its first-party print products would be discontinued at the end of September. The news took me by surprise. While features like iCloud shared albums and Photos app Memories have lessened the need to make books and prints, I still regarded the service fondly.
Over the years, books and calendars from Photos on my Mac (and earlier, iPhoto) have made great gifts and keepsakes for family members and myself. To commemorate the end of an era, I decided to make one last hardcover photo book and theme it around a topic I love, and where many people learned about the Photos print service for the first time: Apple retail stores. My book arrived today.
August 29, 2018
Apple alerting more customers about photo printing service replacements ahead of shutdown
We learned last month that Apple is discontinuing its long-time printing service that is integrated into Photos and previously iPhoto. Now, Apple is notifying users of the change via email and recommending some alternatives.
July 26, 2018
This week Benjamin and Zac talk about the state of HomeKit in the UK and some useful ways to use automation, iPad rumors and guesses about rounded corners and the Home indicator, Photos in iOS 12 and macOS Mojave, photo sharing changes and questionable sharing suggestions, Apple’s photo print products going away, and more.
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