It is that time of the year again where you have an opportunity to pre-order some e-books. Just as with last year there are two books. iOS 13, iPadOS 13, tvOS 13, and watchOS 6 for Users and Developers and macOS Catalina for Users, Administrators, and Developers.

iOS 13, iPadOS 13, tvOS 13, and watchOS 6 for Users and Developers

iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 are huge releases. There is an all new Dark Mode, Apple’s new gaming service Apple Arcade, an all new way to control iOS and iPadOS with just your voice, some updates to Screen Time and changes around Maps, particularly on the iPad. We also cover the updates to the Camera, Photos, and Notes.

iPadOS is a new operating system from Apple designed specifically for the iPad. In this we cover the big updates to Safari and its Desktop-Class browsing, the ability to use your iPad as a second screen on your Mac using SideCar, some big changes with Files including the use of external storage, and changes to Swift Playgrounds.

For those Apple TV users there is an all new Control Center, some new video previews, updated screen savers and the ability to connect Xbox One and Playstation 4 Controllers to your Apple TV.

watchOS 6 goes on its own journey by going app independent. There are also some new apps for Audiobooks, a built-in calculator, voice memos, and all new Watch Faces. We also discuss the updates surrounding health and fitness including cycle tracking for women and an all new Noise app.

Developers will have some big changes with Swift 5 and the all new SwiftUI and Combine frameworks. Also covered are bringing your iPad apps to the Mac, the new PencilKit framework, CoreML 3, ARKit 3, and the all new Apple Sign-In . We also look at the improvements to Xcode, Diffable Sources, Natural Language Framework, and Core Data and CloudKit changes.

You can pre-order the e-book from Apple or Amazon. iOS 13, iPadOS 13, tvOS 13, and watchOS 6 for Users and Developers is $3.99

macOS Catalina for Users, Administrators, and Developers

macOS is a mature operating system, even so macOS Catalina has a slew of new features including iPad apps on the Mac, the ability to use your iPad with your Mac with a new feature called SideCar, and changes to apps like Photos, Notes, and Safari.

Also covered is the the breakup of iTunes into three separate apps, Music, TV, and Podcasts. The iOS feature Screen Time to help you manage your time in front of all of your screens is now available on macOS. Notes, Photos, and Safari have all seen some changes which will be helpful to users. 

macOS Catalina has made tremendous leaps forward for those who may not be able to use a mouse with the new Voice Control features which go way beyond

For Server Administrators we discuss the changes around the Volume Purchase Program (VPP) and Device Enrollment Program (DEP) and how they are being folded into Apple School Manager and Apple Business Manager. We also tackle the payload changes as well as a big change with the command line and even some changes to the Apple File System (APFS).

Developers will have some big changes with Swift 5 and the all new SwiftUI and Combine frameworks. We also look at the improvements to Xcode, Diffable Sources, Natural Language Framework, Notarization changes, and Core Data and CloudKit changes.

If you use macOS, there is something for you in macOS Catalina for Users, Administrators, and Developers.

You can pre-order the e-book from Apple or Amazon. macOS Catalina for Users, Administrators, and Developers is $3.99.

Today Apple released updates to the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. Let us look at each, starting with the MacBook Air.

MacBook Air

When it was introduced in 2008 it was the lightest laptop Apple had made to date. It famously fit into standard manilla envelope. Since then, the MacBook Air has been a favorite of many Apple laptop purchasers. When it was first introduced it was more expensive than other models, like the MacBook, but it was intended to be lighter than any other laptop. The form factor of the MacBook Air remained largely unchanged until last year when Apple introduced the new MacBook Air with an all new design similar to the MacBook Pros. Apple kept the older 13-inch MacBook Air around, because it was $999 and that is a great price point.

Today's MacBook Air updates builds upon last year's model and adds a couple of features. The first is the screen has been updated to be a True Tone display. A True Tone display allows you to see colors even better than before.

The second change the storage options available. Last year you could get 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1.5TB of storage. These options have been modified. the 1.5TB option is gone and has been replaced with a 1TB option instead.

The last big change is that the price has dropped $100. This means that the base model MacBook Air now starts at $1099. This is still $100 higher than the old-style MacBook Air. If you are a college student you can get a MacBook Air starting at $999, so you can still get the price, but you have to be a college student.

The other items are still the same. The screen size, color options, and weight all remain the same. Now let us look at the MacBook Pro.

MacBook Pro

The 13-inch MacBook Pro has seen a bit more of a change than the MacBook Air. The Pro is designed to be the device that those who need a bit more power will purchase. The MacBook Pro has seen some big changes.

The first of these changes is that now all 13-inch MacBook Pro models include the Touch Bar. Previously, only the higher end models would include the Touch Bar. The inclusion of the Touch Bar means that all MacBook Pros now come with the T2 security chip. Having a T2 security chip results in better security, like having encryption for your SSD automatically enabled. This is definitely a welcome one, for those security minded individuals.

The second change is the processor. There are four starting points for the 13-inch MacBook Pro. The two less expensive models now have a 1.4GHz 8th generation Intel processor. The previous models were 2.3GHz, which may seem like a downgrade in terms of speed, and it might be. However, the new MacBook Pros are quad-core processors with 128MB of eDRAM. The previous models were dual-core with 64MB of eDRAM. These can be configured for a 1.7GHz processor.

With the processor upgrade, the graphics on the base-models have also been updated. It now has an Intel Iris Plus 645, instead of the 640 that last year's models had.

The storage within the MacBook Pros have also changed. You are now able to configure the base model with 128GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB drives. Previously these topped out at 1TB. The option for a 2TB drive will definitely be welcome for some users.

Other Changes

There have been a couple other changes which are worth noting. The first of these is that the 12-inch MacBook is no longer for sale. With the 13-inch MacBook Air being released last year, the MacBook was a bit of an oddity. The screen size was smaller, it did not have Thunderbolt and it had not been updated since 2015. Some may be sad to see it go, but who knows what will happen in the future.

The second change to be discussed is pricing for upgrading storage on all Macs. With today's updates, the price of storage has changed. Prices are now at least $200 less expensive than they were before. A drop in price for storage is always welcome and should result in some opting for larger storage for their Macs. This change applies to all Macs, not just the newly released MacBook Air and MacBook Pros.

Closing Thoughts

Today's updates are solid updates. The new MacBook Air includes a True Tone display and is cheaper than last year's model. With the price drop on storage, you may be able to get more storage for less than before, which is always good to see.

The base-model MacBook Pros now includes the Touch Bar, 8th generation Intel processors, and you have more storage options than before.

If you are in the market for a new Mac, now is the time to purchase. This is particularly true if you are looking for a laptop for college, because you get an extra $100 off.

Source: Apple