MacFormat September 2020

The more things change, the more they stay the same – and that’s certainly the case with the new version of macOS that Apple revealed at WWDC 2020. macOS 11 Big Sur marks both the end of the OS X era and the beginning of a whole new one - the transition to custom-designed Apple silicon inside Macs rather than Intel – and yet virtually all the things we love about macOS are still intact, just more elegant and refined. Certainly, the future for the Mac looks to be an exciting one. While Apple hasn’t spelled out exactly how its silicon roadmap will evolve, we do know that part of that future is already here – for one thing its macOS 11 demo at WWDC 2020 was conducted entirely on…

The more things change, the more they stay the same – and that’s certainly the case with the new version of macOS that Apple revealed at WWDC 2020. macOS 11 Big Sur marks both the end of the OS X era and the beginning of a whole new one - the transition to custom-designed Apple silicon inside Macs rather than Intel – and yet virtually all the things we love about macOS are still intact, just more elegant and refined. Certainly, the future for the Mac looks to be an exciting one. While Apple hasn’t spelled out exactly how its silicon roadmap will evolve, we do know that part of that future is already here – for one thing its macOS 11 demo at WWDC 2020 was conducted entirely on a Mac…

Jo Membery Operations Editor Jo’s hoping the new Translate app in iOS 14 will transform her interactions with people overseas – so much easier than just shouting louder in English. Paul Blachford Art Editor Paul loves macOS 11’s new look, although he’s taken to calling Big Sur’s new wallpaper ‘Burnt Retina display’ as that’s what it does to his eyes. MACFORMAT CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Due to the current situation, this month’s MacFormat has fewer pages than usual. We’re aiming to get things back to normal ASAP. Thank you for your continued support.…

Jo Membery Operations Editor Jo’s hoping the new Translate app in iOS 14 will transform her interactions with people overseas – so much easier than just shouting louder in English. Paul Blachford Art Editor Paul loves macOS 11’s new look, although he’s taken to calling Big Sur’s new wallpaper ‘Burnt Retina display’ as that’s what it does to his eyes. MACFORMAT CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Due to the current situation, this month’s MacFormat has fewer pages than usual. We’re aiming to get things back to normal ASAP. Thank you for your continued support.…

HOT TOPIC! Apple announces ARM transition Macs to be Apple silicon powered, ending Intel era Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) lived up to its billing in June with new versions of macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and tvOS (see main feature, p14), but it was Apple’s future plans for the Mac that caused the biggest buzz of all. That’s because, as expected, Apple is moving away from putting Intel silicon at the heart of the Mac, and putting its own-design ARM-based chips in there instead, with the transition beginning with products being announced later this year, and concluding by the end of 2022 – that means every Mac from the MacBook Air to the Mac Pro will eventually have Apple not Intel inside. Speaking during Apple’s keynote address on the…

HOT TOPIC! Apple announces ARM transition Macs to be Apple silicon powered, ending Intel era Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) lived up to its billing in June with new versions of macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and tvOS (see main feature, p14), but it was Apple’s future plans for the Mac that caused the biggest buzz of all. That’s because, as expected, Apple is moving away from putting Intel silicon at the heart of the Mac, and putting its own-design ARM-based chips in there instead, with the transition beginning with products being announced later this year, and concluding by the end of 2022 – that means every Mac from the MacBook Air to the Mac Pro will eventually have Apple not Intel inside. Speaking during Apple’s keynote address on the first day of WWDC, CEO…