The offcial journal of the Wellington Society Inc Volume 37.05 – May 2020

Come to one of The new 13-inch MacBook Pro our meetings

Online Monday 25 May 7:00 pm for 7:30 pm Subject: Picking a new Mac iPad Group TBA Help Desk TBA

Apple has introduced an updated version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, completing the transition of Mac notebooks from the controversial butterfly keyboard to the new scissor switch keyboard.

Where to find us Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are not able to hold physical meetings under alert level 4 or 3, and they may not be practical under alert level 2. In the meantime we will be running online meetings via Zoom, normally on the same monthly schedule as our Wellington meeting: the evening of the last Monday each month. Meeting invitations will be sent to members via email. If non-members or former members would like to attend a meeting on a trial basis, please email [email protected].

How to Mirror Your Apple TV to Your INSIDE The President Writes p2 David’s Tech Guide p3 Mac p8 Be Careful When Scheduling Events TidBits of Information p10 Using p7 Committee Contact Details p12

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 1 The president writes ...

I would have to say that much the same issues also apply to our group, and as the average age of members has increased, this has accelerated the loss of younger members. This is not to say this phenomenon is bad, but it does increase the likelihood of the group folding as the membership decreases, owing to infirmity and deaths. Graeme Moffatt The question that the committee needs to [email protected] address is what to do about this, and whether or not anything can be or should be done. Hi folks. As President, I now find myself back into the Well, our first monthly meeting that was not same position that I encountered last time I took on able to be attended physically, has been and gone. this role some twenty years ago. Unfortunately David was unable to make his The situation now is a bit different as the Keynote presentation on our regular date, or on average age has increased substantially, however first Monday of this month about selecting a new much the same issues are presenting themselves. notebook, owing to a serious fall he had, but will We were successful in addressing the issues of a be doing so this meeting and also to be on Zoom. falling membership that we faced back then and We did however have an online meeting on our largely managed to halt the slide, however this regular last Monday of the month, that was hosted time around the same actions we took will no by Jo Booth, and this allowed members a full longer suffice. meeting to ask questions. The main reason why this society was formed in This was well patronised by up to twenty seven the first instance was owing to the rapid adoption members, quite a few who were not resident in of the new technology, that not very members of Wellington, with one coming from as far away as the public had a good understanding of. Gore. We are now in the position that one of the major Your committee held its normal monthly reasons we are having to debate our future is for meeting last week, also on Zoom, and one of the exactly the opposite, in that most people do now topics discussed was this meeting and its relevance understand the technology, and the need for to meetings in the future. mutual self help by way of physical contact is no As I have already mentioned, the number of longer as necessary. Mac exclusive user groups around New Zealand If we are to continue and succeed into the future, has fallen to only two. then we need to address this reality and utilise the We are the largest, as we always have been, and technology that was at the root of our foundation. the only other active group is in the Hawkes Bay I guess the one bright point from the pandemic and meet in the EIT campus in Taradale. that we have been forced to confront, is that it has I was in Hastings during the weekend and took been the catalyst for finding a method to the opportunity to contact Steve Grooby, who is a communicate outside of physical meetings. member of that group, and he advised me that they Given our situation of being one of the last, and are still meeting even though he no longer attends also the biggest surviving group, maybe we have any of them. an opportunity to assist macOS and iOS users He commented that the majority of the members throughout the country to gather and discuss their are now older and need a far greater level of hand issues in an online manner. holding, and as a consequence his interests are no That’s all, folks! Graeme Moffatt longer being met. To contact me, email [email protected], or you can ring me at home (027 660-3094)

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 2 The presidentDavid’s Tech Guide writes ... by David Empson

[email protected] The new scissor switch keyboard has increased 04 976 9755 key travel, which feels more like 2015 and earlier models, and is expected to be more reliable than butterfly keyboards. The increased travel means the keyboard is deeper, which makes the entire MacBook Pro a little thicker: up from 1.49 to 1.56 cm. Weight increases Conference slightly: up from 1.37 to 1.4 kg. Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference Width, height and other external details are (WWDC) is online only this year, and starts on unchanged. Tuesday 23 June NZ time. Apple have not announced a keynote but if they stick to pattern it should start at 5 AM NZ time. At a minimum I expect we will find out about the OS versions due later in 2020. In some years, Apple has also introduced new or updated products at WWDC. Due to WWDC conflicting with our normal publishing schedule, we will be delaying the June issue of Capital Apple by a few days so we can include a summary of the major announcements. We can discuss the WWDC announcements at our meeting on Monday 25 June.

New 13-inch MacBook Pros 13-inch MacBook Pro with Two TB3 Ports https://www.apple.com/nz/macbook-pro-13/ Apart from the keyboard, slight change in Apple has introduced a new generation 13-inch dimensions and increased storage, the low end 13- MacBook Pro, replacing the mid 2019 models. inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt 3 ports is As before there are two major variants which identical to the 2019 model: it has the same quad can be distinguished by the number of core 8th generation Intel processors (“Coffee Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports: the low end models Lake”), memory and graphics. Standard memory is have two ports, and the high end models have four. 8 GB, with a custom option for 16 GB (which got Both variants have two notable changes: cheaper for this model only: now $175). 1. The keyboard is the new scissor switch type, Standard prices went up by $50, now starting at with Touch Bar, Touch ID, Esc key and $2349 for the cheapest model with 256 GB storage, inverted-T arrow keys, same as the 16-inch or $2699 for the 512 GB model. MacBook Pro. It is similar to latest MacBook Air If you compare models with the same storage, keyboard apart from the MacBook Air having this generation is effectively $300 cheaper: last year, function keys instead of the Touch Bar. it cost $2649 to get the 256 GB model. The same 2. Storage capacities have doubled in all $300 saving applies to custom configurations with standard configurations, as happened recently higher storage capacities. The maximum custom for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and storage option has also doubled to 2 TB (adds $1400 a minor refresh of the . to the price of the base 256 GB model). This marks the end of the butterfly keyboard in new Macs, as all models which used that keyboard have been superseded.

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CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 3 13-inch MacBook Pro with Four TB3 Ports What did Apple leave out? The high end 13-inch MacBook Pro with four The rumoured increase in display size with Thunderbolt 3 ports has more improvements. reduced bezel did not happen: this generation has The processor is updated from quad core 8th to exactly the same 13.3-inch display. 10th generation Intel (“Ice Lake”). Like the latest The lack of a new processor for the 13-inch MacBook Air, these processors are based on a 10 MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt 3 ports can be nm rather than 14 nm process. explained by Intel’s ongoing delays in introducing The memory is faster and there is twice as much new processors. Apple wanted to release the of it: 16 GB in standard models, with a custom models together, and Intel has only released some option for 32 GB (for an extra $700). classes of 10th generation processor so far. Apple For tasks that are limited by the processor and uses lower power processors in the MacBook Pro memory, this MacBook Pro is at least 10% faster with two Thunderbolt 3 ports. than the corresponding previous model, despite An ongoing omission is support for Wi-Fi 6, the nominal clock speeds being lower. which has been in new iPhone and iPad Pro models Graphics is improved: still integrated, but able to since late 2019. New Macs have so far stayed with support a 6K display and is faster. Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). This doesn’t matter yet because Standard prices went up by $300, now starting at Wi-Fi 6 routers are rare and expensive, but over the $3299 for the cheapest model with 512 GB storage, life of these models Wi-Fi 6 will become more or $3649 for the 1 TB model. common. If you compare models with the same storage and memory (16 GB), this generation is effectively Looking Ahead $400 cheaper: last year it cost $3699 to get a model There are already rumours of the next models with 512 GB storage and 16 GB memory. (with 14-inch display, and micro-LED for better If you ignore memory but keep the same backlighting) but they are probably not due until storage, this generation is still $50 cheaper. early/mid 2021. There could be an updated 16-inch Those savings also apply to custom MacBook Pro before then, with a newer processor. configurations with more storage. The maximum We are probably due for updates to the iMac custom storage option has also doubled to 4 TB later this year. The iMac is the last Mac which (adds $2100 to the price of the base 512 GB model). supports an internal hard drive, and given Apple’s recent doubling of storage capacities for solid state Operating System drives, it may be the right time for a major redesign Since the new 13-inch MacBook Pros were of the iMac which eliminates hard drives from new introduced after macOS Catalina (10.15) was well models, perhaps based on the iMac Pro design. established, they all come with Catalina installed Apple will probably retain at least one older and cannot run older macOS versions (except by iMac as a cheap option at the low end. Given the using virtualisation software). terribly slow performance of with hard If you need have to run macOS Mojave, you drives in recent macOS versions, I hope the should be looking to buy a 2019 model, even if that cheapest model will have a Fusion drive. means having to get the butterfly keyboard. Note that even 2019 models may come with Catalina Time for a Processor Change? already installed, and downgrading to Mojave is a A look back at past changes to the Mac platform somewhat complex process due to the default shows that they have been using Intel processors security settings of the T2 chip in most new Macs. longer than any previous processor family. Macs originally started with the Motorola 68K family Availability from 1984, switched to PowerPC between 1994 and Supply of many Apple products is somewhat 1996, and then to Intel in 2006. delayed due to issues around the pandemic, such Intel’s delays in releasing processor updates over as reduced capacity for international freight. the last few years is similar to the situation Apple A 13-inch MacBook Pro ordered today from faced with PowerPC processors in the mid 2000s. Apple will be delivered within two weeks for Given that Apple’s own ARM processors used in standard models, four weeks for custom models. and are benchmarking faster than continued over page

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 4 most Intel processors used in Mac notebooks, and support the same system, without being a major Apple prefers to control major components in their drain on the battery and without needing to leave products, can it be long before we see another an app running all the time. processor transition, from Intel to ARM? When another device is detected, they exchange Assuming this happens, I expect it will be a slow anonymous identifiers. The identifiers are stored transition, with Apple continuing to use Intel at securely on each device. least in some high end models for a while, due to If someone has a positive test for COVID-19 some performance-critical professional (verified by authorities), they can choose to share applications taking longer to be ready for the new their list of recent close contacts. This is sent to a processors. For most Mac users this shouldn’t be a central server which passes on a notification to the problem for a few years because Apple should other devices. include some way of allowing old applications to All of this is anonymous: no identification or keep working (albeit slower than new/updated location information is provided to the other party, applications). nor to Apple/Google, nor to the government. An ARM processor would also affect the ability The recipient is told that they have been in to run Windows on a Mac (either via Boot Camp or proximity with someone who has tested positive in virtualisation), since the Intel version of for COVID-19, and they should contact health Windows is the most popular variant and it authorities for further advice. wouldn't run on an ARM Mac. This is an important This is intended to supplement the contact feature for a small proportion of Mac users. tracing system run by health departments. If there is going to be a change of processor and timing is similar to the last transition, then Apple Mac Model Comparisons should start by announcing it at WWDC then This is part of the topic for the online meeting I release models with new processors the following will be hosting on Monday 25 May (rescheduled year. This gives most developers time to get ready from last month due to my accident and recovery). and update their software for the new platform. The following comparisons provide some background for the meeting. Operating System updates Either this or next week, Apple is expected to Starting point: MacBook Air release the next minor updates: iOS and iPadOS The MacBook Air is a great 13.5, and macOS Catalina 10.15.5, plus tvOS. The portable computer for home, watchOS update is already available. student and general business We can expect the usual security updates and use. If your use consists mainly bug fixes, as well as corresponding security of editing documents, web updates for macOS High Sierra and Mojave, and browsing, email, and an iOS 12 update for older iPhone and iPad models photos, this is a good computer, which aren’t able to run iOS 13. and a big improvement over last The new iOS version is known to include two year’s model. new features relating to the COVID-19 pandemic: If you want a little more performance, there is an • Support for new applications from health important choice with the MacBook Air: the entry authorities which want to use Apple and model has a dual core processor and the more Google’s exposure notification system. We expensive model has a quad core processor (also don’t know yet whether New Zealand will be available as a custom option for the entry model). making use of this feature. A quad core processor can do do almost twice as • For models with Face ID (iPhone X and much work in the same time as a dual core later), if you are wearing a mask, the device processor, as long as the software can split its quickly detects this and switches to asking for workload, or you are running several applications a passcode, rather than requiring multiple at once, or background tasks can use the extra cores failed FaceID attempts. rather than delaying what you are trying to do. The exposure notification system uses Bluetooth to detect other devices in close proximity which continued over page

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 5 MacBook Air vs two-port MacBook Pro Four-port 13-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro

The 13-inch MacBook Pro has quad core Moving up to the 16-inch MacBook Pro reduces processors in all models, therefore when portability due to being larger and heavier. The comparing performance with a MacBook Air, you obvious advantage is a bigger display that can should be looking at the quad core MacBook Air. show more content, but the key reason to get a 16- The 13-inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt inch MacBook Pro is performance. 3 ports has advantages over the MacBook Air in The 16-inch model has more CPU cores (six or display quality (especially brightness and colour), eight compared to four), is noticeably faster for better speakers, a Touch Bar, and probably a little complex or sustained work, can be custom faster CPU performance for heavy work. configured with twice as much memory (64 GB) The disadvantages of this MacBook Pro are and storage (8 TB), and has a dedicated graphics weaker graphics controller, heavier, slightly shorter processor which is much better at 3D graphics or battery life and a bigger power supply. other tasks which rely on the GPU. It can also drive up to four external displays. Two-port vs four-port MacBook Pro iMac If you don’t expect to move your computer around much, then an iMac is often a better choice than any notebook, as you aren’t paying for portability and battery. The entry level 21-inch iMac The four-port MacBook Pro has the obvious should be avoided (it is a slower dual core 2017 advantage of adding two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) model) as should the hard drive in the middle 21- ports on the right side. This give more flexibility for inch model. A Fusion drive brings the disk how many peripherals can be connected (without performance up to “bearable”, and a custom needing to use multi-port adapters, hubs or docks), configuration with a solid state drive makes the and which side they can be plugged into, e.g. you computer a lot faster. can power the four-port model from the right side. For anything which depends on the processor or The four-port MacBook Pro has a faster graphics, an iMac will outperform most Mac processor, memory and graphics. This matches the notebooks (the 16-inch MacBook Pro may beat the MacBook Air for graphics and easily beats it for 2019 21-inch iMac in some cases). CPU performance, especially in heavy workloads. There is also a wider range of connectors. Standard models of the four-port MacBook Pro Where does the Mac Mini fit in? have twice as much memory as the MacBook Air or A Mac Mini is roughly equivalent two-port MacBook Pro and the maximum custom to a 13-inch MacBook Pro with four option is also doubled. This is important for Thunderbolt 3 ports, but you need software which needs to work with a lot of data at to supply your own display, once, e.g. processing larger images or video keyboard and mouse. The current formats, working with more audio tracks, or even Mac Mini is a little behind on just having more web open. graphics but high end models are still ahead for CPU performance.

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 6 Be Careful When Scheduling Events Using Siri by Adam Engst

I just made an embarrassing technical mistake Google… suddenly, it all became clear, and I that required an apology for wasting someone’s immediately apologised for wasting his time and time. My error? Using Siri to schedule a Zoom call explained the situation. with two colleagues on the board of the Finger When I used Siri to create the calendar event for Lakes Runners Club while relying on Google the call, because I specified Mickie and Gary by Calendar as my default calendar service. Here’s name, Siri tried to be smart and invited them to the what happened. event without telling me. I didn’t want that to We coordinated the time for the meeting in email happen—the event was for my reference, not at the end of the day, but I was in a hurry to finish because I wanted to put it on their calendars. for the day and forgot to add it to my calendar right (This is a general complaint. Speaking as someone away. Instead, as is often the case, I remembered who doesn’t work in a large organisation, calendar when I was making breakfast the next morning. invitations make me uncomfortable. I never quite Since the meeting was for just a few hours later, I know when they’re being sent, or in what manner, or didn’t trust myself to remember to start the Zoom how the recipient will respond. As a writer, if I’m call without a calendar reminder popping up at the going to invite someone to an event, I want to do so right time. Pressing the ’s digital using language I control. Plus, when I receive crown, I instructed Siri, “Schedule a call with invitations, I don’t know what will happen if I Mickie and Gary for today at noon.” accept, reject, or ignore the invitation. I’m sure Siri on the Apple Watch understood me correctly, invitations work better in groups that rely on shared but I should have thought more about the fact that calendars for frequent meetings, but I’d love a it asked me which switch to disable them entirely.) Gary I meant—I In retrospect, there were two hints that Siri had know a number of issued invitations to the event: its query about which people named “Gary” “Gary” I wanted and the fact that the event was or “Garry.” I tapped titled “Call.” Had I said, “Schedule a call with FLRC the option colleagues for today at noon,” Siri wouldn’t have corresponding with been unable to issue any invitations (since I have no the correct Gary, contacts named “FLRC colleagues”) and would have noticed with some titled the event “Call with FLRC colleagues.” irritation that Siri had The second part of the problem stemmed from the created an event fact that I use Google Calendar for my main shared merely titled “Call,” calendars. That’s because, when he was in high and went back to school, Tristan’s main computer was a Chromebook making breakfast. I Pixel, so we standardised on Google Calendar for figured that I’d know our shared calendars. I also sometimes appreciate what “Call” meant the fact that Gmail can automatically add events to when the reminder my calendar, although it can get wacky with came up, even though I wanted it to read “Call with airplane flights, particularly those that cross time Mickie and Gary.” After breakfast, I sent the Zoom zones. Now that he’s at Cornell (and thus much less meeting details to Mickie and Gary in email. in our calendar) and using a MacBook Pro, we could At noon, I started the call, and Mickie joined a switch back to iCloud. minute later. We chatted for a while before As a result, when I scheduled the call using Siri, it wondering where Gary was. A few text messages created the associated event on a calendar in Google later, and he came on, irritated, asking why he had Calendar. been sitting in Google Hangouts by himself for 10 minutes. Google Hangouts? Why was he in … continued on page 7

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 7 How to Mirror Your Apple TV to Your Mac for Screenshots or Presentations by Josh Centers

A reader recently emailed me to ask how to mirror an Apple TV on a Mac. There are two main reasons you might want to do this: to capture screenshots or video for documentation, or so you can give a remote presentation that involves the Apple TV. 4. Click the arrow next to the record button. When I wrote the first edition of Take Control of Apple TV, I had to use an expensive and awkward Elgato capture box to take screenshots. Apple subsequently built this capability into QuickTime Player. With the Apple TV HD (also known as the fourth-generation Apple TV), you had to connect it to your Mac with a USB-C cable, but the Apple TV 5. Choose your Apple TV from the menu. 4K lacks a USB-C port. Nowadays, all that’s 6. The first time you connect to your Apple TV, necessary to capture the Apple TV’s output in it displays a code that you have to enter on QuickTime Player is that the Apple TV and the Mac the Mac. If the Apple TV is in another room, be on the same Wi-Fi network. this is a little tricky to do on your own Setup because the request times out fairly quickly. Follow these steps: When you choose a “camera,” you also have the 1. Open QuickTime Player. option to choose a “microphone,” and any Apple 2. Choose File > New Movie Recording. In TV you have will also show up in that section. macOS 10.14 Mojave and earlier, a window However, I’ve never successfully routed audio from opens, showing your webcam by default. In an Apple TV to my Mac. If you’ve had better luck, 10.15 Catalina, you’ll need to give let me know in the comments. QuickTime Player permission to access the Usage camera in System Preferences > Security & Once you’ve run through those steps, the Apple Privacy > Privacy > Camera. TV’s interface is mirrored to the QuickTime Player window, making it easy to capture a screenshot or, if you’re doing a presentation, to share like any other window on the Mac. Happily, because the Siri Remote works over Bluetooth, you can use it to control the Apple TV in the QuickTime Player window even if you’re in another room. You could also use the Apple TV controls in Control Center on your iPhone.

3. Put your mouse pointer in the window to reveal the controller.

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 8 As you would expect, Apple won’t let you 1. Resize the QuickTime Player window as you see capture screenshots or video from movies or TV fit. shows. Whenever you try to play a protected video 2. Move your mouse pointer outside of the in any app—Apple TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, CBS QuickTime Player window. All Access, etc.—QuickTime Player prevents such 3. Press Command-Shift-4, followed by Space bar behavior by showing a black screen. (With to specify window capture. purchased movies, you’ll get an HDCP error.) 4. Hover the camera pointer over the QuickTime Navigate out of the video by pressing the Menu Player window. button, and you can once again use the Apple TV 5. Option-click to capture the window without its interface. Games and other non-video apps aren’t drop shadow. blocked in this way, nor is YouTube blocked. If you’re helping someone learn how to use the Apple TV interface remotely or otherwise giving a presentation about it, you can share the QuickTime Player window just as you would any other Mac window using Skype, Zoom, or the like. Video won’t be smooth, but it will be more than sufficient to demo usage. I discuss taking screenshots and many other tips in Take Control of Apple TV, which I recently However, QuickTime Player is a great way to overhauled to make it easier to follow and better fit capture screenshots and video of the Apple TV Apple’s current TV strategy. interface. You can use the standard macOS screenshot commands. To take a clean screenshot ************ without the control bar or any Mac window trimmings in the shot, follow these steps:

… continued from page 5 In itself, that wouldn’t have been a problem whatever reason, seen the event invitation and its except that, by default, Google Calendar associated link, rather than the email I’d sent. Mickie automatically adds video calls to events I create that had seen (and accepted, not that I realised that until have other attendees. Oops! You can disable this I was writing this article—add that to my invitation default in Google Calendar’s General settings; while complaints) the event invitation too, but since she viewing Google Calendar in a Web browser, click also read the email, she knew to use Zoom. the gear icon in the upper-right corner, choose It all makes sense, and I can see why Settings, and click Event Settings. programmers working in large companies like Apple and Google would assume that everyone would want event invitations—their days undoubtedly involve a continual flurry of invitations accepted and rejected. And the Google Calendar team probably thought they were doing everyone a favour by providing single-click access to a video call right within the invitation. At least they provided an option to disable it. If you’re like me, however, and see your calendar as essentially private, all I can suggest is that you either avoid using Siri to create events, which would be a loss, or train yourself never to mention a So as soon as Gary said he had been waiting in contact’s name when creating an event. That’s what I’ll be doing from now on. Live and learn! Google Hangouts, I realised that he had, for

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 9 TidBits of Information From TidBits.com

Don’t Bury a Wet Laptop in Rice! realistically there are going to be a lot of AirPods in Better Advice from iFixit landfills. We can hope that Apple’s engineers will What should you do if you spill a drink on your put in the necessary effort to create AirPods with laptop or other electronic device? With more replaceable batteries, but despite Apple’s claims people working from home during the COVID-19 about environmentalism, that seems unlikely to pandemic, the repair site iFixit is increasingly happen. hearing this question. iFixit’s Kevin Purdy offers The full article is at; advice on precisely what to do if you get your https://www.wired.co.uk/article/apple- -success

Large Size of Apple’s New Low-Cost iPhone SE Disappoints At long last, Apple has released a second- generation iPhone SE. The original iPhone SE was laptop wet. Even if you don’t read his post in detail based on the iPhone 5s form factor and provided a right now, file it away for future reference should smaller, less-expensive alternative to the iPhone 6s. such an accident happen to you. Apple has nominally employed the same strategy Most important, ignore the old canard about here, essentially updating the iPhone 8 to bring this burying the device in rice—it does nothing to soak new iPhone SE’s specs up to modern standards. up the moisture, it can cause more problems, and it You can choose from black, white, and red colours. wastes valuable time. Jessa Jones of iPad Rehab even has a https://www.youtube.com/watch? Prices start at $399 for 64 GB, with a 128 GB v=hxmufw2YQwY showing just how ineffective rice is. The full article is at; https:// www.ifixit.com/News/41383/ask-ifixit-i-spilled- liquid-on-my-laptop-now-what.

The Stratospheric Growth of the AirPods Wired UK has published a look at the explosive growth of Apple’s AirPods. Despite little promotion from Apple, the AirPods have overtaken AMD, Shopify, Snap, Spotify, and in revenue. In 2018, they earned an estimated $3.3 billion. In 2019, AirPods revenue shot up by 121% for an estimated total of $7.3 billion. “It was almost like wildfire how quickly it spread,” said Apple Vice President of Product Marketing Greg Joswiak. Apart from some recent issues with unavoidable firmware updates (see “AirPods Pro Firmware model increasing it to $449, and the 256 GB model Problems,” 4 May 2020), the only notable concern at $549. It will be available for pre-order on 17 about the AirPods revolves around their essentially April 2020, with deliveries starting on 24 April disposable nature—their lithium-ion batteries are 2020. sealed in. Apple offers a recycling program, but

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 10 The Elephant in the Room fastest chip available now will keep it up to First off, size matters. After every iPhone release snuff for some time. over the last few years, conversations I had with • Improved photos: Although the base specs of friends and acquaintances who don’t follow the the iPhone SE’s 12-megapixel rear and 7- tech industry always led off with “Why doesn’t megapixel front camera are the same as the Apple make a smaller iPhone anymore?” At first, I iPhone 8’s cameras, the additional processing chalked it up to design trends, but more recently, power of the A13 Bionic chip enables Portrait I’ve resorted to joking, “Because Apple hates you mode, all six Portrait Lighting effects, and Depth and your tiny hands.” Do Apple designers never Control. Tests will undoubtedly be out soon, and hear complaints from women who find current we expect that the image quality will be iPhones too large for their hands, much less their noticeably improved over the iPhone 8. pockets? That’s a common refrain from Tonya, • More storage options: The iPhone 8 offered Glenn Fleishman’s wife Lynn, and many of my storage of only 64 GB or 256 GB; the iPhone SE female friends, plus plenty of guys. Last I knew, adds in the extremely welcome 128 GB option Peter Lewis of Keyboard Maestro fame was still too. using an iPhone SE. • Video changes: There are several differences in So yes, the new iPhone SE is significantly larger the specs for video recording between the two than the first-generation iPhone SE. It’s even a hair models, but it’s impossible to tell if they’re larger than the iPhone 6s that many people have substantive. The most likely one is the iPhone been holding onto as each successive generation of SE’s new “extended dynamic range for video up iPhone has ballooned. Tonya passed on a hand-me- to 30 fps” spec. down iPhone X because it was larger than the • 4.7-inch display: The screen technology appears iPhone 6s that she had to buy to replace her dying identical to the iPhone 8, with 1334-by-750-pixel iPhone 5s. resolution at 326 pixels per inch and a 1400:1 Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of contrast ratio. It’s a Retina HD screen with True Worldwide Marketing, is quoted in the iPhone SE Tone and wide colour display (P3). press release as saying, “The first iPhone SE was a • Haptic touch: Whereas the iPhone 8 supported hit with many customers who loved its unique pressure-sensitive 3D Touch, the iPhone SE combination of small size, high-end performance drops back to the Haptic Touch approach that and affordable price.” That’s absolutely true, relies on the length of the press and can’t especially the “small size” part. However, then he distinguish between different pressure levels. goes on to say, “the new second-generation iPhone • Touch ID: Although Apple has moved to Face SE builds on that great idea and improves on it in ID for the 2018 and 2019 iPhone models, the every way.” No. When small size is the key feature, iPhone SE sticks with the Touch ID sensor from “improved” would require that it get smaller, not the iPhone 8. Some people prefer Touch ID, and, larger. especially as mask-wearing becomes more Sorry, Apple hates you and your tiny hands. And commonplace, Touch ID may be more effective your small pockets. than Face ID. Impressive Specs for the Price • Qi wireless charging: Like the iPhone 8, the • Apart from the disappointing size, the new iPhone SE supports wireless charging. Battery iPhone SE sports an impressive set of specs for life is the same as the iPhone 8 as well, and it’s the price. Little is particularly new here, of still fast-charge capable. course, since it’s basically an upgraded iPhone 8. • eSIM-capable: Where the iPhone 8 was limited The key specs include: to a single nano-SIM, the iPhone SE has both a • A13 Bionic: The second-generation iPhone SE nano-SIM and supports Apple’s eSIM uses the same A13 Bionic chip as the iPhone 11 technology for a second number. and iPhone 11 Pro. If past behaviour is any In short, then, the second-generation iPhone SE indication, this second-generation iPhone SE is just an iPhone 8 with a faster chip that enables won’t see any updates for years, so having the better photos, a “just-right” 128 GB storage option,

CAPITAL APPLE – MAY 2020 PAGE 11 Haptic Touch instead of 3D Touch, and support for Adobe Acrobat Reader Flaws Could Let an eSIM-enabled second number. Attacks Hijack Your Mac What’s important about the iPhone SE, though, is If you use Adobe Acrobat Reader, update your its price. It costs $399, $449, or $549, depending on copy by choosing Help > Check for Updates. whether you want 64 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB of Security researcher Yuebin Sun of Tencent storage. In comparison, equivalent models of the Security Xuanwu Lab has discovered multiple iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro are $300 and $600 more, respectively. So as much as the size of the second-generation iPhone SE is disappointing, the price—and the performance for that price—is extremely welcome. At $699, the iPhone 11 could never be considered inexpensive in any light other than that cast by the $999 iPhone 11 Pro and the $1099 iPhone 11 Pro Max. vulnerabilities that could allow a local attacker to If you don’t care about size, Apple is still selling gain root access to your Mac. Fortunately, Adobe has the beefy iPhone XR for $200 more. Apart from its already fixed these vulnerabilities in the latest older A12 Bionic chip, the iPhone XR has Face ID versions of Acrobat Reader. and somewhat better specs than the iPhone SE. But Most Mac users shouldn’t need to use Acrobat if you’re going to spend $200 more, ante up another Reader; macOS’s built-in Preview app is smaller and $100 and get the iPhone 11. faster. For creating and manipulating PDFs beyond For some people, an iPhone is such an important what Preview can do, we recommend Smile’s part of their lives that there’s no question that it’s PDFpen and PDFpenPro. The main reason to rely on worth spending over $1000. But for many others, an Acrobat Reader is if you regularly run across iPhone is nice but not necessary, so having the complex or malformed PDFs that Preview and second-generation iPhone SE cut that price by more PDFpen can’t handle. than half will significantly increase Apple’s sales. The full article is at; https://rekken.github.io/2020/05/14/Security- ************ Flaws-in-Adobe-Acrobat-Reader-Allow-Malicious- Program-to-Gain-Root-on-macOS-Silently/

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