Back in June, I previewed some of the great new features coming to the iPhone and iPad in iOS 14, as well as new features coming to the Apple Watch in watchOS 7. Both updates came out yesterday, so this is a good time to look back at those posts again to start to understand what is new. (I did that myself as I was downloading the updates.) I'm still trying to figure out the best ways to use widgets on my iPhone and iPad, but I can already tell that I'm going to like that new feature. The iPad interface improvements are also really nice, such as the new sidebar in the Photos app. And if you haven't used the Pinned Conversation feature in the Messages app, check that one out right away. Just find a conversation with a person or group that you text with a lot, hold down and pick Pin, and then you can always quickly jump to that conversation by tapping an icon at the top instead of scrolling around to look for the conversation. And there are so many more nice new features, which I'm sure I will be writing about on iPhone J.D. as I discover more delightful new additions. And now, the news of note from the past week:
- California attorney David Sparks updated his Shortcuts Field Guide this week. Last year, I reviewed the version for iOS 13. The latest update adds 16 videos and over 45 minutes of new content to address new iOS 14 features. If you click here you can, for a limited time, get a $5 discount. Shortcuts is such a powerful app, and it has some major updates in iOS 14, so if you want to get more out of your iPhone or iPad I absolutely recommend this video field guide.
- Illinois attorney John Voorhees of MacStories describes the new Spatial Audio feature in iOS 14 for the AirPods Pro. This is really fascinating technology. If you own the AirPods pro, use them to watch an episode of Ted Lasso (a show that supports Spatial Audio) on an iPad or iPhone, and then move your head around while you are watching. The sound truly seems to come from the iPad/iPhone instead of from the speakers in your ears. The audio also just sounds better. I cannot wait to see more of this. Voorhees also points out that, for any model AirPods, you no longer have to manually connect when you switch devices. Start using an iPhone, and your AirPods pair to the iPhone. Put the iPhone down and start using the iPad, and the AirPods pair to the iPad. I've only been using that feature for 24 hours but so far it has worked incredibly well.
- Speaking of Ted Lasso, I was wrong when I said last week that there are only eight episodes this season. There are ten. And the eighth episode that was released "today" (I watched it at 11pm Central last night) is excellent.
- Another good Spatial Audio demo: watch this Dolby Atmos trailer to hear stunning 360º sound.
- Voorhees also wrote an article to explain how CARROT Weather — my favorite weather app — was updated in numerous ways to take advantage of all of the new features of iOS 14 and watchOS 7.
- John Gruber of Daring Fireball wrote an interesting analysis of the announcements made by Apple this week.
- Jason Snell of Six Colors also wrote an interesting analysis, explaining how Apple used a Good, Better, Best approach.
- Yesterday, I discussed the new versions of the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Apple Watch SE, which go on sale today. Apple provided review units to a few members of the press, so you can now read some early initial impressions on these devices. For example, if you want to see the Series 6 in action, Marques Brownlee shows it off in this video.
- Dieter Bohn of The Verge also posted a helpful video along with his first look review.
- Chris Velazco of Engadget says that the Apple Watch SE includes the best parts and features from the last few years of Apple Watch history.
- Mike Propero of Tom's Guide says that the lack of an always on display in the Apple Watch SE is a real disappointment.
- Daniel Bader of iMore says that the Apple Watch Series 6 is a powerful computer on your wrist.
- Caitlin McGarry of Gizmodo says that the 2.5x brighter display when the Series 6 is inactive makes a big difference when outside or when working out, but also says that the Apple Watch SE is also quite good and shares many of its best features.
- Joseph Keller of iMore reviews watchOS 7.
- Jason Cross of Macworld provides some details on the new A14 Bionic processor that powers the new iPad Air — and which I presume will also power the new iPhone that Apple will introduce in a few weeks.
- In an article for Macworld, Jason Snell writes that the iPad Air is so close in power to the iPad Pro that it could be an indication that the next version of the iPad Pro will be a major upgrade.
- Stephen Nellis of Reuters discusses the upcoming Apple Fitness+ service that Apple announced this week.
- Apple also announced Apple One this week, a bundle of up to six Apple services. Benjamin Mayo explains how you can use this upcoming service to save some money. I certainly will. Ever month, I currently pay Apple $14.99 for Apple Music for me and my family, $9.99 for 2 TB of iCloud storage, and $49.99 a year for Apple Arcade for my kids which works out to just over $4 a month. And when Apple starts to charge for Apple TV+, that will be another $5 a month for a service that I will want. So that's $34 a month. With the $29.95 Apple One Premiere bundle, I can save $4 a month, get all of those same services, and also get Apple News+ (normally $9.99) and the upcoming Apple Fitness+ (which will also be $9.99) for free. Spend less money than I am paying now, plus get two additional services? Count me in.
- tvOS 14 also came out this week. As Mayo explains, it adds better HomeKit support, support for 4K YouTube videos, and multi-user support for Apple Arcade and Game Center, and better Picture-in-Picture.
- Chance Miller of 9to5Mac describes his 14 favorite features of iOS 14.
- And finally, Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal prepared this video to provide 14 tips for using iOS 14:
