Apple releases MacOS Mojave

Apple  has just released macOS Mojave 10.14.1, and if you want to update, you can go straight to the “Software Update” section of System Preferences, a new method introduced with the Mojave update.

But… you might want to know all the cool things you can do with it first, right?

Well, let’s start with the super fun stuff – Group FaceTime is finally here for everyone! Chat with up to 32 people at the same time! Friends, family, foes, who are we to judge? All we know is that it’s super fun/useful.

Next in line is another fun thing – more emoji characters! More than 70, actually. Check them out here. 

There’s the new Dark mode feature, which apparently lets you be more focused on your work. Try it out by going to the General pane in System Preferences.

Siri has been improved, you can now add Emoji to emails, and a new feature called Stacks will clean up your desktop by automatically organizing your files into related groups, or by date.

The Finder has been updated so it shows more data and makes things easier to find, The Mac App store has been remodeled, and screenshots have become more customizable and easier to use.  Just launch the new Screenshot utility or press Shift-Command-5 to use.

Another new feature allows you to use your iPhone to take a photo of or scan a nearby object or document and have it automatically appear on your Mac. Just choose Import from iPhone or iPad from the File menu in Messages, Finder, Mail,  Notes, Pages, Keynote, and Numbers.

Four new Apps have also come along with Mojave, including News, Stocks, Voice memo’s and Home app,  where you can control your HomeKit-enabled accessories.

Have fun!

iOS 12.1 released!

Alongside Mojave, Apple has released iOS 12.1 for the iPhone and iPad. As per usual, it’s free and easy – go to Settings -> General -> Software Update. It’s always best to back up your phone before doing this, and having your phone connected to power.

So what are we looking at with this update?

Well, it’s faster, like, a lot faster according to Apple’s stats. There’s Memoji, so you can well, Memoji yourself? As well as 4 new Animoji characters and picture affects added to Messages and FaceTime.

Speaking of FaceTime, Group Facetime is here! You can now FaceTime with up to 32 people – as long as you have an iPhone 6S or higher. Group FaceTime is also not available on iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPad Air. It also comes equipped with new camera effect features like filters, stickers, Animoji, and Memoji.

There is also more than 70 new emoji included on iOS 12.1-  You can see the list here. 

A new AR (Augmented reality) app called Measure is now on your phone, to help you measure real-world objects just by pointing your camera at them.

Screentime is a new and slightly terrifying feature that can and will track how long you – or your children – spend on your phone or iPad, and in which apps. Additionally, notifications can now be made easier to manage and customize in an attempt to diminish distractions. You can also manage the Do Not Disturb function a lot better, with the ability to set a time for it to be turned on, or for it to be turned off after you leave a location or event in your calendar.

Shortcuts are more improved, with Siri learning your routine and suggesting shortcuts on the home screen. Photo search and sharing becomes easier, Apple Books and Stocks is redesigned, Siri is improved, and student ID’s will be supported in the Apple Wallet.

Other, smaller but very much welcome fixes:

– New Depth Control in Camera preview for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR
– You can now change or reset your child’s Screen Time passcode using Face ID or Touch ID

– Improves cellular connectivity for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR
– Addresses an issue that prevented some voicemails from appearing in the Phone app
– Adds a performance management feature to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down, including the option to disable this feature if an unexpected shutdown occurs, for iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
– Adds the ability for Battery Health to inform users that it is unable to verify if a genuine Apple battery is in iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR

– Fixes an issue that could cause MDM Device Enrollment to report an Invalid Profile error for some enterprise users

With eSIM support, dual-SIM functionality is available on the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, enabled through the existing physical SIM slot and the eSIM in all countries with the exception of China. In China, the new iPhones have two SIM card slots. Carriers will however need to implement support for eSIM functionality to work even after it’s been turned on in iOS 12.1.

Also for the new phones (only), you lucky ducks have a new real-time Depth Control feature, so you can adjust the depth of field of your Portrait Mode photos before you capture them. Simply tap on the “F” icon at the top of the screen and then drag the slider to adjust the amount of background blur in the image.

You can see the full list of the details of all the features right here. What do you guys think of the new iOS update?