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The Second-Annual-Virtual Edition Tuesday, March 30, 2021

WWDC 2021 Officially Announced, iOS 15 Expected, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

Apple has officially announced WWDC 2021. This year, the conference will take place completely virtually starting June 7 through June 11. This marks the second year in a row that Apple will hold a virtual Worldwide Developers Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At WWDC 2021, Apple is likely to unveil the future of its software platforms, including iOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8, and more. The event will be free to all developers.

Apple Announces WWDC Swift Student Challenge, Applications Now Open, by Michael Potuck, 9to5Mac

The goal this year is to “Create an interactive scene in a Swift playground that can be experienced within three minutes. Be creative.”

Coming Soon?

Apple Developing New Remote For The Next Generation Apple TV, by Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac

Details about this new Apple TV Remote are still unknown, but 9to5Mac’s sources have told us that this model is being developed under the codename “B519,” which is quite different from the codename of the current Siri Remote — internally identified as “B439.”

Stuff

M1 MacBook Air Review: After 3 Months Use, Here's What I Wish I'd Known, by Robin Harris, ZDNet

Dead quiet. Great battery life. Larger trackpad and display. Flexible multitasking and window layout.

Darkroom 5.2 Improves Photo Management With New Flag And Reject Functionality, by John Voorhees, MacStories

Darkroom’s new flag and reject workflow allows users to make quick work of big photo collections. [...] By automatically advancing to the next image, Darkroom reduces the process to a single flag or reject decision, streamlining the workflow significantly.

Focos Live App For iOS Updated With Redesigned Media Selector And New Video Effects, by Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac

Focus Live was introduced in 2020 with the ability to record and edit videos in portrait mode on iPhone and iPad using depth data from multi-lens cameras. The app was updated this week with some great new features, including a redesigned media selector and new effects that can be added to videos.

Mimeo Photos Arrives On iPhone And iPad To Print Books, Cards, Calendars, Wall Art, And More, by Michael Potuck, 9to5Mac

Mimeo Photos has been one of the popular choices to continue printing photos within the Mac Photos app after Apple discontinued its native printing service. Now Mimeo Photos has arrived on iPhone and iPad to make it easy to print right from your camera roll and more.

Hyper Launches New MagSafe Compatible iPhone 12 Battery Pack As Apple’s Is Nowhere To Be Found, by Michael Potuck, 9to5Mac

Hyper is out today with a handy magnetic wireless battery pack for iPhone 12. It comes with a 5,000mAh capacity to give 1-2 full iPhone charges and features USB-C to power it up as well as juice up a second device.

Leviton Expands HomeKit Lineup With New Hub-less Switches And Dimmers, by Michael Potuck, 9to5Mac

Leviton is out today with its second-gen Decora smart switches and dimmers that feature hub-less HomeKit support. The new lineup includes a 600W Dimmer, 15A Switch, Mini Plug-in Switch, and Mini-Plug-in Dimmer.

Notes

Apple Expanding Independent Repair Provider Program Worldwide, by Juli Clover, MacRumors

First introduced in 2019, the Independent Repair Provider Program is designed to provide repair shops with access to genuine parts, tools, repair manuals, and diagnostics for performing out-of-warranty repairs for Apple devices.

Big Tech And Independent Shops Clash Over 'Right To Repair', by Sam Metz, Associated Press

Trade groups representing big tech companies clashed with independent repair shop owners in Monday committee hearing in the Nevada Legislature over a proposal to require hardware manufacturers give repair shops the means to fix devices like computers, phones, tablets and printers.

One Startup’s Solution For Zoom Fatigue? The Walk And Talk, by Arielle Pardes, Wired

Perhaps the concept sounds familiar? Like Zoom, without the camera? Like WhatsApp audio? Like … a phone call? Caplan argues that his software does add something new, because it combines enterprise features (scheduling, transcription, smart mute) with a mobile-first approach. It’s “lightweight,” designed to be used on the go, without the awkward dance of videoconferencing.

Bottom of the Page

With a full year of preparation, I'm sure this year's virtual WWDC will be better than last year's, right?

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Thanks for reading.