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The No-Longer-Updated Edition Friday, April 22, 2022

End Of The Road: Apple Is Killing macOS Server, The Place Where Mac OS X Began, by Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica

Apple announced today that it is formally discontinuing macOS Server after 23 years. The app, which offers device management services and a few other features to people using multiple Macs, iPhones, and iPads on the same network, can still be bought, downloaded, and used with macOS Monterey. It is also still currently available at its normal $20 retail price but will no longer be updated with new features or security fixes.

Apple Pulling The Plug On Fleetsmith Device Management Service In October, by William Gallagher, AppleInsider

Existing users of Apple's Fleetsmith device management service have been notified that it will be discontinued on October 21, and no new users can now be added.

In principle, Fleetsmith is similar to both Jamf and the new Apple Business Essentials, in that it aimed to help large companies manage the Apple devices they distribute to their staff. Originally a third-party service, it was bought by Apple in 2020.

New Apple Cash Accounts Now Branded As Visa Cards, by Eric Slivka, MacRumors

Over the past few days, several Apple Cash virtual card images on Apple’s website have been swapped out for new ones displaying a Visa debit logo, and the transition to the more widely accepted network appears to be underway.

Stuff

It's Earth Day, And Apple Website Highlights Progress In Everything From Apple Watch To iMac, by Ben Lovejoy, 9to5Mac

The company kicked things off earlier this month by announcing that it would donate $1 to the World Wildlife Fund for every Apple Pay transaction made in Apple Stores, through the Apple Store app, or on its website from April 14 to today.

Apple Fitness+ New Artist Spotlight Series Highlights Dance Workouts With ABBA, BTS, Queen, More, by José Adorno, 9to5Mac

Apple Fitness+ is highlighting a new Dance Collection, a limited-edition award, and a special Artist Spotlight featuring hit songs and iconic moves from artist videos in the lead-up to International Dance Day.

I Visited 14 National Parks Last Year. Here Are The Apps I Used To Plan And Pull Off Those Trips., by Elissa Sanci, New York Times

Last year, I visited 14 national parks spanning from the East Coast to the West Coast and everywhere in between. I’ve hiked up mountains for stunning 360-degree vistas, ventured underground to explore cave systems, and wandered through slot canyons in the desert heat—and to do it all successfully, I’ve relied on a few trusted apps. Whether I’m searching for campsites, organizing a packed itinerary, or navigating long hikes safely, I’ve found these apps extremely useful in pulling off my national park trips. Here are the apps that can help you plan your own adventures.

Notes

Apple Details Mangrove Conservation Efforts Made In India Ahead Of World Earth Day, by Darryl Boxberger, AppleInsider

"With our work and awareness around the importance of mangroves," Archana Godbole, director of the AERF explained, "and opportunities to create sustainable income-generating activities, we've provided hope to the coastal communities in Raigad."

"To collaborate with Apple and Conservation International is a great opportunity to explore how mangrove conservation and community benefits can go hand in hand," she says.

Apple Actively Planning To Expand Supply Chain Locations After Lockdown Strains Reliance On China, by José Adorno, 9to5Mac

With constant lockdowns in China due to the rise of COVID-19 cases, Apple is now in ”action plan” to diversify its supply chain management risks out of the country, according to a new report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

HomePod, Studio Display, And Filling The Right Niche, by Jason Snell, Six Colors

The original HomePod and the Studio Display are both outliers in their product categories. In one case, there just weren’t enough people to fill that niche, leading Apple to refactor the product to try to find a larger audience with a cheaper, lower-quality version. In the other, there is enough pent-up demand for the product to be a success.

They may both be weird outlier products, but both of them have communities that love them. Sometimes that’s enough. And sometimes it’s not.

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The weekend is here. Time to watch new episodes over at Apple TV+... and, watch all episodes over at Netflix.

My menu:
Pachinko
Slow Horses
Russian Doll

~

Thanks for reading.