macOS Sequoia is rolling out today, and it joins its predecessors in the macOS Screenshot Library.
This initial version of Sequoia is pretty quiet; the fireworks will come with Apple Intelligence in the coming months.
Category: Apple
Why Do You Have To Go and Make Things So Complicated?
Apple held its annual iPhone event today, and the biggest thought in my mind about is that Apple’s product messaging has gotten confusing. 
Apple Watch
For years, rumors have claimed that the Apple Watch Ultra would fall off the annual release cycle the standard Apple Watch enjoys, and it happened today, with the Ultra picking up the saddest label I’ve ever see on Apple’s website:
I mean, the satin black finish looks incredible, but why didn’t the Ultra receive any other updates, especially as it sits at the high-end of the product line? I understand that the Apple Watch SE doesn’t need annual refreshing, but the Ultra being in that bucket just doesn’t make sense to me.
‘The Observatory’ Set to Open at Apple Park⇢
Dezeen can exclusively reveal photos of technology company Apple’s new events venue, which is built into the hillside at the Apple Park campus in California.
Set to officially open later today, The Observatory is the most significant building to be completed on the campus since the Steve Jobs Theater opened in 2017.
Designed “as a contemplative space”, the subterranean building will be used for launch events and to showcase the brand’s latest technology.
The Color Czar at Work⇢
Looks like the colors of Monday’s new iPhones have leaked, and once again the Pro phones are just so… boring.
Apple Announces Event for September 9
Gurman: Mac mini Redesign Coming with the M4⇢
People involved in the development of the new Mac mini say it’s essentially an iPad Pro in a small box — an approach that takes advantage of the lower power requirements of the company’s in-house silicon. The current Mac mini starts at $599, and while the new model may be cheaper to make, it’s unclear if the company will pass along any savings to the consumer.
That small box is expected to be somewhere in the neighborhood of the Apple TV in terms of size, but retain its aluminum enclosure.
The Services Company⇢
Jason Snell noticed something during yesterday’s results call:
Apple’s latest quarterly results were about as boring as you can get while still featuring $21.4 billion in profit and setting an all-time third-quarter record. Most categories were flat, with the exception of a one-time bump in iPad sales (amazing what actually introducing new products can do!) and the continued, relentless increase in Services revenue.
Another quarter, another record-setting total for Apple’s Services line—$24.2 billion in revenue. And yet, the more I looked at that number, the more I started to ask myself some fundamental questions about Apple’s business, today and in the future.
macOS Sequoia Now Includes Ability to Move Tasks Between Lists in Reminders More Easily
A month ago, I wrote about the Inspector in Reminders being different on the Mac from the version found in iOS and iPadOS:
The biggest example in my mind is the ability to move a task to a different list. On the iPhone and iPad, it’s super easy, as there’s a drop-down right in the Inspector. Mac users, however, don’t have that UI, and are left to drag and drop tasks between lists.
When it Comes to Apple Intelligence, Patience is a Virtue⇢
David Sparks, writing about the rumors that say the new Siri won’t show up until next year:
The big question about all the Apple Intelligence elements is not “When do we get them?” but “Do they work”? Significant market pressures forced Apple to explain its AI position, and now it has. I generally agree with the thinking behind Apple Intelligence, and if it works as promised, it will be very impressive.
Apple Updates the HomePod mini
I love my HomePod minis, and today there is a new one:
Today, Apple introduced HomePod mini in midnight, made with 100 percent recycled mesh fabric. At just 3.3 inches tall, HomePod mini offers big sound in an impressively compact design. With a seamless, acoustically transparent mesh exterior and a backlit touch surface that illuminates from edge to edge, HomePod mini is a stunning smart speaker that complements any space. HomePod mini in midnight is available starting Wednesday, July 17, and joins other bold colors, including yellow, orange, blue, and white.
The Power Mac G5’s Hidden Fan⇢
While working on another project, I came across this delightful blog post by Jay at The House of Moth, about the Power Mac G5:
How many fans does a Power Mac G5 have? Depending on the configuration this answer varies but you can be almost sure the answer is always one short. Let’s take a look at the Late 2005 Quad in this example.
– 2 intake fans (front inlet fan assembly) – 2 exhaust fans (rear exhaust fan assembly) – 1 fan in the PCI bay (speaker assembly) – 1 fan for the hard drives (media bay fan)
Phil Schiller to Join OpenAI’s Board as Observer⇢
Mark Gurman, writing at Bloomberg:
Apple Inc. will get an observer role on OpenAI’s board as part of a landmark agreement announced last month, further tightening ties between the once-unlikely partners.
Phil Schiller, the head of Apple’s App Store and its former marketing chief, was chosen for the position, according to people familiar with the situation. As a board observer, he won’t be serving as a full-fledged director, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter isn’t public.