O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: discontinue

  • Apple unveils macOS 10.15 Catalina, highlights how iTunes will be discontinued and split into three core applications

    Over at WWDC, Apple dropped the hammer, revealing both details as to macOS 10.15 Catalina as well as the fact that the “future of iTunes” means that iTunes’ core functions will be divided into three apps: Apple Music, Apple podcasts, and Apple TV. As such the traditional iTunes app will be discontinued in macOS 10.15 Catalina.

    In turn, the company has stated that the apps will “greatly simplify and improve” the way that users discover media on the Mac. 

    To start, Apple Music will sync with your Apple Music account and provide full access to music streaming, playlists, music videos, Beats1 radio stations, downloaded songs, and more. The iTunes Music store will remain alive, located in the Apple Music app, for those users who still prefer to own their music. 

    The Apple TV App will essentially behave as it does under tvOS and iOS, allowing users to sync Up Next lists across devices and easily access favorite shows. For its end, Apple Podcasts will offer more than 700,000 shows in its library and sync your content across devices. 

    Certain features previously seen in iTunes will be migrated elsewhere on macOS, like iPhone syncing and device storage management now located in Finder. 

    Apple also announced its Sidecar feature for Catalina, allowing an iPad to be used as an extended display for their Mac. This allows users to use an Apple Pencil, or other stylus, to draw on their iPad when desired.

    Catalina will also gain an accessibility feature called Voice Control, which lets users control their Mac entirely with their voice. This is aimed at anyone who can’t operate traditional input devices, and uses Siri speech recognition technology. 

    Other updates will include improved security, Screen Time on macOS, and improvements to apps such as Photos, Safari, Mail, Notes, and Reminders.

    macOS Catalina is available to Apple Developer Program members from today, and a public beta program will launch later in June. A full public launch will follow in the fall.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors

  • Pokemon Go to discontinue Apple Watch support on July 1st

    If you loved tracking footsteps via Pokemon Go on your Apple Watch, you’re not going to love this.

    Pokemon Go developer has announced that it’ll be discontinuing this feature come July 1st.

    Niantic, Inc, has announced that it is discontinuing support for Apple Watch in its Pokemon Go game. Currently, the Apple Watch companion app tracks your steps and sends that data to the game. However, after July 1, 2019, players will no longer be able to connect their Apple Watches to the iPhone Pokemon Go app.

    Niantic has stated that the decision is due to the launch of Adventure Sync in October 2018. “Because Adventure Sync allows Trainers the option of tracking their steps… in one mobile device instead of two separate devices, we wanted to focus on building Adventure Sync,” Niantic said in a statement on its website, “so that Trainers will no longer have to split their gameplay between two devices.”

    The Pokemon Go with Adventure Sync tracks walking, but does so using only the iPhone. “Trainers can use Adventure Sync to track their distance by syncing their fitness apps in their phones,” continues the company, “which does not require devices such as Apple Watches.”

    With the Pokemon Go Apple Watch app, users were able to start a workout and sync their data back to the Health app. As users complied the workout, the app would then tell them how close they were to hatching an incubating Pokemon egg.

    The decision arrives ahead of Apple’s unveiling watchOS 6 and possibly an Apple Watch app store. It also arrives after the Pokemon Company revealed a sleep-tracking version of the game which uses its own hardware instead of Apple Watch.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Niantic

  • Apple releases firmware update for AirPort Express, adds AirPlay 2 functionality to the discontinued router

    A newly-released firmware update has just added new functionality to a discontinued product.

    On Tuesday, Apple quietly released a firmware update to the now-discontinued AirPort Express product line, introducing support for AirPlay 2 to the router ahead of the expected public release of iOS 12 this fall.

    AirPlay 2 functions as Apple’s update to its media streaming protocol, enabling features such as stereo pairing on the HomePod and multi-room audio for compatible devices.

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  • Apple to remove Back to My Mac feature in macOS Mojave operating system

    Apple has nixed its Back to My Mac feature for macOS Mojave. Apple on Tuesday made the discontinuation official by notifying customers of the removal, and sharing a support document outlining the changes.

    The support document suggests alternative ways in which users can replace the retired feature, including iCloud Drive, screen sharing, and the Apple Remote Desktop app.

    “Back to My Mac will not be available on macOS Mojave,” reads the document in part. “You can get ready now by learning about alternatives for file access, screen sharing, and remote desktop access.”

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  • Apple officially discontinues development of AirPort hardware, will sell through remaining stock via online and retail channels

    As much as you and I may love Apple’s AirPort routers, as of Thursday, they’re now on the company’s discontinued hardware list.

    Late last week, Apple officially ceased development of its AirPort Time Capsule, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Express.

    Apple has confirmed the move, wherein the company will continue to sell its remaining stock through the online and retail Apple store until supplies last.

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