iOS 13.4 and other Apple OS updates dropped this week — your favorite blog has a massive tutorial for your to learn how to use every new feature, including the awesome iPad trackpad and interactive pointer support. Moving on to the current pandemic, Apple released a dedicated COVID-19 app and provided other coronavirus resources to keep you entertained and informed.
Meanwhile, Sandy has you covered with a bunch of new tutorials and apps to check out. Rounding everything up are money-saving deals from Cody, fresh walls, more iPad Pro coverage, a dozen new tutorials and tips, plus crazy Apple rumors.
Table of contents
Use the links below to jump directly to a section that interests you:
- Let’s Talk iOS: Listen to the latest episode of our weekly podcast
- Wallpapers: Customize your devices with beautiful wallpapers
- Deals: Save money with our curated deals
- News:Â Keep up with the latest Apple news and rumors
- Tutorials: Tips, tricks and how-tos to master your devices
- Apps: New apps, games and updates to unwind
- Jailbreak: Latest jailbreak tweaks for your pwned iPhone
Our weekly recap follows right ahead.
Weekly recap: March 23-29, 2020
Welcome to a new installment of iDownloadBlog’s Editor’s Desk weekly column in which we round up various stories that were published on the site from March 23 through 29.
“Let’s Talk iOS” podcast: It’s a home run
Episode #336 of iDownloadBlog’s “Let’s Talk iOS” podcast discusses the refreshed Mac mini, MacBook Air, iPad Pro and the new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro.
Be sure to follow your hosts @Sebastien and @melvco and don’t forget to send a tweet to @LTiOS_fm if you’d like your question answered at the end of next week’s podcast.
Wallpapers: Vector landscape
This week’s collection focuses on vector landscape backdrops for your Apple devices.
As the world continues to spend more time indoors to avoid COVID-19, we utilize our devices more than ever. These gorgeous wallpapers are a way to escape the view of your own four walls and enjoy a creative approach to the outside world. The colors, sun rays and reflective blue water make these images incredible downloads.
Submit images for consideration to our wallpaper wizard Jim Gresham via @jim_gresham.
Deals and discounts
You can still save money with these limited-time deals:
- Apple ID:Â Add funds to your Apple ID for 10% bonus
- Final Cut Pro:Â 90-day free trial now available
- Monument Valley 2: Currently free on App Store
News and rumors
Here are the week’s most important Apple stories that we’ve covered:
Coronavirus
- Apple donating masks to healthcare providers in the US and Europe
- Free-to-view “Oprah Talks COVID-19” interview series launches on Apple TV+
- Siri responding to COVID-19 queries with CDC content
- Apple Books highlights stay-at-home content for families
- Apple curating family-friendly music, podcasts and more for staying at home
- Instagram picks up COVID-19 section, Co-Watching feature and more
- New Apple videos for at-home education
- US Apple stores may reopen by mid-April
- Carriers pushing “Stay Home” messages
- Beats 1 hosts start broadcasting from home
Empty Apple Park drone video by Duncan Sinfield
Apple news
- Build-to-order Macs get price increases in many countries
- Apple Watch excluded from US’s tariffs on goods imported from China
- App Store to expand to 20 new countries later this year
- Universal purchases for iOS, watchOS, macOS and tvOS apps now available
- Apple Music gains auto-updating “Get Up! Mix” AI playlist
- Drone video shows empty Apple Park campus
- 2020 iPad Pro reviews praise cameras and AR future
- Apple Card updates privacy policy for sharing data
- Safari now blocking full third-party cookies by default
- T-Mobile customers can now use Apple Pay to pay their bill
- Trailer: New Defending Jacob thriller hitting Apple TV+ on April 24
- iFixit tears apart 2020 MacBook Air with scissor-mechanism Magic Keyboard
- Retina MacBook Airs may develop anti-reflective coating issues
- iDB video: 7 iPad Pro features you’ll love
- iOS 13.3.1 vulnerability prevents VPNs from encrypting all traffic
Apple OS updates
- iOS and iPadOS 13.4 launched with trackpad support, mouse pointer, more
- watchOS 6.2 with in-app purchase support arrives
- macOS Catalina 10.15.4 and tvOS 13.4 now available
- ARKit 3.5 with support for LiDAR scanner launches for developers
- iDB video: 15 major new features in iOS 13.4
- macOS Catalina 10.15.4 warning users about legacy kernel extensions
- Apple A12Z probably a rebranded A12XÂ with one additional GPU core
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Apple rumors
- Kuo: iPhones with sensor stabilization in 2020, periscope lens in 2022
- Kuo: Multiple ARM-based Macs coming in 2021
- Kuo: Apple to pay 40-60% less for its own Mac CPU
- Apple prototyping revised AirPower multi-device charger
- Next Apple TV to going 2x storage, Screen Time and Kids Mode
- BMW may be Apple’s launch partner for CarKey
- Suppliers ramp up development on Apple AR headset
- Suppliers boosting production of redesigned scissor-switch Magic Keyboards
- 5G iPhone may be delayed for months
- Suppliers deny reports of production delays for 5G iPhone
- Touch ID Apple Watch may arrive in 2021
iOS 14 spelunking
- Find My to gain AR mode, new location triggers
- Apple AR headset being tested with some nice AR games
Tips, tricks and fresh tutorials to master your devices
Learn something new with our tutorials, tips and tricks:
Calendar
- Customizing Calendar notifications across iPhone, iPad and Mac
- Productivity keyboard shortcuts for Calendar on Mac
- Moving, copying or duplication events to another calendar
Notes
- Using Notes document scanner on your Mac
- Adding, deactivating and removing Notes accounts on your Mac
iOS 13.4
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Other
- Customizing podcast and episode settings on Mac
- Importing and exporting bookmarks in Safari, Firefox and Chrome
- Fixing distorted display issues on Windows 10 on your Mac
- Using color and size tools in Preview for Mac
- Working with notifications in Reminders for Mac
- Productivity keyboard shortcuts for Books on Mac
- Editing movies with QuickTime Player on Mac
Apps, games and updates to unwind
Check out the following new and updated apps, games and related news:
Games
- Monument Valley 2 goes free
- GameClub now lets 12 family members use one $5 per month subscription
- Some Apple Arcade exclusives launching on other platforms
- Why cloud-gaming services cannot get their apps on App Store
Apple apps
- Apple launches COVID-19 app and website based on CDC guidance
- Apple Music gains notificatons for new music releases in your Library
- Shazam refreshed with Split View multitasking support
- Apple launches 90-day free trial for Final Cut Pro X and Logic Pro X
- Apple Developer app adds video playback improvements
Google apps
Other apps
- Adobe inviting people to test Illustrator for iPad
- Dell Mobile Connect app now mirrors iPhones to PCs
- Tidal launches kid-friendly playlists
- Duolingo ABC for iOS teaches your kids how to read in engaging ways
App roundups
- The best free Mac apps for focusing when working from home
- Voix, Fabula, Noise and other apps of the week
Accessories for your Apple world
We covered the following accessories this week:
- Brdyge: Using Brdyge Pro+ iPad keyboard with trackpad (video)
- Marshall: Uxbridge Voice speaker features AirPlay 2 support and Amazon’s Alexa
- Nomad: New water-resistant AirPods Pro casesÂ
- Zagg: Slim Book Go and Rugged Book Go keyboards for iPad Pro go on sale
Jailbreak tweaks for your pwned iPhone
We covered the following jailbreak tweaks this week:
- AirPay: AirPods-inspired interface for Apple Pay
- CPUTool: Underclock your device’s CPU/GPU for battery life boost
- Dyadic: Combine Control Center and Today widgets into one interface
- Fluide: Play/Pause button in iOS’s volume HUD interface
- LPMPad: iPhone’s native Low Power Mode, on your iPad
- LSTweak: Overhauled, fully configurable Lock screen interface
- Situm: Start search engine querries from anywhere in iOS
- WatchMuteMirror: Keep silent mode in sync between iPhone and Apple Watch
- Roundup: CPUToo, Dyadic and other jailbreak tweaks of the week
Your favorites?
Your favorite picks from the roundup? Let us know in the commenting section down below!