Macs are much more reliable than in the past, but it remains the case that computers and apps can fail in a wide variety of ways. And they’ve become so integral to daily life that an occasional failure is almost inevitable. Unfortunately, if you aren’t prepared for that eventuality, you may lose work and suffer from unnecessary downtime. A little forethought can significantly minimize the impact of app crashes, lost connectivity, storage failures, and overall hardware hiccups.

App Failures

The most common problems occur in apps, where you have to worry about crashes and file corruption. (Cosmetic bugs and broken features are annoying, but apart from reporting them, there’s nothing you can do about them and they shouldn’t cause you to lose work.) To protect yourself from crashes and corruption, we recommend the following:

• Save new files immediately: Although many apps auto-save, not all do. Whenever you start a new file, save it immediately and frequently as you work. That way, a crash can’t cause you to lose everything you’ve done.
  
• Use always-on backup software: Backup software like Time Machine and Backblaze run throughout the day, making versioned backups that let you restore earlier versions of a file. Those backups can be a lifesaver if your document becomes corrupted.
• Make manual versions of critical files: For documents where losing work would threaten your continued employment, we recommend making manual versions at least daily, preferably on a cloud storage service. Append a version number to each file, and keep all the versions until you complete the project.

Connectivity Failures

As more of our work has moved online or requires access to online resources, always-available connectivity has become necessary. Many people feel incapable of getting things done without Internet access. Here are some workarounds:

• Be able to switch between Wi-Fi and Ethernet: If one method of connecting to your local network fails, switching to the other can let you get on with your work with minimal interruption. A wireless access point failure could send you to wired Ethernet, or Ethernet cable damage could make Wi-Fi the only option. One shortcut for this is to keep both network adapters active in System Settings > Network, so the Mac can use either.
  
• Turn on a personal hotspot: If your Internet connection goes down, the fastest way to get your Mac back online may be to connect to your iPhone’s personal hotspot. Set it up in Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot and choose it from your Mac’s Wi-Fi menu.
  
• Identify a public hotspot: Assuming you have a Mac laptop, the better part of valor may be to go somewhere with Internet access, whether a coffee shop, the public library, or the house of a friend or family member. If your problem falls outside business hours, you might even be able to access a public network from a nearby parked car.
• Purchase backup networking hardware: Organizations should maintain backups of their networking gear. In the event of hardware failure, being able to swap a backup router, access point, switch, or cable into place will minimize downtime. Make sure to record your networking configurations so you can configure the new devices quickly.

Storage Failures

Historically, the most failure-prone aspect of a Mac was its hard drive because of its moving parts and insanely tight tolerances. Flash storage used by solid-state drives is far more reliable and resilient to physical bumps and drops. However, it’s still in constant flux as macOS and apps constantly read and write data, so software bugs can result in directory errors and other forms of corruption. We recommend a three-part backup strategy to protect against storage failures—make sure to dedicate drives for backups rather than using them for general storage.

• Back up with Time Machine: Time Machine works well and is tightly integrated into macOS. Use it to create versioned backups of your data so you can restore either individual files or your entire drive.
  
• Make nightly duplicates: Bootable duplicates that could take over for a dysfunctional boot drive used to be an essential part of a Mac backup strategy, but the difficulty of making them and booting a Mac from an external drive has reduced their utility. Nevertheless, the fastest and easiest way to restore data is often by copying it from a duplicate. Duplicates also provide secondary backups if something were to go wrong with your Time Machine drive. Carbon Copy Cloner and SuperDuper are the most popular backup apps for duplicates.
  
• Maintain Internet or offsite backups: In the event of fire, flood, or theft causing the loss of both your Mac and your backup, an offsite backup is a must. The easiest and most reliable method of making a backup somewhere else is an online backup service like Backblaze or Crashplan.
  

Overall Mac Failures

Macs may be reliable, but they’re still vulnerable to physical damage, particularly laptops you carry with you all the time. Bumps and drops can damage a screen or internal connectors that connect the keyboard and trackpad. You can do a few things to minimize the impact of a broken Mac.

• Use the desktop/laptop approach: Although Mac laptops are powerful and expandable enough for all but the most intensive tasks, supplementing a powerful desktop Mac with a less expensive laptop gives you more flexibility and provides a backup if your primary Mac fails.
• Maintain an extra keyboard, trackpad, and display: Getting your work done requires a functional keyboard, trackpad or mouse, and monitor. If any of those accessories were to fail, having an extra one around would let you get back to work with minimal fuss.
• Keep an old or extra Mac as a backup: Those relying on a single Mac should consider keeping an older Mac around as a backup if you have to send your current Mac to Apple for repair. This approach works only if your old Mac can run your current apps. An organization might maintain a backup Mac that could be temporarily swapped in for any employee’s broken Mac.
• Borrow a Mac from a colleague, friend, or family member: If you don’t have an extra Mac that’s sufficiently capable for your work needs, perhaps someone you know does. It’s easy to create a new user account that will keep your data and theirs separate and private. Start in System Settings > Users & Groups.
• Remember Apple’s 14-day return policy: If all else fails, remember that you can buy a Mac from Apple (in person or online) and return it with its included accessories and packaging within 14 days for a full refund. It’s a generous policy that shouldn’t be abused, but it could be a lifesaver if you’re under deadline when your Mac dies.

Of course, you’re welcome to call us for advice about working around any of these tech failures, but these suggestions should get you back in the saddle quickly and with minimal loss of work.

(Featured image by iStock.com/fizkes)

We’ve written in the past about how Apple-only companies can protect themselves from ransomware (strong security, isolated backups, monitoring software), but realistically, it’s primarily a threat to computers running Windows and Linux. If you, or anyone you know, is targeted by ransomware, look to the No More Ransom website, developed by Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre and the Dutch police, for advice and tools. The advice boils down to: “Don’t pay the ransom because it proves to the criminals that ransomware works, and there’s no guarantee it will solve your problem.” On the tools side, the Crypto Sheriff helps identify the type of ransomware in play, and No More Ransom provides decryption tools for 180 different forms and variants of ransomware. There are no guarantees, but anyone who has fallen prey to ransomware should start with No More Ransom.

(Featured image based on original by iStock.com/Suebsiri)

iOS, iPadOS, and macOS all let you specify whether any given app should show no notifications, temporary banners, or persistent alerts: look in Settings > Notifications and System Settings > Notifications. Temporary banners appear briefly and then automatically disappear, which is appropriate for notifications requiring no acknowledgment. But what if you see a temporary banner only as it’s disappearing and can’t read it in time? You can find a historical list of notifications in Notification Center. To open it from the Lock Screen on an iPhone or iPad, swipe up from the middle of the screen. From any other screen, swipe down from the center of the top of the screen. On the Mac, click the date and time in the upper right corner. If your Mac has a trackpad, you can also swipe with two fingers from the right edge.

(Featured image based on an original by iStock.com/Shutthiphong Chandaeng)

An uninterruptible power supply, or UPS, provides essential protection from power surges, spikes, brownouts, and outages. But if you’re not at your Mac when the power goes out, the UPS may run out of battery before you (or the power) return. Happily, if you connect your Mac to your UPS with a USB cable, macOS can detect the outage and shut your Mac down safely, regardless of what else is happening. Make sure open documents are saved whenever you step away from your Mac, or you could lose changes. In System Settings > Energy Saver > UPS Options, you can trigger the shutdown in three ways: after using the UPS battery for a specified amount of time, when the time remaining on the UPS battery hits a specific number, or when the UPS battery level drops below a particular percentage. There’s no harm in setting all three. Remember that it can take a minute or two for your Mac to shut down, so err on the short side for safety’s sake. Apple supports most UPS models from major manufacturers such as APC, CyberPower, and Tripp Lite.

(Featured image by Adam Engst)

Are you planning to upgrade to a new iPhone 16? It’s exciting, we know, but it’s best to proceed deliberately when setting up your new iPhone to avoid causing yourself headaches. Follow these instructions when you’re ready to transfer your data—and, for many people, much of your digital life—to the new iPhone. Apple also has a series of videos you can watch.

1. Update your old iPhone to the latest version of iOS. If you have an Apple Watch, update it to the latest version of watchOS. This process can take some time, so it may be best done overnight before you move data to your new iPhone.
2. Make sure you know your Apple ID and password, and if you have an Apple Watch, its passcode. You will likely have to enter them at least once during this process.
3. Back up your old iPhone to iCloud or your Mac. (If you back up to a Mac, be sure to encrypt the backup, or else it won’t include saved passwords, Wi-Fi settings, browsing history, Health data, and call history.) Or back up to both, for safety’s sake. We prefer iCloud backups because they’re easier and don’t introduce additional variables, like flaky USB cables. If you don’t usually back up to iCloud, Apple will give you temporary iCloud storage to make a backup when moving to a new iPhone. To initiate an iCloud backup, go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now.
   
4. If you have an Apple Watch, you don’t need to unpair it from your old iPhone at this point in the process. (Later, if the automatic transfer has not worked, you can unpair it manually and pair it again later. If you end up taking the manual route and have a cellular Apple Watch, you’ll be asked if you want to keep or remove your plan. If you’re keeping your Apple Watch to re-pair with your new iPhone, keep the plan.)
5. You shouldn’t need to worry about transferring a SIM card. If you ordered your new iPhone through Apple and connected to your cellular carrier account during purchase, activating the new iPhone should cause it to take over your phone number. The same should be true if you’ve purchased directly through your carrier. Besides, it’s likely that iPhone 16 models sold in the US will rely on eSIM and lack SIM trays like the iPhone 15, so only non-US users might need to transfer the SIM card from the old iPhone to the new one. Even then, it’s better to contact your carrier and get them to activate the new SIM in the new iPhone because old SIMs don’t always support all current cellular features, such as full 5G support.
6. Transfer your data, settings, apps, and purchased content in one of these three ways. None of them will be quick, despite the first one’s name, so initiate the transfer only when you have plenty of time:
   • Quick Start: With the Quick Start feature, content from your old iPhone copies directly from your old iPhone to your new one. We recommend this technique because it’s more likely to preserve app logins, something that’s less true when restoring from an iCloud backup. Put your iPhones next to each other (plugged into power), use the old iPhone to scan the animation on the new one, and then follow the rest of the steps.
     
   • iCloud: With this technique, the new iPhone will download your content from your old iPhone’s iCloud backup. Once you’ve joined a Wi-Fi network on the new iPhone and tapped the Restore from iCloud Backup button, you’ll have to select the correct backup—likely the most recent one you just made. Keep your new iPhone plugged into power the entire time to ensure that all your content syncs during this step.
   • Finder or iTunes: With this approach, you’ll restore your old iPhone’s content from a backup made to your Mac. Connect your new iPhone to your Mac using an appropriate cable, open a Finder window (or iTunes on an old Mac), select your device in the left-hand sidebar, click Restore Backup, and choose the appropriate backup—likely the most recent one.
7. Perform post-transfer tasks. Ensure that you can make and receive a phone call. If necessary, pair your Apple Watch with the new iPhone. You’ll also need to pair your Bluetooth accessories—including AirPods—with your new iPhone. Plus, some app data needs to sync to your new iPhone, so open the Mail, Contacts, and Calendar apps and check if they have your data. It could take a few minutes for them to fill up. Apps may request notification permissions again, and you may need to download content and in-app purchases.
8. If you use two-factor authentication with an app like 1Password, Authy, or Google Authenticator, ensure you can get your 2FA codes using your new iPhone. 1Password and Authy are good about providing access to 2FA codes from multiple devices—just log in to your account from each device—but Google Authenticator may require some additional setup since it didn’t initially offer any way to transfer codes to a new phone.
9. Finally, if necessary, set up single sign-on for work or school. If your workplace or school uses a security system like Duo, you’ll likely want to activate your new iPhone and deactivate the old one. Using any device, navigate to a standard single sign-in login screen from your organization, look for a link for managing your logins, click that link, and follow the prompts.

Although Apple works hard to make the process of transferring from an old iPhone to a new one as painless as possible, some things may fail to transfer seamlessly. For that reason, we strongly recommend holding onto your old iPhone for a week or so to ensure the new one can do everything the old one could. During that time, put the new iPhone through its paces with an eye toward checking every app you need.

(Featured image by iStock.com/valiantsin suprunovich)

Although paying attention to online security is of primary importance, don’t forget local security. You don’t want to go out for lunch and let someone wandering by your office poke through your email, messages, photos, and private files. To ensure this doesn’t happen, set your Mac to start the screen saver or sleep the display after a few minutes (on a laptop, just close the lid), and then set “Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off” to a short duration. We recommend 1 or 5 minutes, though you can adjust to balance inconvenience against security. To eliminate the fuss almost entirely, use Touch ID or an Apple Watch to unlock your Mac without having to type your password.

(Featured image based on an original by iStock.com/Armastas)

A few months ago, news broke about the latest massive data breach, this time from a company called National Public Data, a company that collects vast amounts of personal data about individuals from public data sources, including addresses, employment history, criminal records, and Social Security numbers. NPD then sells access to that data to employers conducting background checks, landlords screening potential tenants, banks verifying loan information, and more.

Unfortunately, NPD’s data security was lax, with the company publishing its own passwords in a file that was freely available from its homepage. How many people are affected remains unclear, though it seems likely to be hundreds of millions, if not the three billion reported by some outlets. Precisely what is included in the breach varies by person, but it includes names, physical addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers for many. Email addresses may be included as well.

Put bluntly, this is terrible. It’s bad enough when a firm to which you’ve entrusted your data suffers a breach, but no one affected by the NPD breach had a relationship with the company. NPD was just hoovering up everything it could find and reselling it. NPD is far from alone in this field—numerous other companies do the same thing, and some of them have also suffered data breaches.

What can you do? Honestly, not much. Your data appeared in the breach through no fault of your own, so apart from generally trying to keep the amount of your personal data available online to a minimum (watch social media in particular), nothing you do will make a big difference.

You might be tempted by services that promise to “scrub the Internet!” of your data at people-search sites, but a Consumer Reports study found that they were largely ineffective, working for only about a third of the profiles tested. (The study was admittedly fairly small.) The best of the services was effective less than 70% of the time, and manually opting out at each site was slightly more effective. Plus, the study only looked at sites that offer opt-out options—with companies like NPD, there’s no way to know if they have your data or will remove it if asked.

However, several sites will now tell you if your data was included in the NPD breach, including npdbreach.com and npd.pentester.com. Keep in mind that both come from companies that also offer data removal services, although neither were included in the Consumer Reports study.

Breached companies will often offer free credit monitoring services to affected customers. That’s highly unlikely to happen with NPD because it has no business relationship with the people whose data it lost. But there’s a better approach anyway: placing a freeze on your credit reports. Doing so is free and prevents an identity thief from opening new financial accounts in your name by blocking access to your credit file from prospective creditors. Freezing your credit report has no impact on your credit score.

However, before you freeze your credit reports, check them to ensure they’re accurate. You can get free weekly credit reports from all three credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com, authorized by the federal government, which also offers other useful information about protecting yourself from identity theft. If you discover any mistakes, work with the credit bureau to resolve them.

Once you’ve checked your credit reports, you can freeze them, which you need to do with each of the three credit bureaus:

• Experian: Freeze your Experian credit report online, call 1-888-397-3742, or submit a paper form.
• Equifax: Freeze your Equifax credit report online, call 1-888-378-4329, or submit a paper form.
• Transunion: Freeze your Transunion credit report online, call 1-800-916-8800, or submit a written request.

Security freezes remain in place indefinitely, and many people can leave them that way. However, you’ll need to remove the freeze temporarily if you plan to rent a new apartment or house, take out a loan, apply for a credit card, set up a new mobile phone plan or utility account, apply for a new job, or undergo a background check. All three services provide such a capability online, or you can contact them via phone or postal mail, as mentioned above. It can be hard to think about removing a freeze proactively, so if something that might involve checking your credit score fails unexpectedly, remember the freezes. You might even make an annual reminder in your calendar so you don’t go too long without remembering.

It’s a shame that data breaches have become a fact of life, but that’s unavoidable without significantly stronger privacy regulations that prevent large companies from unnecessarily storing personal data and punishing them when they don’t protect it effectively.

(Featured image by iStock.com/BackyardProduction)

The calendar has flipped over to September, so Apple will soon release major upgrades for all its operating systems. iOS 18 and watchOS 11 will undoubtedly ship alongside new iPhone and Apple Watch models mid-month. iPadOS 18 is likely to accompany iOS 18, as are tvOS 18 and visionOS 2. Although Apple has sometimes delayed the release of macOS until later in the year, we anticipate that Apple will release macOS 15 Sequoia earlier this year, probably with its siblings. That’s because the company has already said it will release the initial Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS 15.1; those will probably debut in October or November.

Apple previewed these releases at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and many people have been testing the public betas since. Once Apple judges each of its operating systems to be ready for public consumption, the question arises—when should you upgrade?

Note that we say when and not if. There’s no harm in delaying a major operating system upgrade until Apple has sanded off any rough edges that slipped through testing. But waiting too long puts you at risk from security vulnerabilities, increases compatibility annoyances, and prevents you from taking advantage of new features. Plus, when you buy a new Mac, iPhone, or iPad after these operating systems have shipped, you’ll get the latest version, which could pose problems for your existing apps or compatibility with older hardware or workflows. It’s best to be prepared if you have to replace a device unexpectedly.

Given that we don’t know precisely when each operating system will come out, here’s our recommendation for the general upgrade order that we anticipate and how long we suggest waiting after the release appears. We also share a few new features that might encourage you to upgrade, assuming you have a device that’s new enough to take advantage of them.

Remember, always make a backup before upgrading a Mac, iPhone, or iPad so you can revert if necessary.

iOS 18

It’s usually safe to upgrade iOS fairly quickly because Apple puts significant effort into ensuring that the new iOS version is a good experience for those who buy the new iPhones that come with it. However, because iPhones are so crucial to our everyday lives, it’s worth delaying the upgrade to iOS 18 for a week or two, just in case. After that, you can install it and enjoy the new features.

Even before the Apple Intelligence features start appearing in iOS 18.1, there’s plenty to look forward to in iOS 18. Messages via satellite will let you stay in touch even when there’s no cellular or Wi-Fi service. You’ll be able to personalize your Home Screen layout more by placing apps and widgets wherever you want. App icons and widgets get a new Dark look, and you can even tint them all a certain color. Keep prying eyes out of sensitive apps by requiring Face ID to open them. You can now rearrange and resize controls in Control Center, plus create groups of controls accessible with a single continuous swipe. You can even swap out the flashlight and camera icons on the Lock Screen for other controls. Photos has been redesigned (and simplified after public outcry during the beta). Messages lets you use bold, italics, underline, and strikethrough, but more interesting is the ability to send tapback responses with any emoji or sticker—it’s a great way to respond quickly to messages. Maps gains topo maps and trail networks, including all US national parks, and a new Passwords app extracts your logins and passwords from the Settings app.

As noted, Apple Intelligence features will start shipping with iOS 18.1 and will continue appearing in new versions throughout 2025. They include a smarter Siri, categorization in Mail, writing tools that correct your grammar and summarize long texts, and generative AI image creation—you’ll even be able to make your own emoji. Apple says these features will require an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max; it’s likely that all the upcoming iPhone 16 models will be compatible, though Apple could hold out Apple Intelligence as a reason to buy a Pro model.

watchOS 11

Once you upgrade your iPhone to iOS 18, there’s no reason to delay upgrading your Apple Watch to watchOS 11. Few of the changes are likely to require significant adjustments in your usage patterns, and some may be quite welcome.

When you wear your watch overnight, the new Vitals app displays your heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen (on units that have it enabled), and sleep duration, showing a typical range and identifying outlier metrics. You can now adjust Activity ring goals for every day of the week or put your rings on pause if you need to take a break for any reason. The Activity app now shows your training load so you can adjust the intensity of your workouts. The Smart Stack interface now includes Live Activities and has been improved to be more intelligent, suggesting widgets based on time, date, location, and daily routines. Finally, Apple enhanced the Photos watch face to select photos automatically, optimizing the subject’s position with the frame and creating a sense of depth. Its Dynamic mode shows a new image on every raise of your wrist.

iPadOS 18

Our general advice is that it’s OK to install iPadOS 18 shortly after it ships. For the most part, iPadOS is a superset of iOS, so if you’re comfortable upgrading to iOS 18, think of iPadOS 18 similarly. The main caveat is when you rely heavily on a particular app. In that case, check with the developer to ensure your app is compatible before upgrading.

Along with most of the features in iOS 18 that aren’t specific to the iPhone (like Messages via satellite), iPadOS 18 finally gains a Calculator app that goes well beyond the basics, offering the Math Notes feature that solves equations written with the Apple Pencil. The Notes app gains live audio transcription, styled highlighting, collapsible sections, and Smart Script, which refines your handwriting to be smoother, straighter, and more legible. You can also paste in typed text, correct spelling inline, touch and drag to reflow text, and scratch out writing to delete it. A new tab bar at the top of the screen promises to provide easier navigation in apps and quick access to app sidebars.

tvOS 18

Regardless of when Apple releases tvOS 18, it’s safe to update within a week or two of release, depending on the level to which you depend on your Apple TV.

tvOS 18 introduces several notable features to enhance the Apple TV experience. InSight provides real-time information about actors, characters, and music from Apple TV+ content, similar to Amazon Prime Video’s X-Ray feature. Apple updated the Enhance Dialogue to provide greater vocal clarity for a broader range of speakers. Subtitles have also received enhancements and now automatically appear when you mute the TV or skip back, or when content is in a different language. People with projectors will appreciate the added support for the 21:9 aspect ratio. New screensaver options include Snoopy and Woodstock, Portraits, and scenes from Apple TV+ shows.

If nothing in that list encourages you to upgrade as soon as tvOS 18 ships, let your Apple TV (the fourth-generation model and later) upgrade itself when it gets around to it, assuming you have automatic updates turned on in Settings > System > Software Updates.

visionOS 2

Since the Vision Pro has been out for less than a year and hasn’t seen widespread adoption, most people can upgrade to visionOS 2 shortly after it comes out. People with mobility issues or disabilities that make the Vision Pro an essential aspect of everyday life should probably wait until early adopters have given the upgrade a thumbs up.

The promised new features should enhance the overall Vision Pro experience. New hand gestures let you open the Home View and Control Center more easily. You can also personalize the Home View in a manner similar to moving icons around on the iPhone Home Screen. The Mac Virtual Display feature now supports an ultra-wide display equivalent to two 4K monitors, making it more useful for travelers who need a lot of screen real estate on the road. Beta testers have praised the new capability to convert 2D photos to 3D spatial photos. SharePlay in Photos lets you and other Vision Pro users on a FaceTime call share and interact with spatial photos, videos, and panoramas. There’s a new Bora Bora environment, and whatever environment you’re in, your Magic Keyboard or MacBook keyboard appears in front of you to ease typing. Finally, the Guest User feature now saves your most recent guest’s eye and hand data so they can skip the setup on subsequent uses.

macOS 15 Sequoia

For most of us, the hardest upgrade decision revolves around upgrading your Mac to macOS 15 Sequoia. Most people should be able to upgrade because Apple dropped support only for two MacBook Air models from 2018 and 2019; otherwise, everything that can run macOS 14 Sonoma can upgrade to Sequoia. (If you have one of those MacBook Airs, consider this an excuse to upgrade—you’ll love the current MacBook Air.) The problem with upgrading macOS is that Apple’s changes are seldom more compelling than keeping your Mac working the way it is now. It can take a few months before the apps you use every day all work without compromise.

What capabilities does Sequoia promise? The big one is iPhone mirroring, which will let you view and interact with your iPhone right on your Mac screen. iPhone notifications can appear on your Mac, and later this year, you’ll be able to drag and drop files, photos, and videos between your Mac and iPhone. New window tiling features make it easy to arrange windows in side-by-side tiles on your desktop by dragging or using keyboard or menu shortcuts. Those who do video calls all day will appreciate background replacements and a presenter preview that shows exactly what you’ll share before displaying it to everyone. The new Passwords app appears on the Mac and syncs securely across all your Apple devices. And you’ll enjoy the same updates to Mail, Maps, Messages, Notes, and Photos as are in iOS and iPadOS.

We always encourage caution when upgrading to a new version of macOS. Wait at least a month or two before upgrading your primary Mac to Sonoma. App compatibility is less of a long-term problem with iOS and iPadOS, but many people rely on older Mac apps that may not work in the latest version of macOS. Even once you’re confident that your apps will work adequately in Sequoia, there may be workflow or intra-office compatibility concerns if some people upgrade and others don’t. And, of course, unanticipated bugs could crop up at inconvenient times—important work takes place on Macs!

Please do not upgrade to Sequoia without first checking with us. With luck, the bug fixes and app updates necessary to give the green light will have appeared by the end-of-year break, which provides some welcome downtime during which you can install and spend some time exploring the new features.

(Featured image by Apple)

Apple’s prices for Thunderbolt, USB-C, and Lightning cables often seem unnecessarily high. $69 for a Thunderbolt 4 cable or $19 for a simple USB-C to Lightning cable? Unfortunately, when it comes to cables, you often get what you pay for. Happily, other reputable hardware manufacturers like Anker, Belkin, and OWC sell quality cables for less than Apple. When possible, get cables with braided covers, which tend to last longer because the braided design makes them less prone to kinks, less likely to tangle, and more resistant to abrasion.

Stay away from bargain-priced cables from no-name Chinese manufacturers, and if you see a supposedly genuine Apple cable selling for a too-good-to-be-true price, consider the possibility that it’s counterfeit. Apple created a detailed page that explains how to identify counterfeit or uncertified Lightning accessories.

Why spend more on cables? Inexpensive cables are likely to wear out sooner, but the main concern is that many modern cables carry power along with data. A short circuit could result in hardware damage and, in extreme cases, could generate sparks, smoke, or even fire. While fires are extremely unusual, it’s easy to find reports online.

When it comes to damaging hardware, USB-C is much less of a problem than a decade ago, thanks to Google engineer Benson Leung. After a bad USB-C cable fried his Chromebook, he embarked on a one-man crusade to identify good and bad USB-C cables. Due in part to his efforts, Amazon started prohibiting listings of USB-C cables and adapters that weren’t compliant with the USB-C specs. You may still encounter bad cables Amazon hasn’t identified or dodgy cables sold through other retailers, but the danger is lower than it used to be, particularly with cables from name brands.

Although Apple has now standardized on USB-C cables for charging, Lightning cables remain common for older iPhones and iPads. Both are readily available in gas stations and drugstores, but you’ll do best if you stick with cables from brand-name companies. They cost more, but do you trust a cable sold next to tabloids and Twinkies? It will probably work in a pinch if you need to fill in for a lost or forgotten cable on a trip, but don’t rely on it afterward.

Even the best cables will fail if you mistreat them. Follow this advice to ensure a long life for heavily used cables:

• Don’t create sharp bends in the cable, especially near the connector. Sharp bends can eventually break the insulation and reveal the wires inside. Even before that, if the wires get too close, they can heat up and melt the insulation.
• When unplugging your device, pull from the plug instead of farther down on the cord to avoid stress on the connection point.
• When coiling your cables, avoid wrapping them tightly around something that’s not round. A tight wrap can cause kinks that degrade the wires inside.
• Don’t put heavy objects on cables or sandwich them between a desk and the wall. Anything that compresses the cable can cause damage.
• iPhones are fairly water resistant, but try to keep the charging port and cable plug clean and away from liquids. Pocket crud or a droplet in the wrong place could cause a short circuit. Because of their metal jackets, USB-C cables are less susceptible than Lightning to such problems, but it’s still worth being careful.
• If a cable’s insulation ever breaks so you can see the wires inside, discard it immediately. It’s always worth maintaining a collection of a few cables of every type you use so you can replace damaged cables right away.
  

In the end, the advice is simple. Spend a little more on quality products from reputable manufacturers so you don’t have to worry about a $3 non-compliant USB-C cable damaging your pricey iPhone or worse. What’s worse? Your house burning down.

(Featured image by Adam Engst)

It’s September, which brings the annual Apple crops: new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods. At its recent Glowtime event, Apple unveiled the new iPhone 16 lineup, Apple Watch Series 10, and AirPods 4, alongside smaller announcements about existing products. As always, the enhancements in the new products are evolutionary, making them attractive to anyone already looking to buy a new iPhone, Apple Watch, or pair of AirPods. But those who are happy with their current Apple devices may not find the changes worth opening their wallets to upgrade. Pre-ordered products will be delivered and become available in stores on September 20.

After the announcement, Apple revealed on its website that all its next-generation operating systems—macOS 15 Sequoia, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, visionOS 2, tvOS 18, and HomePod Software 18—will ship on September 16. Wait a week or two before upgrading essential devices to avoid any last-minute bugs, and hold off on Sequoia for a few months or until you’re confident your necessary Mac apps are compatible. Regardless of when you upgrade, make a backup right before in case an unexpected problem forces you to erase and restore.

Let’s look at the new products.

iPhone 16 Lineup

Apple has continued its four-part iPhone lineup this year, with the 6.1-inch iPhone 16 and 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus aimed at everyday users, and the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro and 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max for professional users. The aluminum-cased iPhone 16 models come in brighter colors than last year, including black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine, with color-infused back glass. The iPhone 16 Pro models are once again encased in titanium in muted metallic colors, this time in black, white, natural, and desert titanium.

Notable features shared by all the iPhone 16 models include:

• Action button: Introduced in the iPhone 15 Pro models last year, the Action button replaces the Ring/Silent switch above the volume buttons (top iPhone below) with a button whose function you can configure. The Action button is now standard across all models.
• Camera Control: The multifunction Camera Control below the side button provides flexible control of the Camera app (bottom iPhone below). Click it once to open the app; click again to take a photo or click and hold to record a video. A light press lets you access common camera functions by sliding your finger along the Camera Control.
  
• A18 and A18 Pro chips for Apple Intelligence: The base iPhone 16 models are now powered by the new A18 chip, and the iPhone 16 Pro models get the faster A18 Pro. This key upgrade ensures the entire lineup will receive Apple Intelligence features once they ship in October in iOS 18.1. As far as we can tell, the Apple Intelligence feature set is the same across the board, but some features may work more quickly on the Pro models.
• Enhanced photo, video, and audio features: The Pro model cameras are notably more capable, but all iPhone 16 models can now take spatial photos and videos for playback on the Apple Vision Pro. Plus, the new Audio Mix feature lets users adjust the sound of a video after capture to focus on the voice of the person on camera, make it sound like it was recorded in a professional studio, or put voices in front of environmental sound.
• Longer battery life: Although it’s tricky to provide real-world estimates, Apple increased the battery size and life in all four models, claiming that the iPhone 16 Pro Max has the longest battery life of any iPhone yet.
• Messages via satellite and Emergency SOS Live Video: With Messages via satellite, you’ll be able to carry on text chats even when there’s no cellular service, and Emergency SOS Live Video lets you share live video with participating 911 dispatchers. Although these features are compelling, they’re also available to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 lineups in iOS 18.

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus may not be as technologically capable as their Pro siblings, but they’re closer than ever before, thanks to the addition of the Action button, Camera Control, and A18 chip. Other improvements that set them apart from previous models include an improved 48-megapixel Fusion camera and an enhanced 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera that enables macro photography.

Despite the improvements in the base models, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max stand apart with larger screens and advanced pro features. Last year, Apple introduced a 5x Telephoto camera in the iPhone 15 Pro Max thanks to a tetraprism design; both iPhone 16 Pro models now feature that camera. The Ultra Wide camera also jumps from 12 to 48 megapixels, increasing the quality of macro shots. The main 48-megapixel Fusion camera now provides a faster quad-pixel sensor that enables recording of 4K video at 120 frames per second in Dolby Vision. That sensor is twice as fast as before, eliminating shutter lag when taking 48-megapixel ProRAW or HEIF photos. Audio capture is better, too, thanks to four “studio-quality” mics, and machine-learning algorithms reduce wind noise when capturing audio. It’s also worth noting that the Pro models feature USB 3 transfer speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second (with a supported cable), while the base models are still limited to USB 2.0’s pokey 480 megabits per second.

Pricing remains the same, with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus starting at $799 and $899 for 128 GB of storage, with 256 GB and 512 GB options. The iPhone 16 Pro costs $999 for 128 GB, with 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB storage options. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is $1199 for 256 GB, with 512 GB and 1 TB storage options. If those prices are too steep for your budget, the iPhone SE ($429), iPhone 14 ($599), and iPhone 15 ($699) all remain for sale, but none of those will support Apple Intelligence.

Should you upgrade? Nothing in the new models is essential. The new Camera Control may encourage upgrades for those who take a lot of photos, and the iPhone 16 Pro’s new 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera and 5x Telephoto camera are significant. Apple Intelligence features will require an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16. Otherwise, the older your current iPhone, the more you’ll be impressed by the new lineup’s capabilities.

Apple Watch Series 10

Apple surprised many by introducing the Apple Watch Series 10 with a thinner, lighter design that still provides a larger, brighter screen and works with all existing bands. Apple also swapped stainless steel for lighter titanium in the higher-end models. Those expecting a new Apple Watch Ultra were disappointed; the existing Apple Watch Ultra 2 received a new black titanium finish and matching black Titanium Milanese Loop band.

Notable changes in the Apple Watch Series 10 include:

• Thinner and lighter: The new case is just 9.7 millimeters thick, nearly 10% thinner than recent models. The aluminum models are 10% lighter, whereas the new titanium models are 20% lighter than the previous stainless steel models.
• Larger, brighter display: The case sizes grow by 1 millimeter to 42mm and 46mm, but Apple increased the display size to provide 30% more screen area than the Apple Watch Series 4–6 and 9% more than the Apple Watch Series 7–9. The display is also 40% brighter when viewed from an angle and so much more power efficient that the Always-On display can now update once per second rather than once per minute.
• Faster charging: New features in watchOS 11 encourage wearing the watch at night, so Apple made the Apple Watch Series 10 charge to 80% in just 30 minutes. Daily use can be satisfied with 15 minutes of charging, and 8 minutes is all that’s necessary for overnight sleep tracking.
• Sleep apnea notifications: The Apple Watch Series 10 can identify sleep apnea by detecting interruptions in normal respiratory patterns using the accelerometer. Sleep apnea affects over 1 billion people worldwide, 80% of whom remain undiagnosed. The feature will also appear in watchOS 11 for the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
• Audio playback through speakers: Apps could generate audio through the speakers of previous Apple Watch models, but they couldn’t play music or podcasts. That’s now possible with the Apple Watch Series 10, letting you listen even if you’ve forgotten your AirPods.
• Depth and water temperature sensors: Divers will still want to focus on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, but the Apple Watch Series 10 now features a depth gauge that works down to 6 meters and a water temperature sensor.
• No blood oxygen sensing in the US: Although the pulse oximeter from previous models remains in the hardware and is available in other countries, a patent dispute prevents Apple from enabling it for units sold in the United States. If Apple can settle the dispute, the feature will become available with a software update.

The Apple Watch Series 10 starts at $399 for a 42mm aluminum GPS-only model; 46mm models cost $30 more, and cellular connectivity adds $100. It’s available in silver, rose gold, and a new polished jet black. Pricing for the titanium models starts at $699 for a 42mm model and includes cellular connectivity; the 46mm models are $50 more. Colors include natural, gold, and slate. Rubber and some textile bands are included at no extra cost; other textile and all stainless steel bands cost $50 to $300 more.

If you don’t already have an Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2, the sleep apnea notifications might be reason enough to upgrade. Being able to listen to podcasts without AirPods might also be compelling for some. Otherwise, there’s little reason to upgrade from an older but fully functional model. That said, the Apple Watch Series 10 is an excellent option for those getting started or upgrading from a much older version. Don’t forget that Apple still sells the Apple Watch SE, which lacks the Always-On display and ECG capabilities but is $150 cheaper. Apple’s comparison page can help you tease out the differences.

AirPods 4, USB-C AirPods Max, and Hearing Aid Feature for AirPods Pro

Apple released a notable update to its AirPods open-ear headphones, refining the AirPods 4 design to provide a single shape that fits more users. It boasts better sound quality thanks to a new acoustic architecture, low-distortion driver, and high dynamic range amplifier. With help from Apple’s custom H2 chip, the new AirPods provide Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, add voice isolation for clearer call quality in challenging environments, and let you respond to Siri announcements by nodding your head yes or shaking it no. The charging case now uses USB-C and can charge wirelessly using a MagSafe, Apple Watch, or Qi charger.

In fact, there are two models of the AirPods 4. (Really, Apple?) The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation retain the industrial design of the standard AirPods 4 but upgrade the microphones to add modes previously available only on the AirPods Pro, including Noise Cancellation (reduces environmental noise), Transparency (allows environmental noise through), Adaptive Audio (intelligently combines the two), and Conversation Awareness (lowers media volume and reduces background sounds when you start speaking).

Perhaps even more interesting are the changes Apple is bringing to the existing AirPods Pro 2. To improve hearing health, Apple has leveraged findings from the Apple Hearing Study. All modes now feature Hearing Protection, which automatically reduces louder, intermittent noises. A new Hearing Test feature, triggered from an iPhone or iPad, helps users check their hearing. Most notably, a new Hearing Aid feature leverages the personalized profile generated from the Hearing Test to boost nearby sounds, turning the AirPods Pro into what Apple calls a “clinical-grade hearing aid” for mild to moderate hearing loss. These features will be available later this year with iOS 18 or iPadOS 18.

Finally, Apple refreshed the AirPods Max line of over-ear headphones with new colors—midnight, starlight, blue, orange, and purple—and USB-C charging capabilities.

The standard model of the AirPods 4 costs $129, while the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are $179. The AirPods Pro 2 remain priced at $249, and the AirPods Max are still $549. It may be hard to justify upgrading from existing AirPods that work fine, but keep these features in mind when it comes time to replace a pair of lost or broken AirPods.

(Featured image by Apple)