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Vision Pro headsets head to devs

Vision Pro headsets head to devs

Loaners come with tight security restrictions.

Leander Kahney
July 24, 2023

Back in the day, I remember Steve Jobs talking about testing the iPod Hi-Fi — Apple’s first home audio speaker — at his home in Palo Alto, California.

He was so paranoid about leaks, he kept the tabletop speaker under a black cloth at all times.

Now, this is inside his own home! Who was gonna leak it? His wife Laurene? Maybe his kids? Their pets? Or was he afraid someone would peek in the windows?

Whatever his concerns, unreleased product paranoia is still alive and well at Apple today. The company is about to ship Vision Pro headset loaners to devs to get them started on AR apps — and they come with some very tight security restrictions.

Also in today’s newsletter:

Apple just updated its operating systems across the board. The updates mostly contain bug and security fixes, but are well worth installing.
With Spotify hiking prices this morning, there are now nine reasons Apple Music is better.
I love John le Carré’s novels, so this new Apple TV+ documentary about his life has just jumped to the top of my watch list. (On the subject of great documentaries, I loved Netflix’s Tour de France: Unchained.)
A lot of Cult of Mac readers think they know 100% of the features of their Apple devices, according to last Friday’s poll (results below). As someone who’s followed this stuff for 25 years, I can say with utmost confidence you guys are delusional!

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

Apple lends Vision Pro AR headset to devs on a very short leash

Developers can now apply to get an Apple Vision Pro loaner unit with which to test the applications they’re creating for the upcoming AR headset.

iOS 16.6 and macOS 13.5 arrive to squash some bugs

iPhone and Mac users can now install iOS 16.6 and macOS Ventura 13.5, squashing some bugs. There are also updates for iPad and Apple Watch.

Spotify price increase means it’s no longer cheaper than Apple Music

Spotify raised its prices to equal Apple Music. All of its music-streaming plans just got price hikes.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Put this mega-powerful flashlight on your keychain for just $15

Get the Cob mini keychain multifunction flashlight for $14.99 (more than 30% off the original MSRP), or save even more with a two-pack.

iPhone 14 Crash Detection saves man after car plummets 400 feet

The iPhone 14’s ability to tell it’s been a car crash saved the life of a California man after he drove off a cliff.

Apple wants to eliminate iPhone screen bezels altogether

Apple asked makers of OLED panels for iPhone to make ones that have no bezels at all.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Match any color with the gadget that makes painting easy

Make DIY projects, repainting and more a breeze when you get the Nix Mini 2 color sensor for just $59.97 (regularly $99).

Apple’s ‘Think Different’ campaign gets updated for a new generation by AI

Apple ended the famous marketing campaign more than 20 years ago, so perhaps it’s time for a reboot.

From spy to bestselling scribe: Life of John le Carré comes to Apple TV+

Apple TV+ made a hit with the fictional remedial British spies of the series “Slow Horses,” and now it's adding a documentary about the real former British spy who defined the spy thriller genre.

8 reasons you should ditch Spotify for Apple Music

Apple Music is in second place to Spotify in paying subscribers, but Apple Music is the better service. Here are the eight things keeping me on Apple Music.

Don’t expect M3 Mac mini before late 2024

A version of the inexpensive Mac desktop upgraded with a faster Apple M3 processor reportedly will not hit the market for more than a year.

Stuck without a charging cable? Not anymore.

Nomad updated ChargeKey, its handy little keychain charging cable, with a new look and USB-C so you can power up devices on the go.

Today in Apple history: Mighty Mouse goes wireless -- with lasers!

On July 24, 2006, the world got its first glimpse of Apple's new wireless Mighty Mouse, a multibutton Bluetooth device with super-accurate laser tracking.

Getting by with Apple's not-quite-mechanical keyboard [Setups]

Today's MacBook Pro setup features an old Apple A1048, which certainly looks the part of a mechanical keyboard, but it's not.

Tweetz o’ the day

Honestly this thing was kind of great and I’d go back to it in a heartbeat
— Amber Sparks (@ambernoelle)
6:21 PM • Jul 23, 2023

Just realized that the Twitter home icon is a birdhouse :/
— Ian Zelbo (@ianzelbo)
5:11 PM • Jul 24, 2023

One more thing ...

❝

I was on one of my fruitarian diets. I had just come back from the apple farm. It sounded fun, spirited and not intimidating. ‘Apple’ took the edge off the word ‘computer.’ Plus, it would get us ahead of Atari in the phonebook.

— Steve Jobs on why Apple is called Apple, 2011.

Today’s poll

Have you tried weird fruitarian diets like Steve Jobs?

Results from last Friday’s poll: How many features of your Apple device do you know?

Best reader comments

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