Apple already issued patches, so be sure to update your systems immediately
In brief: Security researchers have uncovered a wide-ranging set of vulnerabilities in Apple's AirPlay protocol that could allow attackers to hijack Apple and third-party devices remotely without user interaction. The exploit chain, dubbed "AirBorne," includes 23 individual bugs – 17 with official CVEs – and enables zero-click remote code execution on vulnerable systems.
Cutting corners: Apple Intelligence is now an "opt-out" feature across the entire Apple ecosystem, despite still being marketed as a beta product. Most users aren't keen to have incomplete features forced upon them, but shoving AI down everybody's throat is a popular trend among corporations dabbling in the technology.
Macs Fan Control is a free app for managing fan speeds and monitoring temperatures on Apple laptops, letting you switch between presets to keep your Mac cool based on your activity.
Apple's latest MacBook Pro 14, powered by the M4 chip, offers faster performance, improved battery life, and a new space black color option. However, Apple Intelligence is not a real feature yet.
This year's Mac mini is much improved, featuring a complete redesign with a more compact footprint and 16GB RAM in the base model. As expected, it lacks upgradability but it's a good point of entry for Mac users on a modern SoC.
The big picture: Apple has launched its answer to the generative AI models and features offered by the likes of OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft. Although Apple Intelligence is now available to owners of compatible devices, many of its intended features are still slated for release in the coming months. Furthermore, leaked internal communications suggest that its capabilities currently fall significantly behind those of ChatGPT.
Break different: Apple recently released the latest version of macOS, but things aren't going smoothly for Sequoia. The operating system is reportedly causing serious compatibility issues for security tool vendors, and it appears Cupertino was aware that the OS wasn't fully ready for prime time.
Cinebench, one of our favorite real-world CPU/GPU benchmarks has been updated to version 2024.1.0, adding support for GPU accelerated Metal RT hardware ray tracing on Mac computers powered by M3 chips.
Recap: Apple revealed many new features for its operating systems during WWDC 2024. While the event started with a full head of AI steam, it wasn't all about artificial intelligence. Apple has made some neat tweaks to all of its operating systems, including a native multi-platform password manager.