As we previously noted, Apple's new MacBook Air is shipping without Adobe's Flash plugin pre-installed, requiring users to manually install the software if they wish to view Flash content. Engadget now reports that Apple has issued an official statement on the matter, noting that it prefers that users download the software themselves in order to ensure that they are running the most up-to-date version.
We're happy to continue to support Flash on the Mac, and the best way for users to always have the most up to date and secure version is to download it directly from Adobe.
Apple spokesman Bill Evans also noted that the company is transitioning all of its Macs to ship without the Flash plugin pre-installed, although obviously plenty of units with Flash included remain in the company's distribution channels.
Apple has occasionally taken some flak for shipping outdated versions of Flash with its operating system updates and new hardware, and thus seems to believe that putting the onus of initial installation on the user will ensure that they receive the latest version and make Adobe responsible for alerting users to future updates.
The perspective is very similar to that shared by Steve Jobs just yesterday regarding the discontinuation of Apple's own Java distribution, in which he pointed to Apple always being "a version behind" the official releases from Sun/Oracle. By shifting the burden for updates back to Oracle, users can be sure to receive the most up-to-date versions.
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Apple Acquires Weather App Dark Sky
Apple has acquired weather app Dark Sky, Dark Sky's developers announced today. Dark Sky is one of the most popular weather apps on the App Store, known for its accuracy and storm warnings.
Our goal has always been to provide the world with the best weather information possible, to help as many people as we can stay dry and safe, and to do so in a way that respects your privacy.
There is no ...
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Zoom Accused of Misleading Users With 'End-to-End Encryption' Claims Amid Other Security Issues [Updated]
Zoom is facing fresh scrutiny today following a report that the videoconferencing app's encryption claims are misleading.
Zoom states on its website and in its security white paper that the app supports end-to-end encryption, a term that refers to a way of protecting user content so that the company has no access to it whatsoever.
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Case for Upcoming Low-Cost iPhone Shows Up at Best Buy With Alleged April 5 Stock Date
Apple has a new low-cost iPhone in the works, which is supposed to be launching sometime in the first half of 2020. Given the ongoing situation in the United States and other countries, it's been unclear if the device is going to launch within the planned timeline, but there are signs that it could be coming soon.
We started seeing cases for the new low-cost iPhone back in early February,...
Bloomberg: Apple's 5G iPhone Still on Schedule for Fall Launch, But Future Products Could Be Delayed
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Testing Brydge's New Pro+ Keyboard With Trackpad for iPad Pro
Well ahead of when Apple introduced trackpad support in iOS 13.4, Brydge announced an iPad Pro keyboard with a built-in multi-touch trackpad. We have one of Brydge's new Pro+ keyboards on hand, and thought we'd check it out to see how it works with Apple's new 2020 iPad Pro models.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The Brydge Pro+ keyboard is similar in design to...
Apple's Work on New Upcoming Products Progressing Normally as Employees Adjust to Telecommuting
Apple's development of upcoming products is progressing as usual despite the fact that Apple employees around the world are working from home, according to a new report today out from Bloomberg.
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Apple Releases ProRes RAW Beta for Windows
Apple today released ProRes RAW for Windows in a beta capacity (via Mark Gurman), with the software designed to allow ProRes RAW and ProRes RAW HQ video files to be watched in compatible applications on Windows machines. According to Apple, the software will let the files be played within several Adobe apps: Adobe After Effects (Beta) Adobe Media Encocder (Beta) Adobe Premiere...
Apple Configurator 2 Updated With New Features, Including Support for Restoring Firmware on 2019 Mac Pro
Apple Configurator 2 has been updated to version 2.12 with several improvements, including support for restoring firmware on the 2019 Mac Pro.
The release notes:• Added support for restoring firmware on the 2019 Mac Pro
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Seemingly Unreleased Version of Logic Pro X With Live Loops Appears on Apple's Education Site [Updated]
Update: Apple has replaced the Logic Pro X image with an older version. Original story follows.
A seemingly unreleased version of Logic Pro X has appeared on Apple's education site, as spotted by a Reddit user. The image from Apple's education products page shows a 16-inch MacBook Pro running Logic Pro X, but with a familiar interface that looks extremely similar to GarageBand's Live Loops ...
Apple's 2020 MacBook Air vs. 2020 iPad Pro
Apple in March updated both the MacBook Air and the iPad Pro, and with the iPad Pro increasingly positioned as a computer replacement, we thought we'd compare both new machines to see how they measure up and which one might be a better buy depending on user needs.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We're comparing the base model 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the base model...
