Apple's macOS warning: New alerts tell you you're running incompatible 32-bit apps

Apple will be making a transition to the 64-bit technology for the macOS users. They are putting pressure on the developers to update their macOS apps. There will be alerts to inform you that you are running the 32-bit apps that are incompatible.

Apple will display a warning about the incompatibility of the 32-bit app on the latest macOS version. This warning is with regards to the transition to the 64-bit technology.

For all the users on macOS High Sierra 10.13.4, when they open any of the apps whether old or new that run on the 32-bit technology, will get a one-time warning displayed.

The developers will have to update to the 64-bit technology if users on the High Sierra’s successors, need to use them with full support.

There has not been any date set for the 32-bit apps to be defunct. The High Sierra will be the last version of the macOS that will support the 32-bit apps.

Apple is keen on developers using the latest hardware that will be compatible with the 64-bit technology. They want the macOS users to pressurize the developers to make the change from the 32-bit apps to the 64-bit apps when they see the alerts.

The macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 apps that are not updated to the 64-bit apps will get a one-time alert. This alerts the user that he is currently using the 32-bit technology and this will not be compatible in the future.

As of now, no date has been set regarding the transition to the 64-bit apps for macOS and macOS apps. It is advisable for the users to make sure they get the 64-bit version of their favorite apps.

How to check whether the apps are 32-bits or 64-bits?

The users need to go to ‘About this Mac’ and then click on ‘System Report’. You then scroll down to ‘Software’ and select ‘Applications’. If the ’64-bit (Intel) field says ‘Yes’, then the app is a 64-bit app and ‘No’ will indicate that it is a 32-bit app.

With regards to the iPhone, the 32-bit apps on the macOS have been completely phased out. There has been a transition to the 64-bit apps since Apple has control over the App Store.

The first 64-bit mobile processor was seen in the A7 in 2013. They had completely done away with the 32-bit apps in iOS 11.

Benefit of 64-bit apps 

The latest versions of the Mac have the 64-bit technology and macOS which has the 64-bit apps can access more memory and also enable faster system performance. The current technologies such as Metal graphics acceleration work only with 64-bit apps.

Though Apple has not set the date for the transition to 64-bit apps, it has warned that the next macOS version will not run on 32-bit apps.

As can be seen with the iOS, their main aim is that the 32-bit apps on the macOS will not be supported. It is advisable for the users to either upgrade to the 64-bit apps or look for other solutions as soon as possible.

iOS Could Detect When You Hover Your Finger Over The Screen

iOS will know when you are hovering the finger upon the screen

Apple has brought the latest update to its iOS with much fan fare as it aimed towards enhancing the battery management along with slew of other tweaks. A report has emerged from the Apple offices that it has been actively working on adding new gesture controls for the iPhones. Apart from the range of normal touch gestures controls present on the iPhone now iOS will be to detect whether the users hovering the finger on the screen in order to trigger certain actions.

It is worth remembering that at the time of the launch of very first iPhone Jobs has remarkably spent quite a lot of time in showcasing the might of the multi-touch interface to the users. Touching screen by adding different level of pressure results in triggering different tasks and similarly swiping on either side of screen helps in getting different job done while the use of multiple finger in order to zoom in the photo or rotate were first seen implemented on the iPhone.

Changing the way people are interacting with their mobile screens

Apple has been a pioneer when it comes to bringing better controls and screen related functionalities to the core user experience. It is worth noting that Apple brought the famous 3D Touch gesture controls with the launch of the iPhone 6S. This features allowed users to triggers different by apply varying amount of pressure on their phone's screen. It allowed users to preview a photo or simply open an email or open the shortcut menu and much more.

These can seem like some simple touch screen enhancement performed by the Apple in the recent since the launch of the iPhone X which brought whole new range of gesture control never seen before on any smartphone. Apple also made a bold move to get rid of the staple home button which eventually made it necessary to offer advanced gesture based control for sublime user experience.

Next iPhone will be better than the before

With next generation iPhone this year Apple will bring the ability to detect the gestures right from above the screen. However there are no documents revealed by the Apple which points towards how it will be achieved on the next iPhones and some has even pointed out that features might not even debut in this year’s iPhone altogether. It has also been brought to the attention that Apple is also actively experimenting with the curved display for its upcoming iPhones.

Rather than being like the Samsung Galaxy premium devices Apple more likely want the iPhone to appear like a banana shape from top to the bottom. A number of rumors have suggested that Apple will be launching three new iPhone devices like the previous year. One of these devices will be next version of the trendsetter iPhone X followed by another iPhone X lookalike iPhone having a cheaper display while another one will be larger iPhone X for those who need larger display.

Can Apple Fix the iOS mess it has created?

Can Apple fix the mess it has created with iOS? Is the question of the moment. At first iOS used to be this great OS that helped you to get things done. It was sleek, fast, had a lot of features that were good at helping you get things done and the OS was steamlined. You could find the right thing in the right place with no hassle. But now iOS is not what it used to be. Now it has become a dish of trouble, with bugs, performance errors, stability issues and usability issues being the main ingredients.

It is even rumored that Apple is now putting on hold the many new features it has planned for iOS 12 just to correct the problems in iOS it has created. In the past, the few updates have all been about bug clearances and barely any new features and looks like this time around the next few updates might be the same. Well it is good and all that Apple wants to fix the bug issues because thast what some updates are supposed to do but what happens if such issues can’t be fixed?

Paying for a Premium product and stuck with the reality: 

Apple has never been a-just-there-brand and what I mean by this is that it is a premium brand offering you premium service. Well in theory at least. They say you pay for what you get but recently this has not been the case.

Take a look at 2017, for example, it was the year of root bugs in macOS, it’s fix seems to have broken file sharing for some, updating your macOS to 10.13.1 seemed like a logical thing to do, well wrong, it rolled the root patch back, remote access was broken with a HomeKit bug in iOS 11.2 and the list goes on and on, but you get the picture.

Apple seems to be getting more bugs and their fixes upgraded than actually giving out any new features with their upgrades.

Ok Ok, I’m not here to trash Apple, bugs do happen and as products and their software become more and more complex there is a huge possibility of bugs coming up. In today’s fast paced world in order to keep up or set the pace as for other companies, upgrades, new features and software needs to come out and it often does so in a rushed up manner and this is bound to lead to bugs and their necessary fixes.

Four areas that iOS seems to be falling back on: 

While Apple does offer you the best in tech when it comes to it, it still lacks in certain areas. While these areas may seem to be a small problem for some, for others it is a deal breaker. With frame drops and stuttering found in new hardware, apple seems to be missing out on performance standards.

Coming back to the bugs in iOS, you find them and then get it fixed until a new bug comes in its place or the fix itself gives you a new bug. Then stability, it is not the worst that is out there but for a high end product, we were certainly expecting a bit more and lastly, usability, is this really a thing now?

Apple is Ready to Fight Google Chromebooks with Cheaper iPads

Apple set to release cheaper iPads to counter the rise of Chromebooks

Apple has seen the reversal of the fortune with the rapid decline in the sales of the iPads and Mac laptops is last few years. In 2013 these reigned supreme in the schools in US by getting over the dominance of the Windows devices but in 2018 Apple iPads had simply lost its touch. Google Chromebook has made massive inroads in the US classrooms by becoming first choice for the students and Microsoft is also right behind it. Now Chromebook amounts for 60 percent of the devices sold in the US schools while iPads sales are steeply declining for three straight years. But Apple is gearing to bring back the challenge to the Chromebook by bringing a new lineup of cheaper iPads.

A low cost budget iPad is set to launch soon

This Tuesday Apple will be organizing a event focused on the special education which aims towards bringing "new creative ideas for the teachers and students". Industry wide rumors are hinting towards the launch of a low cost iPad at this event costing just about $259. The best thing about this budget iPad is that it will come with the support for a stylus. Apple Pencil support is available for the higher end iPad Pro versions which helps in boosting the productivity to the next level. Some rumors have even suggested that Apple might also release the cheaper budget version of the Macbook but doesn't happen to be the case.

It is worth noting that Apple has recently updated its main education website which 17 different devices pictures. Out of these 16 happened to be iPads and jus one Macbook. Furthermore a recent ad carried out by the Apple has asked the users boldly "What is a computer?" which indirectly hinted that the iPad will be the future of the computer in upcoming days. It is worth pointing out that Apple hasn’t had a golden run when it comes making a firm ground in the education segment. It got fined for $4.2 million in Los Angeles 2015 when it failed to provide iPads to the school kids with its lackluster $1 billion program.

Bringing the best of iOS to the students 

Apple is a quick learner and has worked towards improving the functionality and features of the iOS and in turn iPad in order to lure the students. In the iOS version 9.3 Apple brought the multi-user support on the iPads and Apple even did away with the notorious Apple ID requirement in order to use the iPads. Thirdly Apple has even worked towards bringing better management tools for the iPads. All of these features were aimed towards grabbing the interest of the students and educator and push the sales of the iPads just like earlier days but rise in the iPads pricing has become a detrimental feature. A low cost budget iPad will be a masterstroke from Apple to regain the lost ground and bring a stiff challenge to the Google’s Chromebook.

Apple MacOS 10.13.4 Brings Full External GPU Support to Recent MacBooks

The newly released MacOS 10.13.4 not only adds support for external GPU but also adds business chat and a new security feature present in iOS 11.3. First announced by Apple in the WWDC held last year, Apple now works on that promise by bringing external GPU support to MacBooks with the improved MacOS 10.13.4 update.

The upgradeable external GPU with the MacOS update increasingly solves most problems when it came to professionals using MacBooks. As MacBooks moved more towards the customer end of the table, professionals like video editors, 3-D modelers, VR Developers and the like were left with often mediocre and un-upgradable GPUs which was a major setback for these kinds of professionals. Another major disadvantage was that these professionals were stuck using 15 inch MacBook models and the 12 inch MacBooks and the 13 inch MacBook Pros still relied on an integrated graphics card.

What’s great about the MacOS 10.13.4 update bringing external GPU support? 

For those professionals who are video editors, 3-D modelers and the like, this MacOS 10.13.4 update brings in the necessary horse power without compromising on battery life, form factor and while also keeping the price of the MacBook models low for non- professional users.

What was the problem before MacOS 10.13.4 update? 

Prior to the MacOS 10.13.4 update, many professionals had to add graphics cards to their systems but even adding a high end graphics card to their system gave mediocre results. While the external graphics card gave the necessary horse power and was excellent for gaming, it still felt as an add- on as compared to a seamless feature of the MacBook. Apart from this, users also complained of glitches and bugs even in popular games like FinalCut.

The new Thunderbolt 3 with MacOS 10.13.4: 

With the new Thunderbolt’s 40 Gbps transfer rate and some other Apple updates, Professional users can now enjoy better external GBU support than before. Although these transfer rates are not the best that is out there, they still are capable when it comes to most uses. This solution is better for those who do not want to move over to other powerful PCs like Linux or Windows.

The Drawbacks: 

As of now Apple only supports AMD graphics cards so getting support for the industry leading graphics card- GTX 1080 TI for example would need hacking and some other methods if you are to get around to using it. This still leaves the RX Vega 64 and some other cards that could provide amazing graphic capabilities without any support.

Besides not having support for non-AMD graphics cards and if you do decide to get one such card then you have to also think of getting a dedicated enclosure for it. The non- AMD graphics card as well as the enclosure for it are not going to come cheap and what makes it an even steeper buy is the fact that you would have already forked over quite a bit of money when it came to buying the MacBook in the first place.