After a fainting spell left Adam Engst with a doctor’s order to drink 100 ounces daily, he turned to HiWater. This elegant iPhone and Apple Watch app tracks hydration and nags you to drink—sometimes too well.
Don’t expect new features in Apple’s OS 26.3 updates, but be sure to install them soon. They patch dozens of security vulnerabilities and address an actively exploited flaw Apple says was used in sophisticated spyware attacks.
Apple’s latest updates for older operating systems extend certificates so iMessage, FaceTime, and device activation continue to work after January 2027. Meanwhile, iOS 16.7.14 may address a Telstra network issue affecting older iPhones in Australia.
The new AirTag needs new software—no surprise there. More interesting are the updates Apple pushed to iOS versions dating back to iOS 12, extending certificates that would otherwise expire in January 2027.
Apple’s second-generation AirTag arrives with a new Ultra Wideband chip that extends Precision Finding range by 50%, a speaker that’s 50% louder, and Precision Finding support on the Apple Watch Series 9 or later.
Matt Neuburg’s free TidBITS News app gets a notable update with a complete rewrite for iOS 26 and Swift 6.2, plus Dark mode support. Even better, he has open-sourced the code on GitHub for curious developers.
Adam Engst walks you through Apple’s OS 26.2 updates, highlighting new alarms in Reminders, auto-generated chapters in Podcasts, Enhanced Safety Alerts, and Edge Light for Mac video calls—along with urgent fixes for two actively exploited WebKit vulnerabilities.
Was it a sophisticated iPhone hack, a pickpocketing distraction, or just a weird coincidence? After a TidBITS reader’s suspicious encounter with a lost tourist, we examine the security of modern iPhones and offer practical tips for travelers who want to help strangers without becoming targets.
Apparently, humor columnist Dave Barry’s brain is full, causing him to leave his iPad in public places—well, one public place—but Find My helped him recover it not just once, but twice. It’s a good reminder to turn on Find My and use Apple’s lost device options.
In iOS 26’s Phone app, Unified view lets you tap a call to show contact info instead of initiating a callback. A hidden setting lets you switch that tap-a-call behavior back to a callback—but it appears only when in Unified view and isn’t available to those using Classic view.
Two years after Apple introduced contact posters in iOS 17, our Do You Use It? poll shows that over half of respondents haven’t created a single one. The feature’s limited visibility and fussy creation process may explain the lackluster adoption.
Apple’s new N1 wireless chip in the iPhone 17 family boosts Wi‑Fi speeds by up to 40% over the Broadcom‑based Wi-Fi radio used in the iPhone 16 lineup—especially in poor conditions.
Want to make your iPhone’s Phone app and contact cards more visually appealing? Adam Engst walks you through the often frustrating process of customizing contact avatars and posters.
Apple’s new Digital ID lets US passport holders add an ID to the iPhone’s Wallet app for TSA identity checks, but it’s no replacement for your physical license or passport.
Apple’s iPhone Pocket collaboration with Issey Miyake might seem like the spiritual successor to iPod Socks, but it’s closer to luxury Hermès Apple Watch bands. Crafted in Japan and selling for as much as $230, it may reveal more about your opinion of the fashion world than anything else.
