Apple today seeded the third beta of macOS Ventura 13.1 to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to try out the new features ahead of the software's release. The public beta comes one week after Apple released the second public beta.
Public beta testers can download the macOS 13.1 Ventura update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after installing the proper profile from Apple's beta software website.
macOS Ventura 13.1 introduces the Freeform app, which Apple has designed for creative collaboration. The app can be used for brainstorming, planning out ideas, jotting down notes, and more. Users can insert drawings, sticky notes, shapes, text boxes, photos, videos, PDFs, links, and other documents, with Freeform serving as a blank canvas.
Freeform "boards" can be shared with other people and discussed over FaceTime, with updates from all participants synced to everyone in real-time.
The update also introduces support for an updated Home app architecture that improves performance for smart home devices.
Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces.
The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019.
Q.ai...
Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...
How many betas do these usually have? Wondering whether it will release next week (before Thanksgiving) or early December. I'm waiting for its release to upgrade from Monterey.
Monday Dec 12th its when it is expected to be publicly released. (last 2 years were Dec 13, Dec 14)
Is Freeform shared only through FaceTime? This might be useful for education if it could be done with 20+ people at the same time.
I teach at a small college and see a lot of potential in a tool like Freeform.
But it's only for Apple devices, right? Only about 4 in 10 of my students have Macs, 1 in 10 have iPads, most have Windows laptops and a few have non-Apple tablets.
So unless Freeform becomes available for non-Apple platforms, I won't be able to use it.
But there are already other products that work across platforms and provide similar functionality as Freeform.
How's ventura shaping up? I'll install it this december when 13.1 will be released.
Can't speak for others but it's been a mixed bag for me. Most things are working as expected. A few are not. Wifi connections to remembered networks I use every day take a bit longer to connect sometimes. And I cannot connect to my employer's networked printers at all since upgrading one of my two Macbooks to Ventura. The other Macbook, still running Monterey 12.6.1, continues to connect to the networked printers just fine.
The new features of Ventura have not really improved my workflows or general usability of my Macbook, so it's been all downside for me. (Fortunately, not TOO much downside.)
I think I'm going to start doing what you do - wait until X.1 to install a major new macOS version.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a ~5.5-inch outer display and a ~7.8-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
