With the iOS 15.2 beta that was released today, Apple has added enhancements to the Find My app. There’s a new feature that’s designed to let users scan for AirTags or Find My-enabled items that might be tracking them.
And:
When opening the Find My app after installing the beta and going to the “Items” tab, there’s an option for “Items That Can Track Me.” Tapping on this allows users to search for nearby items that might be used to track their location.
It’s in the beta, no guarantee that this makes it into the next public iOS 15 update.
> Apple today announced Apple Business Essentials, an all-new service that brings together device management, 24/7 Apple Support, and iCloud storage into flexible subscription plans for small businesses with up to 500 employees. The company also unveiled a new Apple Business Essentials app that enables employees to install apps for work and request support. Then Naples is an excellent place to run a business and you can find businesses for sale in Naples easily at https://trufortebusinessgroup.com/naples-businesses-for-sale/ so have a look at what’s available.
On configuring users:
> Within Apple Business Essentials, Collections enable IT personnel to configure settings and apps for individual users, groups, or devices. When employees sign in to their corporate or personally owned device with their work credentials, Collections automatically push settings such as VPN configurations and Wi-Fi passwords. In addition, Collections will install the new Apple Business Essentials app on each employee’s home screen, where they can download corporate apps assigned to them, such as Cisco Webex or Microsoft Word.
You can also enforce File Vault encryption on employee Macs, and enforced Activation Lock for all devices.
There’s a dedicated iCloud account with automated backup for iOS and iPadOS devices, as well as for all data/documents stored in iCloud. Not clear to me how that backup is managed for Macs, beyond documents the user stores in iCloud.
Core to the setup is Collections, which let the admin set up app collections for, say, design, engineering, sales, and all employees.
> Create a smart user group based on rules like location, role, or team. Then assign Collections to that group to set up their devices. And when you import users from Microsoft Azure Active Directory, they automatically receive their apps and settings when they’re added to the group.
On users being able to use their personal devices:
> User Enrollment makes it easy for employees to enroll their personal devices — and get them set up for work. Personal data on their devices stays private, and everything stays secure.
There’s also onsite repairs (“in as little as 4 hours”):
> Each plan with AppleCare+ for Business Essentials includes up to two repairs that refresh annually, but they’re not tied to any one device or user. You can apply them to any device enrolled in an AppleCare+ for Business Essentials plan.
Pricing tiers:
– Single Device: $2.99/month, 50GB storage
– Multi-device: $6.99/month per user, Up to 3 devices/user, 200GB of storage.
– Multi-device, more storage: $12.99/month per user, Up to 3 devices/user, 2TB of storage.
Free beta, sign up here, program rolling out this Spring.
Here’s the Apple Business Essentials marketing video from Apple…
While Apple isn’t generally transparent about audience number specifics, insiders said that the Miguel Sapochnik-directed apocalyptic drama became Apple TV+’s most watch film by eclipsing Hanks’ previous Apple film, the WWII thriller Greyhound. Apple would not divulge specific numbers but sources said that Finch premiered in over 100 countries, more than doubled its opening day audience as the weekend progressed, and generated the largest opening weekend ever on the two-year old Apple TV+.
Tom Hanks and Apple TV+ were made for each other. Finch is worth watching on a number of levels, including the transparent perfection of Tom Hanks’ acting (he becomes the character, flaws and all) and the immersive special effects (the world is seamless and believable, great CGI).
Know going in that Finch is more a character study than a classic sci-fi action film, so if you’re cool with that, go watch it.
When iOS 15 was first introduced in June, Apple outlined a new Digital Legacy feature that’s designed to let you set a person as your Legacy Contact, giving the person access to your Apple ID account and personal information in the event of your death.
And:
The Legacy Contact option can be accessed by opening up the Settings app, tap on your profile picture and then select “Password & Security.” From there, choose “Legacy Contact” from the list and you can select a trusted person to access your account after you pass away.
Been waiting for this. My Mom died last year and, try as we might, we were never able to get Apple to give us access to her phone to get her pictures and notes.
I do appreciate the privacy protection, but if we had the legacy contact feature when she was still alive, we’d definitely have used it. Really happy to have this.
