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macOS Catalina Could Launch on October 4 According to Apple's Danish Site

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Apple's macOS Catalina update did not come out alongside iOS 13, with Apple instead planning to release it on an unspecified date in October.

While Apple has provided no detail on when the launch date might be, text on Apple's Danish macOS Catalina website suggests that it could be coming on Friday, October 4.

Image from Apple's Danish macOS Catalina site
An Apple Arcade section of the macOS Catalina website for Denmark says that Apple Arcade will be available in the App Store starting on October 4. The text is on the macOS Catalina page and refers to the Mac App Store as Apple Arcade for iOS has already launched in Denmark.

"Exceptional gameplay. Find it in the App Store from October 4," reads the translated version of the site. No additional dates are provided on the Apple Arcade specific site, with the October 4 mention limited to the Catalina page.

Apple Arcade on the Mac requires the macOS Catalina update and is a macOS Catalina feature, so for Apple Arcade to be available on October 4, macOS Catalina would also need to be available by that date.

The problem with the October 4 date is that most macOS and OS X updates have historically been on a Monday or a Tuesday. The last time a Mac update came out on a Friday was OS X Snow Leopard, which was released 10 years ago.

Apple could potentially release macOS Catalina earlier in the week and then launch Apple Arcade on October 4, but it's unclear why it wouldn't simply be available when Catalina launches. If Apple's Danish site is accurate, though, it seems we can expect to see macOS Catalina early in the month of October rather than later.

Apple's other software updates, including iOS 13, iPadOS watchOS 6, and tvOS 13, have already been released and Apple Arcade is available on all other platforms except for the Mac at this time.

(Thanks, Boris!)

Related Roundup: macOS Catalina

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Apple Arcade vs. Google Play Pass

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With the launch of iOS 13, Apple released Apple Arcade, a new $4.99 per month gaming service that provides unlimited access to new and exclusive games.

Less than two weeks later, Google announced its own gaming service called Play Pass, which also offers unlimited access to games. In our latest YouTube video, we went hands-on with both services to compare them.

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Both Apple Arcade and Play Pass are priced at $4.99 per month. Apple offers a one-month free trial while Google offers a 10-day free trial, but for the first year, Google is offering a deal that drops the price of Play Pass to $1.99 per month.

Though the prices are similar, the two services are quite different. Apple Arcade features new and exclusive games, some of which were funded by Apple, while Google's Play Pass offers up older games.

Play Pass includes some super popular titles like Stardew Valley, Reigns, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, Terraria, and more, but the problem with older games is that many people may have already played them.

Play Pass is also not limited to games -- Google is including apps too. AccuWeather, Pic Stitch, ISS HD, and Tunable are some of the apps offered.

Apple Arcade only offers gaming titles, but all of the games are fresh, new, and exclusive to Apple Arcade. In some cases, though, some of the games are also available on consoles, but on mobile platforms, Apple Arcade gets exclusive access. That means no Android equivalent.

It's not clear if apps can leave Apple Arcade, but Google warns that apps can leave Play Pass. If that happens, users will need to buy the game to continue to use it if it's a paid game, and for free titles, ads and in-app purchases may show up.

Google says there are hundreds of apps and games included with more being added every month. Apple Arcade launched with right around 60 games, and Apple has also promised new content on a monthly basis. Both services offer offline gaming, so no internet connection is required.

With both services, content is ad free and features no in-app purchases. Apple titles were designed from the ground up with no additional purchases, but for Play Pass, these gaming elements have been removed from titles that previously offered them.

Apple allows up to six family members to share games through a single Apple Arcade subscription using Family Sharing, and Google allows for up to five family members to share content through its Google Play Family Library.

Apple Arcade has launched in multiple countries around the world, while Play Pass is limited to the United States at the current time. Google does plan to expand, however.

One other aspect worth noting is privacy. Apple specifically mentions privacy protections and says that users are able to choose to share data, while Google's Play Pass materials don't mention privacy or data sharing. "Every game must meet Apple's high privacy standards," reads Apple's press release for Apple Arcade.

Most people are locked in to either Android or iOS and few have both, so most people won't need to choose between services.

Apple users who have a Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV can access Apple Arcade on those devices, while Google Play Pass requires a smartphone, laptop, or tablet with Android 4.4 or above and Play Store version 16.6.25. Google Play Pass games can't be played on the larger screen of a television, which gives Apple Arcade a bit of an edge when it comes to non-mobile gaming.

Do you prefer Apple Arcade with its fresh selection of titles, or Google Play Pass with its larger library of already available games? Let us know in the comments.

Tags: Google, Apple Arcade

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GarageBand for iOS Gains Dark Mode, External Hard Drive Support

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GarageBand, Apple's music making app designed for iPhones and iPads, was today updated to version 2.3.8, introducing support for iOS 13 features.

The app now works with Dark Mode, and because GarageBand already had a darker interface, there are new lighter interface elements when used in Light Mode.

GarageBand also now supports accessing files from external hard drives, SD card readers, and USB drives through the files app.

Along with these iOS 13 features, GarageBand has improved audio fidelity of Apple Loops when making tempo and key changes, and a new downloadable "Skyline Heat" sound pack with a collection of more than 350 Hip Hop loops and six drum kits. Release notes are below:

- Support for Dark Mode and new Share sheet in iOS 13
- Access files from external hard drives, SD card readers, and USB drives
- Improves audio fidelity of Apple Loops when making tempo and key changes
- New downloadable "Skyline Heat" sound pack with a collection of over 350 new Hip Hop loops and 6 drum kits

GarageBand can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: GarageBand

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