I have been asked by more people than I can count about whether or not they should install iOS updates. Because there is a lot of misinformation about the true pros and cons of keeping your devices on the latest software, I decided I would weigh in on the topic publicly. 

A lot of people think that iOS updates don’t matter, so they don’t bother taking the time to install them because they think it takes too long, but this isn’t really the case anymore. The most recent update (iOS 12.3) took my iPhone XS Max only 9 minutes to download and install, from start to finish. And if you can’t find nine minutes, your phone can update itself for you while you’re sleeping. 

Furthermore, the updates DO matter, and they matter a lot. A lot of bug fixes are rolled out with each update, so the reason your phone is acting up could be a direct result of the fact that it HASN’T been updated yet. Additionally, iOS updates frequently include security patches which are absolutely essential, so from a privacy and security point of view, it’s a terrible to avoid software updates. Frequent software updates are a large part of what makes the iOS platform so superior to Android when it comes to privacy and security.

Lastly, we have to address the common concern that Apple pushes out updates on a regular basis to further their own interests. I am no longer employed by Apple, so I have no reason to be dishonest when I tell you that Apple is not trying to use software updates to drive iPhone sales. They do not intentionally make your phone slower. They do not intentionally make your phone buggy. They do not intentionally try to decrease your battery life. All of these concerns are usually only reported by people using devices which are several years old, and at that point the processors are comparably inefficient and are therefore struggling to keep up with the new, more advanced software. If your iPhone is less than 4 years old, this should not be a concern for you.

The bottom line: when your iOS devices tell you that they need to be updated, it is in your best interest to update them.

An absolutely scathing but completely honest summary of Facebook’s history. If you value privacy, democracy, or freedom of the press, read this article from Wired. Then delete your Facebook account.  

Still not convinced? Try this fun tip: request a copy of facebook’s data profile for your account. It includes heaps of information including all your private messages, advertising demographic data, IP addresses, your GPS coordinates from every time you’ve logged in, and more. Additionally, you’ll see a list of advertisers to whom they’ve sold all of this information without your consent. Facebook is a criminal enterprise. Delete your account. 

#deletefacebook

Totally professional and not at all creepy. Nothing to see here.

#deletefacebook

Everyone should look into (and subscribe to) Apple’s new subscription service for news. It’s called Apple News+, and it’s only $9.99/month. That price offers complete access for everyone in your family to the Wall Street Journal, the LA Times, and over 300 magazines (including People, National Geographic, Time, Forbes, ESPN, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Field & Stream, and tons of other well known publications that people care about). You can start with a one month free trial. 

A lot of people see this as just another way for Apple to milk customers for money, and they announced a lot of services at their March 2019 event that seem that way, but I really think this is the most important thing they announced. There is no similar service to this on the market today. It comes at a really crucial time when people are using the Internet to try and keep themselves informed about the world, but don’t realize that what they’re being sold as news, is really only repackaged hype intended to drive further engagement with the platform serving it up (see: Facebook) for the purpose of boosting ad revenue through ever increasing volumes of clicks, likes, comments, and shares.

Companies like this don’t care that the articles people are sharing on their platforms are often devoid of actual facts and usually have no legitimate sources for the “information” they present. Because of social media’s tendency to prioritize monetization over the truth and journalistic integrity, people in the US and in the world are being driven further and further to each end of the political spectrum, and people are becoming significantly less tolerant of people who have beliefs only slightly different than their own. And in more extreme cases, we’re seeing foreign and domestic terror groups pop up that exist to incite violence and spread hatred, and in many cases they attribute the sources that lead to their indoctrination to misinformation campaigns and sensational headlines that were fed to them by Facebook, YouTube, and other companies. I mean, literal NAZIS are making a comeback, for god’s sake. 

In addition to their commitment to journalistic integrity, Apple has made their news platform secure, so that you know from a privacy standpoint you’re getting the best of the best, and that the headlines you read won’t follow you across the Internet for advertisers to use to target you based on your interests or beliefs.

*Please note that I am not still employed by Apple and there is no direct benefit for me to promote this, I just think it’s really important. Also, delete your Facebook accounts.

#deletefacebook