Apple Higher Education IT
News and Updates — Florida
June 23, 2026
⚠️ Action Suggested
Four Items to Address Before Fall
Office 2019 for Mac — Read-Only on July 13
Microsoft is ending support for Office 2019 on July 13, 2026. After that date, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook will open files in read-only mode. Read more
Okta Verify Does Not Launch on macOS 27 Beta 1
Institutions using Okta for SSO or MFA should be aware that Okta Verify fails to launch on macOS 27 Beta 1. Watch for an Okta fix release before moving to Beta 2 testing.
Sign in with Apple and Hide My Email — New Domain This Summer
Later this summer, Sign in with Apple and iCloud+ Hide My Email will transition to a unified domain: private.icloud.com. IT teams managing firewall allow-lists or proxy rules for these services should plan for this change. Read more
A12/A13 — Unpatchable SecureROM Vulnerability
Security researchers have published a BootROM exploit affecting Apple A12 and A13 chips — found in iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, and early iPad models. This vulnerability cannot be patched via software update. Institutions with these devices in managed fleets should review their security posture accordingly. Read more
What's New
🔥 Apple Training Promotion — Last Chance, Through June 30
Buy a $149 USD certification exam voucher and get a free practice exam voucher — both valid through October 31, 2026. The promotion ends June 30. Buy now
🪛 MacBook Neo — Designed for Repair
A closer look at how MacBook Neo was built for long-term ownership. Key components — battery, speakers, trackpad, ports, and logic board — are individually serviceable with no two components stacked on top of one another. Apple supports organizational repair through its Self-Servicing Account Program, providing access to genuine parts, repair manuals, diagnostics, and tools. Read more
Jamf Pro 11.29
Two notable updates in the latest Jamf Pro release. First, DDM-based software update management is now available for on-premise Jamf Pro deployments — not just Jamf Cloud. Second, the Simplified Setup for Platform SSO has been enhanced to support more flexible identity provider configurations. Release notes
OS 27 Beta 2 Available
Beta 2 of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27 is now available via AppleSeed for IT. If you haven't enrolled your test devices yet, this is a good time to start — Apple needs IT administrator feedback early in the beta cycle. AppleSeed for IT
🛫 End of an Era — AirPort Utility
AirPort Utility will be removed from the App Store and macOS with the release of iOS 27 and macOS 27 this fall. If your institution still has AirPort base stations in service, now is the time to plan a migration to a supported networking solution.
Jamf DDM Explorer
A free app from Jamf that helps IT administrators learn and understand Apple's Declarative Device Management framework. Browse published declaration types for current and beta operating systems, build and deploy test payloads directly from the app, and view live declarative status reports from enrolled test devices. Especially useful now that OS 27 DDM updates are available in beta. App Store · Learn more
SimpleSSL — Certificate Management for Mac
A free Mac app for viewing and managing SSL certificates, with an optional Pro upgrade ($4.99). Useful for IT admins auditing TLS certificates across managed environments. App Store
Back to topIn the News
📍 WWDC26 — Missed Our Special Edition?
We published a WWDC26 Special Edition covering everything IT administrators need to know — What's New in Managing Apple Devices, identity integration updates, education-specific changes, the MDM software update management removal, AppleSeed for IT, and more. Read the full edition
Zero-Touch Enrollment and Stolen Device Deterrence
A practical look at why Automated Device Enrollment ties hardware to cloud activation — making stolen managed devices effectively worthless without server-level release. Read more
MDM Platform Comparison — MDMbuyer.com
13 MDM platforms compared side-by-side — features, pricing, and OS support in a single downloadable spreadsheet. Useful for institutions evaluating options or building a business case for a platform change. MDMbuyer.com
Back to topUpcoming Events
Higher Education Webinars
View all Higher Education events
| Date | Webinar | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| June 23 |
Modern Lifecycle Management from Apple
Apple Financial Services — tailored payment plans, Pay to Own with Guaranteed Buyback, and device residual value at end of lifecycle.
Tuesday, June 23 · 12:00–12:30 p.m. EDT · Online
|
Register |
| June 24 |
What's New for Higher Education from WWDC
A guided tour of WWDC26 updates — platform improvements, Apple Intelligence & Siri AI, and IT features. Also offered June 30 and July 9.
Wednesday, June 24 · 2:00–2:45 p.m. EDT · Online
|
Register |
| June 25 |
Platform SSO Overview with Q&A
Apple Deployment Success Team — Platform SSO session with live Q&A.
Wednesday, June 25 · 2:00 p.m. EDT · Online
|
Register |
| June 30 |
What's New for Higher Education from WWDC
Tuesday, June 30 · 3:00–3:45 p.m. EDT · Online
|
Register |
| July 9 |
What's New for Higher Education from WWDC
Thursday, July 9 · 3:00–3:45 p.m. EDT · Online
|
Register |
| July 22 |
macOS Security Compliance Project for Higher Education
Leverage mSCP — an open source effort developed with NIST — to standardize Mac endpoint security and generate customized security baselines.
Wednesday, July 22 · 3:00–4:00 p.m. EDT · Online
|
Register |
In-Person & Major Events
| Date | Event | Links |
|---|---|---|
| June 28–July 1 |
ISTELive + ASCD Annual Conference — Apple Sessions
Discover new ways to empower students and educators
|
Info |
| July 7–10 |
MacAdmins Conference
Penn State University
|
Info |
| Sept 23–25 |
JNUC 2026
Jamf Nation User Conference
|
Info |
Training & Resources
On-Demand Video Series
- Deploying Apple in Education — Fundamentals of Apple deployment for IT organizations — managing devices at scale.
- Education IT & Security — Apple Intelligence, device management, and enterprise-grade security standards.
IT Training
- Apple Professional Training for IT — Self-paced online training and certification for IT professionals, on your schedule.
- Introduction to Supporting macOS — A three-part instructor-led virtual workshop on Mac hardware, macOS, and help desk essentials.
- Apple Readiness Workshops — Free, interactive sessions on ASM, new features, beta testing, and best practices, led by Apple Systems Engineers.
- Get to Know Your Mac — Free live virtual training for PC-to-Mac switchers and new-to-Mac beginners. Share with your end users.
- CDW Apple IT Training — Five training courses for IT teams supporting Apple endpoints.
- Jamf Training — Self-paced and instructor-led training for Jamf administrators.
Community & Reference
- IT Deployment and Management — Education Community Forum — Connect with Apple and peers on deployment tips, software updates, and best practices.
- Apple Education Store Help — Video guides covering proposals, orders, invoices, and returns.
Apple Platform Guides
- Apple Platform Deployment
- Apple Platform Support
- Apple Platform Security
- Apple Platform Certifications
Enterprise OS Reference
- What's new for enterprise in macOS Tahoe 26
- What's new for enterprise in iPadOS 26
- Apple security releases — Latest updates across all platforms
🌟 New to Mac?
A curated set of Apple resources to help you or your team get started — guides, keyboard shortcuts, training, and video tutorials, all in one place. Visit the resource page
⚠️ Network Security Requirements
Prepare Your Network for Stricter TLS Requirements
As previously mentioned, upcoming Apple OS releases will introduce stricter TLS network security requirements affecting MDM, enrollment, and software updates. This is the final reminder — please forward to your networking, server, and infosec teams if you haven't already. Read more
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