Apple Higher Education IT
News and Updates — Florida
May 27, 2026
🌟 Accessibility + Apple Intelligence
Apple Unveils New Accessibility Features Powered by Apple Intelligence
"Apple today previewed a suite of accessibility updates that use Apple Intelligence to bring new capabilities to features users rely on every day, including VoiceOver, Magnifier, Voice Control, and Accessibility Reader."
On-device generated subtitles for uncaptioned video will work automatically across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Vision Pro. And in a first for accessibility, Apple Vision Pro users will be able to control compatible power wheelchairs using only their eyes.
"Now, with Apple Intelligence, we are bringing powerful new capabilities into our accessibility features while maintaining our foundational commitment to privacy by design." — Tim Cook
Forbes highlights a compelling employment angle: by weaving on-device AI into tools like VoiceOver and Voice Control, Apple has reduced workplace friction for employees with disabilities — patching over inconsistent accessibility labeling across corporate software and making participation by design a new industry standard.
Read the full announcement | Forbes: The disability employment story behind it | All accessibility features | Accessibility features for education
⚠️ Important Notice
Prepare Your Network for Stricter Security Requirements
Upcoming Apple OS releases will introduce stricter TLS network security requirements — devices may refuse connections to servers with outdated or non-compliant configurations, including those involved in MDM, enrollment, and software updates. Audit your environment now and forward this to your networking, server, and infosec teams. Remediation can take significant time, especially for third-party-managed servers.
Read moreWhat's New
🔥 Apple Training Promotion — Through June 30
Buy a $149 USD certification exam voucher and get a free practice exam voucher — both valid through October 31, 2026. A practical way for your team to prepare for Apple certification on their own schedule, earning a verified digital badge recognized worldwide.
Move to Mac
A resource from the Apple Education Community supporting institutions moving to Mac — covering practical setup and workflow guidance for educators transitioning from Windows, strategic planning tools for school leaders, and deployment resources for IT teams including ASM, MDM, and device management fundamentals.
New Series: Introduction to Scripting for macOS
Apple Education has launched a new scripting series for IT administrators, covering command-line tools built into macOS. Part 1 is now available — designed to help admins at every level build confidence with scripting as deployments grow in complexity.
Platform SSO Registration During macOS Automated Device Enrollment
Microsoft Company Portal 5.2604.0 now supports completing Platform SSO registration during Automated Device Enrollment — users arrive at the desktop with Entra ID access already configured, eliminating the post-Setup-Assistant step that commonly trips up end users. For Intune + Entra shops, this is a meaningful workflow improvement.
Platform SSO Simplified Setup with Keycloak
An external walkthrough by Francis Augusto covering a simplified Platform SSO configuration using the Keycloak client for macOS. The University of Oslo is reporting promising early results — particularly the elimination of the post-Setup Assistant registration step. Directly relevant for institutions running Keycloak as their identity provider.
Claris — AI Tool for Fleet Data Analysis
Claris, an Apple company, is previewing a new AI tool that provides real-time analysis of your institution's data — pulling from Apple School Manager, MDM platforms, help desk tools, and student information systems. Ask questions in plain language and get immediate, data-driven insights. No complex setup required. A live preview webinar is scheduled — register here.
Back to topIn the News
- 📱 The App Store stopped over $2.2 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions in 2025 — Apple Newsroom
- 📲 iOS 26.5 won't let users downgrade to prior updates — 9to5Mac
- 🎬 All recorded talks from Mac Admins Europe 2026 — Free recordings from one of the premier European Mac admin conferences
- 🎬 MacAD.UK 2026 session video playlist — All sessions now freely available on YouTube, courtesy of MacAD.UK.
- 🔧 Apple's Managed Migration Assistant: Bring IT control to macOS device refreshes — Iru blog
- 🔐 What is the principle of least privilege for device management? — Fleet
- ⚙️ DDM OS Reminder (3.3.0) — Community tool update from Søren Theilgaard Nelson
Upcoming Events
📚 Education Technology Conference
ISTELive + ASCD Annual Conference 2026
June 28 – July 1, 2026 · In-Person
Apple is hosting sessions at two of the largest education technology and curriculum conferences of the year. Join to discover new ways to empower students and educators — relevant for both IT and academic leadership at your institutions.
Learn more and plan your visitHigher Education Webinars
View all Higher Education events
| Date | Webinar | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| June 2 | macOS Security Compliance Project for Higher Education | Register |
| June 4 | Get to Know MacBook Neo for Community Colleges | Register |
| June 11 |
What's New for Higher Education — Apple Announcements
Thursday, June 11 · 3:00–3:45 p.m. EDT · Online
|
Register |
| June 23 | Modern Lifecycle Management from Apple | Register |
In-Person & Major Events
| Date | Event | Links |
|---|---|---|
| June 8–12 |
WWDC 2026
Online + In-Person at Apple Park on June 8
|
Info |
| June 16 |
Apple Platform Readiness Workshop — Orlando, FL
In-person · Bring production and beta test devices enrolled in ABM/ASM
📍 Florida-area event — June 16 · Waitlist registration · Nationwide locations available through July
|
Info Register |
| 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 |
Note: Registrants for the Orlando Readiness Workshop are added to a waitlist — official confirmation will follow. Contact td@apple.com with any questions about your registration.
Back to topTraining & 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.
- Apple Education Store Help — Proposals, orders, invoices, and returns — every step made simple and reliable.
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