Apple Releases Swift Playgrounds 4.1 for iPad and Mac
Following the launch of iOS 15.5 and macOS Monterey 12.4, Apple today released Swift Playgrounds 4.1, the latest version of the iPad and Mac app that is designed to teach users how to code and build apps.
On the Mac, Swift Playgrounds 4.1 adds a host of new features including support for building Mac apps with SwiftUI with macOS 12.4 or later, guided walkthroughs that teach SwiftUI app building basics, live updates in App Preview as changes are made, and App Store Connect integration for uploading finished apps to the App Store.
Apple's full release notes for the Mac version of Swift Playgrounds are below.
Swift Playgrounds 4.1 introduces new features, new content and bug fixes. New features include:
- Build Mac apps with SwiftUI (requires macOS 12.4 or later)
- Guided walkthroughs teach SwiftUI app building basics
- App Preview shows live updates as you make changes to your app
- Apps built with Swift Playgrounds run and install to the Applications folder
- App Store Connect integration lets you upload your finished app to the App Store (requires Apple Developer Program account)
- Smart, inline code suggestions help you write code quickly and accurately
- Project-wide search finds results across multiple files
- Snippets Library provides hundreds of SwiftUI controls, symbols, and colors
- Swift Package support lets you include publicly available code to enhance your apps
- App Projects make it easy to move projects to Xcode and back
The iOS version of Swift Playgrounds 4.1 doesn't add quite as many new features, but it does include a new "Keep Going with Apps" feature to help users better understand how data moves throughout SwiftUI apps. It also adds "Animating Shapes" to teach users how to create, modify, and animate shapes, plus it includes "Capturing Photos," which offers an advanced look at creating a camera.
Swift Playgrounds for Mac can be downloaded from the Mac App Store, and Swift Playgrounds for iPad can be downloaded from the iOS App Store.
Popular Stories
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
In his Powe...
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today.
"I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
