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Search results for: “Updates”

  • New iPads and MacBooks coming soon

    New iPads and MacBooks coming soon

    Apple’s suppliers are getting ready for the release of new versions of the iPad Air, MacBook Air, and a basic iPad model.

    According to a report from DigiTimes, the supply chain started sending out these new devices in December. While we don’t know the exact date they’ll be available, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has said these new gadgets will hit the market by March or April 2025, possibly even sooner. Gurman also mentioned that a new iPhone SE might be announced this week.

    A report from a Taiwanese publication, which requires a subscription to read, hinted that these new devices will switch to chips made by Apple. Since Apple already designs its own chips for Macs and iPads, this might mean they’re talking about a new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. However, Gurman had previously mentioned that this change might not happen until 2026.

    Gurman also noted that Apple’s new Wi-Fi chip will support Wi-Fi 6E. It’s not clear yet if this will make much difference for users compared to the current Wi-Fi chips from Broadcom. The main advantage could be in how much battery it uses.

    The new MacBook Airs, coming in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, are expected to use the M4 chip. The iPad Air might get the M3 chip, and the basic iPad 11 could either have the A16 chip or the A17 Pro chip. Apart from these chip updates, there aren’t expected to be many other big changes to these devices.

    Source

  • Apple doesn’t have a Graveyard of apps

    Apple doesn’t have a Graveyard of apps

    A week ago, Apple surprised everyone by launching a new app and service named “Invites.” However, this launch has led to some unfair criticism about Apple’s approach to apps, suggesting they operate like Google does with its apps.

    Google is well-known for starting new apps and services but then either shutting them down or merging them into something else. A good example is Google Podcasts, which didn’t last long. There’s practically a “graveyard” of Google apps that didn’t make it.

    After the launch of Invites, some people started to think Apple does the same thing with its apps. But is that really true?

    Not Dead Yet

    Take the Apple Sports app, for example. It’s been around for a year now, and it keeps getting better. People love it so much they’re asking for a widget for their phones. It’s clear this app isn’t just left to die; it’s growing in popularity.

    Then there’s the Journal app, which first appeared with iOS 17.2 in December 2023. By the time iOS 18 rolled out, the app had a significant update to version 2.0, bringing new features like search, sort options, audio transcripts, and more. The only thing missing is an iPad version, not updates.

    Apple Music Classical, initially iPhone-only, expanded to include an iPad app and added features like album booklets. It even got a CarPlay app and Siri support.

    Music Memos’ Legacy

    Music Memos was an app for musicians to record their tunes. It lasted for five years before Apple decided to enhance the built-in Voice Memos app instead. Now, Voice Memos can record two tracks at once, which is great for songwriters who use voice and guitar.

    Clips in the Classroom

    Apple Clips isn’t dead either. It’s thriving in educational settings with features like royalty-free music and templates that teachers can use in their lessons. Instead of abandoning it, maybe Apple should focus on making a simpler video editing app like CapCut, but without the ByteDance connection.

    Looking Ahead for Invites

    The future of the Invites app might include tight integration with the Calendar app and could come pre-installed on new iPhones. Its success will depend on turning users into iCloud+ subscribers and having a strong advocate within Apple, similar to how Apple Sports has been championed.

    In summary, Apple’s so-called “hobby apps” aren’t just side projects; they’re part of a broader strategy where apps are nurtured, updated, and sometimes transformed to better serve users.

  • A simple trick to make Apple’s Calendar app better on iPhone

    A simple trick to make Apple’s Calendar app better on iPhone

    Apple’s Calendar app has gotten a lot better with the new iOS update. This update, iOS 18, has made the app more interesting by adding new features, like working better with Apple Reminders and giving the app a fresh look. But there’s one cool trick with the Month view that you might not know about, which makes using the calendar on your iPhone even easier.

    The Month View Now Has a Secret Zoom Feature

    When iOS 18 came out, it brought a bunch of updates to the Calendar app. One of the changes was to the Month view. Before, this view just showed dates with little colored dots for days with events, but you couldn’t see what those events were.

    Now, with iOS 18, you can choose how you want to see your month:

    • Compact Mode: This is like the old view, just dots for events.
    • Stacked Mode: You see little colored bars for events from different calendars when you zoom in a bit.
    • Details Mode: Zoom in more, and you’ll see the names of your events.
    • Even More Details: Zoom further, and you’ll see both event names and times.
    • Full Day View: Zoom in, and each day has plenty of space for all your events.

    You change these views by simply pinching the screen to zoom in or out. This means you can adjust the Month view to show just the amount of detail you need right on your iPhone screen.

    Why This Matters

    Before, the Month view wasn’t very useful on iPhones because of the small screen. But now, with this new zoom feature, you can make it work for you whether you have a busy schedule with lots of appointments or a lighter one where you just need to see a few key events at a glance.

    Playing around with this feature lets you find just the right setup. For example, if you’re always on the go, you might prefer zooming in to see just a week or two with all the details. If your life is a bit less scheduled, you might zoom out to see more weeks but still catch the important stuff.

    The ability to zoom and customize the Month view in Apple’s Calendar app makes it one of the best tools for managing your time on an iPhone.

  • Wait longer for Apple’s new home device

    Wait longer for Apple’s new home device

    Apple is set to introduce some new gadgets this week, but the one that’s got everyone buzzing, the new ‘HomePad’, isn’t coming out as soon as we hoped, according to Mark Gurman.

    HomePad Release Pushed Back

    Back in November, Gurman gave us a sneak peek at what Apple had in store with its upcoming home product, which I’ve nicknamed the HomePad. He initially hinted at a March release.

    However, his reports have since changed. In January, he suggested that the HomePad might take a bit longer due to some software updates needed for its features. Despite this, there was still hope for a not-too-distant launch.

    But as of this weekend, Gurman’s latest newsletter paints a different picture. He confirms that Apple isn’t rushing this one. They’ve dropped the idea of a March launch, and it now looks like we’ll be waiting for “months” before we see the HomePad on shelves.

    What Does This Mean?

    Firstly, forget about March; it’s not happening. Secondly, while April might still be on the cards, Gurman seems to think we might wait even longer than that.

    Perfect Timing with iOS 18.4

    I’m really looking forward to the HomePad more than any other Apple product this year. The wait might be worth it, especially since iOS 18.4 is due in April, bringing with it some cool new AI features. The HomePad could work great with these updates, especially with a smarter Siri.

    So, although we might have to wait a bit longer, an April launch would be a good match. But, as always with Apple, we’ll just have to see what they have up their sleeves.

    Source

  • Apple’s budget iPad gets a small update after 2.5 years, but don’t expect much

    Apple’s budget iPad gets a small update after 2.5 years, but don’t expect much

    It’s been over two years since Apple last updated its most affordable iPad, back in October 2022, when they introduced the 10th generation model. Now, after a significant wait, the 11th generation iPad is on its way, but don’t hold your breath for big changes.

    The Main Upgrade: A New Chip

    Just like the iPad mini 7 that came out last autumn, the new iPad 11 is expected to be more of a performance boost than a redesign. The big news is the upgrade from the A14 Bionic chip, which was introduced with the iPhone 12 in 2020, to the A17 Pro chip from the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023. This change should offer around a 40% increase in CPU speed.

    Also, the memory is set to double from 4GB to 8GB, which should make handling several apps at once smoother.

    New AI Features

    The iPad 11 is expected to include Apple Intelligence, bringing AI-driven features like Genmoji, Image Playground, support for ChatGPT, and an updated Siri to the cheapest iPad for the first time.

    Possible Small Changes

    Unfortunately, there aren’t many exciting new features rumored. There might be minor color updates, and possibly some improvements in connectivity like Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. There’s also a whisper about introducing Stage Manager, a feature from iPadOS 16 that’s currently limited to iPads with more advanced chips. Given the new iPad’s specs, it might finally support this multitasking tool.

    Conclusion

    Despite the long wait, this update to the iPad lineup is shaping up to be pretty modest. One of the more significant changes in recent iPad models was moving the camera to a landscape position, but that’s already in place for this model since 2022.

    Here’s hoping Apple might at least bump the storage from 64GB to 128GB. We should see this new model hit the market this spring.

  • New iOS Update Coming Soon: iOS 18.4 Beta 1

    New iOS Update Coming Soon: iOS 18.4 Beta 1

    We might see the first beta version of Apple’s next big update, iOS 18.4, as early as next week. This news comes from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg.

    What to Expect Next Week

    Next week will be action-packed with the release of Apple’s new Powerbeats with heart rate sensors and the iPhone SE 4. Despite this busy schedule, the iOS 18.4 beta could still appear on February 12 or 13. If Apple decides to wait, the update might come out on February 18, since February 17 is Presidents’ Day, a holiday in the U.S.

    Release Schedule

    Usually, Apple rolls out new betas after software updates, but there’s been a bit of a wait since iOS 18.3, which was released 11 days ago on January 27. We’ll reach the two-week mark on February 10, but Apple sometimes takes longer between updates, especially when they’re packed with new features.

    What’s New in iOS 18.4?

    Rumors are swirling that iOS 18.4 will introduce significant updates to Siri, focusing on what Apple calls “Apple Intelligence”. This includes making Siri more aware of what’s on your screen, understanding your personal context, and improving how it works within and across different apps. Given Siri’s past challenges with performance and accuracy, Apple is likely taking extra care with these enhancements.

    More Features

    Besides Siri improvements, the update might include new emojis, changes to default apps in the European Union, and the expansion of Apple Intelligence features to more languages and countries. Apple has already mentioned plans to broaden Apple Intelligence to additional countries in an April update, so we expect iOS 18.4 to be in beta testing until March, setting the stage for a full launch in April.

    This update promises to be a significant step forward for Apple’s mobile operating system, enhancing user interaction and expanding its global reach.

    Source

  • Mac app store issues for older Mac systems

    Mac app store issues for older Mac systems

    Mac users with older macOS versions are facing problems when trying to use the Mac App Store. Specifically, those with macOS Mojave (10.14) and older are having trouble.

    Reports started coming in around January 24, 2025, suggesting that something went wrong when Apple updated how receipts work in the App Store. Users are seeing error messages like “Something went wrong while logging in” or “We couldn’t read the data because it’s not in the right format.”

    The experience varies depending on which macOS version you’re using. If you’re on Catalina (10.15) or newer, everything works fine. But if you’re still using Mojave (10.14), you can look around the store, but you can’t buy new apps or download ones you’ve already bought once your session ends. For those on High Sierra (10.13), parts of the store’s interface might not show up, and signing in can be tricky. Users on Sierra (10.12) are seeing messages that stop them from even getting into the store.

    It looks like these problems might have something to do with Apple’s new way of handling receipts, but we’re not sure yet. For those stuck with these issues, Apple offers other ways to get macOS updates. Also, many apps can still be downloaded directly from the developers’ own websites, outside of the App Store.

    This situation leaves older Mac users in a bit of a bind, hoping for a quick fix from Apple to restore full functionality to the Mac App Store on their systems.

    Source

  • Apple’s iPad still leads the way in tablets

    Apple’s iPad still leads the way in tablets

    Apple remains at the forefront of the tablet industry, holding a strong 42.3 percent of the global market in the last quarter of 2024, as per a recent study by Canalys.

    In that period, Apple managed to ship about 16.9 million iPads, an increase from the 14.8 million shipped the year before. Samsung came in second, with approximately 7 million units shipped, which gave them 17.8 percent of the market. Following Samsung, Lenovo, Huawei, and Xiaomi took the third, fourth, and fifth spots.

    Over the entire year of 2024, Apple’s total shipment was around 57 million iPads, capturing 38.6 percent of the market share. This was more than double the number of tablets shipped by Samsung, who managed 27.8 million units.

    In 2024, Apple updated its top-tier iPad Pro with an M4 chip and gave the iPad mini a boost with an A17 Pro chip, while the iPad Air was enhanced with an M2 chip. Looking ahead to 2025, Apple is set to introduce updates to its budget-friendly iPad and give another refresh to the iPad Air.

  • New iPhone update coming soon: iOS 18.3.1

    New iPhone update coming soon: iOS 18.3.1

    Apple is quietly working on a new update for iPhones called iOS 18.3.1. We know this thanks to our website’s tracking, which has proven to be a good sign of what updates are coming next. You can expect this update to roll out in the coming weeks.

    About iOS 18.3.1

    This update isn’t going to be a big one. It’s mainly about fixing small problems and making sure your iPhone is safer by patching up security holes. One thing to note, the feature that gives you quick summaries of notifications for news and fun apps was turned off in the last update because it wasn’t working right. We don’t know yet if this will be fixed in iOS 18.3.1 or if we’ll have to wait for another update.

    Looking Ahead to iOS 18.4

    We’re also on the lookout for the first test version of iOS 18.4, which should come out this month. This update is set to bring some cool new stuff like better AI features for Siri, new emojis, and the option for people in the EU to choose their favorite map or translation apps by default. According to Apple’s site, we might see iOS 18.4 in April, after some testing.

    So, keep an eye out for these updates if you want your iPhone to run smoothly and securely!

  • New iPhone tool helps find lost luggage at more airports

    New iPhone tool helps find lost luggage at more airports

    A new tool on iPhones is making it simpler for travelers to locate their lost or delayed bags at airports, and now more airlines are using it.

    Tracking Luggage with AirTags

    With the latest update to iOS 18.2, the Find My app now lets you share the location of your luggage if it has an AirTag attached. This means if your bag gets lost, airport staff from participating airlines can help find it more easily.

    This week, airlines like Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings started supporting this feature. Before this, airlines like Delta, United, Air Canada, and Air New Zealand were already on board.

    Sharing the Location

    If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac with iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, or macOS Sequoia 15.2 or newer, you can link the Find My app to share your luggage’s location. Anyone with this link can check a webpage that shows where the luggage is on a map, which updates as the bag moves. Apple has ensured that sharing these links is both private and secure. Only a few airport workers can see the link, and they need to log in with an Apple Account or a partner email to access it.

    The sharing stops as soon as you get your bag back, or it automatically ends after one week.

    Expansion Plans

    Apple released iOS 18.2 in December, and they’re planning to work with more airlines in the coming months to expand this helpful feature. This tool is a game-changer for travelers, making the stress of lost luggage a thing of the past.

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