Apple today activated its in-store reserve and pickup system for the new 10.2-inch iPad in the United States and Canada.
This system enables customers to purchase the 10.2-inch iPad on Apple.com in advance and select a 30-minute window to pick it up at an Apple Store. The tool can also be used to monitor inventory of the 10.2-inch iPad at Apple Stores based on ZIP or postal code, with stock available at many locations today.
To check if Apple Stores in your area have stock, head to the 10.2-inch iPad purchase page on Apple's website, configure your desired model, select "check another store" under "pickup," and enter your ZIP or postal code.
When you get to the Apple Store, let an employee know you have an order to pick up. Make sure to bring a valid government-issued photo ID with you. Apple also sometimes provides a QR code that can be added to the Wallet app for convenience and quicker check-in, but this is optional.
Alongside in-store pickups, the 10.2-inch iPad is now available for walk-in purchase in many countries. Availability will vary by store, so we recommend calling ahead to confirm your desired model is in stock.
Apple unveiled the 10.2-inch iPad at its September event earlier this month. The 10.2-inch iPad is similar to the 9.7-inch iPad it replaces, with the same A10 Fusion chip and Apple Pencil support, but it has a larger display and a Smart Connector that enables support for Apple's full-sized Smart Keyboard.
10.2-inch iPad pricing starts at $329 in the United States, in line with the 9.7-inch iPad.
Feral Interactive has announced it is bringing ROME: Total War – Alexander to iPhone next month. The title is a standalone expansion pack to the critically acclaimed ROME: Total War, which was faithfully ported to iPhone late last year.
As with the previous Creative Assembly conversion, the iPhone release of Alexander promises a full port of the original desktop game, supplemented by intuitive touch controls, enhanced Retina graphics, and mid-battle autosaves.
A century before the events of ROME: Total War, Alexander ascends the Macedonian throne and embarks upon an audacious campaign to conquer the all-powerful Persian Empire. Players will lead their armies to unify the Greek city states, and then march across Central Asia, routing all enemies along the way, before establishing their legend as Alexander the Great, the most remarkable general of classical civilisation.
ROME: Total War – Alexander for iPhone 5S and later models, including the iPod touch (6th Generation), will be available exclusively via the App Store for $4.99. The game can be played without ROME: Total War, which is available on the App Store now for $9.99.
Apple supplier Japan Display has lost out on Chinese funds from a key investment firm leading a proposed bailout deal, but Apple could be about to double its own investment to aid in the LCD panel maker's restructuring, according to reports.
Chinese firm Harvest Group has been leading the consortium for an 80 billion yen ($740 million) bailout deal, which includes investments from Apple and Hong Kong-based activist investor Oasis Management.
However, Nikkei Asian Review today reports that Harvest Group has decided it will not provide any financial aid to Japan Display Inc, also known as JDI. Harvest was expected to contribute 63 billion yen ($557 million), said Nikkei, citing sources familiar with the negotiation.
This is just the latest disappointment for the ailing Japanese firm, which has seen its bailout plan falter repeatedly. The display maker had been expecting $230 million from Taiwan's TPK Holding to cover its losses, but the proposal was withdrawn in June.
Then, just days later, financial firm CGL Group also dropped its investment plans, leaving JDI unsure whether other members in the Chinese-Taiwanese consortium would follow through with their own bailout proposals.
However, this morning, The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is considering a revised plan that would see the tech giant double its investment in Japan Display to 20 billion yen, up from the 10 billion yen ($100 million) it originally proposed in June.
Apple was slated to invest ¥10 billion in the earlier version of the bailout plan and now is looking at doubling that amount to ¥20 billion in light of Harvest’s withdrawal, said people with direct knowledge of the plan.
JDI relies on Apple for more than half of its sales, and supplies the liquid crystal display panels for the iPhone 11, which has helped support its bottom line. However, its mainstay LCD business has been hit heavily by the growing adoption of OLED panel technology.
That has left the supplier scrambling to invest in OLED production to turn around its business, which saw a $2.3 billion loss in 2018.
On a positive note, JDI received a 20 billion yen infusion earlier this month from Innovation Network Corporation of Japan. Japan Display also supplies the OLED displays for then new Apple Watch Series 5 models, according to well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Last month, Kuo forecasted that Japan Display will gradually increase its proportion of OLED display orders for the Apple Watch, starting with 15-20 percent of orders in 2019 and reaching 70-80 percent in 2021.
If the Japanese firm can rethink its restructuring plans with the help of Apple, it could potentially supply OLED panels for future iPhones, which would in turn allow Apple to diversify its supply chain and reduce its heavy reliance on Samsung for the newer OLED display tech.
Apple is partnering with nonprofit Conservation International to work to restore degraded grasslands and forests in the Chyulu Hills in Kenya.
Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted about the initiative this afternoon, sharing an article penned by Fast Company that includes commentary from Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environmental, social, and policy initiatives.
"By restoring tens of thousands of hectares in the Chyulu Hills, we can remove carbon from the air, protect a critical wildlife corridor for elephants, and support the livelihoods of the Maasai people," says Lisa Jackson.
The Chyulu Hills are has the potential to "capture huge amounts of CO2," but has been degraded through unsustainable land use, which also causes problems for the people living in the area. Maasai herders, for example, don't have enough food for livestock, and elephants and other wildlife struggle to find food.
Climate change impacts all of us —every living thing on Earth. We’re working with @ConservationOrg to restore grasslands and forests in Kenya. These habitats reduce carbon, protecting the livelihoods of the Maasai people and local elephant populations.🌍 https://t.co/bwW61vqxHV
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 25, 2019
Conservation International, along with the Masaai Wilderness Conservation Trust and the Big Life Foundation will use funds from Apple to focus on social interventions to improve the area rather than planting grass and trees. As an example, the organizations may help Maasai herders shift to rotational grazing, allowing the land to recover on its own.
"Direct planting work is very expensive," says Nikola Alexandre, a restoration fellow at Conservation International. "But when you work instead with local communities, you find actions that they can carry out that improve their well-being and the well-being of the ecosystem. It's kind of a win-win solution for everyone."
Restoration efforts implemented across Africa have the potential to "yield huge climate benefits," potentially leading to 4 metric tons of CO2 removal per hectare.
Working to combat climate change requires "everyone to act with fierce urgency," according to Jackson. "At Apple, we're bringing the same focus we have for creating innovative and groundbreaking products to creating climate solutions," she told Fast Company.
Apple has also worked to preserve mangrove forests in Colombia, has funded forest management programs in China, and has worked on forest management in the United States.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple's new iPhone 11 Pro Max is similar in design to the previous-generation iPhone XS Max, with the exception of a significantly upgraded camera system.
In our latest YouTube video, we went hands-on with the triple-lens camera in the iPhone 11 Pro Max and compared it to the dual-lens camera in the iPhone XS Max to see just how much of an upgrade it is.
From a pure hardware standpoint, all of the cameras in the iPhone 11 Pro Max are better than the cameras in the iPhone XS Max. The main wide-angle camera has a larger sensor that lets in more light, the telephoto lens now features a larger f/2.0 aperture, and there's a new ultra wide angle camera (f/2.4) that didn't exist before.
In practice, though, there isn't a lot of difference between wide-angle camera comparison shots taken with the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone XS Max in good lighting conditions.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max is sharper in some situations with more vivid coloring, but there are also instances where certain areas of the image get more blown out than with the iPhone XS Max. Image quality between the two phones may change later this year when Deep Fusion, a new iPhone 11 feature, comes out.
Deep Fusion uses machine learning for pixel-by-pixel processing of photos, optimizing for texture, detail, and noise.
When it comes to Portrait Mode, edge detection in the iPhone 11 Pro Max is also similar to edge detection in the iPhone XS Max, so for well-composed shots in good lighting, you're not going to see a lot of difference.
There are new portrait mode capabilities worth highlighting, however. You can now take wide-angle portrait mode shots with the 1x lens in addition to the telephoto lens, so you can get more in a shot if desired. The telephoto lens itself has also been improved, so Portrait Mode shots in lower lighting will turn out better.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max has the ultra wide-angle camera, which is entirely new and allows you to take wider shots than were possible with the iPhone XS Max. For comparison's sake, the ultra wide-angle camera offers a 13mm equivalent focal length, while the wide-angle camera is 26mm and the telephoto is 52mm.
The new 13mm focal length makes a world of difference for landscape and architecture shots, plus it can be used creatively for closer shots with unique perspectives. An ultra wide-angle lens is an excellent addition to a smartphone and is perhaps more useful than even a telephoto lens.
The ultra wide-angle lens has an f/2.4 aperture and no optical image stabilization like the other lenses in the iPhone 11 Pro Max, so it doesn't do quite as well in lower lighting conditions and images aren't quite as crisp, but it's great in the proper lighting, such as outdoors.
All three cameras are available for both photography and video recording, and you can switch between them at will with a new toggle in the camera app.
Along with the wide-angle lens, the real difference between the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the XS Max is the new Night mode and the low light capabilities of the 2019 iPhones.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max's Night mode uses machine learning and multiple shots to create usable photographs even when it's close to pitch black outside, while still preserving the color and the feel of a night time photo.
Night mode is drastically different than even the best low light shots from the iPhone XS Max and it allows iPhone users to capture shots that just wouldn't have turned out on the iPhone XS Max.
Night mode exposures range from 1 seconds to 10 seconds, based on the ambient lighting conditions, how still you hold your iPhone, and more, and the feature basically uses multiple combined shots to create one image so you need to make sure you're holding the iPhone steady or using a tripod.
Shots taken this way aren't great for moving objects like pets or kids, and Night mode photos aren't always as crisp especially when it's close to pitch black, but you can get some amazing looking images when using it.
As for the front-facing camera, it's also been improved. There's a 12-megapixel lens (up from 7-megapixels) and Apple is using next-generation Smart HDR (this is available for the rear camera too), so that "beauty filter" that people disliked in the iPhone XS Max has been toned down. In good lighting, though, there's not a ton of difference between front-facing shots from the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the XS Max.
The front-facing camera supports 4K at 60 frames per second and slow motion 120fps video at 1080p, allowing for slow motion selfies, aka "Slofies." The other major change to the front-facing camera is an option to get a wider shot, so you can zoom in or zoom out as desired, which is perfect for group selfies.
All in all, most iPhone XS Max users may not want to upgrade to the iPhone 11 Pro Max, but the exception is people who love taking photos with the iPhone. The cameras are dramatically improved with the ultra wide-angle lens and the new Night mode, letting users capture shots that were not possible with the previous-generation device.
For more on the differences between the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone XS Max, make sure to check out our comparison guide. We also have more info on the iPhone 11 Pro Max in our roundup, and we'll have more iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro camera coverage and comparisons coming in the near future.
Apple has teamed up with Maroon 5 to add the group's new song "Memories" to the Memories feature in the Photos app, allowing it to be used for photo slide show creations, reports Billboard.
"Memories" will be available as a soundtrack option for a limited time and it is available to iPhone and iPad users running the latest iOS 13 and iPadOS software.
Memories in the Photos app are created when iPhone and iPad users choose to play a curated memory option, which can be set to different soundtracks.
At an event in Seattle, Amazon today unveiled a series of new Alexa-enabled Echo products, ranging from a new high-end speaker to a lamp.
Amazon's Echo Studio, a new higher-end version of its Echo smart speaker, is designed to compete with Apple's HomePod. The Alexa-equipped Echo Studio, which is priced at $199, supports 3D Dolby sound and, like the HomePod, is designed to optimize sound based on the layout of a room.
Image via The Verge
The Echo Studio features three mid-range speakers (left, right, and top) along with a directional tweeter and a 5.25-inch subwoofer for bass and improved sound. Amazon is working with record labels that include Sony, Universal, and Warner Music Group on music tracks that support Sony 360 audio.
The Echo Studio is able to connect to 4K Fire TV devices and when Atmos-encoded content is played, the speaker will be engaged to "fill the room with sound."
In addition to a HomePod competitor, Amazon also debuted a new product designed to compete with the AirPods. The Echo Buds, priced at $130, are Amazon's first Echo wearable that offers hands-free access to Alexa.
Amazon says the earbuds deliver excellent sound with crisp, clear vocals and dynamic bass, plus they're equipped with Bose Active Noise Reduction technology. The Echo Buds last for five hours and have a case that adds additional battery life for up to 20 hours.
Amazon also unveiled a new version of its main Echo smart speaker today, which features improved sound quality with new Neodymium drivers and a 3-inch woofer. Priced at $100, the speaker is said to have stronger bass, and clearer mids and highs. The speaker looks similar to prior Echo speakers, but comes in a new dark blue color.
There's a new version of the Echo Dot, the Echo Dot With Clock, which is priced at $60. The Echo Dot With Clock features an LED display at the front with options for displaying the time, alarms, timers, temperature, and more.
The Echo Show 8, an upgraded version of the Echo Show 5, also debuted at Amazon's event. It features an 8-inch display, crisp audio, and a sleek form factor. It's priced at $129.99, and customers can now choose from three screen sizes: 5.5 inches, 10 inches, and the new 8-inch model.
For kids, Amazon introduced the Echo Glow, a multi-color smart lamp that pairs with Alexa. Priced at $30, Echo Glow can light up with different colors, mimic a flickering campfire, offer a Sleep Timer, or work in "dance party" mode with music and lights (an option coming soon).
A new Echo Flex device ($24.99) can be placed anywhere in the home, plugging right into a wall outlet. There's a small speaker that's optimized for Alexa's voice, and there's a USB charging port. Amazon is also allowing developers to customize the port, and accessories that include a motion sensor and nightlight are coming.
Amazon even debuted a new Alexa-equipped Smart Oven that can cook common foods through Alexa voice commands. Priced at $250, it is a combination microwave, convection oven, air fryer, and food warmer.
A new product, Echo Frames, is part of a program Amazon is calling "Day One Edition." Amazon is making a limited number of Day One Edition products, and if they prove popular, Amazon will make more.
Echo Frames are Alexa-enabled glasses that look like regular prescription glasses. There's no camera, but they offer Alexa voice access.
Another Day One Edition product is the Echo Loop, an Alexa-enabled smart ring that has two microphones that can be activated with a tap.
There's a built-in haptic engine that vibrates discreetly when there's a notification or an incoming call and a tiny speaker for responses. It's meant to be paired with a phone and can do things like turning out lights, calculating a tip, and more. Echo Frames and Echo Loop will be available in limited volumes by invite only. The Echo Frames will be available for $180 and Echo Loop will be available for $130.
Amazon is adding a Multilingual Mode to its devices that will let customers interact with Alexa in multiple languages at one time. Three pairs will be available at launch on October 7: in the United States - English and Spanish, in India - Indian English and Hindi, and in Canada - Canadian English and French.
Alexa is also becoming more emotive and expressive thanks to neural text to speech technology, and Alexa can recognize when a customer gets frustrated when something is wrong, resulting in adjustments to Alexa responses. This feature will be rolling out in early 2020.
There's also a new option to add celebrity voices to Amazon devices to change Alexa's voice. Celebrity voice options will be available for $0.99, and the first one, coming later this year, is going to be Samuel L. Jackson's voice.
Amazon customers can opt in to a new auto delete option that will see voice recordings older than three months or 18 months automatically deleted on an ongoing basis. The feature is accessible in the Privacy Hub for Amazon devices.
As for non-Echo Amazon-owned brands, Amazon unveiled a new version of the Eero mesh Wi-Fi system, a Ring alarm retrofit kit, an updated Ring Stick Up Cam ($99), and a new Ring Indoor Cam ($60).
Amazon is adding Wi-Fi specific skills that will let device users do things like pause the WiFi for dinner or turn on the guest WiFi, which will work with the new Eero and compatible ASUS and TP-Link routers (this fall). Starting next year, it will also support devices from Arris and Linksys.
Amazon is offering pre-orders for its newly announced devices starting today, with devices set to ship out in the near future.
Fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV owners who have upgraded to tvOS 13 now have access to a series of under the sea themed screen savers on the device, which are a new addition in the latest update.
The screen savers were created in partnership with the BBC Natural History unit, the team behind "Blue Planet," showing off the deep ocean around the world with under the sea creatures and scenes that include fish, coral, kelp, jellyfish, and more.
There is no way to download all of the screen savers at once, as the Apple TV only supports Daily, Weekly, or Monthly downloads. You can adjust how often screen savers download by opening up the Settings app on the Apple TV, going to General, and selecting the "Screen Savers" option.
While there's no way to see all of the screen savers from Apple until they've been downloaded over a series of days, 9to5Mac's Benjamin Mayo maintains a website that showcases all of Apple's screen saver options.
There are 10 new screen savers in total featuring these ocean creatures and scenes: barracuda, bumpheads, jacks, kelp, Palau coral, three Palau jellyfish options, sea stars, and seals.
Screen savers are high resolution and are somewhere around 950MB in size. Apple has been offering its Aerial screen savers for years and has been adding to its collection with each tvOS update. Last year's tvOS 12 update brought screen savers created in collaboration with the International Space Station and NASA.
Screen savers come on after a set period of time of idleness on the Apple TV, but pressing the Menu button while on the Home screen of the Apple TV will cause a screen saver to start playing automatically.
A tap on the remote provides information on where a screen saver was filmed, while a swipe left or right will change the screen saver that's displayed if multiples are downloaded. Apple's support document on screen savers has further instructions on how they work.
The internals of the Apple Watch Series 5 are almost identical to the internal components of the previous-generation Apple Watch Series 4, according to a new teardown conducted by repair site iFixit.
That should come as no surprise as the two devices are identical in design, with the major differentiating factor being the Always-On display in the newer model.
iFixit hoped to get a look at the changes implemented to allow for the Always-On display, but much of what's new relates to display technology and is "invisible to the human eye."
The site did spot a new ambient light sensor embedded under the OLED panel, and Apple says there are more advanced display drivers and an improved power management chip in the Series 5 as well.
There's a new built-in compass and the battery is slightly bigger than the battery in the Series 4 (1.4% larger in the 44mm model). The Series 5 chip includes 32GB of storage, up from 16GB, and the new compass, but it features the same GPU and CPU as the Series 4 so there are no real performance improvements.
Series 4 battery on left, Series 5 battery on right
iFixit says there are minor changes to connectors for the Taptic Engine, display, and battery, which means components are not generally interchangeable, but otherwise, the two devices are "very similar" on the inside.
Apple's iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max will offer up a new warning if a repair technician ever uses a non-genuine Apple display when repairing a broken device.
"Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple display" will show up in the General > About section of the Settings app if a repair shop uses an unverified display component.
The warning message was outlined by Apple in a new support document that says it will show up on iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max devices. Details about the message were also included in the iOS 13.1 release notes, suggesting the feature was enabled with the iOS 13.1 update.
Apple says that the warning is informational only and will not affect the ability to use your iPhone or your display. A notification will be displayed on the Lock screen for the first four days a device is used following the repair, and in the Settings app for 15 days after that before being limited to General > About.
An additional notification may also be displayed, letting users know that Apple has "updated the device information" for the iPhone in question. The notification means that Apple has updated the device info maintained for the iPhone for "service needs, safety analysis, and to improve future products."
Given that the information is added to a device profile of some kind, Apple repair technicians will be able to see at a glance if a display is genuine or not.
Apple's support document warns of the dangers of getting a repair from a non-certified technician using a non-genuine repair part. Parts not provided by Apple could result in degraded multi-touch performance, broken True Tone functionality, unintentional battery drain, incorrect color correction, non-uniform brightness, and more.
"Only technicians who have completed Apple service training and who use Apple genuine parts and tools should replace iPhone displays," warns the support document. Apple says that this includes Apple itself, Apple Authorized Service Providers, and Independent Repair Providers using genuine Apple parts.
Apple in August launched a new Independent Repair Provider Program that's designed to provide independent repair shops with the same genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals, and diagnostics provided to Apple Authorized Service Providers.
Apple last year implemented a similar warning about non-genuine batteries in iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR devices, letting customers know if an iPhone has been repaired with an Apple provided battery. That feature actually disables the battery health information of the iPhone, which caused some controversy.
An updated battery support document released this week says that the battery warning has also been implemented for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
On these devices, along with the 2018 iPhones, if a non-genuine Apple battery is used for a repair, users will see a warning about the battery not being able to be verified.
When it comes to batteries, the iPhones pop up the warning even if a non-certified repair shop uses a genuine Apple repair component, and the same could be true for display repairs. Even if a shop is using an actual Apple component, Apple's repair process requires calibration not available to all repair shops.
No functionality is impacted by using non-genuine parts (aside from battery health not working), but Apple could potentially change this in the future. In the past, Apple has disabled some devices that had non-genuine parts, such as the major Error 53 issue that bricked Touch ID iPhones that had been repaired by non-certified repair shops.
Apple today previewed its new retail store in Mexico City's upscale Polanco district ahead of its grand opening later this week.
Apple Antara features a pavilion design with large 23-foot-tall sliding glass doors that create a 20-foot-wide entrance, complete with curved corner glass panels allowing natural light to flow into the store. Inside, there is also a Forum and 8K Video Wall for Today at Apple sessions, nestled among indoor trees.
Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien:
We are thrilled to open our stunning new store in central Mexico City and now welcome even more customers to Apple across this bustling city. Our amazing team can't wait to welcome everyone to Apple Antara for the first time on Friday.
Apple Antara opens Friday, September 27 at 5:00 p.m. local time and will become Apple's second retail store in Mexico.
Apple already provides many default glyphs for Shortcuts icons, but the MacStories set provides users with hundreds of extra options across dozens of categories, ranging from documents and clipboard to media and task management.
MacStories editor-in-chief and Shortcuts power user Federico Viticci:
MacStories Shortcuts Icons were designed by our longtime designer Silvia Gatta in collaboration with me. After years of covering Workflow, then Shortcuts, and following the launch of the MacStories Shortcuts Archive, I decided it was time to provide a custom icon set for Shortcuts as well.
MacStories Shortcuts Icons were designed with the needs of Shortcuts users in mind. They're not just a random icon set: each icon was specifically created for a potential use case in the Shortcuts app.
Viticci adds:
We created the set to complement Apple's default glyphs and offer more options for Shortcuts power users. I personally went through my list in the MacStories Shortcuts Archive, as well as popular shortcuts from Reddit and the community, and tried to come up with icons that would better represent each shortcut. The icons were designed with a modern, rounded look and subtle drop shadows.
For the icons to work properly, iOS 13.1 or iPadOS 13.1 is required. In those latest software versions, you can now use custom glyphs such as the MacStories icons and still keep the original colors of your shortcut icons.
How to use the custom icons:
Download the MacStories icon set directly on an iPhone or iPad and unzip the folder in the Files app
Open the Shortcuts app
Tap on the circle with three dots on a Shortcut
Tap on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner
Tap on "Add to Home Screen"
Tap on the icon outlined in blue and select "Choose File"
Choose a MacStories icon and save to the Home screen
Amazon this week has introduced the first major discount on Apple's latest iPod touch. You can get the 32GB iPod touch in Silver for $179.00, down from $199.00. At $20 off, this is the lowest price we've seen for the new iPod touch, and it beats the current $199.00 price tag found at other major Apple resellers like Best Buy and B&H Photo.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
After several years of waiting, Apple updated the iPod touch in May 2019 with an A10 Fusion chip that offers improved gameplay, support for Group FaceTime, and augmented reality abilities. Otherwise, the new iPod touch looks the same as its predecessor, with an aluminum shell, 4-inch display, and body that features a Home button but no Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
Prices start at $199 for 32GB of storage, then increase to $299 for 128GB, and $399 for 256GB, the last of which is a new storage tier for the 2019 models. There are currently no sales on the larger storage capacities that can be found online.
Head to Amazon before the iPod touch deal expires, and then visit our own Deals Roundup to stay updated on all of the newest Apple-related bargains.
The first video introduces users to the new actions possible with Slide Over, like accessing recent files and favorite apps with a swipe.
Another video goes through the multitasking capabilities in iPadOS, including the ability to open two windows in the same application side by side using Split View.
A third video explains how to use the new text editing gestures on iPad, including text selection, clipboard gestures like copy, cut, and paste, and undo/redo.
Lastly, a fourth video introduces users to the QuickPath keyboard that allows you to type a word without removing your finger from the keyboard when entering individual letters.
iPadOS features powerful new capabilities specifically designed for the larger display of the iPad. They include an updated Home screen, improved multitasking functionality, new Apple Pencil features, new Slide Over features, and all of the other new changes in iOS 13. If you want to learn more about iPadOS, be sure to check out our dedicated iPadOS guide.
Apple will unveil redesigned iPhones next year that boast a new metal frame structure reminiscent of the iPhone 4, according to a research note by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and seen by MacRumors.
In his research note with TF International Securities, Kuo says Apple will change its flagship iPhone design "significantly" next year. Specifically, the new devices will feature a new metal frame with "a more complex segmentation design, new trenching and injection molding procedures, and sapphire or glass cover assembly to protect the trench injection molding structure."
We predict that the new 2H20 iPhone design will change significantly [...] The metal frame and the front and rear 2/2.5D glass are still used, but the metal frame surface will be changed to a similar design to the iPhone 4, replacing the current surface design.
Jony Ive's design for the iPhone 4 was the first smartphone to introduce the concept of an exposed squared-edged aluminum frame sandwiched between two panes of strengthened glass – a design that has been variously copied in the smartphone industry.
Apple's iPhone has undergone several changes since, with the latest iPhone 11 using an aluminum frame that wraps around the rounded corners of a display housed in an all-glass enclosure, and the iPhone 11 Pro devices sharing a matte glass material encased in a durable stainless steel frame. Notably, Apple has adopted a different design for the iPad Pro, which features a more industrial band around the sides that's also reminiscent of the iPhone 4.
Kuo believes the grooving and injecting of the metal in next year's iPhone frame will reduce the negative impact of metal shielding on the high-frequency transmission efficiency of the internal antenna, while the use of sapphire or tempered glass on the groove will serve to protect the injection molded structure.
The iPhone 4, released in 2010
As a result of the design change coming in next year's iPhones, Kuo believes the cost of the metal frame and glass case will rise significantly, with a maximum increase of 50-60 percent and 40 to 50 percent, respectively. If the grooved cover is made of tempered glass, Kuo sees the cost of the metal middle frame and chassis increasing by about 25–35 percent and 20–30 percent, respectively.
The report predicts that the new design will be a major selling point that will contribute to supplier revenue and profitability, and combined with 5G support, will increase Apple's smartphone shipments to 85 million units in 2020, compared to 75 million new iPhone shipments in 2019.
In a previous note, Kuo said the 2020 iPhones will be available in new sizes. He believes Apple is going to release 5.4 and 6.7-inch high-end iPhones with OLED displays, along with a 6.1-inch model with an OLED display. Two of the phones will also feature a rear-facing time-of-flight 3D camera that will support augmented reality and improve the camera experience.
Kuo also said all three of next year's iPhones will support 5G networks, for which Apple will use Qualcomm's 5G modem. Despite its acquisition of Intel's smartphone modem chip business, Apple will not use its own baseband until the launch of 2022 iPhone. Instead, Kuo believes Apple will first test its own baseband products in a new Apple Watch and other future devices.
Nintendo's newest game, Mario Kart Tour, got its global rollout today for iPhone and iPad, following a closed beta test in the United States and Japan.
The kart racer title for mobile is set in the Mushroom Kingdom, where players are tasked with racing to beat their rivals to the finish line using drifts and items to gain an edge. Players slide their fingers across the screen to turn, while tapping the screen unleashes stored items.
For the first two weeks the tour takes place in a New York City-styled course, with other locations being rotated in every couple of weeks. Track shave been taken from prior versions of Mario Kart, including Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Double Dash, and Mario Kart 7. Nintendo has also included Grand Prix cups that offer a collection of tracks to race through.
Playable characters include Luigi, Toad, Shy Guy, Waluigi, Peach, Toadette, and others, and some characters are unlockable through in-app purchases. This is a freemium title that's free to download, which means Nintendo is monetizing it through in-game purchases.
The game also has an optional "Gold Pass" subscription, which introduces various in-game items and badges and also unlocks the faster 200cc mode. Nintendo is offering a two-week free trial, after which it costs $4.99 a month. The five-minute video embedded below explains how it all works.
Mario Kart is a free download from the App Store, requires iOS 10 or later to play, and officially supports iPhone 5s or iPad Air and later devices. A Nintendo Account is also required to play the game. [Direct Link]
Update: As of writing, the game's servers are currently experiencing heavy traffic and Nintendo is queueing login requests, so it might be a while yet before everyone can get racing.
Apple today updated both its Clips and iMovie apps for the iPhone and iPad, introducing support for features that debuted in the iOS 13 and iPadOS updates.
The two apps now support Dark Mode and the new Share Sheet in iOS 13, and iMovie also offers Files app support for content from external hard drives, SD card readers, and USB drives.
Additionally, iMovie now adjusts soundtracks to match the length of a movie when adding theme music in project settings.
In Clips, along with support for Dark Mode and the Share Sheet, Apple has added 19 animated emoji stickers such as party poppers with confetti, revolving hearts, and bouncing musical notes.
There are also three new holiday-themed poster styles including an embossed snowflake card, a red envelope for Lunar New Year, and glowing candles.
In the iOS 13.1 update released this morning, Apple tweaked the designs of several emojis, updating inaccuracies in some cases and changing colors and designs for other emoji.
According to Emojipedia, Apple updated a total of 24 emoji designs in iOS 13.1, and several of the most important updates relate to tweaks to animals.
The octopus, for example, now has suckers on its tentacles, which were missing before, and the squid emoji no longer has a siphon in the middle of its face, which was anatomically incorrect.
The mosquito now has six legs instead of five legs as in the prior emoji, and the abacus now has its beads oriented vertically instead of horizontally, which is more historically accurate.
Apple changed the jigsaw puzzle piece from blue to green, and changed the hearts used for emojis like face with heart eyes. The mermaid emojis now feature the mermaid holding a trident, the cow is a slightly different color, shading on the mouse has been updated, and a few other emoji have also received smaller design tweaks.
Later this year, Apple plans to bring a total of 59 new emojis to the iOS operating system, introducing characters like sloth, flamingo, waffle, falafel, skunk, orangutan, and more.
New faces, gestures, and poses coming include yawning face, pinching hand, person kneeling, person standing, and new people holding hands options that are both gender and skin tone inclusive, plus there are a wide selection of other miscellaneous emoji.
Apple earlier this year previewed all of the upcoming emoji characters, and they'll be added to iOS in an update to iOS 13 set to be released later this year. It's not entirely clear when we might see the new characters, but last year Apple released updated emoji in early October.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
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