Tim Hardwick

Tim is a Contributing Editor at MacRumors. His writing has appeared in over 30 newsstand print and online publications covering a range of topics. Originally from Liverpool, England, Tim can sometimes be found accessing a personal wi-fi hotspot on the Yorkshire Moors.



Apple Trials AirPods Production in Vietnam in Bid to Cut Reliance on China

Wednesday July 17, 2019 4:06 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple will begin trialing AirPods production in Vietnam as part of a strategy to diversify product manufacturing beyond China, according to a new report by Nikkei Asian Review. China's GoerTek, one of Apple's key contract manufacturers, will this summer begin testing the resilience of its manufacturing processes for the newest generation of AirPods at its audio factory in northern Vietnam, two sources with knowledge of the plan said.The trial run will mark the first time Apple's hugely popular wireless earbuds have been produced outside China. According to the report, Apple has asked component suppliers to support Goertek's efforts, despite initially only green-lighting very small volumes of AirPods. Apple has traditionally sourced its wired EarPods in Vietnam, but AirPods have so far been made exclusively in China by the likes of Inventec, Luxshare-ICT, and GoerTek. The move is said to be a consequence of Apple seeking to source 15 to 30 percent of its output outside of China, where cost and manpower advantages are beginning to fade. Thanks to the continuing success of AirPods, Apple now dominates nearly 70 percent of the truly wireless headphone market. With Samsung, Huawei, Sony and Google bringing their own truly wireless headphones to market, global shipments of all wireless earbuds are forecast to surge from 48 million pairs in 2018 to 129 million pairs by 2020, according to Counterpoint. Apple plans to release third-generation AirPods with water resistance in late 2019, according to multiple rumors. The first two generations of AirPods do not have
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Apple Readies 3D Sensing Rear Camera Component Supplies for 2020 iPhones

Wednesday July 17, 2019 3:32 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple has asked one of its manufacturing partners to ready components for use in rear Time-of-Flight (ToF) camera lenses said to be coming to next year's iPhone lineup, according to DigiTimes. Apple has reportedly asked its supply chain partner to supply VCSEL components for use in rear ToF camera lens in its mobile devices to be released in 2020, according to supply chain sources.Multiple sources have claimed that Apple's 2020 iPhones will include a laser-powered time-of-flight 3D rear camera that will result in significant improvements to AR experiences, including Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. VCSELs, or vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, are a key component of Apple's TrueDepth camera in the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, and power several flagship features like Face ID, Animoji and Portrait mode selfies, as well as the proximity-sensing capabilities of AirPods. However, a ToF camera system is a major step up from TrueDepth due to its more advanced use of laser. TrueDepth relies on a structured-light technique that projects a pattern of 30,000 laser dots onto a user's face and measures the distortion to generate an accurate 3D image for authentication. By contrast, ToF calculates the time it takes for a laser to bounce off surrounding objects to create a 3D image of the environment. This allows for more accurate depth perception and better placement of virtual objects, and should also result in photos better able to capture depth. Bloomberg says that the rear camera in Apple's 2020 iPhones will be able to scan areas up to 15
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Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Gives Talk to Apple's Marketing Department

Wednesday July 17, 2019 2:30 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square, visited Apple headquarters on Tuesday to give a talk to employees, according to a report by Bloomberg. The billionaire's address at Apple is said to be one of several speakers talking to select Apple staff as part of an ongoing series. Dorsey reportedly spoke with employees from the marketing department, and while the address may highlight shared principles, it's not thought to be suggestive of a new collaboration between Dorsey's companies and Apple. While the address itself didn't point to a new partnership between Dorsey's companies and Apple, it was indicative of their bond and existing collaboration. Apple promoted Twitter as an iOS app coming to the Mac this fall, and the social media service is deeply integrated into both the iPhone and iPad. Apple was also among the first retailers to sell Square's now-common credit-card reader.As Bloomberg notes, Apple teased that Twitter would be one of the first companies to exploit its new Project Catalyst technology that makes it easier for developers to bring iPad applications to the Mac. Strictly speaking though, the Twitter app for iPhone and iPad is currently no more integrated than any other third-party iOS app. Apple's mobile OS did used to include built-in support for Twitter, but the integration was removed in 2017 with the release of iOS 11 –– perhaps in anticipation of Apple's upcoming privacy-focused login feature, Sign In with Apple. Twitter has since relied on iOS shared extensions just like all the other social networks it competes with. We stand with @tim_
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How to Locate Friends Using Find My

Tuesday July 16, 2019 4:34 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
In iOS 13 and iPadOS, Apple combined the earlier Find My Friends and Find My iPhone apps into a single app called "Find My," a sort of catch-all place on your iOS device that you can use for finding whatever you need to find. Find My works much like the apps it replaces. For example, the new app features a section that allows you to locate friends and family members that have shared their location with you, and lets you share your location in kind. The following steps show you how you can locate your friends using the Find My app. Launch the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad. (The Find My app is available by default on all new iOS devices, but if you've deleted it, you need to download the free app from the App Store.) Tap the People tab at the bottom of the screen, if it's not already selected. Drag up the People card onto the screen with a swipe of your finger to see a list of people who are sharing their location with you, or who have shared their location with you in the past. Tap a person who has been located to see their whereabouts on the map. (If no location is found, it's possible that person's device is turned off or they have stopped sharing their location with you.) Note that the person's location card appears below the map showing their location, and provides some actions and links that can come in handy. From here, you can access their contact card, as well as directions for getting to their location. Drag up the person's location card over the map and you'll see additional actions including an option to add them to your favorites,
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How to Mark an Apple Device as Lost in the Find My App

Tuesday July 16, 2019 4:28 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
In iOS 13 and iPadOS, Apple has combined the Find My Friends and the Find My iPhone apps into a single app, simply called "Find My." Find My works similarly to the Find My iPhone and Find My Friends apps that it replaces, but it also allows you to locate lost devices that aren't connected to Wi-Fi or LTE by using the Bluetooth signal of other nearby Apple devices. When your lost device is offline but close to another device, it can connect to that device over Bluetooth and relay its location. The feature makes your devices are more trackable than ever, and gives you a better chance of finding a device that's been lost. Of course, if the device you're trying to find isn't in proximity to another device, then the feature won't work. In such cases, you can put the device into Lost Mode. This ensures your passcode is required on the device before anyone can turn off its Find My status or erase it. Lost Mode also lets you to include contact details on the lost device's screen, so that anyone who recovers it can make sure it finds its way back to you. Keep reading to learn how to enable Lost Mode on a device in Apple's new Find My app. How to Put a Device into Lost Mode Launch the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad. Swipe up with your finger to reveal the full list of devices. Tap the lost device in the devices list. If you can't see the Mark as Lost option for the selected device, swipe up with your finger to reveal the full menu. Under Mark As Lost, tap Activate. Tap Continue to confirm. Optionally, enter the phone number you'd like to appear on the
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How to Remove a Lost Device From Your iCloud Account in Find My

Tuesday July 16, 2019 4:12 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
In iOS 13 and iPadOS, Apple has combined the Find My Friends and the Find My iPhone apps into a single app called "Find My." Find My works similarly to the apps it replaces. For example, just like Find My iPhone, it allows you to put stolen, lost or misplaced Apple devices into Lost Mode. Remotely turning on Lost Mode ensures that your passcode is required on the device, meaning no one but you can change its Find My status, or erase it without connecting it to a computer. And even if your iPhone is fully erased, the person who has it can't use it. Activation Lock (activated when you turn on Find My on a device where your Apple ID is logged in) stays on and there is no way to bypass it. Of course, while the Lost Mode feature can increase your chances of retrieving your property, it can't guarantee that you'll ever see the lost device again. If the worst does happen and you lose all hope of finding your Apple device, you can remove it from your iCloud account by following the steps below. Launch the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad. Swipe up with your finger to reveal your list of devices. Tap the lost device in the list – indicated by a padlock within the device's icon. Swipe up to reveal the menu of device options. Tap Remove This Device. Tap Remove to confirm.Find My is the most important feature to have turned on in the event a device is lost, but there are other key security options you should use, including a passcode and two-factor authentication. With a passcode, no one can access personal data stored on your iPhone, and with two-factor
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How to Create a Collection in Apple Maps

Tuesday July 16, 2019 3:59 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
In iOS 13, Apple added a Collections feature to its Maps app on iPhone and iPad that lets you search for and aggregate lists of different locations, such as restaurants you're thinking of eating out at, sightseeing locations for when you're on vacation, or other places you want to visit. Collection lists can also be shared, so you can create lists of places for friends and family that will be visiting your local area, and then share the collection with them, for example. Keep reading to learn how to create your first Collection in Apple Maps. Launch the Apple Maps app on your iPhone or iPad. With a swipe of your finger, expand the panel at the bottom of the screen using the small drag handle above the search field. Under Collections, tap New Collection.... Give your new collection a name, then tap Create. Tap the Add a Place button in the panel, located below your new collection. Start typing the name of a place, landmark, or establishment that you might want to visit. Tap the plus icon next to the place you're looking for in the search results to add it to your collection. To search and add more locations in this screen, simply delete your search term and start typing the new place name. Tap Done if you're finished adding places for now. You should see the place or places listed in your new collection and their location on the map. To add more locations to a collection at any time, simply select your named list (found under the Collections section), drag the panel up over the map, and then tap the plus (+) button at the bottom-right corner of the
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How to Send Feedback About Errors in Apple Maps

Tuesday July 16, 2019 3:54 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
In iOS 13, Apple introduced a redesigned customer feedback process for its Apple Maps app which is designed to make it easier for users to submit corrections for things like incorrect addresses, business locations, or operating hours. If you find an error or something that needs updating in Apple's maps information, you can now send the correct details in just a few quick taps. The following steps guide you through the process using a fictional example of a café called Hannah's that shows up in Apple Maps but no longer exists. Launch the Apple Maps app on your iPhone or iPad. Navigate the map to the area where the label is that you want to submit for removal. Tap the Information icon (the circled 'i') in the button overlay menu at the top-right corner of the screen. Tap Report an Issue. Under Issue Type, tap Map Labels. Tap the map to select the problematic label. Tap Remove Label. Input any additional information below. In our example, "This café no longer exists." Tap Submit in the top-right corner of the screen.The information that you have to provide when submitting the issue depends on what you want to report. For instance, in the case of reporting a missing place (the option visible in the second screen in our example), you'll be prompted to clarify if it's a business, landmark, street, address, or other, and then be invited to add any additional relevant information, such as a business's opening hours, website, or phone number. As the third screen in our example suggests, you can report other issues like errors in navigational directions or in
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How to Add Places to Your Favorites in Apple Maps

Tuesday July 16, 2019 3:51 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
In the latest version of Apple Maps that comes with iOS 13, Apple has added a Favorites feature that lets you search for specific places and then add them to a list. Favorites are meant for places that you visit frequently, and Home and Work are already added by default. Any place you frequent can be added to the Favorites list, such as a favorite restaurant or coffee shop, or a friend or family member's house. Tapping on one of your Favorites brings up directions to that spot right away. Think of it as a speed dial option for Maps. You can add a location to your Favorites any time you drop a pin on the map. Simply tap the place on the map that you want to favorite, then bring the location details up on the screen by swiping up from the drag handle with your finger. You'll see an option further down to Add to Favorites. Tap the starred icon beside it, and the location will be added to your favorite places list. You can also add places to your Favorites by searching for them. The steps below show you how. Launch the Apple Maps app on your iPhone or iPad. Expand the search input field to encompass the screen by dragging the grab handle upwards with your finger. Tap the Add button under the Favorites section. Type a location into the search field. When the location appears below in the suggestions, tap the plus (+) button beside it. In the Details screen, you can tap the location label to edit it, and also select a Type (Address/Home/Work) to identify it. Tap Done in the top-right corner of the screen to finish.Now you can select the favorited location
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How to Use Look Around in Apple Maps

Tuesday July 16, 2019 3:48 pm PDT by Tim Hardwick
With iOS 13, Apple introduced several additional features to its Maps app, one of which is called Look Around. This gives you a street-level view of what's around your current location or the location you search for on the map. If you've ever used Google Street View, you already have a good idea of how Look Around works, but Apple's equivalent feature includes a couple of functions that differentiate it from Google Maps. Launch the Apple Maps app on your iPhone or iPad, and then check to see if there's a binoculars icon on the map in your exact location. (Tap the location arrow in the floating menu of options if another area of the map is showing that's different to where you're at). If you see a pair of binoculars on the map, simply tap them to open a street-level view in a card overlay at the top of the screen. You can also tap the two arrows pointing away from each other in the top left corner of the card to take the street-level view fullscreen. Note that you should also see the binoculars icon available to tap in the floating menu when checking the standard overhead map in a supported location. If Look Around isn't yet supported in your current location, you can still search for specific locations supported by Look Around. For example, try searching for San Francisco and you'll see a Look Around icon in the results overlay. Once you're in Look Around mode, tap the view to move through the area. You can also tap a spot further in the distance and the view will smoothly zoom towards the location. To help orient you in Look Around mode, points
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Apple Stops Selling Lower-Cost iPhones in India

Tuesday July 16, 2019 4:35 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple has reportedly stopped selling iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6s Plus in India, meaning anyone in the market for a new Apple smartphone will have to shell out more for a later model. According to The Economic Times, the strategy indicates Apple is no longer prioritizing shifting iPhones in the country by volume and is instead refocusing efforts on increasing its revenue there. To that end, Apple's distributors in India are said to be informing retailers that supplies of the above iPhone models have stopped and the new "entry-level" iPhone will be the iPhone 6s. This will increase the starting price of an iPhone in India by almost Rs 8,000 (around $116). Apple has been assembling the iPhone SE in India as well as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 over the last couple of years. Given the shift in strategy, idle capacity in these factories may now be used to expand production of other models, according to the report. The decision is said to have been taken after Apple improved its revenue and profit in India by 12 percent over the last year, despite selling less iPhones than the previous year. Apple India’s sales in the April-June quarter went up after it brought in a promotion to drop iPhone XR prices. "Cupertino does not want Apple India to chase volumes by discounting at the cost of profit," said one leading trade partner of Apple. "These models which are being phased out will increase the average selling price of iPhones in India and boost both profit and revenue." Apple India declined to comment on the matter. In the Indian market, Apple
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Fall 1989 Catalog for Steve Jobs' NeXT Company Uploaded to Archive.org

Monday July 15, 2019 4:28 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
An interesting piece of technology history was highlighted by The Verge over the weekend that may be of interest to Apple users both young and old. Amateur computer historian Kevin Savetz recently scanned the Fall 1989 issue of the NeXT catalog and uploaded the files to Archive.org. That makes the entire 138-page book available for perusal online, offering an intriguing glimpse into NeXT's software, user interface, peripherals, and more. For those unfamiliar with the history, NeXT was the company that Steve Jobs founded in 1985 shortly after he was fired by Apple, along with a handful of co-workers. The company specialized in designing high-powered computer workstations for the higher education and business markets. NeXT lasted until 1997, when Jobs was rehired at Apple. Apple purchased the company for $429 million (equivalent to $670 million in 2018) and 1.5 million shares of Apple stock. I scanned the fall 1989 NeXT Software and Peripherals catalog in glorious 600 DPI and uploaded to @internetarchive. 138 pages! https://t.co/a1xpteHERt pic.twitter.com/UbV6zKcZEm— Kevin Savetz (@KevinSavetz) July 4, 2019 Estimates suggest NeXT shipped about 50,000 computers in total, so sales were limited. However, the legacy of the NeXTSTEP OS and development environment proved to be highly influential, and eventually became the basis for macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. Savetz told The Verge that the catalog was "part of a large lot of old computers that I bought from a local computer refurb/recycling organization. I had never seen a catalog like it, and
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Amazon Reportedly Developing Echo With Better Sound Quality to Rival Apple HomePod and Other Speakers

Friday July 12, 2019 4:00 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Amazon is developing a higher-quality version of its popular Echo smart speaker, according to a new report today by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Prototypes of the cylindrical speaker are wider than the current Echo to squeeze in additional components including at least four tweeters, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss an internal matter. The speaker is reportedly being developed to include improved audio to rival Apple's HomePod and other competing speakers on the market. According to Gurman, the Echo has lost some ground to more premium smart speakers that are marketed as offering superior sound. The Echo, which went on sale in 2015, will grab 63% of the U.S. market this year, according to EMarketer. But it has lost some ground to the Sonos One, Apple Inc. HomePod and Google Home Max -- all of which claim to deliver superior audio. Google now has 31% of the market, while the rest have a combined 12%. The HomePod isn't selling as well as Apple expected, and the company recently dropped the price.The development of a higher-quality Echo marks a new phase in Amazon's attempt to gain ground in the smart speaker segment. The company has previously introduced halfway-house solutions to improve the audio of the existing cylindrical Echo by offering a standalone subwoofer and connections to link the speakers to a hi-fi stereo system. The Echo range will also receive minor updates this fall, people familiar with the plans told Bloomberg. Amazon also reportedly plans to launch a hi-fidelity version of its music streaming service by the end of the year. In
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Lightning-to-Ethernet Cables and Lightning to USB-C Audio Adapters Added to Apple's MFi Program

Friday July 12, 2019 3:32 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple will soon allow hardware developers to manufacture additional Made for iPhone (MFi) certified adapters including USB-C to Lightning audio adapters, reports Japanese site Mac Otakara. Apple is said to have recently informed developers who participate in the MFi program about the change. MFi program members were informed of the changes in Apple's "MFi Accessory Interface Specifications Release R31," which specifies support for new adapter types compatible with iOS devices. Apple is designating an MFi certification for Lightning to USB-C audio adapters, such as the one Anker announced in May, designed for Macs with USB-C ports and the new iPad Pro. The adapter allows Lightning headphones to be plugged into a USB-C port. Also among the additions are Lightning-to-Ethernet adapters, of which Belkin's Ethernet + Power Adapter with Lightning Connector is the only currently MFi-approved accessory available to buy on Apple's online store. The Belkin cable offers both Power over Ethernet (PoE) and Lightning ports, allowing users to connect to a secure network while continuing to charge their iOS device. The PoE compatibility also provides an additional way to connect and charge simultaneously with a single cable. According to the report, Apple's latest Lightning-to-Ethernet adapter specification includes the Realtek Gigabit Ethernet Controller "Realtek RLT8111EPU". As a result of the new specifications, additional third-party options for USB-C to Lightning audio adapters and Lightning-to-Ethernet cables are expected to appear on the
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Upcoming Apple TV+ Sci-Fi Drama 'See' Reported to Cost $15 Million Per Episode

Friday July 12, 2019 2:31 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple has several original TV shows in the works for its upcoming Apple TV+ streaming service, and a new report by The Wall Street Journal looks at the big budgets involved in these productions as competition hots up among rival streaming services eager to win over audiences in a market dominated by the likes of Netflix and HBO. According to the report, Amazon and Netflix have increased budgets for original content in the last few years. Netflix originally spent $4.5 million per episode on "House of Cards," but now many newcomers are having to spend between $8 million and $15 million per episode on original content to compete with established services. For example, Disney's Star Wars spinoff "The Mandalorian" costs nearly $15 million per episode, according to people who spoke to WSJ. As for Apple, it is said to be spending nearly $15 million per episode to produce sci-fi drama "See," which stars Jason Momoa of "Game of Thrones" and Aquaman fame. In the case of Apple's "See," the cost has neared $15 million for each roughly 60-minute episode, according to a person familiar with the matter. That is more than the cost of a typical independent feature film. "See," set centuries in the future after a virus has wiped out much of Earth's population and left survivors blind, appears to be taking cues from the "Game of Thrones" playbook of cinematic world-building. Footage shown at Apple’s programming event featured Mr. Momoa ready-set for battle alongside dozens of actors in sweeping vistas filmed in the fields and forests of British Columbia.These kinds of figures
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Hong Kong's Octopus Transit Card to Support Apple Pay Later This Year [Updated]

Thursday July 11, 2019 5:00 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Update - Jul 11: Octopus Cards Limited has now confirmed that customers will be able to use their Octopus cards on their iPhone or Apple Watch for transit and retail payment with Apple Pay later this year. Original story below. (Hong Kong,11 Jul 2019) Octopus Cards Limited is excited to announce that customers will be able to use their Octopus on their iPhone or Apple Watch for transit and retail payment with Apple Pay later this year. More details will be shared soon. @MacRumors @9to5mac @appleinsider pic.twitter.com/e2wurzcKgs— ST (@TWaIIk) July 11, 2019 iOS 13 may come with built-in support for Hong Kong's Octopus contactless payment system, if a few lines of code discovered on Apple's servers are any indication. Tech blog Ata Distance spotted the code snippet in Apple's online JSON-based Apple Pay pass identifier (link now removed), which shows references to Octopus in iOS 13. The discovery also tallies with specific references to Octopus on Apple Pay in the iOS 13 beta, according to the Japan-focused site. Octopus is based on the same FeliCa NFC standard used for the Japanese Suica card, and is used by the vast majority of Hong Kong residents for making transit payments and retail transactions. Originally launched in 1997 as a physical contactless card, the FeliCa-based version made the transition to electronic payment solution when the company unveiled Smart Octopus for Samsung Pay in December 2017. The exclusive deal with Samsung left Apple Pay users without a way to take advantage Smart Octopus, despite it being technically compatible with
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Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 Revealed in First 'Official' Leaked Images

Thursday July 11, 2019 4:13 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
The first official photos of Samsung's flagship Galaxy Note 10 device appear to have been leaked onto the web, courtesy of MySmartPrice's Ishan Agarwal. After the Galaxy S10 and S10+, the Galaxy Note line is Samsung's larger smartphone equipped with a stylus. The Note 10's unveiling will come on August 7, so about a month ahead of when we're expecting to see Apple's 2019 iPhone lineup. The image shown above reveals the Galaxy Note 10 will come in a pearlescent silvery-blue color, while a second leaked image reveals an additional black version will also be available. Otherwise, as per previous rumors, the Galaxy Note 10 adopts the same curved-screen, glass-body design used in previous Note devices, but the front now features an edge-to-edge display with a single center hole punch camera. Over on the back of the device we can see a triple-camera array. This suggests either that rumors of a quad-camera setup – including a fourth time-of-flight (ToF) 3D depth camera – are wide of the mark, or that what we're looking at is the smaller 6.28-inch model, as claimed by WinFuture's Roland Quandt. Samsung is said to be releasing a second, larger 6.75-inch Note 10 next month. If that model does include the quad-camera array with ToF, the company will be debuting the world-facing 3D depth-sensing tech a full year in advance of Apple, which is rumored to be introducing it in its 2020 iPhone line-up. If the bigger device additionally features 5G support (also rumored), that will be two tech flags that Samsung can raise at least one year ahead of Apple. There's no
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Google Kills Off Nest Thermostat App for Apple Watch

Thursday July 11, 2019 2:24 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Google has killed its Nest app for Apple Watch, meaning Nest smart thermostat owners can no longer control the device's target temperature and operating mode directly from their wrist. The deprecation of the wearable apps for both Apple Watch and Wear OS coincides with version 5.37 of the Nest mobile app, which was released on Tuesday. Any mention of the Apple Watch app has since been removed from the Nest App Store listing, while Wear OS device users who try to launch the app from their watch are now met with the message "Nest is no longer supported for Wear OS" and are advised to uninstall the app. Google's reason for the watch app's demise is simple. According to the company (via 9to5Google), "only a small number of people" used the watch apps, therefore Nest will focus on developing its full mobile app and Wear OS-only Google Assistant functions going forward. We took a look at Nest app users on smart watches and found that only a small number of people were using it. Moving forward our team will spend more time focusing on delivering high quality experiences through mobile apps and voice interactions.Google advises Nest owners that they can no longer adjust their thermostat or change the Home/Away mode from their Apple Watch, but these actions can still be controlled remotely via the Nest mobile app, which can also still deliver notifications to their watch. The Nest app joins a long line of high-profile Apple Watch apps that have met their demise over the last two years. Beginning in 2017, Twitter, Google Maps, Amazon, and eBay all quietly removed
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How to Use Lighting Mode Photo Effects in iOS 13, Including the New High-Key Mono

Wednesday July 10, 2019 10:02 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
When you take a picture in Apple's Portrait mode, iOS uses the dual cameras of your iPhone to create a depth-of-field effect, allowing you to compose a photo that keeps your subject sharp with a blurred background. On iPhone X and later, and iPhone 8 Plus, Apple also includes a Portrait Lighting feature that you can use to apply studio-quality lighting effects to your Portrait mode images. The full set of Portrait Lighting effects in Apple's Photos and Camera apps include Studio Light to brighten facial features, Contour Light for more dramatic directional lighting, Stage Light to isolate your subject in the spotlight, and Stage Mono for stage light in a classic black and white. In iOS 13, Apple also added a new Portrait Lighting effect called High-Key Light Mono. High-Key Mono is a black and white effect that's similar to Stage Light Mono, but designed to add a white background rather than a black one. Keep reading to learn how to use Portrait Lighting effects on your iPhone photos, just bear in mind that the new High-Key Mono effect demoed in the steps below is limited to the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. Launch the stock Photos app on your iPhone. Using the Photos tab, tap to select a Portrait photo in your Photo library. If it isn't a recent Portrait photo that you want to edit, you can use the Days, Months, and Years views to whittle down your collection. Alternatively, select a photo from one of your albums via the Albums tab. Check the image was captured in Portrait mode by looking for the Portrait label in the top-left corner of the screen, then
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Amazon's Alexa to Offer NHS-Verified Health Advice to Britons

Wednesday July 10, 2019 3:58 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
From this week, users of Alexa devices in the United Kingdom will be able to get expert health advice from the voice-activated smart speakers, thanks to a partnership between Amazon and the National Health Service. When health-related queries such as "Alexa, how do I treat a migraine?" or "what are the symptoms of flu?" are put to the devices, Amazon's algorithm will use information from the NHS website to provide answers. Britain's NHS says the technology will help patients the elderly, blind and those who cannot access the internet through traditional means, to get professional NHS-verified health information in seconds, potentially reducing the pressure on the NHS and GPs, specifically when it comes to providing information for common illnesses. Currently, Alexa gets its answers to health-related questions from a number of sources, including the Mayo Clinic and WebMD. As a point of contrast, Apple's Siri currently retrieves answers to health-related queries from Wolfram Alpha and Wikipedia. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock offered the following comments on the new Amazon-NHS partnership: We want to empower every patient to take better control of their healthcare and technology like this is a great example of how people can access reliable, world-leading NHS advice from the comfort of their home, reducing the pressure on our hardworking GPs and pharmacists. Through the NHS Long Term Plan, we want to embrace the advances in technology to build a health and care system that is fit for the future and NHSX will drive this
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