There’s no direct way to attach Apple’s just-released AirTag to a set of keys because the item tracker doesn’t include a hole. But iFixit x-rayed the device and found three places a brave user could drill a hole.
Mac users can now download macOS Big Sur 11.3.1, a security-themed update to the version released a week ago. It closes security holes that Apple knows were exploited by hackers.
Monday was a busy day for updates. Apple also released watchOS 7.4.1 with one of the same security fixes. And it introduced iOS 14.5.1 and iPadOS 14.5.1 to take care of an App Tracking Transparency bug, and fix security bugs.
Apple’s next small tablet isn’t coming soon, no matter what previous rumors indicated. A trusted analyst and Apple prognosticator says the 2021 iPad mini won‘t be on the market until the second half of the year.
According to unconfirmed reports, this will be a significantly redesigned device, with a larger display.
A deal between Apple and Rockley Photonics could add new medical sensors to the Apple Watch in 2022. That might include non-invasive monitoring of blood sugar levels, body temperature and blood pressure. It might even add the ability to measure blood-alcohol levels.
The British startup promises to “bring laboratory diagnostics to the wrist.”
A folding iPhone is two years away, according to a trusted industry analyst. When open, the device will have an 8-inch screen, significantly bigger than the current largest iOS model, which has a 6.7-inch display.
Order the 12.9-inch version of the 2021 iPad Pro today and it won‘t arrive before late June. And maybe not until July. Apple started taking pre-orders for the first M1-powered tablet on Friday, and anyone who didn’t move quickly could wait almost 10 weeks for the device.
The delay is apparently caused by the new mini-LED screen.
Apple Music Hi-Fi, a version of the streaming music service offering higher-quality audio, could debut “in the coming weeks,” according to an unconfirmed report.
What the new streaming rate will be is unclear. But it will have to take an on improved version of archrival streaming service Spotify.
Apple’s AirTag sales pitch is that you can attach the item tracker to your keys and you can find it with your iPhone, whether it’s in the couch or Canberra. That’s true, but the wireless range of these gizmos is so limited that finding a nearby AirTag in the next room isn’t easy as it should be. And the hardware is missing an obvious feature.
I’m a long-time user of rival Tile trackers. I was expecting Apple’s offering to be significantly better. In reality, both have their strengths. And Tile comes out ahead in some critical ways.
Maotoam Pro is two popular desktop accessories in one. It’s both a laptop/tablet stand and a USB-C hub with 13 ports. It can prop up a MacBook or iPad at your preferred angle, and connect it to up to a monitor, three USB devices, Ethernet and more.
I used the stand/hub in my everyday life for days. Here’s why I like it so very much.
Turns out the 2020 version of Apple Magic Keyboard does fit the slightly thicker iPad Pro set for release in May. Apple said Thursday the accessory is “functionally compatible” with its newest tablet.
The clarification was necessary because previous statements from the company seemed to indicate that only a new, larger version of keyboard case was usable with the 12.9-inch version of the 2021 iPad Pro.
iPad shipments increased a whopping 75% during the first quarter of the year over same period of 2020, according a market analysis firm. It’s the result of people needing computers to work and learn from home as the pandemic drags on.
Other tablet makers saw strong Q1 2021 growth as well, but iPad continues to dominate the market.
Procreate 5.2 will let iPad users paint in 3D and then view their creations with augmented reality. That’s a significant step beyond traditional 2D creation.
And Savage Interactive says its digital tool will be up to four times faster on the 2021 iPad Pro thanks to the M1 processor.
A trusted Apple analyst recently predicted MacBooks would never use OLED displays, shutting macOS laptops out from the best-looking type of screen. But an expert in display technologies disagrees, as do several other analysts.
iPads with OLED screens have been rumored to be on Apple’s drawing board. And iPhones and Apple Watch already use this type of display. It’s possible the tech will spread to all Apple products. There are advantages and drawbacks to OLED, though.
Apple did it again. It just announced a quarter where it didn’t just beat everyone’s expectations, it blew them away. The Mac had a phenomenal quarter, and so did iPhone and iPad.
But you don’t have to bury yourself in spreadsheets to get the lowdown on what it all means. Just read on.
The first three months of 2021 brought a flood of revenue for Apple, up 54% from last year. And profits, too. The company had a successful quarter all around, with double-digit growth in iPhone, Mac, iPad, wearables and services revenue.
A shining star in the results was iPhone revenue, which increased by a whopping 65%. But other product categories increased by even higher percentages.
Delta Airlines is equipping its flight attendants with an iPhone 12. The handset’s augmented reality capabilities will be used for training as well as locating catering items stored on planes.
Wall Street thinks Apple recently finished an amazing quarter. If the analysts are right, the company will reveal on Wednesday the results of a January-through-March period with significant revenue growth in all its products, both hardware and services.
The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe includes both Lightning and USB Type-C connectors so it plugs into almost any computer. You can easily access the same collection of files from an iPhone, Mac or iPad without resorting to iCloud, etc. Even better, the drive is small and comes in an all-metal casing.
I tested the iXpand Luxe with multiple devices. Here’s its strengths and weaknesses.
iPhone 12 users can take advantage of the built-in MagSafe charger with the Twelve South Forté. This stand quickly powers up the handset while also raising it up so it’s ready to be used hands free.
Apple likes the design enough to put it on Apple Store.
Apple’s much-rumored AR glasses reportedly suffered a setback and might not be out as soon thought. The wearable augmented-reality accessory could have gone into production in the first quarter of 2022, but that’s now supposedly unlikely.
Rose Byrne’s dark comedy Physical just got a release date: June 18. And Apple TV+ also dropped a teaser trailer for the show set during the exercise craze of the 1980s.
Get your first taste of the comedy/drama now:
iOS 14.5 is the best update of the pandemic era because it works with your Apple Watch to remove the hassle of unlocking your iPhone while wearing a face mask. You don’t have to type in your passcode every single damn time. The phone just unlocks. Like it’s supposed to.
But the trick does require an Apple Watch. If you’ve been on the bubble about getting one, this feature should go a long way toward convincing you. It serves as yet another elegant example of how Apple’s ecosystem offers users simple solutions to modern life’s annoyances.
The just-released PopGrip Slide Stretch lets users keep a handle on their iPhone 12 without interfering with the MagSafe charging system. That’s because the new gadget from PopSockets lets the PopGrip slide back and forth on the back of the handset.
Apple Clips 3.1, a new version of the free video-creation app, adds fun augmented reality effects that map themselves to a room and the people in it. The goal is unique videos that people can then share on social media.
And Apple promised to start making monthly content releases with new filters, stickers and more.
The fresh emoji appearing in iOS 14.5 will set your heart afire. Or at least let you show that in texts. The new collection of pictographs also includes some new faces, and plenty of additional variations to show how we couple up in the 21st century.
iPad users get the same emoji thanks to iPadOS 14.5 and macOS 11.3, which also launched on Monday.