Leaks tell us Apple is prepping a super-slim version of next year’s iPhone 17 without all the features of the Pro models but with a price that’ll make it the most expensive in the lineup. These reports left many of us skeptical. Would anyone pay more for a slim-but-stripped-down iPhone?
But let’s change the rumor slightly — what if Apple is prepping a super-slim iOS handset that folds? If the recent leaks are actually about the iPhone 17 Fold, they make a lot more sense.
Western Digital has been showing off its upcoming SD card with a whopping 8TB of storage capacity. And if that weren’t enough, the company’s SanDisk subsidiary is also prepping a tiny microSD card that can hold 4TB.
The days when a bulky external hard drive was necessary to carry around a huge collection of files are almost over.
Patreon, a service that many authors, artists, etc. use to get funding from fans, has to switch its iPhone/iPad application to Apple’s in-app purchase system by November. The company criticized the requirement on Monday, and pointed out this will add Apple’s 30% App Store fee to all new memberships purchased through the iOS software.
But Patreon isn’t being singled out — Apple makes virtually all applications use its purchasing system. Not that’s everyone is happy about it.
A button being added to the iPhone 16 Pro models is designed to act like the shutter button on DSLR cameras, according to information leaking out of Apple. That includes doing much more than simply taking pictures when pushed.
After years of keeping the iPhone buttons to a minimum, the number continues to expand.
Rumors indicate the iPad 11 is nearly here, and an iPad mini 7 is in development, too. Neither tablet has been updated in years, but that could change this autumn. Finally! We can look forward to better performance and maybe Apple Intelligence.
Here’s what’s likely coming in late 2024 to Apple’s budget tablet, and what we’ve heard about an iPad mini 7 release date.
Some people were skeptical when Apple TV+ turned the 1981 cult classic movie Time Bandits into a comedic adventure series for all ages. But it’s hard to argue with success — for the second week, the show starring Lisa Kudrow is one of the most popular on any streaming service.
And Jake Gyllenhaal’s crime drama Presumed Innocent continues to pull in a huge audience.
A Mac or iPhone is a no longer needed to access Apple Maps — a web version reached public beta testing Wednesday. It allows users to get driving and walking directions from a web browser, including Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs.
Update: Several weeks after the initial release, Apple Maps on the web now works on a broader selection of web browsers.
Shrinking, the hit comedy starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford as therapists with problems of their own, returns to Apple TV+ on October 16. Friday’s’s announcement came with a tiny teaser video for season 2.
This is another entry in Apple’s collection of shows with a radical premise: People in sitcoms don’t have to be horrible to each other.
Update: Apple TV+ posted on social media about Shrinking season 2 on August 5, then pulled the post and video shortly afterward. The teaser trailer came back on Friday.
★★★★☆
Mageasy Lift Standing & Folding Folio iPad Case folds into a stand that raises your tablet screen up closer to eye level. It’s a trick that really helps it stand out from the competition (see what I did there?).
It can also be folded into other shapes to provide a range of viewing angles. And when on the go, the case wraps completely around the iPad to protect it.
I tested the Lift with my 2024 iPad Pro.
Apple is going to shrink the next Mac mini when it adds an M4 processor, according to an often-reliable source of insider information. The desktop could be the size of an Apple TV.
So, Mac micro?
An iPad Air with an OLED display rather than the current LCD seems a safe bet considering the number of leaks indicating one is in development. But sources can’t agree on when — the latest report says 2026.
That said, Apple already has an OLED tablet for those who want one now.
Apple released iOS 17.6.1, iPadOS 17.6.1 and macOS Sonoma 14.6.1 on Wednesday. These are patches to fix a problem with Advanced Data Protection, a collection of tools to keep data and communications safe in the cloud.
While there are no new features, the updates are nevertheless important.
The itty-bitty Samsung USB Type-C Flash Drive is now available with up to 512GB of storage capacity — twice as much as before. And the company’s miniature USB-A version also doubled in capacity.
Plus, the 256GB versions are on sale at some nice discounts.
The cost of streaming Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ goes up this autumn. The three streaming video services are ready to watch on Mac, iPad, iPhone or Apple TV. It’ll just cost a bit more in a few months.
The new prices could be important to those currently getting these services free or cheaply by sharing passwords. Disney CEO Bob Iger warned that a crackdown on the practice starts soon.
Flip a switch in iOS 18 and the Camera app will add music playing on an iPhone to the video being recorded on the device. It’s an easy way to add background music to a video.
Just be careful about copyright violations.
Apple should never have entered into the deal that had Google paying billions every year to be the default search engine for iPhone, Mac, and iPad. And it’s shameful that it’ll take a court order to finally make Apple do the right thing.
A company that claims to carefully protect the privacy of its users shouldn’t be part of an arrangement that steered those users toward Google, whose business is built on privacy violation. Interestingly, some users may find that certain websites require specific browser settings to function correctly, such as ensuring you enable JavaScript on iPhone for a smoother browsing experience.
A U.S. federal judge ruled Monday that Google paying Apple billions to be the default search engine on iPhone and other devices is a violation of antitrust law. He said it makes Google a monopolist.
This is the result of a court case brought by the Department of Justice against Google. Apple isn’t directly involved, though its annual income may have just dropped by $15 billion or $20 billion. Or more.
Apple added Distraction Control to the Safari web browser in the iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia 15 betas released Monday. The new feature allows users to remove elements they find irritating or distracting from web pages.
Some have called Distraction Control an ad blocker. It’s not. Or certainly not a very good one.
The Apple Watch SE 3 will come in a plastic casing, if a noted source of Apple insider info is correct. Skipping the usual aluminum case will allow the wearable to come in a broad array of colors, potentially making it more appealing to younger buyers.
It’ll also likely be cheaper to make, which is important for Apple’s budget wearable.
Add Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong to the list of people who think his company’s new smartwatch and wireless earbuds are much too similar to Apple’s. He reportedly got angry at executives of Samsung’s mobile (MX) division for approving such copycat devices.
One company executive allegedly admitted his company’s new wearable products are “Apple design plagiarism.”
The Apple TV+ crime drama Presumed Innocent has been among the most watched shows on streaming since launching in mid-June, according to analysts. Season one of the series — which stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a man who might, or might not, have murdered the woman he’s having an affair with — recently wrapped up, and the opportunity to bingewatch all the episodes pushed the show to become the most viewed on any streaming platform, according to analysts.
Plus, the reimagining of Time Bandits found a big audience, and Natalie Portman’s Lady in the Lake had another strong week.
The number of iPads shipped during Q2 2024 grew sharply when compared to the same quarter of last year, according to market analysts. It’s the first year-over-year increase in Apple’s tablet shipments since 2022.
The long-awaited launch of powerful new iPad models is credited for the improvement.
Apple pulled its latest ad starring the Underdogs Friday after complaints in Thailand over the spot’s negative depiction of the country.
This marks the second time Apple removed an ad after widespread complaints this year.
★★★★☆
Chargeasap Connect Pro is a charging and data cable with a built-in power meter and swappable magnetic connectors. It’s ready to power up a broad variety of devices at up to 100W, and iPhone at up to 27W.
The high-quality cable is 4.75 feet long, and it comes with three magnetic connectors. And with the meter, you always know how much current is flowing.
I tested it with my Apple devices, and a bunch of others, too. Here’s how it performed.
Apple broke a string a weak quarters by announcing a 5% year-over-year increase in revenue for the June quarter Thursday, setting a new record for the quarter. iPad sales experienced an especially strong quarter, up 24%, and the company’s services sector also grew by double digits.
Apple surpassed Wall Street analysts’ revenue expectations, though iPhone sales dropped slightly when compared to the same quarter a year ago.