News - page 193

UPDATE: Apple’s System Status page now lists the problems with Apple TV and Apple TV+ as a “resolved issue.” 

An Apple TV outage late Thursday afternoon left viewers wondering why they couldn’t watch their favorite shows.

Around 5 p.m. PST, a message in the Apple TV app read: “Content Unavailable. There’s a problem loading this content. If this continues, check your Internet connection.” The ongoing problem apparently affects the Apple TV app, as well as the Apple TV+ streaming service and the channels subscribed to through the Apple TV app. On Macs, the message appeared in the Watch Now, Apple TV+ and Store tabs of Apple’s TV app.

It’s considered somewhat controversial that iOS 16 has been installed on only about 70% of iPhones four months after its release. But that’s a problem Google can only dream of. A full six months after the debut of Android 13, it’s on a whopping 5.2% of devices.

A year ago, Samsung has promised users more Android updates. Clearly, it’s not having much of an effect.

Now that the full-size HomePod is finally back, just how different is it from Apple’s original smart speaker? At a glance, you might not think the $299 speaker Apple unveiled Wednesday is that different at all, because the exterior design looks so similar. But compare the new HomePod’s features to the old model, and you’ll find significant changes.

It seems potentially much-improved as a smart home device, but whether it’s a better speaker is questionable.

How do the new M2 Pro/Max MacBook Pros stack up against their M1 predecessors? Besides the new SoC, are they worth the upgrade?

Here’s a look at how Apple’s M2 Pro/Max MacBook Pros compare against the M1 Pro/Max models.

Apple’s recently announced HomePod 2 packs some impressive smart home capabilities. But that’s not the only product the company is working on.

Apple is reportedly working on several smart home devices, including a smart display. The low-end iPad-like device can control thermostats, lights and do FaceTime calls.

Apple TV+ promised on Wednesday that its comedy sensation Ted Lasso will finally return for its highly anticipated third season in spring 2023.

Plus, Apple’s streaming service released trailers for five upcoming comedies, dramas and a travel show. Plus, it named premier dates for other shows.

San Francisco-based WaterField Designs makes a line of popular Apple accessories. On Wednesday it released a new Magnetic Laptop Sleeve that fits Apple’s new 14- and 16-inch M2 MacBook Pro models as well as the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air.

The sleeve features waxed canvas, neoprene padding and rare-earth magnets to keep your new laptop safe.

A temperature and humidity sensor that’s been inactive in HomePod mini since the smart speaker first lauched is about to activate.

The change will make the device more useful for home automation.

The next iPhone software update is closer than anyone might have realized. Apple seeded the release candidate for iOS 16.3 to developers on Wednesday.

The same is also true for the release candidates for macOS 13.2, iPadOS 16.3, watchOS 9.3 and tvOS 16.3.

Don’t think you’re going to add a new HomePod 2 to your original HomePod to make a stereo pair. It’s not possible because pairs can only be made with two of the same model.

It’s not a new limitation – a first-generation HomePod can’t be in a stereo pair with a HomePod mini, either. But many people might be unaware of the restriction.

When it comes to computer setups, social media loves symmetry. People often praise perfectly symmetrical setups and plenty of folks kind of freak out if anything’s even slightly askew, often supplying their own joking references to obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD.

In today’s warmly lit and well-organized workstation, a high-spec MacBook Pro drives dual Studio Displays. And pairs of other items in the room contribute to the overall symmetry.

Apple has released a special new Apple Watch band, watch face and iPhone wallpaper celebrating Black History Month. Apple has done this every February in 2021 and 2022.

The Black Unity Sport Loop is available today in the online store and in “select Apple Store locations beginning January 24” Apple said in its press release. It will cost $49, the same price as other Sport Loop bands. The watch face and iPhone background will be released in a software update next week.

Apple unveiled HomePod 2 on Wednesday, bringing its full-size smart speaker back from the dead. The new model offers high-quality audio and new smart-home features, but comes in at the same price as its predecessor.

“With the popularity of HomePod mini, we’ve seen growing interest in even more powerful acoustics achievable in a larger HomePod. We’re thrilled to bring the next generation of HomePod to customers around the world,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s SVP of worldwide marketing, in a press release.

Apple has indefinitely postponed development on its first AR/VR glasses. The device was supposedly going to launch a couple of years after Apple’s first mixed-reality headset’s debut, which is due to come out later this year.

Instead, the Cupertino giant is now focusing on building a cheaper version of its AR/VR headset. The device could debut in 2024 or early 2025.

Those who prefer to get their Apple announcements via video don’t have to feel left out. Although the 2023 MacBook Pro and Mac mini didn’t get a big, glitzy press event, and were instead unveiled Tuesday via press release, Cupertino created a launch video much like the ones put out with previous products.

Watch as John Ternus, SVP for Hardware Engineering, plays host to announce the latest macOS notebook and desktop.

The just-announced 2023 MacBook Pro includes Apple M2 Pro or M2 Max chips, but these weren’t made with the newest 3nm process. That will have to wait until the 2024 versions, according to a reliable source of insider info.

At least the wait supposedly won’t be much more than a year for the faster, more efficient processors.

Part of the reason the 2023 MacBook Pro looks amazing is the wallpapers Apple used. But obviously you don’t have to buy the new notebook just to get the wallpapers. They’re available to download now.

Get them to dress up your own MacBook.

The telephoto lens in the iPhone 15 Pro will get a noticeable jump in image quality if a series of leaks about a periscope lens turn out to be accurate.

The change should also shink the thickness of the camera hump.

Imagine pulling out your AirPods Pro in their case and seeing them slip out of your hand. As they go bouncing down the stairs or into the street, you may try to recall if you bought Apple Care. But with Laut’s tough Zentry case, you might not need it, actually.

The tough Laut Zentry AirPods Pro Case for first and second-gen AirPods is drop-tested and comes with a handy carabiner and lariat that make it easy to hold onto your earbuds.

Apple released new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models Tuesday powered by the company’s most advanced processors, the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. The new laptops — which deliver the longest battery life ever in a Mac — are available to preorder now and go on sale January 24, Apple said.

“MacBook Pro with Apple silicon has been a game changer, empowering pros to push the limits of their workflows while on the go and do things they never thought possible on a laptop,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, in a press release. “Today the MacBook Pro gets even better. With faster performance, enhanced connectivity, and the longest battery life ever in a Mac, along with the best display in a laptop, there’s simply nothing else like it.”

Apple launched a new Mac mini Tuesday, an upgraded model that uses the M2 chip seen last summer in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. A higher-end version runs on the brand-new M2 Pro chip, which also powers the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, also introduced today.

“Bringing even more performance and a lower starting price, Mac mini with M2 is a tremendous value,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, in a press release. “And for users who need powerful pro performance, Mac mini with M2 Pro is unlike any other desktop in its class.”

The computers are available to preorder today and will arrive January 24.

Apple’s next-generation M2 Pro and M2 Max chips went official on Tuesday. The new processors power Apple’s brand-new MacBook Pro lineup and, for the first time, the Mac mini.

Both SoCs deliver better CPU and GPU performance than their M1 predecessors, along with faster image processing.

UPDATE: This prediction can true very quickly. HomePod 2 launched on January 18. Get all the details:

• Apple resurrects full-size HomePod with hot new features, same old price
• HomePod 2 can’t join in stereo pair with earlier models
• Secret sensor in your HomePod mini will activate soon

Apple’s new full-size HomePod with even better sound quality could launch “fairly soon,” according to the latest rumor. The updated smart speaker should pack improved touch controls and feature Matter with Thread support for more reliable use as a home-automation hub. And it should come at a lower price than the original model.

The HomePod debuted in 2018, but Apple discontinued it in 2021 following poor sales due to its steep $299 price.

The most important feature of the new Hyper Thunderbolt 4 Power Hub is something it doesn’t have: a giant power brick. The three-port hub offers 40Gbps data transfers as its rivals do, but in a more compact form.

The device was unveiled in summer 2022 and went through crowdfunding but is only now available for all to buy.

A Canadian regulatory agency recently approved a MacBook Pro that Apple itself has yet to announce. Few details were leaked aside from the notebook supporting Wi-Fi 6E, an improvement on the current version of the short-range wireless networking standard.

Currently, only the newest iPad Pro has Wi-Fi 6E.