Apple’s newest iOS 15.2 beta paves the way for DIY screen replacements on iPhone 13. Earlier versions of the firmware inexplicably disabled Face ID when a display was replaced by anyone other than Apple. But that’s no longer the case.
The change came just a day before Apple revealed its new Self Service Program, which will offer customers the parts and tools they need to carry out hardware fixes themselves — if they feel competent enough to do so.
Apple today revealed its new Self Service Program, which will provide customers with the parts and tools they need to repair their own devices. It marks a major shift in the company’s approach to hardware fixes.
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups are the first to be supported, but will be soon followed by Mac computers powered by M1 chips, Apple said. The Self Service Program launches next year in the U.S., and will expand in 2022.
Apple’s newest betas for iOS, iPadOS and macOS make a simple Shortcuts change that greatly improves the user experience across different devices.
Shortcuts now know which storage folders to use automatically — depending on your device — negating the need to manually update them individually for different hardware.
Apple Music is now available on compatible LG smart TVs, just a few weeks after expanding its reach to PlayStation 5. The app is almost identical — in design and functionality — to Apple Music on the Apple TV.
Users can access their entire music library, as well as playlists, radio stations, and even music videos.
Apple hired Sam Jadallah in February 2019 to lead its smart home initiatives as head of the Home Services department. Last week, he posted word of his departure on LinkedIn.
Neither Jadallah nor Apple has given a reason for the departure. After two years and nine months on the job, Jadallah wrote:
That’s a wrap with Apple. I’m so grateful for the friendships that will endure and the opportunity to shape and create new capabilities for people and homes around the world. As a corporate exec, investor and entrepreneur, it was a treat to be an entrepreneur within Apple and to create products at scale.
Memory and storage provider OWC rolled out its new Accelsior 8M2 PCIe solid state drive (SSD), calling it the “world’s fastest and highest capacity” storage system of its kind for your 2019 Mac Pro, or any Windows, Linux or PCIe expansion system.
Beware using Mail on your Apple Watch. Security researchers have found that receiving messages on your wrist compromises Mail Privacy Protection in iOS 15 by revealing your IP address to senders.
Mail Privacy Protection — available across Mac, iPhone and iPad — is designed to prevent this from happening by masking your actual IP address. But it seems that using Mail on Apple Watch completely undermines it.
WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new app that will work on both iPad and Mac. It’s thought to take advantage of Apple’s Catalyst platform, which makes it easier for developers to build universal applications.
The popular messaging service is already available on macOS, but this would be the first native WhatsApp client for iPad. WhatsApp has already started rolling out improved multi-device support that is less reliant on a smartphone.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney renewed his attack on the App Store, telling a conference in South Korea that “Apple must be stopped.”
Sweeney, who spoke Tuesday at the Global Conference for Mobile Application Ecosystem Fairness, accused Apple of complying with “oppressive foreign laws.” He also called for “a single store that works with all platforms.”
Amazon introduced a native macOS app for its Amazon Prime Video service Monday, offering another option for Mac owners who previously relied on a browser to watch. They can get the app in the App Store.
The new Mac app provides access to all Amazon Prime streaming content. Prime Video subscribers can use the app to stream content or download content on Macs for offline viewing.
Beloved Disney and Pixar characters will put aside the caring and sharing and try to beat the stuffing out of each other in Disney Melee Mania, a game that’ll launch soon on Apple Arcade.
Mickey in particular looks like he’s taken that “mania” part to the max and is ready to devour someone’s liver.
The HyperDrive 4K Multi-Display Docking Station for 13”-16” MacBook has room for 15 ports, including a trio of HDMI ports that support 4K 60Hz. There’s also Gigabit Ethernet, a trio of USB-A ports, a trio of USB-C ports, memory card readers and more.
Rather than sitting beside or behind the laptop, Hyper’s latest dock props it up.
Tripp Lite, known for its power strips and surge protectors, released its new Thunderbolt 4 hub, the MTB4-Hub3-01. Capable of 8K video support, it can run two 4K displays in addition to other devices and power your computer.
We see a lot of dual- and multi-display workstations here at Setups Central, but we can’t recall seeing a “dual-display laptop” or a “laptop monitor stack.” Those are terms we made up for a second portable display mounted under a laptop’s screen and on top of its keyboard, as in today’s featured setup.
Apple’s strict requirements for digital ID cards in the iPhone’s Wallet app ask states to provide customer support and contribute to costs, according to a new report.
Cupertino wants states to maintain the systems needed to distribute digital IDs, hire project managers to respond to Apple inquiries, and market the feature themselves — all at the taxpayer’s expense, leaked contracts reveal.
Apple will pay out $30 million to settle an employee dispute after it forced workers to stay behind to have their bags after their shifts had ended. It finally marks an end to the lawsuit that was first filed eight years ago.
The lawsuit was dismissed by one California judge back in 2015. But after the decision was appealed, the California Supreme Court in February 2020 ruled that Apple must pay compensation to those affected.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Reports of MagSafe connectors being too strong on the new MacBook Pros leave us scratching our heads. Is MagSafe-gate for real? It’s always something when Apple releases a killer new product….
Also on The CultCast:
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Lots of Apple fans know the company’s first product was the Apple-1 personal computer. Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs initially put the machines together in a garage in 1976. Now one unit in their early run of 200, known as the “Chaffey College Apple-1” because its first owner taught there, has sold at auction for $500,000.
The selection of App Store Greats available through the Apple Arcade subscription service continues to grow. Friday brings the addition of Galaga Wars+ and Kingdom Rush Frontiers TD+.
They join dozen of other classic games that players used to have to pay to play individually but are now all available with a single Apple Arcade subscription. Plus there are many more original games, too.
Samsung has confirmed that it is dropping support for its official DeX app for Mac (and Windows 7) in January.
The move means Galaxy smartphone owners will no longer be able to connect their device to a macOS machine to turn it into an Android-powered desktop. However, the awesome DeX feature itself isn’t going anywhere.
We could be waiting almost another year for Cupertino’s second-generation AirPods Pro refresh. A new report — citing sources in Apple’s supply chain — claims the new buds won’t drop until the third quarter of 2022.
Earlier rumors have indicated the upgrade could bring an even more compact design with a more rounded shape, plus motion sensors for fitness tracking.
An iPhone X that’s been modded to use a USB-C instead of Lightning connector has sold for a whopping $86,001 on eBay.
Built by robotics engineering student Ken Pillonel, the device — which still functions perfectly normally — was shown off in October before being listed for sale earlier this month. It had received a bid of $99,000, but that was retracted.
The latest update to the Apple Store app adds a brand-new “lists” feature that makes it easier to keep track of all the things you want.
You can then share and discuss your lists with in-store Specialists, Apple says — then get a recap of your conversation sent to the app so it’s easy to find later. Lists also make it faster to buy what you want when you’re ready to check out.
Is your regular iPhone 12 or 13 case keeping you from enjoying Apple’s MagSafe technology? Anker now offers an inexpensive fix for your case — the Anker 310 Magnetic Ring — so you don’t have to buy a new, MagSafe-compatible one. The ring is $8, whereas a new case would probably cost you well over $20.