One of the designers of Microsoft’s HoloLens augmented reality (AR) smartglasses has left Apple.

Although exactly what Avi Bar-Zeev was working on is a secret, it was almost certainly a project to develop Apple’s own AR glasses.

Wait, what? Why would you want to back up your iCloud Photo Library? Apple takes care of that, right? After all, the clue is in the name — the library is stored in iCloud.

Not so fast. That’s true, but what if something screws up at Apple’s end? What if you lose access to your iCloud account? What if, what if, what if? In most cases, you’ll be fine, but being a good computer nerd, you probably understand the value of redundant backups. So today we’ll see how to make sure all your images are safely stored. Just in case.

This post is presented by Digiarty Software.

iPhones are great for a lot of things. At the top of the list is creating and enjoying high-quality video. But unfortunately there are many potential snags.

Maybe you’re trying to watch a MKV, AAC or FLV video that creates a format conflict. Or you’ve bounced HEVC video through an old version of QuickTime, Final Cut Pro, iMovie or some other editing software that makes it incompatible. If you’re trying to play an iPhone-shot video at 4K and 60 frames per second, it might not vibe well with certain video players. If you shot your video on a drone or GoPro, that can also create a host of compatibility problems.

The latest iOS 12.2 beta Apple seeded to developers today brings four new Animoji options to iPhone X, XS, XR and XS Max owners.

Now iPhone and iPad Pro users can choose between the new giraffe, shark, boar and owl Animoji characters during FaceTime calls and in the effects option for iMessage.

This is what they look like:

If you’ve got a new Series 4 Apple Watch, but have been lamenting that the precision aluminum bands from Hong Kong-based Juuk don’t fit, fret no longer.

After painstaking detective work and many hours of redesign, the fruits of Juuk’s labors are starting to hit the market. Currently the Vitero Ruby Grey, Vitero Cosmic Grey and Ligero Obsidian are available for the Series 4 Apple Watch, with more to follow.

Warby Parker tried and then scrapped virtual eyeglass fittings with augmented reality. The technology didn’t quite fit with the experience of trying on an actual pair of frames.

Now the e-commerce brand is confident that what you see on your iPhone is what you’ll get, thanks to an iOS app update that uses the TrueDepth cameras of all X-class iPhones.

Apple is starting off February by serving up a fresh new beta for developers with the release of iOS 12.2 beta 2.

The new beta comes just over a week after Apple seeded the first build of iOS 12.2. That update brought Apple News support to testers in Canada, as well as new Downtime feature that lets you schedules periodically limit the number of apps you can access.

Roland’s new R-07 pocket recorder is pretty rad. Not only is is a super-high quality audio recorder that is always ready to go, but it also has an iPhone app, and can even be controlled by the Apple Watch.

There’s an easy way for Apple to make its rumored streaming video service a hit: buy Netflix. That’s the suggestion of an analyst from J.P. Morgan, who admits it would be very expensive.

And the analyst has recommendations for two other big Apple acquisitions.

Apple plans to limit Safari’s access to the accelerometer and gyroscope inside your iOS device in an upcoming software update.

iOS 12.2 will prevent websites from having access to motion data by default, rendering certain content unusable — even on Apple’s own website. Users will be able to change this inside Safari’s settings, however.

Target has started rolling out Apple Pay support at all its stores across the United States. The stores’ upgraded NFC-enabled payment terminals mean that the retail giant now accepts Apple’s mobile payment solution, along with Google Pay, Samsung Pay and contactless credit and debit cards.

It’s certainly big news for any retailer with 1,821 stores to hop on the Apple Pay bandwagon. But this is especially significant since Target was previously a notable holdout to this technology.

This week’s Fortnite update will bring brand new bottle rockets to Battle Royale.

Epic Games has started teasing the item in-game ahead of its arrival. Meanwhile, new files discovered in Fortnite’s latest update suggest an earthquake will be the next big event ahead of season eight.

The ECG on the Apple Watch Series 4 has made a lot of news for alerting some wearers to potentially fatal heart problems.

Now, the watch’s fall detection feature grabs its own hero headline.

A 67-year-old man in Norway was home alone when he fainted and suffered a hard fall in his bathroom that left him unconscious. There, he might have stayed had the Series 4 watch he was wearing not sent alerts to first responders.

The 14-year-old kid who accidentally discovered the recent FaceTime eavesdropping bug has been told by Apple that he will be eligible for the company’s bug bounty program.

Apple set up its bug bounty program in 2016, offering rewards of up to $200,000 for security researchers who find vulnerabilities on the company’s software platforms. It’s not clear how much Grant Thompson can expect to claim from Apple — although it will reportedly go toward his college tuition savings.

Making the resolution to learn a new language is easy. Like any commitment, seeing it through is harder. So unless you’re surrounded by native speakers, you’ll need to find another way to carve out time each day and get feedback on your progress.

Your WhatsApp conversations can now be protected by Face ID or Touch ID on iPhone.

The latest update to the world’s most popular messaging app lets users take advantage of the iPhone’s biometric security features for an extra layer of protection. Here’s how it works.

Apple’s “1984” Macintosh commercial isn’t just the most iconic Apple ad in history, but one of the greatest advertisements ever created anywhere.

Now, three-and-a-half decades after the ad aired, the original storyboard for the commercial has popped up online. It offers a glimpse at the process which led to Blade Runner director Ridley Scott’s masterful ad.

Microsoft is gearing up to release a software development kit that will allow Android and iOS developers to integrate Xbox Live features into their games.

The SDK, which will be officially confirmed by Microsoft next month, will also be available to Nintendo Switch developers. It will make Microsoft the first console-maker to open up its platform to third-party systems.

Apple TV now supports the X-Ray feature for Amazon Prime Video. X-Ray provides additional information on the movies and TV shows you’re watching by giving extra details on the cast, characters, and production.

If you’re the kind of person who likes a dose of trivia, or additional context, with your entertainment, this could be the feature for you.

Apple shares have rebounded some from the company’s holiday season slump, but its $787.6 billion market cap has a way to go before it’s back at the $1 trillion level it hit last summer.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley have a suggestion for turning things around, however. They think that Apple’s Services division could see Apple once again take its place in the exclusive trillionaires club.

This week we use AirBuddy to bring iOS-like AirPod integrations to the Mac, we play the amazing Synth One on our iPhones, and use the Apple Pencil to play music. And that’s just the beginning of this week’s amazing app roundup.

Reading is a skill, and to get the most out of what you read takes practice. But there’s no gym for the eyeballs and brain, so besides reading more, where do you go?

You can’t do much better than this massively discounted bundle of speed-reading software and exercise tools. Altogether it would normally cost almost $700, but right now you can get the 2019 Award-Winning Speed Reading Bundle for just $19.99.

Amidst a seemingly never-ending barrage of criticism, Siri is once again looking for a new team leader. After reports of infighting and disagreements about how to advance Siri last year, the internal development team is without direct leadership … again. This time, though, the move was self-inflicted and strategic.

After enduring a rough quarter, Apple tells the world what went wrong. But even more interesting is what went right — and what that means for Apple’s future.

Get our take on what you really need to know from Apple’s latest earnings call, plus the rest of the week’s best Apple news, reviews and how-tos. You’ll find it all in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.

Everyone owns valuables they want to keep safe, from jewelry to passports to medication. But keeping the stuff we need on a daily basis in a traditional metal safe just isn’t practical. Ever tried to enter a passcode on a safe’s clunky dial in a rush? It’s hard, by design.