Follow the headline link for a first look at Illustrator on iPad by Michael Steeber, 9to5Mac.
Here’s a link to Adobe’s official Illustrator on iPad page, which offers a 7 day free trial.
Before you sign up, familiarize yourself with Adobe’s subscription and cancellation terms. This is not an Apple managed process.
[VIDEO] Big fan of The Mandalorian. The fact that they’ve somehow managed to make a season 2 during the pandemic just gives me hope, offers a tiny bit of light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Enjoy. Episode 1 drops in 10 days. Disney+. Trailer embedded in main Loop post.
[VIDEO] Here’s a first look at MagSafe, with an unboxing, some magnet paper, metal things, and some previous model iPhones (video embedded in main Loop post). Looking forward to people’s iPhones 12 arriving so we can see how well the magnet sticks to MagSafe optimized gear.
The word “safe” in the word MagSafe has always meant something specific to me: Tug on a cable with a MagSafe connector and the connector comes off. It doesn’t pull your Mac off the table.
Is this still the purpose of the “safe” in MagSafe? If I accidentally tug the MagSafe cable, will it pop off my iPhone? Or will my iPhone go tumbling to the floor? Or is this new MagSafe about ensuring your phone is charging properly, with the magnet ensuring your iPhone is properly centered on the Qi charging coil?
[VIDEO] As part of Apple’s campaign for Bruce Springsteen’s new documentary and album, Apple has announced a live streaming, album release event, Thursday, October 22, at 11:00 pm ET.
Want to attend? You’ll need a ticket (free, but limited to Apple Music subscribers). Follow the headline link to RSVP.
This is an interesting experiment for Apple. They’ve formalized the approach with their ticketing.apple.com sub-domain. Will we start to see regular events like this, an alternative to the live, in-store music events they’ve had in the past? Is this long term, or purely until we get past COVID?
Side note, if you are a Springsteen fan, here’s a new trailer (embedded in the main Loop post) for the upcoming documentary (the doc goes live on Apple TV October 23rd, Letters to You album drops on Apple Music the same day).
Variety:
Apple has launched Apple Music TV, a free 24-hour curated livestream of popular music videos that will also include “exclusive new music videos and premiers, special curated music video blocks, and live shows and events as well as chart countdowns and guests,” according to the announcement.
Apple Music TV will be available to U.S. residents only on the Apple Music app and the Apple TV app.
In iOS/iPad OS:
On the Mac:
On Apple TV:
I love the big screen experience, which you can get on your Mac (with a big screen attached) or via AirPlay. Note that explicit videos may be playing, so plan accordingly.
[VIDEO] Last week, we posted the Chris Rock iPhone 12 Verizon 5G commercial. Definitely on my long list of favorite iPhone spots.
Encountered this commercial over the weekend, equal time for AT&T. Wondering if the same team at Apple drove both of these ads. Seem different as night and day. Judge for yourself. Video embedded in main Loop post.
Got your giant grain of salt ready? OK, read on. Tim Hardwick, MacRumors:
All 5G iPhone 12 models support Dual SIM mode, which refers to the ability to switch between a SIM card and an eSIM operating on independent numbers and/or carriers. However, an image of a training document from Apple’s Sales Web resources called “What you need to know about 5G on iPhone” and posted to Reddit suggests the iPhone 12 will not support 5G on either line when Dual SIM mode is active.
Specifically, the language reads:
When using two lines in Dual SIM mode, 5G data isn’t supported on either line and will fall back to 4G LTE. If customers are using eSIM only and are on a 5G-supported carrier and service plan, they’ll have 5G access.
This true? We should know as soon as folks with Dual SIM setup get their iPhones 12 and can test this.
Even if true, it sounds like this is a temporary issue:
On the bright side, this incompatibility could be a software issue, and therefore something Apple could resolve down the line. Indeed, the Reddit user who posted the above image claims that an update coming later in 2020 will enable 5G when using a Dual SIM mode.
Early days for Apple and 5G.
[VIDEO] From the description:
From Directors Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer, Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds explores how meteorites have impacted our planet’s landscapes and cultures.
To me, these words do not do the show justice. Watch the trailer (embedded in the main Loop post), fascinating and beautifully filmed.
Premiers November 13th. On my calendar.
I set the headline link up to compare the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 11 Pro, side-by-side.
Note the slider in the upper right which will resize all selected phones proportionately. There’s also a Credit Card Object, also resizable. This should let you resize until the size of the objects on the screen match your real life credit card or phone.
Great tool, give it a try.
[VIDEO] Though this video does not offer the technical insight (or precision) you might get from your typical tech reviewer, it is interesting to see how this crew views the new Apple shiny. Video embedded in main Loop post.
Nick Statt, The Verge:
Apple’s new iPhone 12 line will be able to access faster wireless charging speeds of 15W in line with the most up-to-date Qi standard, but there’s a catch: you’ll have to use Apple’s new MagSafe brand of charger or a MagSafe-compatible one from a third-party accessory maker.
Interesting. Hop over to the iPhone 12 technical specs page, then down to the Power and Battery section (about halfway down the page):
Yup, only MagSafe gets the full 15W. So if someone did come up with a magnet case for older phones, they’d likely solve the click-in-place problem, but not sure they could offer access to the faster charging.
[VIDEO] Saw this commercial during Tuesday night’s football game, forgot to post it yesterday. This is a great spot, would love to see Chris Rock in a wave of these. Video embedded in main Loop post.
Follow the headline link and tap the image for a bigger version.
Interesting to see this first wave of MagSafe accessories. Wondering if we’ll see third party cases that bring MagSafe click-in-place to older Qi-compatible iPhones.
Tim Hardwick, MacRumors:
Intercom will enable family members to communicate with each other wherever they are in the home, with the ability to send and receive spoken messages via HomePod speakers. If a family member is in the garden or away from home, they can still use Intercom on their iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and even CarPlay.
No mention of Mac there. From Apple’s official HomePod mini release, in the section called “Smart Home Controls and New Intercom System”, there’s no mention of the Mac.
An oversight? Intentional omission?
[VIDEO] Joining the storm of videos from yesterday’s event is the (now traditional) recap, this one crushing the highlights into 51 seconds. Video embedded in main Loop post.
[VIDEO] Per usual, Apple shared the videos they ran during yesterday’s event:
Videos embedded in main Loop post.
Repost of yesterday’s Apple Event embedded in main Loop post.
Eli Blumenthal, CNET:
When it comes to the iPhone 12, AT&T is getting aggressive to both court new customers and keep existing ones locked in to its network. On Tuesday, the day of the latest Apple event, the nation’s third-largest wireless provider announced new deals tied to Apple’s latest device that enable both new and current customers to get the new iPhone for free.
To get the deal, new and existing customers will need to buy the device on an AT&T 30-month installment plan, subscribe to a recent AT&T Unlimited plan and trade in an iPhone 8 or later (or any device that AT&T values at $95 or more) in “working condition.” AT&T’s recent unlimited plans — called Unlimited Starter, Extra and Elite — are required to access the carrier’s 5G network, with those on older plans capped at 4G LTE.
5G is the Wild West right now. Different carriers, different experiences. And the vast amount of customers do not have a 5G phone, do not have a service plan that includes 5G data. The carrier war for these customers is just getting started.
Aggressive deals like this are even rarer at the launch of hotly anticipated new devices like the latest iPhones. Installment plans, however, are a good way to keep people tied to a network and push them toward newer plans. If you switch carriers before the 30 months are up, the discounts stop and the remaining balance owed becomes due (though currently most carriers will pay off any installment fees owed when you switch).
If you plan on buying an iPhone 12, especially one that preorders this week, might be worth your time to check with your existing carrier to see if there’s a deal for you to stay.
Tim Hardwick, MacRumors:
HomePod can be used as an alarm clock replacement to wake you up in the morning or remind you of something, and soon HomePod owners with an Apple Music subscription should be able to set alarms on the smart speaker that play their favorite songs instead of the default alarm sound.
And:
Changes uncovered by MacRumors in the latest HomePod beta software reveal that Apple Music subscribers will soon be able to do just that.
The beta software includes a revised interface for adding alarms to HomePod in the Home app that provides a choice of playing a tone or media as the alarm sound.
Tiny, welcome new feature. Nice to see HomePod getting more attention. Looking forward to what else the HomePod team has up its sleeve.
Apple:
Apple today announced iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max, introducing a powerful 5G experience and advanced technologies that push the boundaries of innovation for users who want the most out of iPhone. iPhone 12 Pro models feature a new design and edge-to-edge Super Retina XDR displays, the largest ever on iPhone, protected by the all-new Ceramic Shield front cover, which provides the biggest jump in durability ever on iPhone. The Apple-designed A14 Bionic chip, the fastest chip in a smartphone, powers impressive computational photography features including the all-new Apple ProRAW for more creative control in photos, and enables the first end-to-end Dolby Vision video experience, up to 60 fps. The reimagined pro camera systems include an expansive Ultra Wide camera, a Telephoto camera with an even longer focal length on iPhone 12 Pro Max, and new Wide cameras to capture beautiful professional-quality images and video in bright and low-light environments. iPhone 12 Pro models also introduce a new LiDAR Scanner for immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences and MagSafe, which offers high-powered wireless charging and an all-new ecosystem of accessories that easily attach to iPhone.
To me, big discriminators between the Pro and the non-Pro line: Camera/ProRAW/Dolby Vision video, stainless vs aluminum finish, LiDAR, Super Retina XDR display. If those things have value to you (they do to me, especially the camera), go Pro.
iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB models in graphite, silver, gold, and pacific blue starting at $999 and $1,099, respectively.
As to availability:
As to 5G:
Featuring the most 5G bands on any smartphone, iPhone 12 Pro models offer the broadest 5G coverage worldwide. Models in the US support millimeter wave, the higher frequency version of 5G, allowing iPhone 12 Pro models to reach speeds up to 4Gbps, even in densely populated areas. iPhone 12 Pro models also feature Smart Data mode, which extends battery life by intelligently assessing 5G needs and balancing data usage, speed, and power in real time.
Not clear to me that there is any difference between 5G on the iPhone 12 models and the iPhone 12 Pro models.
Apple:
Apple today unveiled iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini with 5G technology, ushering in a new era for the world’s best smartphone. The newly designed iPhone 12 models feature expansive edge-to-edge Super Retina XDR displays for a brighter, more immersive viewing experience, and a new Ceramic Shield front cover, providing the biggest jump in durability ever on iPhone. The Apple-designed A14 Bionic, the fastest chip in a smartphone, powers every experience on iPhone 12, and coupled with an advanced dual-camera system, delivers meaningful new computational photography features and the highest quality video in a smartphone. iPhone 12 models also introduce MagSafe, offering high-powered wireless charging and an all-new ecosystem of accessories that easily attach to iPhone.
The lower end of today’s Apple iPhone 12 lineup, the mini and iPhone 12 both offer the A14 Bionic processor and 5G compatibility. Definitely a lot of value in this pairing.
These are the aluminum finishes, with your choice of colors: blue, green, black, white, and (PRODUCT)RED. The mini is 5.4″ and the iPhone 12 is 6.1″.
Both models feature a sleek new flat-edge design with an aerospace-grade aluminum enclosure and combined with the Ceramic Shield front cover, which goes beyond glass by adding a new high temperature crystallization step that grows nano-ceramic crystals within the glass matrix, increases drop performance by 4x.
The new Ceramic Shield and improved drop performance adds to that value, especially if you don’t use a case.
MagSafe improves wireless charging for a better, more efficient experience, and introduces an ecosystem of easy-to-attach accessories that beautifully complement iPhone 12 models.7 MagSafe delivers a unique experience to iPhone, featuring an array of magnets around the wireless charging coil, optimized for alignment and efficiency, that perfectly connects to iPhone every time. MagSafe chargers efficiently provide up to 15W of power, while still accommodating existing Qi-enabled devices.
MagSafe is a new ecosystem, including a MagSafe charger and a MagSafe Wallet. Both are ideally suited to the iPhone 12 and Apple’s iPhone 12 cases. According to Apple’s web site, the MagSafe Wallet is compatible with all 4 iPhone 12 models. In the paragraph above, it says “while still accommodating existing Qi-enabled devices”. Thinking that last means you’ll get the charge, but maybe not the magnetic snap?
Apple:
Apple today unveiled HomePod mini, the newest addition to the HomePod family that delivers impressive sound, the intelligence of Siri to get things done, and a smart home experience that offers comfort and convenience without complexity. At just 3.3 inches tall, HomePod mini is packed with innovative technologies and advanced software that together enable computational audio to deliver breakthrough audio quality wherever it is placed. HomePod mini will be available in white and space gray at a great price of just $99.
Great pricing. Preorders start on November 6th, shipping starts November 16th.
Follow the headline link, get yourself ready for the event!
Juli Clover, MacRumors:
There are two kinds of 5G networks: mmWave, which is the super-fast 5G that most people are talking about when they talk about 5G speed improvements, and sub-6GHz, the 5G that most people are going to experience for the time being.
This is a great explainer, to help you wrap your head around what’s coming, the terribly named mmWave and sub-6GHz.
Apple employees that have been testing the 5G iPhones recently (and confidentially) told Bloomberg that the 5G speeds have been disappointing as the current 5G networks are not “improving connection speeds much.” Most people who are expecting their iPhones to deliver super-fast mmWave speeds will likely end up similarly disappointed when they find that mmWave networks just aren’t available in most places.
Set your expectations accordingly. At least in the US. The way I read it, this is about telecomm infrastructure rollout, not Apple’s hardware.
Leo Kelion, BBC News:
The “five nanometre process” involved refers to the fact that the chip’s transistors have been shrunk down – the tiny on-off switches are now only about 25 atoms wide – allowing billions more to be packed in.
And:
Moving to smaller transistors helps because they use less power than larger ones, meaning they can be run more quickly. On this basis, TSMC has said that its 5nm chips deliver a 15% speed boost over the last 7nm generation while using the same power.
And:
Apple has already claimed its A14 chip will do machine learning tasks “up to 10 times faster” than the A13.
All of this is important, important across the product line, including the up and coming Apple silicon powered Mac, said to ship by the end of the year.
What makes this article so interesting is that it gets into the details on how the 5nm process was achieved, using a technique called “extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography”. Great read.
[VIDEO] Apple:
Covering 13,000 miles over 100 days through 16 border crossings and 13 countries, starting from the city of Ushuaia at the tip of South America, Ewan and Charley journey through the glorious and underexposed landscapes of South and Central America in their most challenging expedition to date, using cutting-edge technology on the backs of their prototype electric Harley-Davidsons in order to contribute to the sustainability of the planet.
If you’ve not yet given Long Way Up a look, check out the video embedded in the main Loop post. It gives enough of a taste that you’ll know if it’s for you. I found the series riveting, each episode better than the last.
Long Way Up takes us on an epic journey, one where the risk of getting stranded in the middle of nowhere, or taking a spill at high speeds, has your nerves on knife edge throughout the ride. At the same time, it rewards the senses, with thrilling panoramas and visits to exotic locales, exploring cultures a long way from home.
And every bit of it done with strong bonds of friendship, laughter and charm. A great series.
Benjamin Mayo, 9to5Mac:
If you started a free year of Apple TV+ between November 1st and January 31st, your end date for your free trial will now last until the end of February, giving you up to an extra three months of free access. If you signed up in February or later, there will be no change as your trial already lasts beyond the February date.
There’s more to this (read Benjamin’s post), but in a nutshell, the soonest your free year of Apple TV+ will expire is February 28th. Especially good news for folks who grabbed their free year back when Apple TV+ first started, last November 1st.
Consider this bit from the Apple TV+ terms and conditions:
Upon claiming the offer, you commit to a $4.99/month subscription that starts immediately after the 1 year free and automatically renews until cancelled.
Presumably, this part of the terms will be updated and your commitment won’t start before March 1st. But that aside, there’s a line in the sand for all free Apple TV+ subscriptions to translate into a paid monthly sub.
Unless…
Here’s where bundles come in. We know the bundle pricing. What we don’t know is when they will start. I originally thought we’d see bundles turn on by November 1st so everyone would have the bundle option when faced with their subscription flipping to paid.
When I heard about the February extension, my immediate thought was that this had something to do with bundles and season 2. The availability of both the bundle and the appearance of new seasons of favorite content would ratchet up the pressure to make the leap to paid. Bundles are a no brainer for some, and the actual availability of new seasons of shows you love gives more immediate value to the equation, more so than if you had to make a decision in 2020, before the new seasons drop.
Side note: Jim and I talk about this issue on the Dalrymple Report episode that will drop later today, but it was before we knew about the extension, so keep that in mind if you are a listener.
David Shayer, TidBITS:
As an Apple software engineer, I worked on the first two releases of watchOS, so I’m familiar with many of the Apple Watch’s internal trade-offs. While I don’t have any inside information about current versions of watchOS and Apple Watch hardware, there are at least four reasons to think Apple won’t support third-party watch faces any time soon, if ever.
Read for the details, but:
In a nutshell, handing control of Apple Watch faces over to developers would put the Apple Watch quality experience at risk.
Dan Moren, SixColors:
On the only road trip I’ve taken since the whole world situation went to pot, we ran into a strange issue where Google Maps wanted to take us on a bizarre route that would have taken an hour longer than the normal route, for reasons that we still don’t understand. I encouraged my wife, who was driving, to use Apple Maps instead, but she was annoyed by the way the Apple Watch taps her wrist to alert her even though CarPlay is already showing the directions onscreen.
And:
While I was pretty sure that there was an easy way to turn off those alerts altogether, I felt like they could still be useful sometimes, so disabling them entirely seemed like it might be throwing the baby out with the bath water. But, lo and behold, Apple has—at some point in the past—improved its options, and you can now disable the alerts on a granular basis, depending on what kind of directions you’re using.
If you use Apple Maps and wear an Apple Watch, take a read for the setting changes. Worth knowing about.
Sam Curry:
Between the period of July 6th to October 6th myself, Brett Buerhaus, Ben Sadeghipour, Samuel Erb, and Tanner Barnes worked together and hacked on the Apple bug bounty program.
And:
During our engagement, we found a variety of vulnerabilities in core portions of their infrastructure that would’ve allowed an attacker to fully compromise both customer and employee applications, launch a worm capable of automatically taking over a victim’s iCloud account, retrieve source code for internal Apple projects, fully compromise an industrial control warehouse software used by Apple, and take over the sessions of Apple employees with the capability of accessing management tools and sensitive resources.
Most importantly:
As of October 6th, 2020, the vast majority of these findings have been fixed and credited. They were typically remediated within 1-2 business days (with some being fixed in as little as 4-6 hours).
This is a fascinating read, filled with detail. Work like this finds the vulnerabilities before they can be used against us. There’s also a bit of insight on Apple’s bug bounty program.