Apple

9 new Apple TV features in tvOS 14

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By far, my favorite tweak is moving the audio controls:

Before iOS 14, you had to press the Home button on the remote to get to the tvOS Home screen, then you would press and hold the Play/Pause button to bring up the audio interface. In tvOS 14, you can get to these controls through the Control Center, which can be swooshed into view by holding the Menu button (you don’t need to exit to the Home screen).

I do this all the time, when I pop my AirPods in and want to connect to my Apple TV from listening on my iPhone. Having to jump to the home screen, then press and hold the pause button to bring up the sources list, then navigate back to what I was watching is a bit of a pain point.

This new approach is so much better.

Also, props Christian for “swooshed into view”. Gonna steal that.

UPDATE: Played around with tvOS 13 and 14, seems like the Control Center shortcut was there in tvOS 13. They just got rid of the pause button shortcut in tvOS 14. Interesting.

Rene Ritchie and John Gruber dish on iOS 14

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[VIDEO] This was informative and a lot of fun. Two of my favorite Apple personalities together on screen.

Video embedded in main Loop post. Enjoy!

watchOS 7: How to use Optimized Battery Charging on Apple Watch

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Tim Hardwick, MacRumors:

When enabled, Optimized Battery Charging learns from your personal device habits and waits to finish charging all the way up until you need your ‌Apple Watch.

For example, if you regularly charge up your watch at night while you’re asleep, the device may opt to limit its charging to the 80 percent mark, and then wait for an hour or so before you wake up to charge the remaining 20 percent.

Read the post to find this setting. Worth knowing about.

iOS 14 lets you set DuckDuckGo as your default browser

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I’m actually pretty happy with Safari and privacy, but I’m going to give DuckDuckGo a try as my default browser.

To do this yourself:

  • Download the DuckDuckGo app (it’s free) from the App Store
  • Go to Settings > DuckDuckGo (you’ll likely need to scroll a bit)
  • Tap Default Browser App and tap DuckDuckGo

Here’s a link to DuckDuckGo’s iOS 14 blog post.

All the Apple Watches, with all the functionality they support

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UPDATE: I’ve been told that the linked site is infested with malware, so I’ve taken down the link. I replaced it with a link to Apple’s “compare all models” page. Follow the headline link, click “Compare all models” link. Not quite as easy to glean, but better than just deleting the post, which was my first instinct. [H/T @longleaps]

OK, technically, the Series 0 is not on here, but that’s a quibble.

This is a great chart, showing what watch models support what features.

For example, Family Setup only works on Series 4 or later, and only on cellular models.

Find your model, make your way down the chart to see what you’re missing. Time for an upgrade?

Apple One bundle pricing

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Apple:

Apple today announced Apple One, the easiest way to get all of Apple’s subscription services in one simple plan, including Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, and iCloud. With a single subscription, customers in over 100 countries and regions can enjoy their favorite Apple services across their favorite devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, and Mac.

This announcement almost got lost in the noise of all the other announcements. Been looking forward to learning more about the Apple One bundles.

Here are the pricing details:

  • Individual includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage for $14.95 per month.
  • Family includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 200GB of iCloud storage for $19.95 per month, and can be shared among up to six family members.
  • Premier, where available, includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, and 2TB of iCloud storage for $29.95 per month, and can be shared among up to six family members.

The Premier is a no-brainer for me. I already spend $15/month for Apple Music, $10/month for iCloud storage. So $5/month adds in Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Apple Fitness+. That’s an incredible deal. I’m in!

Coming this Fall. And don’t forget: 3% cash back if you pay with Apple Card.

A collection of videos from yesterday’s Apple event

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[VIDEO] Here’s a set of videos (embedded in the main Loop post) that made an appearance in yesterday’s event.

My favorite (and it truly is hard to choose) is the second one, with that voiceover who goes everywhere (even outer space) trying to find things the new Apple Watch doesn’t already do.

The differences between the new iPad Air and the 11-inch iPad Pro

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From Thord Hedengren’s iPad newsletter:

The new iPad Air is in a weird place though, or rather, it muddies the iPad lineup a bit. It can use the Magic Keyboard originally made for the 11” iPad Pro, but the Air’s screen is 10.9”, so the bezels must be a tiny bit bigger on the Air compared to the 11” iPad Pro. It also uses the second generation Apple Pencil, the magnetic one.

So far, not much different. But:

The iPad Air doesn’t have the full camera array, just the one 12 megapixel wide lens. The front facing camera isn’t the TrueDepth like on the Pro either, so while they’re both 7 megapixels, it can’t do Portrait mode or be used for Animojis or Memojis, nor does it work with Face ID. Instead, the iPad Air has Touch ID built into the top button. Furthermore, the Air has two speakers placed for landscape mode, whereas Pro models has four speakers. The Air screen doesn’t have ProMotion and is somewhat less bright (500 nits compared to the Pro’s 600 nits). It’s also a wee bit thicker, but weighs a little less. And, to wrap all the differences up, the Air comes with up to 256 GB storage, starting at the puny 64 GB, which will disqualify an otherwise truly capable machine for many users.

As I was watching yesterday’s event, I was wondering about the differences between the iPad Pro and the new iPad Air. Good to know the specifics.

Note that the new iPad Air has an A14 Bionic, while the iPad Pro is built on the A12Z Bionic.

If you are considering buying a new iPad, here’s the iPad Pro spec page, and here’s the iPad Air spec page.

Apple event video

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[VIDEO] In case you missed it, here’s the video of yesterday’s Apple event, embedded in the main Loop post.

At the very least, jump to about 7:30 in and catch that fly through and the great comic timing of Craig Federighi. What’s that in his hands? An iPad Pro? The new iPad Air? I’m choosing to believe it’s the latter.

Apple introduces all new iPad Air with A14 Bionic

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Apple:

Apple today introduced an all-new iPad Air — the most powerful, versatile, and colorful iPad Air ever. Now available in five gorgeous finishes, iPad Air features an all-screen design with a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, camera and audio upgrades, a new integrated Touch ID sensor in the top button, and the powerful A14 Bionic for a massive boost in performance, making this by far the most powerful and capable iPad Air ever made. The new iPad Air will be available starting next month.

First off, this one’s a screamer, performance-wise. The fastest chip Apple has put into any device. Presumably, this same chip will power the iPhone 12 and, maybe, the new Arm-based Mac. This is no small thing.

And that Touch ID sensor seems a huge move. Just imagine if Apple added that sensor to the iPhone 12. Best of both worlds, especially when you are wearing a mask. That’s pure speculation on my part, not even likely, but I think it’d be a great solution.

Apple introduces 8th-gen iPad

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Apple:

Apple today introduced the eighth-generation iPad, featuring the powerful A12 Bionic chip that brings the Neural Engine to the entry iPad for the first time. Starting at just $329, the upgrade packs even more value into the most popular and affordable iPad, featuring a stunning 10.2-inch Retina display, advanced cameras, and great all-day battery life.

And:

The eighth-generation iPad with the A12 Bionic chip delivers a huge leap in performance, with 40 percent faster CPU performance and twice the graphics capability. This makes the new iPad up to two times faster than the top-selling Windows laptop, up to three times faster than the top-selling Android tablet and up to six times faster than the top-selling Chromebook. For the first time on iPad, A12 Bionic introduces the Neural Engine for next-level machine learning capabilities, including people occlusion and motion tracking in augmented reality (AR) apps, enhanced photo editing, Siri performance, and more.

Available to order now, availability beginning Friday.

Apple announces Apple Watch Series 6

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Apple:

Apple today announced Apple Watch Series 6, introducing a revolutionary Blood Oxygen feature that offers users even more insight into their overall wellness. Apple Watch Series 6 delivers many notable hardware improvements, including a faster S6 System in Package (SiP) and next-generation always-on altimeter, along with its most colorful lineup yet, featuring a beautiful palette of new case finishes and bands. watchOS 7 brings Family Setup, sleep tracking, automatic handwashing detection, new workout types, and the ability to curate and share watch faces, encouraging customers to be more active, stay connected, and better manage their health in new ways.

There was a ton packed into this part of the keynote. All the hardware mentioned above, plus Family Setup and Apple Fitness+.

Along with the hardware additions to Apple Watch, Apple has made some significant additions to the ecosystem, bringing in kids (think Apple Watch SE combined with Family Setup) and expanding their fitness base with Apple Fitness+.

As I mentioned in this tweet, I think Apple has just taken on Peloton, offering a range of moderated fitness classes, but instead of tying them to a bike or treadmill (Peloton’s model), they’ve tied the classes to the Apple Watch and Apple’s other hardware.

I think this rollout is significant. And the Apple bundle pricing seems very attractive. I am bullish here.

Apple introduces brand new, low cost Apple Watch SE

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Apple:

Apple today announced Apple Watch SE, packing the essential features of Apple Watch into a modern design customers love — all at a more affordable price. The largest and most advanced Retina display allows customers to easily see more details and the information that matters most, right on their wrist. Apple Watch SE features the same accelerometer, gyroscope, and always-on altimeter as Apple Watch Series 6, and with the latest motion sensors and microphone, it offers robust health and safety capabilities including fall detection, Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, and the Noise app.

With the introduction of Family Setup, this is a perfect watch for kids.

Apple Watch SE (GPS) starts at $279 and Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular) starts at $329.

It’ll be available to order later today, with availability this Friday.

Apple introduces Apple Watch Family Setup

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Apple:

Apple today announced Family Setup in watchOS 7, bringing the communication, health, fitness, and safety features of Apple Watch to kids and older family members of the household who do not have an iPhone. For the first time, Apple Watch can be set up through a parent’s iPhone, so kids can connect with family and friends through phone calls and Messages, stay motivated with personalized Activity goals, and express their creativity through custom Memoji.

This definitely addresses a hole in Apple’s offerings. I suspect this will help nudge parents to buy an Apple Watch for their kids.

Singapore and Apple partner on national health initiative using Apple Watch

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Apple:

The government of Singapore and Apple today announced their partnership on the health initiative LumiHealth, a personalized program to encourage healthy activity and behaviors using Apple Watch. The first-of-its-kind program was designed by Singapore’s Health Promotion Board in conjunction with Apple as part of the country’s Smart Nation initiative, a national effort to leverage technology to deliver benefits to its citizens and businesses.

And:

The LumiHealth app, designed with user privacy and security at its core, is available in the App Store for pre-order now, and the two-year program will be offered from late October 2020.

AirPods Pro firmware updated with spatial audio. Also, auto device switching for most AirPods

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John Voorhees, MacStories:

AirPods Pro firmware version 3A283 is currently rolling out to users with two new features: spatial audio and automatic device switching.

And:

Check the firmware version of your AirPods by connecting them to an iPhone or iPad and going to the Bluetooth section of the Settings app. Tap on the blue info button next to the entry for your AirPods, and scroll down to the Version number near the bottom of the view.

Or dive deep into Settings > General > About > [your AirPods Pro name]

Apple’s description of spatial audio:

Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking brings the movie theater experience right to your AirPods Pro.11 applying directional audio filters and subtly adjusting the frequencies each ear receives, spatial audio can place sounds virtually anywhere in space, creating an immersive surround sound experience. Using the gyroscope and accelerometer in your AirPods Pro and your iPhone, spatial audio tracks the motion of your head as well as your device, compares the motion data, and then remaps the sound field so that it stays anchored to your device even as your head moves.

Follow the headline post for John’s description of the spatial audio experience.

Also part of the update, for both 2nd gen AirPods and AirPods Pro is automatic device switching.

From Apple:

AirPods automatically switch between your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple Watch paired to the same iCloud account, making it even easier to use your AirPods with your Apple devices.

This is the magic part for me. I’ve not tested this yet, but I’m hoping this applies to the Apple TV as well.

I often have my AirPods Pro connected to my iPhone, then turn on my Apple TV. I’d love if my AirPods switched over to the Apple TV without my having to do the long-press on the play button dance to connect them. I’d also love it if, when I shut my Apple TV, the connection returned to my iPhone.

How Microsoft built its folding Surface Duo

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If you are at all intrigued by Microsoft’s new, folding, Surface Duo, this is a terrific read. Panos Panay, Microsoft’s chief product officer, talks through the path that took him past the failed Surface Mini concept to what ultimately shipped.

I’d absolutely love it if Apple regularly shared its thinking on product design and evolution.

Apple testing Apple Express, a store for online order pickup

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Michael Steeber:

Apple Burlingame in Burlingame, California is the first location to pilot what Apple calls “Express,” a simplified version of the Apple Store experience that resembles a bank teller window. Apple has partitioned off the entryway to the store with a temporary wall, wood counters, and plexiglass shields to serve customers at. Two sets of shelving display popular accessories available to purchase.

And:

Customers with existing online orders can simply walk up to the counter and collect their purchase. Genius Bar appointments are served at a second counter. Only one customer per counter is allowed in the store’s entry, and walk-in shopping is not available at this time.

I do like the concept, especially once we get past COVID times. Similar to a restaurant that features a walk-up window (with its own line) for to-go orders.

Apple TV+ TinyWorld trailer

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Watch the trailer, embedded in the main Loop post. This looks great to me.

Narrated by Paul Rudd, Tiny World drops October 2nd.

“Counterfeit” AirPods seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the press release

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This is the press release from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announcing their latest seizure in the war against counterfeit goods.

Take a look at the image. It says “OnePlus Buds” on the packaging. Knockoffs, maybe, but genuine knockoffs, not counterfeits.

I like the OnePlus USA response to the whole seizure:

https://twitter.com/OnePlus_USA/status/1305366058501509121

Inside Apple’s green revolution: can it make a carbon neutral iPhone?

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Robert Leedham, British GQ:

In the past decade, Apple has transitioned its facilities to run entirely on renewable energy. In the past year, all of the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch devices it released have been partly made with recycled materials. These moves have won approval from the likes of Greenpeace, but Apple has always suggested that was never the endgame. “We set really big goals for ourselves,” explains Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives. “At one point we were even calling them crazy questions.”

And:

When Cook unveils the iPhone 12 to an empty arena in Cupertino, California, in the next few weeks, it is therefore sure to be its most ecofriendly smartphone ever.

And:

Environmental groups such as the Worldwide Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace see Apple as key to changing its industry. If sustainability is marketed as an iPhone feature that’s on par with its triple-lens camera or Super XDR Display, then consumers could well demand the same from their Samsung or Huawei handset.

And:

Committing to a 100 per cent renewable supply chain by 2030 is a huge undertaking. “It’s a really huge goal,” says Jackson. “Even saying it, I always get a little lump, because I know how much work is involved in doing it, but we have a very detailed plan.”

This effort might be the most important “impossible thing” Apple ever pulls off. Props to Lisa Jackson and her team.

This is a fantastic read, much more than the pull quotes above.

Epic claims Apple just reversed course on “Sign in with Apple”

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From the Epic “Sign in with Apple” FAQ:

Apple previously stated they would terminate “Sign In with Apple” support for Epic Games accounts after September 11, 2020, but today provided an indefinite extension.

And this Fortnite Tweet:

https://twitter.com/FortniteStatus/status/1304161432888643584

Did Apple reverse course here? Or is there more to this story? One likely result is Fortnite users switching from “Sign in with Apple” and moving to an email account-based login. Which gives Epic more user data.

iOS 14’s App Library: The FAQ

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Josh Centers, TidBITS:

An app was either on the Home screen, or it wasn’t on your iPhone. If you couldn’t find an app on a Home screen, a search was your only recourse.

The App Library changes that. All apps live in the App Library, and they can also appear on your Home screen. That means you no longer have to clutter your Home screen with apps that you want to keep installed but use infrequently. You can hide them away and keep only the apps you regularly use on your Home screens. In short, the App Library becomes “the truth” about where you can find any installed app.

This is a pretty major change from iOS 13. Worth reading, and worth noting that you won’t find this on iPadOS 14.

Losing your login when Epic Games loses “Sign in with Apple”

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Epic Games FAQ:

Apple will no longer allow users to sign into Epic Games accounts using “Sign In with Apple” as soon as September 11, 2020. If you have previously used “Sign In with Apple”, please update your Epic Games account email address and password immediately so that you can still login after September 11, 2020.

That’s tomorrow (Friday).

As much as it’s easy to say, this is all Epic’s fault, the issue remains that folks who signed up using Sign In with Apple are losing access to that privacy login mechanism, forced to jump through hoops to go to an alternative.

You might make the point that folks playing on other devices are not using Sign in with Apple. But, from Apple’s official SiwA support page:

Sign in with Apple is available with participating apps on Apple devices with the latest software—iOS 13 or later, iPadOS 13 or later, watchOS 6 or later, macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, and tvOS 13 or later—and with participating websites in Safari. You can also use Sign in with Apple with other web browsers and on other platforms, like Android or Windows.

So if folks bought into Sign in with Apple and use that sign-in across all their devices to get to an Epic game account, they still have no choice. According to Epic, they must move to an alternative login mechanism.

Google Maps for Apple Watch is now available on the App Store

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Abner Li, 9to5Google:

On the Apple Watch, Google Maps is focused on providing step-by-step directions, as well as estimated arrival times. The app’s primary screen shows your “Current trip,” while there’s a list of “Travel times” below. This includes Home, Work, and any other saved shortcuts/destinations.

To get the Google Maps app on your Apple Watch, just make sure you’ve got the latest update installed to the iPhone version of Google Maps. The Apple Watch app should just appear automagically.

One thing that’s kept me from using Google Maps when I’m driving, especially driving alone, is the lack of turn-by-turn on my wrist. Curious if the Google Maps app can take advantage of haptics and tap me to turn right or left as I approach the intersection, as my Apple Maps app does.

Gonna take this for a spin.

Apple’s AR Quick Look gallery

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Grab your iOS device, follow the headline link, and tap the various objects to bring them to life.

Note that you can drag and pinch-to-resize the objects after they’ve been placed. I played with the official Apple Event animation in this tweet. Works the same way.

AR is coming.

Apple doubles down in fight with Fortnite creator Epic Games, seeks damages for breach of contract

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Todd Haselton, CNBC:

Apple on Tuesday shot back in its legal battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games, filing a response and counterclaims alleging that the gaming company breached its contract with Apple and seeking an unspecified amount in damages.

Apple:

″Epic’s lawsuit is nothing more than a basic disagreement over money,” Apple said in a filing with the District Court for the Northern District of California. “Although Epic portrays itself as a modern corporate Robin Hood, in reality it is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that simply wants to pay nothing for the tremendous value it derives from the App Store.”

A gigantic conflict, with shots fired. Stepping outside the conflict itself, I do think a point being lost here is the value of apps to the App Store itself.

The App Store provides a marketplace, reasonably secure, with lots of infrastructure, including sophisticated payment mechanisms and the ability to reach a massive audience. Flawed, perhaps, but there’s no denying the App Store gives an indie app developer a way to reach a worldwide audience without reinventing the wheel.

But this is not a one way street. The apps in the App Store add huge value to Apple’s ecosystem. As a whole, the apps help sell Apple devices, all while feeding Apple’s services revenue.

To me, the real villain here is the shareholder requirement for a publicly traded company to grow or die. If Apple did not have that wolf at the door, they might be able to find more balance in their relationship with developers.