Though iOS 13 has been available for a week now, Apple today released an iOS 12.4.2 update designed for those who are still running versions of iOS 12 on devices that aren’t able to be updated to iOS 13.
Apple is making iOS 12.4.2 available for the original iPad Air, the iPad mini 2, the iPad mini 3, the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and sixth-generation iPod touch, all of which are not compatible with iOS 13.
The iOS 12.4.2 update can be downloaded on eligible devices over the air by opening up the Settings app, selecting the General section, and tapping on Software Update.
It’s not clear what’s included in iOS 12.4.2, but it is likely a security update that adds important security fixes for older devices that weren’t able to get those updates through the newer software. Apple’s release notes say the update “includes improvements, provides important security updates, and is recommended for all users.”
A security support document provided alongside the update indicates that it fixes a vulnerability that could allow a remote attacker to case unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.
Apple has prototyped at least one iPhone with a 6.7-inch display and no notch, with the TrueDepth sensors for Face ID instead housed in the thin bezel above the display, according to leaker and concept artist Ben Geskin.
Geskin created the rough concept below to visualize the alleged iPhone, which he said Apple plans to release in 2020.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of a 6.7-inch iPhone. Earlier this year, noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple plans to release 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch iPhones in 2020, all with OLED displays and 5G support. Kuo said the iPhones will sport all-new designs, but he did not comment on the notch.
Earlier this week, Kuo added that the 2020 iPhones will each have a new metal frame similar to the iPhone 4, suggesting the frame could have flat edges versus the round frame on the iPhone X and newer.
Geskin has had a few accurate leaks in the past, including front glass panels for 2018 iPhones that revealed the iPhone XR would have slightly thicker bezels than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. However, until other sources corroborate this information, the rumor should be treated with some skepticism.
Apple today released a full trailer for the upcoming Apple TV+ series “For All Mankind.”
Told through the lives of NASA astronauts, engineers, and their families, “For All Mankind” presents an aspirational world where NASA and the space program remained a priority and a focal point of hopes and dreams, according to Apple.
“For All Mankind” stars Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dorman, Wrenn Schmidt, Shantel VanSanten, Sarah Jones, and Jodi Balfour. The series was created by Emmy Award winner Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi. All three serve as executive producers alongside Maril Davis.
Apple TV+ is Apple’s upcoming subscription-based streaming video service, launching November 1 in over 100 countries and regions. The platform will eventually offer dozens of original TV shows and movies, such as “The Morning Show,” “Dickinson,” “See,” “For All Mankind” and “The Elephant Queen.”
Apple TV+ will be available on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, and other platforms, including online at tv.apple.com, for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. Since September 10, customers who purchase any iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, or Mac can get one year of Apple TV+ for free.
“For All Mankind” will premiere alongside Apple TV+’s launch on November 1.
ChargerLAB has tested wireless charging speeds on iPhone 11 models running iOS 13.1 and found that multiple wireless charging pads that were able to charge the new iPhones at 7.5W on iOS 13 are now limited to 5W.
Unsurprisingly, the decreased power lengthens charging times, as visualized in ChargerLAB’s graph below:
The report claims that exceptions include various wireless charging pads from Belkin, Mophie, Native Union, Anker, and Logitech sold by Apple Stores, leading ChargerLAB to speculate that Apple may be limiting 7.5W wireless charging to pads using fixed-frequency voltage regulation as of iOS 13.1.
Apple today activated its in-store reserve and pickup system for the new 10.2-inch iPad in the United States and Canada.
This system enables customers to purchase the 10.2-inch iPad on Apple.com in advance and select a 30-minute window to pick it up at an Apple Store. The tool can also be used to monitor inventory of the 10.2-inch iPad at Apple Stores based on ZIP or postal code, with stock available at many locations today.
To check if Apple Stores in your area have stock, head to the 10.2-inch iPad purchase page on Apple’s website, configure your desired model, select “check another store” under “pickup,” and enter your ZIP or postal code.
When you get to the Apple Store, let an employee know you have an order to pick up. Make sure to bring a valid government-issued photo ID with you. Apple also sometimes provides a QR code that can be added to the Wallet app for convenience and quicker check-in, but this is optional.
Alongside in-store pickups, the 10.2-inch iPad is now available for walk-in purchase in many countries. Availability will vary by store, so we recommend calling ahead to confirm your desired model is in stock.
Apple unveiled the 10.2-inch iPad at its September event earlier this month. The 10.2-inch iPad is similar to the 9.7-inch iPad it replaces, with the same A10 Fusion chip and Apple Pencil support, but it has a larger display and a Smart Connector that enables support for Apple’s full-sized Smart Keyboard.
10.2-inch iPad pricing starts at $329 in the United States, in line with the 9.7-inch iPad.
Feral Interactive has announced it is bringing ROME: Total War – Alexander to iPhone next month. The title is a standalone expansion pack to the critically acclaimed ROME: Total War, which was faithfully ported to iPhone late last year.
As with the previous Creative Assembly conversion, the iPhone release of Alexander promises a full port of the original desktop game, supplemented by intuitive touch controls, enhanced Retina graphics, and mid-battle autosaves.
A century before the events of ROME: Total War, Alexander ascends the Macedonian throne and embarks upon an audacious campaign to conquer the all-powerful Persian Empire. Players will lead their armies to unify the Greek city states, and then march across Central Asia, routing all enemies along the way, before establishing their legend as Alexander the Great, the most remarkable general of classical civilisation.
ROME: Total War – Alexander for iPhone 5S and later models, including the iPod touch (6th Generation), will be available exclusively via the App Store for $4.99. The game can be played without ROME: Total War, which is available on the App Store now for $9.99.
Apple supplier Japan Display has lost out on Chinese funds from a key investment firm leading a proposed bailout deal, but Apple could be about to double its own investment to aid in the LCD panel maker’s restructuring, according to reports.
Chinese firm Harvest Group has been leading the consortium for an 80 billion yen ($740 million) bailout deal, which includes investments from Apple and Hong Kong-based activist investor Oasis Management.
However, Nikkei Asian Review today reports that Harvest Group has decided it will not provide any financial aid to Japan Display Inc, also known as JDI. Harvest was expected to contribute 63 billion yen ($557 million), said Nikkei, citing sources familiar with the negotiation.
This is just the latest disappointment for the ailing Japanese firm, which has seen its bailout plan falter repeatedly. The display maker had been expecting $230 million from Taiwan’s TPK Holding to cover its losses, but the proposal was withdrawn in June.
Then, just days later, financial firm CGL Group also dropped its investment plans, leaving JDI unsure whether other members in the Chinese-Taiwanese consortium would follow through with their own bailout proposals.
However, this morning, The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is considering a revised plan that would see the tech giant double its investment in Japan Display to 20 billion yen, up from the 10 billion yen ($100 million) it originally proposed in June.
Apple was slated to invest ¥10 billion in the earlier version of the bailout plan and now is looking at doubling that amount to ¥20 billion in light of Harvest’s withdrawal, said people with direct knowledge of the plan.
JDI relies on Apple for more than half of its sales, and supplies the liquid crystal display panels for the iPhone 11, which has helped support its bottom line. However, its mainstay LCD business has been hit heavily by the growing adoption of OLED panel technology.
That has left the supplier scrambling to invest in OLED production to turn around its business, which saw a $2.3 billion loss in 2018.
On a positive note, JDI received a 20 billion yen infusion earlier this month from Innovation Network Corporation of Japan. Japan Display also supplies the OLED displays for then new Apple Watch Series 5 models, according to well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Last month, Kuo forecasted that Japan Display will gradually increase its proportion of OLED display orders for the Apple Watch, starting with 15-20 percent of orders in 2019 and reaching 70-80 percent in 2021.
If the Japanese firm can rethink its restructuring plans with the help of Apple, it could potentially supply OLED panels for future iPhones, which would in turn allow Apple to diversify its supply chain and reduce its heavy reliance on Samsung for the newer OLED display tech.
Apple is partnering with nonprofit Conservation International to work to restore degraded grasslands and forests in the Chyulu Hills in Kenya.
Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted about the initiative this afternoon, sharing an article penned by Fast Company that includes commentary from Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environmental, social, and policy initiatives.
“By restoring tens of thousands of hectares in the Chyulu Hills, we can remove carbon from the air, protect a critical wildlife corridor for elephants, and support the livelihoods of the Maasai people,” says Lisa Jackson.
The Chyulu Hills are has the potential to “capture huge amounts of CO2,” but has been degraded through unsustainable land use, which also causes problems for the people living in the area. Maasai herders, for example, don’t have enough food for livestock, and elephants and other wildlife struggle to find food.
Climate change impacts all of us —every living thing on Earth. We’re working with @ConservationOrg to restore grasslands and forests in Kenya. These habitats reduce carbon, protecting the livelihoods of the Maasai people and local elephant populations.🌍 https://t.co/bwW61vqxHV
Conservation International, along with the Masaai Wilderness Conservation Trust and the Big Life Foundation will use funds from Apple to focus on social interventions to improve the area rather than planting grass and trees. As an example, the organizations may help Maasai herders shift to rotational grazing, allowing the land to recover on its own.
“Direct planting work is very expensive,” says Nikola Alexandre, a restoration fellow at Conservation International. “But when you work instead with local communities, you find actions that they can carry out that improve their well-being and the well-being of the ecosystem. It’s kind of a win-win solution for everyone.”
Restoration efforts implemented across Africa have the potential to “yield huge climate benefits,” potentially leading to 4 metric tons of CO2 removal per hectare.
Working to combat climate change requires “everyone to act with fierce urgency,” according to Jackson. “At Apple, we’re bringing the same focus we have for creating innovative and groundbreaking products to creating climate solutions,” she told Fast Company.
Apple has also worked to preserve mangrove forests in Colombia, has funded forest management programs in China, and has worked on forest management in the United States.
Apple’s new iPhone 11 Pro Max is similar in design to the previous-generation iPhone XS Max, with the exception of a significantly upgraded camera system.
In our latest YouTube video, we went hands-on with the triple-lens camera in the iPhone 11 Pro Max and compared it to the dual-lens camera in the iPhone XS Max to see just how much of an upgrade it is.
From a pure hardware standpoint, all of the cameras in the iPhone 11 Pro Max are better than the cameras in the iPhone XS Max. The main wide-angle camera has a larger sensor that lets in more light, the telephoto lens now features a larger f/2.0 aperture, and there’s a new ultra wide angle camera (f/2.4) that didn’t exist before.
In practice, though, there isn’t a lot of difference between wide-angle camera comparison shots taken with the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone XS Max in good lighting conditions.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max is sharper in some situations with more vivid coloring, but there are also instances where certain areas of the image get more blown out than with the iPhone XS Max. Image quality between the two phones may change later this year when Deep Fusion, a new iPhone 11 feature, comes out.
Deep Fusion uses machine learning for pixel-by-pixel processing of photos, optimizing for texture, detail, and noise.
When it comes to Portrait Mode, edge detection in the iPhone 11 Pro Max is also similar to edge detection in the iPhone XS Max, so for well-composed shots in good lighting, you’re not going to see a lot of difference.
There are new portrait mode capabilities worth highlighting, however. You can now take wide-angle portrait mode shots with the 1x lens in addition to the telephoto lens, so you can get more in a shot if desired. The telephoto lens itself has also been improved, so Portrait Mode shots in lower lighting will turn out better.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max has the ultra wide-angle camera, which is entirely new and allows you to take wider shots than were possible with the iPhone XS Max. For comparison’s sake, the ultra wide-angle camera offers a 13mm equivalent focal length, while the wide-angle camera is 26mm and the telephoto is 52mm.
The new 13mm focal length makes a world of difference for landscape and architecture shots, plus it can be used creatively for closer shots with unique perspectives. An ultra wide-angle lens is an excellent addition to a smartphone and is perhaps more useful than even a telephoto lens.
The ultra wide-angle lens has an f/2.4 aperture and no optical image stabilization like the other lenses in the iPhone 11 Pro Max, so it doesn’t do quite as well in lower lighting conditions and images aren’t quite as crisp, but it’s great in the proper lighting, such as outdoors.
All three cameras are available for both photography and video recording, and you can switch between them at will with a new toggle in the camera app.
Along with the wide-angle lens, the real difference between the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the XS Max is the new Night mode and the low light capabilities of the 2019 iPhones.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max‘s Night mode uses machine learning and multiple shots to create usable photographs even when it’s close to pitch black outside, while still preserving the color and the feel of a night time photo.
Night mode is drastically different than even the best low light shots from the iPhone XS Max and it allows iPhone users to capture shots that just wouldn’t have turned out on the iPhone XS Max.
Night mode exposures range from 1 seconds to 10 seconds, based on the ambient lighting conditions, how still you hold your iPhone, and more, and the feature basically uses multiple combined shots to create one image so you need to make sure you’re holding the iPhone steady or using a tripod.
Shots taken this way aren’t great for moving objects like pets or kids, and Night mode photos aren’t always as crisp especially when it’s close to pitch black, but you can get some amazing looking images when using it.
As for the front-facing camera, it’s also been improved. There’s a 12-megapixel lens (up from 7-megapixels) and Apple is using next-generation Smart HDR (this is available for the rear camera too), so that “beauty filter” that people disliked in the iPhone XS Max has been toned down. In good lighting, though, there’s not a ton of difference between front-facing shots from the iPhone 11 Pro Max and the XS Max.
The front-facing camera supports 4K at 60 frames per second and slow motion 120fps video at 1080p, allowing for slow motion selfies, aka “Slofies.” The other major change to the front-facing camera is an option to get a wider shot, so you can zoom in or zoom out as desired, which is perfect for group selfies.
All in all, most iPhone XS Max users may not want to upgrade to the iPhone 11 Pro Max, but the exception is people who love taking photos with the iPhone. The cameras are dramatically improved with the ultra wide-angle lens and the new Night mode, letting users capture shots that were not possible with the previous-generation device.
Apple has teamed up with Maroon 5 to add the group’s new song “Memories” to the Memories feature in the Photos app, allowing it to be used for photo slide show creations, reports Billboard.
“Memories” will be available as a soundtrack option for a limited time and it is available to iPhone and iPad users running the latest iOS 13 and iPadOS software.
Memories in the Photos app are created when iPhone and iPad users choose to play a curated memory option, which can be set to different soundtracks.
