Is Apple considering another round of major changes to iOS’s Home screen? If watchOS and tvOS are any indication, the answer could be “yes.” Earlier this year, Apple launched the Apple Watch with a purely text-free Home screen, requiring users to identify 20-some initial apps (and manually-added third-party apps) by icon designs alone. This month, it will release the fourth-generation Apple TV with a refreshed UI, again almost entirely eliminating below-app text in favor of redesigned icons with 3D depth.

While it would be easy to write off Apple’s changes to text labels as one-off decisions for “really small screen” and “really big screen” devices, they collectively raise an interesting question: if developers properly redesigned their iOS icons, would text labels — a staple of graphical user interfaces for decades — really be necessary any more? I’ll take a look at some of the pros and cons below…

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Following last week’s release of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, Apple’s support community pages are lighting up with new reports of problems with the new iPhones for some customers. The issues range from overheating Touch ID buttons to random power-offs, significant audio distortion, and 3D Touch glitches.

Below, we look at some of the most interesting iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus problems users are reporting, as well as possible solutions…

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I honestly did not want to order both an iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus this year. After many years of comprehensively reviewing iPhones — an exhausting process — I was looking forward to spending this year’s iPhone release kicking back and enjoying one of the two new models like a regular customer.

The only problem: I couldn’t decide which model I wanted.

I’ve used an iPhone 6 Plus for the past year, loving the typing experience (for the first time on any iPhone) but hating its size in my pockets (also for the first time on any iPhone). My hope was to switch to an iPhone 6s, and I expected to do so if the 6s proved to be nearly as good as the 6s Plus. But after a weekend playing with both new iPhones, alternating full days of usage between them, I think I’ve come to a different conclusion…

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Pico projectors — video projectors small enough to fit in pockets or bags — are handy if you need to carry a tool that can display videos on a surface much larger than your iPhone’s screen. And if you’re willing to step up from an iPhone 6 Plus-sized footprint to a projector that’s still smaller (in two dimensions) than an iPad mini, there are benefits: larger projectors can hold more powerful lightbulbs, better speakers, and bigger batteries, amongst other features.

AAXA’s P700 ($450) demonstrates what you can expect if you jump from a pocket-sized projector to one that fits in a bag or briefcase. It adds around 50% more physical volume to AAXA’s $299 ST200, which I reviewed and liked five months ago, leveraging the extra space to offer over 4 times the light output, noticeably stronger audio, and slightly longer battery life. If you’re looking for a way to display Mac, Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, or iPod content on up to a 150″ surface, you’ll want to see what P700 offers…

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September marks the Apple Watch’s sixth month on the market, and there are already plenty of accessories available — great Apple Watch stands and battery packs, interesting cases, and lots of replacement wristbands. As time has gone on, I’ve become increasingly interested in replacement bands, as they do the most to change the way an Apple Watch feels. They can also change how the watch looks, but in a more subtle and tasteful way than any of the Apple Watch cases I’ve seen.

Two companies have just introduced premium Apple Watch bands that promise to deliver atypical style for their prices. Long-time Apple case maker Incipio has chosen to focus on fabric bands, offering the new Premium Leather Band ($60) and woven nylon Nato ($40) as upgrades to Apple’s plasticky Sport Bands. By comparison, a younger company called Wristouch is primarily targeting fans of steel bands with Mesh ($69), Oyster ($99), and Meta ($99-$129), each considerably more affordable than Apple’s Milanese Loop and Stainless Steel Link Band. Wristouch also has a band called Rubber ($49) as a same-priced but sturdier alternative to Apple’s Sport Band…

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Yesterday, a reader named Lesley asked me for an update on my earlier opinion piece, “Google’s new Photos may just have won my library away from Apple.” As you may know, Apple considerably lowered its iCloud storage prices last week. Consequently, the choice between Apple’s paid and Google’s free photo syncing services has become more difficult than it was when I wrote that article.

Lesley wrote, “I read your article on Google Photos possibly stealing you away from iCloud photo sync, and I would love an update to that article – if you chose to migrate, how did it go, and how is it functioning so far?… I am teaching a class on photo management in a retirement community – I am deciding which to recommend for cross-platform syncing, and which service to recommend for lower income seniors who are Apple based.”

I would much rather not share this particular tale of woe, but the topic of digital photo storage is important to me, and as Lesley indicates, many other people. What happened with my photo library turned out to be my biggest computer-related headache of the past year. So to help spare you a similar set of experiences, I’ll tell you what happened, so you can decide whether to pick Google Photos, Apple’s iCloud Photo Library, or — as I’ve reluctantly decided — neither…

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Though the vast majority of advance iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus reviews spoke only superficially about the performance of Apple’s latest cameras, several reviewers have spotlighted major performance improvements over the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus that weren’t obvious from Apple’s marketing materials.

Much of the pre-release attention has been focused on Live Photos, higher megapixel counts, and the ease of 3D Touch access to the cameras, all noted by Apple during its September 9 media event. But there are other points to consider…

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Having previously challenged Apple’s iPads and Apple TVs with rivals called Fire and Fire TV, Amazon today debuted a series of new Fire tablets and Fire TV media streamers at remarkably aggressive price points. Led by the new $49.99 7″ Fire tablet, the Fire tablets aim to dramatically undercut iPads on price, while the $99.99 4K Fire TV and its siblings were designed to leapfrog new and old Apple TVs with specific features…
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Incase, maker of numerous laptop bags and cases for Apple devices, has been acquired by Incipio, the growing developer of cases, electronic accessories, and wireless speakers based in Orange County, California. Announced today, the acquisition is expected to expand Incase’s distribution and improve its logistics for further international expansion.

Known for years as one of the top Mac, iPhone, and iPod case makers featured in Apple’s retail stores, Incase even developed commemorative cases to mark the openings of new Apple Store locations, and has long maintained a reputation for high-quality products. The company was previously acquired by investment group Swander Pace Capital in 2010, and now joins the Incipio stable of brands including Braven, Tavik, and Clam Case…

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I’ve been interested in iBeacons — proximity-based wireless transmitters — ever since they were first announced by Apple alongside iOS 7 at WWDC in 2013. The idea of walking into a store, restaurant, or other public space and receiving (opt-in) wireless notifications based on proximity to a Bluetooth sensor struck me as a potentially compelling next step forward for both retailers and smartphone users. Even more exciting was the opportunity to receive incentives, such as coupons or free apps, just for being in proximity to the store. iBeacons have been added to Apple Stores, Macy’s, MLB baseball parks, and even bars, offering giveaways of free apps and magazines, as well as everything from locations of products to seating directions.

In a twist, iBeacons aren’t being sold directly by Apple. The name is being used across a variety of third-party products that meet an Apple specification, and sold by different companies throughout the world. When I heard that a European developer named Beaconic was dropping its prices on iBeacons to levels any small retailer could afford — around $107 for two “Power” beacons or $141 for four “Retail” beacons, each with an unlimited software license — I reached out to the company so I could see what the retailer and customer experience was like. Here’s what I learned…

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Transferring files from your old iPhone to a new iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus isn’t difficult, but after a reader emailed about the many, many hours he expected to wait for the old-to-new iPhone transfer process to complete, I realized that his experience has become more common — even though it’s not necessary. Years ago, iTunes was the only (and fairly straightforward) way to transfer one iPhone’s contents to another. But now, between iCloud, larger device capacity sizes, and iTunes encryption options, there are certainly ways to turn a simple process into a day-long ordeal.

This quick How-To guide is designed to save you a wasted day by helping you select the best options in iTunes and get most of the work done ahead of time. I’ve used this process more times than I can count, and beyond working perfectly each time, it requires far fewer hours than relying on iCloud…

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Perhaps best known for its excellent Stand for Apple Watch (reviewed here), Nomad Goods today unveiled Pod Pro — a more powerful sequel to its unique portable Pod charging dock for Apple Watch (reviewed here) — and Strap, a premium stitched leather strap similar to an Apple Watch Hermés band, but at a much more affordable price.

Pod Pro expands upon the Apple Watch-only Pod charging puck by boosting both power capacity and device compatibility. Now featuring a 6000mAh battery and an integrated Lightning cable, Pod Pro promises two full recharges of both an iPhone 6 and Apple Watch. Circular with a 98mm diameter, it winds an Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable underneath a space gray metal cap. It’s available for pre-order today at a discounted price of $79, going up to a regular price of $100 on October 15, and shipping October 30.

Strap uses impressively thick genuine Italian leather in only one size — 42mm — and one color, a handsome natural brown with beige contrast stitches. To match the color of your Apple Watch, you can choose from silver or PVD-treated space gray buckles, each made from stainless steel. It’s available for pre-order today at a reduced price of $119, with a full retail price of $150 starting on September 30. Strap ships on October 15. More pictures are below…

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Apple TV’s user interface has been through more changes over the past 8 years than any other Apple OS — the rare Apple UI that has seen more major changes than the devices it runs on. As improbable as this might have seemed for a “hobby,” fixing the Apple TV was one of the last topics Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs discussed with biographer Walter Isaacson: “I finally cracked it,” Jobs said about an upcoming Apple TV UI. “It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine,” apparently indicating that complex remotes would be a thing of the past. But after Jobs passed away, the Apple TV received only a couple of modest tweaks — improvements, but modest nonetheless — as Jobs’ mysterious “simplest UI” apparently remained unused.

As an Apple TV user and fan, I’ve spent years waiting for this week’s introduction of the fourth-generation Apple TV, as much for improved hardware as the opportunity to see Jobs’ vision in action. I’ve long suspected that pervasive voice control was the missing link — Siri was added to the iPhone 4S just before Jobs died — and from every indication, Apple has done a wonderful job of building voice navigation into the new Apple TV’s tvOS operating system. But did it get the rest of the UI right, or are we in for more years of main menu redesigns? Let’s take a look at what tvOS 1.0 gets right and wrong…

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Apple’s “Hey Siri” special event was so completely jammed with major announcements that a lot of little details fell through the cracks — performance differences between the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, battery surprises in the iPad Pro and iPad mini 4, and connectivity omissions in the Apple TV 4, just to name a few.

Every year, once the event’s dust has settled, I dig through all of the information out there to bring you a clearer picture of what to expect from Apple’s latest devices. Here are the things you’ll want to know about the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Pro, iPad mini 4, and Apple TV 4…
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After officially revealing the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus this morning, Apple confirmed pricing and availability details for both new models. Off-contract, the iPhone 6s will sell for either $649 (16GB), $749 (64GB) or $849 (128GB), versus $749 (16GB), $849 (64GB) or $949 (128GB) for the iPhone 6s Plus. Both of the new iPhones will be available for pre-order on September 12, and reach first customers on September 25.

On a 24-month contract, the iPhone 6s will sell for $199 (16GB), $299 (64GB), and $399 (128GB). Carrier financing for the 6s will start at $27 per month over 24 months. Each iPhone 6s Plus model will sell for a $100 premium over the iPhone 6s, ranging from $299 to $499. Carrier financing will start at $31 per month over 24 months. Apple will continue to offer the older iPhone 5s in two capacities ($0/16GB, $49/32GB), with the iPhone 6 ($99/16GB, $199/64GB) and iPhone 6 Plus ($199/16GB, $299/64GB) also at two capacities each.

Apple also announced an iPhone Upgrade Program, enabling customers to get the latest iPhone each year with their choice of carriers. The program will include an unlocked phone with AppleCare+, starting at $32 per month.

Today is notably the last day to lock in Gazelle’s guaranteed cash trade-in prices for older iPhones ahead of the iPhone 6s launch, as well as NextWorth’s special 9to5Mac reader bonus adding 10% to any iPhone trade-in (use promo code 9TO5MAC). Amazon is still offering aggressive trade-in values, assuming you want Amazon store credit rather than cash.

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Following months of rumors, Apple today officially unveiled the 4.7″-screened iPhone 6s and 5.5″-screened iPhone 6s Plus, the “S”-series sequels to last year’s hugely successful iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus — billed by Apple as the most popular iPhones ever. Preserving their predecessors’ physical sizes and glass-and-metal industrial designs, the new models have been updated with a collection of enhancements, including:

• 3D Touch, force-sensing technology that adds new gestures “peek” and “pop,” which bring up modal windows and things hidden under panes.
• A9 processor promising 70% increase on A8 speed and 90% faster graphics (“console class”), enabling games to offer all sorts of special effects and frame rates better than A8.
• M9 motion coprocessor, always on, along with always-on Siri.
• Second-generation Touch ID, twice as fast as before.
• All new 12MP iSight camera. 50% more pixels than before, more accurate autofocus. They decided they would not add pixels over the 6/6 Plus camera until they wouldn’t compromise image quality. 4K video support has been added, as well.
• New 5MP FaceTime HD camera, including “Retina Flash” (screen) with True Tone ability. Screen can light up three times brighter than usual for this.
• Support for Live Photos, pictures you can save and watch animate (with sound) as you press with 3D Touch. They’re mini videos automatically created as you take pictures. But they’re not videos, a series of frame-to-frame compressed videos that work on all devices.
• Wi-Fi and LTE Advanced with “up to” 23 LTE bands, 2X faster LTE, and 2X faster Wi-Fi (866Mbps).

New leather, silicone, and dock colors have been announced as well. Photos and many more details are below. We’re still updating, refresh for more…

Today is notably the last day to lock in Gazelle’s guaranteed cash trade-in prices for older iPhones ahead of the iPhone 6s launch, as well as NextWorth’s special 9to5Mac reader bonus adding 10% to any iPhone trade-in (use promo code 9TO5MAC). Amazon is still offering aggressive trade-in values, assuming you want Amazon store credit rather than cash.

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Following the apparent leak of iPhone 6s Plus packaging last month, an image purporting to show the front of the iPhone 6s box has appeared on Dutch site Techtastic, following the same design theme. Like the iPhone 6s Plus box (shown below), which featured a gold and black fish that looked almost like a flower, the alleged iPhone 6s box shows what appears to be a partially golden fish against an all-white background, matching the gold or rose gold edges of the device. Update: Another image, supposedly showing a black and red fish on a space gray iPhone 6s, has also appeared.

Our reports leading up to the official unveiling of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus noted that Apple plans to add Motion backgrounds to the new iPhones, paralleling a feature introduced on the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch’s Motion backgrounds include timelapse animations of flowers, butterflies flapping their wings, and jellyfish moving against black backgrounds. New backgrounds containing animated fish and colorful bursts of smoke are expected to debut on the iPhones.

Despite the significant similarities in the alleged iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus boxes, however, there are some details that don’t match up exactly, suggesting that one or both are prototypes of the final packaging…

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What would it take to evolve the Apple TV from a plastic $69 puck into a covetable device worth a premium asking price? A design collaboration between designers Martin Hajek and Andrew Ambrosino provides some compelling answers, borrowing Apple Watch and iPhone 6 design cues to re-imagine the Apple TV as a two-tone, metal-clad box with a matching color touchscreen remote. The remote can be used for basic icon-based navigation of the Apple TV’s apps, or flipped over to reveal a basic game controller.

While completely different from the actual fourth-generation Apple TV expected to debut tomorrow at Apple’s special event in San Francisco, Hajek and Ambrosino’s renderings suggest an alternative reality where Apple could convince people to pay $300 for a set top box. Black and silver or white and gold versions are shown in the gallery below, each with interesting button designs…

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By now, Nest’s story is quite well known: founder Tony Fadell left Apple after co-inventing the original iPod, founding Nest to re-imagine neglected home devices with modern designs and features. Nest started with the Nest Learning Thermostat, which made HVAC programming and remote management easy — really for the first time — then released the Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, and after acquiring Dropcam, the Nest Cam home security camera. Now owned by Google, Nest has closely followed Apple’s strategy of refined iteration upon past designs, releasing the Nest Learning Thermostat 2nd Gen and Nest Protect 2nd Gen as modestly but meaningfully tweaked sequels to address rough edges and omissions.

Yesterday, the company announced and released the Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Gen ($249), which looks familiar at first glance. Still shaped like a metal-clad circle, Nest’s latest Thermostat is a hint thinner than its predecessors, yet sports a larger, higher-resolution screen that can optionally be used as an analog or digital clock. As a satisfied user of the 2nd Gen Thermostat for my home’s downstairs heating system, I bought the 3rd Gen Thermostat to replace the old control panel I had upstairs. Here are my thoughts on Nest’s latest product…

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With the official announcement of Apple’s iPhone 6S just around the corner, Gazelle today announced limited-time promotional trade-in pricing for the iPhone 5s, 6, and 6 Plus, guaranteeing that Gazelle’s cash offer will “beat the trade-in credit offered by a customer’s wireless carrier or Apple.” The promotion applies to U.S. carriers AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint, as well as Apple’s trade-in program.
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