iOS Devices

Following Apple’s filling earlier today in which it formally responded to the FBI’s court request to access date on a locked iPhone, the Wall Street Journal now reports that Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter all plan to file court motions supporting Apple’s stance.

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Apple will further differentiate the next-generation 9.7-inch iPad from its predecessor by making it part of the new iPad Pro line, according to sources. Much like the MacBook Pro comes in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, the iPad Pro will soon come in 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch variations. This trend follows Apple not calling its 12-inch MacBook a new Air despite developing the product as an apparent successor to the MacBook Air.

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Somewhat out of the blue, Apple has released a minor software update for the third-generation Apple TV. This is technically listed as iOS 7.2.1, the same version number as the previous public Apple TV operating system. However, the build number has been bumped up, indicating Apple has rolled in some minor bug fixes and improvements.

The update comes as a welcome surprise for third-generation Apple TV owners, who had felt somewhat abandoned ever since Apple released the brand-new tvOS-based Apple TV 4 last fall. The change in build number only means that it is unlikely for the update to include major new features.. Nevertheless, let us know in the comments if you notice any changes with the new update.

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Readdle’s popular Spark email app for iOS just received the biggest update of its young existence. The timing of such an update couldn’t have been better with the unfortunate demise of Mailbox — a once beloved email app that’s scheduled to shut down tomorrow, February 26th.

Prior to today’s update, Spark was well-liked, but the lack of iPad support made it difficult for some to adopt it as a full time client. Now that iPad support, and several other new features have arrived, Spark feels as if it’s now ready for prime time. Should you consider adopting Spark as a part of your email workflow?
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In a conference call with reporters last week, an Apple exec said it was reasonable to expect the company to continue strengthening the security policies of its products in light of the Apple/FBI battle.

In complementary reports today, The New York Times and Financial Times are detailing that Apple engineers are now actively developing new encryption methods for iCloud backups and iPhone hardware, so that Apple couldn’t even hack itself … if it was asked to again like in San Bernardino iPhone backdoor/unlock case.

Not only would this counter the orders by the FBI in the current court case for future iPhone owners, it would also close a security hole in iCloud backups that various law enforcement institutions have exploited thousands of times before …

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We have been reporting since earlier this year that Apple is preparing to launch a new 4-inch iPhone called the iPhone 5se. Our sources have said that the new device is essentially the 2013 iPhone 5s with significant internal hardware and software upgrades. Earlier rumors about a next-generation smaller iPhone model called the device an “iPhone 6c” and said that it would look similar to the iPhone 6 in appearance.

Today, a case maker source provided us with schematics that line up with what we have been hearing from our sources who have used the iPhone 5se: the device looks nearly like a 5s.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook has today sat down with ABC’s David Muir to talk about the company’s battle with the FBI. Last week, a California court requested that Apple unlock an iPhone 5c used by one of the San Bernardino gunmen in December. Cook replied to the request with a letter on Apple’s homepage, saying that Apple did not want to create the tool that would be required to unlock the device. In his interview with Muir, Cook elaborated on the company’s decision…

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Multiple users of the iPad Pro Smart Keyboard have noted that a software update has begun rolling out to fix connectivity issues. As noted by iMore, Apple has posted a support document on its website detailing the update’s intended purpose:

According to a report from the Associated Press, Apple plans to file legal papers in which it will argue that its fight with the FBI of decrypting an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino gunmen should be settled by Congress. This report follows Apple CEO Tim Cook’s letter to employees in which he stated that the government should withdraw its demands because they are invalid under the All Writs Act from 1789.

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When Apple released the first beta of iOS 9.3, iPad Pro users quickly discovered that the update essentially crippled the Apple Pencil’s functionality with the device. Since its release, the Apple Pencil had been able to be used to navigate throughout iOS, in addition to the oft-touted drawing capabilities. The 9.3 betas, however, removed the accessory’s ability to be used to navigate iOS. Apple has confirmed to The Verge, though, that the capability will return in the next beta.

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Yesterday, I presented a list of 10 different tips that I thought any new Mac owner should know. As stated in that walkthrough, I don’t consider every recommendation on the list to be an absolute must-follow for new Mac users. There are a few items on the list, however, that are staples in my opinion.

For example, I would hate it if every minimized window on OS X occupied its own space on the Dock. For that reason, I rush to enable the “Minimize window into application icon” option (found in System Preferences → Dock) after every new install. But enabling such a feature comes with its own caveat — it’s hard to know exactly what’s behind an app icon on the Dock once you’ve minimized its respective windows. Thankfully, there’s a handy Mac utility that allows you to preview app windows by hovering over icons in the Dock.
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Fabric, a subsidiary of Twitter, has today expanded its comprehensive platform for developers by releasing an iPhone app, Fabric for iPhone. The app lets developers monitor various analytics and diagnostics about their applications while on the go. Stats like current active users and crash rates are instantly visible from the dashboard.

Most notably, the app features push notifications for realtime updates about major issues. For instance, developers will get a push alert if their app suddenly starts crashing for a new reason.

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Over the last year, Spigen has introduced two of the world’s best iPhone car accessories: the Magnetic Air Vent Mount and Style Ring, which you might not have heard of. While the Magnetic Air Vent Mount is solely a car mount, Style Ring does triple duty as a video stand, finger grip, and car mount.

Style Ring adds a sturdy metallic ring to the back of your iPhone, iPad mini, or favorite case, including reusable 3M gel pads and a low-profile hook mount to attach to your car’s dashboard. Each of the parts is beautiful, and the normally $19.99 kit is currently on sale for $5.99 with coupon code 3VUMW6RR. That’s not a typo: yes, it’s only $5.99!

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A competitor to Apple-acquired camera tech firm LinX has demonstrated the benefits that can be delivered by a twin-camera system like that rumored for the iPhone 7 Plus. A CNET video (below) shows how combining images from two separate cameras can deliver far sharper zoomed-in images compared to the camera in the iPhone 6s/Plus.

Corephotonics said that it had working dual camera systems back in 2014, but the supply chain was not yet able to deliver the volumes needed. That has now changed, it says …

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Apple has added several new channels and cable internet services onto the new Apple TV universal search and Siri search today, following the addition of Fox and National Geographic earlier in the month. Today’s enhancements brings Watch ABC, Disney Channel, Disney Jr and Disney X.D into the mix allowing users to quickly search across these services in the Apple TV UI. As shown in the screenshot, Modern Family now lists ABC as a viewing option alongside Netflix, iTunes and Hulu. Selecting Watch ABC takes the user directly to the app with the show ready to watch.

Unfortunately, international Apple TV users continue to be left in the dark regarding ‘universal’ search. Outside of the US, a handful of countries get iTunes + Netflix integration in search results … the remainder only get iTunes.

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As someone who reinstalls macOS several times a year, I’ve gotten into a habit of powering through the initial setup process without thinking much about it. Today, I’d like to share 10 of my favorite initial setup tips with new Mac users. But even if you’re a long-time Mac user, you may still find a helpful gem or two within this how-to.
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Following Tim Cook sending a letter to all Apple employees earlier today regarding the issue, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has today expressed his support for Apple in its ongoing battle with the FBI. Speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Facebook CEO stated that he doesn’t believe that building back doors is the way to handle situations like the one being debated (via NY Times).

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