Apple released iOS 16 to the public today (Monday 12th September 2022) for iPhone 8 and later. iOS 16 brings the biggest update ever to the Lock Screen, the ability to edit and collaborate in Messages, new tools in Mail, and more ways to interact with photos and video with Live Text and Visual Look Up.

​Below are all the major new features in iOS 16.

A More Personal, Beautiful, and Helpful Lock Screen

The Lock Screen gets reimagined, offering deeper personalization. Now users can add a depth effect to their Lock Screen photo, artfully displaying the photo subject in front of the time, and they can even customize the font and type style. New widgets on the Lock Screen make it easy to get helpful information at a glance like upcoming calendar events, battery levels, alarms, time zones, Activity ring progress, and more.

The new Lock Screen gallery features a range of options. Users can choose an intelligently suggested photo from their personal library that will look great on the Lock Screen, or a dynamic set of photos that shuffle throughout the day. Apple collections include iconic imagery from Apple; Pride and Unity wallpapers; a Weather wallpaper to see live weather conditions as they change throughout the day; and an Astronomy wallpaper for views of the Earth, moon, and solar system. Users can also create unique designs with their favorite emoji and color combinations, and with multiple Lock Screens, users can switch between their favorites with just a swipe.

Redesigned notifications now roll in from the bottom to offer a clear view of the Lock Screen, and users can choose to view notifications in an expanded list, stacked, or as a count view.

​Stay in the Moment With Focus

With iOS 16, Focus is easier to set up and gets even more powerful by connecting to the Lock Screen, giving users a way to simply swipe to a designated Lock Screen to activate the corresponding Focus. With Focus filters, apps like Calendar, Mail, Messages, and Safari can display only the content that is relevant to a user’s Focus, helping them to find better balance.

​New Ways to Interact in Messages

Updates to Messages make it possible to edit, undo send, and mark conversations as unread, making it even easier to stay connected. With iOS 16, users can now invite friends and family to SharePlay via Messages, offering another way to enjoy synced content like movies or songs and shared playback controls. In addition, new collaboration features in Messages make working with others quick and seamless. When users choose to share files for collaboration through Messages, everyone in a thread will be automatically added, and when someone makes an edit to the shared document, activity updates appear at the top of the thread.

Increase Productivity With New Tools in Mail

Now users can schedule delivery of an email ahead of time or cancel delivery of a message before it reaches a recipient’s inbox. Users can also set reminders to come back to a message at a later date with Remind me, receive automatic suggestions to follow up on an email if they haven’t received a response, and get automatic alerts when they’ve forgotten to include a recipient or attachment in an email. With the biggest update to search in years, Mail features state-of-the-art techniques to deliver more relevant, accurate, and complete search results.

​Visual Look Up and Live Text Enhancements

Users can now tap and hold on the subject of an image to lift it from the background and place it in apps like Messages. Visual Look Up also expands to recognize birds, insects, spiders, and statues, helping users quickly get information about objects and scenes in photos.

Using on-device intelligence, Live Text can now recognize text in videos across the system. Users can pause a video on any frame to interact with text and take quick action, such as copy and paste, translate, convert currency, and more.

​More Secure Browsing in Safari With Passkeys

Browsing in Safari is even safer with passkeys, a next-generation credential that can’t be phished or leaked, making it more secure and easy to use. Designed to replace passwords, passkeys use Touch ID or Face ID for biometric verification, and iCloud Keychain to sync across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV with end-to-end encryption. Created as a joint effort in collaboration with the FIDO Alliance, Google, and Microsoft, passkeys will work across apps and the web, and users can sign in to websites or an app on non-Apple devices using just their iPhone.

Safari also adds shared Tab Groups to share a collection of websites with friends and family, making it seamless to add tabs and see what others are viewing.
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New Accessibility Features to Navigate, Stay Connected, and More

Accessibility updates include Door Detection, which helps users who are blind or low vision use their iPhone to navigate the last few feet to their destination; and Apple Watch Mirroring for users with physical and motor disabilities to mirror their Apple Watch display to iPhone, and control Apple Watch with Voice Control and Switch Control. Additionally, Live Captions make it easier for Deaf and hard of hearing users to follow along with any audio content — whether they are on a phone or FaceTime call, using a videoconference or social media app, streaming media content, or having a conversation with someone next to them.

​Additional Features

• Apple Pay Order Tracking enables users to receive detailed receipts and order tracking information in Wallet for Apple Pay purchases with participating merchants.
• ​Updates to Apple Maps enable further exploration of the world with improved driving and transit navigation, and multistop routing. Drivers can easily create routes with multiple stops and automatically sync routes from Mac to iPhone when they’re ready to go. Transit directions will now display how much a journey will cost, and users can add transit cards to Wallet to see low balances — and replenish transit cards — all without leaving Maps.
• Family Sharing offers an easier way to set up accounts for children with the right parental controls in place from the start. It includes suggestions for age-appropriate restrictions for apps, movies, books, music, and more, and a simpler process for setting up a new device for a child that applies existing parental controls automatically. When a child asks for more screen time, parents and guardians can now approve or decline right in Messages. A new Family Checklist provides tips and suggestions, such as updating a child’s parental controls as they get older or turning on location sharing.
• Dictation offers a new on-device experience that allows users to fluidly move between voice and touch. Users can type with the keyboard, tap in the text field, move the cursor, and insert QuickType suggestions, all without needing to stop Dictation. In addition, Dictation features automatic punctuation and emoji dictation.
• Siri adds the ability to run shortcuts as soon as an app is downloaded without requiring upfront setup. Users can add emoji when sending a message, choose to send messages automatically — skipping the confirmation step — and hang up phone and FaceTime calls completely hands-free by simply saying “Hey Siri, hang up.”
• The reimagined Home app offers users easier ways to navigate, organize, and view their accessories.
• The Fitness app is now available to all iPhone users to help track and meet fitness goals, even if they don’t have an Apple Watch. iPhone users can set a personal Move goal, check their trends, and share activity for additional motivation. iPhone motion sensors track steps, distance, and flights climbed to estimate active calories burned. Any workouts completed in third-party apps also contribute to closing the user’s Move ring. The new Fitness app Lock Screen widget offers Move ring progress, steps taken, and distance at a glance.
• The Health app adds Medications, allowing users to conveniently build and manage a medications list, create schedules and reminders, and track their medications, vitamins, or supplements. In the US, users can simply point their iPhone camera at a label to add a medication, read about the medications they’re taking, and receive an alert if there are potential critical interactions with their medications. Users can also now send loved ones an invitation to share their Health data, and easily create a PDF of available health records from connected health institutions, right from the Health app.
• Apple News introduces a new My Sports section, where users can easily follow favorite teams and leagues; receive stories from hundreds of top publishers; access scores, schedules, and standings for the top professional and college leagues; and watch highlights right in the News app. Favorites will sync with the Apple TV app to offer a seamless sports experience.
• Game Center makes it easy for users to play with or compete against their friends through the redesigned dashboard that shows friends’ games activity and accomplishments all in one place.
• Personalized Spatial Audio offers an even more precise and immersive listening experience. Using the TrueDepth camera on iPhone, users can create a personal profile for Spatial Audio that delivers a listening experience tuned just for them.
• Safety Check, a new personal privacy tool, can be helpful to users whose personal safety is at risk from domestic or intimate partner violence. It allows users to quickly review and remove any access they’ve granted to others. It also includes an emergency reset that helps users easily sign out of iCloud on all their other devices, reset privacy permissions, and limit messaging to just the device in their hand. Users can also understand and manage which people and apps they’ve given access to.

Availability
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• iOS 16 is a free software update that is available starting today for iPhone 8 and later.
• In an update later this year, Apple will introduce iCloud Shared Photo Library to give families a new way to share photos seamlessly with a separate iCloud library that up to six users can collaborate on, contribute to, and enjoy. Live Activities will make it even easier to stay on top of things happening in real time, right from the Lock Screen, such as a sports game, ride-share, or food delivery order, and Clean Energy Charging aims to decrease the carbon footprint of the iPhone by optimizing charging times for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources.8 The update will also bring support for the Matter smart home connectivity standard once it becomes available later this fall.
• For more information, visit apple.com/ios/ios-16. Some features may not be available in all regions, languages, or on all iPhone models.

[Source: Apple Newsroom]

Apple unveiled its new iPhone 14 lineup at a highly-anticipated press event today Wednesday (7th September 2022), along with three (3) new Apple Watch models, an update to its popular AirPods Pro and a feature that could save lives when cell service is not available.

iPhone 14

Apple unveiled four (4) new smartphones, including the new iPhone 14 with a 6.1-inch screen and the iPhone 14 Plus with a larger 6.7-inch screen.

The new iPhone 14 features a 12 MP main camera with bigger pixels, a faster aperture and improved sensors. It also uses the same pricessor as last year's iPhone 13 Pro model (the A15). For the first time, the new front camera has auto focus, allowing it to focus at multiple distances in low light for better individual and group selfies. It also has a new action mode that lets users keep videos stable while moving.

Apple's new Pro line features an always-on display and the ability to receive notifications and activities through what the company is calling the “dynamic island,” which makes clever use of a new floating notch near the top of the screen. The Pro line also comes with the first-ever 48 MP camera on an iPhone.

In a notable shift, the iPhone 14 lineup also eliminates the need for a physical SIM card and instead uses a digital ”e-SIM” card. Users can now store multiple e-SIMs on the same device and have multiple cellular plans and phone numbers on the same phone. It also prevents others from removing the physical SIM card if your iPhone is lost or stolen. Apple said all U.S. models of the iPhone will no longer have the SIM tray.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will come in five (5) colors: midnight, starlight, blue, purple and red.

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus will start at US $799 and US $899, respectively, the same starting prices as last year's models. The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max start at US $999 and US $1,099, respectively, also unchanged from the year prior. Analysts widely predicted Apple would hike the price of the premium models by US $100.

Apple Watch Series 8, SE and Ultra

Apple announced several new Apple Watch models, including a higher-end version that costs US $799 and is designed to support the needs of outdoor enthusiasts. It also added an option for its watches to detect when a user has been in a car crash, as well as a satellite connectivity feature for phones, which is intended to help people communicate when their cell service is not available or not working.

Apple unveiled three (3) new smartwatches at the event: the Series 8, the SE and the Ultra.

At the high end, the Ultra model is designed to help users track endurance training, scuba diving adventures and triathlons. The device gets about thirty-six (36) hours on a single charge, is more water resistant and boasts an enhanced compass that can work at night, in the ocean and other conditions.

At the low end, Apple updated the SE to be up to 20% faster than the prior version. It starts at US $249 for GPS models and US $299 for cellular models.

In the middle is the Series 8 model, which starts at US $399. Like prior versions of Apple's smartwatch, the Series 8 is intended to motivate users to stay active and fit. Apple also emphasized the Watch's features for women's health, with revamped period cycle tracking tools that can predict ovulation. The tracking data is kept on each device and only accessible through a passcode or face ID, according to the company. Apple does not have a key to encrypted data and so it cannot access it without your express permission.

The announcement comes as data security for women has become a major flashpoint in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

AirPods Pro 2

Apple also showed off its latest generation of AirPods Pro, which will have six (6) hours of listening time with a single charge — better than the original version. Each headphone and the case itself are now equipped to make a sound to help you find it. A light swipe up and down on the short stems of each headphone will increase or decrease volume.

AirPods Pro 2 now comes with improved dynamic noise-cancellation technology, and can cancel out double the amount of noise compared to the original version. Meanwhile, a new adaptive transparency mode aims to reduce harsh environmental noise.

The AirPods Pro 2 cost US $249 and will be available in stores on Friday (9th September 2022).

​Noteworthy

Apple unveiled a new Emergency SOS via Satellite feature, which the company said has been in the works for years. It was designed and built specifically for iPhone 14 devices to connect to satellites when not near a terrestrial tower. By allowing users to point their device toward a satellite, which the phone will help locate, users will be able to send and receive information to get emergency help.

The company said it created a short text compression mechanism to condense messages that take about fifteen (15) seconds to send if a user has a clear view of the sky. (It may take a few minutes longer if something like foliage is in the way). Apple said local providers will be alerted to assist with calling for help.

If you missed Apple’s event today, you can watch it below in its entirety.

[Source: CNN]

The online Apple Store is down this morning (Wednesday 7th September 2022), ahead of the tech giant’s major hardware event today, dubbed ‘Far Out,’ which is expected to feature the iPhone 14, Apple Watch 8 and possibly AirPods Pro 2. The online Apple Store should be back up directly after the conclusion of the live-streamed Apple event.

We are expecting to see the company announce the new lineup of iPhone (iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max) and Apple Watch (Series 8, a new ‘Apple Watch Pro’ line and maybe updates to the cheaper SE).

If you’re here to just watch the Apple Event live, you can do so below from 1:00 PM (AST/ET). Keep reading for everything we can expect to see today.

According to 9to5Mac, new features for the iPhone 14 will include upgrades to the camera system, with an upgraded autofocus-enabled selfie camera, and a new 48-megapixel rear sensor for the Pro models. Emergency text messaging transmitted over satellite connectivity is also rumored, to be used sparingly when you are stuck without cell reception.

The chassis and industrial design is not expected to change much. The iPhone 14 will look about the same as the iPhone 13. However, the iPhone 14 Pro will feature a new notch design; instead of the attached pull-tab appearance, there will now be hole-punch and pill shape cutouts. Many expect that these two (2) holes will appear as a single pill shape, with the OS filling in black pixels to cover the gap.

9to5Mac notes that there will be no 5.4-inch iPhone 14 mini — as Apple has seemingly decided to kill that size. Instead, Apple is bringing the largest iPhone screen size, 6.7-inches, outside of the Pro line for the first time. This means the base model iPhone lineup will be available in both 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch sizes. The new starting price of the 6.7-inch model should be around US $900, a much more accessible price to consumers. The rumor mill expects it to be named ‘iPhone 14 Plus’, and it will likely be a big seller when these phones go on sale in a couple of weeks.

The headline iPhone 14 Pro feature will be the addition of an always-on display. This means the iPhone screen will permanently stay lit in a low-power state, showing the time, notifications and iOS 16 lock screen widgets. This will bring the iPhone more in line with the Apple Watch experience, which has featured an always-on clock face since the Series 5.

Speaking of watches, the Apple Watch Series 8 is also expected to be announced by Apple today. The new models are believed to add a body temperature sensor. However, most of the attention will be on the brand new ‘Apple Watch Pro,’ an even larger addition to the Apple Watch family sporting a 1.99-inch screen, new chassis design and likely tout several days of battery life. The Apple Watch Pro pricing is expected to be in the US $900 - US $1,000 range.

Outside of Apple Watch and iPhone, there’s a chance that Apple will showcase other new products — but this is where things are much more murky. New iPads, Macs, and a new version of the Apple TV set-top box are all possibilities, but Apple will most likely save these products for a second media event in October. AirPods Pro 2 are on the docket for today, according to the latest rumors, though.

[Source: 9to5Mac]

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has launched a hostile takeover bid of Twitter — promising to “unlock” its “extraordinary potential” as a private company. The potential deal could be worth upwards of US $43 Billion. It’s the latest twist in a stunning multi-week saga between Musk and Twitter.

​While he is a prolific Twitter user with more than 80 Million followers, Musk is also a frequent critic of the social media service.

In a SEC filing dated Wednesday (13th April 2022), the Billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO proposed $54.20 a share for Twitter, calling it his “best and final offer. If it is not accepted, he added, “I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder.”

​Musk recently disclosed he has acquired a 9.2% stake in Twitter, suddenly becoming its largest shareholder. Twitter then offered him a seat on their Board of Directors, however, Musk later declined the offer.

In a letter addressed to Twitter Chairman Bret Taylor, Musk said the following:

Twitter’s share price closed near $46 per share on Wednesday but it was up 10% in pre-market trading on Thursday morning. If Musk decided to unload his shares, it could send the company’s stock price sharply lower.

This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.

​[Source: The Washington Post]

Online retail giant, Amazon, announced on Thursday (3rd February 2022) that it will be increasing the price of its Prime membership for U.S. customers, citing rising costs as the reason behind the decision.

In a letter to investors outlining its fourth quarter earnings, Amazon stated that increased wage and transportation costs along with its expansion of membership benefits has led to the decision to increase its Prime fees.

Monthly Prime memberships will increase from US $12.99 to US $14.99 (up 15.4%), and annual memberships will be hiked to US $139 from the current US $119 (up 16.81%). The price change will go into effect for new members starting 18th February 2022, and existing members will see their fees go up on the date of their next renewal after 25th March 2022.

For the quarter ending 31st December 2021, Amazon’s profits doubled to US $14.3 Billion, blowing past Wall Street analysts’ expectations. Wall Street had expected an Earnings Per Share (EPS) of US $3.44, but the online retailer delivered a staggering US $27.75. Investors appeared to like the results, as the company's stock shot up more than 18% in after-hours trading following the report.

This is the first time Amazon will be raising its Prime fees since 2018 — when an annual membership used to cost US $99.

​You can grab a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime here. We may receive a small commission if you choose to support us via that Affiliate link.

[Source: Fox Business]

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Thursday (28th October 2021) at the company’s Connect event that their new corporate name going forward will be Meta. Zuckerberg said at the event, “We are a company that builds technology to connect. Together, we can finally put people at the center of our technology. And together, we can unlock a massively bigger creator economy.” He added, “To reflect who we are and what we hope to build.”

He said the name Facebook doesn’t fully encompass everything the company does. “Right now, our brand is so tightly linked to one product,” he said. “But over time, I hope we are seen as a metaverse company.”

According to The Verge, the rebrand is part of the company’s efforts to shift gears away from being known as just a social media company to focus on Zuckerberg’s plans for building the metaverse.

The Verge said on Thursday, “Facebook has been under intense scrutiny over the past several weeks, after revelations based on damning internal documents provided to The Wall Street Journal by whistleblower Frances Haugen showed, among other things, that Facebook’s Instagram platform had become a toxic place for teenagers, especially girls. And antitrust regulators are pushing for the company to be broken up, as public trust in the social media platform is flagging.”

[Source: The Verge]