Apple Quietly Downgrades M2 iPad Air GPU from 10-Core to 9-Core

Apple recently took the wraps off its M2 iPad Air, after a long hiatus. It packs several upgrades over the predecessor, including a new landscape camera, a bigger 13-inch display, and Wi-Fi 6E; however, one key specification is causing a lot of confusion. Something that’s confusing people is the number of GPU cores inside the […]

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Macworld

Stashing your iPhone, iPad, and the Logitech K480 in your bag can be just enough for a full and productive workday away from your home office. And now that the Logitech K480 is on sale at Amazon for $29.98, a savings of nearly 50 percent off its usual $50 price, there’s no excuse to not add it to your setup.

The Logitech K480 is a multi-device keyboard with wide compatibility which includes your Mac, iPad, and iPhone, connecting to them via Bluetooth. Switching between them is done with the help of a dial on the left side of the keyboard, making for a seamless experience. The keyboard is pretty sturdy and weighs 1.8 pounds. That makes sense, however, because it has to be able to support your devices in the 10-inch cradle and balance them off when...

Sonos announced its new Sonos Ace Headphones in early May and, after much anticipation, are finally set to release on June 5th. I have been lucky enough to live with them for the last 10 days. I have used them in every scenario possible to see if these headphones are truly the new ‘Best in class’ and if I could recommend them at the $449 price point. In short, these headphones are awesome but there are some things you need to know. Let’s get into my full review!

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Macworld

Apple fans looking forward to new Macs or iPads at WWDC 2024 should prepare themselves for disappointment. Despite the small number of releases out of Cupertino so far this year and the long list of products waiting for an update, a respected analyst has predicted that the event will not see any hardware announcements at all.

The prediction comes from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter. Gurman told subscribers (via...

The judge in the Apple versus Epic Games case has told the Cupertino company that she wants to see all of the company’s documents relating to its revised App Store policies – and she has strongly emphasised that she means all of them.

It follows earlier remarks in which she strongly implied that Apple was guilty of bad-faith compliance with the antitrust ruling she made back in 2021 …

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iPhone 16 Pro Set to Feature Thinnest Bezels Ever Seen on a Phone

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 Pro models are set to feature the thinnest bezels ever seen on a smartphone. According to multiple sources, including leaker Ice Universe, the bezels could measure as thin as 1.2mm for the iPhone 16 Pro and 1.15mm for the Pro Max. This is a significant reduction from the 1.71mm bezels on […]

This post iPhone 16 Pro Set to Feature Thinnest Bezels Ever Seen on a Phone appeared first on The Mac Observer

An engineer with extensive experience of working with Bluetooth found himself bamboozled when told that he needed to enable a wireless connection to use a cheap pair of wired Lightning headphones – and that turned out to be correct …

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It’s now 15 years since the last of Apple’s award-winning “I’m a Mac/I’m a PC” ads, but rival companies still believe it’s clever to use the Mac actor to try to sell rival products.

After Huawei and Intel, Qualcomm is the latest company to make the attempt, with an incredibly cringeworthy ad in which the Mac guy – played by Justin Long – decides it’s time to get a PC …

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If you were hoping for new hardware announcements at Apple’s WWDC keynote address on June 10, you might have to wait for another event. Per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, there’s no expectation that Apple will announce any new hardware during the speech. “There’s no hardware slated to be announced at WWDC, unless Apple unexpectedly previews a […]

Source

Although the iPhone 16 Pro will mostly resemble the design of the , we are expecting some small changes. The screen sizes of both the Pro and Pro Max are increasingly slightly, and we may also see a dramatic further reduction in the black border that is visible around the screen.

That’s according to IceUniverse, who says that the iPhone 16 Pro may in fact feature the world’s thinnest smartphone bezels.

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iOS 18 To Get New Music Widget as Apple Plans To Revamp Control Center

Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 update is shaping up to be a major release, with a focus on AI features alongside other improvements. Mark Gurman, writing in his Power On newsletter, revealed that Apple is working on a redesigned Control Center for iPhone. The update will reportedly include a new music widget and provide more control […]

This post iOS 18 To Get New Music Widget as Apple Plans To Revamp Control Center appeared first on The Mac Observer

Update an Old Mac to Newer macOS: An OpenCore Legacy Patcher Guide

Even the harshest Apple critic can’t deny the company has a great record on software updates. A Mac usually receives at least six macOS versions before it’s unsupported, starting with its initial OS. The same update timeline applies to other Apple devices, e.g., iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Apple doesn’t state this officially, but it […]

This post Update an Old Mac to Newer macOS: An OpenCore Legacy Patcher Guide appeared first on The Mac Observer

[11 Ways] to Fix Personal Hotspot Not Working on iOS 17

Personal hotspot is a handy feature that lets you share your iPhone’s cellular data with other smart devices on the go. Unfortunately, some iPhone users have been having trouble establishing stable connections after updating to iOS 17. This can be a major inconvenience, especially if your hotspot is your primary internet source while traveling. While […]

This post [11 Ways] to Fix Personal Hotspot Not Working on iOS 17 appeared first on The Mac Observer

Many people are not aware that there’s a clever buffer that exists before emails land in an inbox. It’s here that each piece of mail is scanned, ideally blocking anything malicious before it arrives. However, over the years, email providers (mainly Gmail) have instead put more focus on adding “warning labels” to mail containing links or attachments they suspect are up to no good. Akin to putting lipstick on a pig. Despite these efforts, a stagering 91% of all cyberattacks still originate from an inbox.

If you think Google, Apple, and Microsoft could be doing more, you’re right. So, why haven’t they?

9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple...

iOS 18 is expected to be a pretty significant release in terms of the number of changes and new features. While artificial intelligence capabilities will be the big theme of the update, we are also expecting other enhancements.

Today, Mark Gurman writes in his Power On newsletter that Apple is preparing to overhaul the iPhone Control Center as part of iOS 18. The new design will include updates to the ‘now playing’ music widget and the HomeKit smart home controls.

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Instagram as a company seems to have never heard of this little niche product called the iPad. There may never be an Instagram iPad app, which doesn’t bode well for Threads’ own chances of native iPad support either.

But did you know that you can get an app-like Threads experience on the iPad right now? Here’s how to unlock the best iPad experience for Threads.

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An anonymous reader shared this report from the Washington Post:

Twice before, this Virginia carpenter had awoken in the predawn to start his work day only to find one of his vans broken into. Tools he depends on for a living had been stolen, and there was little hope of retrieving them. Determined to shut down thieves, he said, he bought a bunch of Apple AirTags and hid the locator devices in some of his larger tools that hadn't been pilfered. Next time, he figured, he would track them.

It worked.
On Jan. 22, after a third break-in and theft, the carpenter said, he drove around D.C.'s Maryland suburbs for hours, following an intermittent blip on his iPhone, until he arrived at a storage facility in Howard County. He called police, who got a search warrant, and what they found in the locker was far more than just one contractor's nail guns and miter saws.

The storage unit, stuffed with purloined power tools, led detectives to similar caches in other...

We have seen these kind of scams before, but this particularly case is on a ginormous industry-like scale. Five people have been charged on counts of fraud for their involvement in a fake iPhone return scheme.

Essentially, people would take near-worthless fake lookalike iPhone models into the Apple Store, claiming they are faulty and asking for a replacement device. Apple would exchange the unit for a valuable replacement phone, which can then be sold. This procedure was allegedly carried out 16,000 times.

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Macworld

Apple makes great computers, but they’re not cheap. Even if you are happy to pay the entry price for a new iMac or MacBook Pro, you may be painfully aware that for just a few hundred pounds or dollars more you could get a much more powerful model. But can you justify the extra spend?

Luckily you don’t have to, because often you can find a previous generation Mac and sometimes even the current generation model, on sale for less at Apple’s Certified Refurbished store.

It’s not only Apple that offers refurbished Macs though. There are other places you can buy used Macs that have been refurbished, but not all refurbished Macs are as good as the ones Apple sells, so you should beware of the pitfalls. Luckily we will be running through the things to avoid in this...

How To Fix Gpay Says SMS Limit Reached for Device Registration

The SMS limit for device registration error appears when linking a bank account to Google Pay on iPhone and iPad. Here's its cause and seven possible solutions.

This post How To Fix Gpay Says SMS Limit Reached for Device Registration appeared first on The Mac Observer

iPhones are powerful pocket computers with advanced chips, price tags largely exceeding $1,000, and they’re at the center of much of our lives. They also, since Apple debuted Continuity Camera in macOS Ventura, serve as pretty great alternatives to a dedicated webcam.

Unfortunately, as one writer discovered, the dream of keeping an iPhone charged while it serves as your webcam is just that: a dream only. Likely due to heat management features, iPhones tend not to charge when using Continuity Camera—and especially not if you’re using MagSafe.

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We’re all accustomed to receiving two-factor authentication codes via SMS, but if you ever get one that you didn’t request, don’t ignore it because it might indicate that the credentials to one of your accounts have been compromised.

Macworld

If you’re an avid Apple Pencil user, then you’re going to love hearing that the Apple Pencil Tips 4-pack is now on sale for just $12, down from the usual $19, the best price we’ve seen for this essential accessory.

Whether you use the Apple Pencil extensively for sketching intricate designs, jotting down notes, or editing photos, these pencil tips will definitely come in handy sooner rather than later. Compatible with the Apple Pencil 1st and 2nd gen, as well as the Apple Pencil USB-C and Apple Pencil Pro, this 4-pack ensures you always have extra tips at the ready no matter which stylus you have.

While it’s true that Apple Pencil nibs don’t have a set lifespan, they do wear down if you use them daily for hours. Also, if you’re drawing, thus applying more pressure at times, they’ll wear...

We’re not far from the first official look at iOS 18 at WWDC 2024 on June 10. Whether you’d like to test out the new OS as soon as the dev beta is available or you’ll wait for the public beta or public launch, follow along for when to expect the iOS 18 release date.

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Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 release is expected to be one of the iPhone’s biggest software updates ever. Today a new report highlights an enhancement set to be added to one of Apple’s most popular apps: Messages.

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Ensures that duration information is now always visible in the event info panel. ($49.99 new, free update, 67.8 MB, macOS 10.15+)

Macworld

Apple has planted its own flag in the streaming wars with Apple TV+, its in-house streaming service that focuses almost entirely on original programming rather than an extensive library of existing TV shows or movies.

This guide will list all the Apple TV+ content you can watch today, divided into episodic shows or series and movies. There’s also a ton of new content in the works for Apple’s $9.99-a-month service. If you want to know what’s on the way, check out our list of upcoming Apple TV+ shows and movies.

Updated 05/31/24: The second season of children’s animated series...

Chrome on iOS Testing New Search Bar Feature with Quick Actions

Chrome on iOS might be preparing to receive a new improved search bar, which comes in handy especially when searching for businesses such as restaurants, bars, salons, etc. It builds upon Chrome’s Omnibox which lets users perform certain tasks directly from the address bar. According to the Chromium Gerrit CL (change list), accessed independently by […]

This post Chrome on iOS Testing New Search Bar Feature with Quick Actions appeared first on The Mac Observer

All of the hype around WWDC this year has centered around two letters: AI.

Even though a large portion of Apple’s keynote is expected to highlight AI-related features, there will certainly be a variety of other improvements on deck for iOS 18, visionOS 2, and Apple’s other software platforms.

Mark Gurman reports that one such change will be a redesigned Settings app across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

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Days out from WWDC and the AI rumor mill is active as ever.

Yesterday Mark Gurman reported that many of iOS 18’s AI features will require using an iPhone 15 Pro or later. It’s rare for many major software features to be exclusive to the latest iPhone, especially the latest Pro phone. But that’s exactly what iOS 18 seems set to deliver.

Which got me thinking: Apple’s marketing pitch for this fall’s iPhone 16 may center primarily on software, not hardware.

AI features in iOS 18 may be the biggest selling point for the iPhone 16.

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When Apple TV+ launched in 2019, it arrived with a laughably small selection of content. But this was for a very specific reason: Apple sought to distinguish TV+ from its competitors by focusing on creating the best original content possible.

Five years in, TV+ has a fairly solid track record for content quality, even if it’s dropped off a little recently. And today, Apple announced that its best reviewed series ever on TV+ is getting a new season soon: Pachinko season 2 debuts on August 23.

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We’re a little over a week away from the WWDC keynote, in which Apple is expected to announce a slew of new AI features as part of iOS 18.

This is expected to be the point at which Siri gets generative AI smarts, thanks to a deal with OpenAI to incorporate ChatGPT tech …

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Apple Finds a Way to Secure Its AI Cloud Data Ahead of Big Announcements

As we’re nearing WWDC 24, news about Apple’s AI plans is emerging daily. The deal with OpenAI is (reportedly) finalized, and rumors about new AI-powered features, such as text summarization and Siri improvements, are already circulating. While focusing on the end product is exciting, it’s also important to consider what’s happening behind the scenes. Fortunately, […]

This post Apple Finds a Way to Secure Its AI Cloud Data Ahead of Big Announcements appeared first on The Mac Observer

Macworld

June is a big month for Apple.

It all starts with the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where Apple talks about all the great features and improvements coming to its platforms later in the year. That’s followed immediately by the first round of developer betas, so devs can start testing their apps and making updates using the new frameworks and APIs. A public beta typically follows a few weeks later, often in early July.

Sometimes, Apple introduces new hardware at WWDC–Macs are a favorite, as that’s the core product for developers. Last year also saw the unveiling of the Vision Pro headset.

And let’s not forget the usual releases for Apple’s content services: Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade. Those will continue throughout June as usual. Here are all the things we expect from Apple this month.

WWDC 24 software: iOS 18, macOS 15, and AI, AI, AI

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Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone technology launched in Italy on Thursday, allowing sellers to use the iPhone as a contactless payment terminal. As with other international launches, the feature allows retailers to use the NFC chip inside more recent iPhones to accept debit and credit card payments alongside Apple Pay and other digital payment […]

Source

Macworld

When using macOS, you certainly know if you’ve opened a Pages file or are editing an email. But, below the surface are files that macOS uses that you don’t see–all the activity required for background processes, Time Machine backups, Spotlight indexing, and other system needs. When you want to eject a mounted volume, like a volume on an external SSD or hard drive, you can run afoul of macOS’s hidden needs.

You can try to eject a volume normally in these ways:

• Select it in the Finder and press Command-E.
• Select it in the Finder and choose File > Eject.
• Control-click/right-click the volume in the Finder and choose Eject “volume name.”

(If you don’t see the volume in the Finder, either choose Go > Computer or press Command-Shift-C, or choose Finder > Settings > General and check all the items under “Show these items on the desktop.”)

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In a little over a week’s time, Apple will unveil iOS 18 and its other new operating system versions, with a heavy focus on bringing AI features to its customers at a system level.

Apple is expected to use a combination of on-device and cloud for AI processing. But customers might need the latest and greatest to be able to use these new features. Mark Gurman writes that many of the upcoming on-device artificial intelligence will require the latest high-end, the .

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Although Apple already provides its own Home app to let users control and manage their HomeKit devices, there are multiple third-party apps that extend such functionality – and one of them is Controller for HomeKit. This week, Controller for HomeKit got a major update that adds a new “Floor Plan” feature for mapping your home in 3D.

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Benjamin and Zac discuss the curious rumors about a 20-inch foldable MacBook, and the latest Vision Pro content developments. iOS 18 may let users change the icons of the apps on their home screen, but how exactly? We also have more insight into Apple’s AI plans and its approach to handling user data privacy while remaining feature competitive.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin and Zac talk more about the genuine utility of ChatGPT in daily life.

• Sponsored by Shopify: Grow your business no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a $1 per month trial at shopify.com/happyhour.
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If you’re looking to take your desk setup to the next level, this is the guide for you. Head below for some of my favorite products that can improve your working setup, ranging from accessories to decorations and more. All the things on this list are things I’ve personally used and can vouch for.

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Enlarge / OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. (credit: JASON REDMOND / Contributor | AFP)

Apple and OpenAI have successfully made a deal to include OpenAI's generative AI technology in Apple's software, according to The Information, which cites a source who has spoken to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman about the deal.

It was previously reported by Bloomberg that the deal was in the works. The news appeared in a longer article about Altman and his growing influence within the company.

"Now, [Altman]...

Microsoft seems to be concerned about some of OpenAI's business dealings. From a report: Satya Nadella recently met with Sam Altman to discuss an apparent deal between OpenAI and Apple, The Information reported [hard-paywalled]. According to the outlet, the OpenAI CEO recently reached an agreement with the iPhone maker to incorporate some OpenAI services into Apple products. Nadella was reportedly concerned about the potential impact of a deal on Microsoft's product ambitions, per the report. Apple was said to be considering both Google and OpenAI for the deal, which could be worth billions.

If OpenAI has indeed reached an agreement with Apple, it would be a much-needed win for Altman. The tech boss has faced heightened scrutiny after former employees and board members publicly criticized him. Helen Toner, a former OpenAI director, recently accused Altman of lying to the board "multiple" times and "withholding information."

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Two weeks after launching a test for a new, TweetDeck-style interface for Threads on the web, today the new Threads for desktop has received the green light to begin a global rollout.

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Behind the Scenes of iOS Updates: Why Your Battery Suffers Every Time

Curious why you might be experiencing battery drain after an iOS update? Scouring the internet, it doesn’t take long to find folks claiming to experience issues with their battery after updating their iPhone. It’s possible that something disastrous happened while you were downloading the latest iOS release, but that’s a pretty hasty conclusion. I’m going […]

This post Behind the Scenes of iOS Updates: Why Your Battery Suffers Every Time appeared first on The Mac Observer

Incident began at 2024-05-30 14:23 and ended at 2024-05-30 17:11 (times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)).

We're investigating reports of an issue with Google Drive. We will provide more information shortly.

Customer might see 5XX errors while using Google Drive.

Affected products: Google Drive

[Fix] Lock Screen Stuck on Photos: Can’t Switch to Calendar/Clock iOS 17

I’m eternally grateful for the number of screen customizations that Apple has introduced since 2022, like it’s great to edit fonts and add Lock Screen widgets. One annoying issue, however, is when your Lock Screen gets stuck on photos, and you can’t switch to your calendar or clock. This is particularly irritating if you have […]

This post [Fix] Lock Screen Stuck on Photos: Can’t Switch to Calendar/Clock iOS 17 appeared first on The Mac Observer