Tag: Apple Watch

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Is the Apple Watch worth wearing as a necklace?

I finally achieved peak Apple Watch fashion.

A few weeks ago, I attached my Apple Watch to a skull chain from Amazon, and here’s what I learned. But first, if you want to see how I attached the watch to a chain, check out the video below.

After I finally finished the critical build, I actually wore the Apple Watch chain for a few weeks. While it boosted my ego and self-esteem, it also limited the functionality of Apple’s smartwatch.

For example, wearing the Apple Watch around my neck prevented it from working as a functional fitness tracker. It also dangles at an awkward height that makes it bump into every table I sat down at.

Still, the worst part about my creation is that since the Apple Watch isn’t on your wrist, you need to type your passcode every time you want to use it. The Apple Watch is also quite heavy on the end of a chain, so if you’re wearing it inside your shirt you’ll feel it pressing against it if you lean forward.

With all that said, the Apple Watch chain is all about flash, so keeping it visible to show it off is a must.

For more on the Apple Watch Series 7, check out MobileSyrup managing editor Patrick O’Rourke’s review of the Series 7.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

iOS 15’s ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ bug fix for iPhone 13 is now available

Apple has dropped an update that fixes the iPhone 13’s ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ bug that prevents the feature from working.

According to the iOS 15.0.1’s notes, the update doesn’t seem to include anything else beyond a fix for that particular bug. Apple launched unlock with Apple Watch alongside watchOS 7.4 earlier this year to allow the iPhone to unlock while you’re wearing a face mask.

While the feature continued to work on older iPhones after updating to iOS 15, Apple recently acknowledged it was broken on all iPhone 13 devices.

While it’s frustrating Apple dropped the iPhone 13 series with this bug, it’s great to see the tech giant move relatively quickly to fix it.

To download the update, navigate to ‘Settings,’ ‘General’ and then ‘Software Update.’

Categories
Mobile Syrup

iOS 15’s ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ bug fix for iPhone 13 is now available

Apple has dropped an update that fixes the iPhone 13’s ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ bug that prevents the feature from working.

According to the iOS 15.0.1’s notes, the update doesn’t seem to include anything else beyond a fix for that particular bug. Apple launched unlock with Apple Watch alongside watchOS 7.4 earlier this year to allow the iPhone to unlock while you’re wearing a face mask.

While the feature continued to work on older iPhones after updating to iOS 15, Apple recently acknowledged it was broken on all iPhone 13 devices.

While it’s frustrating Apple dropped the iPhone 13 series with this bug, it’s great to see the tech giant move relatively quickly to fix it.

To download the update, navigate to ‘Settings,’ ‘General’ and then ‘Software Update.’

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Apple Watch Series 7 coming in mid-October, says leaker that was wrong about redesign

In an uncharacteristic move, Apple hasn’t given the Apple Watch Series 7 a specific release date despite revealing it alongside its iPhone 13 lineup and the iPad mini.

The tech giant still officially says that the Series 7 is coming “later this fall.”

However, it looks like eager Apple Watch fans won’t have to wait much longer for the Series 7. According to Jon Prosser (Front Page Tech) — a YouTuber with a checkered record when it comes to leaks — the Series 7 will release in the middle of October.

It’s important to note that Prosser is also the key source of the rumours surrounding the Apple Watch Series 7’s squared-off redesign that didn’t actually happen.

Though nothing has been confirmed yet, it’s likely that pre-orders for the Series 7 will launch in early October and that the wearable will release towards the middle of the month. AppleTrack backs up this claim based on a notification from Hermès that says pre-orders for the series 7 will start on October 8th.

Overall, the Apple Watch Series 7 is a very expected update to the Series 6. For example, the only significant new features are a slightly bigger and brighter display with minimized bezels, and a more curved design.

It’s unclear how much the Apple Watch Series 7 will cost in Canada, but it will likely be priced in the same range as the $529 Series 6.

Source: Jon Prosser (Front Page Tech), AppleTrack

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Apple now considers the original Apple Watch a ‘Vintage Product’

The 38mm and 42mm first-generation Apple Watch models have been added to Apple’s list of vintage and obsolete products.

The first version of Apple’s smartwatch launched more than six years ago back in 2015. The ‘Series 1’ was followed by the ‘Series 2’ in 2016, and since then, the tech giant has released a new version of the wearable every year.

Being labelled as vintage means that the wearable is no longer eligible for repairs by Apple or from authorized service providers. Apple’s vintage list typically includes products the tech giant stopped selling more than five years ago and less than seven years ago.

While the Series 1 looks very similar to the Series 7, Apple’s entire strategy surrounding the Apple Watch has shifted considerably over the last few years. The OG Apple Watch was far more focused on being an extension of what the iPhone is capable of, while more recent versions of the wearable are more independent, feature several health-focused sensors and include a wide variety of fitness features.

The Apple Watch Series 7 is expected to release at some point in October, though strangely, the wearable doesn’t yet have a specific release date, backing up rumours that it suffered a manufacturing delay.

Via: MacRumors

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Apple says iPhone 13 ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ fix is coming soon

After several reports, Apple finally confirmed that ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ doesn’t work with the iPhone 13 series through an updated support document.

However, the tech giant says that a fix is coming in an upcoming update. The support document update reads as follow:

“Apple has identified an issue where Unlock with Apple Watch may not work with iPhone 13 devices. You might see “Unable to Communicate with Apple Watch” if you try to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask, or you might not be able to set up Unlock with Apple Watch.

This issue will be fixed in an upcoming software update. Until the update is available, you can turn off Unlock with Apple Watch and use your passcode to unlock your iPhone 13.

To turn off Unlock with Apple Watch, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode.”

Until the update drops, Apple says that iPhone 13 users should turn off the ‘Unlock with Apple Watch’ feature and use a passcode to unlock the smartphone. You can find this under the Apple Watch settings and then ‘Face ID & Passcode.’

While a minor issue, it seems strange that Apple wouldn’t be aware of this problem before releasing the iPhone 13 series, especially given how useful it’s been amid the pandemic and face mask mandates.

Given Apple’s track record for quickly fixing issues, an update to solve the Unlock with Apple Watch problem will likely drop shortly.

Source: Apple Via: MacRumors 

Categories
Mobile Syrup

iPadOS 15 and watchOS 8 roll out to iPad and Apple Watch owners

Alongside the new iOS 15, Apple is also rolling out the latest versions of iPadOS and watchOS to the public.

iPadOS 15 brings many of the same improvements we’ve seen in iOS 15, like copy/paste in images, FaceTime updates and more. But beyond that, there are a few new features that are only coming to the iPad.

This includes a new quick note feature, more widget controls and some pretty substantial improvements to make multitasking easier. You can read more about the changes in iPadOS 15 here.

This update is being delivered to iPads as old as the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 4. You can download the update by navigating to the ‘General’ section of the Settings app and selecting ‘Software Update.’

watchOS 8

The new watchOS improvements are fairly subtle as well. This year, Apple’s added a new Mindfulness app, some more workouts and a new watch face that places the clock between a subject and the background for a really fun effect.

There are also revamped smart home controls, the ability to set multiple timers and more apps now support the always-on display of the Series 5, Series 6 and Series 7. You can read more about these updates and more in our prior coverage.

This update is rolling out to Apple watches as old as the Series 3. To update your Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone, choose ‘General’ and from there, select ‘Software Update.’

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Apple kicks keyboard app off App Store, releases own version shortly after

Apple has once again been caught using its power over the App Store to give itself an advantage over the competition. However, in this case, a small indie studio is the victim and not a giant corporate app developer.

During Apple’s recent ‘California streaming’ event, the tech giant revealed that watchOS 8 with the Apple Watch Series 7 includes support for a full keyboard. This is an exciting addition for Apple Watch users since responding to messages from the wearable has never been a great experience.

With that in mind, Apple is far from the first company to release an app that allows users to do this. In August, developer Kosta Eleftheriou released an app called ‘Flick Type’ that brings a full keyboard to the Apple Watch. This app has been around for a few months, but recently, Apple pulled it from the App Store, stating that keyboard apps aren’t allowed on the Apple Watch.

Since Apple followed up this move with its own watchOS 8 Apple Watch keyboard, the timing is more than a little interesting. It’s worth noting that Apple’s new keyboard is only available on the Apple Watch Series 7 because it features a slightly larger screen. Eeftheriou’s app, on the other hand, works on older Apple Watches and became pretty popular. It’s unlikely that a few millimetres of extra display space really make that much of a difference regarding the typing experience.

This isn’t the first time that Apple has done something like this. For example, Apple removed all Flashlight apps back in the iPhone 4s era, and last year, password locker apps were also worried the company had plans to pull users away from their apps.

In a recent tweet, Eeftheriou says he plans to launch a lawsuit against Apple tied to the company’s anti-competitive behaviour. In other Apple-related news, though the dust is still settling surrounding the court case, it’s widely believed that the recent Epic v. Apple trial will allow developers to offer external payment options outside of the App Store.

Source: @keleftheriou Via: Input

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Apple’s new Apple Watch Fast Charging USB-C cable is now available

Apple’s new Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C cable is now available for $39 in the Apple Store.

When this new charger is used with the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple says that it charges the smartwatch 33 percent faster than the Series 6, allowing it to reach 80 percent in 45 minutes.

The company also says that the charger is capable of offering eight hours of sleep tracking with 8 minutes of charging. The Series 7 comes with a Magnetic Fast Charger in its box.

Of course, this fast charging also requires an additional $25 20W USB-C power adapter. It’s unclear if Apple plans to continue to include a power brick alongside Apple Watch Series 7, though it’s worth noting that it was still in the Series 6 despite the tech giant first removing it from the iPhone 12’s box.

It’s currently unclear how the Magnetic Fast Charger affects the charging time of older Apple Watches.

Categories
Mobile Syrup

watchOS 8 releases on September 20

Apple is releasing watchOS 8 on September 20th with new watch faces, workouts and the distraction reducing ‘Focus mode.’

You can learn more about the smartwatch system by reading our prior coverage, but the coolest update, in my opinion, is a new watch face that uses Portrait mode depth data to tuck the time slightly behind the subject in a photo.

If you get a new Apple Watch, you can also use a new on-screen keyboard with watchOS 8 to send messages with more accuracy and less hassle than people with smaller watches.

The new version of the software is set to work on Apple Watch Series 3 devices and newer.

You can read about the new Apple Watch Series 7 here and all of the other recent Apple news here.