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The ultimate guide to Apple’s iCloud

“It’s all in the cloud, isn’t it?” and “I don’t want to pay for the iCloud.” Among others, these were two of the most common lines I hear whenever I mention iCloud. But I absolutely love iCloud, and I believe it’s a service that every Apple user can benefit from. 

Whenever someone asks me why I love using Apple devices so much, iCloud is one of my top reasons. Every year, Android and PC manufacturers launch new high-tech and innovative products. Even Windows 11 is skinned like macOS. Yet, no cloud-syncing service works across my computer, phone, tablet and even TV quite like iCloud. 

iCloud was released in 2011 to replace the now long discontinued MobileMe service. While iCloud isn’t perfect, it’s leaps and bounds better than its predecessor. Let’s do a deep dive into how iCloud works, how much it costs and everything the service can do for you. 

iCloud: The best place for all your photos, files and more

iCloud is a cloud syncing and backup solution released by Apple on June 6th, 2011. iCloud+ is the premium paid tier of iCloud, offering extra storage and additional features. iCloud provides four categories of functionality: file syncing, iOS device backup, email hosting and a small handful of miscellaneous iCloud+ exclusive features. 

Every user gets 5GB of cloud storage for free, allowing for iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, iCloud Backup, and iCloud Mail. However, 5GB is more of an unlimited free trial. Very few people (if anyone) can actually stay within that 5GB storage limit. Most of us will find ourselves upgrading to an iCloud+ tier for the additional storage. 

To my surprise, many people work exhaustingly hard to keep their devices within the 5GB free storage limit. While it’s not fun to pay for another subscription service, iCloud+ offers a lot of useful functionality, ensuring your data is synced and backed up. I’ve seen many people turn off features in iCloud that they don’t use. But if you don’t use it, it’s not taking up any storage. So, leave even the features you don’t use enabled because if you ever start using them and something happens to your data, you’ll be thankful iCloud has your back. 

iCloud Drive: Any type of File. All in one place

iCloud Drive is by far my favourite iCloud feature. It’s a solid competitive edge that Apple’s ecosystem has over competitors. iCloud Drive syncs files between your Mac, iPad, iPhone, and even Windows PC. By extension, Apps for iCloud is the syncing feature that allows individual apps like contacts, calendar, TweetBot, and many others to keep the information the same between all your devices. 

iCloud Drive and Apps for iCloud are functionally both syncing features that do the same thing —  they keep your information available and up to date on all your devices. There’s something magical about being able to start writing this article on my Mac while in my office, then continue it on my iPhone while walking my dog, and finish it on my iPad while at a coffee shop. 

Additionally, iCloud Drive and Apps for iCloud keep your data in iCloud and locally on your device. Suppose your Mac gets water damage, and you don’t have a backup. In that case, all of your files can be downloaded from iCloud. Additionally, suppose you begin to run out of storage on a device. In that case, you can remove the local copy from your device but keep it available in iCloud for a future download if needed.  

To enable iCloud Drive and Apps for iCloud on iOS/iPadOS:
1. Launch ‘Settings’
2. Tap your name at the top
3. Tap ‘iCloud’
4. Toggle any of the apps you see listed on (green) such as iCloud Drive, Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Notes, Messages, etc. 

To set up iCloud Drive and Apps for iCloud on macOS:
1. Launch ‘System Preferences’
2. Click ‘Apple ID’
3. Click ‘iCloud’
4. Check off any of the apps you see listed such as iCloud Drive, Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Notes, Messages, etc. 

iCloud Photos: All your photos and videos — always available

iCloud Photos is very similar to iCloud Drive and Apps for iCloud. Photos are some of the most sentimental data we will ever keep on our devices. iCloud Photos helps to keep your photos available everywhere. 

iCloud Photos does offer a feature called ‘Optimize iPhone Storage,’ which allows you to save space on your device when it begins to run low on storage. Your iPhone takes much larger and better quality images than what can be shown on it. When you have lots of on-device storage, the photo size doesn’t matter. However, once you begin to run out, Optimize iPhone Storage can automatically upload the larger-sized photo to iCloud to be retrieved if ever needed and keep a smaller device-sized image left on the device for viewing. Optimize iPhone Storage only kicks in when a device has less than ten percent free storage. Alternatively, users can select the ‘Download and Keep Originals’ option to ensure the full resolution copy of their photo remains local on their device. 

iCloud Photos also offers Shared Albums which are iCloud photo albums that people can share with their friends and family. All parties can contribute photos and access these albums at any time. Shared Albums don’t count towards your iCloud storage. Still, they store a lower resolution photo than if you send the image via another means.

To enable iCloud Photos on iOS/iPadOS:
1. Launch ‘Settings’
2. Tap your name at the top
3. Tap ‘iCloud’
4. Tap ‘Photos’
5. Toggle ‘iCloud Photos’ on (green)
6. Select ‘Optimize iPhone Storage’ or ‘Download and Keep Originals’
7. Toggle ‘Shared Albums’ on (green)

To set up iCloud Photos on macOS:
1. Launch ‘System Preferences’
2. Click ‘Apple ID’
3. Click ‘iCloud’
4. Check off ‘Photos’

iCloud Backup and Restore: All the things that matter. Safe and secure

iCloud Backup is the feature that comes to most people’s minds when they think about iCloud. iCloud Backup creates a full copy of all the data on an iOS device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch). It moves the backup to iCloud to be stored in the event it needs to be downloaded for when you get a new device or need to restore your current one. iCloud Backups are not currently available for macOS. 

iCloud Backups are your tried and true safety net if anything happens to your iOS device. When your iPhone goes for a swim, your child smashes their iPad, or you go to replace that iPod touch, an iCloud Backup makes setting up the new device much easier by bringing over all of your data. 

Once enabled, iCloud Backups will backup every night while connected to Wi-Fi and power. We may all think that we will plug our device into a computer to manually backup our iOS device to save ourselves a few dollars a month. But let’s be honest, we’ll forget, and when the time comes, we won’t have a backup. So, do yourself a favour and ensure iCloud Backup is enabled on your device. 

To turn on iCloud backup on iOS/iPadOS:
1. Launch ‘Settings’
2. Tap your name at the top
3. Tap ‘iCloud’
4. Tap ‘iCloud Backup’
5. Toggle ‘iCloud Backup’ on (green)

iCloud Mail: The one without a tagline

Unlike the other features offered as part of iCloud, iCloud Mail seems pretty underappreciated. So much so that it doesn’t even have a fancy marketing tagline. Not surprising since iCloud Mail is really just another email service. I’ve been using iCloud Mail for years because I prefer Apple’s privacy policy over other email providers. When creating a new iCloud email, you get to have an @iCloud.com domain. iCloud Mail is included with the free iCloud 5GB tier but received mail does count against your storage. If you run out of storage, you’ll need to upgrade to an iCloud+ plan to continue receiving mail. 

To set up iCloud Mail on iOS/iPadOS:
1. Launch ‘Settings’
2. Tap your name at the top
3. Tap ‘iCloud’
4. Tap ‘iCloud Mail’
5. Toggle ‘iCloud Mail’ on (green)
6. Tap ‘Create’
7. Type in an email
8. Tap ‘Next’
9. Tap ‘Done’

To set up iCloud Mail on macOS:
1. Launch ‘System Preferences’
2. Click ‘Apple ID’
3. Click ‘iCloud’
4. Check off ‘iCloud Mail’
5. Type in an email
6. Click ‘OK’
7. Click ‘Create’

iCloud+: Powerful new features. Plenty of storage.

There are three options when subscribing to an iCloud+ tier: 50GB for $1.29, 200GB for $3.99, and 2TB for $12.99. All plans are per month and are included in Apple One bundles. You can also share all three iCloud+ plans as part of Apple’s Family Sharing feature. Included with iCloud+ are some neat miscellaneous features that may interest you and your family.

Private Relay is a VPN-like service that works exclusively in Safari to improve your digital privacy. When you browse the internet, data like your IP address and DNS records are sent unencrypted, making it possible for marketers to track you across the internet. Private Relay encrypts your Safari browser traffic and sends it through two separate, secure internet relays. No one can see your Safari browser traffic, including Apple and your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Private Relay is currently available only as a beta feature, so your performance may vary.

To enable Private Relay on iOS/iPadOS:
1. Launch ‘Settings’
2. Tap your name at the top
3. Tap ‘iCloud’
4. Tap ‘Private Relay (Beta)’
5. Toggle ‘Private Relay (Beta)’ on (green)

To enable Private Relay on macOS:
1. Launch ‘System Preferences’
2. Click ‘Apple ID’
3. Click ‘iCloud’
4. Toggle ‘Private Relay (Beta)’ on (green)

Hide My Email is an iCloud+ feature that allows you to generate disposable emails that forward to your proper iCloud email. The idea is when you sign up for a newsletter or service, you can generate a fake email address that automatically forwards emails to your proper email. Suppose a company or service sells your email or spams your inbox. In that case, simply delete the fake email. Additionally, Hide My Email helps your digital privacy by reducing the number of services using your actual email. This reduces the likelihood your email can be used to track you between online services.

To create a Hide My Email address on iOS/iPadOS:
1. Launch ‘Settings’
2. Tap your name at the top
3. Tap ‘iCloud’
4. Tap ‘Hide My Email’
5. Tap ‘Create new address’
6. Copy the generated email address
7. Tap ‘Continue’
8. Enter an identifying label (i.e. “Car Newsletter”)
9. Tap ‘Done’

To create a Hide My Email address on macOS:
1. Launch ‘System Preferences’
2. Click ‘Apple ID’
3. Click ‘iCloud’
4. Click ‘Options…’ to the right of ‘Hide My Email’
5. Click ‘+’
6. Enter an identifying label (i.e. “Car Newsletter”)
7. Click ‘Continue’
8. Click ‘Copy address’
9. Click ‘Done’

Support for a custom email domain is another iCloud+ feature. Freelancers, businesses, or people who just want their own family email address may purchase their own domain. For example, I own bradennewell.ca. A custom email domain would be me@bradennewell.ca. Before iCloud+, people who have to use services like Google Workspace and Microsoft Exchange to host custom email domains. These could be pretty expensive. When already paying for iCloud+ for the storage or as part of an Apple One bundle, it’s a nice bonus not to have to pay for a separate email domain hosting service. Plus, you still get all the privacy protections of iCloud mail. 

Follow this support article from Apple to set up a custom email domain. 

Lastly, we have HomeKit Secure Video. HomeKit Secure Video is a feature where all of a video camera’s feed is encrypted by your Home Hub (HomePod, Apple TV, or iPad) and then securely sent to iCloud for storage. Because all the encryption is done on your local network before going to iCloud, no one, not even Apple, can see the recording data.

This is refreshing, considering we’re seeing stories of companies like Amazon’s Ring providing footage to law enforcement without the recording owner’s consent. HomeKit Secure Video does require a supported camera such as the Logitech Circle View. Additionally, it must be set up with Apple HomeKit. While HomeKit Secure Video footage doesn’t count against your iCloud storage, there are limits on the number of cameras on each iCloud+ tier. The 50GB tier supports one camera, the 200GB tier supports five, and the 2TB tier offers support for unlimited cameras. 

You can learn about setting up HomeKit Secure Video with this support article from Apple. 

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Apple could be working on several new smart home devices, including a kitchen-focused HomePod

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is at it again.

According to the often-reliable tech reporter’s Power On newsletter, Apple is working on “at least four new home devices in its labs.”

This includes a new HomePod that’s very similar to 2018’s discontinued smart speaker, and a refreshed HomePod mini.

The other two devices in the works at Apple are entirely new products, says Gurman. One smart home product is described as a kitchen sensor that offers a touch screen with an integrated smart speaker. Though not much detail is known, this device sounds very similar to Apple’s Nest Hub/Nest Hub Max or the massive Amazon Echo Show 15. It will likely take the form of an iPad with an integrated smart speaker and be powered by iPadOS.

The other smart home speaker aims to combine an Apple TV, a camera and a HomePod into an all-in-one product focused on the living room. Rumours regarding the device have appeared several times over the last few months, with Gurman first reporting on it back in April.

Gurman goes on to say that Apple’s rumoured smart home products could release by the end of next year or early 2024, though he also mentions that they could be cancelled altogether.

Apple’s fall hardware event, where the tech giant is expected to reveal its iPhone 14 series, Apple Watch Series 8, new Macs and more, is just around the corner in September.

Source: Bloomberg

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Apple’s new entry-level iPad could ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack

There’s a possibility that Apple’s refreshed entry-level iPad could remove the 3.5mm headphone jack.

While the tech giant has ditched the physical headphone port from its iPhone, the iPad Air, the iPad Pro and even the iPad mini, it’s stuck around in the entry-level iPad. According to MySmartPrice, that’s set to change with an upcoming 10th-gen redesign.

Along with more squared-off edges that move the tablet’s aesthetic in line with the majority of Apple’s product lineup, CAD renders sourced from a case maker indicate that the new tablet won’t feature a physical headphone port. Apple’s entry-level iPad has featured the same design since roughly 2017.

As always, it’s important to approach CAD-based leaks (and any rumour for that matter) with an air of skepticism. Still, given nearly all of Apple’s iPhones and iPads have removed the headphone jack, it’s not surprising to see the company also remove it from its lowest-end tablet.

Based on these CAD designs, the base-level iPad will still feature sizable bezels surrounding its 10.2-inch screen and a physical home button. The tablet is also switching to USB-C, just like every other iPad in Apple’s tablet lineup.

It’s unlikely the move to kill off the headphone jack in the iPad will go over well, given the tablet’s education focus and its popularity with parents/younger children. Sure, you could pop in a USB-C-3.5mm adapter and continue using wired headphones, but that’s just another accessory to keep track of. Further, it’s unlikely Apple will opt to include one in the new entry-level iPad’s box.

Apple will likely launch the 10th-gen iPad this fall.

Source: MySmartPrice Via: MacRumors

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Everything you need to know about Apple Certified Refurbished products

Summertime is always exciting for students looking to get a deal on some new technology. Right now, Apple’s holding a back-to-school promotion, where post-secondary students can get an Apple Store gift card of up to $210 by buying a qualifying Mac or iPad. As far as Apple deals go, that’s pretty good. But, eventually, this promotion will come to an end in the fall. When it does you may still find yourself wanting to get a good deal on an Apple device.

Apple has a hidden gem on their website for those looking to save a little money any time of the year. This hidden gem allows customers to buy iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs, and sometimes even accessories with up to a 15 percent discount, with all the benefits of buying a brand new product.

Sounds too good to be true?

Well — it’s not. Apple has a poorly advertised section on their website where they list Apple Certified Refurbished products for sale. Not sure if you trust buying refurbished? Let’s dive into a breakdown of what buying Apple Certified Refurbished products means.

What’s considered refurbished?

Apple Certified Refurbished products are typically (if not always) devices that customers return to Apple within the company’s fifteen-day return window. Typically this is because a customer wanted more storage, a different colour, or a better model. The odd defective device returned by a customer is sent off to be recycled.

Devices eligible for the program are then put through a thorough refurbishment process. First, devices are visually inspected for damage that would either make the device ineligible for the program or require repair. Second, devices are deep cleaned for sanitary purposes. Third, devices have diagnostic testing, go through full functional testing, and have their original operating system installed.

iOS devices always receive a new shell and battery. Other parts needing to be replaced are done so to maintain product quality. Finally, every Apple Certified Refurbished device is shipped out with brand new cables and in a freshly sealed box. Apple Certified Refurbished products go through a much higher level of care, quality control, and testing than a factory-new Apple device. In large part, I believe that’s why I feel so comfortable buying Apple’s Certified Refurbished products.

Why should I buy refurbished?

There are so many fantastic reasons to buy an Apple Certified Refurbished product.

First, of course, there are cost savings. Shoppers can save up to 15 percent like with this 64GB Space Grey iPad Air or this 256GB Space Grey M1 MacBook Air. Occasionally, you can save even more. Currently, there are 64GB iPhone 11 Pros available in every colour for $899 or 27% off their normal price of $1244. Except for a different white box, you’d never be able to distinguish between an Apple Certified Refurbished product and a factory-new device. For a company that rarely offers sales or discounts, buying an Apple Certified Refurbished product is a great way to save money.

Second, as discussed in the first section, Apple Certified Refurbished products undergo a highly vigorous screening, testing, and cleaning process to make them nearly indistinguishable from a factory-new device. This level of quality assurance isn’t seen in other “certified refurbished” retailers.

Third, Apple has an excellent return policy. Apple offers free shipping and returns on all devices, including Apple Certified Refurbished products. If you do not like your purchased device, simply bring it back to an Apple Store or request Apple to provide you with a pre-paid postage label within 15 days to get a full refund. Many “certified refurbished” retailers do not offer you a return period and consider the device’s final sale.

Fourth, Apple provides all their Apple Certified Refurbished products with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty, just like a factory-new device. In fact, the Genius Bar and Apple Support treat a refurbished device no different than a factory-new device when it comes to service or repairs.

Apple even allows customers to purchase AppleCare+ for their Apple Certified Refurbished device. AppleCare+ extends a device’s warranty from one year to two or three, depending on the device, and covers accidental damage. Warranty is another big difference between Apple and most other “certified refurbished” vendors, which may give customers only a 90-day warranty or less if any at all.

Fifth and final, Apple includes a new box and accessories with each Apple Certified Refurbished product. Any charger that would come with the factory-new device comes with an Apple Certified Refurbished product. Apple also seals the device in a brand-new box, clearly indicating its refurbished status to not mislead buyers.

What are the downsides?

I would argue there is no more risk in buying an Apple Certified Refurbished product than buying a factory-new one. However, suppose you were to consider purchasing a refurbished product from another vendor, I’d urge you to be more cautious. Apple, as always, takes great pride in its products, and refurbished products are no different.

Suppose there are any issues, Apple will happily take the device back within their fifteen-day return window or repair it under its limited manufacturer’s warranty or AppleCare+ plan.

There are two noticeable downsides to ordering from Apple’s online store. The first is no same-day pick-up from a physical Apple retail store. All refurbished products are shipped out from warehouses and must be ordered online. Don’t bother walking into an Apple Store asking for a refurbished device as they won’t have any in stock. If delivery speed is essential to you, refurbished won’t be your best bet.

Second, there’s limited selection and stock. We already established Apple only refurbishes iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs, and some accessories. Apple doesn’t stock Apple Watches, AirPods, or HomePods (at least not yet) as part of their Apple Certified Refurbished program. But, even for the product categories Apple does stock you may have to compromise on the storage, colour, or model since inventory can heavily vary day by day. This is the compromise of saving some money with Apple’s refurbished products. You may not be able to get exactly what you’re looking for unless you wait and even then there is no guarantee it’ll ever come into stock. So, if you find something available that you want—act on it fast.

TLDR; should I buy refurbished?

Personally, I’d recommend it. In fact, I recommend Apple Certified Refurbished products to everyone that isn’t looking to buy a freshly-launched device. Typically, I’m a launch day buyer. However, if I ever need something that’s been available for a while, I always buy refurbished.

I’ve bought several refurbished Apple TVs and a specced-out refurbished M1 MacBook Air for me and later my mother. I’ve always had a fantastic experience with Apple Certified Refurbished products. Plus, if I don’t like it, I can return it at my local Apple Store, and if something happens, it has the same warranty as if I bought it new.

To browse Apple Certified Refurbished products, visit apple.ca/shop/refurbished or visit apple.ca, scroll to the bottom of the website, and click ‘Refurbished and Clearance’ under the Apple Store header.

My last tip is that if you’re looking to get alerted when a specific model becomes available as an Apple Certified Refurbished product, you can find online tools like Refurb Tracker to get email notifications when Apple’s inventory changes.

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Apple’s Back to School sale is now live in Canada

Apple’s annual Back to School sales promotion is now live in Canada. As a part of the sale, Apple is providing discounts on products and gift cards up to $210 when purchasing eligible items.

As with previous years, Apple is putting an emphasis on devices focused on academic learning for students and school faculty. As such, the Back to School promotion sees discounts on iPad and Mac devices for current and newly accepted university students.

When using an education discount, Apple is lowering the starting prices of the following Mac products:

Additionally, the following iPads are also reduced in price when using an eligible education discount:

The Back to School promotion sees Apple offering a $140 gift card when you buy an iPad Air 5, 11-inch iPad Pro or 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Plus, Mac purchasers will receive a $210 gift card when purchasing a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro (13”, 14”, 16”) or iMac 24”.

Finally, Apple is highlighting accessories like the Magic Pencil and AirPods that may pair well for school. Apple Music student plan also comes with Apple TV+ for free.

The Apple Back to School promo runs from June 24th to September 26th, 2022.

Image credit: Apple

Source: Apple

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Nintendo Switch Online app to soon end support for older iPhones, iPads

Nintendo has confirmed that it will soon cease support for older iPhones and iPads with its Switch Online app.

The gaming giant made the announcement via its official Japanese Twitter account.

Currently, the app supports devices running iOS 12 and later, but a future update will require iOS 14/iPadOS 14 and later. Nintendo says this update will roll out sometime this summer.

According to Apple, only four percent of iPhones are running earlier than iOS 14, while three percent of iPads are on iOS 13 or older. Therefore, this change shouldn’t affect many people, but it’s nonetheless worth mentioning.

The Nintendo Switch Online is Nintendo’s (awkward) solution to voice chat functionality, which isn’t natively available on the Switch itself. Those who subscribe to the Switch Online service can access this and unique game-specific features like Smash Bros. clip sharing through the app.

Via: Eurogamer

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iPadOS 16 features code allowing Apple to enable ‘Stage Manager’ on older iPads

The iPadOS 16 ‘Stage Manager’ fiasco continues.

One of iPadOS 16’s key new features, Stage Manager, allows iPad users to layer multiple apps on top of each other and size them in windows, similar to macOS or Microsoft’s Windows.

However, the feature is limited to iPads that feature Apple’s M1 chip, including the iPad Pro and iPad Air. Further, Apple says that Stage Manager requires memory swap, a functionality that utilizes the iPad’s internal storage as extra RAM, despite the base-level iPad Air not offering the latter feature.

Confused yet? You aren’t alone.

Backing up the claim that Apple could bring Stage Manager to older iPads if it really wanted to, 9to5Mac recently uncovered iPadOS 16 code referencing an internal testing mode that allows the feature to run on older iPads. The code references an internal setting called “Chamois” (Stange Manager’s internal codename) that’s designed for older non-M1 iPads running iPadOS 16.

In an interview with Forbes, Apple’s head of software engineering Craig Federighi said that the tech giant tested running Stage Manager on older iPads, but decided that it ran more smoothly on its M1-powered tablets.

So what does this all mean? Regardless of the reasons behind the decision, Apple is locking Stage Manager to its newer M1-powered tablets, so if you’re using a slightly older iPad and want access to the functionality, you’ll need to upgrade.

MobileSyrup will have more on Stage Manager in the coming weeks.

Source: 9to5Mac

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Apple’s new entry-level iPad could feature A14 chip, 5G and USB-C

Out of nearly all of Apple’s current products, the entry-level iPad is likely the most overdue for an update.

According to 9to5Mac’s sources, the next entry-level iPad will feature Apple’s A14 Bionic Chip, 5G and a USB-C port. The tablet has remained pretty much the same for the last few generations, with processor updates being the only exception.

If this report is accurate, Apple’s entire lineup will soon feature USB-C, including the iPad Pro, iPad Air and even the iPad mini.

9to5Mac states that the entry-level iPad will also feature a display that offers the same resolution as the iPad Air’s screen. While the current 9th-gen iPad’s display measures 10.2 inches, the new entry-level iPad could feature a 10.5-inch or 10.9-inch screen, according to the report.

It’s unclear if Apple will also update the entry-level iPad’s design with the more squared-off look the rest of the tablet lineup now offers. Given how ancient the current entry-level iPad looks, I certainly hope Apple opts to refresh the tablet’s design on some level. The iPad also seems to likely still feature a physical Touch ID button.

Later this year, Apple is expected to release a new iPad Pro equipped with an M2 processor, the same chip featured in the recently revealed MacBook Air.

Apple’s current 10.2-inch iPad starts at $429.

Source: 9to5Mac

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Apple adds Live Captions across its products as part of accessibility update

As a lead into Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Apple is announcing new features to better help with accessibility across its products. As such, a transcribed audio feature dubbed Live Captions is arriving on a number of Apple platforms.

Ahead of May 19, a day recognizing the importance of accessibility, Apple details its new Live Captions feature. Arriving on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, the feature transcribes audio in real-time and displays subtitles on the screen. Live Captions can also caption sounds around the user to follow conversations in the real world.

Apple states that users can adjust the size and positioning of the caption box when it is active. There are different font sizes available as well for those who prefer or require larger fonts to read.

The devices auto-generate captions. When using Live Captions in tandem with FaceTime, the feature can distinguish between speakers and attribute icons and names beside those speaking. When using Live Captions on a Mac, users can type a response and have it spoken out loud in real-time for others.

At launch, Apple’s Live Captions will be available in English in Canada and the U.S.

On top of Live Captions, Apple is also introducing new accessibility options and tools. The Magnifier app is getting an update. Apple is adding a new Door Detection feature, which assists those who are visually impaired in locating and identifying doors. The feature heavily utilizes the iPhone’s LiDAR and camera. This feature can also read icons and text on doors to better help the user. Apple claims the feature can assist with telling the user whether the door is a push or pull and whether it is open or closed.

Assistive Touch is making its way to Apple’s wearables. Apple Watch users can benefit from using the device without interacting with it. For instance, the feature can provide Quick Actions based on hand gestures and finger movements. For example, a user can double pinch their index and thumb to answer a call or take a photo.

However, for those unable to use hand gestures, Apple is introducing a feature that it’s calling ‘Apple Watch Mirroring.’ This feature uses AirPlay and the hardware to carry preset voice or switch control preferences from their iPhone to the Apple Watch. This means head-tracking and Made For iPhone switches can be used to interact with Apple Watch.

Last but not least is Buddy Controller. This beneficial accessibility option enables two controllers to control a single player. This is exceptionally helpful for those with disabilities to play games with friends or family members. Apple confirms that Buddy Controller supports game controllers like the Xbox Wireless Controller, DualShock 4, and more across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.

Apple’s commitment to supporting accessibility doesn’t stop here. Future updates include on-demand American Sign Language interpreters expanding to Apple Store and Support in Canada. Plus, new guide options in Maps and more.

All the features above are expected to arrive later this year.

Source: Engadget

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Apple’s new rules let iOS apps automatically raise subscription costs

Barcelona, Spain – June 7, 2018: Logo of Apple Inc. on a Apple store. Apple is the multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California and sells consumer electronics products.

Alongside iOS 15.5‘s release, Apple launched a set of rules that change how auto-renewing subscriptions work in the App Store.

According to the new rules, instead of asking users to agree to a price increase, developers can now hike up the cost of an app without the subscriber’s consent. However, this shift is helpful for developers since it likely won’t result in as many users unsubscribing when they up the subscription cost of an app, and it’s arguably pretty awful for consumers.

Apple says that this change saves users from their subscriptions being automatically cancelled when they miss the opt-in notification tied to a price increase. While true, I’d rather miss a notification and automatically be unsubscribed from an app than shell out additional money I don’t want to spend — there are a lot of App Store subscriptions I’d cancel if I were aware of a price increase. You could also argue that some app developers will likely take advantage of this feature to suck more profit from subscribers.

However, there are still additional rules on Apple’s end. For example, the increase can’t exceed $5 or 50 percent of the current subscription cost or $50 and 50 percent of the annual subscription cost. So at the very least, app developers can’t outright price gouge their subscribers with increases.

This shift in App Store policy will result in me watching my subscriptions far more closely as I subscribe to several apps through Apple’s App Store. Most apps will send out emails to users regarding price hikes, so I’ll be keeping a closer eye on my email inbox moving forward.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Apple Via: Engadget