Tag: ipad

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Here’s what to do when you lose an Apple device

Losing things really sucks.

What’s the worst thing for you to lose? Your keys? Your wallet? I’d argue it’s your phone, tablet, or computer. Not because they’re expensive but because your keys and wallet don’t know everything about you. Only our personal electronic devices know everyone you’ve ever talked to, every place you have been, and likely more information about you than what we know about yourself.

If you’re lucky, you’ll never lose one of your Apple devices. However, if you do, it’ll be a stressful situation. So if you lose an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook, I’ve put together a helpful five-step guide to help reduce your stress in this lousy situation. Each step is meant to provide an explanation and resources to help you recover your device and protect your personal data.

Step 1: Check ‘Find My’

‘Find My’ is Apple’s device tracking solution. iPhones, iPads, Macs, and iPod Touches (may they rest in peace) use Wi-Fi or cellular data to mark their location. In addition, many of Apple’s devices will continue to ping their approximate location via low-powered Bluetooth signals with other Apple devices after their battery dies.

When you misplace one of your devices, the first thing you should do is to check the Find My app on another Apple device or visit iCloud.com/find. If prompted, sign in with your Apple ID. If using the iOS or Mac app, tap ‘Devices,’ and you’ll see a map of where your devices are. If they aren’t currently reporting their location, you may see the device’s last known location (pending that setting was enabled).

Ideally, you’ll see your missing device. Tap on the device’s name and tap ‘Play Sound’ or tap ‘Directions’ to hear it play a sound or get turn-by-turn directions. If the device isn’t reporting a location or seems unretrievable, move on to step 2.

To enable Find My on an iOS device:
1. Launch Settings
2. Tap your name at the very top
3. Tap Find My
4. Tap Find My iPhone
5. Toggle Find My iPhone, Find My network, and Send Last Location to on (green)

To enable Find My on macOS:
1.  Launch System Preferences
2. Click Security & Privacy
3. Click the Privacy tab
4. Click the lock icon in the lower left-hand corner
5. Enter your password
6. Click Unlock
7. Click Location Services
8. Check ‘Enable Location Services’ to on
9. Check ‘Find My’ to on
10. Click the back arrow in the top left corner
11. Click Apple ID
12. Click iCloud
13. Check ‘Find My Mac’ to on

Step 2: Mark as Lost

Once we’ve verified that our device seems immediately unrecoverable, we should mark it as lost within the Find My app. Marking your Apple device as lost has several benefits. First, when the device reconnects to a network, it will present a special message on the lock screen and stop showing your personal notifications.

Additionally, lost mode disables Apple Pay. Finally, if the device gets erased, it will require your Apple ID to be usable. Not to worry, if you find your device again, you can turn lost mode off by either entering your device’s passcode or turning it off via the Find My app.

To mark a device as lost:
1. Open the ‘Find My’ app
2. Tap Devices
3. Select the missing device
4. Tap Activate under ‘Mark As Lost’
5. Tap Continue
6. If prompted, enter a phone number
7. Tap Next
8. Enter in a message that will come up on your lost device
9. Tap Activate

Step 3: Contact your Carrier

Now that we’ve disabled your Apple hardware, we need to contact your carrier to disable your SIM card if it’s an iPhone or cellular iPad. If your SIM doesn’t have a passcode, someone could remove it from your missing device and put it in their own. That would allow the thief to receive all of your text messages and two-factor SMS codes. You can learn more about placing a PIN on your SIM card in our 10 best ways to secure your iPhone article.

Additionally, your carrier can have your iPhone or cellular iPad marked as blocklisted on a national database shared by all Canadian cellular providers. This shared blocklist ensures that a lost or stolen device cannot be activated on another cellular network. If you have your carrier add your device to the shared blocklist and recover your missing device, you’ll have to contact your carrier again to get the device removed. You can read more about the shared blocklist or check the IMEI of a device here.

Lastly, if you pay for a lost and stolen warranty through your cellphone provider, this would be the time to begin the claims process. Ask your provider what they need from you to be able to file a claim. Optionally, contact your credit card company, or whomever else may provide you with lost and stolen warranty coverage. The customer service numbers for most major Canadian cellphone providers are below.

  • Bell: 1-888-214-7896
  • Telus: 1-866-558-2273
  • Rogers: 1-877-559-5202
  • Virgin Plus: 1-888-999-2321
  • Fido: 1-888-481-3436
  • Freedom Mobile: 1-877-946-3184
  • Sasktel: 1-800-727-5835
  • Eastlink: 1-888-345-1111
  • Vidéotron: 1-877-512-0911
  • Koodo: No public phone number, it’s recommended you start with Koodo’s chat on their website to schedule a callback with its customer service.

Step 4: File a theft report

When you first lose your device, it’s important to lock it via the Find My app and disable your SIM card with your carrier. Those two steps remove the likelihood that someone may gain access to your data or receive your personal text messages.

Assuming no one has contacted you using the phone number you provided when locking the device via Find My, it’s likely time to file a report with your local police department. In addition, filing a theft report may be needed to receive a replacement device from your warranty provider. Theft reports can also allow police to return your device should they somehow recover it.

When contacting law enforcement to file a theft report, do not call 911. Instead, find your local law police department’s non-emergency number. For example, the Halifax Regional Police’s non-emergency number is 902-490-5020. The Toronto Police Service’s number is 416-808-2222, and they offer an online reporting option at tps.ca/report.

Step 5: Erase Device

After you have waited some time and your device seems permanently lost, it’s time to erase the device remotely. You can permanently erase all of your content off the device remotely using the Find My app on another Apple device or via iCloud.com/find. Doing this means if you do recover the device in the future, you’ll have to set it back up as new or with an iCloud backup. While you can do this step early on after losing your device, most people want to wait to see if they can recover it to avoid needing to set back up the device.

You can remotely erase your missing device by:
1. Opening the ‘Find My’ app
2. Tap Devices
3. Tap on the missing device
4. Tap Erase This Device
5. Tap Continue
6. Enter in an optional recovery message
7. Tap Erase

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s iPhone 15 could switch from Lightning to USB-C

There’s a possibility Apple could move from its proprietary Lightning port to USB-C on all or at least some of its iPhone 15 devices, according to often-reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Though most of the industry has moved on from USB-A to USB-C, Apple continues to feature its Lightning port in its smartphones and lowest-end iPad. Even its own iPad Mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro have shifted to the USB-C port.

In Kuo’s recent tweet, the analyst said that the move to USB-C will improve iPhone data transfer speeds and charging. If true, this would be a massive hit to Apple’s MFI accessory certification program. In the past, Kuo has cited the loss of MFI-related revenue and USB-C’s lesser waterproof spec as reasons the tech giant likely won’t switch from Lightning to USB-C.

The European Union (EU) could soon pass legislation that will force Apple to bring USB-C to all of its iPhones, iPads and AirPods available in Europe. Apple’s possible Switch to USB-C with the iPhone 15 series could be the tech giant getting ahead of this move.

There’s also some speculation that Apple could have plans to go entirely portless at some point, and that its magnetic MagSafe connector was the first step in this process. However, pressure from the EU could have altered the tech giant’s plans.

Source: @mingchikuo Via: The Verge 

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Apple patent shows next-gen hinged keyboard for iPad, with possible macOS UI integration

Apple has been granted a new patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for an in-development hinged keyboard for the iPad. This accessory is said to offer “superior flexibility” and enable the iPad to offer a macOS UI.

The patent’s description reads as “Hinged keyboard accessory having multiple installation modes for a tablet computing device.” The patent was filed on July 29th, 2020 and subsequently granted on May 3rd, 2022.

Boiling it down, the accessory includes a base portion and a coupling mechanism to attach to an iPad. The base may include a keyboard with electromagnetic keys. The coupling mechanism positions itself along a side of the keyboard. It may be configured to rotate the base portion to the tablet.

There may ultimately be various installation modes. The mechanism could define the attachment interface for the iPad to the base portion. Once coupled, the iPad may be able to run a UI similar to or identical to macOS.

The patent also covers a possible merging of an iPad and a MacBook. Once detached from the iPad, the device serves as an iPad with an Apple Pencil. However, once it attaches to the keyboard, the device works as a functioning Mac device with touchscreen support.

Theoretically, this keyboard could provide the bridge between Apple’s iPad products and the Mac line. Apple has never been too adamant about developing a Mac with touchscreen functions. This may be the most logical way to support a feature set without fully committing to a touchscreen MacBook.

Of course, Apple regularly files patents for products it is experimenting with. Reports of this keyboard are far from confirmation that this will end up on the market. However, it’s always interesting to catch a glimpse behind the curtain and see where Apple’s innovations lay.

Image credit: PatentlyApple

Source: PatentlyApple

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Apple Music replacing some apps iPhone’s Dock when installed from App Store

It looks like Apple Music is replacing some apps (even third-party ones) on the iPhone’s Dock after it’s installed.

As first reported by MacRumors, several reports of the issue have appeared on Twitter and Reddit. In one instance, Twitter user Kevin Archer says that Apple Music is only replacing non-Apple apps. Still, TechCrunch says that’s not the case and that Apple Music takes over Apple’s own camera app and Safari in the dock.

Other reports state that Apple Music is automatically being set as the iPhone’s default music streaming platform when it’s installed, even if another app has already been set. The issue seems to affect iOS devices running 15.4.1 and earlier versions of iOS 15.

Though it would make sense to assume that this isn’t a bug and is an intentional move on Apple’s part, likely, that isn’t the case given the microscope the company is currently under regarding favouring its own apps.

That said, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney claims that when he installed Apple Music, Spotify was removed from the dock, stating that Apple has “rigged” iOS to favour its own apps in the Dock despite the random nature of the glitch.

Apple will likely solve this issue relatively quickly.

Source: @TimSweeneyEpic Via: MacRumors, TechCrunch

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Apple surpasses Wall Street estimates with $97 billion in revenue in Q2 2022

Apple has revealed that it earned $97.3 billion USD (roughly $124.6 billion CAD) and a net quarterly profit of $25 billion USD (about $32 billion CAD) in Q2 2022, an increase of nine percent year-over-year.

Breaking revenue down by category, the iPhone led the way with $97.28 billion USD (roughly $124 billion CAD) and a five percent increase year-over-year. Services revenue, which includes platforms like Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade and more, hit $19.82 billion (roughly $25.3 billion CAD) and an increase of 17.5 percent year-over-year. The company also confirmed that it now has 825 million subscribers across all of its various subscription platforms.

On the other hand, Mac revenue hit $10.44 billion USD (approximately 13.3 billion CAD) and iPad revenue landed at $7.65 billion USD (about $9.7 billion CAD), spurred by the release of its M1-powered Mac Studio and iPad Air. This is an increase of 14 percent year-over-year and a decrease of 2.2 percent year-over-year, respectively. Finally, Apple’s ‘Other Products’ category, which includes products like accessories and the Apple Watch, hit $19.82 billion USD (about 25.3 billion CAD), a 17 percent increase year-over-year. Overall, the tech giant surpassed Wall Street earnings estimates in most categories, with Services and Other Products being the two notable exceptions.

“We are very pleased with our record business results for the March quarter, as we set an all-time revenue record for Services and March quarter revenue records for iPhone, Mac, and Wearables, Home and Accessories. Continued strong customer demand for our products helped us achieve an all-time high for our installed base of active devices,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO, in a recent press release.

In its earnings report, the company also confirmed that it has authorized an increase of $90 billion USD (about $115.3 billion CAD) for its stock buyback program. The tech giant is not issuing earnings guidance for its next financial quarter ending in June.

Source: Apple 

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Apple Fitness+ let’s you dance to BTS for International Dance Day

Apple Fitness+ is letting you dance with BTS.

The BTS collaboration is part of the company’s content package for International Dance Day on April 29th. This means starting next week new workouts led by Fitness Plus trainer Ben Allen offer choreography from several BTS music videos.

Some of the songs include Butter (feat. Megan Thee Stallion), Dynamite, Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey), DNA, MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix), Permission to Dance, and Life Goes On.

Other artists will also be available as part of this update, including Queen and ABBA.

On International Dance Day, Apple Watch users will be encouraged to find some time to dance and get a limited-edition award and animated stickers for Messages for completing any dance workout of 20 minutes or more. Fitness+ will also feature a selection of dance workouts to help subscribers get more awards, including six 20-minute workouts across Latin Grooves, Upbeat Anthems, Throwback Hits and Hip-Hop/R&B playlists.

Fitness+ is also introducing a new workout collection on April 25th to get subscribers dancing any day of the year. “Get into a Groove with Dance,” starts off with three 20-minute workouts from each of the Fitness+ dance trainers.

Apple Fitness+ costs $12.99 per month or $99.99 per year, and all Apple Watch users can try Fitness+ free for one month in Canada.

Image credit: Apple

Source: Apple

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12 best iPad accessories for creatives

Apple’s iPads are powerful devices for content creation. So whether you’re a student taking notes or a content creator editing video — if you’re a creative, you’ve at least considered how an iPad could be added to your workflow.

Apps like Procreate, LumaFusion, and Ferrite have made tasks like illustration, video editing, and audio production streamlined and efficient on such a portable device. I’ve actually written about 12 apps every iPad owner needs to check out.

Apple’s iPad lineup is known for being lightweight and having incredible battery life. With Apple adding the impressive M1 chip into the iPad Air and its iPad Pro models, the company is seriously investing in performance on such a mobile device. Combine these great features with cellular capabilities, and you’ve got an amazingly flexible workstation. However, the iPad alone is just a tablet. If you’re creating content or working on the go, you’ll need some accessories to beef up your iPad experience.

Here are 12 accessories every iPad owner needs to check out:

Apple Pencil and Logitech Crayon

Whether you’re taking notes or using the iPad as a digital canvas, you’ll likely need a stylist. So, let’s take a look at the iPad’s best friend — the Apple Pencil and its less famous cousin, the Logitech Crayon. Apple offers two generations of Apple Pencil depending on iPad compatibility. So what iPad works with one Apple Pencil won’t work with the other. Meanwhile, the Logitech Crayon uniquely works iPads that support either generation of Apple Pencil.

All three stylists connect to an iPad via Bluetooth, feature palm rejection, and offer incredible low latency with their companion iPad making your writing feel as vivid as writing on paper. Which one to buy really depends on your iPad and price point.

First, we have the Logitech Crayon. This carpenter pencil-shaped stylist is the least expensive of our three recommendations. The Logitech Crayon was designed for children, offering the most straightforward pairing by simply pressing the power button. The Crayon then connects to any nearby compatible iPad. The Logitech Crayon also charges using a female lightning port and comes in either orange or grey. If you’re concerned about the Crayon’s tip being removed, don’t be. Unlike the Apple Pencil, the Logitech Crayon’s tip can only be removed using a special tool.

The Logitech Crayon is compatible with iPad (6th generation and above), iPad mini (5th generation and above), iPad Air (3rd generation and above), iPad Pro 11-inch, and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above).

Next, we have the Apple Pencil (1st generation). This sleek white stylish features pressure sensitivity for artists and designers and tilt support like the Logitech Crayon. The Apple Pencil (1st generation) offers an easy removal tip and charges awkwardly via an iPad or a lightning adapter, using its male lightning connector under its cap.

The first-generation Apple Pencil is compatible with iPad (6th generation and newer), the iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), and iPad Pro 9.7-inch, 10.5-inch, and 12.9″ (1st and 2nd generations).

Lastly, the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) improves on the Apple Pencil (1st generation) by flattening a side of the stylist. Like its predecessors, the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) still features palm rejection, tilt support, and pressure sensitivity. In addition, the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) improves on the Apple Pencil (1st generation) by removing the cap and featuring a flattened side. This flattened side allows the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) to magically attach to compatible iPads for pairing, storage, and charging. The Apple Pencil (2nd generation) also features a new double-tap gesture where users can switch between their illustration tool and the eraser. Finally, the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) also has the option to be engraved when purchasing from Apple’s website for a touch more personalization.

The second-generation Apple Pencil is compatible with the iPad Air (4th generation and above), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and above), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above), and the iPad mini (6th generation).

Buy the Logitech Crayon for $89.95, the Apple Pencil (1st generation) for $129, or the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) for $169, all from Apple.

Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad and Logitech Touch Keyboard

Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad is perhaps one of the best iPad accessories I’ve ever purchased. The Magic Keyboard for iPad features a backlit, tactile keyboard and built-in trackpad for easy navigation. In addition, the keyboard’s floating iPad design allows for up to 130-degrees worth of tilt. There’s also an additional USB-C port for full-speed 30W pass-through fast charging for the attached iPad.

Compatible iPads magnetically attach to the keyboard and connects via their rear smart connector meaning there is no need to charge the keyboard separately or connect via Bluetooth. Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad comes in black or white.

It is available for the iPad Air (4th generation and above), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and above), and the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above).

Suppose you have a regular iPad or not looking to spend as much on a keyboard. In that case, Logitech makes some very compelling alternatives. Logitech’s Combo Touch Keyboard Case with Trackpad for iPad features a backlit keyboard and trackpad like Apple’s Magic keyboard for iPad. Additionally, the Logitech Combo Touch offers four adjustable viewing angles with up to 50-degrees of tilt and a holder for an Apple Pencil or Logitech Crayon. In addition, the Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case features a smart connector to avoid charging and Bluetooth.

The Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard case is available for iPad (7th generation and above), iPad Air (4th generation and above), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and above), and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above).

You can purchase the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air or the 11-inch iPad Pro for $399 from Apple. The 12.9-inch version is also available from Apple for $449.

The Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard case costs $199.95 for the iPad (7th generation and above), $249.95 for an iPad Air (4th generation and above), $249.95 for iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and above), and $289.95 for the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above).

Satechi Foldable Aluminium Stand

Whether you’re sketching out your next design or watching an Apple Fitness+ workout, you’ll want a stand to prop your iPad on. Satechi makes a stellar-looking space grey aluminum stand for iPad. This premium stand allows you to adjust your iPads height from a low sketching profile to a higher video viewing profile or to whatever angle is most comfortable. Additionally, this stand folds up into a small form factor for easy travel. Finally, it has small rubber grips to protect your iPad from damage.

Apple sells the Satechi Foldable Aluminium Stand for $54.95 on its website.

HoverBar Duo

Twelve South is known for making a lot of great accessories for Apple devices. The HoverBar Duo is a unique stand that allows you to connect near any iPad and raise it off the ground. The HoverBar Duo can sit on a counter on a foot or be mounted to a bar. You can get numerous viewing and sketching angles from the HoverBar Duo, making it an incredibly flexible stand for some niche use cases.

You can purchase the HoverBar Duo from Apple for $109.95.

Paperlike Screen Protectors

Screen protectors are a standard accessory for every Apple device. However, Paperlike’s screen protectors are a little unique. Their anti-glare screen protectors offer a nanodots surface making the iPad’s screen feel more paper-like. Paperlike’s screen protectors are an excellent option for users who want to transition away from paper or miss the friction of actual paper.

You can purchase a two-pack for any modern iPad for $49.99 on Amazon.

Anker Nano II

Apple’s iPads can fast charge using a 30W power brick. However, iPads ship with a 20W brick and Apple’s 30W brick is a separate $59 purchase. The Anker Nono II is a USB-C power brick that can charge your devices at 30W. Additionally, Anker’s power brick is 59% smaller than Apple’s, comes in black instead of white, and is $9 less expensive.

Purchase an Anker Nano II for $49.99 from Amazon.

Mcdodo 100W USB-C to USB-C Fast Charging Cable

Now that you purchased a new fast-charging brick for your iPad, you might also want to replace Apple’s white USB-C cable. Mcdodo offers a braided black USB-C charging cable making it more durable and colour matched to your space grey devices. What’s unique is this cable features an LED screen that shows the charging speed that your device is receiving.

This 4-foot cable is available on Amazon for $18.99.

UGreen USB-C Hub

Owning a USB-C iPad like the latest generation iPad mini, iPad Air or iPad Pro, you may want to connect additional devices storage or an external display. Enter UGreen’s USB-C hub. This 6-in-1 USB-C hub is built out of space grey aluminum and features three USB-A ports, an SD card slot, a micro SD card slot, and an HDMI port.

Amazon is selling the UGreen USB-C hub for $32.99.

Satechi Bluetooth Extended Numeric Keypad

Suppose you’re a numbers or spreadsheets person who enjoys working on their iPad. In that case, you may have found not having a full number-pad impact your productivity. Enter the Satechi Bluetooth Extended Numeric Keypad. Satechi has made a separate Bluetooth numeric keypad that you can connect to any iPad. Once paired, you can type more efficiently by having your numbers right at your side. The Satechi Bluetooth Extended Numeric Keypad offers 50 hours of battery life on a single charge and is rechargeable via USB-C. The keypad is available in silver or space grey and is built out of aluminum.

Grab the Satechi Bluetooth Extended Numeric Keypad on Amazon for $59.99.

USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter

If you’ve upgraded to a USB-C iPad, you may have noticed that these devices are missing a headphone jack. Although I love my AirPods, some of us have high-end wired headphones for top-notch quality audio. So grab Apple’s USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter to allow you to connect wired headphones to a USB-C iPad.

You can buy the USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter from Apple for $10.

SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive

As a creative professional, you may need to move content on and off your iPad. Sometimes cloud storage isn’t feasible, or a wireless printer isn’t on the network. SanDisk has made a handy dual-ended flash drive with USB-C on one end and lightning on the other. This means SanDisk’s iXpand flash drive can work with iPads, iPhones, Macs, Windows PCs, and Android devices. The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive comes in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.

You can purchase the SanDisk iXpand from Amazon starting at $53.99 for the 64GB model.

Whoosh!

Don’t lie. Your iPad screen is filthy. Being a primarily touch-first device means our iPads and iPhones get a lot of smudges on them. However, having a little bit of cleaning spray and a microfibre cloth can go a long way to keeping your devices clean and looking professional. Whoosh is the cleaning product used in Apple Stores to keep their demo devices looking fresh.

You can buy a 100ml bottle of Whoosh and a microfibre cloth off Amazon for $14.99.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook reiterates why iOS app sideloading would be bad

During his keynote speech at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit in Washington D.C., Apple CEO Tim Cook emphasized the tech giant’s focus on privacy and reiterated the company’s stance on the prospect of iOS app sideloading.

“We at Apple are proud to stand alongside all those who are working to advance privacy rights around the world. As a company, we are profoundly inspired by what technology can make possible, but we know too that technology is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. It is what we make of it. It is a mirror that reflects the ambitions of the people who use it, the people who build it, and the people who regulate it,” said Cook.

He also outlined more recent additions to iOS like App Tracking Transparency and emphasized that proposed regulations in certain regions could compromise the security of the iPhone.

“Here in Washington and elsewhere, policymakers are taking steps in the name of competition that would force Apple to let apps onto iPhone that circumvent the App Store through a process called sideloading,” said Cook.

Apple’s CEO said that sideloading would allow “data-hungry companies” to circumvent the tech giant’s privacy rules in order to track users. For example, in the U.S., the Open Markets Act could require Apple to allow sideloading on its iOS and iPadOS devices.

The act was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month and will enter debate in congress shortly. In the European Union, the Digital Marks Act could force Apple to allow sideloading, though the legislation has not been finalized.

While Cook’s speech is a move to protect Apple’s financial interests in the App Store, there’s a lot of truth to his Global Privacy Summit keynote talk.

Cook’s portion of the IAPP Summit 2022 keynote starts at 14:05 (seen above).

Apple’s dominance over the iPhone’s and iPad’s app ecosystem, thanks to its strict grip on the App Store isn’t always great for developers given the roughly 30 percent cut of revenue they’re forced to hand over.

That said, as far as the end-user is concerned, there’s a strong argument that this level of control offers a better user experience in some situations.

It ensures that, for the most part, all apps available to iPhone/iPad users are legitimate, meet a certain standard and mitigate the risk of hackers and scammers.

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Square reveals new Square Stand iPad POS with built-in card reader

Contactless payment system company Square has revealed its brand new point of sales (POS) system. The new Square Stand is compatible with the iPad and features a built-in card reader.

The updated Square Stand is a POS payment terminal for businesses of all sizes. According to the Block subsidiary, the device is compatible with the most recent 2021, 2020, and 2019 iPads. It can also be used with the 2019 iPad Air and the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.

It’s been designed to be user-friendly, with the only requirement being that the iPad must have the Square Point of Sale app installed.

The new Square Stand features a 180-degree swivel so the salesperson can rotate the POS towards the client or customer for payment. Rather than require various pieces of hardware, the stand’s card reader is located on the right side of the device. Customers must merely tap their card to complete payment. The device also supports card swipes and inserts as well.

To help identify successful payments and where customers must tap, the Square Stand features LED lighting. The guided lighting will show the appropriate spot to tap a card on the device, making it intuitive to use.

“Square Stand combines Square’s point of sale software and hardware into one complete solution, enabling sellers to take in-person payments and manage ecommerce sales, deliveries, and buy online, pick-up in-store orders from a single place,” the company said in a press release.

The Square Stand is now available to order. In Canada, the device is priced at $249.99. It can also be financed for $21/month over a year. There is also an option to purchase the Square Stand with a 32GB iPad 2020 for $679 in total. Expected delivery is estimated to be around one or two weeks.

Image credit: Square

Source: Square Via: The Verge

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Apple launches iOS 15.4.1, hopes to solve iPhone and iPhone battery drainage issues

Apple has released iOS 15.4.1, a minor improvement to its previously released iOS 15.4 software update. While also bringing an aassortment of changes to tvOS, macOS and watchOS, all eyes are on Apple’s latest software update and how it aims to fix known battery issues with the iPhone and the iPad.

Following the launch of iOS 15.4 a few weeks ago, iPhone and iPad users reported experiencing battery drainage issues with their devices. Apple’s latest software update aims to fix this problem.

The release notes for iOS 15.4.1 are as follows:

      • “Battery may drain more quickly than expected after updating to iOS/iPadOS 15.4
      • Braille devices may become unresponsive while navigating text or displaying an alert
      • Made for iPhone/iPad hearing devices may lose connection within some third-party apps”

Alongside iOS 15.4.1 for iPhone and iPad, Apple has launched tvOS 15.4.1, watchOS 8.5.1 and macOS 12.3.1 across all regions. These updates bring the usual bug fixes, security updates commonly found across Apple’s several software updates.

iOS 15.4 was a significant drop for Apple products. It arrived on March 14th and brought the long-awaited ability to unlock an iPhone while wearing a mask using Face ID. Apple also launched Universal Control support and a new voice for Siri.