Tag: mac

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Apple narrowly surpasses revenue expectations in Q3 results despite ‘pockets of softness’

Apple managed to surpass revenue by a slim margin of $83 billion USD (about $106 billion CAD) compared to an estimated $82.81 billion USD (roughly $106 billion CAD) (up just two percent year-over), alongside profit of $19.4 billion (approximately $24.8 billion CAD), according to the tech giant’s Q3 earnings report.

In an interview with CNBC, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “In terms of an outlook in the aggregate, we expect revenue to accelerate in the September quarter despite seeing some pockets of softness.”

Regarding specific divisions and products, Apple’s services revenue hit $19.60 billion USD (about $25.1 billion CAD) vs $19.70 billion USD (roughly $25.2 billion CAD) in the year prior, an increase of 12 percent year-over-year. Services includes iCloud, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and more, and is widely regarded as the focal point of the tech giant’s future growth.

On the other hand, iPhone revenue experienced far less growth at $40.67 billion USD (about $52.1 billion CAD) vs $38.33 billion USD (roughly $49.1 billion CAD) in the year prior, an increase of 2 percent year over year.

The rest of Apple’s Q3 report is far less positive.

Mac revenue came to $7.38 billion USD (approximately $9.4 billion CAD) vs $8.70 billion USD (about $11.1 billion CAD), a decrease of 10 percent year over year, and iPad revenue hit $7.22 billion USD (about $9.2 billion CAD) vs $6.94 billion USD (roughly 8.89 billion CAD), down two percent year over year. This downturn makes sense given the M2-powered MacBook Air just released and the last notable iPad Pro refresh was back in 2021.

Apple’s ‘Other Products’ division, which includes the Apple Watch, decreased eight percent year-over-year to $8.08 billion USD (about 10.35 billion CAD) from $8.86 billion USD (roughly 11.3 billion CAD).

Apple’s upcoming fall quarter will likely be a notable improvement over Q3 with the iPhone 14 series, the Apple Watch Series 8, several new M2-powered Macs, and more looming on the horizon.

You can find Apple’s full financial report here.

Source: Apple, CNBC

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How to use your iPhone as a webcam with macOS Ventura (Continuity Camera)

I’ve been running macOS Ventura for a few days now, and while new features like Stage Manager are interesting, the first thing to blow me away is Apple’s enhanced Continuity Camera.

The new version makes adding your iPhone as a webcam on your Mac seamless, and the camera quality improvements are astounding. There are a few hurdles involved, but for the most part, Continuity Camera is a stellar update.

What you need

How to set it up

To use the new feature, you need to ensure your iPhone and Mac are running on the latest version of Apple’s beta software. This means iOS 16 and macOS Ventura.

The next step is to make sure that your iPhone and computer are relatively close together and on the same Wi-Fi network. Then on your Mac, open up an app that uses the camera, like FaceTime or Photo Booth. Navigate to the camera selection menu and select your phone instead of the default camera on your Mac.

Left: iPhone 13 Pro. Right: MacBook Air (M2)

For the demo, I chose to use Photo Booth, and the camera controls are located in the menu bar under the ‘Camera’ subheading. You can set this to work automatically, but in my tests, my laptop always defaults to the built-in webcam.

However, I find that the rear camera on my iPhone 13 Pro looks incredible as a webcam with a pleasing depth of field, so it’s worth switching over manually.

Left: iPhone in landscape. Right: iPhone standing in portrait orientation.

One thing that’s not mentioned is that the cameras change depending on your phone’s orientation. When you’re shooting in landscape, it’s wide, but when your phone is in portrait orientation, it shoots a tighter frame.

Mounting your phone is the hardest part. Canadian YouTuber Dave2D decided to attach his phone to his MacBook with duct tape, and I’ve been using mine on top of a large McDonald’s ice coffee cup. Apple also showed off a Belkin accessory at WWDC that magnetizes to both your iPhone and MacBook, but I’m unable to find it online. Other options could include a phone tripod or a classic stack of books.

What else can this do?

While it’s still a little limited, there are a few other features you can turn on to tweak Continuity Camera to your preference. These controls are packed into the default macOS Control Centre under the ‘Video Effects’ toggle that appears whenever the webcam is on.

The first option allows users to turn on an artificial blur called ‘ Portrait mode.’ I know many people like to use this feature, but it looks a little over-the-top, so I found using the natural depth-of-field from the iPhone’s camera a better choice in most instances.

The next option is ‘Centre Stage’ which crops the camera sensor a bit and then uses software to keep the user in the centre of the frame. This feature is also available on the Studio Display and several iPads, but since it crops in, it doesn’t deliver optimal picture quality. That said, this mode could be helpful if you’re walking around a kitchen or have more than one person on screen. I’ve also found that placing your iPhone in an optimal position is tricky, so Centre Stage can help square up your framing.

The right is the default view, and the left has the ‘Studio Lighting’ effect enabled. You can tell because the background is darker.

Turning on ‘Studio Mode’ makes you pop on screen since it alters your frame’s lighting to make you brighter and the background darker. This option is subtle but helps isolate you on screen quite nicely.

Finally, there’s a new feature called ‘Desk view’ that’s impressive but tough to use. This feature works by skewing and warping footage from the iPhone’s ultrawide camera and making it look like it’s shooting straight down. For this mode, you need your phone mounted somewhere up high. I’ve found eye level is optimal, but the further your phone is from the desk, the better its field-of-view will be.

It’s also worth noting that this stream doesn’t play like a webcam. Instead, it appears as a new window on your computer, so you’ll have to share your screen via your video chatting platform to make it work. It’s a bit janky, but it’s a very helpful feature if you need to physically show things that are written down.

Demo footage

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Picture-in-Picture is a hidden Mac feature more people should know about

Did you know that if you right-click on a YouTube video twice, you can pop it out of the basic now playing screen and drag/resize it however you like — at least on macOS?

One of my favourite features of macOS is its built-in picture-in-picture (PiP) support that makes it easy to multi-task and consume content at the same time. This is especially useful with a MacBook where your screen space is limited while on the go.

Interestingly, the feature works in both Safari and Google Chrome, but the PiP windows look slightly different in each version. The Safari player features rounded corners and Apple’s iconography, while the Chrome player is a sharp rectangle with smaller play/pause controls. They both offer the same level of control and roughly look the same. I enjoy the Apple version personally since it blends in with the OS a little more.

This feature works in the default Apple TV app as well, allowing you to stream movies, and TV shows or watch local files in a small window. Unfortunately, other popular websites like Twitch and Vimeo don’t support this functionality yet.

That said, YouTube is far more popular than Vimeo, and Twitch does offer its own ‘pop-out player’ hidden in its options menu.

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iPhone 14, rugged Apple Watch, new HomePod and more coming soon: report

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is back at it again.

In his latest report, the often-reliable reporter outlines what he describes as the “deluge” of Apple products set to arrive this fall, including four iPhone 14 devices, new iPad Pros, three Apple Watches, several M2 Macs, new AirPods Pro and possibly even a more powerful Apple TV and a new HomePod.

While most of these devices are rumoured to arrive this fall, it’s unlikely Apple will show them all off at the same event. Similar to years past, the tech giant will probably hold several hardware keynotes over the next few months.

With that out of the way, let’s get into it:

Gurman says that Apple has plans to reveal an M2 Mac mini, M2 Pro Mac mini, an M2 Pro/M2 Max 14/16-inch MacBook Pro and a new M2 Ultra/M2 Extreme Mac Pro. Apple is also reportedly already working on next year’s M3 chip that will launch alongside next year’s new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air.

On the iPhone 14 side, Gurman says that only the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will feature Apple’s new A16 chip and an always-on display. Other new iPhone 14 Pro features include a 48-megapixel camera sensor and a pill-shaped Face ID camera cutout, backing up previous rumours. On the other hand, the iPhone 14 is expected to feature an A15 chip — the same processor included in the iPhone 13 — and a new 6.7-inch version that will replace the Mini.

New 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models that feature Apple’s M2 chip are also on the way. Looking to the future, 14-inch and 15-inch iPad models coming at some point in the “next year or two,” and even a new entry-level iPad with Apple’s A14 chip and USB-C could drop soon.

Gurman says that Apple’s often-rumoured rugged Apple Watch will launch alongside the Series 8 and a refreshed SE this fall. Similar to past rumours, the watch will reportedly be geared towards “extreme sports.” Apple is sticking with the same performance level as its S7/S6 chip for the Series 8’s rumoured S8 chip.

A new Apple TV that features the company’s A14 chip and extra RAM could arrive this fall, says Gurman. Apple’s AirPods Pro could also receive an upgrade that offers a faster chip and improved sound this year.

And last but not least, a new HomePod is on the way, but it likely won’t appear this fall. Gurman says the new smart speaker features the same size and audio quality as its predecessor but has a new display, multi-touch functionality and a more powerful S8 chip.

Source: Bloomberg Via: The Verge

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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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15 accessories every Mac owner should buy

Macs are incredible content creation machines. macOS is known for being fluid and easy to use. People love using Macs for work, school, and play. The Mac alone is impressive, but countless unique accessories are available to boost a person’s workspace and Mac experience. Whether you are working remotely or travelling to different countries giving presentations, there’s an accessory or two for you.

Here are 15 accessories every Mac owner needs to consider:

Satechi Pro Hub Max Adapter

USB-C hubs have been a standard must-have accessory since Apple released their first USB-C MacBook in 2015. While Apple has revised its port strategy in 2021 with its current 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro lineup, there are still plenty of needs for USB-C hubs. So popular accessory brand Satechi created their Pro Hub Max adapter designed for 2021 MacBook Pros and earlier.

Satechi’s Pro Hub Max adapter offers a 3.5mm headphone jack, a gigabit Ethernet adapter, a full-size SD card slot, a micro SD card slot, a 3.0 USB-A port, a 4K HDMI port, a 3.0 USB-C port, and a 4.0 USB-C port. In addition, this adapter has a retractable 3.5mm connector to accommodate 2021 MacBook Pros and earlier.

Uniquely, this adapter allows space for the 2021 MacBook Pro’s MagSafe charger and supports up to 100W of pass-through power delivery via USB-C.

You can purchase the Satechi Pro Hub Max Adapter from Amazon for $95.99.

Incase ICON Sleeve

As the world continues to open up, you are likely venturing out to coffee shops, your local library, or travelling for work. As a result, you should have some additional protection for your MacBook whole on the go. Incase’s ICON sleeve is the best MacBook sleeve I’ve come across. While the sleeve is on the higher-end side of MacBook sleeves, the quality is far ahead.

Incase’s ICON sleeve is shaped precisely to the size of a specific MacBook. It’s done with an inner-styrofoam border, so your MacBook doesn’t move around while in transit. The ICON sleeve is protected with a rubberized border. It features a magnetic clasp instead of a zipper making for a protective and premium look.

You can buy the Incase ICON sleeve from Apple for $79.95.

Rain Design mStand

When creating a desk setup, a stand for your MacBook is a must consider. A stand can be used to have a higher video call angle or for improved ergonomics. Rain Design created a beautiful metal MacBook stand called the mStand. Their simple design resembles the aluminum foot of a previous generation iMac.

You can buy the Rain Design mStand from Amazon in three different colours; $64.98 for Space Grey, $64.95 for Gold, and $58.98 for Silver.

Brydge Vertical Docking Station

The Brydge Vertical Docking Station is a space-saving thunderbolt 3 docking station for MacBook Pros. This solid metal dock features two Thunderbolt 3 ports. A user can insert their MacBook into the dock with one hand and instantly connect to two thunderbolt 3 accessories offering up to 40Gbps data speeds and pass-through charging. Supported Macs include 2016-2021 13-inch MacBook Pros, 2016-2019 15-inch MacBook Pros, or 2019-2020 16-inch MacBook Pros.

Amazon is selling the Brydge Vertical Docking Station for $93.99.

Twelve South BookArc

Twelve South is a famous Apple-centric accessory company. The BookArc is among many unique products. Twelve South BookArc is an aluminum stand with a rubber insert for your MacBook to stand vertically. The BookArc ships with several different inserts to fit nearly every MacBook since 2015. The BookArc is a stylish way to save space on your desk. You can also run a cable under the BookArc for easy cable management.

You can order the Twelve South BookArc in Silver or Space Grey from Amazon for $69.98.

WIREDGE 100W USB-C LED Cable

The WIREDGE charge cable is a unique way to make your USB-C charge cable stand out. WIREDGE’s charge cable comes in one, two, and three-meter lengths. The cable offers up to 100W of power delivery and is made of durable fabric material. This cable’s most outstanding feature is an LED display at the end of the cable showing the wattage of the charging speed.

WIREDGE’s 100W USB-C LED cable is available on Amazon for $28.99 at one meter, $30.99 at two meters and $32.99 at three meters.

Apple Magic Trackpad

A trackpad is arguably the best way to interact with your Mac. Using a trackpad unlocks countless gestures to swipe between desktops and interact with apps. Apple’s Magic Trackpad is built out of glass and aluminum. The Magic Trackpad is Bluetooth and offers one to three months of battery life. In addition, the Apple Magic Trackpad comes with a colour-matched woven USB-C to lightning cable.

Apple sells their Magic Trackpad on its website for $149.95 in ‘Silver‘ and $169.95 in ‘Black.’

Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

If you use an Apple Silicon MacBook attached to a monitor on a desk, you need to get an Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. Apple’s Magic Keyboards connect via Bluetooth and offer one to three months of battery life. Each keyboard comes with a woven colour-matched USB-C to lightning cable for pairing and charging. What’s unique about Apple’s Magic Keyboard is that you can buy it with Touch ID. While the Touch ID function only works with Apple Silicon Macs, users can now easily unlock their Mac with a fingerprint from an external keyboard.

You can buy Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch from Apple’s website in the standard size for $179, $209 for the Silver keyboard with a numeric keyboard, or $229 for the Black keyboard with a numeric keyboard.

WHOOSH!

Every electronic device gets smudges on it over time. When I worked at the Apple Store, customers frequently asked what screen cleaner Apple recommends. While Apple doesn’t sell screen cleaners, Apple uses Whoosh to clean their demo devices in their retail stores. Whoosh is an excellent screen cleaning product for Mac, iPhone, or any electronic device. Whoosh’s cleaning kits come with the cleaning solution and a microfibre cloth.

You can buy Whoosh from Amazon for $22.49.

Apple World Travel Adapter Kit

The Apple World Travel Adapter Kit is a hidden gem at the Apple Store. If you’re a frequent traveller, you’ve likely collected adapters for different regions’ outlets. Apple sells a relatively inexpensive kit of Apple plugs that replace the North American prongs on an Apple 30W or higher power adapter.

The kit includes plugs for North America, Japan, China, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, and Brazil. The Apple World Travel Adapter kit removes the need to carry bulky adapters for your Apple devices.

The Apple World Travel Adapter Kit is available on Apple’s website for $39.

Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive

External hard drives are standard for two primary purposes: storage and backups. If you have a lot of photos or are editing large video files, an external hard drive could be a helpful solution to deal with that large storage requirement. However, regardless of how much data is on your Mac, you need to ensure it’s backed up. In fact, I wrote a piece focused on making sure your Mac is backed up.

In addition, an external hard drive and macOS’s Time Machine feature is an excellent way to make sure data is copied in case of an emergency. The Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard is a reliable and inexpensive drive. Often, you can find Seagate’s drives on sale or offering open-box deals.

You can order a Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive on Amazon for $64.99.

Twelve South HiRise Pro

The second Twelve South accessory on this list is for iMacs and external displays. The HiRise Pro is a small storage unit on your desk and riser for an iMac or external display. Inside the HiRise Pro is an adjustable shelf to raise or lower the iMac or display. On the front of the HiRise Pro was a double-sided magnetic door. On one side is a wood finish, and the other is a metal finish to match your ecstatic preference.

You can purchase the Twelve South HiRise Pro from Amazon for $182.

Logitech BRIO

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic pushed a rise in remote work. As a result, video calls have become commonplace.

Unfortunately, many of us have lived with our poor 720p webcams built into our MacBooks. Apple improved their 720p webcams with their 14” and 16” 2021 MacBook Pros and Apple Studio Display with better 1080p cameras. However, a higher-quality webcam is a great way to make video calls feel comfortable and more professional.

Logitech makes several webcams at all different price points. But the Logitech BRIO is my particular favourite model. It’s a 4K quality camera with a wide-angle field of view and auto light correction. Additionally, the BRIO offers a built-in noise-cancelling microphone. Lastly, users can download the Logi Tune app to adjust the webcam’s field of view and lighting.

The Logitech BRIO is available on Amazon for $249.95.

Blue Snowball Microphone

Macs are well known for being content creation machines. So whether you need a better microphone for video calls, recording a podcast, or producing a video voice-over, an external microphone is an excellent addition to your Mac setup. The Blue Snowball is a small microphone that offers stellar quality for its low price. The Blue Snowball microphone connects to your Mac via a USB cable, meaning you’ll likely either need an adapter or a replacement USB-C cable.

You can order the Blue Snowball microphone from Amazon for $69.99.

Apple Studio Display

Previously, I wrote about the Apple Studio Display compared to the LG 5K UltraFine Display. The Apple Studio Display has been my preferred external display since its launch. The Studio Display features a gorgeous 5K panel with a 1080p webcam, stereo speakers, and a built-in microphone. On the rear of the display is a single Thunderbolt 3 port to connect to a Mac and three USB-C ports for peripherals.

You can order the Apple Studio Display from Apple’s website starting at $1999.

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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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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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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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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s child safety-focused ‘Communication Safety in Messages’ features are coming to Canada soon

MobileSyrup can confirm that Apple’s child safety-focused ‘Communication Safety in Messages’ iOS features are coming to Canada in its next suite of updates, including iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2 and macOS 12.2.

The previously U.S.-exclusive tool scans incoming photos on a child’s device for nudity and other potentially harmful images and flags them.

Once harmful content has been identified, it’s blurred and the child is presented with “helpful resources.” It’s unclear what Canadian organizations Apple has partnered with for these resources.

Apple says the tool also offers protection if a child attempts to send photos that contain nudity, stating that children are “given the option to message someone they trust for help if they choose” after the images have been flagged.

“Messages analyzes image attachments and determines if a photo contains nudity, while maintaining the end-to-end encryption of the messages. The feature is designed so that no indication of the detection of nudity ever leaves the device. Apple does not get access to the messages, and no notifications are sent to the parent or anyone else,” reads Apple’s support page about the feature.

Apple’s support document says the protection features also work with Siri, Search and Spotlight.

It’s important to note that Communication Safety in Messages requires user accounts to be set up as a family in iCloud.

Image credit: Apple 

Source: Apple