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Apple rolled out the official public release of iOS 11.4 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch on Tuesday. The update finally gives us AirPlay 2 support, including multi-room speaker support for HomePod.
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iPhone-related tips and news for everyone interested in Apple’s iPhone or looking to make your iPhone experience even better.
Philips Hue Smart Light App Gets New Interface, More
Philips Hue smart light users got a nice surprise Tuesday morning with a big update to the Hue controller app for the iPhone. Hue 3.0 sports a new interface that’s easier to use, controls for individual lights instead of just groups, an improved color picker, new scenes, the ability to use the art in a room to create light scenes, and more. The Hue 3.0 app is a free download at Apple’s App Store.
Report Claims Apple Dropping LCD for OLED Across iPhone Line
Apple is reportedly transitioning away from LCD for all iPhone display panels in favor of OLED.
Tim Cook Tweet - Wait, What's that iPhone X without a Notch in Tim's Pic? (Probably Just a White iPhone)
What some have noticed is a device being used at a nearby table with neither a notch nor space for a Home button—what in the world could that be?
Alexa's Eavesdropping Incident, Doppler Music Player - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-25
Bryan Chaffin and Andrew Orr join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on Amazon’s Alexa inadvertently recording a conversation and sending it to someone as a message, plus Andrew has a tip on a Music app alternative for the iPhone and iPad.
Apple Offer 1 Month Free for iCloud Storage Upgrade
Apple is offering a free month for iCloud users upgrading from the free 5 GB storage tier to any of the paid options. The offer is a move to get more iCloud users to upgrade to a paid storage plan.
How to Create GIFs on iOS with the Workflow App
For today’s Quick Tip, Melissa Holt will walk us through creating a simple automated task within the iOS Workflow app…which is kind of like building stuff in Automator on the Mac. In other words, fun! And it’s a good way to learn the basics of automation, too. She’ll tell us all about it!
Did You Pay for a New iPhone 6 Battery? You Can Get Money Back
To be eligible, you had to have bought it between January 1, 2017 and December 28, 2018.
WWDC and Hardware Expectations, Apple Music for Other Platforms - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-23
John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to talk about expectations for hardware announcements at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, plus they debate if it’s time for Apple Music to come to more platforms.
Lightning Versus USB-C for the iPhone and iPad - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-22
John Kheit from Pop.0, Bryan Chaffin, and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to debate whether or not Apple should move to USB-C from Lightning for the iPhone and iPad data sync and charging port.
Intels Warns of Spectre Variant 4 Chip Vulnerability
Intel has a new report out describing what the chip maker is calling a Spectre-like vulnerability dubbed Variant 4 that exploits the CPU’s speculative execution mechanism so hackers can potentially get at sensitive information on your computer.
iPhone Addiction, TeenSafe's Apple ID Login Leak - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-21
Andrew Orr and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to discuss who should be responsible for controlling iPhone and other electronic device addiction, plus they have something to say about TeenSafe’s Apple ID user name and password leak.
Apple Drops Lightning to USB-C Cable from $25 to $19
The cost for a Lightning to USB-C cable to connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your new Mac isn’t as expensive as it used to be. Last month, the cable cost $25, and now it’s $19. That’s great because it seems like a cable should’ve included. If we take a big logic leap, maybe it’s also a hint that Apple is dropping USB A from more Mac models soon.
Samsung Thinks Galaxy S9 Is at Least Better than iPhone 6
Check it out. Samsung is positioning its two-month old flagship Galaxy S9 against an iPhone. And when I say “iPhone,” I mean iPhone 6 [via MacRumors]. The ad appears to be a pitch to owners of old iPhones, but it feels more like a Freudian slip to me. “This,” Samsung appears to believe, “is all we can do.” Even if the psychology behind the ad isn’t as twisted and warped as my Samsung-loathing mind wants it to be, comparing a brand new flagship device to a three-and-a-half year old competitor is terrible, awful, absurd positioning. Perhaps that’s part of why iPhone 7 is still selling as well as the Galaxy S9, let alone the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X, all of which handily outsell the Samsung device. Anyhoo, you can watch it and judge for yourself.
The Developers Union Forms to Give Indie Developers a Voice to Apple
The group says it will start by asking Apple for developer-friendly changes to the App Store. Its goal is 20,000 members by early June (i.e. WWDC), and has 182 members so far (16 of whom joined while I was working on this article).
How to See Where Apple Tracks You on Your iPhone and iPad
Your iPhone and iPad use Location Services to track places you go that it deems important to you. That’s either really cool, or super creepy, depending on your point of view. Here’s how to see the significant locations where your iPhone and iPad have tracked you.
Apple Releases iOS 11.4 Developer Beta 6 just Days After Beta 5
Only three days after iOS 11.4 developer beta 5 for iPhone and iPad was released Apple rolled out developer beta 6.
Getting Ready for WWDC iOS and macOS Betas, App Camp for Girls Fundraiser Concert - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-17
Dave Hamilton and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to talk about WWDC’s upcoming iOS and macOS developer betas and how you can prepare for them, plus Kelly tells us about the James Dempsey and the Breakpoints fundraiser concert for App Camp for Girls.
Apple's New Accessibility Website Shows iPhone Features
The website is a great list of features, and a valuable resource. It’s a lot like Apple’s privacy page, where each feature is described in easy-to-understand language.
Twelve South Intros AirFly Bluetooth to 3.5mm for AirPods
Twelve South is aiming to make your AirPods more versatile with its new AirFly Bluetooth to 3.5 mm adapter. AirFly lets you link your AirPods to wired-only connections, like in-flight entertainment systems on planes, or treadmills at the gym. The battery lasts eight hours between charges, so you can get through more than one movie on a flight. AirFly is priced at US$39.99 and is available at the Twelve South website, Amazon, along with InMotion stores and Best Buy kiosks in airports.
Adobe is Giving Away its App Interface Design Tools with Adobe XD Starter Plan
Adobe wants to be the go-to choice for app interface design, so the company just introduced Adobe XD Starter Plan—a free version of its Adobe XD user experience design tools.
How to Open Recently Closed Safari Tabs on iPhone and iPad
Today’s Quick Tip is about opening recently closed tabs in Safari on the iPhone or iPad! So did you just accidentally close out of a site (or a bunch of sites) you wanted to keep handy? Need to get things back? We’ve got the scoop on how.
Apple Releases iOS 11.4 Developer Beta 5
Apple released iOS 11.4 Developer Beta 5 on Monday. The update brings us another step closer to the official public release for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This iPhone Charging Cable Doubles as a Stand
A neat iPhone charging cable doubles as a stand, making it easier to watch movies while you charge your device. I’ve never seen a charging cable like this before. Baseus’s Maruko Video Cable has a plastic casing around the end that extends a short ways down the cable, giving it better stability. It holds up your iPhone in landscape mode, so you can watch movies or play games while you charge. The end of the cable has a round head, so it’s easy to grab and push into your phone. It doesn’t seem like it’s available in a lot of places online. I found it being sold on T Shop International for US$6.