[VIDEO] Great video, embedded in main Loop post. I love that little charge meter. Really makes it clear what’s happening when you plug in to various chargers, what happens when you go wireless. Beautifully done.
Business
A guy walks into an Apple Store
Matt Birchler captures the confusion on buying MagSafe and an iPhone 12, then working through the charger options.
Really well written.
And to clarify any MagSafe and power questions, be sure to watch the video in the post that follows.
Apple’s fantastic iPhone 12 Pro movie making ad
[VIDEO] Yeah, I love this one (video embedded in main Loop post). Makes me feel like grabbing a wheelie chair, some duct tape, and a bunch of props and making a some experimental films.
Just the feelings Apple was trying to inspire, I suspect.
Facebook cloud gaming, and a bit of snark directed at Apple
Facebook Gaming blog:
Today we’re announcing that Facebook Gaming has launched several cloud-streamed games in the Facebook app and on browser — playable instantly, with no downloads required. We recently had 200,000 people playing our cloud-streamed games per week in limited regions, so while it’s not exactly a secret, I’m excited to lay out what we’re building.
Read the post for details. In a nutshell, the games are free, Android only, latency tolerable, and rolled out in limited regions in the US.
As to the snark, there’s this tweet:
You’ll just need the Facebook app on Android. iOS won’t work for now. Because, Apple (sigh).
Something deep inside me recoils at seeing Facebook throw shade at other platforms, even if there’s a grain of truth there.
That aside, here’s the specifics on iOS:
Unfortunately, we’re not launching cloud games on iOS, so only Android and web players will enjoy integrated cloud games on Facebook while we work on alternative options for iOS. Even with Apple’s new cloud games policy, we don’t know if launching on the App Store is a viable path. “Of course, there is always the open Internet,” so mobile browsers may wind up being an option, but there are limitations to what we can offer on Safari. While our iOS path is uncertain, one thing is clear. Apple treats games differently and continues to exert control over a very precious resource. Stay tuned as we work out the best way for people to play games when and how they want, regardless of what device they bought.
As to the cost:
Cloud gaming is about expanding the types of games we already offer, so we’ll start with the format people enjoy playing on Facebook: free-to-play games. That’s one of the reasons why we’re starting with games typically played on mobile devices. In the future, our systems and infrastructure will improve to deliver more types of games — possibly all types of games. Until then, rest assured that the cost of trying our cloud games is $0.
This reads, to me, like a short term experiment with free-to-play games, while leaving the door open to “free to try” but pay in some way more sophisticated games.
Will these games make their way to iOS? Short of a court order, I suspect the only way that’ll happen is if Facebook finds a way to turn their gaming platform into a revenue stream for Apple.
A billion people now have iPhones
Neil Cybart:
A billion people now have iPhones. According to my estimate, Apple passed the billion iPhone users milestone last month. Thirteen years after going on sale, the iPhone remains the perennial most popular and best-selling smartphone.
Follow the headline link for some interesting analysis to back that number up. And not to be confused with the more than 2 billion iPhones sold over time (as of 2018).
This “billion iPhones” estimate is staggering, especially when you think back to where it all began, back in June 2007, when more than a few people saw the iPhone as a fad, thought Apple would be lucky to sell a million of them.
Apple sold 1.39 million in 2007, and 11.63 million in 2008. And, as it turns out, that was just a drop in the bucket.
MagSafe and iPhones 12, really fast wireless charging
[VIDEO] How much faster is the combination of MagSafe and iPhone 12? Watch this unfold, or jump to 1:33 for the numbers. Keep in mind that plug-in charging is about twice as fast as the fastest of these results. Video embedded in main Loop post.
How to use Apple’s new Intercom feature
Juli Clover, MacRumors:
Intercom works with the HomePod, HomePod mini, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and even CarPlay, so you can dictate a voice message on any of your devices that you can have delivered to a single person in the family or all family members.
No mention of the Mac, anywhere. This remains odd to me. At the very least, you’d think Intercom could tie into Notifications in some way, letting Mac folks know an Intercom message was sent.
Juli does a nice job laying out the setup and use cases for Intercom. Wondering if there’s a way to set “Do Not Disturb” on a specific device. For example, if I’m in a meeting or on a podcast, I’d prefer not to have the HomePod weigh in with a “Dinner’s ready” message.
Imagine if my iPhone was in Do Not Disturb mode and Intercom was smart enough to not send audio to the HomePod in the room I’m in but, instead, just sent a notification with playable audio.
Harvard Business Review: How Apple Is Organized for Innovation
Harvard Business Review:
When Jobs arrived back at Apple, it had a conventional structure for a company of its size and scope. It was divided into business units, each with its own P&L responsibilities. General managers ran the Macintosh products group, the information appliances division, and the server products division, among others. As is often the case with decentralized business units, managers were inclined to fight with one another, over transfer prices in particular.
The first thing Jobs did:
Jobs, in his first year returning as CEO, laid off the general managers of all the business units (in a single day), put the entire company under one P&L, and combined the disparate functional departments of the business units into one functional organization.
Amazing that that functional structure is still around today.
As was the case with Jobs before him, CEO Tim Cook occupies the only position on the organizational chart where the design, engineering, operations, marketing, and retail of any of Apple’s main products meet.
Here’s an example that shows how this model works:
In a functional organization, individual and team reputations act as a control mechanism in placing bets. A case in point is the decision to introduce the dual-lens camera with portrait mode in the iPhone 7 Plus in 2016. It was a big wager that the camera’s impact on users would be sufficiently great to justify its significant cost.
One executive told us that Paul Hubel, a senior leader who played a central role in the portrait mode effort, was “out over his skis,” meaning that he and his team were taking a big risk: If users were unwilling to pay a premium for a phone with a more costly and better camera, the team would most likely have less credibility the next time it proposed an expensive upgrade or feature. The camera turned out to be a defining feature for the iPhone 7 Plus, and its success further enhanced the reputations of Hubel and his team.
Great quote from the article:
Apple is not a company where general managers oversee managers; rather, it is a company where experts lead experts.
Wonderful read, chock full of insight.
Shot on iPhone 12 Pro — Apple’s Experiments V: Dark Universe
[VIDEO] These are all practical effects, not CGI, all shot on iPhone 12 Pro. Videos embedded in main Loop post.
First the video itself, then the “Behind the Scenes” showing how the shots were created. Beautiful work.
Apple’s new iPad Air ad
[VIDEO] Solid use of the slinky, especially to highlight the rose gold, green, and sky blue colors. Video embedded in main Loop post.
Austin Mann’s iPhone 12 Pro camera review
With each new iPhone, I eagerly await Austin Mann’s camera review. Part of it is just experiencing Austin’s travels. This review took place in picturesque Glacier National Park in Montana.
Luxurious. Enjoy.
2020 iPad Air review: Almost Pro
The big question for me, when it comes to the new iPad Air, is how it compares to the iPad Pro.
Jason Snell:
The release of the fourth-generation iPad Air feels kind of like that. Apple is apparently so confident in the roll that it’s on with the iPad that it’s happy to take the iPad Air, which it previously defined as a more expensive version of the low-end iPad, and transform it into an iPad Pro.
No, the new iPad Air doesn’t offer every single feature of the iPad Pro. There are still some reasons for some users to opt for the more expensive model. But this isn’t a move that a company terrified of undercutting its own high-margin products would make.
So what are those differences?
The iPad Air has two speakers rather than four. There’s no second rear camera, no portrait mode support, and no Lidar scanner. And the screen refreshes at 60Hz, not the buttery-smooth 120Hz found on Pro models.
No Face ID, but you do get Touch ID in the power button. And no Face ID means no face-reacting Animoji or Memoji. And the new iPad Air has a 10.9″ screen.
If the above sits well with you, the new iPad Air is a no-brainer. Starts at $599.
iPhone 12 benchmark results — Android phones should just give up now
I seriously love a good headline.
Follow the link, make your way through the Geekbench 5 benchmarks. Those video encoding results! iPhone just dominates.
Packaging saving irony: French iPhone boxes come packed in an outer box with separate EarPods
Hartley Charlton, MacRumors:
The French iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro does not have a different retail box to accommodate EarPods, meaning that all iPhone boxes are consistent worldwide. Since the new iPhone boxes are slimmer without a tray for EarPods or a power adapter below the iPhone, in France the EarPods are in the bottom of a separate box that is large enough to also contain the standard iPhone’s box. The additional box appears to be much larger than the new, slimmed-down iPhone boxes.
I get it. This is all to accommodate a French law requiring EarPods for every new smartphone. But the packaging waste is egregious (follow the link, check the image). And Apple’s packaging elegance is lost.
Got to be a better way.
Apple TV+ and the Snoopy Trojan horse
First things first, from this Apple press release:
Apple TV+ has teamed up with WildBrain, along with Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson Film Productions, to become the home for all things “Peanuts,” bringing together new original series and specials, along with iconic beloved specials to fans around the world, all in one place.
And, most importantly:
The original programs and new specials will also soon stream globally alongside iconic “Peanuts” specials, including “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” The Halloween special will begin streaming globally on Apple TV+ on October 19, and will be available for free from October 30 until November 1 as a special treat on Apple TV+.
When this announcement hit, earlier this week, there was some pushback online about Apple taking a tradition away from the masses, the tradition of watching three great Peanuts specials on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. But that is simply not the case. True, those shows will no longer be running on Network TV, but they will be available much more broadly, for free, on the web and Apple TV.
Turning to the headline linked post from Motley Fool:
This is a great score for Apple TV+, and the world’s most valuable company by market cap is doing something brilliant here. The three seasonal specials will always be available for on-demand streaming on the platform, but for a few days around each holiday, it will make the content available to nonsubscribers at no cost.
And:
And let’s be honest here: Snoopy is a Trojan horse. Folks are going to download the Apple TV+ app on their streaming hubs for this holiday freebie, and they’ll stay close every single month until the end of this year. They may decide to stick around as paying subscribers, just as the first wave of Apple TV+ users who got free 12-month trials for buying iOS gadgetry potentially walk away.
The Snoopy Trojan horse and Ted Lasso are two big bright spots to get folks looking at Apple TV+. And lets not forget about the bundles coming our way. I remain bullish on Apple TV+.
New York, shot on an iPhone 12 Pro in 4K
[VIDEO] This is just gorgeous (video embedded in main Loop post). Andy To shot the whole thing in HDR video, no external lenses, edited it on his MacBook Pro in Final Cut Pro.
Side note: If you are watching this on your Mac in Safari and not seeing the 4K option on playback, switch over to Google Chrome.
The iPhone 12, 12 Pro battery life takes a big hit over 5G
Mark Spoonauer, Tom’s Guide:
Here’s how the Tom’s Guide battery test works. It surfs the web continuously at 150 nits of screen brightness, launching a new site every 30 seconds until the battery drains. For the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, we ran this test over 5G and 4G, and the difference was pretty dramatic.
And:
The regular iPhone 12 lasted just 8 hours and 25 minutes over AT&T’s 5G network. Last year’s iPhone 11 lasted a whopping 11 hours and 16 minutes over 4G. To compare, we switched the iPhone 12 to 4G-only, and it endured for 10 hours and 23 minutes.
Follow the headline link, scroll down to the chart for the details but, in a nutshell, 5G took about 2 hours off the battery life for both the 12 and 12 Pro.
This shouldn’t stop you from buying an iPhone 12, and it shouldn’t stop you from using 5G. Just keep this in mind and plan accordingly.
Peter McKinnon: iPhone 12 Pro camera test
[VIDEO] Peter McKinnon puts the iPhone 12 Pro camera through its paces (video embedded in main Loop post). What I loved about this video are the zoomed in focus on images to see where they shine, and even where they fall flat.
One thing Peter points out that I’ve definitely experienced is the incredible sharpness throughout an image that machine learning makes possible, even in low light. Detail that would be difficult to replicate in a DSLR.
Gruber on real-life, Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband speeds
First things first, this entire iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro review is chock full of detail, and entertaining to boot.
But this one bit struck me:
And — I’ll repeat — holy shit is Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband fast. Using Ookla’s Speedtest app for testing, my LTE service here in Philly is generally in the range of 50-120 Mbps down, 10-20 Mbps up. Not bad. With 5G Ultra Wideband, I typically saw 1,200-1,800 Mbps down, 25-70 Mbps up. At a few spots I consistently saw 2,300-2,700 Mbps down. Wowza. Apple’s and Verizon’s advertised maximum under “ideal conditions” is 4,000 Mbps. That’s gigabit speeds in real life over a cellular network.
But:
But these mmWave coverage zones really are like Wi-Fi hotspots in terms of range. At some spots, the coverage is literally just half a city block.
And there’s the rub. How often will you be in just the right spot to take advantage of these speeds?
That said, 5G will evolve, and mmWave coverage will continue to grow. If you buy into 5G now, you’ll get the benefit of that growth over time.
Want the Apple TV Remote on your iPhone? Turn to Control Center.
Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac:
Apple today silently removed its “Apple TV Remote” app from the App Store, which lets users control the Apple TV from an iPhone or iPad simulating a real Remote. The app is no longer available for download from the App Store and Apple has likely discontinued it, which means that it will no longer get any updates.
And:
Apple has added the Remote feature built into the Control Center in iOS 12, so Apple TV users can have access to all the controls on Siri Remote without having to download any app.
This is more a PSA than anything else. Want the Remote on your iPhone? Turn to Control Center.
The special, anti-fingerprint finish on the gold iPhone 12 Pro
Matthew Panzarino, TechCrunch:
Most of the iPhone 12 Pro finishes still use a physical vapor deposition process for edge coating. But the new gold (which I do not have in person but looks great) uses a special high-power, impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) process that lays down the coating in a super dense pattern, allowing it to be tough and super bright with a molecular structure that mimics the stainless steel underneath — making it more durable than “standard” PVD. One side effect is that it’s easier to wipe clean and takes on less fingerprints, something that my blue model was, uh, definitely prone to.
From the HiPIMS Wikipedia page:
HIPIMS has been successfully applied for the deposition of thin films in industry, particularly on cutting tools. The first HIPIMS coating units appeared on the market in 2006.
The gold version of the Apple iPhone 12 Pro uses this process on the structural stainless steel band that also serves as the device’s antenna system.
There’s nothing I can find that says Apple’s other stainless steel colors can’t take a HiPIMS finish. I asked Panzer about this, his reply:
As far as I understand it, it should be able to be used with many different coatings — it is not a gold specific thing. My guess is that gold proved difficult or had fingerprinting issues.
I’m curious about Apple’s future use of HiPIMS. Will we see it applied in more places? Is the gold iPhone 12 Pro a one-off, or a test case for future stainless iPhones, Apple Watches?
iPhone 12 5G carrier plan details
Eli Blumenthal, CNET:
With low-band 5G service now deployed nationwide by T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon, 2020 marks the first time all three carriers will have next-generation networks widely available.
But getting onto 5G requires more than just a compatible phone. For some carriers, you also need to have the right plan.
Before you upgrade to a new iPhone 12, announced at Tuesday’s Apple event, or a 5G Android phone, here’s what you need to know for getting 5G on each of the three major US carriers.
5G brings an incredible wave of complexity to the carrier plan landscape. Me? I’d call my current carrier, go through my existing plan, see what my options are, see what they are willing to do to keep me in a longer term commitment. You’ve got the leverage here. They want to keep you.
Hands on with Apple’s iPhone 12 MagSafe cases
Though this does not show off the fit of an actual iPhone 12 in the case, the video embedded in the main Loop post does an excellent job showing off the variety of case colors and the MagSafe attachment.
A tsunami of iPhone 12 reviews
Chance Miller, 9to5Mac, pulled together a slew of iPhones 12 reviews, both as text links/callouts and embedded videos. Follow the headline link, start scrolling.
Hands-on with Adobe Illustrator on the iPad
Follow the headline link for a first look at Illustrator on iPad by Michael Steeber, 9to5Mac.
Here’s a link to Adobe’s official Illustrator on iPad page, which offers a 7 day free trial.
Before you sign up, familiarize yourself with Adobe’s subscription and cancellation terms. This is not an Apple managed process.
Season 2 of Disney+’s The Mandalorian: Sneak peek
[VIDEO] Big fan of The Mandalorian. The fact that they’ve somehow managed to make a season 2 during the pandemic just gives me hope, offers a tiny bit of light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Enjoy. Episode 1 drops in 10 days. Disney+. Trailer embedded in main Loop post.
MagSafe
[VIDEO] Here’s a first look at MagSafe, with an unboxing, some magnet paper, metal things, and some previous model iPhones (video embedded in main Loop post). Looking forward to people’s iPhones 12 arriving so we can see how well the magnet sticks to MagSafe optimized gear.
The word “safe” in the word MagSafe has always meant something specific to me: Tug on a cable with a MagSafe connector and the connector comes off. It doesn’t pull your Mac off the table.
Is this still the purpose of the “safe” in MagSafe? If I accidentally tug the MagSafe cable, will it pop off my iPhone? Or will my iPhone go tumbling to the floor? Or is this new MagSafe about ensuring your phone is charging properly, with the magnet ensuring your iPhone is properly centered on the Qi charging coil?
Apple and Springsteen
[VIDEO] As part of Apple’s campaign for Bruce Springsteen’s new documentary and album, Apple has announced a live streaming, album release event, Thursday, October 22, at 11:00 pm ET.
Want to attend? You’ll need a ticket (free, but limited to Apple Music subscribers). Follow the headline link to RSVP.
This is an interesting experiment for Apple. They’ve formalized the approach with their ticketing.apple.com sub-domain. Will we start to see regular events like this, an alternative to the live, in-store music events they’ve had in the past? Is this long term, or purely until we get past COVID?
Side note, if you are a Springsteen fan, here’s a new trailer (embedded in the main Loop post) for the upcoming documentary (the doc goes live on Apple TV October 23rd, Letters to You album drops on Apple Music the same day).
Apple launches Apple Music TV. Here’s how to watch.
Variety:
Apple has launched Apple Music TV, a free 24-hour curated livestream of popular music videos that will also include “exclusive new music videos and premiers, special curated music video blocks, and live shows and events as well as chart countdowns and guests,” according to the announcement.
Apple Music TV will be available to U.S. residents only on the Apple Music app and the Apple TV app.
In iOS/iPad OS:
- Launch the Music app
- Tap the Browse tab
- Tap the Apple Music TV intro article, or tap “Apple Music TV: Watch Now”
- To return to the Browse tab, pull down on the window
- Tap stop button to stop
On the Mac:
- Launch the Music app
- Tap the Browse tab (in the sidebar on the left)
- Tap the Introducing Apple Music TV article
- To exit, close the window
On Apple TV:
- Press and hold the Apple TV remote’s Menu button to get to the top level of the interface
- Tap Apple TV
- Tap Watch Now tab
- Scroll down to new Apple Music TV section
- Tap one of the buttons (Apple Music, Watch, or Listen). They all seem to lead to the live interface.
I love the big screen experience, which you can get on your Mac (with a big screen attached) or via AirPlay. Note that explicit videos may be playing, so plan accordingly.
The most powerful iPhone ever
[VIDEO] Last week, we posted the Chris Rock iPhone 12 Verizon 5G commercial. Definitely on my long list of favorite iPhone spots.
Encountered this commercial over the weekend, equal time for AT&T. Wondering if the same team at Apple drove both of these ads. Seem different as night and day. Judge for yourself. Video embedded in main Loop post.