Apple, Google, and other tech companies have announced the formation of a new project to set up new common communication standards for smart home devices. Project Connected Home over IP will allow smart home devices from different manufacturers to communicate with one another using an open standard with built-in security.
Category: Apple
iTunes replaced on Apple devices by Apple Music and TV apps
iTunes has been replaced by Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Books, and Apple Podcasts on iOS and MacOS devices. Prior iTunes media library content can now be found in these new apps. Instructions on how to manage Apple Music and other subscriptions are available.
Apple reports some iPhone 6 smartphones experiencing power on issues
Apple released a statement that some iPhone 6 smartphones cannot be turned on due to a failed internal component. iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus users can see if their phone may be affected by entering the phone serial number at this link.
Apple iPhone 5 users will also have to do an iOS update or they may experience issues in several major iPhone apps starting on November 3rd 2019.
New Apple products include iPhone 11 and Watch Series 5
Apple announced the upcoming release of several new products at its September 10th 2019 event, including:
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- iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max with new camera features such as Night Mode
- iPad with 10.2 inch display and iPadOS
- Watch Series 5 and WatchOS 6 with built-in compass and international emergency calling, Noise app decibel detector and Calculator app
- iOS 13 with Dark Mode and Silence Unknown Callers call blocking feature
- Sign in with Apple secure app authentication for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS using Apple ID
- Apple TV+ (Apple TV Plus) streaming video service that starts at $4.99 per month, but is free for one year if customers buy an Apple device after September 10th 2019.
Update: The new 16-inch MacBook Pro with Magic Keyboard was released in November 2019.
Microsoft Office free apps for smartphones and tablets with 10.1 inch or smaller screen
Microsoft Office apps such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint are available as free downloads for iOS , Android and Windows smartphones and tablets that have a screen size of 10.1 inches or smaller. Users can view, edit and create new Office format files with these free apps once they login with a Microsoft user account, but they must subscribe to Office 365 to unlock all app functionality. Free web brower versions of Office apps are also available for users logged into OneDrive.
Students and teachers with a valid school email address are also eligible for the free Office 365 Education version.
Apple device users can run the iWork productivity apps, which includes Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.
Office Apps for Windows 10 Mobile will no longer be supported by Microsoft as of January 12, 2021.
Apple battery recall of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro models
Apple has a voluntary recall and free battery replacement program for certain 15-inch MacBook Pro models sold between 2015 and 2017. These units can be identified by serial number at support.apple.com/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall.
This recall is currently one of the programs available at Apple’s Exchange and Repair Extension Program page.
Apple also announced a partnership with Best Buy which designates their stores as Apple authorized repair locations.
Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) announcements
Apple made several major announcements at its Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2019, including:
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- The upcoming release of iOS 13 for iPhone 6s and later versions with Dark Mode and Sign in with Apple authentication
- iPadOS – a dedicated operating system for iPad
- watchOS 6
- macOS Catalina
- Mac Pro – a high end desktop computer
- SwiftUI – a development framework that can create apps across Apple platforms
Apple iOS 12.2 security updates
Apple released iOS 12.2 on March 25th 2019 to fix various security issues. Instructions on how to update your iOS device may be found here.
Apple disables FaceTime until security bug is fixed
Update: Apple released iOS 12.1.4 on February 7, 2019 to fix the FaceTime issue. FaceTime is now available at the Apple System Status page.
USA Today and the Washington Post have reported that some iPhone FaceTime users have been able to listen to people they are calling before the call is answered. FaceTime runs on iPhones and iPads running iOS 12.1 as well as Macs running macOS Mojave.
Apple is currently working on a fix for this security issue. FaceTime has been temporarily taken down as noted on the Apple System Status page.
Apple AirPlay allows wireless communication between compatible devices
Apple AirPlay is a wireless protocol that allows MacOS computers, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs to wirelessly send content to compatible TVs and speakers. Each device must meet Apple’s system requirements in order to use AirPlay.
Apple AirPlay is currently at version 2.0 and uses Apple HomeKit technology. This wireless protocol functionality was originally developed under the names Apple AirTunes or Apple AirPort.
Smart devices and media centers that are not Apple products can communicate using Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) or Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) standards.