Apple announced the release of new products on September 12, 2023, including the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. These phones will use USB-C cables.
Apple also released Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2.
Tag Archives: Hardware
Matter – a new standard for smart home device communication
Google Chromebook Self-Repair Program for schools
Google’s Self-Repair Program for Google Chromebooks has instructions and manuals for schools to help them make repairs locally. Additional help can be found at the Chromebook Help Center and Chrome Education and Enterprise Help Center.
Wireless carriers shutting down 3G networks in 2022
A.T.&T. has shut down its 3G wireless network as of February 22, 2022. T-Mobile will shut down its 3G network during the spring and summer of 2022, and Verizon has its 3G network shutdown date as December 31, 2022.
The FCC has more information and resources available at its 3G page. This transition may affect older smartphones, tablets, smart watches, vehicle GPS and road assistance devices, alarm systems, and medical devices. Some vehicles may also lose Automatic Crash Notification due to the 3G shutdown.
Apple Self Service Repair option
Apple has announced a new Self Service Repair for customers who want to repair their Apple devices with genuine Apple parts. This program will be available in the U.S. starting in early 2022 and will first include iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 parts, with additional devices and service areas to be added later.
Update: Apple’s Self Repair program is now available as of April 2022. This includes a repair tool kit rental option. Self Service Repair is available for Mac notebooks starting August 23, 2022. The Self Repair program is also now available in Europe.
Television Viewer Protection Act (TVPA) and modem rental fees
The Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019 (TVPA) requires providers of internet, voice, mobile, and data to engage in transparent sales and billing. It also prevents providers from charging a consumer for using equipment not provided by the service provider, such as a modem. The FCC granted providers an extension for this legislation until December 20, 2020. Modem rental fees should not be charged to consumers who provide their own equipment after that date.
Apple device repair programs for recent issues
Apple has reported that a small number of iPhone 11 models are experiencing issues with touch screen capability. A free repair is available for phones with a valid serial number that are having this problem.
Apple also has a repair program available for a small number of 13-inch MacBook Pro units with backlight display issues.
Apple is providing free repairs for users having sound issues with AirPods Pro.
Chrome OS automatic updates may not be available for older devices
Google’s Chrome OS is a secure choice for an operating system, but older devices may no longer be supported. When a Chrome device reaches its Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date, automatic updates from Google will no longer be provided.
IFixit has instructions on how to convert a working Chromebook past its expiration date to use CloudReady.
Ring now requires two-factor authentication
Ring now requires that customers use two-factor authentication when when they log into their accounts. Instructions on how to set up Ring two-factor authentication may be found here.
The Ring app also has a new Control Center for customers to manage their privacy and security settings.
Major tech companies working on new smart home device standards
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.