I was talking to an attorney this week about buying a new iPad, and I'll tell you the same thing I told him: don't. At least, not right now. All signs are that Apple will introduce two new models of the iPad Pro in the next few weeks, and perhaps a second generation version of the Apple Pencil — which part of me hopes Apple will call the "No. 2 Pencil." The speculation is that it will support Face ID, have smaller bezels, and perhaps even use USB-C instead of Lightning. We'll see. And now, the news of note from the past week:
- Virginia attorney Sharon Nelson discusses a recent incident in which the FBI compelled an iPhone owner (via a warrant) to unlock his iPhone using Face ID.
- Nelson also discusses an incident in which police arrested someone for murder based on data from the victim's Fitbit — and it could have just as easily been an Apple Watch. Her heart rate spiked, and then ceased to register at all, during the time that video surveillance showed that her stepfather was in her house.
- California attorney David Sparks discusses Apple's announcement yesterday that 53% of users of iOS devices sold in the last four years have already updated to iOS 12. Once iOS 12.1 comes out with the new Emoji I discussed earlier this year, I'm sure even more folks will rush to upgrade.
- Speak of Sparks, yesterday I recommended his video field guide on using the Shortcuts app, and I also see that this week he experimented with replacing all of the icons on his iPhone's home screen with Siri shortcuts. Interesting.
- If you are looking for a place to find and download some interesting iPhone shortcuts, check out Sharecuts.app.
- Don't be like Kanye West. There are probably many ways one could apply that rule, but right now I'm referring to his Oval Office meeting with President Trump yesterday morning in which Kanye entered his iPhone passcode while a camera was filming him from behind — his first no-no — and then the entire world saw that Kanye's password is 000000, i.e. just six zeros. Chance Miller of 9to5Mac has the details including a video clip. Seriously, don't do that.
- Speaking of iPhone security, Glenn Fleishman of TidBITS explains how two-factor authentication is improved in iOS 12, and also explains why you should try not to use SMS (text messaging) as a second factor.
- As I noted above, the next version of the iPad Pro might have USB-C. In an article for Macworld, Jason Snell analyzes what that could mean for users.
- Zac Hall of 9to5Mac wrote a great overview of the types of HomeKit accessories that you can use to control your home with Siri, and he even recommends some of the best specific brands. I continue to be a huge fan of the Lutron switches in my house, which I reviewed in 2015.
- Bryan Wolfe of the iDownloadBlog explains how to use the Live Listen feature of iOS 12. Place your iPhone close to a source of sound, put on your AirPods, and then your iPhone will act as a remote microphone for your AirPods. Useful if you need to hear something or someone but you are too far away to do so.
- One of my favorite features of Apple Music is the ability to request a song by part of a lyric — Hey Siri, play the song that goes [say a few words in the lyrics]. Benjamin Mayo of 9to5Mac reports that this function will improve because Apple is now incorporating more lyrics from a company called Genius.
- There was a horrible story in the news this week about a reporter who wrote for the Washington Post being killed while in the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Reuters reports that information gained from the Apple Watch he was wearing might help the investigators to figure out what happened.
- Here is a useful page on the Apple website which describes each of the status icons and symbols on the Apple Watch.
- Security expert Rich Mogull happens to also be a paramedic, and in an article for TidBITS, he describes how the Apple Watch Series 4 may (and may not) help to save lives.
- Matthew Cassinelli of The Sweet Setup explains why the 1Password app is so useful on an Apple Watch. I agree.
- Jesse Hollington of iLounge reports that today Apple is debuting Season 2 of Carpool Karaoke, including one episode featuring the Muppets. It's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights...
- And finally, here is a video from Apple showing off some of the new features of the iPhone XS and XR. That's one reason to watch the video, but another reason is that it does a great job of showing off Apple's new Apple Park campus: