Last week, I started In the News by addressing the dilemma of whether to purchase a new iPad for the holidays or to wait until next year when (surely!) Apple will come out with new iPads. This week, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg predicts some of what Apple will come out with next year, and John Gruber of Daring Fireball offers these comments on those rumors. And now, the other news of note from the past week:
- Raphael Satter, reporting for Reuters, reveals that certain unidentified governments have required Apple (and Google) to reveal information about push notifications. Once this news was released, Apple decided that the story was public and thus it could offer additional information.
- One of the reasons that Apple's devices are so powerful is that Apple now designs its own chips. Katie Tarasov of CNBC has a 17-minute video and story based on her visiting an Apple chip lab. Although there isn't anything new announced in this video, it is interesting to see the lab and to hear Apple executives talk about what makes Apple's chips special.
- Apple used to sell a device called the MagSafe Duo Charger. It was small and unfolded to charge both an iPhone (using MagSafe) and an Apple Watch. This week, Twelve South launched a similar product called the ButterFly 2-in-1 USB-C MagSafe Charger, and based on this review by Mitchel Broussard of MacRumors, it seems much better. For example, it can also serve as a StandBy stand for the iPhone, or a NightStand charger for the Apple Watch. Plus, it looks really cute. I see that while Apple is no longer selling the MagSafe Duo Charger on its online Apple Store, it is now selling the Butterfly for $130. I don't see it on Amazon yet, but you can pre-order it directly from Twelve South.
- Another travel-friendly charging option is a tiny power adapter. The Nomad 65W Slim Power Adapter, reviewed by Justin Duino of Make Use Of, looks like an interesting option because it is so small and features two USB-C ports. I don't know anything about the manufacturer and its reputation so I cannot comment upon the quality, but the main reason I link to that story is that it is amazing how the use of gallium nitride (GaN) has allowed chargers to get smaller and smaller.
- Speaking of portable power, Max Buondonno of How-To Geek identifies some of the best MagSafe iPhone battery packs. My need for a battery pack dropped dramatically when I recently updated to iPhone 15 Pro Max—the larger device has a larger battery that lasts much longer than my iPhone 14 Pro—but I know from past experience that portable battery packs are very useful.
- Speaking of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, even though it has been out for a while now, you might be thinking of getting one for yourself or someone else with the holidays approaching, and Stephen Hackett of 512 Pixels posted an interesting review of the iPhone 15 Pro Max this week.
- Jesse Hollington of Digital Trends explains step-by-step how to share contacts using NameDrop in iOS 17. The process is designed to be very simple; just put the two iPhones next to each other and follow the on-screen prompts. But it is nice to read that article and understand how it all works before you do it for the first time.
- Joe Rossignol of MacRumors reports that in iOS 17.2, there will be a NameDrop-like feature for sharing boarding passes, movie tickets, and more. This looks like a great idea.
- John Gruber of Daring Fireball reports that when iOS 17.2 comes out along with updates to the other Apple devices (which could be next week), there will no longer be iTunes Movies and iTunes TV Shows apps on the Apple TV hardware device. Instead, you can find those items in the TV app. It looks like Apple is slowly but surely getting rid of all use of the word "iTunes."
- Speaking of the Apple TV, Tim Hardwick of MacRumors reports that Zoom has released an app for the Apple TV that works with the Continuity Camera feature on the iPhone. I've had some FaceTime video calls using my Apple TV, Continuity Camera, and iPhone, and the quality of the video has been fantastic. And since Zoom is so popular, it is great to have this functionality. I wish we could have done this with FaceTime and Zoom when everyone was stuck at home in early 2020.
- A month ago, I linked to a story about how copes in Washington, DC were promoting hiding an AirTag in your car to help track it if it is stolen. This week, they are promoting another use for an AirTag: put it in your jacket. Apparently, Canada Goose jackets have become popular targets for thieves in our nation's capital, and since they can cost over $1,000, you will want to try to recover one if it is stolen.
- Chance Miller of 9to5Mac reports on a man who almost died while hiking in Georgia after his dogs knocked him down, but fortunately his Apple Watch detected the fall and contacted emergency services.
- And finally, Apple's newest video to show off the Portrait Photo feature on the iPhone 15 is called Album Cover. Worth watching for a chuckle or two.
