The US Patent & Trademark Office this week granted Apple a patent for a new magnetic connector capable of transmitting power to the iPhone. This comes after rumors that Apple is considering removing the Lightning port from its smartphones in the future.
As reported by Patently Apple, the patent shows a new type of connector that can be somewhat compared to the iPad’s Smart Connector and…
The third developer beta version of the upcoming watchOS 7.4 software update for Apple Watch is now available. iPhone users will especially appreciate this update as it allows the Apple Watch to replace Face ID and a passcode when wearing a facial covering.
Here’s how…
Apple doesn’t want you to call nebulous Siri audio feature in iOS 14.5 ‘default music app’ support
March 5, 2021
As Jeff Benjamin noted in 9to5Mac’s video coverage, iOS 14.5 will use Siri intelligence to select music services based on listening behaviors. While the feature falls short of actually allowing you to set a default music service, it will open Siri to easier music control…
LinkedIn will stop collecting IDFA data on iOS due to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature
March 5, 2021
As the preparation for Apple’s upcoming App Tracking Transparency feature continues, LinkedIn has announced that it will stop using the “Identifier for Advertising,” or IDFA data. This means that the LinkedIn app will not be required to show the App Tracking Transparency prompt to users.
App Tracking Transparency is coming in the “early spring,” and it will require that developers ask…
Despite Apple’s efforts to keep iOS secure, it’s difficult to have control over how third-party apps store user data. A new research from mobile security firm Zimperium has found that thousands of iOS and Android apps are exposing users’ personal information due to…
Google hosting Cloud Next ‘21 conference in October, virtual/physical format not yet set
March 5, 2021
Due to the pandemic, developer conferences over the past year have either been canceled or hosted virtually. Google today announced Cloud Next ‘21 will take place October 12-14, though the exact nature of the enterprise event has not yet been set.
We hope you will…
Every major Android update brings new features, new changes, and things to get used to. With Android 11, though, many of those tweaks are behind the scenes, and some of them can have a real impact on how you use your device. Now that Android 11 is rolling out in full swing, here are a few things to expect when you install the update on your phone.
Table of contents
New features
The effects of…
2020 saw some major streaming launches with HBO Max, Peacock, and the first full year of Disney+, too. Now, the latest major option is arriving with Paramount+, and it’s available today on Chromecast, Google TV, Android TV, and Android smartphones.
Paramount+ replaces…
Google has historically released new versions of Chrome every six weeks with smaller patches rolled out in between. In a big change, Google Chrome is moving to a four-week update cycle this year.
From the beginning, Google has taken an aggressive stance on updating its…
Following last year’s big Android and iOS revamp, Google Photos on the web is getting a matching “Explore” tab and “Favorites” shortcut.
Navigation on photos.google.com was streamlined in July following the mobile update, which also introduced the simplified logo. Google is now adding an “Explore” page that’s basically the equivalent of the Android and iOS “Search” tab.
It…
