Heena Sharma Blog

  Apple has started rolling out an iOS 15.2 update with new features and fixes as the first major update to iPhone software since iOS 15.1 in October. iOS and iPadOS 15 introduced the Record App Activity feature in the privacy settings, allowing people to save a summary of sensor, data, and Internet access by apps on their device. "In iOS and iPadOS 15.2, this activity is presented in Settings in a new UI called App Privacy Report. This is a great opportunity to review the app's sensor, data, and Internet usage," the company said in a statement. Auto Call can now be set up to use one of two methods for initiating an emergency call: holding the side button together with a volume button, or rapidly pressing the side button multiple times. Both methods now show a longer, 8-second countdown before placing an emergency call. Read More

  Apple recently launched the Watch Series 7 lineup and now the company is gearing up to launch an updated version of the Watch SE, which might be named Watch SE 2. In the latest edition of 'Power On' newsletter Mark Gurman said that next year Apple may launch an update to the Apple Watch SEaCE alongside the Apple Watch Series 8, reports MacRumors. The Apple Watch SE 2 will be in line with the original SE model that was launched in the year 2020. The original Apple Watch SE 2 features designs similar to the regular Apple Watch models, but lacks some of the advanced features, such as always-on display, blood oxygen sensor, and ECG functionality. Read More

  Apple has released iOS 15.0.2 , the second update to the iOS 15 operating system that was released in September. According to Apple's release notes, the updates address several issues, including bugs in the Find My app that prevented the iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe as well as AirTag from connecting or appearing in the app. The update also adds fix for a CarPlay bug that could cause CarPlay to fail to open audio apps, and an issue that could cause device restore or updates to fail on iPhone 13 models. In addition, there is also a fix for a glitch that saw photos saved to your library from Messages deleted after removing the associated thread or message. One can update an iPhone or iPad right now by going to Settings > General > Software Update and following the prompts. Read More

  Cupertino based tech giant Apple is reportedly planning to launch two new iPad Pro models with low-power LTPO OLED displays for release in 2023 or 2024. LTPO OLED display technology for upcoming iPad Pro models could pave the way to support a wider range of refresh rates between 10Hz and 120Hz, reports MacRumors. OLED technology is expensive, which is a factor that has thus far limited it to smaller devices like iPhones and Apple Watches. When adopted in the iPad, it will bring improved brightness, higher contrast, deeper blacks, and wider viewing angles too. Apple will allegedly release both an 11-inch OLED iPad and a 12.9-inch OLED one in 2023, bringing more credibility to the speculation that its first OLED tablets will be in the Pro series. Read More

  Apple is likely to release a 10.86-inch OLED iPad in 2022 and two new 120Hz OLED iPads in 2023, the media reported. The report goes into some specifics. For example, the 2022 iPad will have a 10.86-inch screen, which is coincidentally the same size as the current iPad Air, citing The Elec, GSMArena reported. This might mean that the report is referring to the next-generation iPad Air. Apple would use Thin-Film Encapsulation (TFE) method to protect the OLED panel from moisture and oxygen since the tech is pretty sensitive in this regard. The 2023 iPads, on the other hand, will go for 120Hz LTPO panels coming in 12.9-inch and 11.0-inch flavours. The LTPO tech is supposed to reduce power consumption at a higher refresh rate. A recent report said that, in India, Apple's tablet appears to be doing even better. Although Indian tablet shipments were down 34 per cent in the first quarter, Apple ranked as the second-largest tablet vendor with a 29 per cent share of the market....

  Apple Inc is working on a new iPad Pro with wireless charging and a redesigned iPad Mini in an attempt to build upon momentum for a category that saw improved sales during the pandemic, Bloomberg News reported on Friday. The company is looking to release the new iPad Pro in 2022 and the iPad Mini later this year, the report said https://bloom.bg/3g6Xq8D, citing people familiar with the matter. The iPhone maker thrived through the COVID-19 pandemic as home-bound consumers stocked up on electronic devices, with iPad sales notching a better-than-expected $7.8 billion last quarter. The company is planning narrower screen borders for the new iPad Mini and also looking at removing its home button, according to the report. Apple is testing a glass back for the iPad Pro to enable wireless charging for the first time and also attempting to try out reverse wireless charging, Bloomberg News said. Read More

  Apple Inc . is preparing to release several new Mac laptops and desktops with faster processors, new designs and improved connectivity to external devices, accelerating the company’s effort to replace Intel Corp. chips and leapfrog rival PC makers. The overhaul encompasses a broad range of Macs, including Apple’s higher-end laptop, the MacBook Pro ; the laptop aimed at the mass market, the MacBook Air ; and its desktop computers, the Mac Pro, iMac and Mac mini, according to people familiar with the matter. Redesigned MacBook Pros are expected to debut as soon as early this summer, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss an internal matter, followed by a revamped MacBook Air, a new low-end MacBook Pro and an all-new Mac Pro workstation. The company is also working on a higher-end Mac mini desktop and larger iMac. The machines will feature processors designed in-house that will greatly outpace the performance and capabilities of the current M1 chips, the people said...

  India’s premium smartphone market has bolstered with offerings from brands that were not there in the competition until last year. Among many other things, imaging yet again taking the centre stage and each of the new offering in the segment has something novel to offer. Of the many new entrants in the segment, Vivo seems to a promising one, thanks to its recent partnership with German lens maker Zeiss. One of the first products to come from this partnership is the Vivo X60 Pro , a camera-first premium smartphone with Zeiss optics. Vivo calls the X60 Pro "camera in a phone". Is the phone all about its cameras, or does it utility goes beyond imaging? Let us find out: Design and display Vivo X60 Pro The Vivo X60 Pro looks premium, and its visual appeal is second to none, considering the bulky and heavy smartphones of the present time. It takes design cue from its predecessor, the Vivo X50 Pro, but sheds some weight and dimensions to look even better and feel right in...

  Apple Inc announced on Tuesday a range of new computers, a paid podcasting service and devices for finding lost items, signaling the continued expansion of its once-simple product line into more and more corners of customers' lives. The new $30 AirTags, tiny devices that can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to locate them when they are lost, were applauded by analysts as a likely hot-seller that would also keep the company's more than 1 billion customers locked into its products. A new iPad Pro tablet, featuring the same Apple-designed processor that powers the company's more recent Mac computers, has keyboard and trackpad options that help make it a full-blown alternative to traditional laptops and desktops. And a refresh of the Mac desktop line boasts seven color options, harkening back to the famous candy-colored Macs that helped Steve Jobs revive the company in the 1990s. Read More

  Apple Inc said it plans to argue that it faces abundant competition in the market for video game transactions to defend itself against antitrust allegations by "Fortnite" maker Epic Games , the iPhone maker said on Thursday. Epic sued Apple last year in federal court in California, alleging the 15% to 30% commissions that Apple charges for the use of its in-app payment systems and Apple's longstanding practice of exercising control over which apps can be installed on its devices amount to anticompetitive behavior. The dispute arose after Epic tried to implement its own in-app payment system in the popular "Fortnite" game and Apple subsequently banned the game from its App Store. The case is to be heard in May in Oakland, California, by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who will have to rule on which notion of a "market" is the correct one for analyzing Apple's moves for signs of anticompetitive conduct. Read More

  Apple has announced to fix battery drain and other performance issues with iPhone 11 series devices via an upcoming iOS update . According to an Apple support document, the recalibration process will happen when you update an iPhone 11, 11 Pro, or 11 Pro Max to the upcoming iOS 14.5 update. "Recalibration for maximum capacity and peak performance capability will happen over time with regular charge cycles. If the process is successful, the recalibration message will be removed and your maximum capacity percentage will be updated," the iPhone maker said on its support page. The process is currently being tested in the latest release of the developer beta. If you see this message on your iPhone 11, it means the battery health reporting system on your iPhone is recalibrating. "Your battery health reporting system is recalibrating Maximum Capacity and Peak Performance Capability. This process may take a few weeks," the message will read. Read More

  Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is planning to launch its foldable iPhone soon and now Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed that the company may launch a device with a 7.5-8-inch display in 2023. According to MacRumors, a 2023 launch would be dependent on Apple being able to solve "key technology and mass production issues" this year. One previous rumour has also predicted a foldable iPhone with a 7.3-7.6-inch display and support for Apple Pencil. Apple has been researching foldable devices since 2016, but rumours surrounding a foldable iPhone have noticeably increased in recent months. However, the Cupertino-tech giant has not officially announced that when it will be launching a foldable smartphone. The tech giant has supposedly developed two prototypes, the clamshell, and the book-like shape. The upcoming foldable iPhone with Galaxy Z Flip-like design will also be more affordable than the competing rivals in the same market. Read More

  Apple TV app is now globally available on the new Google Chromecast device. The new app will allow users to watch original Apple TV+ content, as well as access existing iTunes movie and television show purchases. As per Variety, starting Thursday, users with the USD 50 Chromecast with Google TV adapter will be able to access Apple TV.   In addition, the Apple TV app is available on smart TVs from Sony and TCL that have the Google TV interface and Google said that it will roll out to more Android TV-powered devices in the next few months. The deal between the two tech giants, which compete on multiple fronts, was announced back in December. The Apple TV app provides access to all the Apple TV Plus content. Regularly priced at USD 4.99 per month, the subscription VOD package is available to buyers of Apple devices for a free one-year period (an offer Apple has extended through this July). Read More

  The most expensive 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro has won the title of the most popular 5G phone in 49 of 50 states in the US. According to PCMag, citing data from Speedtest.net parent company Ookla and research firm M Science, the title was given based on sales tracking and data from the internet until January 23. M Science tracks cumulative sales of 5G phones in the US. The latest flagship 5G iPhone 12 series was launched in October 2020, and immediately it was reported that the Pro and Pro Max models have been successful in attracting consumers. After the iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 was the second most popular 5G smartphone, with the iPhone 12 Pro coming in third. Ever since the iPhones were introduced late last year, iPhone 12 series topped most surveys of both the most popular and highest-selling smartphones, both in the United States and in the world. Read More

  A new Apple patent released by the US Patent and Trademark Office has revealed that the company is working on an iPhone display that can update the content at up to 240Hz which is four times the native refresh rate. With the upcoming display, an ?iPhone? with a 60Hz display would be able to increase its variable refresh rate to 120Hz, 180Hz, or 240Hz automatically, reports Patently Apple.   This technology exists on the iPad Pro lineup, but only switches from 60Hz to 120Hz, depending on the content shown. "Refresh rate refers to how many times a display refreshes every second. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the content on the display will be. Currently, all iPhones have a refresh rate of 60Hz," the report said on Tuesday. The patent also said that the technology can be extended to other devices such as the iPad and Apple Watch in the future. Read More

  The upcoming Apple iOS update will let users select a third-party default music service like Spotify when they ask to play a song using Siri. When you ask Siri to play a song on the upcoming iOS 14.5 , you would be prompted to select which app you want to use to play it, reports MacRumors. Apple last week released beta versions of upcoming iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 updates to developers and public beta testers. Apple has now added the ability to set a default music streaming service when using Siri to play songs. First spotted by users on online discussion platform Reddit, Apple will let you ask ?Siri? to play a song in iOS 14.5 from installed third-party music streaming apps in addition to Apple Music. Apple Siri? will also set a music streaming service as the default if you ask it to play from that particular app for the first time. Read More

  Apple has released iOS 14.4 , the fourth major update to the iOS 14 operating system , that fixes three bugs affecting iPhones and iPads that "may have been actively exploited," by the hackers. According to a new support document released by Apple, the update patches three security vulnerabilities that may have been exploited. Two of the bugs were found in WebKit, the browser engine that powers the Safari browser, and the Kernel, the core of the operating system. Apple said additional details would be available soon on the three bugs so the iPhone and iPad users should update to iOS 14.4 as soon as possible. iOS 14.4 adds a new ability to scan smaller QR codes from the device's camera, adds Bluetooth device categorisation for headphones and other audio devices. It will also notify iPhone 12 series users if the device camera is not genuine and fails to be verified after a repair. Read More

  Apple has launched a limited-edition Watch for the 'Black History Month , with a unique band and a new face. Available from February 1, the new hardware is part of what the company is calling the Black Unity Collection , a group of products designed to "celebrate and acknowledge Black history and Black culture." Apple says the limited-edition Watch will be available in "over 38 countries and regions." It hasn't yet confirmed international prices, but the $399 Watch starts at 379 pounds or AU$599. The band will also be available separately for $49. Apple Watch users can participate in a new 'Unity Activity Challenge' and earn the limited-edition award by closing their Move ring seven days in a row during February. As part of this effort, Apple is supporting six global organisations to help advance their missions in promoting and achieving equality and civil rights in the US and around the world: Black Lives Matter Support Fund via the T...

  Apple is planning to release the iOS 15 operating system in June and now a new report has revealed that it may kill support for older devices like the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s Plus as well as 2016 iPhone SE. According to the report from the French news website iPhoneSoft, Apple's iOS 15 update will seemingly drop support for devices with an A9 chip when it launches later in 2021. iOS 15 will run on the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and all newer iPhones that have been released, making it compatible with devices that have an A10 chip or newer. The seventh-generation iPod touch has an A10 chip, so it should be able to run iOS 15. In addition to the iPhones, iPhoneSoft also says a number of iPads will no longer be supported by iPadOS 15. iPadOS 15 may drop support for the iPad mini 4 (2015), iPad Air 2 (2014), and iPad 5 (2017), equipped with A8, A8X, and A9 chips, respectively. Read More

  Apple is adding a new 'Time to Walk' feature for its Fitness+ subscribers, which is an audio experience in the Workout app where guests will share inspiring stories while walking. According to MacRumors, Apple Fitness+ subscribers will be able to open the Workout app on an Apple Watch, select 'Time to Walk' and choose from one of the audio stories to listen to during their walk. The feature is likely to be extended to wheelchair users too. According to the report, the settings for 'Time to Walk' started showing up weeks ago in earlier betas of watchOS 7.3 and iOS 14.4, the stories are not yet accessible. Fitness+ is designed to work with the Apple Watch, providing workouts that can be done on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, with the Apple Watch tracking fitness progress. Read More