Apple’s AppleCare+ for Mac now cuts the cost of those unforeseen accidents

Why it matters to you

You will want to set aside some extra cash for AppleCare+ for Mac when you buy your new machine to make sure you are covered against accidents.

Mobile devices are awesome technology, allowing us to get our work — and play — done wherever we are. Whether it is our smartphones, our tablets, or our notebooks, the ability to carry our computing around with us represents a tremendous value.

Of course, toting around a $2,000 notebook carries some serious risk, as well, with the constant threat of dropping a machine and damaging the screen or other costly components. Accident insurance is a good idea, therefore, and Apple’s premium support plan, AppleCare+ for Mac, has now added its own accidental coverage, 9to5Mac reports.

Previously, AppleCare+ offered accidental damage coverage for iOS devices only, specifically the iPhone and iPad. Now, Apple has added similar protection for the Mac, with coverage of two instances of screen or “external enclosure damage,” that brings with it a service cost of $99. More extensive damage, for example, the intensely frustrating water damage, has a service fee of $299. Applicable taxes are tacked on.

AppleCare+ also provides 24/7 priority access to Apple experts, a boost from the 90 days that comes standard with each new machine. In addition, the plan extends the standard hardware warranty to a full three years. And the coverage can be purchased for Mac desktop machines as well because of course they, too, can suffer from breakdowns and accidental damage.

AppleCare+ for Mac must be purchased within 60 days of the covered Mac’s purchase date and Apple reserves the right to subject each machine to a diagnostic test. Pricing for AppleCare+ for Mac varies, ranging from $99 for the Mac Mini all the way up to $379 for the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

You can find out all of the details on AppleCare+ for Mac here. If you are in the market for a new Mac, including any of the refreshed machines announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference 2017, then set aside some extra cash in your budget for some additional piece of mind.

Apple still doesn’t know what to do with Macs, and WWDC 2017 was proof

This April, Apple made a peculiar move – it invited a select batch of journalists to see the future of its high-end Macs. Behind closed doors, the company provided a glimpse into its upcoming iMac and Mac Pro hardware. This rare, exclusive, off-schedule presser served an obvious purpose.

It was an apology to Mac fans.

“Don’t worry,” the company seemed to say. “Apple is still working on high-end, incredibly fast Macs, and that hardware is coming soon.” At WWDC 2017, we saw seen at least a portion of what the company has in store. New hardware debuted with a look at real-time movie scene composition in the Star Wars universe, complete with a cameo by Darth Vader himself.

It was an impressive demo that distracted from a less attractive truth. The Mac is still in a tough spot, and Apple’s commitment to it remains uncertain.

And on to the next thing

Apple devoted a half hour of its two-and-a-half-hour keynote to MacOS and Mac hardware. That sounds like more time than it is, and even Apple’s veteran Craig Federighi stumbled occasionally as he sped through features and demos at light speed. The breakneck presentation contrasted starkly against the full hour devoted to iOS and iPad Pro, which gave presenters more time to relax. Even the Apple Watch received about 20 minutes of stage time, which was devoted to important advancements, such as new Toy Story-themed watch faces.

Apple is iOS, and iOS is Apple – everything else remains optional. The Mac is perhaps most optional of all.

It may seem petty, but how Apple uses the time in its keynote says a lot about its priorities. Apple is iOS, and iOS is Apple – everything else remains optional. The Mac is perhaps most optional of all.

Still, the short run-time may’ve been for the best, because Apple’s Mac announcements were, yet again, light on content. MacOS High Sierra’s only consequential update is the switch to a new file system, which should improve performance, and could enable new features going forward.

Everything else is the kind of minor improvement Microsoft buries in Windows Insider patch notes on a regular basis. Safari’s faster, while Mail and Photos receive interface tweaks. The announcement of HVEC support encoding acceleration was almost embarrassing. At this point it’s widespread, as Intel added hardware acceleration of 4K HVEC in its 7th-generation Core. Last year.

The pace of MacOS is glacial. Microsoft may have a problem with over-promising the scope of its updates, but it at least delivers major Windows 10 features on a regular basis. MacOS looks positively frozen by comparison, and the updates announced at WWDC do nothing to change that.

The hardware isn’t as exciting as it looks

But wait! What about Mac hardware? Apple breezed through a slew of updates to the iMac and MacBook Pro, and teased the upcoming iMac Pro, its most powerful device ever. Certainly, that’s worth excitement?

Well…no. Not really.

Let’s deal with the updates first. Apple showed off numerous enhancements to the MacBook Pro and iMac line, with a focus on CPU and GPU hardware. Intel’s 7th-gen Core processors are now standard across the board, and some models now have better discrete graphics.

That’s good, obviously. An upgrade is an upgrade. Yet this hardware isn’t new. Launching the new MacBook Pros without Intel’s latest hardware was a miss, and Apple doesn’t deserve accolades for finally making the switch over half a year later. The iMac is also late to make the switch.

Apple’s vision of tomorrow’s PC is in an awkward place.

Which brings us to the iMac Pro, most exciting of all the announcements. This is Apple’s attempt to convince professionals that Apple still cares about performance, and it looks convincing at a glance. The iMac Pro will combine a gorgeous 5K display with AMD’s new Vega GPU and Intel’s latest 18-core processor. It’ll even support up to 128GB of memory.

It’d be bleeding-edge stuff if it launched today. It’s not. Instead it’s shipping in December. By then, all the major Windows PC builders will have their own 18-core, Vega-capable desktops available. They too will be available with 5K displays – or 8K, if you buy Dell’s latest. And unlike the iMac Pro, they’ll be easily serviceable and upgradable, so owners can update as new hardware comes out.

Where’s Apple going with Mac?

The keynote was more than just a disappoint for MacOS fans. It was also a reminder that Apple’s vision of tomorrow’s PC is in an awkward place. It’s split across two operating systems, MacOS and iOS. While the former is far more capable today, Apple seems to think the latter is the real future – even for professional users.

That led to awkward moments. Take the iPad Pro’s new display, for example. The new models can refresh at up to 120Hz, yet can also refresh at slower speeds, depending on the content shown. This adaptive refresh rate technology is akin to PC technologies like G-Sync and FreeSync. Such technology remains nowhere to be seen on the Mac. In fact, none of Apple’s iMacs or MacBooks ship with a display that can refresh more than 60 times per second.

A similar dilemma plagues touch support. The iPad Pro with Apple Pen has all kinds of fancy tricks. It can add notes to documents or create artwork in Adobe Photoshop, features that touchscreen PCs can also claim. The Mac, meanwhile, is left out. Stylus support isn’t part of the OS, and only possible in specific software with the purchase of an expensive third-party touch display, like Wacom’s $2,800 Cintiq 27QHD Touch.

The new iMac Pro will be fast, and it will be beautiful – but don’t be fooled. Macs stand on thin ice. They’re overshadowed by iOS in developer and designer attention, and the quality of the Mac continues to suffer. The iMac Pro is a very expensive, elegantly designed Band-Aid applied to a patient in desperate need of surgery.

Supreme Court to decide what’s required to get location records from your carrier

The appeal of a 2011 case where 12,898 pieces of evidence were gathered without a warrant is being heard by the highest court in the land.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case to decide if government officers need a warrant to access your cell phone’s location history. The ACLU is co-counsel in the Carpenter v United States case, which is the first of its kind to be heard by the court as previous petitions were denied.

ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project staff attorney Nathan Fred Wessler had the following to say:

Because cell phone location records can reveal countless private details of our lives, police should only be able to access them by getting a warrant based on probable cause. The time has come for the Supreme Court to make clear that the longstanding protections of the Fourth Amendment apply with undiminished force to these kinds of sensitive digital records.

The case is an appeal of a 2011 case where law enforcement obtained months worth of location data from Timothy Carpenter’s cell carrier in a robbery investigation. The records cover 127 days and 12,898 separate data points were released without a probable-cause warrant.

We’re hopeful that rules about how and when that data can be obtained will arise from this case.

The ACLU claims that “Police seek these kinds of cell phone location records from phone companies tens of thousands of times each year” without a warrant, but instead simply a request to the carrier. But many jurisdictions do not require a warrant to obtain such information, based on a 2015 U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court ruling.

We understand that information like location data can be a valuable tool for law enforcement and help keep us all safe. But we’re hopeful that rules about how and when that data can be obtained will arise from this case.

Google Store is offering a $75 credit when you finance more than $750 on a Pixel purchase

Paying over time can actually save you some money.

The Google Store is offering a $75 credit for people who finance more than $750 total when they buy a Pixel or Pixel XL with its zero-interest financing plan. The offer runs until June 18, and runs in tandem with the ongoing promotion that offers a free case with every Pixel XL order.

The terms are a bit convoluted, though. You have to spend $750 on one order, and as long as you make two payments on time you’ll receive a $75 credit towards the bill automatically. For the free case deal, that case also must be ordered at the same time as a Pixel XL.

Spending $750 on a Pixel XL is easy enough, but a standard Pixel order doesn’t quite hit the mark unless you go with 128GB storage and get $99 device protection — or perhaps pick up an extra cable or case at the same time. Device protection is never a bad idea though, and Google’s accessories, while pricey, are solid — so it’s not too terrible of a proposition. (Chances are that any sales tax you’re required to pay would go toward that $750 purchase threshold as well, but we’d check with Google Store support on that before making a purchase.)

Remember that since the $75 credit arrives after just a couple of billing cycles and comes in one payment, you could also theoretically just pay off your remaining balance after it has been applied. You don’t have to keep that financing account open for the full 24-month term. Just some food for thought.

Newer phones have come and taken the spotlight, but the Pixel line remains one of the best Android phones you can buy. Getting one and saving $75 isn’t horrible if you’re been looking.

See at Google

Google Pixel + Pixel XL

• Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
• Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
• Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
• Pixel + Pixel XL specs
• Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
• Join the discussion in the forums!

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Apple WWDC 2017: All the announcements that matter

WWDC 2017 has begun, and we’ve covered the announcements here.

Apple puts on a mostly-annual developers conference in California to showcase new software, software updates, and – sometimes – technologies that developers can leverage in order to make their apps more innovative and up to date. Apple calls this conference the Worldwide Developers Conference, and although it’s geared toward developers, consumers are invited to watch.

There’s usually a healthy dose of consumer excitement in the keynote. This year, for instance, Apple introduced a Siri-powered speaker called HomePod, a new iPad Pro with a 10.5-inch screen, watchOS 4 for Apple Watch, MacOS High Sierra for Macs, iOS 11 for iPhones and iPads, and more. In fact, here’s a round-up of all the announcements.

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When is WWDC 2017?

Apple’s WWDC 2017 conference takes places in San Jose, CA – rather than the usual city of San Francisco, CA – from 5 June to 9 June at the McEnery Convention Center. It means, for the first time, it is on the doorstep of Apple’s new Cupertino complex.

Where can you watch WWDC 2017?

Apple held its keynote address at 10am PST (6pm BST). It was available to watch online through the dedicated Apple website or the WWDC app on iPhone, iPad or Apple TV. It’s a two-hour event. We will embed the video here when it becomes available.

What happened at WWDC 2017?

iOS 11

Apple

• iOS 11 has a raft of new features, Siri gets new voice and more

Apple has announced the new version of iOS, expected for release in September. iOS 11 comes with a raft of new features. For instance, iMessages are now stored as part of iCloud, so they sync across all your devices. All your messages are stored in the cloud, but are still end-to-end encrypted for security. There are also new changes to Apple Pay, including the addition of person-to-person payments.

It works as an in-app add-on for iMessage so you can easily send payments to friends and families. Siri has a new, more natural voice and can translate from English to Chinese, French, German, Italian, etc. The Camera app improves in iOS 11, using HIEF compression for photos. They will look as good as normal JPEGs but at half the file size. Photos also now has a range of new options.

You have the ability to edit live images across the different frames, for instance. And finally, Control Center now packs all the features on one page, with sliders for volume and brightness. Then 3D touch will access individual controls, to tweak different aspects with more depth. Apple is yet to reveal the exact release date of iOS 11, but it should appear alongside the new iPhones later this “fall”.

WatchOS 4

Apple

• Apple unveils watchOS 4, new Toy Story faces and much more

Apple has revealed some of the new features coming to Apple Watch when watchOS 4 is released later this year. The company explained that there will be new watch faces, including a Siri Watch face to see relevant content, including diary notifications, and news stories. The Music app is also improved. It has been redesigned, can automatically sync music and show cover art on the screen, and more.

Apple also showed a demo of the new dock. It will show recently used apps, so you can scroll through more easily than before. New fitness features are coming too, with playlists in Music starting when a workout begins. There are many other new features too, which we’ll detail further soon. It is thought that watchOS 4 will be released in “the fall” – so a few months away yet.

MacOS High Sierra

Apple

• Apple announces major MacOS Sierra update called… High Sierra

Instead of announcing an all-new system with an all-new name, Apple announced MacOS High Sierra. It’s a major update to Sierra, which Apple announced and rolled out last year. And Apple executive Craig Federighi wasted no time telling developers that High Sierra is “fully baked”. The new macOS is about deep technology but also added some refinements, Federighi explained.

Safari is now the “world’s fastest desktop browser” with High Sierra and is going after Chrome and its upcoming ad-blocking features. Safari now offers AutoPlay blocking and no longer has intelligence tracking prevention. But one of the biggest area of refinement in High Sierra is in Photos. There’s now a persistent sidebar and a view that has all of your imports in chronological order.

Another big update announced is the new Apple File System. It’s 64-bit, from top to bottom. Other new High Sierra features involve video and graphics; for instance, it now supports the H.256 standard for video. Apple also introduced Metal 2 and Metal VR. Remember, VR and AR apps need heavy GPU power, so we’re not surprised to hear Apple announce is doubling down.

Steam VR SDK, Unity and Unreal engines are coming to the Mac as well.

Refreshed iMacs

Apple

• Apple iMac gets serious spec boost for 2017

Apple’s iMac lineup has received an almighty boost. They now have improved brightness of 500 nits and use 10-bit dithering.The processor have had a bit of a boost too. The iMacs will now be fitted with Intel’s 7th-gen Kaby Lake processors. They be specced with more memory than ever before: up to 32GB on the 21.5-inch display models and up to 64GB of memory on the 27-inch models.

Apple’s Fusion Drive storage system is now standard on all 27-inch iMacs and can be specced on the 21.5-inch models. The solid state storage drives (SSD) also now work up to 50-per cent faster and can be specced up to 2TB. Also, the entry-level 21.5-inch iMac now has Intel Iris Plus graphics, while the 21.5-inch iMac with 4K display uses discreet Radeon Pro 555 and 560 GPU processors.

The 27-inch iMac can now be specced up, too. You can get up to 8GB of VRAM, providing 5.5 teraflops of processing power, ideal for VR creation. Connections-wise, these iMacs will be gifted with two USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 3. They are now available. The 21.5-inch iMac will start at $1,099, while the 21.5-inch with 4K display is $1,299, and the 27-inch with 4K display starts at $1,799.

iMac Pro

Apple

• Apple reveals the iMac Pro, its most powerful Mac ever

Not content with updating the regular line of iMac all-in-one computers, Apple’s also super-charging the iMac for professionals. The iMac Pro takes things to the next level with a huge amount of power. It comes in Space Grey and is based on the 27-inch 5K iMac design. The starting configuration equips you with an 8-core Xeon, but there will be options for 10-core or 18-core versions too.

It’s not just the CPU that’s ramped up, but it will be equipped with the new Radeon Vega GPUs, offering up to 16GB of vRAM. Apple said this is the most powerful Mac that it’s ever made. Of course this $4,999 machine isn’t pitched at the average consumer, it’s for those who want develop in the VR environment for that new VR support. Apple said it will be available from December 2017.

HTC Vive

Apple

• HTC Vive coming to Apple Mac, VR-friendly at last

HTC has confirmed that its virtual reality headset, the HTC Vive, will soon be compatible with Mac. Apple revealed that it is adding Steam VR support to High Sierra, its new version of MacOS to be released this coming “fall”, and that means it will be possible to use a Mac to control virtual reality experiences. It has been a PC exclusive so far. Demos of HTC Vive support were shown during WWDC.

iPad Pro 10.5-inch

Apple

• Apple introduces a new iPad Pro with a larger 10.5-inch screen

This iPad follows another new iPad from earlier this year. Called iPad, that device is 9.7 inches. It replaced the iPad Air 2 and starts at $329. Apple said it “take everything you love about the 9.7 inch and give you a whole lot more to love”. It looks like an iPad Pro, but with a larger 10.5-inch Retina display and reduced bezels. It weighs 1 pound, but it’s 20-per cent larger.

It allows for a full-size onscreen keyboard, and a full-sized physical keyboard you can attach. It also comes with a feature called ProMotion, which doubles the refresh rate to 120Hz and supports HDR Video. And its True Tone technology is 50-per cent brighter, Apple said. The new iPad Pro is powered by the A10X six-core CPU, too, with a 12-core GPU included. Cameras have also been upgraded .

It has a 12-megapixel camera on the back and a front-facing 7-megapixel FaceTime camera. It also has an embedded Touch ID sensor, LTE model option, 64GB of standard memory, an improved four-speaker sound system, and support for the Smart Connector and Apple Pencil. Oh, and the new iPad Pro uses Lightning, not USB-C. It is available for preorder now with a starting price of $649.99.

HomePod

Apple

• Apple’s HomePod Siri-enabled speaker is real

Apple has announced its own music system in the form of the HomePod speaker. It will be released later this year, but the company revealed a sneak peek during its keynote. The HomePod is designed to take on the Amazon Echo in smart functionality, but it also systems like Sonos in audio quality. It has a seven-beam forming tweeter array to fill a room multi-directionally, plus a 4-inch woofer.

The speaker is controlled by Apple’s A8 processor. This enables many features, such as multi-channel echo cancellation and separation. However, its the smart functionality, combined with Siri voice control (“Hey Siri”) and Apple Music, which, using six microphones around the circumference, streams tracks using plenty of contextual phrases. It can also, set reminders and timers and find out news, etc.

Apple’s HomePod will come in white and black, and as it comes with HomeKit built into the device, it works to control smart appliances around your home even when you just interact with your iPhone from another location. It’ll cost $349 and will ship in the US, UK, and Australia from December.

App Store

Apple

• Apple App Store completely redesigned with new daily recommendations

Apple has announced that it is redesigning the App Store as part of iOS 11, to be released later this year. It has a cleaner, simpler look on phone with separate Music app-style tabs separating content. There is an all-new Today tab, which shows new games and apps recommended for that day only. You can also see other days’ content just by scrolling down. There are also new tabs for Games.

The App Store will showcase a selection of the latest games, present gameplay videos and tips, and list popular games and in-app purchases. Apps also gets its own tab and is like Games. Every app and every game gets a new product page on the store with all new features and a friendly design. Apple also announced at WWDC 2017 that Monument Valley 2 is now available on the App Store.

Amazon Video

Apple

• Amazon and Apple finally playing nicely, Amazon Video coming to Apple TV

After several rumours suggesting it was happening, Apple has confirmed that itself and Amazon have finally settled some differences, as Amazon’s Video app will make its way to Apple TV later this year. Amazon Video is the last major video app missing from Apple TV, not including All 4 and ITV Hub, and its addition would make the Apple TV a more attractive option as a set-top box.

Want to know more?

Tune into Pocket-lint’s Apple hub for the latest news and analysis.

Apple iPad Pro 10.5 preview: A new iPad brings new tricks

Apple continues to find new reasons for users to want to upgrade their aging iPads, as the company looks to appeal to the pro user even more.

Announcing a new version of the iPad Pro at the start of its developer’s conference, WWDC, the newly announced iPad Pro 10.5 will come with a much brighter, bigger display, but not overly changed too much in size, thanks to changes to the design.

iPad Pro 10.5 design

At a distance, the new 10.5-inch model looks similar in design terms to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch screen models. However, it now features a much thinner bezel, allowing the company to create a device that is not overly large in comparison.

The new design is slightly heavier than the previous 9.7-inch model, as you would expect, but in the hand, the weight difference is barely noticeable. It’s still a very thin, very light device that is well balanced.

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The increased size means it is still going to happily slip into a bag in the same way users of the 9.7-inch model have come to expect, and the new thinner bezel doesn’t affect holding the tablet.  

Of course, it is not just about a bigger display; the iPad Pro 10.5 gets a number of new enhancements in terms of power, cameras, software, and accessories, and that display isn’t just larger, but more capable, too, thanks to the introduction of a new technology called ProMotion.

The iPad Pro ProMotion display

Claimed by Apple as the most “advanced iPad display yet”, it is certainly bright, crisp, and clear. Adding to other buzz tech words used by Apple like its True Tone tech, ProMotion delivers a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz based on what you are doing on screen at the time.

In technical terms, that means that if you are viewing fast moving motion, you get the improved screen refresh rate to make things “buttery smooth”, but view something more static, and the iPad doesn’t need to over exert itself and therefore doesn’t gobble battery power either.

The technology isn’t just for high-octane, action-packed movies or video games, but it’s used all the time to do everything from make web scrolling smoother or app graphics better, and you can tell Apple is clearly hoping the improvements will appeal to those who want to push the iPad way beyond just watching the latest box set on Netflix or reading an email.

Better performance

A new model means more power. The 10.5-inch version gets the same two front and rear cameras from the iPhone 7, a new A10X fusion processor, and bigger storage options starting from 64GB and going all the way up to 512GB.

We weren’t able to really give the device a run for its money during our hands-on time after the keynote, but what we did see at this stage gave us no reason for concern.

Apps loaded fast, graphic demos for images, videos, and AR were smooth, and overall things look as impressive, if not more impressive, than what we’ve seen previously on the two current iPad Pro models.

iOS 11

Although the iPad Pro 10.5 is out in June, it will still come with iOS 10 to start with before iOS 11 eventually launches in the “fall”.

The latest operating system update from Apple features a number of new features, but in particular a number aimed at really “super-charging” the iPad for pro users, including a new dock, switching options, and a new app called Files. The changes look to make a huge difference and will compel the question of whether you even need to bother with a laptop in the future. 

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App switching, although looking complicated for the novice user, should make a huge difference for power users, and that, combined with a number of other features coming to the iOS, will only look to make things even better when it comes out later in the year.

We look forward to testing the new software when it’s updated first with the public beta at the end of June and then when it’s out in “September”. 

Accessories

The new iPad gets Apple’s usual array of cases and smart keyboards. The new size means the iPad Pro keyboard is now “full size”, which means typing isn’t so squished, while the introduction of a new smart case gives you a slot to store the Apple Pencil so you don’t lose it in the void of your bag.

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First Impressions

The iPad Pro 10.5 looks like a lovely tablet. The enhanced speed, bigger screen, and eventually, new software options make this a worthy addition to the iPad Pro range – and one that is unlikely to disappoint. 

We’ve yet to properly live with the iPad Pro 10.5 to see whether the addition of the ever-so-slightly bigger screen makes a difference over the 9.7-inch version (which is now discontinued), but we suspect it will make multitasking so much easier.

This isn’t a drop-everything-and-upgrade solution, but if you’ve held off going Pro before, this is certainly going to appeal to many looking to their iPad to do much more than when it was first announced in 2010. 

Legacy ports on a MacBook Pro will cost you $1,999

Give our regards to anyone still clutching a four-pin USB cable out there: Apple is slowly winnowing down its MacBook Pro line and eliminating the remaining machines built with anything other than USB-C Thunderbolt ports. After Monday’s WWDC 2017 keynote, the low-end 13-inch, non-Retina, non-TouchBar MacBook disappeared from the Apple Store. That leaves the aging MacBook Air or the $1,999 previous-generation 15-inch MacBook Pro as the only Apple notebooks that won’t need a dongle to charge your iPhone.

If you’re willing to keep your machine plugged in, on the other hand, Apple’s most powerful computer yet actually comes with four USB 3, four USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and a 10-gigabit hardline ethernet jack, for all your various peripheral and backwards-compatible gear needs. It will not, however, fit in your laptop bag.

Get all the latest news from WWDC 2017 here!

The iPad is now the best Apple device for music

Apple unveiled a larger entry-level iPad Pro. At 10.5 inches, folks that love working on a touchscreen are going to be ecstatic to have all that extra real estate. Plus, with iOS 11 coming this fall with its fancy multi-tasking and customizable dock, it’ll much easier to convince your friends that you don’t need an actual laptop to get your work done. But in addition to a larger display and more memory, the iPad kept something that your iPhone lost last fall, the headphone jack.

In fact, the entire iPad line still has the most universally used port in the world to deliver music to your ears. Wanna jam to some Apple Music radio stations with your dope new Grados without a dongle, you’re set.

Maybe Apple realizes that the really busy people that work on the iPad Pro don’t have time to go searching in their bag for a dongle whenever they want to listen to Apple executive Dr Dre’s seminal album Chronic while toggling between apps. Have you ever tried to put together a presentation without listening to “Let Me Ride?” It’s impossible.

So, even though the iPhone is touted by Apple as the best portable music solution, it’s the iPad that keeps the headphone jack, and headphone lovers happy. Maybe it’s because the iPad has way more room inside its shell to accommodate the port. The iPhone is tiny. Well smaller. It’s tough getting all the parts in there even though Apple accomplished that feat up until the iPhone 7.

But remember, the iPhone got a battery life bump after killing the headphone jack. Of course using a Bluetooth headset sort of displaces that gain in energy storage. Buy hey, dongles!

When it comes down to it, removing the audio port from the iPhone remains an odd choice from a company that ended its WWDC keynote highlighting the importance of music to its history.

So plug your new iPad into anything music related. It’s your new digital jukebox that works everywhere and with everything. Hell, you can even use Bluetooth audio. Of course, it’s going to be tough to shove that huge display into your pocket, but you’ll figure it out. All it takes is a little shoving and something else… I forget the word.. Courage? Nah, that’s not it. Oh well, enjoy your tunes.

Get all the latest news from WWDC 2017 here!

The 15-inch MacBook Pro: What’s changed?

It’s been only seven months and nine days since Apple unveiled its first MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, and we’re already looking at a refresh. It’s not a redesign, so we need to peek under the hood to see what’s been souped up or tweaked. The big change is the addition of Kaby Lake, Intel’s latest generation processor. However, the amount of RAM remains the same, which is unfortunate for anyone hoping for a boost past 16GB. Check out the chart below to see if this upgrade is worth your time or if you’ll be just fine with last year’s model.

Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (2017)
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (2016)
Price
$2,399 / $2,799
$2,399 / $2,799
Dimensions
13.75 x 9.48 x 0.61 inches (349.3 x 240.7 x 15.5 mm)
13.75 x 9.48 x 0.61 inches (349.3 x 240.7 x 15.5 mm)
Weight
4.02 pounds (1.83 kg)
4.02 pounds (1.83 kg)
OS
macOS Sierra
macOS Sierra
Display
15.4-inch IPS LED
15.4-inch IPS LED
Resolution
2,880 x 1,800 (220 ppi)
2,880 x 1,800 (220 ppi)
Processor
Intel Core i7 (2.8 GHz) / Core i7 (2.9 GHz)
Intel Core i7 (2.6 GHz) / Core i7 (2.7 GHz)
Memory
16 GB
16 GB
Graphics
Radeon Pro 555, Intel HD Graphics 630 / Radeon Pro 560, Intel HD Graphics 630
Radeon Pro 450, Intel HD Graphics 530 / Radeon Pro 455, Intel HD Graphics 530
Storage
256 / 512 GB SSD
256 / 512 GB SSD
Ports
Thunderbolt 3 (x4)
Thunderbolt 3 (x4)
Wireless
802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2
802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2
Battery
76 WHr, 10 hours
76 WHr, 10 hours

* Specs listed are for default configurations and do not include upgrade options available at checkout.

Get all the latest news from WWDC 2017 here!

The iPad looks like the future of the MacBook with iOS 11

Apple hasn’t been shy about where the iPad is headed. With the traditional tablet market on the decline, the company started repositioning its slate as more of a laptop replacement with the iPad Pro a few years ago. The emphasis on a keyboard accessory and stylus, Apple’s Pencil, evoked Microsoft’s Surface strategy, but it also seemed inevitable. The iPad is getting more powerful every year, and it already does most of the things a typical consumer would want out of a laptop.

Now with iOS 11, the iPad looks even more like something that could eventually replace Apple’s MacBooks. Or, at the very least, it hints at a world where the two devices converge.

The biggest change this time around? The iconic dock from MacOS has now made its way to iOS. You access it by swiping up from the bottom of the iPad’s screen, allowing you to quickly switch between running apps. You can also drag an app up from the dock to be used side-by-side with whatever you’re running. It’s not exactly a surprising approach to the task switching dilemma on tablets, but it’s a useful one nonetheless.

Apple is also finally relenting and giving us full access to our documents on iOS with the creatively named Files app. It works a lot like the Finder on MacOS, letting you view everything on your device at a glance. As you’d expect, you can drag and drop files into other apps easily. The Files app also ties into cloud storage solutions like Dropbox, Google Drive and Box.

For years, Apple has touted the lack of a file system on iOS as a benefit for consumers. But while that might have been true when it was just a simple mobile OS, it’s harder to make that case when you’re pushing iOS as a platform meant to replace traditional laptops. Similarly, Apple couldn’t shy away from the fact that the mere act of multi-tasking on iOS was a pain, so it had bring over the dock to appease consumers.

Apple

While Microsoft is pushing Windows 10 as a single platform that can run across multiple devices, including phones, tablets and PCs, Apple has so far kept iOS and MacOS apart. Sure, we’ve seen some features and design elements from iOS make its way over to its desktop sibling, but there’s still no support for things like touchscreen displays and styluses on Macs. There’s a certain noble purity in keeping its platforms apart, but that leaves Apple’s users in a bind if they simply want a traditional laptop with a touchscreen. Their only option right now? Buy a Windows laptop (or even more sacrilegious, buy a Surface).

At this point, it seems more likely we’ll see a MacBook powered by iOS, rather than MacOS getting multitouch support. It’s the quickest way for Apple to catch up with some of the features PCs have offered for years. That’s particularly noticeable with all of the new Pencil features, like easy screenshot annotation, which mimic plenty of Windows Ink capabilities.

And if you really think about it, MacOS hasn’t really changed much design-wise over the past decade. It would simply be out of character for Apple to bolt entirely new interface paradigms onto MacOS just because Windows is doing it.

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