AirTag is a small and elegantly designed accessory that helps keep track of and find the items that matter most with Apple’s Find My app. You can attach the device to a handbag, a set of keys, a backpack or any other item you love. AirTag will use Apple’s huge Find My Network to help locate a lost item. From all over the world! While keeping your location data private with anonymous end to end encryption. AirTags can be purchased in one and four packs for just £29 and £99.
AirTag: Lightweight Design with Magical Setup
Each AirTag is incredibly small and light. It has precision-etched polished stainless steel and is IP67 water and dust resistant. There is a built in speaker to help locate the AirTag with sounds. While a removable cover makes it easy for users to replace the battery. Set up is incredibly easy. Just bring the device to an iPhone and it will connect. Just like AirPods do! Users can then assign the AirTag to an item and name it things like “Keys” or “Jacket”, or even use a custom name.
Personalise
You can also personalise the device with Free engraving when purchasing from Apple. You can place the AirTag into a bag or pocket, or use a wide range of AirTags, Apple designed accessories. Such as a Polyurethane Loop, which is both lightweight and durable, and the Leather Loop and Leather Key Ring, featuring specially tanned European leather. Each accessory is designed to fit securely around the device and attach securely to a users belongings.
A Comprehensive Finding Experience
Once the device is set up it will appear in the new ‘items’ tab within the Find My App. You can view the current location or last known location on a map. While if you lose it within Bluetooth range, you can use the Find My App to play a sound to help locate it. You can also use Siri to help find the item and the AirTag will emit a sound if it’s nearby.
If you have an iPhone 11, iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 you can use Precision Finding, thanks to the U1 chip! This will allow you to accurately determine the distance and direction of a lost AirTag when it is in range. So, when a user moves, the Precision Finding fuses together data from the camera, ARKit, accelerometer and gyroscope to guide you to the AirTag. This is done by using a combination of sound, haptics and visual feedback.
Out of Range
If the AirTag is out of Bluetooth range, the Find My Network will help track it down. Find My Network has close to a billion Apple devices. Using this it can detect Bluetooth signals from a lost AirTag from other iPhones, iPads and other Apple devices and relay the location back to it’s owner. All in the background, anonymously and privately. Even if the AirTag is moved!
Users can place the AirTag into Lost Mode and then be notified when it is range or if it has been located by the Find My Network. While if someone finds an AirTag that is lost. They can tap it on their iPhone or any NFC-capable device. They will then be taken to a website that will display a contact phone number for the owner if they have provided one.
The device includes support for the accessibility features built into iOS. Precision Finding using VoiceOver, for example, can direct users who are blind or low-vision to AirTag with directions like “AirTag is 9 feet away on your left.”
Privacy and Security Built In
AirTag is designed from the ground up to keep location data private and secure. So, no location data or location history is ever held or stored on the device itself. Communication with the Find My Network is end to end encrypted. Therefore only the owner of a device has access to it’s location data. No one, including Apple, knows the identity or location of any device that helped find it.
Unwanted Tracking
Also, in an industry first, Apple designed AirTag to discourage unwanted tracking. Bluetooth signal identifiers transmitted by AirTag rotate frequently to prevent unwanted location tracking. iOS devices can also detect an AirTag that isn’t with it’s owner. It will notify if an unknown AirTag is seen to be traveling with them from place to place over time. Even if users don’t have an iOS device, an AirTag separated from it’s owner for an extended period of time. Will play a sound when moved to draw attention to it.
While, if a user detects an unknown AirTag, they can tap it with their iPhone or NFC-capable device and instructions will guide them to disable it.
https://wp.freedomhost.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2021/12/Apple_airtag-front-and-back-emoji-2up_042021.jpg5621000billywrighthttp://wp.freedomofcreation.co.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2017/09/htkah-web-logo-2017.pngbillywright2021-12-08 11:25:372021-12-08 11:25:37AirTag: Find you stuff quickly and easily!
WWDC21 and Apple have announced a slew of new features for iOS, MacOS and WatchOS. Lots of features aimed at improving your social side of life, both with connecting with others and reducing the amount of time that you spend on your devices!
iOS15 – WWDC21
Apple showed off updates to FaceTime, a new way to reduce distractions, enhanced on-device intelligence to discover information. Plus there’s also updates to Maps, Weather and Wallet!
Facetime
FaceTime gets an update to help make conversations on screen feel more natural over video calls. Spatial Audio helps to make the voices from who you are talking to sound as if they are coming from where the person is positioned on screen. There are also new microphone modes to separate the voice from the background noise. Portrait mode also comes to FaceTime and is designed specifically for video calls so users can blur their backgrounds and keep themselves in focus. Furthermore in Group FaceTime there is a new grid mode which enables participants to see more faces at the same time.
FaceTime entertianment
Make FaceTime more entertaining with SharePlay. You can now listen to Apple Music, Watch a TV show or Movie in Sync and even share your screen with them! SharePlay works across iPhone, iPad and Mac. Users are also able to share playback controls so anyone can play, pause or jump ahead. SharePlay can even connect to Apple TV, so users can watch content on the big screen. All while keeping your devices in sync. Disney+, ESPN+, HBO Max, Hulu, MasterClass, Paramount+, Pluto TV, TikTok, Twitch, and many others are integrating SharePlay into their apps.
FaceTime calls can now extend beyond Apple devices with the ability to create a FaceTime link and share it through Messages, Mail or any 3rd Party app. Anyone can join a FaceTime call from their web browser or Android and Windows devices. FaceTime calls on the web remain end to end encrypted so privacy is not compromised.
Focus
Distraction will be a thing of the past in iOS15. Focus is a new feature that filters notifications and apps based on what the user wants to focus on. Users can set their device to help them focus by creating a custom Focus or select a suggested Focus. The device will use on-device intelligence to suggest which apps and people are allowed to notify them. It will be suggested to them based on a users context, like during work hours or while they are winding down for bed. Focus can be set on one device and then extend across all their Apple devices. Home Screen pages can also be created with apps and widgets to moments of focus and only display relevant apps and reduce temptation. When you are restricting incoming notifications, their status is displayed to others in Messages. Letting others know that you are not currently reachable.
Notifications
Notifications have also been redesigned. Contact photos for people and larger icons for apps make them easier to identify. Reducing distraction a new notification summary will collect non-time-critical notifications for delivery at a more opportune time. Such as in the mornings or in the evenings. The on-device intelligence will arrange notifications by priority, with the most relevant notifications rising to the top. All based on a user’s interactions with their apps. Urgent messages will be delivered immediately. While it is easy to temporarily mute any app or messaging thread for the next hour or day.
Cool On-Device Intelligence Tech
Live Text will use on-device intelligence to recognise text in a photo and let users take action on that. For example, users can search for and locate the picture of a handwritten recipe, capture a number from a store front. Then using Apple Neural Engine can either copy and paste the recipe or call the number that was on the store front.
With Visual Look Up, users can learn more popular art and landmarks around the world, plants and flowers found in nature, breeds of pets and even find books. Spotlight will alsu use intelligence to search photos by location, people, scenes and objects using Live Text. It can even find text and handwriting in recent conversations, shared photos and even location if shared through Find My. Photos also has an update to Memories. With a new look, interactive interface and integration with Apple Music.
Safari
Safari gets a cool new redesign making it easier to control and reach with one hand. The tab bar is now compact and lightweight and now has been moved to the bottom of the screen. Therefore making it easier to swipe between tabs. Tab Groups also allows users to save tabs and easily access them at any time on any device. There is now a customisable start page and web extensions on iOS.
Apple Maps
Apple Maps now will be significantly enhanced with new details in cities for neighborhoods, commercial districts, elevation, buildings and new road colors, labels, custom designed landmarks and a new night mode.
While using and navigation with Apple Maps on iPhone or Car Play, Maps will feature a 3D city driving experience. With new road details, therefore making it easier to understand improtant details. Such as when to turn lanes, medians, bike lanes and pedestrian crosswalks. Transit riders can now find nearby stations more easily and pin favorite lines. Maps will automatically follow along a selected transit route, notifying users when it’s nearly time to disembark. Furthermore in iOS15, users can hold up their iPhone and Maps will generate a highly accurate position to deliver walking directions in augmented reality.
New Keys and State ID’s in Apple Wallet
Apple Wallet now has support for additional types of keys! Last year Apple introduced digital car keys, with BMW being the first manufacturer to take advantage of this tech. Digital Car Keys get even better with support for Ultra Wideband Technology, making it easy for users to securely unlock and lock their supported vehicle without having to take their iPhone from a pocket or bag. Futhermore iPhone can also be used to unlock a user’s home, office or hotel room. All with keys stored in the Wallet.
For those in the US, participating states will allow users to add their drivers license or state IDs to Wallet. TSA is working to enable airport security checkpoints to be the first place that customers can use their digital Identity card in wallet. ID cards in Wallet are encrypted and stored safely in the Secure Element. Using the same tech that makes Apple Pay private and secure.
Privacy
iOS15 now has even more privacy controls. On-device speech recognition, audio of Siri requests is now processed entirely on iPhone by default. Mail Privacy Protection stops senders from learning whether an email has been opened and hides IP addresses so senders can’t learn a user’s location and use it to build a profile. App Privacy Report will also offer an overview of how apps use the access that has been granted to location, photos, camera, microphone and contacts in the last 7 days and which other domains have been contacted.
Weather and Notes
Weather gets a nice new facelift and adds graphical displays of weather data, full screen maps and dynamic layouts which change based on conditions. Animated backgrounds more accurately reflect the sun’s position and precipitation and notifications highlight when rain or snow starts and stops.
Notes will add user created tags that make it easy to quickly categorise notes and mentions allow members of shared notes to notify each other of important changes. While an all-new Activity view shows the history of a shared note.
Additional features WWDC21
Siri now can announce notifications on Airpods and the ability for users to share what’s on their screen just by asking
Shared With You. Will work across Apple Devices to show articles, music, tv shows, photos and more which are shared in Messages and display them conveniently in the appropriate app. Photos in Photos app, TV shows in Apple Tv and Podcasts in Apple Podcasts for example.
iCloud+ can now hide your email, expanded HomeKit Secure Video support, new innovative internet privacy service, iCloud Private Relay all at now additional cost.
Health App now allows you to share health data with family, caregives, your doctor or a care team. Trends will also give users a way to focus on meaningful personal health metrics.
Find My allows uers to locate a device that has been turned off or erased as well as live-streaming locations for family and friends who have turned on sharing their location. Seperation alerts will notify a user of they leave an AirTag, Apple Device or Find My network accessory behind in an unfamiliar location. A new Find My Widget also offers an at-a-glace view directly from the Home Screen.
Translate also adds a new Live Translate feature which makes conversation flow naturally across languages. Systemwide translation allows uers to translate text anywhere on iPhone.
Apple TV will now feature a row titled “For All of You” which will showcase a collection of movies and TV shows based on everyone’s tasets from within a select group of people or household using the data discovered through each Apple ID.
iPad gets a new and easier way to multitask, a new home screen design with widgets, the App Library, systemwide note taking with Quick Note, SharePlay and a redesigned Safari Experience and new tools to stay focused.
MultiTasking
iPadOS 15 makes working with multiple apps much easier. There is a new multitasking menu at the top of apps, letting you go into Split View or Slide Over with a simple tap. You can now have quick access to the Home Screen when using Split View, making it easier to get to the right app. Furthermore there is a new Shelf section where you can multitask with apps which have multiple windows such as Safari or Pages. Furthermore there is an experience with external keyboard which allows users to get more done with keyboard shortcuts and a redesigned menu bar. You can quickly set up and switch between Split View and Slide Over with new shortcuts for multitasking right from the keyboard.
Widgets and App Library
Users can now place widgets much like they can on iPhone on Home Screen pages. Providing more information at a glance and offering a more personalised experience. Designed specifically for the larger display of the iPad, there is a new larger Widget size for showcasing videos, music, games and photos. The App Library is also coming to iPad, automatically organising apps into helpful categories, like Productivity, Games, Recently added and more. Allowing users to access all their apps right from the Dock.
Note Taking
Note taking on iPad gets even better with new features which make it easier to capture thoughts and ideas. Notes goes systemwide with Quick Note. A new fast and easy way to take notes anywhere on the system. Whether that is browsing on Safari or finding a restaurant on Yelp. You can bring up the Quick Note feature anywhere and jot down a thought. Even add links and provide an easy way to get back to what you were doing.
Notes will also organise, collaborate and capture information easier and better. Tages make it easy to categorise notes and quickly find them with an all new Tag Browser and tag-based Smart Folders. For those working in Shared Notes, mentions creates a way to notify collaborators and link them back to the note. There is also a new Activity View to show recent updates.
FaceTime
iPadOS 15 gets the same FaceTime update as iOS 15 and makes conversations more natural with spatial audio and share experiences with SharePlay. Share songs on Apple Music, Watch a Tv Show in sync and view apps together with sharing your screen. Also share playback controls and let anyone play, pause or jump forward or rewind.
Safari
Safari gets a new tab design, like the iOS 15 Safari update, you can now see more of the page as you browse. A new tab bar takes the colour of the page that you are browsing. Tabs are now combined with the tool bar and search field into a single compact design. Tab Groups offer a new way to easily save and manage tabs. Great for planning trips or shopping. Tab Groups are also synced across Mac and iPhone and other Apple devices. So users can continue their project from anywhere. Safari on iPad now lets you add web extensions to them available from the App Store.
Find Focus
Much like on iOS 15, iPad OS 15 delivers powerful tools to keep you focused. Focus is a new feature that filters notifications based on what a user is doing. You are able to set your device to help you be in the moment by creating a custom Focus setting or a suggested on based on their context. Such as during work hours or while your winding down for bed. You can also create Home Screen pages with apps and widgets that apply to moments of focus to only display relevant apps to reduce temptation. A new notification summary will organise a collection of notifications which can be delivered at any time the user chooses. Such as in the morning or after work.
New Photos Experience
iPadOS15 uses the same on device intelligence to recognise text in a photo and let them copy and paste text or call a phone number from a picture. With Visual Look Up, users can identify objects within a photo such as a type of dog or flower. Spotlight can now seatch the Photos app and web images and has all-new rich results for contacts and context like recent conversations, shared photos and location if shared through Find My. Using Live Text, Spotlight can also look up a photo of a public transit map, receipt or a screenshot of a cooking recipe. It can also work with handwritten text, great for searching text on whiteboards or notes.
Translate
Translate app now comes to iPad with new features that make conversations easier and natural. Auto Translate will detect when someone is speaking and in which language, so users can converse naturally without having to tap a microphone button. Face to face view allows people to sit across from each other with iPad inbetween them and see translations of the conversation on their side. Text can now be translated from anywhere on the iPad by slecting it and tapping translate. Handwritten text can also be translated! You can even translate text in photos!
Additional Features WWDC21
Universal Control lets users work with a single mouse and keyboard to move between iPad and Mac for a seamless experience, with no setup required. Users can even drag and drop content back and forth between devices — great for sketching a drawing with Apple Pencil on iPad and placing it into a Keynote slide on Mac.
Photos gets an update to Memories with integration with Apple Music and a fresh new look.
Maps gets the same update as iOS 15 allowing you to navigate more with new road colours, elevation, enhanced details in cities for neighbourhoods, commercial districts, elevation, and buildings, new road colours and labels, custom-designed landmarks, and a new night-time mode with a moonlit glow.
Siri now can announce notifications on Airpods and the ability for users to share what’s on their screen just by asking
Shared With You. Will work across Apple Devices to show articles, music, tv shows, photos and more which are shared in Messages and display them conveniently in the appropriate app. Photos in Photos app, TV shows in Apple Tv and Podcasts in Apple Podcasts for example.
iCloud+ can now hide your email, expanded HomeKit Secure Video support, new innovative internet privacy service, iCloud Private Relay all at now additional cost.
Privacy gets an update with Mail Privacy Protection help to stop trackers from snooping on an email, and App Privacy Report provides transparency into how apps are sharing information with other companies
Monterey adds new ways to connect with friends and family, work smarter across devices, and stay focused!
Safari
Safari gets a redesign and reimagines the browsing experience with a new tab design, which allows users to see more of the webpage as they scroll. The tab bar gets a facelift and takes on the colour of the webpage that you are on. It also combines tabs, tool bar and search field into one single compact design. Tab Groups offer a new way to easily save and manage tabs. Tab Groups will also sync across all devices.
Shortcuts
Shortcuts is now on Mac. Helping users to automate everyday tasks and achieve peak productivity. Just like shortcuts on iPhone and iPad, Shortcuts on Mac lets users quickly accomplish tasks with the apps which you use the most. There is a rich gallery full of pre-build actions designed just for Mac, users can share files, make animated GIFs and much more. While power users can take things further and use the Shortcuts Editor to match workflows. Shortcuts is intergrated throughout macOS, including the menu bar, Finder, Sportlight and even hands free with Sir. Users of Automator can import their existing workflows into Shortcuts too.
Notes
Notes can help users stay organised, collaboirate and create notes from anywhere. With Quick Note much like on iPadOS15, users can jot down notes from anywhere in any app or website. Making it easy to capture thoughts and ideas whenever. You can even links from an app to a Quick Note to create context or even an address in Maps. Add mentions and see everyone’s edits in Acitivity View and categorise Notes with Tags to quicklt and easily find them in the new Tag Browser and tag-based Smart Folders.
Focus
Focus on Mac can stay in the moment by filtering unwanted notifications unrelated to what they are doing. You can signal your status to let others know when you are focusing and not available. When you are in Focus on one device you are in Focus across all Apple devices. All of this is custom to their current activity too.
FaceTime
Much like FaceTime updates to iPadOS 15 and iOS15, Mac OS Monterey also has the same new upgrades:
FaceTime now includes a suite of new audio and video features that make calls feel more natural and lifelike. With spatial audio, voices in a FaceTime call sound like they are coming from where the person is positioned on the screen, while Voice Isolation ensures the user’s voice is crystal clear and uses machine learning to eliminate background noise, and Wide Spectrum allows all the sound in the area to come through so participants can hear everything. Portrait mode taps into the Apple Neural Engine in the M1 chip to blur the user’s background for a stunning video effect, and a new Grid View shows participants in same-sized tiles.
SharePlay is a powerful set of system features that enables users to have shared experiences while on a FaceTime call. Users can share their favourite music, TV shows, movies, projects, and more with friends and family in real time — kicking off a shared listening party, watching movies and shows, collaborating in apps through screen sharing, and more. With an API built for easy adoption, third-party developers can bring their own apps right into FaceTime.
Shared with You makes it easy to locate and enjoy all the great content that’s shared through Messages, including photos, videos, articles, and more, right from a Shared with You tab within Photos, Safari, Apple Podcasts, Apple News, and the Apple TV app.
Continuity
Universal Control will let users work with a single mouse and keyboard and move between Mac and iPad for a seamless experience, with no setup required! Users can even drag and drop files between each of your devices. You can sketch on iPad and then move it to a Keynote slide on Mac! AirPlay to Mac allows you to play, present and share anything from their iPhone or iPad to their Mac! The Mac can also be used as an AirPlay speaker, so users can play music on their Mac or use their Mac as a secondary speaker for multi-room audio.
Additional New Features of macOS Monterey WWDC21
Maps gets the same update as iPadOS15 and iOS15 but it also has a new interactive globe too!
LiveText features in iPadOS15 and iOS15 also come to MacOS Monterey
iCloud+ also is available
Use your Airpods Pro and Airpods Max to deliver a new experience with Spatial Audio with Macs which have the M1 Chip
The all new Privacy features from iOS15 and iPadOS15 are also available.
watchOS 8 now offers better access to your Wallet, more capabilities with the Home app, new workout types, and an updated Breathe app.
Wallet
Apple Watch and watchOS8 can now have access to unlicking their car from a distance and start it from the drivers seat with supported vehicles. You can now have access to the keys that are in your Wallet which control the house, office and hotel. While in participating states in the US, you can add your drivers or state ID to Wallet. So watchOS 8 will have access to that too!
Home
Home app in watchOS 8 has even better conenient access to accessories and scenes needed in a particular moment and the ability to control accessories by room. For example, with a HomeKit enabled camera you can view who is at the door directly on your wrist. Also, you can also tap the Intercom to quickly broadcast a message throughout the home or to individual rooms via HomePod, HomePod Mini or other personal devices.
Workout Types
watchOS 8 introduces Tai Chi and Pilates to the workouts app. While, the new workouts are supported by powerful validate custom-built rate and motion algorithms to provide users with accurate metrics.
Mindfulness
Furthermore, the Breathe app has been reimagined as the Mindfulness app and will feature and enhanced Breathe experience and a new experience, Reflect. Reflect will offer a mindful intention to focus on as little as one minute and can be done at any time. Each Reflect session welcomes the user to think with a positive frame of mind. So, for example the app may ask you to “Recall a time when you recently felt a sense of calm. Bring that feeling into this moment”.
Sleep
Apple Watch can help users meet their sleep goals by establishing a pre-bedtime routine and will track metrics like time asleep, heart rate and blood oxygen. watchOS 8 will give users more insight to their sleeping respiratory rate, which is the number of breaths per minute. While, it does this via the in built accelerometer to measure respiratory rate whilst sleeping. It can be viewed along with trends over time on the Health app on iPhone.
Watch Faces
watchOS 8 introduces new ways to engage with your favourite photos. The new Portraits watch face brings to life stunning portrait photos which are shot on iPhone. With an immersive, multi-layered effect. Intelligently recognising faces in photos and cropping in to highlight the subject. The photos app is also redesigned. So, it will offer new ways to view and navigate collections, memories and featured photos which sync to Apple Watch.
Messages
Also, you can now combine the use of Scribble, dictaion and emoji all within the same message. For dictated messages you’ll have the option to edit the presented text. You can now also simply enter a word or phrase and select from loads of GIFs. Contacts app is now available on watchOS8 too! While, allowing you to browse, edit, add and share contacts directly from the app.
Focus
watchOS8 supports Focus which is on iPadOS 15, iOS 15 and Mac OS Monterey. Helping you to reduce distraction, it will filter notifications based on what you are doing. While, Focus will use on-device intelligence to make suggestions based on usage patterns.
Additional watchOS 8 Updates – WWDC21
Multiple Timers can now be set and given a label, for example Cooking Timer and Laundry Timer.
More Apple Watch Apps support Always-On display such as Maps, Phone, Podcasts, Stop Watch and more.
While, Assistive Touch enables one arm usage of Apple Watch by sensing hand gestures to interact without touching the display.
Furthermore, Find My is available on Apple Watch allowing users to locate tagged items using the Find My Network. The Find Devices app which is new helps users locate Apple Devices. Which are signed in using the same Apple ID.
While, Apple Music App has been redesigned
Weather App now supports severe weather notifications, displaying government alerts about certain severe weather events. As well as Next Hour Precipitation alerts and updated complications.
Also, later in June, Fitness+ introduces a new series of workouts featuring Jeanette Jenkins. A new Artist Spotlight Series with workouts featuring entire playlists from Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Alicia Keys.
So, what did you think of WWDC21, let us know via our socials! @howtokillanhour across everything!
Also, keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!
Furthermore, let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!
Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!
While you are there, follow us on Twitch by clicking here!
https://wp.freedomhost.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2021/06/WWDC21.jpeg8091600billywrighthttp://wp.freedomofcreation.co.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2017/09/htkah-web-logo-2017.pngbillywright2021-06-09 14:12:522021-06-09 14:28:27WWDC21 Everything Apple Announced This Week!
So, it’s that time of year again and by that we mean it’s iPhone season. Yes, it may be a little late because of the big C word which may make this years iPhone’s lifespan shorter, but that remains to be seen.What we do know is that, the iPhone 12 is almost here and we are very much looking forward to giving them a spin for ourselves. But why are we excited we hear you ask, well there’s plenty of reasons. 12 Big Juicy reasons to be excited in fact. So here are 12 reasons to look forward to the iPhone 12 –
Sit down, strap in and grab some popcorn because this is extensive:
5G
5G is the most notable feature in Apple’s new lineup of iPhones.
5G is standard in Apple’s new line up. It will be available in all of the models, that’s the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
5G is the next generation of Phone connectivity and the successor to current standard 4G.
5G brings incredible speeds to the iPhone and where possible will allow for up to 4GB’s per second of download speed. Improved video streaming, improved upload speeds, more responsive gaming and real time interactivity are also great benefits for 5G.
One smart feature of the new iPhone lineup is the ability to smartly switch between the slower speed of 4G and the faster speed of 5G on the fly. For example if you are using Twitter, the phone will reduce the speed to 4G to save data and battery life. While if you are streaming 4K on Netflix, the phone will upgrade your signal to 5G to give you a better experience.
Camera
Both the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini come with 2 cameras each.
However, the main camera has changed. It still has 12 megapixels but the lens now has a 7 element display and a larger f/1.6 aperture. Therefore allowing 27% more light to hit the sensor compared to the 11. This will mean less noise, brighter imagery in low light.
Also available on these models is a 2nd 12MP f/2.4 ultra wide camera with a 120 degree field of view. This camera has a 5 element lens to it. The focal length is equivalent to 13mm.
Apple’s Deep Fusion technology can now be used on either camera as opposed to the main. Night mode will be available on both the ultra wide and front TrueDepth camera. There is also a new night mode time-lapse feature. The ability to shoot in HDR video with Dolby Vision at 30fps. Apple’s Smart HDR3 feature is also available to use.
On the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max there is still 3 cameras, however like the regular iPhone 12’s these have been improved.
The iPhone 12 Pro still uses the same f/2.0 telephoto lens though you can now use Deep Fusion with it. The 12 Pro has LiDAR which we’ll get on to in just a moment. It also has the same main and ultra wide cameras that is found in the iPhone 12.
It has 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom which is thanks to the 52mm equivalent telephoto lens. You can also shoot HDR video with Dolby vision. Though unlike the iPhone 12, the iPhone 12 Pro can shoot at 60fps instead of 30fps.
iPhone 12 Pro Max Camera
This is where the real difference comes in!
The 12 Pro Max’s 12MP f/1.6 aperture wide camera now has a 47% larger sensor. This will help to improve low light photography by 87%. The main camera also has sensor shift optical image stabilisation. This will allow for the sensor to move inside the camera to offset any movement. This should help to make more stable photos and videos.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max has a 2.5x optical zoom compared to 2x. This is thanks to an equivalent 65mm focal length lens, however, the aperture is slightly slower at f2.2
The LiDAR sensor and ultra wide camera is exactly the same as found on the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro. While you can digitally zoom up to 12x instead of 10x. You can also shoot in Dolby Vision HDR at 60FPS much like the 12 Pro.
LiDAR
Apple have introduced LiDAR into their smartphones, though only limited to the Pro line up. The iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max. A LiDAR scanner will help to improve the AR capabilities of these devices. LiDar is a ‘Time of flight sensor’ which measures how long it takes for light to bounce off of objects in a room and return to the sensor.
This information is then used by the phone to judge the depth of each point that is measured. As a result, more accurate augmented reality experiences will be both faster and more accurate than ever before. As the LiDAR sensor will essentially scan a room and create an accurate 3D map for these Augmented reality experiences.
Apple says that the LiDAR sensor in the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will allow for instant AR. You can also utilise LiDAR to autofocus in low light up to 6x as faster and even take night mode portrait selfies!
Apple ProRAW
There’s even more tech coming to the iPhone’s cameras this year. Though this particular feature is limited to the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. RAW. Specifically Apple ProRAW.
Coming later this year, Apple ProRAW is a brand new photo format from Apple. It is said to offer photographers the combination of computational photography smart technology and the ease of use and flexibility of raw editing.
As we all know RAW photos have this incredible flexibility to them and you can edit a lot with a RAW photo. So, when you shoot in RAW you will lose the benefits of Apple’s smart features such as Deep Fusion and Smart HDR 3. With Apple ProRAW you’ll be able to get both the RAW editing ability and the smart features.
This brand new image processing will combine multiple steps of processing and create a new file and all this is done by the CPU, GPY, ISP and Neural Engine and without any shutter delay! You will now get full control over colour, detail, dynamic range and get the flexibility of RAW, editing it all right from within the camera app, though there will be an API which allows developers to build ProRAW capture into their own apps.
The A14 Bionic Chip
A new phone means a new smart chip.The iPhone 12 will now ship with the A14 Bionic, a successor to the A13 Bionic chip which is found in the current iPhone line up. While the A13 is still comfortably one of the fastest chips ever in a smartphone, the A14 goes one step further and becomes even quicker.
The A14 brings improvements to the camera, the neural engine, which is the portion of the A14 which handles all the smart tech such as Artificial intelligence and this has been expanded up to 8 cores to 12.
So basically your phone will now be even quicker to complete tasks whilst getting more intelligent too. Better yet it does all this whilst using less power, so that means better battery life.
New Design
There is a brand new design for the latest models of iPhone, all across the models. That’s iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Gone are the rounded edges and the squared off, sharp edges are back from the iPhone 4 days.
iPhone 4 still remains one of the best designs of a smartphone, people have been clamouring for this design to come back and their prayers have been answered.
The antennas placement have been improved since the controversy of the original design lead to Apple having to release a special case for them. So you can rest easy on that part.
However, there is a slight change between the models. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini are made out of aluminium. Whilst the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are made out of stainless steel.
MagSafe
Magsafe is coming to iPhone, in a rather genius way too!
On the new iPhones there is a special array of magnets that help align the new iPhones to Apple’s new MagSafe Brand of Chargers or a 3rd Party MagSafe compatible charger. Think Apple Watch style magnets but for iPhone. It will also charge much faster at 15W instead of 7.5W, but again, you’ll have to use the MagSafe Brand of chargers or the 3rd Party MagSafe compatible charger.
Not only does it help to align your iPhone 12 to a wireless charger (Seriously why hasn’t anyone thought of this before) it can also help connect an array of brand new accessories to the iPhone. Apple showed off one example whereby the iPhone 12 slotted into a case via magnets and then connected a credit card wallet to that via magnets. Easily and securely. Worry not too as the magnets are shielded and protect your credit cards!
Colours
Who doesn’t love a bit of colour in their life eh?
There are a range of brand new bright and exciting colours coming to the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini.
It will be available in blue, green, black, white and PRODUCT Red.
Whilst the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max will remain distinctly professional and sleek and come in Silver, Graphite, Gold and a brand new colour, Pacific Blue.
We have to say that the Gold one looks very very good!
Super Retina XDR OLED panels
For the first time ever, the brand new line up of iPhone models will come with OLED screens!
The line up will come with Super Retina XDR OLED Panels and feature an edge to edge design. Though the notch is still there. There is no difference in display between the regular 12 models and the 12 Pro models either.
The 5.4” display has a resolution of 2430 x 1080 with 476 pixels per inch and the 6.1 inch iPhone 12 has a resolution of 2532 x 1170 with 460 pixels per inch. While the 12 Pro models have a 2532 x 1170 resolution with 460 pixels per inch and the 12 Pro Max has a resolution of 2778 x 1284 pixel resolution with 458 pixels per inch.
They also come with HDR support with 1200 nits peak brightness.
What this basically means is that the screens will provide wide colour range for vivid true to life colours, true tone to match the colour temperature of the display to the lighting that’s around you for a natural viewing experience.
Ceramic Shield
Say hello to a brand new screen for this years iPhone. I know we already spoke about Apple’s introduction of OLED to the new line up.
But Ceramic Shield is the glass. Ceramic Shield is a brand new stand out feature that apple says is “tougher than any smartphone glass”. With it being four times as greater resistance to damage from drops”
We’re eagerly awaiting YouTubers testing that one! Apple worked with glass ceramic manufacturer Corning as glass ceramic is tough and lightweight.
Whether or not the ceramic glass can withstand the general public’s wear and tear or people’s disregard for their stuff remains to be seen, but I for one am really excited for this new tech! Will we see an era of phones that doesn’t mean we have to apply screen protectors?
The iPhone Mini
…and finally we’d like to give a special shout out to the iPhone 12 Mini. As we spoke earlier on in this video we loved the size and shape of the iPhone 4. Well, Apple brought this back with the iPhone SE and they’re taking things to the next level with the iPhone 12 Mini.
The iPhone 12 Mini still has all the same technology that’s built into it’s bigger brother of the iPhone 12. It is vastly different to the iPhone 12 Pro models but that’s in a different league entirely.
The only difference between the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini is screen size. The iPhone 12 is 6.1” and the 12 Mini is 5.4”
Other than that it’s still a great phone. Smaller doesn’t necessarily mean worse.
If you loved the iPhone 4 and want to step into the latest technology, why not pick up the iPhone 12 Mini, it’s a great size and perfect for those that enjoy small phones that you can easily type with on one hand!
Conclusion
So there you have it, 12 big juicy reasons to be excited for this years iPhone.
To re-cap, it comes in 4 flavours,
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 Mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro will be available to pre-order on Friday October 16th and available to pick up the following week on Friday October 23rd. Priced at £799 and £999 respectively.
While, iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max will be available to pre-order on Friday November 6th and pick up will be available on the following week on Friday November 13th. Priced at £699 and £1099 respectively.
Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!
Let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!
Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!
https://wp.freedomhost.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2020/10/iPhone-12-4.jpeg357500billywrighthttp://wp.freedomofcreation.co.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2017/09/htkah-web-logo-2017.pngbillywright2020-10-14 20:12:132020-10-14 20:29:52iPhone 12: 12 Things To Look Forward To
It’s a brand new year and what does that mean? Brand new iPhones! Apple today (October 13th 2020) announced a whole host of new tech. Including the iPhone 12! Check below for more info on these amazing announcements from Apple this year!
iPhone 12 & iPhone 12 mini
The iPhone 12
Apple have announced a bunch of brand new phones, the iPhone 12 is replacing last years iPhone 11 and there’s lots to talk about! However, the iPhone 12 keeps the same 6.1″ screen size as found on the current XR and 11. But there is OLED in it’s more affordable iPhones. It comes with squared off edges much like the latest iPad Air and iPad Pro.
While the screen size is the same the iPhone 12 is thinner and has smaller bezels and weighs less than the 11. This is due to the OLED display! The screen resolution has improved over the iPhone 11 to 2532 x 1170. This works out to 460 pixels per inch. Which is a huge upgrade over the 11. There is also a brand new glass used on the iPhone 12 and Apple are calling it the “Ceramic Shield” . This is via a partnership with Corning. This improvement helps to make the screen 4x as much drop resistant the the 11.
5G
iPhone 12 has 5G connectivity and will use the “sub-6” spectrum which is more widely deployed. The iPhone 12 uses the A14 Bionic chip which was announced at last months iPad Air event. It combines 6 CPU cores (two high performance and four lower performing for better energy efficiency) and four GPU cores. The A14 is built on the 5nm fabrication process. This means it is more densely packed with transistors. So the A14 has 11.8 billion transistors up from 8.5 billion on the A13. What does this all mean for you and I? Well, it means that the A14 will be about 15% faster than the A13 using less power. So faster computing power and better battery life.
Cameras
The iPhone 12 has a new standard wide camera with a f/1.6 aperture and a 7 element lens, alongside the same ultra wide camera that was in the 11. The standard camera now has a 27% improvement in low light over the iPhone 11. While on the video the larger aperture will allow for more detail in low light. Furthermore there is a brand new night mode time lapse.
Detailed more below, the iPhone 12 has wireless charging and brand new magnetic sensors to connect to accessories. Think MagSafe but for iPhone. You can connect a credit card case that snaps to the back of the ohone for example! There is also a dual charger that will charge both the iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time!
The iPhone 12 will cost $799 at launch with 64GB of storage; 128GB and 256GB models are also available. It is available in black, white, red, green and blue. It goes on pre-order this Friday (16th October), and will be available to pick up on the following Friday (23rd October).
For those who love small phones, you are going to love the iPhone 12 Mini! It has a 5.4″ OLED display, while being a much larger screen than the 4.7 inch display on the 2020 iPhone SE. Apple are claiming that this is the smallest 5G phone in the world!
The iPhone 12 Mini has the new A14 Bionic Chipset, which is faster than the A13 Bionic by 15% and it consumes 30% less power! It also comes with the same rear camera system. Which is the 12MP primary camera with a f/1.6 aperture lens, which performs at 27% better in low light conditions than the previous generation!
It also has Apple’s new “Ceramic Shield” tech, which is 4x as drop resistant than the iPhone 11. The Mini also has IP68 water and dust resistant and also comes with 5G connectivity!
Starting at $699 and will be available in blue, green, black, white and Product Red. Pre-orders begin on Friday (16th Oct) and will be available on Nov 13th.
The iPhone 12 mini will start at $699, and will be available in five colors: blue, green, black, white and (Product) Red. Pre-orders open on Friday, November 6th, with general availability beginning on November 13th.
The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max feature a brand new flat edge design, bigger screens, stainless steel case designs and LiDAR sensors. Plus there’s 5G connectivity!
Much like the regular iPhone 12, the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max feature 3 cameras, 12MP wide angle lens, 12MP ultrawide angle lens and a telephoto lens. The Pro Max has a slightly different step up in the camera department with a 47-percent larger sensor” with 1.7μm pixels for improved low-light performance. However, both models still include the notch.
Apple’s Deep Fusion will tap into the A14 Bionic processor’s capabilities for photo processing, helping to make the colours pop! You can now shoot in RAW, with the introduction of Apple ProRAW. This is a brand new file format which helps give you more flexibility editing. Much like RAW formats. You can now shoot video in HDR Dolby Vision content right from the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max!
The larger screens are also apparent but the form factor remains the same. iPhone 12 Pro is up from 5.8″ to 6.1″ and the iPhone 12 Pro Max is up from 6.5″ to 6.7″. Both displays have “Super Retina XDR” technology and support HDR and Dolby Vision. Furthermore they also support the same screen tech as the other models with Apple’s Ceramic Shield technology. While these models also include the MagSafe accessory tech!
Also announced was a LiDAR sensor to the Pro models. This adds depth mapping technology 3D augmented reality mapping. It will help with delivering better autofocusing in low light for example.
iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999 with 128GB of storage, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max starts at $1,099.
The iPhone 12 Pro is available for preorder this Friday, October 16th, and will ship on October 23rd.
iPhone 12 Pro Max is available for preorder on Friday, November 6th, and will ship from Friday November 13th.
Both models are available in Silver, Graphite, Gold and Pacific Blue.
For those who knew of the trusty MagSafe on Macbooks you’ll be pleased to hear that MagSafe is now on iPhone! Apple have unveiled a new charger that will power noth your iPhone and Apple Watch!
This new device will connect to the back of your iPhone, connecting magnetically on the right spot of the back of the iPhone. Much like it currently does on the Apple Watch.
MagSafe supports wireless charging and will be releasing a bunch of new charging and everyday phone accessories to go with it. For example a magnetic leather wallet that will snap on to the back of your iPhone. Complete with credit card holders. Or a phone pocket that will recognise when it has been slipped into it and adjust the screen to peep through a little window. The DuoCharger will also connect your phone and watch at the same time!
Apple have unveiled the HomePod Mini it’s a smaller version of the larger HomePod that’s apart of the HomePod family. It can use Siri to get things done, control a smart home and is very small! At just 9.5cm tall it is packed with tons of tech and is available in space grey or white for £99! HomePod mini can play all of your music from Apple Music, Radio Stations from iHeartRadio, radio.com or TuneIn. Plus it will soon be able to play music from Pandora or Amazon Music! Connect multiple HomePod Mini speakers together to stream anything in perfect sync. Furthermore place two HomePod Mini speakers in a single room and they can connect as a stereo pair! Creating a soundstage of filling, rich and enveloping sound!
Audio
So, to do this there is an Apple S5 chip inside the HomePod Mini. It uses advanced software to analyse the characteristics of the music that is playing. While doing so it will apply complex tuning models to optimise the loudness, adjust the dynamic range and control the movement of the drive and passive radiators. The full range driver is very powerful and enables deep bass and crisp high frequencies alongside the force cancelling passive radiators!
The same acoustic principles that are used in the HomePod are also present in the HomePod Mini. It will feature an Apple designed acoustic waveguide to direct the flow of the sound down and out towards the bottom of the speaker for an immersive 360 degree audio experience. Therefore the speaker can be placed anywhere in a room and you will always hear a consistent sound. A 3 microphone array will always listen for “Hey Siri” and a 4th microphone will help to isolate the sound coming from the speaker to help improve voice detection when music is playing.
Siri
Siri can identify who is speaking and tailor the music and podcasts to their preferences, it will also respond to personal requests! Such as accessing messages, reminders notes and calendar appointments. Even taking and making phone calls! Siri can also provide a quick snapshot of the day, all they have to do is ask “What’s my update?”
Apple Devices
HomePod Mini will work effortlessly with other Apple devices, such as pick up a call, listen to music on a Mac or take the sound from an Apple TV to the next level! Handoff is getting a little upgrade and customers can simply move their iPhone to a HomePod Mini to seamlessly hand off their music without pausing it! Furthermore there will be, available later on in the year, visual, audible and haptic effects when sound is transferred from one device to the other. Personalised suggestions will also appear on iPhone when next to HomePod Mini and instant controls are available without having to unlock!
SmartHome
HomePod Mini will also control smart home accessories with simple voice commands. Such as turning off lights, changing temperature or locking a door. Intercom is brand new and will offer a quick and easy way for family members to connect at home. One person can send an intercom message from one HomePod to another, all throughout the home! The voice will automatically play on the designated HomePod speaker. Intercom will work on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and CarPlay, so everyone will get your message!
Additional Features
Siri Shortcuts created on iPhone and iPad are accessible on HomePod mini, so users can ask Siri on HomePod mini to start a pot of coffee, control a robot vacuum, add milk to the grocery list, and more.
Ambient sounds, including rain, a fireplace, a stream, and more, offer the perfect background noise to focus, relax, or fall asleep. Siri can set a sleep timer so the sounds automatically stop playing.
Find My helps locate a misplaced iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple Watch by playing a sound to pinpoint its location.
Web search results from HomePod mini can be sent directly to the user’s iPhone for easy viewing.
Music alarms let users wake up to a favourite song, playlist, or radio station from Apple Music.
https://wp.freedomhost.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2020/10/iPhone-12-10.jpeg463500billywrighthttp://wp.freedomofcreation.co.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2017/09/htkah-web-logo-2017.pngbillywright2020-10-13 20:20:422020-10-14 20:30:00Everything announced at Apple’s iPhone 12 October Event
We’ve been testing the CLCKR phone stand and it is really really good! It has made using our phone even easier, why? Well for us we’re people who love to consume content on the go, as well as at home. The CLCKR grip helps with this. As it provides a firmer and safer use of our smartphone. Not only that it looks really good too and doesn’t add any unnecessary bulk to the device.
It can be used on any device thanks to the 3M adhesive. While if you decide for whatever reason (we don’t know why you would!) want to take it off, it won’t leave any residue behind!
With CLCKR you can use it to;
Position your phone in portrait or landscape mode to video call with friends or family
Hold your phone comfortably and take brilliant selfies
Utilise the secure grip to make calls or use your phone on-the-go
Stand your phone up and use it as a second screen while working
Binge-watch your favourite films or TV shows hands-free
The Rainbow version of the Universal CLCKR has been designed to show care and gratitude to our care workers and NHS workers. The rainbow is now a recognised symbol of support for those fulfilling care and key roles during the COVID-19 crisis. Furthermore the rainbow symbol also has traditional associations with hope and peace. The Rainbow version is limited edition and is the perfect way to show support.
“Like everyone else, we’ve been moved by the important work carried out by frontline workers during this time to keep us safe. The show of support for them at our doorsteps, on our balconies and out of windows has been a highlight of our weeks in lockdown. At CLCKR, we wanted to do our bit to help and we look forward to contributing all UK profits from online sales of the Rainbow CLCKR to the COVID-19 fundraising appeal by NHS Charities Together.” Phil Mulholland, Chief Marketing Officer & Managing Director, CLCKR
The Rainbow CLCKR stand and grip is available to pre-order now, priced at £12.99, with all UK profits going to the NHS Charities Together COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.
Case Version
Want to use the CLCKR without attaching it to your phone? Don’t Fret as there’s a case version of the CLCKR! Simply attach the case to your phone and you’re away! No need to stick or attach anything to the back of your phone!
https://wp.freedomhost.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2020/05/40678_3.png700700billywrighthttp://wp.freedomofcreation.co.uk/howtokillanhour/wp-content/uploads/sites/65/2017/09/htkah-web-logo-2017.pngbillywright2020-05-21 11:19:052020-05-21 11:20:27CLCKR Smartphone Stand
