Check it out. Samsung is positioning its two-month old flagship Galaxy S9 against an iPhone. And when I say “iPhone,” I mean iPhone 6 [via MacRumors]. The ad appears to be a pitch to owners of old iPhones, but it feels more like a Freudian slip to me. “This,” Samsung appears to believe, “is all we can do.” Even if the psychology behind the ad isn’t as twisted and warped as my Samsung-loathing mind wants it to be, comparing a brand new flagship device to a three-and-a-half year old competitor is terrible, awful, absurd positioning. Perhaps that’s part of why iPhone 7 is still selling as well as the Galaxy S9, let alone the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X, all of which handily outsell the Samsung device. Anyhoo, you can watch it and judge for yourself.
iPhone
The Developers Union Forms to Give Indie Developers a Voice to Apple
The group says it will start by asking Apple for developer-friendly changes to the App Store. Its goal is 20,000 members by early June (i.e. WWDC), and has 182 members so far (16 of whom joined while I was working on this article).
How to See Where Apple Tracks You on Your iPhone and iPad
Your iPhone and iPad use Location Services to track places you go that it deems important to you. That’s either really cool, or super creepy, depending on your point of view. Here’s how to see the significant locations where your iPhone and iPad have tracked you.
Apple Releases iOS 11.4 Developer Beta 6 just Days After Beta 5
Only three days after iOS 11.4 developer beta 5 for iPhone and iPad was released Apple rolled out developer beta 6.
Getting Ready for WWDC iOS and macOS Betas, App Camp for Girls Fundraiser Concert - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-17
Dave Hamilton and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to talk about WWDC’s upcoming iOS and macOS developer betas and how you can prepare for them, plus Kelly tells us about the James Dempsey and the Breakpoints fundraiser concert for App Camp for Girls.
Apple's New Accessibility Website Shows iPhone Features
The website is a great list of features, and a valuable resource. It’s a lot like Apple’s privacy page, where each feature is described in easy-to-understand language.
Twelve South Intros AirFly Bluetooth to 3.5mm for AirPods
Twelve South is aiming to make your AirPods more versatile with its new AirFly Bluetooth to 3.5 mm adapter. AirFly lets you link your AirPods to wired-only connections, like in-flight entertainment systems on planes, or treadmills at the gym. The battery lasts eight hours between charges, so you can get through more than one movie on a flight. AirFly is priced at US$39.99 and is available at the Twelve South website, Amazon, along with InMotion stores and Best Buy kiosks in airports.
Adobe is Giving Away its App Interface Design Tools with Adobe XD Starter Plan
Adobe wants to be the go-to choice for app interface design, so the company just introduced Adobe XD Starter Plan—a free version of its Adobe XD user experience design tools.
How to Open Recently Closed Safari Tabs on iPhone and iPad
Today’s Quick Tip is about opening recently closed tabs in Safari on the iPhone or iPad! So did you just accidentally close out of a site (or a bunch of sites) you wanted to keep handy? Need to get things back? We’ve got the scoop on how.
Apple Releases iOS 11.4 Developer Beta 5
Apple released iOS 11.4 Developer Beta 5 on Monday. The update brings us another step closer to the official public release for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
This iPhone Charging Cable Doubles as a Stand
A neat iPhone charging cable doubles as a stand, making it easier to watch movies while you charge your device. I’ve never seen a charging cable like this before. Baseus’s Maruko Video Cable has a plastic casing around the end that extends a short ways down the cable, giving it better stability. It holds up your iPhone in landscape mode, so you can watch movies or play games while you charge. The end of the cable has a round head, so it’s easy to grab and push into your phone. It doesn’t seem like it’s available in a lot of places online. I found it being sold on T Shop International for US$6.
5 Mother's Day iPhone Cases Your Mom Will Actually Like
I showed a bunch of cases to my own mom and these are the ones she liked.
Exploring the iPhone Black Dot Bug - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-09
Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to explain the iPhone black dot bug, explore what’s behind the bug, and how to recover from it.
Here's How to Fix the Black Dot Bug on Your iPhone
There’s a malicious text message, called Black Dot, making the rounds that can crash the Messages app on your iPhone. Here’s how to fix it.
Catalyst Waterproof Case for AirPods
Check out Catalyst’s Waterproof Case for AirPods, a protective cover for your AirPods case that is both waterproof (IP67, up to 33 feet) and offers 40 feet of drop protection. The video below shows how that works, and I think it’s pretty cool, especially for active folks. They’re available in multiple colors, including Frost White, Blueridge/Sunset, Slate Gray, Deep Plum, Army Green, and Glow-in-the-Dark. The company announced Tuesday that these cases will be available in Best Buy stores and the BestBuy.com, and you can find them on the Catalyst website, as well as Amazon, and they’re priced at $24.99 at all three locations. [Edit: Dave Hamilton also thought this case was cool, as he wrote about them in January. Check out his personal video in that piece. – Bryan]
Let's Play Spot-Apple-Park from High in the Air
Check out this great aerial photograph of Apple Park from photographer Joseph Olesh that was taken from high in the air.
Apple Releases iOS 11.4 Developer Beta 4
So far, this release cycle for iOS 11.4 includes AirPlay 2, along with Messages in iCloud; HomePod stereo pairing was removed in developer beta 2.
The Complicated Tech Conundrum, Jeff's Unified Health Record Dream - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-07
John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to discuss the benefits and problems the average tech user experiences, plus they talk about the lack of a real unified health and medical record management system.
Apple Updates iPhone X Repair Policy for Face ID Problems
It sounds like there might be a connection between the iPhone X back camera failure and the front TrueDepth sensor system.
Check Out these 4 iPhone and iPad Star Wars Games for Star Wars Day
It’s May the 4th, which means today is Star Wars Day. We rounded up four Star Wars games for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch to help celebrate the day.
iOS: Create an iPhone SIM PIN to Further Safeguard Your Device
It’s a good preventative measure that can be included as part of our stolen iPhone guide.
The Myth of the Failing iPhone X and Other Earnings Report Notes - ACM 460
Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet discuss the myth of the failing iPhone X, where that myth comes from, how it’s sustained, and how Apple’s own data says otherwise. They also talk about how Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri tried to dispel those reports during Apple’s quarterly conference call with analysts. They also look at the indicators that HomePod, on the other hand, isn’t doing well, and Tim Cook’s continued insistence on focusing on sound quality when we really want a capable home assistant. They cap the show with some perspective on just how much money Apple is paying out to shareholders.
Apple Q2 2018 Earnings Report, Mobile Safari Alternatives - TMO Daily Observations 2018-05-02
Andrew Orr and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to look at Apple’s second fiscal quarter earnings, plus Andrew tips us off to some alternatives to Safari on the iPhone and iPad.
Apple Seeds iOS 11.4 Developer Beta 3
So far, this release cycle for iOS 11.4 includes AirPlay 2, along with Messages in iCloud.