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News
iPad Pro Teardown
iFixit has done it's thing, so what surprises await?
Sound: four woofers and four tweeters
massive battery pack but attached with stretch-release battery tabs, but still a fair amount of glue.
Apple pencil charging board, and USB-C port, which are fully modular (again easier repairs)
They also tire down the Apple No 2 Pencil and found a "capacitive grid" that detects the taps. But the gird seems to imply they could detect not just taps, but where you tapped.
More functionality in the future?
Let's address "bendgate 2"
Thin aluminum bends. The previous iPads bent.
There does appear to be some weak points especially near the pencil charging connector
Some unscientific drop tests dis show aluminum frame "crumpling", that seemed new to me.
One area that looks like could have been improved is more battery cells to allow for a bit of interior structural aluminum.
I really see no issues in regular daily use. Be careful applying a lot of force. Especially in a bag
Aluminum will also scratch and glass can creak and scratch. Use a case if you're worried.
Analysts down on iPhone XR sales
Ming Chi Kuo
Lowered his 2019 predictions on sales by 30 percent down to 70 million
He did not lower his fourth quarter iPhone estimates (for all models) of around 80 million units.
Thinks legacy model and the XS Series will make up for declines in XR shipments in the holiday quarter.
Cites negative consumer confidence given an impending trade war with China, OK?
Customers choosing to wait another year for iPhone XR price drops and better features like dual cameras
Competition from companies like Huawei
Kuo still feels "legacy" models will sell well in the holiday season due to more affordable prices.
Lumentum, who supplies a FaceID component for Apple, reported that an unnamed customer had cut orders by 30 percent.
Also AMS AG, a Switzerland-based maker who provides the ambient light sensor Apple uses in its Face ID reduced revenue projections for Q4 2018 after “recent demand changes from a major consumer customer.”
Japan Display made similar reductions in outlooks.
Apple's power management chip supplier Dialog Semiconductor says they are NOT seeing a reduction in orders from Apple
They mention that their products are installed in a variety of Apple devices so that helps
"Some products will have less volume, but others will have higher volume"
Seems like many are feeling Apple has reached past the consumer price ceiling on smartphones.
Still the revenue impact might be more positive depending on the size of the unit drop.
Even there though some analysts think the party might be over,
Despite the higher ASP they are still predicting about a 2 percent decline in iPhone revenue for 2019.
Apple's stock price has been taking a hit due to analyst speculation about future iPhone unit sales.
The glimmer of hope seems to be Apple services business which is expected to still grow almost 20 percent in revenue next year.
The idea is that more revenue will be coming from Apple's loyal customers and large base of installed devices
Service like Apple Music, iCloud, AppleCare, and then new Apple video service will drive future growth.
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty points out that with smartphone market growth as a whole slowing services offer "more stable growth and higher margins".
iPhone XR is now available SIM-Free in the US.
Apple confirms T2 repair restriction on 3rd parties
Apple confirmed with the Verge that some repairs of Macs that contain the T2 security chips require service centers to run the Apple’s AST 2 System Configuration software before the machine will be come operable.
Apple only acknowledged the existence and need for the tool on "some" repairs, but did not provide a list of repairs that required the software nor what devices were affected.
Last month we had reports of the tools existence due to a leaked repair document distributed to Apple Authorized Service Providers.
That documents specifically noted the need for the tool on repairs like the Touch ID module or logic board
This is really not a huge issue it just means that non-Apple Authorized repair centers will not be able to perform certain repairs on models that have a T2 security chip.
My advice would have been to ALWAYS use an Apple Authorized Service Providers or Apple for repairs anyway.
New GPU options for MacBook Pro
As promised in a press release after Apple's October media event
You can now custom order the 15-inch Macbook Pro Touchbar with new AMD Radeon Pro Vega graphics
Apple is offering two choices
Radeon Pro Vega 16 with 4GB of HBM2 memory for an extra $250.00
Radeon Pro Vega 20 with 4GB of memory for $350.00 extra
Apple says the new GZPUs will offer up to 60 percent faster graphics vs the previous Radeon Pro 560X top end option
The units with new GPUs appear to start shipping November 20th.
Both the AirPort Extreme and the 2TB AirPort Time Capsule, which have been removed from the Apple online store.
Apple ended development of their AirPort line in April
Planned to continue selling existing stock until available supply was exhausted.
Studio A24 to make films for Apple
Variety says indie entertainment studio A24 is going to make a "slate of films" and TV shows for Apple.
There weren't a lot of details other then they two companies have made a multiyear agreement for multiple films.
The studio is know for films like "Moonlight", "Room", "Ex Machina", and "Lady Bird".
The studio also has deals with DirecTV and Amazon and this Apple deal is in addition to that.
The deals with DirectTV and Amazon are for distribution rights and for carrying films after they hit theaters.
It's not clear if the work for Apple will be distributed exclusively to Apple's upcoming video service or if they plan theatrical releases as well.
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Feedback, commentary, opinions
Buy the Apple you can afford
We've been talking a lot about Apple and their prices lately
Many are not happy about Apple's recent price increases
It's always been expensive to be an Apple owner and with Apple's MANY custom configuration options I think that is also highlighting the "premium" Apple seems to be charging for "upgrades" from their base models.
To be clear, Apple's RAM and SSD prices are crazy.
And, yes I have compared the prices of PCI NVMe. Apple's charging 2x3 times what you could get off the street.
It's a hard pill to swallow for sure, but I realized that if you really look at the whole "widget" you get a better idea of what it costs to be an Apple owner.
For example, my current 15-inch Macbook Pro 2.8GHz i7 with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB HDD
It cost $3,299.00
A same spec'd 2018 model is now $3,499.00 (2.9GHz i9), so yes $200 more, but that's not a huge increase.
So rather then look at the "x amount of RAM costs y" or OMZ +600.00 for an extra 768GB of storage, price the "whole" system
I want at least 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, and a decently fast processor.
$2,599.00 (1.5TB) - MacBook Air
$2,599.00 (1TB) - 13-inch Macbook Pro
$2,999.00 (1TB) - 15-inch MacBook Pro (2.2GHz 6-core i7)
$1,899.00 (1TB) - Mac mini
$2,699.00 (1TB) - 27-inch iMac
If I'm more realistic about my processor needs I might even save money on the new Mac I want.
Points out the Macbook Air has a single processor despite configuration
iPads and iPhones are the same. You choose storage and that's it.
Apple may move to do the same with future Macs with Apple designed CPUs.
You may not even choose GPU or RAM config.
Storage an screen size, form factor may be the only choices.
Apple offers different Intel processors to control price points and because Intel has different ones.
What if the only choice was the "top of the line i9". That's what Apple does with iPads and iPhones. The $700 XR has the same CPU as the $1,099 XS Max.
I like the idea of Apple getting past the custom configuration thing (which has been there since they bought Power Computing in 1997).
iPad Pro feedback
Play comments from Gary
The pencil is shorter because of the lack of the cap on the lightning connector
I have also noticed some issues with apps that have not yet been updated.
They work, but are noticeable when not optimized for the screen size.
I'm not liking the "smaller" on screen keyboard.
Like going from an extended desktop keyboard to a compact one.
Also taking a bit of time to get used to the compact key orientation on the folio keyboard.
Folding it backward you have to hold it with the keys against your palms. Doesn't feel great.
I completely agree that unless you're a "a must have the latest and greatest" kind of person there is not a lot of reason to upgrade to the new iPad Pro from even a first generation model
And I think that is good.
The new models are a really nice evolution and for those looking to upgrade or getting into iPad Pro for the first time they are amazing.
But it's nice too that current owner don't have to feel like they're really missing out especially considering their investment already.
BTW, if you were to upgrade you're much better off selling your current gen 1 model. They are going in the range of $500 bucks or so and with the accessories you should be able to get even more.
A password review
Listener Michael brought up another good reason to use a password manager. Protection from Ransom scams and blackmail.
Basically hackers will buy or trade compromised account email and password lists and then you those to send threatening emails.
They'll tell you they've hacked your accounts and computers and used your video camera (isight) or dug through your folders and have "compromising" data and images of you that they will expose unless you pay a ransom (typically in bitcoin).
As "proof" they give you a password they know you've used. This is from the compromised list.
If you use a password manager and different passwords you can search your password manager to determine the account the compromised password came from.
Typically we notified, especially these days with things like GPDR, but not always.
Password managers like 1Password, also have great tools like "Watchtower" that will tell you in advance which services that you have accounts on have been compromised
1Password shows you Compromised, Vulnerable (based on 'haveibeenpwnd'), Reused, Weak, unsecured websites, Inactive 2FA
Don't need to go crazy, but this can help.
I have a lot of client passwords in my system and not much I can do about those.
Was able to tell my clients which logins were compromised.
Some "compromised" or "vulnerable" reports might be dated.
I started cleaning out old accounts.
Upgraded Apple Maps Experience
Chris wrote in to say he was recently notified that "(Fresno) got the upgraded iOS 12 map experience"
So new that the satellite showed his new car in his driveway
He noticed more detail for schools, other businesses are better located in shopping centers, and the navigation is providing better routing options, with extremely accurate arrival times.
Apple promised to cover Northern California by the fall in iOS 12 and you can actually see they have achieved their goal.
Distinct line across California just above Paso Robles and Atascadero
Say, coming soon to the rest of the United States.
More detailed ground cover, foliage, pools, pedestrian pathways, sporting venues, and more.
They are also using new high-resolution satellite data
All being done with their own Map data.
They are using a lot of human editing and curation.
Moving media to iOS devices
Castro improves "side-loading" with share sheet extension
You can copy an audio file from a web site using the "Sideload" to Castro sharing extension
Works by copying the file to your iCloud Documents folder and syncing into Castro
iMazing updated with "Quick Transfer" on the Mac
Drag and drop files onto your device in iMazing
It will detect which apps on your device can view that file type and allow you to directly load that file into that app.
I had issues with it transferring "metadata" on media files, but the files did make it.
Also for Apps like Documents the files were in the "iTunes" folder, so it seems to be replicating the "file transfer" functionality for Apps that was lost in iTunes.
Not connected to a single iTunes Library, so you could transfer from multiple Macs if you like.
Can get this in the "free" version of iMazing or iMazing mini
USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1 and how they relate to your connectivity and cables.
First, know this, USB-C is just a connector, nothing more. It has nothing to do with speed, data transfer rates or power.
To make it more confusing Thunderbolt 3 can operate over a USB-C connector
Thunderbolt 3, running at 40Gbit per second has to be USB-C at both ends.
USB can run at 5Gbit per second or 10Gbit per second and doesn't not need USB-C on both ends, but does for the "host" device.
Some Thunderbolt 3 cables can work as a USB 3.1 type C cables, but not all.
A USB 3.1 type C cable is NEVER a Thunderbolt 3 cable.
Not every Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Type-C is capable of providing 100W allowed by the specification.
The cable provided by Apple in the box with your new MacBook or MacBook pro is a USB-C charging cable
It's rated for up to 87W and will only supply charging power of the lowest rated component. Makes sense
It's also NOT a USB 3.1 cable, but a USB 2.0 one.
Passive vs active Thunderbolt 3 cables.
Shorter ones tend to be passive and are fine fro transfer speeds over short distances
If you need to go long you'll want active, but while passive cables are generally USB 3.1 compatible, active ones generally are not.
You're gonna want to know your specs when buying and label your cables well so you can sort them out later.
Titan Ridge chipset for Thunderbolt 3 is coming and has the promise to deliver a universal USB-C cable, capable of USB 3.1 type C or Thunderbolt 3 supplying up to 100W on a two-meter cable run is possible at a cost.
