iPadOS 16 launched a little later this year than its predecessors, and a few key features weren’t quite ready. With iPadOS 16.2, which just arrived this afternoon, I think Apple has caught up with what it planned. There are two major new features on bo…
Apple releases iOS 16.2 with always-on display changes and tighter security
Apple is finishing 2022 by releasing major software updates for its devices. The upgrades are headlined by iOS 16.2, which should be particularly useful for the security-conscious. The new version adds an Advanced Data Protection option that brings end-to-end encryption to more of your iCloud data, including device backups, Messages content, notes and photos. And like it or not, Apple is limiting AirDrop sharing — you’ll now have 10 minutes to swap files with “everyone” before the feature reverts to contacts-only. The restriction first arrived in China, allegedly in a bid to appease officials trying to stymie protests, but may be useful if you’re worried someone might push unwanted content to your device.
This is also a particularly important update if you’re an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max owner. You can now hide your wallpaper and notifications when the 14 Pro’s always-on display kicks in. Yes, that makes it behave more like some Android phones, but it could also reduce distractions (some say it still looks like the phone is awake with the wallpaper on) and bolster privacy. Live Activities are now available for MLB, NBA and Premier League games on all iPhones courtesy of the TV app, although you’ll need one of the 14 Pro models to see them on your home screen through the Dynamic Island.
Other improvements largely focus on new apps and expected revisions. The long-promised Freeform digital whiteboard app is finally here, offering a visual collaboration tool for brainstorming sessions and meetings. Apple Music’s karaoke mode is now available and the Weather app now includes a news section. If you use your iPhone to control a smart household, you’ll be glad to know that Apple has given the Home app with a new architecture that promises to be faster and more reliable. This may be helpful now that Matter devices are ready (Apple added Matter support in iOS 16.1).
The company has simultaneously released iPadOS 16.2 and macOS Ventura 13.1. Not surprisingly, these bring cross-platform feature additions like Advanced Data Protection, Freeform and the revised Home app. WatchOS 9.2, meanwhile, adds the Home update as a workout for cyclists and runners wanting to improve their performance on a previously-completed route. These updates won’t offer as many conspicuous changes as on the iPhone, but they should still be worthwhile if you’re immersed in Apple’s ecosystem.
The best 2-in-1 laptops for 2023
The perfect hybrid machine that’s just as good a tablet as it is a laptop still doesn’t exist. But throughout last year, companies like Microsoft, Apple and Google continued to improve their operating systems for machines that do double duty. Windows 1…
iPad 一秒長高！開箱 MOFT 磁吸摺疊 iPad 保護摺套｜Engadget Update EP160
MOFT 是我們 Engadget 少有持續有關注的設計品牌，因為他們善用摺紙元素，針對手機、平板電腦、筆電推出多種實用配件。而且 MOFT 也無懼抄襲持，近來還善用著 Apple 的磁吸元素，續帶來更多不同設計的新配件。今天開箱的是能讓 iPad 一秒長高的 MOFT Snap Float Folio磁吸摺疊 iPad 保護摺套，同時也看看相當具質感的 iPhone 磁吸充電器吧。…
Anker charging accessories are up to 48 percent off in Amazon sale
Anker makes some of the most desirable charging products out there, but the extra quality comes at a price. If you’ve been waiting for a sale, you can now grab a number of Anker chargers and other smartphone accessors at Amazon with discounts of up to …
Xiaomi’s 13 Pro is an early look at 2023’s flagship phones
Xiaomi’s 13 series flagship smartphones are here, and as usual, they’re loaded with the latest technology and features. With the 13 and 13 Pro, Xiaomi is the second manufacturer to use Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform, following Vivo with the X90 Pro and IQOO 11 series. They also have new camera modules with improved image quality, ultra-fast charging and more.
As with the previous models, the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro have separate designs. The 13 Pro uses a wrap-around 6.73-inch 2K+ AMOLED screen (3,200 x 1,400) with vegan leather or ceramic back versions. Meanwhile, the 13 has a flat 6.36-inch 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED display, iPhone-like aluminum sides and either glass or leather back options. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform offers hardware accelerated ray-tracing and improved gaming performance, so both phones have 120Hz displays to keep up.
Xiaomi
The Xiaomi 13 Pro has top-flight camera specs, too. It packs a 50-megapixel (MP) f/1.9 main camera with a Type 1-inch sensor (like other Type 1-inch sensors it’s really only 8.8 x 13.2mm, but still significantly larger than with most smartphones). It also includes a 50MP 3.2 zoom camera (75mm equivalent) with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a floating lens, as pictured above. Finally, it has a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera (14mm equivalent), and 32MP punch-hole selfie cam.
The Xiaomi 13 (below), meanwhile, has the same selfie camera, a 50MP f/1.8 OIS main camera with a smaller sensor, a 10MP 3.2x zoom OIS zoom camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide (15mm equivalent) camera.
Xiaomi
The 13 Pro offers impressive 120W charging (more than many laptops), bringing the 4,820mAh battery from zero to a 100 percent charge in just 19 minutes. That’s fast, but still significantly slower than Redmi’s Note 12 Discovery Edition. Wireless charging happens at “just” 50 watts, or 36 minutes to a full charge. The Xiaomi 13, has a slightly smaller 4,500 mAh battery and is limited to 67W wired charging (38 minutes to 100 percent) and 50W wireless charging (48 minutes to a full charge).
Other features include LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage on both models (8GB and 128GB up to 12GB and 512GB on both models), Dolby Atmos on the Pro model and Leica camera tech. For the latter, Xiaomi and Leica built a color model based on 4,700 scenes, presumably allowing for improved accuracy. Prices start at 4,999 yuan ($720) for the Xiaomi 13 Pro and 3,999 yuan ($570) for the Xiaomi 13. Those are seriously good prices for such high spec phones, but as usual, you likely won’t be able to buy them in North America.
The second-gen Apple Pencil is back on sale for $89
If you recently bought an iPad and have been patiently waiting for the second-generation Apple Pencil to go on sale, now is your chance to buy one at a significant discount. Amazon has dropped the price of the stylus by 31 percent, making it $89 at the…
小米 13 Pro 繼承了 1 吋感光器，還用上了 75mm 浮動遠攝鏡頭
小米 13 Pro 繼承了 1 吋感光器，還用上了 75mm 浮動遠攝鏡頭，一起登場的還有同樣搭載 Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 的小尺寸旗艦小米 13。
Apple’s iPad Air drops to $500, plus the rest of the week’s best tech deals
We’re in the thick of the holiday season, so we’re still seeing good deals on a number of gadgets and tech gear we recommend. Apple’s iPad Air, for instance, is down to its second-lowest price to date at $500, while Amazon’s Fire HD 8 is down to an all…
Apple and Ericsson call truce in years-long fight over cellular patents
Apple is ending another battle over wireless patents. The iPhone maker and Ericsson have struck a licensing deal that settles all the legal disputes between the two companies, including civil lawsuits and a US International Trade Commission complaint. While the exact terms remain under wraps, the multi-year pact includes cross-licensing for “standard-essential” cellular technology as well as other patent rights.
The tech giants have a long history of fighting over cell tech. Apple sued Ericsson in 2015 to get more favorable terms for LTE patents, but Ericsson responded with a lawsuit of its own claiming that the iPhone and iPad infringed on its patented ideas. The two achieved peace with a seven-year agreement. As that arrangement neared its renewal time, however, the animosity returned. Ericsson sued in October 2021 over Apple’s attempts to shrink royalty rates, while Apple countersued in December that year over allegations Ericsson was using unfair pressure tactics for the renewal. Ericsson filed another lawsuit this January over 5G licenses.
We’ve asked Apple for comment. In announcing the deal, Ericsson’s IP chief Christina Petersson said the ceasefire would let the two companies “focus on bringing the best technology” to the world. Ericsson is one of the world’s largest wireless patent holders, and said the Apple agreement would help boost its licensing revenue for the fourth quarter to the equivalent of $532 million or more.
The timing may be significant. Apple is reportedly developing 5G iPhone modems to replace Qualcomm’s chips, having bought most of Intel’s modem business and even launching not-so-subtle recruitment efforts in Qualcomm’s backyard. The Ericsson truce may help clear the path for those modems by reducing the chances of legal dust-ups over whatever Apple builds. And time might be in short supply — rumors have circulated that Apple could use its own components as soon as 2023.