Maccast 2017.07.16 - Show #631
Links
V Opening
V Opening Music
* Music is Say Anything by Manda and the Marbles
V News
V Apple releases iTunes 12.6.3 update
* You might be thinking, didn’t iTunes 12.7 come out a week or so ago? You’d be right.
* But as you know that update removed the ability to install apps and ringtones via iTunes. It also removed the App Store
* 12.6.3 works with iOS 11 and the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus and is designed for Apple’s business customers who still need to install apps via iTunes.
* But is available not just for business customers, but anyone via [Apple’s Support Website]( https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208079)
* If you install iTunes 12.6.3 over the top of iTunes 12.7 you will no longer get notifications for future iTunes updates.
* MacRumors mentioned possibly needing to re-build your iTunes Library (hold option on launch and create a new library) and then “Add to Library” to migrate in all your stuff.
V No Apple is not slowing old iPhones
* This conspiracy theory comes up every time Apple releases a new OS for iPhones.
* I’ve already heard from several listeners and friends and family that they heard this was something Apple did deliberately to “force’ customers to upgrade.
* The reports you might have heard about recently were mostly based on “increases” in Google searches for “iPhone slow” after the iOS 11 release.
* FutureMark, who make benchmarking software, had the data and decided to look at it over iOS models and iOS release over time.
* Guess what they found?
* They looked at phones going back to the 5s and running iOS 9, 10, and 11.
* For all three versions of the OSes in both the GPU and CPU tests there was almost no variation in the average benchmark scores
* There were some minor variations in some test, but nothing that was outside expected deviations.
* There results showed the exact opposite of “slowing”. That Apple’s OSes actually do a good job of providing updates while maintaining performance on older phones.
V That’s not to say users experience no “slowing” with new updates
* New features might require more resources or more processing power
* New apps might not run as well on older devices
* Old apps may not take full advantage of new features and optimizations.
V TrueDepth Camera and FaceID are the future
* KGI’s Ming-Chi Kuo thinks Apple’s 2018 iPad Pros will have the iPhone X’s TrueDepth camera system and FaceID
* Does think Apple will limit it to the Pro iPads
* The goal would be unifying the user experience and increasing developer adoption of support for features in the TrueDepth camera system
* Thinks Android makers will follow Apple’s lead, but still thinks they will need at least 1.5 to 2.5 years to catch up to Apple’s tech.
* Kuo also believes Apple will ditch TouchID on all iPhone models in 2018
V Still word that the TrueDepth camera system is causing shortages in iPhone X production
* Yield rates, according to one analyst, have improved from 100,000 per week to 400,000, but still expect shortages.
* The Commercial Times reported this morning that contract manufacturer Foxconn has shipped its first batch of 46,500 iPhone X units to the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates (that ain't many devices 4 weeks ahead of launch).
V One possible new supplier could be Apple’s camera module supplier Largan Precision
* Their CEO said they want to expand into the 3D sensor market
* Produce both lenses and lasers into a single component
V Apple Pay support coming to more ATMs
V Wells Fargo is adding Apple Pay support to 5,000 ATMs in the US
* I’m guessing outside the US banks support NFC and Apple Pay
V Still need to input your PIN
* Obviously your debit card also need to be in your Apple Wallet
* Wells Fargo will add support to the rest of their ATMs by 2019
* Bank of America started rolling out ATM support of NFC last year.
V An Apple product in most US households
* CNBC surveyed 800 people across the US and found that 64 percent of Americans own at least one Apple product. (3.5 percent margin of error)
* The average number of product was also up by “a full Apple product” to 2.6 devices.
* Piper Jaffray did a separate study of teens earlier this year and found that 76 percent owned an iPhone which was up from 69 percent the year before. 81 percent said they planned to buy an iPhone as their next smartphone.
V Apple acquires right to “Amazing Stories”
* Apple has signed a deal with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television and Comcast's NBC Universal TV production unit to create new episodes of sci-fi series "Amazing Stories”
V The original ran on NBC from 1985 to 1987 (two seasons) and won five Emmy Awards. Producer Kathleen Kennedy and Gary and Penny Marshall were involved in the original and music (theme) was John Williams.
* This time American Gods and Star Trek Discovery creator Bryan Fuller is reportedly attached as showrunner
* Each episode focuses on a new “story”, similar to shows like “Twilight Zone”.
* The Wall Street Journal claims Apple will make 10 new episodes and will spend $5 million per episode.
* We’ve already heard Apple plans to spend up to $1 billion on original content and are looking to “Game of Thrones” level shows to bring to their service.
* They are bidding for and going head to head against Netflix and Amazon for shows.
* Reports that Apple is looking to lease 85,000 square-feet of office space near the Beats headquarters in Culver City
V Apple looking to expand display options
* A report claims that Apple is looking at working with LG Display on a “foldable” OLED panel for future iPhones
* Samsung is currently the sole supplier of OLED panels for the the iPhone X
* Samsung has already been supposedly looking to launch a flexible display phone next year, but this report says Apple might not ad ether tech until 2020 or 2021
* Apple has also been looking at Japan Display as a future iPhone display partner.
V KRACK WPA2 hack
* A researcher has discovered a way to hack the WPA-2 encryption used by most wi-fi devices
* The method is not in the wild, yet, but uses a "Key Reinstallation Attack" which is where it gets it's name.
* An attacker would need to be close (within range of the wifi network) to attack but this could be a huge issue on public networks.
* The only way to fix the vulnerability is with OS and firmware updates for all your devices that use wi-fi.
* According to Rene Ritchie (via [Twitter]( https://twitter.com/reneritchie/status/919988216501030914) ) Apple has already patch KRACK in the iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and macOS betas. They also said AirPort routers and Time Capsules don't appear to be vulnerable to the exploit.
* Microsoft and Google have both acknowledged the issue and Microsoft will release a Windows patch today, Google said Pixel devices will get an update next month.
* Expect MANY patches to be coming and install them as soon as they are available.
V Feedback, commentary, opinions
V Follow up on my carrier switch
* I recently switched from AT&T to T-Mobile
* Same my experience
* Overall coverage, to me, feels the same. Family doesn’t quite agree.
* My house was an LTE dead zone (which seems to be common) so I got a micro cell
* My new bill came and with data “kickbacks” was $140 (vs. the $217 it would have been with AT&T).
V Scan QR codes with iOS 11
* Cool tip thanks to the Mac Observer
V Double check it’s turned on
* Settings > Camera
* Make sure ‘Scan QR Codes’ is enabled
* Launch the Camera app and point it at a QR code.
* You get a banner with information on the action the QR code wants got take, like launching and app or taking you to a web site.
V Apple TV 4K with Ara Derderian
* Play interview with Ara.
* Play Ty comment on Movies Anywhere.
* Mention the Vudu 'Disc to Digital" scan. $2.00 for a BlueRay, $2 to for a DVD (SD) or $5 (HD)
V Thing of the Moment: Beasts of Balance
* Review of [Beasts of Balance]( https://beastsofbalance.com)
* Plinth, Beast, Miracle, Migrate, Cross, and Element Artefacts
* Connected dexterity stacking game with a "collection" element
* Quick and fun to play. Easy to learn, but challenging to master because of the odd shaped piece.
* Seems to have incredible potential for expansion. They already offer a coupe of extra "beasts" you can purchase.
* Can buy at the Apple Store or on Amazon for USD $99.95 (£69.00 UK)
V Closing
V Podcast Marketplace
V Thanks to my sponsors
* Smile
V Gazelle
* Gazelle. The fast and simple way to sell your used gadgets! Find out what your used iPhone, iPad and other Apple products are worth at Gazelle.com.
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