It's fascinating how quickly the landscape can shift in tech. Not too long ago, it seemed that everyone was heralding the dawn of a new tablet age. Encouraged and perhaps blinded by the early success of the iPad, many people a few years ago were quick to predict that the Mac would inevitably become something of a footnote. Sure, people would still use the Mac for more intensive work tasks, the argument, went, but day-to-day computing would be carried out by tablets like the venerable iPad.
It may have been a compelling argument at the time, but the reality is playing out much differently. Flash forward to 2015 and iPad sales are still plummeting. Meanwhile, Apple last quarter set a new Q4 sales record with the Mac, having sold 5.7 million units over the past three months.
All the more impressive is that Apple over the past 12 months set a new Mac sales record, having sold 20.6 million machines over the last fiscal year.
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For whatever reason, the masses have spoken and they're simply not interested in saying goodbye to the Mac anytime soon. And Apple, to its credit, remains as invested in the Mac as ever. In the past year alone, Apple has released a brand the following new Mac products: a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, a new MacBook Air, an updated 15-inch MacBook Pro with a Force Touch trackpad, a Retina 5K 27-inch iMac, a hyper-portable 12-inch MacBook, and new 21.5-inch iMac with a 4K display. So even though Tim Cook loves to say that there's still a lot of room for innovation in the tablet space, don't forget that Apple continues to innovate on its Mac lineup at a rapid clip.
ComputerWorld adds:
Apple has been able to maintain Mac sales growth in the face of continued struggles by the PC industry overall: Researcher IDC recently pegged the business as down 11% for the September quarter, while rival Gartner tapped the contraction at 8%. Global personal computer shipments have contracted for 15 straight quarters, or nearly four full years, according to both IDC and Gartner.
Revenue from Mac sales reached almost $ 6.9 billion, representing 13.4% of Apple's total of $ 51.5 billion; that's the largest slice of revenue for the almost-overlooked line in a year.
So while people like to make a big fuss about the PC being a dying product, the Mac seems to be thriving. Perhaps the "post-PC" world that Tim Cook loves referencing is still a ways off.
As we highlighted earlier in the week, iPad sales are down 20% year over year, with the iPad Pro arguably positioned as Apple's last real chance to inject some life into the company's slumping product line.
The following chart courtesy of Quartz is quite telling.
Apple offering temporary iPhone 6 while fixing broken iPhones
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How to get Apple to replace your broken iPhone for free
Has your iPhone stopped working? Did you smash the screen? Drop it in the toilet? Wondering if Apple will replace it? We provide the answers.
by Karen Haslam| 29 Oct 15
Did the screen of your iPhone smash when it slipped from your hand? Did you drop your iPhone in the toilet? Or perhaps the battery on your iPhone seems to be draining more than you’d expect it to. It’s happened to the best of us, of course the big question on your lips will be: “Will Apple replace my iPhone for free?”
Read next: iPhone 6s review | iPhone 6s Plus review | All iPhone reviews
Apple offers AppleCare+ protection in the UK, which means it will replace an iPhone that has suffered accidental damage. You only get two chances for a replacement though, and it costs £79, though, and there’s a chance you’ll be charged a £55 excess fee.
If you don’t have AppleCare+, what are your chances of getting Apple to replace your iPhone? It’s actually quite unusual to expect a company to replace a product when you break it, however, when it comes to the iPhone people have high expectations that Apple will switch it for a new one, either because they spent so much on the phone in the first place, or because when you sign up to a contract for a year or two you expect the phone to last the journey.
UPDATE: 29 October, Apple is set to implement a new system for iPhone repairs in store that involves loaning the owner of the phone an iPhone 6 on a temporary basis while the broken phone is sent off for repairs. Read more below…
This article is in three parts:
PART ONE: WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS
PART TWO: WHAT DID YOU DO?
PART THREE: WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
For more information about whether to take out iPhone insurance read our article: is iPhone insurance worth it. We help you decide which iPhone Insurance policy is best for you here.
(If you happen to have dropped your iPhone in the toilet, here’s how to fix that: Emergency fix: How to recover a drowned Apple iPhone)
Is your iPhone 6 Plus camera blurry? Apple has launched an iPhone 6 Plus iSight Camera Replacement Program
Ever since the iPhone 6 Plus was first released back in September 2014, there has been a small percentage of users complaining about blurry photos. The issues weren't present with iPhone 6 users, which leads us to believe the fault is in fact with the optical image stabilisation feature. The feature is said to utilise the A8 chip, gyroscope and the M8 motion coprocessor in the iPhone 6 Plus to stabilise photos, measuring motion data to provide lens movement that compensates for shakiness.
In August this year, Apple admitted that a small number of iPhone 6 Plus cameras were defective, causing the cameras to constantly take blurry photos. Apple has said on its iSight Camera Replacement Program website "Apple has determined that, in a small percentage of iPhone 6 Plus devices, the iSight camera has a component that may fail causing your photos to look blurry. The affected units fall into a limited serial number range and were sold primarily between September 2014 and January 2015,". The company continues to note that if your iPhone 6 Plus is taking blurry photos and falls into the eligible serial number range, Apple will replace the camera free of charge.
So, how do you check if you're eligible? All you need to do is head over to the iSight Camera Replacement Program website and input your iPhone's serial number. You can access your iPhone's serial number by heading into the Settings app and tapping General. You should see your serial number – tap and hold it to copy it, then paste it into Apple's Replacement Program website.
However, if you're not eligible but still try to get your camera replaced, Apple will know. Apple will examine your iPhone 6 Plus at either an Apple Store or an Apple Authorised Service Provider to verify the handsets eligibility for the program before agreeing to repair it. It's also recommended that before you send your iPhone in to be repaired, you back it up either via iTunes or iCloud. The replacement iSight camera will be covered by an extended three-year warranty from the date of the original iPhone sale, however this doesn't effect the standard iPhone 6 Plus warranty coverage.
The most important thing to note: Apple has stated that if your iPhone 6 Plus has damage (like a cracked screen) that impairs the camera replacement, you'll have to fix the issue beforehand.
In April, Apple confirmed that some iPhone 5 smartphones have defective power buttons and is offering a free replacement.
“Apple has determined that the sleep/wake button mechanism on a small percentage of iPhone 5 models may stop working or work intermittently,” Apple said in an online support document.
You can find out whether your iPhone 5 is eligible here.
If you’ve got a broken lock button on your iPhone 5 or other iPhone model but are not eligible for the replacement program, you can find out how to use the handy lock button workaround here.
Apple is offering a second replacement program for iPhone 5 users. This time it’s the phone’s battery that’s giving users headaches. Apple says that a “very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices” may be experiencing poor battery life, requiring users to charge the device more frequently. We actually found that three out of six iPhone 5s we checked for eligibility in Apple’s battery replacement program were eligible, so it seems like more than a “very small percentage” to us!
Affected devices were sold between September 2012 and January 2013, and are within a specific serial number range, Apple says. You can check your serial number on Apple’s website to see if your phone qualifies for a free battery replacement. You’ll find your serial number by going to Settings > General > About > Serial Number.
If you have an affected device, you’ll have the choice to replace your battery free of charge at the Apple Store, an Apple authorised service provider or you can send it off to Apple Technical Support.
However, the catch is that if your iPhone 5 has a broken screen, cracked back or any other damage that may impair battery replacement is fixed, which Apple is unlikely to do for free (read on to find out more).
For those with battery woes but no option to get a replacement from Apple, check out our iPhone battery saving tips for help.
But can you expect Apple to replace your iPhone for free if it’s not part of either of these replacement programs? To answer this question there are a few things that need to be considered.
Read next: 33 tips to help boost iPhone battery life | How to back up an iPhone | How to fix an iPhone with a broken off button
PART ONE: WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?
First things first: If you have only had your iPhone for a year or two there are actually laws that may mean Apple, or the company that sold it to you, have to replace your iPhone. If you are going to exercise your consumer rights its worth giving Apple’s warranty conditions the once-over, along with the legal requirements Apple would have to abide by in the UK.
What does Apple’s warranty include?
Every iPhone comes with complimentary telephone technical support for 90 days from your iPhone purchase and a one-year limited warranty detailed here. Specifically, Apple’s warranty covers the following: “Apple warrants the Apple-branded iPhone, iPad or iPod hardware product and accessories contained in the original packaging (“Apple Product”) against defects in materials and workmanship when used normally in accordance with Apple’s published guidelines for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the date of original retail purchase by the end-user purchaser (“Warranty Period”). Apple's published guidelines include but are not limited to information contained in technical specifications, user manuals and service communications.”
What doesn’t the Apple warranty include?
While the Apple warranty means that your iPhone is covered for a year from the day you purchase it, Apple states that its Limited Warranty for iPhone excludes coverage for “damage resulting from accident, disassembly, unauthorized service and unauthorized modifications.” The warranty may also be void if the Liquid Contact indicator in your product has been triggered.
Apple states in the legal document that the warranty does not apply in the following cases: “(a) to consumable parts, such as batteries or protective coatings that are designed to diminish over time, unless failure has occurred due to a defect in materials or workmanship; (b) to cosmetic damage, including but not limited to scratches, dents and broken plastic on ports; (c) to damage caused by use with another product; (d) to damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, liquid contact, fire, earthquake or other external cause; (e) to damage caused by operating the Apple Product outside Apple's published guidelines; (f) to damage caused by service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by anyone who is not a representative of Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider ("AASP"); (g) to an Apple Product that has been modified to alter functionality or capability without the written permission of Apple; (h) to defects caused by normal wear and tear or otherwi se due to the normal aging of the Apple Product, or (i) if any serial number has been removed or defaced from the Apple Product.”
However, Apple does note that even an iPhone that is ineligible for warranty service may be eligible for Out-of-Warranty (OOW) Service (for a price). That is as long as it meets the requirements of the OOW service. Certain damage is ineligible for OOW service notes Apple, including: “Catastrophic damage, such as the device separating into multiple pieces, and inoperability caused by unauthorized modifications.”
What does AppleCare include?
Apple sells AppleCare protection to extend that telephone and warranty support that comes with your iPhone from 90 days to two years. You have to purchase this wothin 30 days of your iPhone purchase.
If you’ve already got AppleCare, you may have the original more limited version, but those who purchase AppleCare for their iPhone will now only have the option to choose AppleCare+, an extended service that provides expert technical support, up to two years of additional hardware coverage and up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage. It costs £79. In addition to being able to take the iPhone into the store, under AppleCare+ it is possible to get an express replacement service.
Under AppleCare+ you are only able to drop or accidentally damage your iPhone and get it replaced twice. Some point out that there are other insurance plans that will replace your iPhone more times should anything happen to it. You may want to consider this while deciding whether to pay your £79.
With AppleCare+ you also get additional hardware coverage that covers the battery (battery depletion of 50 per cent or more from original specification) and the included USB cable and power adapter that came with the iPhone.
Also worth considering: you may not even need the second year’s additional coverage. Apple emphasizes that its One-Year Limited Warranty and AppleCare+ Protection Plan benefits are in addition to rights provided under consumer law. (This is because Apple has got in trouble with various courts around Europe for selling two years of coverage without making it clear to customers that there are local laws that may give them sufficient coverage anyway).
What are the consumer laws I should know if my iPhone is broken?
Apple notes the following on its website: “When you purchase Apple products, European Union consumer law provides statutory warranty rights in addition to the coverage you receive from the Apple One-Year Limited Warranty and the optional AppleCare Protection Plan.”
This EU Consumer Law ensures that you will receive free repair or replacement coverage for defects present when you take delivery (Apple’s warranty includes defects arising after you took delivery). The key message here is that if a defect was present when you took delivery (e.g. a faulty antenna) the device should be repaired or replaced. Replacement of a device that had a fault when you bought is not limited to two years; it could be even longer. You’re first point of contact should be the seller, which may or may not be Apple.
Consumers in the UK have the right to ask the retailer to replace or repair any faulty item for up to six years after an item is purchased (five years in Scotland). The only drag is you may have to prove that the fault was present when you bought the item and not something that was the result of normal wear and tear.
UK Specific information about the Sales of Goods Act from 1979 can be found here. The act indicates that consumers can expect that goods will be: as described; of a satisfactory quality; fit for the purpose made known.
This final clause is significant if your fault wasn’t there when you bought the iPhone. Chances are you bought your iPhone on a contract, if this is the case you could go back to your mobile network provider and argue that the iPhone failed to meet the terms of the contract due to the fault.
You may even be able to use the Sale of Goods Act to argue that issues arising from wear and tear were due to a manufacturing defect, although to do this you may need an expert’s report from an engineer or a mechanic.
The main problem with the Sale of Goods Act is it’s much harder to get a refund after the first six months. During the first six months after the purchase, it is up to the retailer to show that any fault is down to the actions or misuse of the buyer, rather than an inherent fault in the product. After the first six months it’s up to the buyer to prove that the fault was pre-existing.
However, as well as the Sale of Goods Act there is also an EU directive that gives consumers extra rights. EU directive 1999/44/EC states that: “A two-year guarantee applies for the sale of all consumer goods everywhere in the EU. In some countries, this may be more, and some manufacturers also choose to offer a longer warranty period.”
Crucially a key point in this directive is that it doesn't require the buyer to show the fault is inherent in the product and not down to their actions, unlike the Sale of Goods Act. There is more info here, plus Which? has loads of information about what to do if you want to return faulty goods.
What if my out-of-warranty iPhone has developed a fault?
Apple offers a service for out–of-warranty iPhones so while it is unlikely you can get it fixed for free you may be able to get a replacement for a knocked down price. In its out-of-warranty terms Apple states: “Certain damage is ineligible for out-of-warranty service, including catastrophic damage, such as the device separating into multiple pieces, and inoperability caused by unauthorized modifications. However, an iPhone that has failed due to contact with liquid may be eligible for out-of-warranty service.”
In other words if you drop your iPhone and it smashes into a thousand pieces Apple isn’t going to help you, nor will it help if you have drowned it in tea, however, if you turn up with a broken, out-of-warranty iPhone Apple may be able to offer you a replacement, at a price.
However, you may still be able to use one of the laws described above. For example, if your iPhone is not “fit for purpose” but you still have a year left on your contract go to your network and quote the Sales of Goods Act at them. If you believe that a fault in manufacturing has caused an issue that you are only experiencing now you may need to get help to prove this is the case, but you don’t need to worry if it’s been longer than two years since you bought the device.
How can I get Apple to replace my iPhone?
Having said that, it is our experience that returning an iPhone to Apple for a replacement is a stress free experience and you may not need to follow any of the advice above.
PART TWO: WHAT DID YOU DO?
Whether Apple will replace your iPhone depends on what caused the fault. What did you do? We look at the most common broken iPhone scenarios below:
I dropped my iPhone in a toilet/cup of tea/bath
Apple has indicators that show if the iPhone has come into contact with water. Prior to December 2009 Apple had an iPhone Liquid Damage Policy that meant a warranty claim could be denied based “solely on a Triggered Headphone Jack LCI and or Triggered Dock LCI”.
The LCI is a Liquid Contact Indicator that is hidden in the device's headphone jack and charging port and signals excessive exposure to water. If Apple discovered that this LCI is white it means that the paper has not come into contact with water, and therefore your warranty is intact. However, if it is pink, your warranty is void and you may face an expensive repair bill.
Apple was taken to court by a number of plaintiffs in the US who claimed that they were denied service because the indicators in their devices had turned pink. They wanted to highlight a issue with the Liquid Submersion Indicator that Apple uses that might cause them to turn pink even if the device has not been submerged in water. Even tape maker 3M agreed that humidity could have caused the tape to turn pink, according to the lawsuit. Crucially, since December 2009 Apple has used the phrase “Liquid Contact Indicator” to describe the tape, which before that date it described it as a “Liquid Submersion Indicator”. Apple agreed to settle the case out of court.
The same issue raised its head in the UK back in June 2010, when BBC Watchdog highlighted that unhappy Apple customers were claiming poor after sales service when they returned faulty iPhones. Apple Store staff were insisting faults were the result of water damage, which voids the phones warranty, leaving customers little option but to buy a new iPhone, pay for the repair or shop elsewhere.
Watchdog suggested that Apple was failing in their duty to properly check customer claims that phones have stayed clear of water or liquid.
As a result of the compensation case in the US, you may find evidence that your iPhone has come into contact with liquid won’t necessarily mean that Apple will refuse to fix it as it might once have. With a little knowledge about compensation cases in America, and awareness of the Watchdog investigation, you may be able to persuade Apple that your iPhone was never submersed in water. Good luck.
The speaker doesn’t produce sound
We have heard from a number of people who told us their iPhone speaker stopped working. In a couple of cases this was because there was fluff in the headphone port, which made the phone think that the headphones were plugged in. This was easily rectified. Another potential fix is simply to do a software update. However, you can rest assured that Apple will replace an iPhone if it’s a manufacturing defect.
The battery is draining too fast
Apple explains on its website that the Apple one-year limited warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery. You can extend your coverage to two years from the date of your iPhone purchase with the AppleCare+ Protection Plan for iPhone. If during the plan's coverage period, your iPhone battery drops below 50% of its original capacity Apple will replace it.
If your phone is out of warranty, Apple offers a battery replacement program that costs £55 plus a £7.44 shipping fee if required. This service takes about a week. However, it may not be the battery at fault: there are a number of iPhone apps that suck the power out of your battery. For example, we find that if we leave Words With Friends running in the background our battery will empty quickly. Best advice is to close down apps that you don’t require.
For some extra help preserving battery, check: How to improve iPhone battery life in iOS 7 and iOS 6
My iPhone has stopped charging
It may well be the power cable at fault here. With past iPhones we have found that the wires bend and sometimes become exposed on the bit of flex before the plug. Your warranty covers the power cable and other accessories that came in the box, so Apple will replace it. If you can get your hands on another power cable (a friend is bound to have one) try it out. If it is the battery at fault you’ll want to refer to the above section on battery replacement.
I smashed the screen
We’re pretty sure that this is the number one reason why people take their phone to the Apple Store to plead for a replacement. As with the battery, Apple has a system in place to arrange the repair of your phone, although it will cost you.
Previously, Apple has charged £139 to replace a cracked screen (£146.29 if you use the mail order service). It is now repairing iPhone screens in-store for between £86-106, although this price may rise if the company finds anything else wrong with the handset that deems it as an "out-of-warranty repair". If this is the case, the price jumps up to £236 for an iPhone 6 and £266 for an iPhone 6 Plus.
You may well decide that it’s not worth the price of a repair and be seduced by Apple into paying for a new handset. We’ve yet to hear from someone without AppleCare+ who was able to argue for a free screen replacement having smashed their iPhone. You may be able to find someone else to repair the screen for less, but you should be aware that letting someone else tamper with your iPhone would void your warranty.
See also: How to repair a cracked iPhone screen; 5 fixes for a broken smartphone display
The screen is scratched
Apple won’t replace your screen for scratches and we very much doubt that you will be that put off by the scratches that you would pay £90 for a new screen. Next time you get a new iPhone you might want to consider using a screen protector such as this one from Tech21.
I’ve previously replaced the screen and now the phone is broken, will Apple fix it?
No, as we said above, if someone other than Apple replaced the screen that will have voided the warranty.
I jailbroke my iPhone, will Apple replace it?
Officially, no. But the question is will Apple even know? If you can return your iPhone to factory settings before taking it to Apple you may be lucky enough to get it past the Geniuses. If you can’t do that, they will probably be able to tell that you jailbroke your phone when they access it via the test system in store, and they will not be so keen on fixing it. Apple has a statement on the matter of jailbraking: “iOS is designed to be reliable and secure from the moment you turn on your device. Built-in security features protect against malware and viruses and help to secure access to personal information and corporate data. Unauthorized modifications to iOS (“jailbreaking”) bypass security features and can cause numerous issues to the hacked iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.” As a result “Apple may deny service for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that has installed any unauthorized software.”
My iPhone keeps crashing!
Sometimes it’s the software rather than the hardware at fault and if your iPhone keeps crashing chances are that it’s a software error. Before taking the iPhone to an Apple Store reset your iPhone and make sure you have updated your software. Another thing to check: how full is the memory? We have met people with iPhones so full of video and photos that they stopped working properly. A bit of a spring clean can do the world of good. Another thing that can affect the performance of your iPhone is the apps you run on it. Is a particular app causing the crashes? Check to see if there is an update available for it. Sometimes an app that always worked well will suddenly stop working because Apple has made a change to iOS. Chances are you can fix the phone yourself if you follow this advice. Apple provides troubleshooting advice on its website so you can follow the steps and see if that fixes the problem.
I did nothing, my iPhone just stopped working…
See above: There are a few tests you might want to do before you take it to the Apple Store.
I didn’t get the iPhone from Apple, will Apple still replace it?
If you feel that there is a fault and you are unhappy you can take it back to the shop where you bought it for an exchange. However, a quick look around the web suggests that Apple is a lot more helpful when it comes to iPhone servicing and replacements than the mobile networks. Apple provides the warranty so legally it is up to them to deal with the fault, so don’t feel that purchasing the iPhone elsewhere means you can’t take the broken iPhone to Apple.
PART THREE: WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Now you have established the likelihood or a replacement or a big bill, what are the steps you need to take to get your iPhone fixed or replaced.
What do I need to do to get Apple to replace my iPhone
You can arrange to send your iPhone to Apple to service or you can take it into a store. You can just turn up at a Genius Bar and hope to be seen, but it is wise to make a reservation. Just select your closest store and pick the date and time.
Please make sure you back up the phone before you take it anywhere! Start your support request at getsupport.apple.com or call (44) 0844 209 0611. You’ll be greeted with a number of troubleshooting questions which may well solve your problem. Other options include Send in for a Service, Talk to Apple Support Now, Schedule a Call, Call Apple Support Later, iChat, Take in for Service, Contact Carrier. You’ll need to type in your serial number which you will be able to find in Settings > About.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple will be launching a new repair program for the iPhone 6 and 6s by the end of October 2015. This repair program will be available in certain stores in Europe, the US and Japan.
Apple will issue the owner of the phone with a 16GB iPhone 6 while the broken phone is sent for repair.
The phone is more likely to be sent away if the device won’t power on or boot up past the Apple logo, or can’t connect to iTunes or a computer.
The repair shoud take a few days and then the iPhone owner will need to return to the store to collect their fixed iPhone.
How much will it cost to get my iPhone fixed?
If your iPhone is within warranty and eligible for repairs service is available at no charge for twelve months from the date of purchase.
Apple may refuse even the out-of-warranty replacement for an iPhone you’ve repaired yourself. But you might as well ask.
Will Apple replace my broken iPhone with a newer iPhone?
If you are under warranty then Apple should replace your broken iPhone, but it’s unlikely they would give you a newer model. You should also note you’re your replacement phone may not be new, it is likely to be refurbished, however, that will not affect your warranty. iPhones that are repaired or replaced have a 90-day limited hardware warranty or assume the remainder of your standard warranty or AppleCare Protection Plan for iPhone coverage, whichever is longer, states Apple.
For more information about whether to take out iPhone insurance read our article: is iPhone insurance worth it.
We help you decide which iPhone Insurance policy is best for you here.
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Apple updated its iPod touch device a few months ago, and I finally got around to getting one yesterday. Since I already own an iPhone 6s, you might be wondering why I bothered to buy an iPod touch 6. It’s a fair question and I’ll tell you why in this post. And I’ll also share why I’ve found myself liking the iPod touch 6 so much more than the iPhone 6s.
But first you should know that a little bit of the backstory. Last year I tried the iPhone 6 Plus and liked it quite a bit for a while. Ultimately, however, I grew tired of its large size and decided to switch this year to the iPhone 6s. At first I enjoyed the iPhone 6s too, but in the back of my mind I kept feeling like it was still just too darn big for my hands.
No matter how I hold the iPhone 6s, it feels like it’s eating into the tendons of my hands (I’ve had some problems with tendonitis lately), even with Apple’s leather case on it. The iPhone 6s is simply too wide for me to hold comfortably with one hand for any length of time. Even laying it flat in my hand doesn’t really work for me since I still can’t use it one-handed very well at all.
So I finally decided that I needed to go back to the 4-inch screen that Apple used to have as a standard for its iPhones. Unfortunately, the only model available is the iPhone 5s, and that has aging hardware. Who wants to buy an iPhone that is two generations behind the iPhone 6s? The cost just wasn’t worth it to me, and I never liked the design of the iPhone 5s anyway.
The iPod touch 6 is much lighter and more comfortable to hold
So I decided to take a chance and grab an iPod touch 6. I hopped into my car and drove to the local Wal Mart. I bought a 32 GB iPod touch 6 in space gray. I didn’t need any more storage since I don’t game on my iOS devices much anymore. So 32 GB should be plenty for my modest iOS needs.
I knew as soon as I took the iPod touch 6 out of the box that it was the perfect size for my hand. It felt great when I picked it up, and I could immediately use it with one hand in a way that I could never use the iPhone 6s or the 6 Plus. There was no discomfort from the iPod touch 6 like what I experienced with the iPhone 6s.
And the screen size was just fine for me, I didn’t miss the larger 4.7-inch screen of the iPhone 6s at all. I tend to read a lot so I generally use my phone locked in portrait mode. I could easily read discussions on Reddit via Bacon Reader, catch up on the latest Apple news with the Mac Daily News app and do everything else I needed to do without putting strain on the tendons in my fingers.
I was absolutely shocked at how much lighter the iPod touch 6 feels in my hand compared to the chunkiness of the iPhone 6s. The iPod touch weighs in at an extremely petite 88 grams while the iPhone 6s weighs in at a hefty 143 grams. Now a difference of 55 grams might not sound like much but I certainly noticed it while using my iPod touch 6.
The iPod touch 6 demonstrates the need for Apple to release a new 4-inch iPhone for folks that need smaller, lighter iOS devices.
The space gray color on on the back of the iPod touch is much darker than the color of the iPhone 6s in space gray. I don’t know why there’s such a difference in the color, but the iPod touch 6 is just much better looking since the darker space gray complements the black of the iPod’s bezels much better than the lighter space gray on the iPhone 6s.
The iPod touch 6 lacks 3D Touch but who cares?
But what about 3D Touch? It’s one of the cool new features in the iPhone 6s, and the iPod touch 6 doesn’t offer it. Well, I hate to say it but I didn’t miss it at all. Pressing down harder on the screen is not comfortable for me right now, and I stopped using 3D Touch shortly after I got my iPhone 6s. So I haven’t missed it at all on the iPod touch 6.
Don’t get me wrong here, 3D Touch is a neat feature in the iPhone 6s. I thought it was quite cool when I first tried it but then I quickly forgot all about it. I’m sure there are some folks though who have integrated it into their iOS usage, but it just turned out to be something that didn’t matter much to me and I didn’t miss it at all in the iPod touch 6.
iOS 9.1 runs great on the super-speedy iPod touch 6
I had no problems updating my iPod touch 6 to iOS 9.1. It runs buttery smooth on the iPod touch 6 thanks to the new iPod’s A8 processor and M8 motion coprocessor. I didn’t feel like I had given up much by using the iPod touch 6 instead of the iPhone 6s in terms of hardware. The iPod touch 6 does everything I need it to do and it does it all very fast.
I also have an older iPod touch 5 running iOS 9.1 and the speed difference is quite amazing. The older iPod certainly can run iOS 9.1, but it does it in a way that is simply okay. But the iPod touch 6 blows it right off the map and iOS 9.1 really shines on the new iPod’s fast hardware.
The other folks buying the iPod touch 6 seem to really like it
I’m not the only one in love with the iPod touch 6, by the way. I hopped over to the 32 GB iPod touch 6 page on Amazon and found that it has a 4.5 star rating from Amazon’s customers. Clearly the people who are buying the iPod touch 6 really like it, and their positive experiences are showing up in the high star ratings and reviews on Amazon.
Here’s a sample of what some of Amazon’s customers are saying about the iPod touch 6 and much of it echoes my own sentiments:
Dan: "If you get the 32GB model you only have to pay roughly $ 250, which is a better price point than Apple’s other mobile devices. It comes loaded with IOS 8, and handles it well. IOS 9 is around the corner and if it lives up to it’s promises, it will help expand the usable storage and improve the performance of the device even more so!
You can argue ‘Well it’s not as powerful as the latest iPhone’ and to that I say, since it has a smaller screen, and no touch ID (which some people are disappointed to see missing on this device) the device can focus more on gaming especially since it has the same 64bit archetype A8 processor as the iPhone 6 (slightly underclocked). The device also has 1GB of ram, same was the iPhone 6. I have seen tests where this device loaded games FASTER than the iPhone 6! So any games you throw at the iPod touch 6th gen, it can handle it no problem.
As for Camera it’s the front is great for taking “selfies” man I hate that word…, and can shoot awesome 1080p 30fps video with the back camera, and with some camera apps can shoot in 60FPS at 720p!!! It now has burst mode for both cameras so you are less likely of missing that perfect picture moment."
Mario: "The iPod touch 6th generation is an extremely well made media player. I strongly recommend buying it if you have a 5th generation or older, as it is extremely faster than any of them. It has Apple’s latest hardware, so you really don’t have to worry about it getting old. You could probably expect this iPod touch to be supported for three or even four years. The camera is beautiful and puts the camera in the 5th generation to shame and it is able to run literally any app I throw at it without any lag whatsoever."
Katrina: "I replaced my old iPod touch 5th gen with this newer generation. Everything runs so much faster on this new iPod. Some people might not like how nothing changed on the exterior except the removal of the strap circle thing on the back, but I didn’t have a use for it. I bought my iPod in gold and was not disappointed. It is as expected."
James: "This thing is amazing. Wonderful upgrade from my iPod touch 4th generation which I had previously been using. The new A8 processor makes everything super fast and all of the games I have played run perfect. The 8MP rear camera makes for some quality photos as well. The battery life is decent for what I use it for which is primarily music and social media.. Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase and would recommend the device."
Tommyboy: "My son received this for his 10th birthday. He absolutely loves it. This is our first Apple product as we usually buy Android products. He is able to navigate it easily and he especially loves Facetime. It’s like having a phone without having a phone!"
More at Amazon
Apple needs to release a new 4-inch iPhone
After using my iPod touch 6 for the last day, I quickly realized that Apple has made a dreadful mistake in trying to force its customers into using the larger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. It should have had a new 4-inch phone ready when it released the larger sizes. And no, the iPhone 5s doesn’t count as it is using significantly older hardware and suffers from an older design as well.
Apple had better smarten up and release another 4-inch iPhone that has hardware that matches its larger iPhones. I have no intention of buying another large screen iPhone again. For me the negatives of the larger screen iPhones vastly outweigh the positives.
I understand that other people feel differently and love the bigger iPhones, and that’s fine. To each his own when it comes to phone size. But Apple needs to understand that some of us want and need a smaller screen iPhone. Given that the company is already manufacturing the iPod touch 6, how hard can it be to release an iPhone that is the same size?
The iPod touch 6 has mostly replaced my iPhone 6s
For now I’m stuck with the iPhone 6s when I leave the house since I need cellular connectivity and GPS, and the iPod touch 6 doesn’t offer either of those features. But when I’m in the house I no longer reach for my iPhone 6s. It sits on my dresser while I use my iPod touch 6 instead.
However, I may start carrying the iPod touch 6 with me in my shirt pocket when I leave the house and just leave the iPhone 6s in my pants pocket. I can use the iPod touch 6 for audiobooks, ebooks, a bit of journaling in Day One and anything else that doesn’t require cellular connectivity.
I’ve also considered buying a cheap flip phone for phone calls and getting rid of my iPhone 6s altogether. But I’m holding off on doing that to see if Apple finally releases a new 4-inch iPhone. I’d rather not be bothered getting a flip phone, but one way or another the days of me using an iPhone with a screen bigger than 4 inches are coming to an end.
It’s kind of sad that Apple has put some of its customers in the position of not being able to buy the size phone they want and need. But at least we have the iPod touch 6 to tide us over until the company comes to its senses and releases a new 4-inch iPhone.
Are you listening, Tim Cook? We need a new 4-inch iPhone and we need it now.
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For a while now Apple has been holding two launch events toward the end of each year. The first event in September is used to launch new iPhones, and new products and services like the Apple Watch and Apple Pay. In October Apple then has an event where the main focus is on new iPads, along with some other announcements such as new Macs or accessories. This year Apple appears to have switched up the formula, as they rolled both the iPhone and iPad announcements into a single September event. With October essentially over it looks like we won’t be seeing any more Apple launch events this year, and new products like the iMac with 4K Retina display have had quieter soft launches which supports this theory.
Since Apple combined their iPhone and iPad events into one, we actually have a new iPad shipping earlier than they’re usually even announced. The iPad Pro won’t go on sale until November, and the iPad Air 2 didn’t see an update, but the iPad Mini line got a significant overhaul in the form of the iPad Mini 4, and it has been available for well over a month at this point. The iPad Mini has definitely been in need of a significant upgrade for a while, with last year’s iPad Mini 3 essentially just being the iPad Mini 2 with Touch ID. While there’s more to a device than spec sheets, they can provide a high level view of how two devices compare to one another. You can view the specs of the iPad Mini 4 compared against those of the iPad Mini 3 in the chart below.
When looking at the iPad Mini 4 on paper it looks very similar to Apple’s iPad Air 2. There’s a 2048×1536 IPS display, an 8MP rear-facing camera, 2×2 802.11ac WiFi, and 2GB of DRAM packed into a 6.1mm thick chassis. Of course, there is one major difference that can be seen from the specs, and that’s the SoC. While the iPad Air 2 has Apple’s A8X SoC, the iPad Mini 4 only has their A8 chip. This version of A8 does have bumps to the CPU and GPU frequency compared to the version that shipped in the iPhone 6, but it’s missing the additional core of A8X and the GPU is Imagination Technologies’ GX6450 rather than Apple’s custom 8 core GXA6850.
There can also be differences between devices that don’t show up in a spec sheet. For example, the iPad Mini 2 and the iPad Air were actually more similar on paper than the Mini 4 and Air 2 are. However, the specifications for the display didn’t take into account the iPad Mini 2′s limited color gamut, which was a major difference between the two devices. Ultimately, it’s difficult to compare two devices just based on their specs, and over the course of the review I’ll be looking the different aspects of the iPad Mini 4 in order to compare it to both the iPad Air 2 and the various other tablets that I’ve tested.
Apple described the iPad Mini 4 as a shrunken down iPad Air 2, and as far as the design goes they really weren’t kidding. If you were to shrink down the Air 2 and scale the mass appropriately you would get this chassis. Compared to the iPad Mini 3 it’s 3.2mm taller, 0.1mm wider, and 1.4mm thinner. The difference in thickness is definitely noticeable, especially when holding it in one hand. The mass has also been reduced, dropping from 331 grams to 298.9 grams. 30 grams doesn’t sound like a ton, but when you’re holding a tablet in one hand it’s definitely noticeable and helps to reduce fatigue when holding the Mini 4 for long periods of time.
There’s really not a whole ton to say about the front of the iPad. It’s a big display, with a single button that also hides a fingerprint scanner, and a 1.2MP front-facing camera at the top. The cover glass is a giant flat sheet, and it meets chamfered edges on all sides, although unlike most non-Apple devices the glass is elevated so that your finger doesn’t catch on the edges as you swipe off the surface of the glass. This is more expensive, harder to manufacture consistently, and reduces drop protection, but I think it’s one of the small details that can make a device much nicer to use than those that lack it. Something interesting is that the spectrum reflected by the glass is different than the glass used on the Air 2. While both tablets have the same anti-glare coating, the more purple-shifted reflections of the Air 2 actually make things slightly more readable when there are visible reflections on the display.
As for the back cover, there’s also not much to say about it. The top left corner has Apple’s 8MP rear-facing camera, in the middle is the Apple logo, and below that is the word iPad accompanied by various regulatory text that I continually hope can one day be banished and moved into a section of every device’s settings application. On the cellular models you also get the plastic RF window at the top, which is white on the silver and gold models, and black on the space grey model. Beyond that it’s just an unbroken piece of aluminum, and it feels as sturdy and solid as Apple’s products usually do.
One thing worth noting for owners of older iPads is that the mute/rotation lock switch is no longer present. Like the iPad Air 2, that functionality has been moved into Control Center.
Something I’ve always noticed is that the industrial design of the iPad lags behind the iPhone by a couple of years. While the iPhone 5 was introduced with new industrial design (ID) with visual characteristics like chamfered bezel edges, the iPad 4 that launched the following month used the same tapered chassis as the iPad 3, and even retained the resin filling between where the display met the edges of the chassis. Interestingly enough, the iPad Mini that launched alongside the iPad 4 actually did match the ID of the iPhone 5 with some obvious concessions like the curved sides to maintain ergonomics. However, I think this was mostly a result of the iPad Mini being a completely new device rather than an interation of a previous one. With the iPad Air Apple brought the large iPad’s ID mostly in line with the iPhone 5/5s, and it has stayed mostly the same in each subsequent Mini and full sized iPad while the iPhone has moved onto a newer design with curved gl ass that meets rounded edges. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I can’t help but find myself imaging what the iPad Mini 4 would look like if it shared the ID of the iPhone 6/6s.
Ultimately, the design changes going from the iPad Mini 3 to the iPad Mini 4 are just those from the iPad Air to Air 2 transition but on a smaller device. The tablet gets thinner, lighter, and there are some design changes to go along with the thinner profile like only having a single row of speaker holes on the bottom of the chassis. It’s worth noting that I didn’t find these speakers to be any better or worse than the Air 2, and
If you’ve ever seen an iPad Air 2 you already know what an iPad Mini 4 looks like, because it’s the same sturdy and premium feeling aluminum enclosure but made smaller. I would definitely like to see a new set of iPads that adopt the iPhone’s most recent ID, but I’m not at all unhappy with the current state of the iPad’s design. Apart from the Dell Venue 8 7840 there isn’t really anything that is comparably well built at this price point, and so if you really care about the design and build quality of a tablet the iPad Mini 4 should be high up on your list of devices to consider.
It turns out that Apple’s streaming-TV box — aptly named Apple TV — isn’t just for streaming anymore. Its latest incarnation offers on the big screen just about anything you could previously only do on an iPhone or iPad.
Whether that’s good may depend on whether you really want to buy shoes, browse home listings or read comic books on your TV. The new Apple TV looks to be a capable device for those purposes, although it’s not flawless. Its streaming-TV features also trump those of its predecessor.
The new Apple TV will set you back $ 149, or $ 199 for a version with extra storage. Apple will still sell the old version for $ 69. Neither requires an iPhone or iPad, although either iDevice can simplify the Apple TV setup process.
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Apple TV has been a dependable streamer, but until now its repertoire was limited to a few dozen services. Sure, these included Netflix, Hulu and HBO. But Apple didn’t let you add other channels — say, competitive videogame play from Twitch.tv — on your own.
That’s all changed. The new Apple TV features an iPhone-like app store that lets you choose your own streaming services. And it’s no longer pushy about steering you to iTunes and other Apple services. You can easily customize the home screen with your favorites.
Video quality on the new Apple TV maxes out at full high definition, known technically as 1080p. That should be plenty for most people. Video enthusiasts may complain that it doesn’t support a higher-quality video standard called ultra-high definition or 4K, as several other streaming boxes do. But there aren’t many 4K TVs or much programming for them yet.
The Apple TV remote doesn’t have a headphone jack, which other streaming devices like the Roku 3 and 4 and the Nvidia Shield offer to spare your family and roommates late at night. What Apple TV offers instead is support for Bluetooth wireless headphones — sold separately, of course, by Apple and others.
It’s not yet clear whether you’ll be able to stream video from Amazon and Google Play. Both companies have competing video stores, and one sticking point could be the cut Apple takes on in-app digital sales. Other major services, including Google’s YouTube, are expected on the Apple TV.
The new Apple TV enables voice searches using the Siri virtual assistant. Request “Seinfeld” or Jennifer Lawrence, and Apple TV will look through catalogs for iTunes, Hulu, Netflix, HBO and Showtime, with more to come. You can even ask for “good documentaries to watch.”
Although similar capabilities are available on other devices, Apple TV goes further in a few ways:
— The remote replaces traditional rewind and forward buttons with a laptop-style trackpad. By sliding left and right, you control playback and navigate the on-screen keyboard more quickly. Sliding down gets you settings and show details, when available. The remote also lets you control the TV’s power and volume directly.
— You can control playback by asking Siri to rewind 45 seconds or jump ahead five minutes, though some services won’t let you forward past commercials. Saying “What did she say?” will rewind video 15 seconds and briefly turn on closed captioning, when available. It works fully with iTunes for now, but the closed-captioning part doesn’t work with all third-party services yet.
— You can ask Siri for a specific episode, such as the “How I Met Your Mother” episode with Katie Holmes. Guest stars tend to trip up rival devices.
Siri offers weather, stocks and sports information. It was great for tracking Tuesday’s World Series opener without watching the game. This feature isn’t unique to Apple TV, but unlike the competition, Apple TV feeds you info without interrupting your video by sliding up results from the bottom of the screen.
I had to rephrase or repeat my questions a few times, especially if I was speaking quickly. As long as I enunciated clearly, results were mostly satisfactory. Apple TV’s version of Siri, however, won’t handle general Web searches.
Apple TV catches up with rivals in enabling games. The remote has sensors that let you navigate spaceships and swing baseball bats by moving it around. But a bigger potential lies in bringing other apps to the big screen.
You can search Zillow and find places to stay on vacation through Airbnb. Images on the big TV gave me a better sense of these properties than phone browsing would. You can also shop through Gilt and QVC.
Apple still needs to persuade developers to make more apps that really exploit the larger, and often shared, TV screen. Many of the apps now available are limited to one user profile or account, making them difficult for others to use.
It would also be nice for Apple TV to work better with payment services. You can easily buy videos and games with your iTunes account, but non-digital products are another story. Airbnb, for instance, will let you “favorite” places to stay, but you’ll need a phone or computer to book a room.
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Apple updated its iPod touch device a few months ago, and I finally got around to getting one yesterday. Since I already own an iPhone 6s, you might be wondering why I bothered to buy an iPod touch 6. It’s a fair question and I’ll tell you why in this post. And I’ll also share why I’ve found myself liking the iPod touch 6 so much more than the iPhone 6s.
But first you should know that a little bit of the backstory. Last year I tried the iPhone 6 Plus and liked it quite a bit for a while. Ultimately, however, I grew tired of its large size and decided to switch this year to the iPhone 6s. At first I enjoyed the iPhone 6s too, but in the back of my mind I kept feeling like it was still just too darn big for my hands.
No matter how I hold the iPhone 6s, it feels like it’s eating into the tendons of my hands (I’ve had some problems with tendonitis lately), even with Apple’s leather case on it. The iPhone 6s is simply too wide for me to hold comfortably with one hand for any length of time. Even laying it flat in my hand doesn’t really work for me since I still can’t use it one-handed very well at all.
So I finally decided that I needed to go back to the 4-inch screen that Apple used to have as a standard for its iPhones. Unfortunately, the only model available is the iPhone 5s, and that has aging hardware. Who wants to buy an iPhone that is two generations behind the iPhone 6s? The cost just wasn’t worth it to me, and I never liked the design of the iPhone 5s anyway.
The iPod touch 6 is much lighter and more comfortable to hold
So I decided to take a chance and grab an iPod touch 6. I hopped into my car and drove to the local Wal Mart. I bought a 32 GB iPod touch 6 in space gray. I didn’t need any more storage since I don’t game on my iOS devices much anymore. So 32 GB should be plenty for my modest iOS needs.
I knew as soon as I took the iPod touch 6 out of the box that it was the perfect size for my hand. It felt great when I picked it up, and I could immediately use it with one hand in a way that I could never use the iPhone 6s or the 6 Plus. There was no discomfort from the iPod touch 6 like what I experienced with the iPhone 6s.
And the screen size was just fine for me, I didn’t miss the larger 4.7-inch screen of the iPhone 6s at all. I tend to read a lot so I generally use my phone locked in portrait mode. I could easily read discussions on Reddit via Bacon Reader, catch up on the latest Apple news with the Mac Daily News app and do everything else I needed to do without putting strain on the tendons in my fingers.
I was absolutely shocked at how much lighter the iPod touch 6 feels in my hand compared to the chunkiness of the iPhone 6s. The iPod touch weighs in at an extremely petite 88 grams while the iPhone 6s weighs in at a hefty 143 grams. Now a difference of 55 grams might not sound like much but I certainly noticed it while using my iPod touch 6.
The iPod touch 6 demonstrates the need for Apple to release a new 4-inch iPhone for folks that need smaller, lighter iOS devices.
The space gray color on on the back of the iPod touch is much darker than the color of the iPhone 6s in space gray. I don’t know why there’s such a difference in the color, but the iPod touch 6 is just much better looking since the darker space gray complements the black of the iPod’s bezels much better than the lighter space gray on the iPhone 6s.
The iPod touch 6 lacks 3D Touch but who cares?
But what about 3D Touch? It’s one of the cool new features in the iPhone 6s, and the iPod touch 6 doesn’t offer it. Well, I hate to say it but I didn’t miss it at all. Pressing down harder on the screen is not comfortable for me right now, and I stopped using 3D Touch shortly after I got my iPhone 6s. So I haven’t missed it at all on the iPod touch 6.
Don’t get me wrong here, 3D Touch is a neat feature in the iPhone 6s. I thought it was quite cool when I first tried it but then I quickly forgot all about it. I’m sure there are some folks though who have integrated it into their iOS usage, but it just turned out to be something that didn’t matter much to me and I didn’t miss it at all in the iPod touch 6.
iOS 9.1 runs great on the super-speedy iPod touch 6
I had no problems updating my iPod touch 6 to iOS 9.1. It runs buttery smooth on the iPod touch 6 thanks to the new iPod’s A8 processor and M8 motion coprocessor. I didn’t feel like I had given up much by using the iPod touch 6 instead of the iPhone 6s in terms of hardware. The iPod touch 6 does everything I need it to do and it does it all very fast.
I also have an older iPod touch 5 running iOS 9.1 and the speed difference is quite amazing. The older iPod certainly can run iOS 9.1, but it does it in a way that is simply okay. But the iPod touch 6 blows it right off the map and iOS 9.1 really shines on the new iPod’s fast hardware.
The other folks buying the iPod touch 6 seem to really like it
I’m not the only one in love with the iPod touch 6, by the way. I hopped over to the 32 GB iPod touch 6 page on Amazon and found that it has a 4.5 star rating from Amazon’s customers. Clearly the people who are buying the iPod touch 6 really like it, and their positive experiences are showing up in the high star ratings and reviews on Amazon.
Here’s a sample of what some of Amazon’s customers are saying about the iPod touch 6 and much of it echoes my own sentiments:
Dan: "If you get the 32GB model you only have to pay roughly $ 250, which is a better price point than Apple’s other mobile devices. It comes loaded with IOS 8, and handles it well. IOS 9 is around the corner and if it lives up to it’s promises, it will help expand the usable storage and improve the performance of the device even more so!
You can argue ‘Well it’s not as powerful as the latest iPhone’ and to that I say, since it has a smaller screen, and no touch ID (which some people are disappointed to see missing on this device) the device can focus more on gaming especially since it has the same 64bit archetype A8 processor as the iPhone 6 (slightly underclocked). The device also has 1GB of ram, same was the iPhone 6. I have seen tests where this device loaded games FASTER than the iPhone 6! So any games you throw at the iPod touch 6th gen, it can handle it no problem.
As for Camera it’s the front is great for taking “selfies” man I hate that word…, and can shoot awesome 1080p 30fps video with the back camera, and with some camera apps can shoot in 60FPS at 720p!!! It now has burst mode for both cameras so you are less likely of missing that perfect picture moment."
Mario: "The iPod touch 6th generation is an extremely well made media player. I strongly recommend buying it if you have a 5th generation or older, as it is extremely faster than any of them. It has Apple’s latest hardware, so you really don’t have to worry about it getting old. You could probably expect this iPod touch to be supported for three or even four years. The camera is beautiful and puts the camera in the 5th generation to shame and it is able to run literally any app I throw at it without any lag whatsoever."
Katrina: "I replaced my old iPod touch 5th gen with this newer generation. Everything runs so much faster on this new iPod. Some people might not like how nothing changed on the exterior except the removal of the strap circle thing on the back, but I didn’t have a use for it. I bought my iPod in gold and was not disappointed. It is as expected."
James: "This thing is amazing. Wonderful upgrade from my iPod touch 4th generation which I had previously been using. The new A8 processor makes everything super fast and all of the games I have played run perfect. The 8MP rear camera makes for some quality photos as well. The battery life is decent for what I use it for which is primarily music and social media.. Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase and would recommend the device."
Tommyboy: "My son received this for his 10th birthday. He absolutely loves it. This is our first Apple product as we usually buy Android products. He is able to navigate it easily and he especially loves Facetime. It’s like having a phone without having a phone!"
More at Amazon
Apple needs to release a new 4-inch iPhone
After using my iPod touch 6 for the last day, I quickly realized that Apple has made a dreadful mistake in trying to force its customers into using the larger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. It should have had a new 4-inch phone ready when it released the larger sizes. And no, the iPhone 5s doesn’t count as it is using significantly older hardware and suffers from an older design as well.
Apple had better smarten up and release another 4-inch iPhone that has hardware that matches its larger iPhones. I have no intention of buying another large screen iPhone again. For me the negatives of the larger screen iPhones vastly outweigh the positives.
I understand that other people feel differently and love the bigger iPhones, and that’s fine. To each his own when it comes to phone size. But Apple needs to understand that some of us want and need a smaller screen iPhone. Given that the company is already manufacturing the iPod touch 6, how hard can it be to release an iPhone that is the same size?
The iPod touch 6 has mostly replaced my iPhone 6s
For now I’m stuck with the iPhone 6s when I leave the house since I need cellular connectivity and GPS, and the iPod touch 6 doesn’t offer either of those features. But when I’m in the house I no longer reach for my iPhone 6s. It sits on my dresser while I use my iPod touch 6 instead.
However, I may start carrying the iPod touch 6 with me in my shirt pocket when I leave the house and just leave the iPhone 6s in my pants pocket. I can use the iPod touch 6 for audiobooks, ebooks, a bit of journaling in Day One and anything else that doesn’t require cellular connectivity.
I’ve also considered buying a cheap flip phone for phone calls and getting rid of my iPhone 6s altogether. But I’m holding off on doing that to see if Apple finally releases a new 4-inch iPhone. I’d rather not be bothered getting a flip phone, but one way or another the days of me using an iPhone with a screen bigger than 4 inches are coming to an end.
It’s kind of sad that Apple has put some of its customers in the position of not being able to buy the size phone they want and need. But at least we have the iPod touch 6 to tide us over until the company comes to its senses and releases a new 4-inch iPhone.
Are you listening, Tim Cook? We need a new 4-inch iPhone and we need it now.
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With customers around the world beginning to receive their new Apple TVs over the coming days, developers have been busy readying the first apps and games for the set-top box. Below, we have rounded up some of the more interesting tvOS apps that are or will be available through the App Store on the new Apple TV. Some apps are still under review and may not be available immediately at launch.
Airbnb
Airbnb, a website for people to list, find and rent lodging in 190 countries, ranging from a New York City studio apartment to a Tokyo penthouse, has developed an app for the new Apple TV that lets travelers swipe through destinations and lodging choices using the Siri Remote. Airbnb for Apple TV focuses on immersive pictures with limited text. Listings can be synced with iPhone and iPad.
Alto’s Adventure
Snowman has announced that Alto’s Adventure, a beautiful endless runner snowboarding game featuring physics-based gameplay, procedurally generated terrain, fully dynamic lighting and weather effects, six unique snowboarders and more, will be available on the new Apple TV shortly following its launch. The game can be played with a Siri Remote or a third-party controller, and universally supports the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV for $ 2.99 on the App Store with iCloud syncing.
Crossy Road
Hipster Whale has brought its endless arcade hopper Crossy Road, an Apple Design Award Winner at WWDC 2015, to the new Apple TV. Choose from characters such as Chicken, Mallard, Emo Goose and Giddy Goat, and use the Siri Remote touchpad to dodge cars, leap across logs and jump past fast-moving trains. The popular game is also available on iTunes for iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Phone.
Mr Jump
Mr Jump is a popular platformer runner game where you guide a hero named Mr. Jump as he jumps his way through several increasingly challenging levels in multiple worlds. The new Apple TV version of the game requires the Siri Remote to control your character. Mr Jump is free on the App Store with in-app purchases available.
Ookla
Ookla has developed a version of its popular Speedtest tool for the new Apple TV, allowing users to test their Wi-Fi network’s download and upload speeds from their TV set. The app has a simplistic design that displays your internet service provider alongside a scrollable list of servers to choose from. Ookla plans on adopting a similar design for its iOS and Android apps in 2016.
Plex
Plex’s generic interface for streaming TV devices
Plex has confirmed that it will be releasing its media player software for the new Apple TV so that users can access all of their video, music, TV and photo collections on the big screen. The app will be free, but with a Plex Pass subscription customers will have access to all premium features, including premium music, parental controls and more. Plex is also free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.
SketchParty TV
SketchParty TV is a multiplayer party game that involves one team attempting to guess what another team is sketching. The game pairs directly with SketchParty TV for iPhone or iPad via Wi-Fi. SketchParty TV should be available for the new Apple TV shortly following its launch. The iPhone and iPad version is $ 6.99 on the App Store.
Sing! Karaoke
Smule has introduced a new game for Apple TV called Sing! Karaoke that transforms your TV screen into a karaoke machine. The social singing app is designed specifically for the new Apple TV and features over 100,000 songs to choose from, several partner artists like Jessie J and Jason Derulo, the ability to use an iPhone as a microphone and more. Sing! Karaoke is free on the App Store, with in-app purchases available, and universally supports the new Apple TV, iPhone and iPad.
Ticker
German indie app developer Arno Appenzeller has created Ticker, a personal news channel app for the new Apple TV that lets you search for and subscribe to several news feeds and have headlines displayed in a scrollable ticker. The view is highly customizable, with the choice of three backgrounds that feature cities, sights and patterns. Appenzeller plans to release Ticker on the tvOS App Store a few weeks after the new Apple TV launches.
Withings Home
Withings has announced a companion Apple TV app for its Home video monitor and air quality sensor. The app features an HD video stream with a 130° wide angle view, 12x zoom and high-quality infrared night vision, access to real-time video feeds and air quality feedback on the TV, a multi-cam view of up to 4 cameras at a single time and more. The app is free on the App Store and will universally support Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
Zillow
Zillow for Apple TV features listings of homes for sale nearby with hi-def images, video content and other detailed information, including the home’s number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, address, sale price and estimated mortgage cost. Swipe right on the Siri Remote to save a home listing for later viewing on Apple TV, Mac, iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.
Related Roundup: Apple TV Tags: App Store, Apple TV apps, tvOS Buyer’s Guide: mac – Google News
For a while now Apple has been holding two launch events toward the end of each year. The first event in September is used to launch new iPhones, and new products and services like the Apple Watch and Apple Pay. In October Apple then has an event where the main focus is on new iPads, along with some other announcements such as new Macs or accessories. This year Apple appears to have switched up the formula, as they rolled both the iPhone and iPad announcements into a single September event. With October essentially over it looks like we won’t be seeing any more Apple launch events this year, and new products like the iMac with 4K Retina display have had quieter soft launches which supports this theory.
Since Apple combined their iPhone and iPad events into one, we actually have a new iPad shipping earlier than they’re usually even announced. The iPad Pro won’t go on sale until November, and the iPad Air 2 didn’t see an update, but the iPad Mini line got a significant overhaul in the form of the iPad Mini 4, and it has been available for well over a month at this point. The iPad Mini has definitely been in need of a significant upgrade for a while, with last year’s iPad Mini 3 essentially just being the iPad Mini 2 with Touch ID. While there’s more to a device than spec sheets, they can provide a high level view of how two devices compare to one another. You can view the specs of the iPad Mini 4 compared against those of the iPad Mini 3 in the chart below.
When looking at the iPad Mini 4 on paper it looks very similar to Apple’s iPad Air 2. There’s a 2048×1536 IPS display, an 8MP rear-facing camera, 2×2 802.11ac WiFi, and 2GB of DRAM packed into a 6.1mm thick chassis. Of course, there is one major difference that can be seen from the specs, and that’s the SoC. While the iPad Air 2 has Apple’s A8X SoC, the iPad Mini 4 only has their A8 chip. This version of A8 does have bumps to the CPU and GPU frequency compared to the version that shipped in the iPhone 6, but it’s missing the additional core of A8X and the GPU is Imagination Technologies’ GX6450 rather than Apple’s custom 8 core GXA6850.
There can also be differences between devices that don’t show up in a spec sheet. For example, the iPad Mini 2 and the iPad Air were actually more similar on paper than the Mini 4 and Air 2 are. However, the specifications for the display didn’t take into account the iPad Mini 2′s limited color gamut, which was a major difference between the two devices. Ultimately, it’s difficult to compare two devices just based on their specs, and over the course of the review I’ll be looking the different aspects of the iPad Mini 4 in order to compare it to both the iPad Air 2 and the various other tablets that I’ve tested.
Apple described the iPad Mini 4 as a shrunken down iPad Air 2, and as far as the design goes they really weren’t kidding. If you were to shrink down the Air 2 and scale the mass appropriately you would get this chassis. Compared to the iPad Mini 3 it’s 3.2mm taller, 0.1mm wider, and 1.4mm thinner. The difference in thickness is definitely noticeable, especially when holding it in one hand. The mass has also been reduced, dropping from 331 grams to 298.9 grams. 30 grams doesn’t sound like a ton, but when you’re holding a tablet in one hand it’s definitely noticeable and helps to reduce fatigue when holding the Mini 4 for long periods of time.
There’s really not a whole ton to say about the front of the iPad. It’s a big display, with a single button that also hides a fingerprint scanner, and a 1.2MP front-facing camera at the top. The cover glass is a giant flat sheet, and it meets chamfered edges on all sides, although unlike most non-Apple devices the glass is elevated so that your finger doesn’t catch on the edges as you swipe off the surface of the glass. This is more expensive, harder to manufacture consistently, and reduces drop protection, but I think it’s one of the small details that can make a device much nicer to use than those that lack it. Something interesting is that the spectrum reflected by the glass is different than the glass used on the Air 2. While both tablets have the same anti-glare coating, the more purple-shifted reflections of the Air 2 actually make things slightly more readable when there are visible reflections on the display.
As for the back cover, there’s also not much to say about it. The top left corner has Apple’s 8MP rear-facing camera, in the middle is the Apple logo, and below that is the word iPad accompanied by various regulatory text that I continually hope can one day be banished and moved into a section of every device’s settings application. On the cellular models you also get the plastic RF window at the top, which is white on the silver and gold models, and black on the space grey model. Beyond that it’s just an unbroken piece of aluminum, and it feels as sturdy and solid as Apple’s products usually do.
One thing worth noting for owners of older iPads is that the mute/rotation lock switch is no longer present. Like the iPad Air 2, that functionality has been moved into Control Center.
Something I’ve always noticed is that the industrial design of the iPad lags behind the iPhone by a couple of years. While the iPhone 5 was introduced with new industrial design (ID) with visual characteristics like chamfered bezel edges, the iPad 4 that launched the following month used the same tapered chassis as the iPad 3, and even retained the resin filling between where the display met the edges of the chassis. Interestingly enough, the iPad Mini that launched alongside the iPad 4 actually did match the ID of the iPhone 5 with some obvious concessions like the curved sides to maintain ergonomics. However, I think this was mostly a result of the iPad Mini being a completely new device rather than an interation of a previous one. With the iPad Air Apple brought the large iPad’s ID mostly in line with the iPhone 5/5s, and it has stayed mostly the same in each subsequent Mini and full sized iPad while the iPhone has moved onto a newer design with curved gl ass that meets rounded edges. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I can’t help but find myself imaging what the iPad Mini 4 would look like if it shared the ID of the iPhone 6/6s.
Ultimately, the design changes going from the iPad Mini 3 to the iPad Mini 4 are just those from the iPad Air to Air 2 transition but on a smaller device. The tablet gets thinner, lighter, and there are some design changes to go along with the thinner profile like only having a single row of speaker holes on the bottom of the chassis. It’s worth noting that I didn’t find these speakers to be any better or worse than the Air 2, and
If you’ve ever seen an iPad Air 2 you already know what an iPad Mini 4 looks like, because it’s the same sturdy and premium feeling aluminum enclosure but made smaller. I would definitely like to see a new set of iPads that adopt the iPhone’s most recent ID, but I’m not at all unhappy with the current state of the iPad’s design. Apart from the Dell Venue 8 7840 there isn’t really anything that is comparably well built at this price point, and so if you really care about the design and build quality of a tablet the iPad Mini 4 should be high up on your list of devices to consider.
Image Source: Apple Inc. 
