Apple moved more smartphones during the 2021 holiday quarter than any competitor. It outsold Samsung, its nearest competitor, by more than 20%.
That said, the number of iPhones that shipped during Q4 2021 dropped a bit year over year.
Soon you’ll be able to use an emoji to show that your battery is low. Or that you’re melting, are feeling ambivalent or patriotic, or getting teary-eyed. This is because the crop of fresh emoji approved in fall 2021 will debut when iOS 15.4 does.
Then they be used in texts, emails … wherever.
Apple sold a crazy number of iPhones and Macs during the December quarter. And the result is what CEO Tim Cook called the company’s “biggest quarter ever.”
Take a deeper dive into the details to see how Apple was so very successful.
Apple raked in $123.9 billion in revenue during the last three months of 2021. That’s a year-over-year increase of 11%. More importantly, it’s significantly higher than financial analysts had predicted.
All that revenue led to quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.10. Again, that solidly beat expectations.
Face ID in iOS 15.4 will let users unlock their iPhones while wearing a mask. No Apple Watch necessary. The system will scan just the area around eyes. It comes with a warning that the change makes Face ID less secure, though.
Apple seeded the first iOS 15.4 beta to developers Thursday.
Apple seeded the first beta for macOS Monterey 12.3 to developers on Thursday. It includes the long-overdue Universal Control feature, suggesting this will finally launch soon.
The beta comes just a day after macOS 12.2 ended testing and was released to the public.
First there was Touch ID, then Face ID. Now Ear ID could be on the way. Apple filed for a patent on a biometric system using AirPods wireless earbuds.
The idea is that headphones should be able to identify who is wearing them and refuse to work for unidentified wearers. But if the system is accurate enough, it could potentially be used to unlock an iPhone or Apple Watch without needing a passcode.
An adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel Pachinko is now scheduled to premiere on Apple TV+ in March. The international drama series will take place across three countries and star an internationally renowned cast.
The first images from the upcoming eight-episode season were revealed Wednesday.
Skydance Animation’s Luck will be the second full-length animated film on Apple TV+ when it premieres in August 2022. The story of the unluckiest person in the world will feature the voices of Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg and other stars.
While the release date and additional details on the film were revealed Wednesday, there is as yet no trailer.
When Apple reveals its financial results from the holiday shopping season on Thursday, analysts predict the company will announce its best quarter ever.
Whether the Mac-maker meets this lofty goal will have a big effect on its stock price, which has been sliding in recent weeks.
Apple Watch wearers can now install watchOS 8.4. And many will want to do so soon because the new version removes an irritating bug that prevented some third-party chargers from working.
This is just one of a slew of system software updates from Apple on Wednesday, including macOS Monterey 12.2, iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3.
Mac users can now install macOS Monterey 12.2. Apple is vague about what’s in the new version. However, prerelease beta testers indicate it brings a rewritten Apple Music app and smoother scrolling for MacBooks with ProMotion displays. It definitely fixes a serious Safari bug.
Apple also released iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 to the public Wednesday. And watchOS 8.4, too.
Apple made iOS 15.3 available to all compatible iPhone models Monday. The update squashes at least one bug that recently made headlines. But there are no new features.
Apple also introduced iPadOS 15.3 to erase many of the same bugs. And macOS Monterey 12.2 and watchOS 8.4 debuted, too. tvOS 15.3 arrived Monday as well.
What to do with your MacBook or iPad when you’re not using them? You can just leave them lying around but that’s wasteful of space. The iVoler Vertical Laptop Stand holds your computer upright, either when it’s charging or when you have an external screen and keyboard connected. Best of all, its clamp closes on your computer to securely hold it but also easily release it.
I tested the very affordable stand in my home office. Here’s why I love it.
President Joe Biden says an executive order he signed in mid-January forced companies to loosen restrictions on who can repair their devices.
“Companies like Apple and Microsoft are changing their policies so folks will be able to repair their devices themselves,” he said Monday.
The next generation of iPad Pro will fittingly have Apple’s next-generation processor, the M2. At least according to a generally reliable tipster.
And other improvements are also expected in the high-end tablet when it debuts in fall 2022.
Apple TV+ garners 5% of the U.S. streaming video market, according to a company that follows the industry. While that makes Apple TV+ a small player, the service started 2021 with just a 3% share, so the year saw significant growth.
Its two largest rivals, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, saw drops in their shares of the streaming market in 2021.
Add faster versions of the Mac mini to the list of products predicted for an spring 2022 Apple event. The tiny desktop will supposed be upgraded with the latest Apple processors.
And an iMac Pro could be out later in the spring.
The U.S. Apple Store for Education reversed a recent change Friday, dropping the requirement that shoppers prove they are a university student or teacher before they can get products at a discount. This surely comes as a relief for home-school teachers. But it’s also good news for anyone willing to fib to get a discount.
It’s not clear if this is a temporary rollback or a permanent change, though.
In a new ad, Mad Men star Jon Hamm scrolls through the movies and shows on Apple TV+ and notes a conspicuous lack of Jon Hamm.
“Hey Apple, did I do something to offend you?” the actor asks.
The interrupted second season of Central Park will resume on March 4. The Apple TV+ musical comedy has eight more episodes with the madcap adventures of the Tillerman family.
The series has garnered multiple Emmy nominations, and the first half of the second season has a amazing 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Danny Phantom heads to the tennis court with SpongeBob. Or Garfield faces down Invader Zim. It’s not animation day at Wimbledon — it’s Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis. The stars of animated shows past and present compete in a very unusual version of the sport.
The game debuted Friday on Apple Arcade.
The InnoView 15.6-inch Portable Monitor might be everything you’re looking for in a second screen for your MacBook. First off, it’s beautiful. And it’s very slim and lightweight. Plus it works with a wide variety of devices: Mac, iPad, even iPhone with the right adapter.
I used InnoView’s on-the-go display for both work and entertainment. Here’s all the many ways it impressed me. And its one flaw.
Apple TV+ is making a series set in Legendary’s MonsterVerse that includes movies like Godzilla vs. Kong. The show will be live action, and continue the story of humanity’s battle to survive in a world populated with city-crushing behemoths.
The U.S. Apple Store for Education now requires shoppers to prove they are a university student or teacher before they can get products at a discount. Before now, it essentially operated on the honor system, which was a giant loophole.
After the change, shoppers can’t even see the discounted prices without getting verified first.
Update: Apple flip-flopped on this change. Read more in, “Apple’s educational discount ‘loophole’ is back!“