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By Jason Snell for Macworld

October 5, 2021 7:26 AM PT

A decade later, Steve Jobs is still paving Apple’s path to success

Time rolls forward, the past recedes, and it all starts to fade, doesn’t it? Ten years ago, Steve Jobs died, and at the time I pondered how he’d be remembered. In the intervening years, his most notable product–Apple itself–has risen to unimaginable levels of power and influence.

The fact that so much of Apple’s growth has happened since Jobs’s departure hasn’t reduced him at all. It would be relatively easy to argue that the success of Tim Cook’s Apple suggests that, despite everyone’s concern in the late days of 2011, the company actually could go on without Jobs at the helm. But that’s not what anyone thinks. Instead, Jobs is credited for putting Apple on the path that led to it becoming what it is today.

Continue reading on Macworld ↦

by Jason Snell

October 4, 2021 3:48 PM PT

Anandtech on the A15

Andrei Frumusanu of Anandtech takes a deep dive into Apple’s new A15 processor:

Apple’s initial vague presentation of the new A15 improvements could either have resulted in disappointment, or simply a more hidden shift towards power efficiency rather than pure performance. In our extensive testing, we’re elated to see that it was actually mostly an efficiency focus this year, with the new performance cores showcasing adequate performance improvements, while at the same time reducing power consumption, as well as significantly improving energy efficiency.

The efficiency cores of the A15 have also seen massive gains, this time around with Apple mostly investing them back into performance, with the new cores showcasing +23-28% absolute performance improvements, something that isn’t easily identified by popular benchmarking. This large performance increase further helps the SoC improve energy efficiency, and our initial battery life figures of the new 13 series showcase that the chip has a very large part into the vastly longer longevity of the new devices.

In the GPU side, Apple’s peak performance improvements are off the charts, with a combination of a new larger GPU, new architecture, and the larger system cache that helps both performance as well as efficiency.

There’s an enormous amount of detail in this article, so if you’re interested in the specifics of what Apple has done in this year’s chip architecture, dig in. The power Apple gets from its efficiency cores was the most mind-blowing thing for me. (I am also left wondering how Apple’s strategy is changing now that the Mac is part of the mix.)

Upgrade 374: Abnormal Within an Abnormal Group

The iPhone 13 and iPad mini are out and MacBook Pros may be on the way shortly, so it’s time for us to answer your questions! It’s an extended #askupgrade covering new hardware, how to use the iPad mini, and the value of ProMotion.

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By Dan Moren

October 4, 2021 12:36 PM PT

Quick Tip: iPhone not responding to “Hey Siri”? This may be the culprit.

Note: This story has not been updated since 2021.

A couple weeks back, while I was in the throes of working on my iOS 15 review, I noticed a weird bug: my phone was no longer responding to “Hey Siri” requests. If I held the home button down, Siri seemed to work just fine, but if my phone was, say, sitting on a table, it would remain blithely unaware, no matter how much I pled, yelled, or swore.

I’ve come to rely on Siri, which is now the only voice assistant in our home, and as our new house is larger than our old one-bedroom apartment, I’m not always within hailing distance of a HomePod.1 I’d fallen back to using my Apple Watch, but more than anything, the issue simply amped up my frustration.

After doing some research, I tried all the Apple-recommended fixes, and more than a few other suggestions of questionable usefulness that I found around the web. I turned Hey Siri off and on about a half dozen times. I deleted my Siri History. I disabled Dictation. I restarted, I reset, I experimented with every permutation of Siri permissions and switch positions possible. Nothing seemed to work.

I turned to Twitter a couple of times, hoping I might reach somebody on the Siri team at Apple, but mostly receiving advice that retreaded the ground I’d already covered. However, the second time I posted, I got a pointed question from follower Hunter:

Sound Recognition, in case you aren’t familiar, is a feature that debuted in iOS 14 that listens for certain types of noises—appliances, doorbells, dogs barking, et cetera—and pops up a notification. It’s a clever feature (if one that suffers from a high degree of false positives in my experience), and I’d been playing around with it again while going through iOS 15 features.2

Sound Recognition
The first time you activate Sound Recognition you’ll be warned that Hey Siri won’t work. But that’s the last you’ll hear of it.

Here’s the thing: While Sound Recognition absolutely does warn you that Hey Siri will be disabled if you turn it on, once it’s been enabled there’s no indication to remind you of this. The “Hey Siri” toggle in Settings > Siri & Search remains on, even though it doesn’t work, and if you turn it off and on again—as I did multiple times during my troubleshooting—there’s no notice that anything else might be interfering with it.

Once I disabled Sound Recognition, all was back to normal. But it’s disappointing these two features don’t work more in concert. I can imagine that some people who would benefit from the Sound Recognition feature might take advantage of Hey Siri from time to time as well. But if nothing else, Apple should make it even clearer that these two features don’t play well together, if only to save others from tearing their hair out trying to figure out why Siri doesn’t listen anymore.

  1. Be careful: you’re never more than six feet from a HomePod! ↩
  2. Again because, with a larger house, I don’t always hear appliances like my tea robot going off in the kitchen. ↩

[Dan Moren is the East Coast Bureau Chief of Six Colors, as well as an author, podcaster, and two-time Jeopardy! champion. You can find him on Mastodon at @dmoren@zeppelin.flights or reach him by email at dan@sixcolors.com. His next novel, the sci-fi adventure Eternity's Tomb, will be released in November 2026.]

by Dan Moren

October 4, 2021 6:49 AM PT

Apple Watch Series 7 preorders open on October 8, deliveries a week later

If you’re looking to order an Apple Watch Series 7 after last month’s announcement, mark your calendars: Apple announced on Monday that preorders for its latest smartwatch open this Friday, October 8, at 5am Pacific/8am Eastern. It’ll be available in more than 50 countries.

Apple usually doesn’t announce products until its ready to ship them, which made last month’s unveiling—without even a firm ship date beyond “this fall”—somewhat puzzling. But reports had suggested that there had been supply chain challenges interfering with the production of the Apple Watch—and subsequent reports saying that those obstacles had been overcome.1

There’s still no Buy link available on Apple’s website as of this writing, meaning that you can’t configure the Series 7 in advance. Apple’s press release says only that Series 7 starts at $399.

  1. Depending on when Apple’s first event was actually recorded, this makes a certain amount of sense. They could afford to be vague with the hopes that they could ship them faster than people expected. ↩

By Dan Moren for Macworld

October 4, 2021 5:03 AM PT

Apple has a tablet problem and it starts with the iPad Air

With the update of the iPad mini last month, Apple’s tablet lineup now has a series of strong offerings across the board, from the base model ninth-generation iPad all the way up to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. At first glance, it seems like there’s something for everyone—but look closer, and the cracks start to show.

The high-end and low-end of the lineup have been pretty clearly staked out: Nobody who’s in the market for a $329 iPad is seriously looking at the top of the line iPad Pro, or vice versa. In the middle, though, things get squishier, especially when it comes to the iPad Air. In part, this is because the tablet lineup is out of joint, as Apple’s update schedule for the different models has varied widely over the last year or two.

Will 2022 bring an opportunity for Apple to gets its tablet ducks in a row? Maybe, but if so, it’s got some decisions to make first.

Continue reading on Macworld ↦

The Talk Show 324: A Pretty Generic Thing You Stick in a Hole

Jason Snell returns to the show to talk about the new iPhones 13, new iPad Mini, Safari 15’s craptacular new tab UI, and the insightful questions posed to Kevin Durant on the Brooklyn Nets’ media day from Basketball Digest’s best NBA reporter.

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by Jason Snell

October 1, 2021 4:10 PM PT

You made a good app, Justin

Justin Hamilton:

Today, I released a new app called Affirmations. It’s a self-care tool I made that delivers compliments and positive reminders to you. I specifically designed the foundation of the app in a way that I can add or remove affirmations as I please, arrange them into groups that the user can enable or disable, and make them time sensitive (i.e. for holidays). Kinda like CARROT, but not homicidal.

What a great idea for an app. My friend Greg Knauss wrote an app, long ago, that suggested you send text messages to people you love. It became the butt of jokes, but I think there’s something very kind about the idea of harnessing the impossible power of our pocket computing devices to remind us about who we are and what we care about.

by Jason Snell

October 1, 2021 3:18 PM PT

‘No, We Won’t Have a Video Call for That!’

Via Merlin Mann and Gabe Weatherhead, I discovered this presentation by Florian Haas about the right and wrong ways to run a distributed workforce:

  • Distributed teams are better than localized teams — not because they’re distributed, but because they’re asynchronous.
  • Avoid anything that makes a distributed team run synchronously.
  • Use less chat.
  • Have fewer meetings.
  • Write. Things. Down.

Asynchrony is the secret sauce of distributed workgroups. It’s not that synchrony can’t be valuable, but its value is overstated—and the tyranny of the synchronous should not be imported into distributed workgroups.

Haas makes some excellent points about trying to adjust workgroup culture to store important information in retrievable places—a wiki or a Google Doc, rather than a thread somewhere months ago in Slack that nobody can find. More excellent advice.

By Jason Snell for Macworld

October 1, 2021 2:39 PM PT

Apple should stop taking itself (and the iPhone) so seriously

Sometimes Apple takes itself too seriously. Calling an iPhone “Pro” and carting out Hollywood directors and cinematographers to advertise iPhone features… it’s a bit much.

Yes, the iPhone 13 is a serious slab of technology, with iPhone 13 Pro models priced at $1,000 and higher. iPhone models support ProRes video capture, ProRAW still images, and uses advanced sensor-shift image stabilization to keep images crisp. Pro models are wrapped in surgical-grade stainless steel. If you had to operate on someone, you’d operate on them with an iPhone 13 Pro.

But most people who buy the iPhone 13 Pro aren’t buying it because they’re professional… anything. They’re buying it because it’s the Best iPhone, because it’s got three cameras and shiny edges, and because they want a fancy new phone. And deep down, Apple knows this. Because it uses all of its high-tech knowledge, all of its prowess and combining software and hardware, to make “pro” features that aren’t really designed for pros—they’re designed to make the rest of us have fun.

Continue reading on Macworld ↦

By Jason Snell

October 1, 2021 2:34 PM PT

Mimestream: A native Mac app with proper Gmail support

Note: This story has not been updated since 2021.

Mimestream
Mimestream is a Mac app reminiscent of Apple Mail, but it uses the Gmail API.

I’ve been using Mailplane as my email client for something like a decade. Unfortunately, back in June the makers of Mailplane announced that they were letting the app die due to Google banning embedded browsers from Gmail.

I mourned, of course. My frustrations with Apple Mail had driven me to Gmail, and Mailplane was the perfect way to use Gmail on a Mac—in a separate app, with Mac keyboard shortcuts and drag-and-drop support and everything else, while still keeping the speed and efficience of the Gmail web interface.

I went through the stages, as you do. I tried to run Gmail in a single-site browser. It didn’t really take. I opened Apple Mail and… nope. It doesn’t work the way I want my email to work, and it’s inconsistent and slow in just too many ways. I’m not going back to that relationship.

Instead, I found Mimestream, by former Apple Mail engineer Neil Jhaveri. It’s a dedicated Gmail client app for the Mac that’s more app-like than Mailplane, while keeping the consistency and speed that Gmail offers over Apple Mail. I’ve been using it for a couple of months and I fully intend to pay for it when it emerges from beta testing. (You can sign up at the Mimestream website to request beta access.)

Mimestream will look familiar to anyone who has used Apple Mail—it’s got a multi-column design with mailboxes on the left, a message list in the center, and message content on the right. (And yes, you can close off the message preview if you prefer to open messages in their own windows.)

Most importantly, it uses Gmail’s API (not IMAP) to quickly display and archive mail, and to efficiently search my mail repository. Gmail has some specific quirks—most notably the difference between archiving a message and deleting it—that Mimestream understands innately. It also supports Gmail’s priority Inbox system, though I instead use a series of Gmail tags created by SaneBox. (Disclosure: SaneBox is a former sponsor.)

The app is written in Swift and feels like a real, native Mac app. Jhaveri says “Email is my passion,” and I wouldn’t stand in the way of anyone who feels passionately about something. I’m glad he’s someone who gets why people would use Gmail and want a Mac app dedicated to it—because I’m that person. Jhaveri also says he’s planning an iOS version, and I’d be interested in that, too.

If you’re like me—a Gmail user who wants a real Mac app, and ideally one that’s a better fit to Gmail than Apple Mail—I strongly recommend that you try Mimestream.

by Jason Snell

October 1, 2021 10:32 AM PT

Apple releases iOS/iPadOS 15.0.1 update

Apple has released a quick update for iOS 15:

iOS 15.0.1 includes bug fixes for your iPhone including an issue where some users could not unlock iPhone 13 models with Apple Watch.

In addition, it fixes these bugs:

  • Settings app may incorrectly display an alert that storage is full
  • Audio meditations could unexpectedly start a workout on Apple Watch for some Fitness+ subscribers

Apple also links to a security page, but at the moment it doesn’t list any security aspects to this update. If you have been frustrated that iOS 15 broke Apple Watch unlock of iPhones while wearing a face mask, grab this update.

October 1, 2021

iWork updates and new iPhones.

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by Jason Snell

September 30, 2021 2:46 PM PT

Apple’s goal for Apple TV+

Brandon Katz of The Observer has a good overview of Apple TV’s current subscriber base, how Apple’s strategy of focusing on building a high-quality catalog of originals is going, and why its metrics for success might not match those of its competitors:

Estimates from industry analyst Entertainment Strategy Guy suggest Apple TV+ has accrued just 8.1 million paying customers in the U.S. (which is certainly less than 20 million). Regardless of which datapoint you choose, the immediate reaction is the same: Apple TV+ is severely lacking after nearly two years.

Yet different streaming services have different ambitions and raw subscriber counts are not the only metric of success and failure in the streaming wars. So before we go slapping labels on Apple TV+ all willy nilly (people still say that, right?), let’s first explore Apple’s greater goals, strategies and future outlook.

If it sometimes seems like Apple is playing a different game than its competitors, that’s because it is.

By Dan Moren

September 30, 2021 1:28 PM PT

The Back Page: Keep it secret, keep it safe

Tim Cook
(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Team,

At Apple, our values are strong. We care about the environment, we look out for workers across our supply chain, and we pride ourselves on creating a welcoming, inclusive space for everybody.

But above all, we keep our mouths shut.

It’s come to my attention in recent days that this core value of secrecy has not been taken seriously by some amongst us. Not only have we seen leaked product information, but internal communications have found their way into the press—even our internal communications about not leaking our internal communications. Honestly, it’s made me reconsider our commitment to basic reading comprehension.

That’s why I’m pleased to report that we’ll be quintupling down on secrecy at Apple. That commitment will start at the very top: I know in the past, I’ve been viewed as a bit of a chatterbox CEO, always sharing the details of my personal life in the press, but that stops now. No longer will I grant splashy interviews, or talk about my commitment to augmented reality. I will become a man of mystery, unknown to any and all. The next time we meet, we may not even recognize each other. Perhaps I will even dye my hair and grow a beard—who can say?

Leading this secrecy charge is a full time job, and so I’m pleased to announce that we’ve hired a new chief of secrecy here at Apple. Unfortunately, that’s all I can tell you. Due to our new measures, I cannot tell you who they are, where their office is, or anything about their background. Look to the right of you. Look to the left of you. One of those people could be our new chief of secrecy. Or not. There’s no way to know.

New measures are also be taken in our product development processes:

  • Starting immediately, our projects will all be shrouded in veils of the utmost of secrecy. All hardware units will be assigned random code names that are rotated on a daily basis. These code names, while used in writing, are never to be uttered aloud: instead, each project will also be assigned a series of facial expressions to be used when describing them in a conversation. (At the risk of violating our new secrecy precepts, I must say, I’m particularly intrigued by waggle-eyebrows/nose-twitch/blink-three-times. It’s the most exciting thing we’ve done in years.)

  • In order to prevent people from peeking at our codebases and gleaning details of upcoming releases, all framework names will be replaced with a series of randomized characters.

  • To curb the leaks of information about our upcoming pipeline, all future product decisions will be decided by our latest addition: the Wheel of Innovation. This device consists of two concentric wheels, which, when spun, set the direction of our next product. For example, if I spin the wheel now….the outside ring reads “augmented” and the inside wheel says “sponge”. Resources are already being put behind this exciting new project, code-named “Sesquipedalian Hammerfest.” At least for today. Left-eyebrow lift/right-eye wink/pucker. All hail the Wheel of Innovation!

I also regret to report that this is the final company-wide missive I will ever send. From here on out, individual personalized memos will be drafted to each and every employee at Apple, ensuring that any leaks to the press will be quickly sniffed out. Moreover, each of those messages will be written using a carefully constructed code designed to obfuscate the true contents, along with an encrypted signature. This will ensure that even should a memo leak to the press, no usable information will be provided. Managers will be given personalized code books which will be secured to their iPhones via MagSafe at all times. Please provide any salient personal details to HR for the “niceties” portion of the messages, so that we can ask after your partner, children, and/or pets.

I know that we can all come together in the face of this new adverse threat and put security at the paramount of our considerations. No matter what your job here at Apple, from retail employee to senior vice president of services, we should all be guided by the same principle: how can I can keep this secret from absolutely everybody—perhaps even myself?

It’s been a pleasure communicating with you. I can’t wait to see how you enjoy our new augmented sponge.

Sincerely,
Gvz Pbbx

[Dan Moren is the East Coast Bureau Chief of Six Colors, as well as an author, podcaster, and two-time Jeopardy! champion. You can find him on Mastodon at @dmoren@zeppelin.flights or reach him by email at dan@sixcolors.com. His next novel, the sci-fi adventure Eternity's Tomb, will be released in November 2026.]

Downstream 0: Welcome to Downstream

Downstream is about the future of streaming media. Tech and entertainment companies are vying to see who will become the media giants of the 21st century. Julia and Jason tell you a little about their background and what they’ll be covering.

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by Jason Snell

September 29, 2021 12:48 PM PT

Welcome to Downstream


I’m happy to announce Downstream, a new fortnightly podcast I’m co-hosting with Julia Alexander about the future of streaming media. Tech and entertainment companies are vying for our attention and money—all to see who will become the media giants of the 21st century.

In our introductory episode, we talk a little bit about our background, and there’s also a sample episode recorded last month to give you an idea of the flavor of the podcast. I’ve enjoyed talking about the future of streaming media with Myke Hurley on Upgrade and with Tim Goodman on TV Talk Machine, and I’m looking forward to digging in deep on the subject with Julia, who is paid to think about this subject every day!

You can subscribe at the usual places, like Apple Podcasts and Pocket Casts and Overcast and Castro and Spotify.

The Rebound 360: Weirdly Sexy Animals

The surprisingly divisive issue of USB-C.

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Clockwise 418: A Lousy Dalek

Is Amazon’s new Astro robot cute or menacing? What are our biggest family tech support challenges? How do we revisit our photos? And what do we use for video chatting?

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