The AirPods and AirPods Pro are some of the most popular devices with an Apple logo at this point. As such, there's a lucrative accessory market out there for the truly wireless headphones. We've put together a list of the best accessories you can buy now for Apple's AirPods and the AirPods Pro, depending on which option you have. There are cases, different ear tips, wireless transmitter, and many more.
Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan considers himself a well-rounded techie, having written articles @makeuseof @knowtechie, @appadvice, and now, @idownloadblog. When he's not sitting at his Mac typing, he's being a single dad and rooting for his alma mater, Penn State, or cheering on the New England Patriots. You can find Bryan on Twitter or by email at bryan@idownloadblog.com.FaceTime buttons return where they make the most sense in iOS 12.1.1 beta
It looks like the recently introduced iOS 12.1.1 beta contains more than bug fixes. It also includes an easier to use FaceTime interface that was first discovered by iGeneration.
Your iPhone X or iPhone 8/8 Plus might one day get throttled by Apple
Late last year, Apple was caught throttling iPhones that had degrading batteries. This lead to class action lawsuits, a discounted battery replacement program, and various meetings with regulators around the world. It also forced Apple to add a battery monitoring tool in iOS 11.3. With the 2018 iPhones now in stores comes word that last year's handsets might eventually be throttled too.
As first discovered by The Verge, the recently released iOS 12.1 update brings Apple’s controversial “performance management feature” to the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus for the first time. With this tool, Apple can dynamically throttle the devices (i.e. slow them down) as the battery degrades in order to stop random shutdowns.
An Apple support page explains:
With a low battery state of charge, a higher chemical age, or colder temperatures, users are more likely to experience unexpected shutdowns. In extreme cases, shutdowns can occur more frequently, thereby rendering the device unreliable or unusable. For iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus, iOS dynamically manages performance peaks to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down so that the iPhone can still be used. This performance management feature is specific to iPhone and does not apply to any other Apple products. Starting with iOS 12.1, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X include this feature, but performance management may be less noticeable due to their more advanced hardware and software design.
No doubt this news will lead to some more criticism against Apple. However, it's probably no longer justified. If you own one of last year's phones, you can turn off the performance management feature.
What do you think? Let us know below.
Image of iPhone X battery courtesy of iFixit
10.5-inch iPad Pro versus 11-inch iPad Pro: What’s the difference?
Here's a look at the key differences between the 2017 10.5-inch iPad Pro and the recently introduced 2018 11-inch iPad Pro. Are the changes worth the higher price? That depends on what you want.
Nomad introduces all-in-one wireless charging hub for iPhone and Apple Watch
Nomad introduced a new Base Station Apple Watch Edition charging pad today that allows you to charge up to three devices at once, including of course your Apple Watch and iPhone.
What we didn’t see at Apple’s iPad Pro and Mac event
During the past two months, Apple has substantially refreshed its iPhone, iPad Pro, and Mac lineups. Couple this with the earlier updates to the budget iPad and MacBook Pro, and 2018 turned out to be a great year for hardware refreshes. Here's the likely status of Apple's products that weren't updated during this year.
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon won’t support eSIM until later this year on 2018 iPhones
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon won’t offer support for eSIM, at least for now. The support is necessary for dual-SIM functionality on the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. The top three carriers in the United States each have different reasons for not supporting eSIM, according to MacRumors and PCMag.
2018 iPad Pro accessories include a new Smart Folio Keyboard, Apple Pencil and more
Alongside the 2018 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, Apple has introduced new accessories for the tablets. These include the second-generation Apple Pencil, all-new Smart Folio Keyboard, cases, and more.
Apple releases iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1 and tvOS 12.1 to the public
Apple has released iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1, and tvOS 12.1 to the public. The updates arrive on the same day as Apple’s “There’s more in the making” event, which saw the arrivals of a new MacBook Air, Mac mini, and iPad Pro.
Apple introduces new USB-C accessories alongside new iPad Pro models
After announcing the 2018 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, Apple has introduced all-new USB-C accessories for the new tablets. They are available to order now on the Apple website.
Redesigned Apple Pencil comes with new tap gestures, now snaps onto iPad Pro to charge wirelessly
The second-generation Apple Pencil was announced at Apple's special event which also included the introduction of the 2018 iPad Pro models. The input device offers two new features that make it a winner.
Apple unveils new MacBook Air with Retina display, Touch ID, and more
On Tuesday, Apple introduced a new MacBook Air. The update brings a Retina display with over 4 million pixels of resolution to the product for the first time.