When Apple late last year sheepishly announced the delay of HomePod until further notice, my impression of the unfolding news coverage and social media feeds at the time was that the fallout had been remarkably tame considering that for presumably many, a brand new Apple product had just been removed from its sure place under the Christmas tree.
iPod
iOS 11 GM code hints at iPod touch refresh with Face ID
There could be a seventh-generation iPod touch media player in Jony Ive's kitchen and it may even feature Face ID, Apple's upcoming facial recognition technology replacing Touch ID.
Apple changes iPod touch storage tiers and pricing
Following news that it has officially discontinued iPod nano and iPod shuffle, the two iPod models that didn't run iOS, Apple today made some changes to the iPod touch lineup.
The end of an era as Apple officially discontinues iPod nano and shuffle
As first noted by MacRumors, Apple has removed both product descriptions and store listings for its iconic iPod nano and iPod shuffle portable music players from its website around the world, suggesting they've been discontinued or are on their way out.
ClassicPlayer turns your iPhone into an iPod Classic
Those who've been using Apple products for years might be familiar with the days when the iPod Classic reigned supreme as a music player. It was made famous by its click-wheel design, which responded to touch and drag gestures for navigating your music.
A new jailbreak app dubbed ClassicPlayer by iOS developer Guillermo Moran (fr0st) brings this experience to the iPhone for all the nostalgic folks out there who are missing the click-wheel experience from the days of yore.
5 years later, Apple officially ends iPod nano replacement program
The first-generation iPod nano replacement program, which launched five years ago due to a potential fire risk from overheating, is no longer found on Apple's Exchange and Repair Extension Programs webpage. Although the company appears to have now formally ended the program, it's still honoring replacement requests as first discovered by MacRumors.
This is what the iPhone’s interface could have looked like
New photos and a video have surfaced online showing an early-stage prototype of the original iPhone with a click wheel interface. Noted tipster Sonny Dickson is behind the leak, who says Apple called the operating system "Acorn OS."
As you can see in the images, Acorn OS's interface closely resembled that of the iPod, with a touchscreen click wheel and a small gray menu. You can also see phone functions like Dial and SMS, and features like Contacts and Notes.
Gamify your stand goals with Standland for iPhone and Apple Watch
Filling all three activity rings at the close of day has become a proper ritual and incentive for many Apple Watch owners. Out of the three, the one most likely to botch your hard-earned, months long streak is going to be the blue circle gauging standing times per day. The reasons for it are manyfold, but it often comes down to the simple fact that you cannot pencil in a time slot before or after work to quickly fill up the blue one, as it is contrived to be an achievement realized over the course of 12 hours per day.
Standland, an app for iPhone and Apple Watch users, has identified that pitfall of Apple’s activity tracker and plays on it nicely, offering more control, analytics and motivation to get users standing up at least once per hour. Japan’s iPhone App of the Year 2016 achieves this by serving up a creative blend of pet collection (resemblant of the old tamagotchi days) and fitness curation. Standland can track your standing hours right from your wrist or the inside of your pocket (for iPhone-only users) and has recently been updated for the festive season that is upon us. Follow our review below to find out about the role of in-app purchases and whether or not the stripped-down version of Standland is worth your time.
How to convert any barcode into a pass for your Wallet with Pass2U Wallet
Based on the continuous growth of Wallet for ticketing services and Apple Pay, Apple’s bid to render cards and printouts a memory of the past has come a long way. Wallet makes handling and storing any type of ticket considerably simpler, which is why it is easy to get irritated today when presented with no other delivery option but an old-school paper pass. Thankfully Apple and other retailers are increasingly swinging towards the digital platform, but there are still countless cases where you just cannot add a ticket or voucher to your Wallet - even though it would make life so much easier.
Pass2U Wallet, a free app for iOS, taps into that need and conveniently bridges the gap. Just like Wallet itself it offers to scan hard copy barcodes in order to convert them to Wallet passes, however contrary to Apple’s Wallet it will practically work with any piece of paper imaginable. As such, Pass2U Wallet complements and enriches the stock Wallet app nicely, making sure you will be able to add anything you like to your iPhone’s Wallet. Find out more about the app in our review below.
Your old iPod could net you up to $20,000
Old iPods have apparently become the latest craze in the world of collectables. As noted by The Guardian, various Apple-branded MP3 players from the early 2000s are going for insane prices on eBay right now, depending of course on the model and condition.
For example, a factory-sealed third-generation iPod shuffle is listed on the auction site at $999.95, and it has 10 watchers. A fourth-generation U2 edition iPod is priced at just under $7,000. And a new-in-box second-generation iPod classic? A staggering $20,000.
How to recycle your old tech with Apple’s Recycling Program
If you have old tech sitting in your closet or attic that you don't use anymore because you've got something better, Apple will gladly make sure that tech is recycled properly free of cost via the Apple Recycling Program. In some instances, the company will even give you an Apple Store gift card as credit towards a new Apple device or accessories.
The Apple Recycling Program has been around for ages, but is often overlooked as an option. Although better deals can often be had elsewhere, the urge to trade in your device can come at inopportune times, and when you want quick money for your old Apple devices, or a quick and easy way to get rid of your junk tech, Apple can come in handy in a pinch.
In this tutorial, we'll show you how you can use the Apple Recycling Program to make better use of your unused tech.
Apple’s seventh-generation iPod nano has just received a software update
As first noted by 9to5Mac, Apple’s seventh-generation iPod nano has just received a software update to version 1.0.4.
The free-of-charge software update can be applied by connecting your iPod nano with a Lightning cable to a Mac or Windows PC and firing up iTunes.