Table of contents for 124 in iPad & iPhone User

While the iPhone always headlines Apple’s annual September event, the opening acts are worth tuning in for in their own right – and this year was no exception. From three new iPhones (the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X) to an LTE Apple Watch to new animated emoji (‘Animoji’), this keynote certainly was one for the books. Read on to see everything Apple announced at the stunning Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino. Remembering Steve Jobs The keynote was the first ever event held in Apple Park’s new Steve Jobs Theater, so it seemed right that the event kicked off with a heartfelt tribute to Steve Jobs – one of his famous speeches played over the sound system shortly after the theatre dimmed the lights. “I love hearing…

If you’ve been following the recent iPhone announcements, you won’t have been able to help noticing the price. The iPhone 8 starts at £699, the iPhone 8 Plus £799, and the iPhone X £999. That’s a lot of money, so it’s only natural you’ll be wanting to find the best deal. (We’ve focused on SIM-only prices here, because buying the iPhone abroad is enough of a headache without also having to unlock it from a US network.) Are US prices cheaper? Only very, very slightly. Although they appear to be cheaper, US pricing does not take into account local taxes, which varies between states. In New York sales tax is 8.875 percent, for example. And when the phone arrives in the UK you should also pay 20 percent VAT. That…

With loads of new games flooding the App Store each week, it’s hard to keep track of fresh releases – and especially tricky to try and find the good ones in the mix. Luckily, we’re here to help. This month we’ve a nice mix of headline debuts, including crafty card game Miracle Merchant, arcade-like experiences Pigeon Wings and Data Wing, and other high-profile releases like Titanfall: Assault and Darkest Dungeon. 1. Miracle Merchant Price: £1.99 from tinyurl.com/yc62stw2 TinyTouchTales has a knack for creating innovative and intriguing mobile card games, like Card Thief and Card Crawl, and the delightful Miracle Merchant only continues that theme. You’ll take the role of an alchemist whose work is in high demand, and as customers arrive, you’ll have to work up special potions based on…

Nintendo has always seemed a step or two behind the times when it comes to the online capabilities of its devices, whether it’s issues with the interface or how you connect to and communicate with friends. The Nintendo Switch looked like it was going to change all of that: it’s a more modern offering from the legendary gaming company, seamlessly transitioning between console and handheld modes and carrying a Wi-Fi connection in either form. Furthermore, the smart parental controls app that launched with the device this March appeared to signal that the company was more Internet-savvy than we’ve ever seen in the past. But Nintendo launched the system without a complete online experience: the network is half-formed right now, as a paid subscription service will launch in 2018 with additional…

The iPhone X is real, though it won’t be arriving in customers’ hands until November. I got to use one for a few minutes at the Steve Jobs Theater after Apple wrapped up its latest media event. My first impression is that, in many ways, this is the iPhone that Apple has always wanted to build – one where the front face is almost entirely covered by a screen. And what a screen – a bright, colourful OLED display that Apple claims is the best by far that it’s ever put on an iPhone. No Home button, no problem Losing a physical home button will require users to adapt, but it should be an easy process. When I wanted to change apps, I reached down instinctively with my thumb to…

Apple’s smartwatch just got a whole lot smarter. Apple Watch Series 3 has arrived, and while it didn’t get the dramatic redesign we were hoping for, its improvements on the inside more than make up for the sameness of the enclosure. (And if you need people to know you have the latest model, there are some cool new colours too, like ceramic grey and a different shade of gold to match the iPhone 8.) But what makes Apple Series 3 such a monumental upgrade isn’t fashion, it’s flexibility. More than ever, Apple Watch is built to fit into your lifestyle, no matter how you spend your free time. Here are the six things we’re most excited about in Apple Watch Series 3. 1. LTE The biggest change to Apple Watch…

Launched last year, Apple’s AirPods have been a success for the firm. Priced £159 they are available at fave.co/2x0opeW. Here’s what Apple CEO Tim Cook said about the AirPods during the company’s third quarter 2017 financial results call with analysts in August: “We’re also seeing incredible enthusiasm for AirPods, with 98 percent customer satisfaction based on Creative Strategies’ survey. We have increased production capacity for AirPods and are working very hard to get them to customers as quickly as we can, but we are still not able to meet the strong level of demand.” Over the following pages we reveal how to set up AirPods, use them to control your music, and more. Pair your AirPods to an iPhone and Apple Watch Pairing your AirPods to an iPhone or iPad…

The basics iOS is the operating system software that runs on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices. It’s the underlying framework that organizes, launches and runs other apps, and can perform a number of features of its own. Every summer at WWDC Apple unveils the latest big update to iOS; for example, in June 2017 we heard about iOS 11. Then we all get to download the new OS in September of the same year. There will be smaller point updates throughout the year: iOS 11.1 and so on. Compatible devices Before updating, you need to make sure your device is certified as capable of running the new software. To run iOS 11 you’ll need one of the following: • iPhone 5s, SE, 6 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7,…

There’s a famous apocryphal quote about how the job of a sculptor is to remove the excess rock to expose the statue that’s waiting inside. There’s a rich idea there about creativity and vision and striving for an ideal that’s just waiting to be realized. Now, Apple products aren’t sculptures, but if you’ve been paying attention to Apple for any amount of time, you know that it’s a company with a very specific approach to creating and iterating on products. It’s committed to simplicity in its design. New products often arrive with elaborate videos explaining the design philosophy that drives the technological decision-making and execution. At Apple’s recent media event, I feel like two of Apple’s products reached the form and function that its creators have been striving for since…

The OLED display Apple is using in its new iPhone X brings several benefits over current LCD technology, but supplies are likely to be limited at first. Will be benefits of the new screen make it worth the wait? Here’s a quick rundown on OLED (organic light emitting diode) technology and how it differs from today’s LCD (liquid crystal display) screens. OLED vs LCD. What’s the difference? LCD screens like those used in previous iPhones and the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are built on a backlight – a panel as large as the screen itself that produces a constant white light anytime the screen is on. A series of polarizers and filters are layered in front of the backlight to control the light and produce the image you…

Apple’s new AirPower is a wireless charging pad to help clean up the mess of charging cables for your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Apple unveiled AirPower at its iPhone X event, but the company didn’t provide much detail. We hope to fill the void here. What is AirPower? AirPower is a wireless charging pad. There are several wireless charging pads on the market, but before the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, you had to use a special case with your iPhone in order to use a wireless charging pad. It works without the need of a special case. Just plop your iPhone on to the AirPower pad, and it starts charging. No need to plug in your iPhone. How does the AirPower work? Place the AirPower pad on your…

At the recent iPhone event Apple unveiled a new feature that will allows users to unlock their iPhone X simply by looking at it. Witchcraft, we hear you cry. But no, this is Face ID, a camera-based facial recognition system that Apple is positioning as the future of smartphone security. Here we look at how Face ID works, why the face looks set to replace the fingerprint as a means of biometric security, and how Face ID and Touch ID compare for speed, reliability, security and privacy. What is Face ID? Since the launch of the iPhone 5s, Touch ID has been the fast and efficient way to unlock an iOS device thanks to the fingerprint sensor hidden in the Home button. While this has proven to be a reliable…

If you’re iOS device refuses to turn on don’t despair. There’s a good chance that it is still fundamentally functional, but you just need to use some gentle persuasion to wake it up. In any case, there are several steps you can take to resolve the issue, and we’ll work our way through those steps here. As a note: this is a guide to mysterious situations where an iOS device refuses to turn on as a result of problems unknown. If you’re pretty sure what the matter is – if your device has fallen into water or overheated, for example, and no longer works – then we would recommend contacting Apple or visiting your local authorized Apple store. 1. Out of power Basics first. Let’s see if your device has…

It has always been about the ecosystem for Apple. The company started out making its own hardware and software, and – with brief exceptions like the late, not-terribly-lamented clone program in the ’90s – it’s only aimed to bring more and more of what it does under its direct control. As the company moves into its fifth decade, its eyes are firmly planted on the future of that ecosystem. If the ’70s and ’80s were about the PC, the ‘90s about the rise of the Internet, and the 2000s and 2010s about consumer technology and the mobile revolution, then the 2020s are poised to be less about the devices we use and more about the seamless ecosystem that pervades every part of our lives. Apple will, of course, still be…