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News

Apple Watch 2 rumored to be expected late 2016 or early 2017

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It’s now been a year since Apple released the first Apple Watch. Although the Apple Watch sold roughly 10 million units in 2015 according to KGI Securities, some consider the first Apple Watch’s sales to be very underwhelming. Apple’s recent price cut of the Watch to $299 (compared to the original price of $399) and KGI’s forecast of shipments falling by 25% during 2016 are two more signs of the Apple Watch’s apparent “failure.” However, selling 10 million units of a new product type is nothing to sneeze at, especially considering how it took years for the iPhone to fully gain steam.

With these things in mind, it’s not surprising that Apple is already working on the Apple Watch 2. The recent price cut is a strategy they’ve used in the past with the iPhone and iPad months prior to releasing new models of these devices. Likewise, the plan to ship less units of the product on year 2 is something they’ve also done in the past with iPhones and iPads. All these signs point toward Apple getting ready to release a new Apple Watch later this year.

When Will The Apple Watch 2 Be Announced?

The current expectation among industry experts is that Apple will announce the Watch 2 in either June or September. Announcing the Watch 2 in June would make sense as this is when Apple has their Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Announcing the Watch 2 in September or October would also make sense, as this is typically when they announce new iPhones. September 2014 is also when they announced the first Apple Watch.

When Will The Apple Watch 2 Ship?

This is a bit more of a mystery. With the first Apple Watch, units of the Watch did not ship until April 2015, a full seven months after the initial announcement. Apple may take a similar route with the Watch 2 by announcing it in September alongside the iPhone 7 and then not shipping it until early 2017.

It is also entirely possible that Apple will ship the Watch 2 shortly after announcing it in September. Given the fact that Apple recently slashed prices of the first Apple Watch and they are planning to ship less units, it’s significantly more likely that they are getting ready to release another iteration of the Watch this year as opposed to 2017.

What Will Be Different About The Apple Watch 2?

As thin as the Apple Watch was, it is rumored that Apple will be releasing a new, much thinner version of the device. In fact, Apple Analyst Brian White believes that the new Watch will be 20-40% thinner.

The thinner design may be disappointing to those expecting better battery life with the Watch 2, as a thinner design almost guarantees that a larger battery will not be used. However, Apple could offset this by further optimizing the Apple Watch 2 OS.

Other rumored features include a FaceTime camera to make/receive FaceTime calls straight from the Watch, advanced WiFi capabilities, and the ability to use the Apple Watch without an iPhone or iPod. The latter would be particularly exciting to those who have held off on buying an Apple Watch because it is incompatible with their smartphone.

We here at MacMint will be closely following all of the Apple Watch 2 rumors and reporting on these in the coming weeks and months.

Apps

Which should I use? iCloud Photo Sharing or My Photo Stream

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Because Apple includes both iCloud Photo Sharing and My Photo Stream in iCloud this has become confusing to some people. Let’s bring some clarity to the issue by going over your options.

My Photo Stream is the most simplistic of the two options. It lets you store photos that you have taken with your iPhone or iPad and save them for 30 days. This allows you to store them or your Mac or PC granted you have your iCloud setup. The catch is that in order to back up your photos you’ll need to save them to your Mac OS X or iOS device.

Using iCloud Photo Sharing with iCloud Photo Library is the more ideal situation. With the Photo Library, all the videos and photos you take are kept up to date throughout all your Apple devices. Using iCloud Photo Sharing you can share your files with friends and family. You can share specific folders to groups of people you invite via iCloud email or even subscribe to other people’s shared albums.

icloud photo sharing
iCloud Photo Sharing options

With My Photo Stream there is no charge, however using iCloud Photo Library you’ll need to sign up for an iCloud storage plan. The first 5GB are free, if you need more you can opt in for 50 or 200GB which would cost you $0.99 or $2.99 per month respectively. With videos that initial 5GB can fill up fast so we would recommend you start with 50GB, after all its only roughly $12/year, and cheaper than most cloud storage plans.

iCloud Library will automatically sync all your files between devices, where as My Photo Stream will not. Turn on iCloud Photo Library and if you choose to use My Photo Stream it will appear in under the All Photos tab inside the Photos app similar to the way all your other photos and videos are organized by Year, Collection and Moments.

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My Photo Stream / iCloud Photos

Your home computer will use My Photo Stream to download and store your files in high resolution. Where as your mobile devices, including Apple TV will use size-optimized resolutions in order to save space in those devices where space is limited.

However, using iCloud Photo Library you will be able to store full-resolution files (iCloud photos and videos) on all your Apple devices. Unfortunately you can not use iTunes to sync albums and photos from iCloud Photo Library. As well, be careful because your files will be removed if you quit using the service, although you will be warned.

So no you don’t need to use both My Photo Stream and iCloud Photo Sharing. It’s simple really if you don’t pay for iCloud storage then use My Photo Stream, if you do pay for iCloud storage then use iCloud Photo Library in conjunction with iCloud Photo Sharing.

Lastly if you are using iCloud storage and iCloud Photo Library go through all your devices and make sure everything you need is enabled. Check all the options on each device and make sure My Photo Stream is disabled. Using iCloud storage with iCloud Photo Library is the easiest way to keep your photos and videos synced and up-to-date across all your iOS, Mac or PC devices.

How-To

How to Sign Out of Game Center in iOS

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In previous versions of Apple iOS users were permitted to sign out of Game Center inside the stand alone app. Currently you are unable to log out of Game Center while in the app itself. This has caused some confusion with with iOS users leading them to ask “How do I sign out of Game Center?”

Signing out of Game Center and logging back in can resolve issues you may be having with your iPhone or iPad. Signing out of Game Center is easy but difficult to find if you are not used to iOS settings.

Steps to Log Out of Game Center:

  1. Go to Settings > Game Center
  2. Click on your Apple Id
  3. Click Sign Out
signout of game center
Click on Settings, Game Center then Apple ID
logout of game center
Finally, Click Sign Out of Game Center
Mac

Incase Icon MacBook Sleeve with Tensaerlite

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Incase’s ICON Sleeve with Tensaerlite for MacBook Retina is a great case and another addition to Incase’s awesome Mac lineup. The case comes in 13’’ or 15’’ models, and is most notable for two things, it doesn’t have a zipper, and it features Incase’s Tensaerlite technology. And, the two incase traditions, neoprene and faux fur, are featured in this item as well.

In the past, Incase has made good laptop cases for Mac, but they’ve always had a vulnerability to being dropped. Tensaerlite, the multilayered shock-absorbing rim that runs around the case, solves that problem. Tensaerlite is a lightweight bumper frame that feels like a tough rubberized material.

macbook case

Incase says this gives the case “maximum impact absorption”. Tensaerlite also helps aesthetically, a thin rim around the slim case. The dimensions are 16’’ x 11 x 0.5’’, so this case is very thin. This product is not designed to go with hard shell cases, only naked Macs.

If you do use your Mac without a hard shell case, the ICON Sleeve is absolutely a great and beautiful choice, helped in no small part to the second amazing feature of the case: no zipper! The zipper, prone to breaking entirely, leaving laptops to plummet earthwards, is replaced in the ICON Tensaerlite case by a strong (and computer safe) magnetic flap. The flap is slim, so the computer fits in snug and doesn’t fall out (there’s also a tough magnetic clasp bit).

This design feature is truly beautiful. And, while the sleek magnet flap is a gorgeous feature and crucial to this design, it should be noted that laptops should not be left on top of the sleeve because that suit-like flap is held together by a magnet that may trigger your Mac to spontaneously turn off. This, however, is a minor drawback to what is undeniably a beautiful and functional case.

News

Apple Music Now on Twitter @AppleMusicHelp

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Apple’s first offering of free Apple Music trials is now over, leaving Apple needing to drive new customer to Apple Music, whilst keeping existing subscribers happy enough to retain the,m. Apple addressed this through a recent string of posts to their YouTube channel. Videos were provided detailing all the core features of Apple Music. Along with the release of these informative videos came a first for Apple Customer Services, a Twitter account dedicated to Apple Music.

@AppleMusicHelp Ready to Assist

@AppleMusicHelp provides a question and answer service between 6AM and 8PM, serving to resolve issues and answer questions directed at Apple Music. Apple appears to be working closely with the public to develop Apple Music. Apple is already asking Twitter subscribers to DM Apple with details of the devices used to access Apple Music. Apple are looking for any and all details concerning bugs encountered, problems needing attention and all general usage information. Apple Music has already encountered its fair share of bugs, including missing tracks, incorrect album art and even jumbled play-lists.

Apple Music Coming to Android

Even though bugs have cropped up, the majority of people using Apple Music have had a hassle-free experience, with most enjoying the service provided by Apple. Apple Music looks to have a firm future ahead with even an Android version on the horizon. Given the amount of attention to detail that has been placed into Apple music so far, fans are looking forward to extensive updates and error-free performance in the near future. If you want to help Apple out, give them a tweet @AppleMusicHelp