This week saw a good mix of Apple news and rumors, led by the release of iOS 14.4, an instant report from Apple and a new report that the next Apple Watch could potentially monitor blood glucose levels.
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We also started practically with Apple’s new “Time to Walk” feature for Apple Watch, while AirPods Max owners can now purchase standalone ear pads to mix and match colors. Read on for all the details!
Everything new in iOS 14.4
Apple has publicly unveiled iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 this week with a handful of new features and bug fixes for iPhone advertising iPad users.
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iOS 14.4 introduces a notification on iPhone 12 models with non-genuine cameras, the option to classify the Bluetooth device type in Settings for the correct identification of headphones for audio notifications, and more.
Apple has also released watchOS 7.3, which expands the ECG app on the Apple Watch Series 4 and newer to Japan, Mayotte, Thailand and the Philippines, and launches a new watch “Unity” on the Pan-African Flag. tvOS 14.4 is also not available, while macOS 11.2 remains in beta.
Apple announced this week that it will require its privacy measure for tracking transparency of App Tracking from the next beta versions of iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and tvOS 14, which means that apps will have to ask permission to track users and their device’s collect random identifier for ads. purposes. Apple says the software updates will be made public in early spring.
Apple reports a record quarter with revenue of $ 111 billion
Apple this week reported its earnings results for the first quarter of the 2021 fiscal year, which coincides with the fourth quarter of the 2020 calendar year.
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The quarter was an eruption for Apple, which reported a quarterly revenue record of $ 111.4 billion, with strengths in all product categories, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac and more.
Apple thrived financially during the pandemic, as many customers work, learn and connect with others from home. Apple unveiled many new products and services during the quarter, including the entire iPhone 12 series, fantastic M1 Macs, a redesigned iPad Air, the HomePod mini, the AirPods Max, Apple Fitness + and Apple One subscriber bundles.
Apple Watch Series 7 discusses blood glucose monitoring
The Apple Watch Series 7 is believed to contain blood glucose monitoring via an optical sensor, according to a report this week ETNews.
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The report, which focuses primarily on the blood glucose capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, explains that Apple plans to bring blood glucose monitoring to the upcoming Apple Watch Series 7 using a non-invasive optical sensor.
Apple has gradually expanded the health monitoring capabilities of the Apple Watch and recently had the ability to add the oxygen levels in blood in the Apple Watch Series 6, which was launched last September.
Practical with the new Apple Fitness + ‘Time to Walk’ feature
Apple officially unveiled Time to Walk this week, a new feature that allows Apple Watch users who sign up for Apple Fitness + to listen to audio stories from celebrities, musicians, athletes and other influential guests as they walk – similar to podcasts. For wheelchair users, the feature is called Time to Push.
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Time to Walk episodes are automatically downloaded to the Apple Watch with a Fitness + entry, and users can start an episode directly from the Workout app. New episodes of 25 to 40 minutes long will appear in the Workout app from another guest every Monday through the end of April, according to Apple.
The first guests include musicians Dolly Parton and Shawn Mendes, NBA star Draymond Green, and actress Uzo Aduba, best known for her role as Suzanne Warren in the Netflix original series “Orange Is the New Black”.
We take a quick look at Time to Walk in one of our latest YouTube videos to see what it’s all about and whether it’s a valuable addition to Fitness +.
Apple now sells freestanding earbuds for AirPods Max
Apple now sells AirPods Max pads on a standalone basis, at $ 69 per set, so customers can mix and match colors, including silver, black, sky blue, green and red.
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PAirPods Max ear cushions are magnetically attached to the ear cups and can be clipped immediately, so it’s easy to swap for a new color.
MacRumors has mocked all the AirPods Max color combinations possible, so if you’re wondering what a specific color might look like with your ‘AirPods Max’, this article is a valuable resource. The initial pillows would initially be shipped within one business day, although deliveries of colors other than silver and black slipped quickly in late March or early April. However, the first orders are already in the hands of customers.
In other product news, Apple announced this week that they will be releasing a limited edition of the “Black Unity” version of the Apple Watch Series 6. This special model will be available throughout February in honor of Black History Month and comes with a “Black” Unity “Sports Band based on the Pan-African Flag.
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