iPhone Talk

from Jim J

While I'm definitely not in the market for another iPhone, but if you might be, you might enjoy the following article:

I want to love Apple’s new iPhone Air, but the iPhone 17 is a better deal: I was within a heartbeat of preordering the new iPhone Air. But a closer looks at the specs changed my mind. Read More

A side note: the author of the articles admits while writing this article, she is on a HP Spectre PC running Windows. She likes this PC, and I'm presently on the same model PC, which I also like very much. For me, it is next in line, right behind my MacBook Air...Jim

Sharing Photo Links

for John C

I have often wondered about this, and now I know.

If someone with a Mac creates a public link to a shared Photos album, that link can be accessed by a Windows PC or Linux PC without doing anything special.

Links to a private shared album require that the end user have an Apple ID and they may need to use iCloud for Windows.

Sharing a public link exposes the album to the world if the invited user posts it publicly. Sharing a private link does not, and only invitees by their email address (Apple ID) from the owner can have access.

Upcoming Apple Announcements

From Jim H

Check out this article from USA TODAY: Apple announces date for 2025 launch event: 'Awe dropping' https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/08/26/apple-event-date-september-2025-iphone-17/85833853007/

Apple announced the date of its next big event, set for Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

The event, dubbed as "Awe dropping," will be streamed on the apple.com website.

More Information

If you're an 'Appleholic', the next Apple event is Sept 9, 10 am AZ time. Some speculation in the article below on what might be included. As for me, I'll watch it, but I'm not in the market to buy any Apple device. Zee tells me my allowance has already been spent!...☺️...One item of interest, for me, anyway, is to see how much AI Apple incorporates into their devices....Jim

 Apple Schedules iPhone 17 Launch Event for Sept. 9

Tim Cook promises an 'awe dropping' event next month, where we expect to see the iPhone Air, new Apple Watches, and maybe a foldable sneak peek? Here's what we think Apple has in store.

This "special Apple Event" is likely to include the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup and the next-gen Apple Watch. It begins at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET at Apple Park, and PCMag will be there to bring you all the details. If you can't make it to Cupertino, Apple will livestream the event on its website.

The invitation and a tweet from CEO Tim Cook tease an "awe-dropping" event—a curious turn of phrase that Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests is a "play on jaw-dropping" for the rumored ultrathin and light iPhone Air.

That slender iPhone will be the headliner, Gurman says. Inspired by the MacBook Air, it promises to be a lightweight version of the slab-style phone with which we're all familiar. If Apple plays its cards right, it could amount to a major redesign. Recently, it's made only minor tweaks to the iPhone's screen and edges, although the Air could come with trade-offs like lower battery life.

The iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max are expected to join the iPhone Air. As usual, the Pros will have better camera systems than their cheaper counterparts, but Apple is reportedly adding an orange color option for the Pros, which Apple might have confirmed via the orange outline on its logo in today's invitation.

We can also expect upgrades to the Apple Watch lineup; look for an Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. (Assuming the company sticks with the naming convention after switching up its operating system monikers to align with the year.)

Apple skipped over a major Ultra hardware upgrade last year, giving it only a cosmetic refresh with new bands and color options. However, an Ultra 3 with some wrist-busting dimensions is reportedly in the works for this year.

Will we get a sneak peek at Apple's rumored foldable phone? Cupertino has avoided the form factor as competitors like Samsung and Google move full steam ahead. It's now reportedly in the pipeline, but Apple isn't expected to launch it until next year.

The foldable iPhone is code-named V68, and it opens up into a small tablet, just like Samsung's foldable devices, Gurman says. It will have four cameras and rely on eSIM, but expect it to use Touch ID instead of Face ID, like the iPad.

If you're not in the market for a new iPhone, iOS 26 is supported on smartphones going back to the iPhone 11. Apple will likely announce when you can download the stable version of iOS 26 (as well as iPadOS 26 and macOS 26) at its event next month.

It remains to be seen if Apple will debut any AI-specific hardware features. The company has thus far struggled to get Apple Intelligence off the ground since it debuted last year on the iPhone 16 and 15 Pros, more than a month after its newest phones hit stores. The lackluster features have prompted false advertising lawsuits, and Apple has reportedly explored using the AI models of rival companies like OpenAI or Anthropic.

If Apple Intelligence had been a resounding success on the iPhone 16, it would seem like a no-brainer to keep building on it with the iPhone 17. But it took a backseat at WWDC in June, so Apple might lean on its bread and butter come Sept. 9: hardware.

Apple Watch Blood Oxygen Sensor Returns

From Jim H:

Apple Watch Blood Oxygen Sensor Returns: How to Use It and What It Can Tell You About Your Health

The smartwatch's Blood Oxygen app lets you measure the oxygen level of your blood on-demand. It's been MIA for more than a year thanks to a patent spat, but it's back in action now.

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/apple-watch-blood-oxygen-sensor-how-to-use-what-it-reveals-about-health?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=tipstrickshowto&zdee=gAAAAABnfB5GtN0cb5HJZOvsCVPlt5Av632v_8hsv77CbBgmOSeIiazXlXiCC7v1tKKsoUrpB6blT7lD7vOlfVJjhwErLm1wf4Y8yfYoYa90W541Yg6zBrQ%3D&lctg=42917571676

Upgrade Soon: Intel-based Macs and Apps Are On Their Way Out

From Jim H

The following article suggests that older Macs may no longer get updates, because of the computer chip involved. Hmmm? That means my older MacBook Air may soon  become obsolete. I don't care for that scenario at all. Soon, Microsoft will stop supporting a couple of my PCs running Windows 10, and which can't upgrade to Windows 11. Another scenario I don't care for.

Getting old certainly has some downsides to it, I can attest!...🤔...Jim

https://soundsupport.biz/2025/07/30/upgrade-soon-intel-based-macs-and-apps-are-on-their-way-out/

Apple News

From Jim H

Take a read below on what Apple has announced. And here is what Trump has to say to Apple:

"I don’t want you building in India.” Hmmm?....Jim

Trump to Announce Additional $100 Billion Apple Investment in U.S.

The pledge was a “significant acceleration” of the company’s plan for more production in the United States, according to a White House statement. President Trump has threatened Apple and other phone manufacturers with a 25 percent tariff on products made outside the United States

President Trump plans to announce on Wednesday that Apple Inc. is pledging $100 billion in additional investment in the United States, the company’s latest move to ramp up its domestic production and avoid the president’s threat of tariffs on its iPhones.

The White House said in a statement that the pledge was a “significant acceleration” of Apple’s plan for more production in the United States and that the company had promised Mr. Trump to invest $600 billion domestically over the next four years.

Mr. Trump’s announcement, which was reported earlier by Bloomberg, will include the creation of what the White House is calling the American Manufacturing Program, which will focus on bringing more of Apple’s supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States.

The company said in February that it planned to spend $500 billion and hire 20,000 people in the United States over the next four years and open a factory in Texas to make the machines that power the company’s push into artificial intelligence. The company made similar, smaller pledges during the Biden administration and Mr. Trump’s first term, though it has not yet followed through on some of those promises.

While Apple supports more than 450,000 jobs with thousands of suppliers and partners across 50 states, the company has recently been expanding production in India. That has angered the president.
In May, Mr. Trump threatened Apple and other phone manufacturers with a 25 percent tariff on products made outside the United States.

During a speech in May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Mr. Trump paused to praise Jensen Huang, the chief executive of Nvidia, for traveling with the White House delegation. Tim Cook, the chief executive of Apple, declined to attend the trip.

“I mean, Tim Cook isn’t here, but you are,” Mr. Trump said to Mr. Huang.

Later, in Qatar, Mr. Trump said he “had a little problem with Tim Cook.” The president praised Apple’s investment in the United States, then said he had told Mr. Cook, “But now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India.”

Password Security

From Jim H

With today's technology, computers and smartphones, and shopping on the web, passwords and password security is very important. The Prescott Computer Society put on a video program of this topic, and I've included the following link, if you'd like to view it. It is an hour long, but darned good!

https://pcs4me.com/1988/videos/08-02-25-online-security-secrets.mp4

Here's some tips from the video regarding passwords: complex passwords are OK, but longer is stronger, and strength increases with length. Here's an example:

qwt$T* -- this a complex password, but kinda short. (don't share this around, as this might be the password to my bank account, where I stash my cash!...☺️...).  The time a hacker's program takes to figure this out, let's call it "X". If you add just one digit, the time to open it becomes 2X. Add another digit and the time becomes 4X.

Add another digit and the time becomes 8X, and so on. So, the strength increases with length, or the longer, the stronger.

A password manager app today can generate long and strong passwords for you, store them, and even open a website and log you in with the password. So, be careful with your passwords...Jim

Apple Tariff News

From Jim H

The tariffs have hit Apple hard, as the following article describes...Jim

 Apple anticipates a $1.1B price tag from tariffs next quarter.
Apple expects to face $1.1 billion in tariff-related costs next quarter on top of $800 million from the prior three months.

The iPhone-maker, which has been hit particularly hard by President Trump’s tariff push, still reported strong quarterly earnings, posting $94 billion in revenue and $23.4 billion in net income for the stretch between April and June.   

Apple sold $44.5 billion worth of iPhones last quarter, up 13 percent from the same three-month period last year, at least part of which the company attributed to consumers trying to get ahead of tariffs. 

“We would estimate the pull-forward of demand into April specifically to be about one point of the 10 points in terms of people buying because of discussions about tariffs,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said Thursday, referencing the 10 percent uptick in sales last quarter.  

The company has found itself in a tricky position on tariffs in Trump’s second term.
It has long manufactured most of its products in China but has increasingly sought to diversify its supply chain by moving some production to India and Vietnam.  

This has been less than beneficial given the president’s wide-ranging approach to tariffs this time around. Trump initially hit all three countries with hefty “reciprocal” tariffs before putting most on pause. Tariffs on Chinese goods remained in place, as Washington and Beijing went tit for tat on import taxes, raising levies on one another to 145 percent and 125 percent, respectively.  

The two sides eventually struck an agreement to lower their tariffs to 30 percent and 10 percent, a truce they agreed to extend Tuesday for an additional 90 days.  

In the meantime, Apple has shifted more production to India, prompting the country to overtake China as the leading exporter of smartphones to the U.S. last quarter.

AI in the News

From Jim H

Apple is jumping on the AI phenomenon in a big way. Take a read on the following. What, exactly, this might mean for Apple products is unclear at this time...Jim

Apple plans to 'significantly' grow AI investments and is open to M&A: Apple is open to M&A to accelerate its AI strategy, and says it's made seven acquisitions this year so far. Read More

And Tim Cook offered the following:

“We see AI as one of the most profound technologies of our lifetime. We are embedding it across our devices and platforms and across the company. We are also significantly growing our investments,” CEO Tim Cook said on the Q3 2025 earnings call with investors. “Apple has always been about taking the most advanced technologies and making them easy to use and accessible for everyone, and that’s at the heart of our AI strategy,” he added.

Updated: Tim Cook thinks AI is important enough to hold a company-wide meeting to discuss it...Jim

https://9to5mac.com/2025/08/01/tim-cook-holds-company-wide-meeting-to-address-apples-ai-woes/

AppleCare One

From Frank C: If you have not been keeping up with the news, this is a new service from Apple, and could be a very good deal for keeping your products under warranty. Please note that there will always be a deductible and replacement cost not covered by the warranty!! See the link at the end of this article for Apple’s deductible and replacement costs per device!

AppleCare One is a good deal, but not for everyone

Apple announced some big changes to its device protection plans this week with the introduction of AppleCare One. The new service lets you protect three devices for $19.99 per month. That means things like your Apple TV, AirPods Max, and iPad can be covered under one plan at a cost that doesn’t fluctuate. And every device after that costs $5.99 per month to add.

The company’s goal is to convince customers that this new service is easier and a better value compared to enrolling each device in its own AppleCare Plus plan. In reality, how much you save depends entirely on the Apple devices you have. People who buy its latest and greatest products will yield significantly more savings compared to those who buy its most affordable products. It’s a little confusing, so let’s break it down.

Apple claims that customers can save $11 each month by enrolling an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and an iPad in AppleCare One compared to paying for three individual AppleCare Plus plans for those devices. But that’s not true across the board for all of its models. For example, the monthly cost for iPhone coverage with AppleCare Plus starts at $9.99 for the cheapest  and oldest eligible models, whereas the iPad and Apple Watch start at $4.99 and $2.99 (both of which are up slightly compared to prices before this week, when the Theft and Loss benefit was tacked on for either protection plan), respectively, totaling $17.97. In this case, AppleCare One is a slightly worse deal than buying plans a la carte.

Where the new service shines is if you own some of Apple’s most expensive products, like the iPhone 16 Pro, the Apple Vision Pro, and a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with the M4 chip. Paying for a monthly AppleCare Plus plan for each of those three would cost $47.47 altogether, according to a list of prices Apple PR manager Anna Mitchell shared with The Verge. AppleCare One, on the other hand, would still be $19.99 — for any mix of three products, Mitchell confirmed — which is obviously the better deal by a huge margin.

For a more typical product buildout — like the base iPhone 16, AirPods Pro, and the latest 13-inch MacBook Air — the savings are far more modest. With AppleCare Plus, the iPhone costs $11.99 per month, the MacBook Air costs $6.99 per month, and you can pay $14.99 upfront for a year of coverage for the AirPods Pro (monthly coverage isn’t an option, but this shakes out to $1.25 per month). AppleCare One would save you a quarter each month, thereabouts. Nothing to get excited about.

What’s important to keep in mind is, just like AppleCare Plus, AppleCare One only serves as the key to unlock cheaper repair and replacement prices. You still have to pay deductibles and fees for each and every repair, and those costs vary depending on the device, as well as the type of repair you need. How much you can expect to pay — which is in addition to your monthly AppleCare fee — is listed on Apple’s website. Either warranty plan you opt for yields significant savings versus paying out of pocket without coverage. For example, accidental damage to my iPhone 13 would cost $600 without AppleCare versus $100 with it.

The answer to “Is AppleCare One a good deal?” isn’t as simple as just having expensive, high-end gear. Apple hopes to lure those who don’t upgrade their tech with every release cycle with AppleCare One. One of its biggest selling points is that you can enroll devices up to four years old that are in good condition (or up to one year old for headphones). This beats the 60-day cutoff for adding AppleCare Plus to new purchases, which is generous but easy to forget about if you don’t enroll right away. In other words, if you missed the boat on enrolling your devices originally and want to reduce the upfront cost of repairs for eligible devices, AppleCare One seems like a great way to do that. Especially since there’s no mandatory amount of time you need to be a member before you can reap the benefits of cheaper repairs.

Apple has been going hard on its services in the past handful of years, and its efforts to get its customers further embedded in its walled garden seem to be paying off. Its most recent quarterly earnings showed that services earnings were at an all-time high, and AppleCareThe answer to “Is AppleCare One a good deal?” isn’t as simple as just having expensive, high-end gear. Apple hopes to lure those who don’t upgrade their tech with every release cycle with AppleCare One. One of its biggest selling points is that you can enroll devices up to four years old that are in good condition (or up to one year old for headphones). This beats the 60-day cutoff for adding AppleCare Plus to new purchases, which is generous but easy to forget about if you don’t enroll right away. In other words, if you missed the boat on enrolling your devices originally and want to reduce the upfront cost of repairs for eligible devices, AppleCare One seems like a great way to do that. Especially since there’s no mandatory amount of time you need to be a member before you can reap the benefits of cheaper repairs.

https://www.apple.com/legal/applecare/fees-deductibles/

iOS 18.6: What You Need to Know Before Updating

From Geeky Gadgets:

The release of iOS 18.6 marks a significant milestone, particularly for older devices such as the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. As these models will not support the upcoming iOS 26, this update serves as their final major software upgrade. It is essential to understand the details of this release to ensure your device remains secure, functional, and optimized. Below is a comprehensive guide to help you navigate this important update. The video below, from iReviews, provides more details.

https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/ios-18-6-3/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=topic/ios

You Should Delete Your Temu Account

from Frank C

You Should Delete Your Temu Account – Here's Why & How To Do It

7/13/25, 4:50 PM

PJ McDonnell/Shutterstock

For budget shoppers, Temu feels like a dream come true, with its never-ending discounts and low-cost shipping — the company's supposed key to success. However, behind the e-commerce site's flashy deals lie a growing number of red flags that have become hard to ignore over the years. The app is plagued by spyware and malware accusations, with former users and security experts alleging that it collects sensitive user information, including home addresses, Social Security numbers, and banking details. Some have even complained about noticing suspicious activities on their devices after shopping on Temu.

Additionally, many listings on Temu's platform have been found to be copycat versions of legitimate products offered on Amazon. Such listings not only deceive consumers but also affect the potential sales of the original sellers, who are often unaware and have not consented to the illicit use of their brand. Coupled with a drastic pricing difference, it is not surprising that many people fall victim to counterfeit and inferior knock-offs on Temu.

Complaints on consumer watchdog sites, like the Better Business Bureau, have also highlighted the questionable way Temu handles refunds, with shoppers experiencing weeks-long delays and even outright refusals, even for items that arrive broken or are never shipped at all. Overall, the platform

that once felt like a bargain goldmine for consumers has now become a hotbed for data privacy issues, deceptive business practices, and poor customer service. If you are still using the app, this is a sign for you to delete it.

How to delete your Temu account on both the website and app

Deleting your Temu account is not as simple as uninstalling the app or logging out of your account through the browser. Once you've finally realized that Temu is one of the online accounts you should say goodbye to forever, you need to follow the steps below to ensure that, apart from your user account, your data and purchase history will also be removed.

To delete your Temu account via the website:

1. Go to www.temu.com and log in to your account.

2. Click on "Orders & Account" in the upper-right corner.

3. Choose "Account security."

4. Scroll down and click on "Delete your Temu account."

5. Check the option that says, "I want to permanently delete my Temu account and all its data."

6. Click "Continue."

7. You'll be prompted to select a reason. Choose one or select "I don't want to provide a reason."

8. Click "Continue" again, and then hit "Delete."

9. Verify your identity if prompted.

Once confirmed, you'll be logged out, and your account will be scheduled for permanent deletion.

To delete your account via the Temu app:

1. Open the app and tap the "You" tab at the bottom.

2. Head to "Settings" then "Account security."

3. Scroll down and tap "Delete your Temu account."

4. Repeat the above steps (from 5-9) to finalize deletion.

Remember: Once deleted, you'll lose all order history, saved items, and linked payment methods. Consider downloading any important receipts before proceeding.

How to remove your banking details from Temu

Before or after deleting your account, you should take the crucial step of removing any saved payment information from Temu's system. If you already know how to add or remove payment methods in Google Play, you most likely know what to do. Otherwise, follow the instructions below to delete your credit or debit card details so you have assurance that your financial information will not be compromised by the e-commerce site anymore.

If you use Temu through the Google Play Store, follow the steps:

1. Head to the Google Play website.

2. Sign in to your Google account.

3. Click on your profile photo at the top right.

4. Select "Payments & subscriptions," then "Payment methods."

5. Locate your saved credit card and click the three dots.

6. Choose "Remove," then confirm again.

This will unlink the card not just from Temu but from any Google Play-related purchases as well.

To delete card information directly from the Temu app or website:

1. Open the Temu app or website and go to the "You" tab.

2. Tap "Settings," then "Your payment methods."

3. Next to the card you want to delete, tap "Edit."

4. Choose "Delete card" (in the app) or "Remove" (on the website).

5. Confirm your decision.

Google Tips

From Jim H

Here's three Google tips that might be of interest...Jim

1. Stop activity tracking on Google apps.
Every search, every voice command, every tap in a Google-owned app is logged under your Web & App Activity. It’s the digital equivalent of someone reading over your shoulder — all day, every day. To turn this off, go to your Google account settings, then Data & privacy, and Web & App Activity. From there, hit Turn off, and choose whether to delete what’s already been saved.

You’ll also see the option to auto-delete future activity every 3, 18, or 36 months. That’s worth enabling, too. If you want to dig deeper, you can delete data from specific apps like Maps or News, or even remove activity one item at a time.

2. Disable location tracking and clear your timeline.
Google’s Timeline is a hyper-detailed log of where you’ve been — trips, errands, even your commute. If that makes you uneasy, it should. To manage this, open the Google Maps app on your phone, tap your profile icon, then select Your Timeline.

Tap the cloud icon to stop syncing location history across devices, then head into Location & privacy settings via the three-dot menu. Here, you can shut off Timeline, turn off location backups, and delete old entries entirely. You can even set auto-delete for your location data at 3, 18, or 36 months.

3. Turn off personalized ads.
Even if you’re okay with some data collection, that doesn’t mean you want it used to target you with ads. Google’s ad platform uses your activity, YouTube history, and location to build a profile for advertisers.

To shut this down, go to your Google account, then Data & privacy and Ad settings. Then click into My Ad Center and switch off Personalized ads. For extra privacy, you can scroll down and click Partner ad settings, and disable the toggle.

iPhone/iPad Tip

from Jim H

I read the following, tried it on my iPhone, but none of the following occurred. Maybe you'll have

better luck if you try it. If I just hold one finger on a page, the 'copy' option does come up....Jim

3-second tech genius: Swipe in with three fingers on your iPad or iPhone from the side to copy/paste or undo/redo. It’s the gesture shortcut pros (and now you) use.

Amazon Alert

If you shop on Amazon, you will want to take a read on the following alert. The message here is clear -- don't

click a link in an email you receive -- say, from Amazon, or your bank, or? --  that might seem to be a

valid alert. Instead, separately, go to the website or call the organization...Jim

https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/online-security/200-million-amazon-prime-customers-targeted-by-scammers-trying-to-steal-their-accounts-how-to-stay-safe?