HomePod Is Here, iOS 12 Tidbits, DirecTV Now Apple TV Deal - MacRumors

HomePod Unboxing and Overview Video, User Impressions, Issues, and How Tos After months of waiting, HomePod is finally here, and we've gone hands-on with Apple's new smart speaker. Initial impressions from users have generally been positive, although side-by-side tests against other smart speakers have seen mixed results. There have been a few hiccups since the launch, including persistent setup issues plaguing a few users, and the discovery that the base of the HomePod can leave white rings on certain wood surfaces. The latter issue isn't unique to HomePod, as it also affects the Sonos One to some extent, but it's something Apple should have caught and addressed during development or at least disclosed at launch. Enterprising accessory companies are already launching pads and coasters to protect surfaces from the HomePod. If you're a new HomePod owner, make sure to stop by the How To section of our site for some tips on how to make the most of your smart speaker.   Read Full Article Deal of the Week DirecTV Now Deal: Prepay Three Months of Service for $105 and Get a Free 32GB Apple TV 4K If you're in the U.S. and thinking about picking up an Apple TV 4K, DirecTV Now's latest deal should definitely be on your radar. With this deal, just prepay for three months of DirecTV Now for as little as $105 and get a free 32GB Apple TV 4K. The Apple TV normally sells for $179 by itself, so this is a fantastic deal even if you don't care about the DirecTV Now service. There's no contract or commitment, but the DirecTV Now service will renew monthly after the initial prepaid period, so just be sure to cancel before then if you don't want to continue. Separate from the traditional DirecTV satellite TV service, DirecTV Now is a streaming service that lets you access live and on-demand content through apps on various platforms. It comes in several packages starting at $35/month for 60+ channels, and a cloud DVR component for recording shows is currently in beta testing. You can also add HBO to your subscription for just $5/month, which is another great deal. Check out our news article for more details, or head straight to the DirecTV Now site to take advantage of the deal before it runs out.   Visit Sponsor Popular Stories Feb 15, 2018 iOS 12 Said to Feature Animoji in FaceTime, Deeper Siri Integration, and Do Not Disturb Improvements Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has been spilling a few details on Apple's plans for iOS 12 recently, and this week he offered a few more tidbits including word that Apple is working on supporting Animoji in FaceTime, deeper Siri integration, improvements to Do Not Disturb features, and a redesigned Stocks app. Gurman previously noted that Apple is working to allow developers to build universal apps that will work across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and that's still on track for later this year. Some other features may, however, be pushed back to 2019 as Apple seeks to put more emphasis on quality control and performance improvements.   Read Full Article Apple to Fix Telugu Character Bug Causing Devices to Crash in Minor iOS Update This week saw publicity about a newly discovered bug affecting all of Apple's operating systems that causes app or even device crashes when a certain character from the Indian Telugu language is typed or pasted into many text fields, including those in first-party and third-party apps. The troublesome bug can then prevent those apps from even opening until the message with the offending character can be deleted. The bug was already fixed in Apple's iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4 betas prior to disclosure, but the company will be pushing out minor operating system updates to address it so that users don't have to wait weeks for the more significant iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4 updates to be ready for public release.   Read Full Article KGI: Apple Could Ship 100 Million Units of New 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, Replacing iPhone 8 and 8 Plus in 2018 Device Line-up KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple could ship up to 100 million units of its upcoming 6.1-inch LCD iPhone following its launch later this year. The device is rumored to adopt some iPhone X features such as Face ID and a full-front display, but forego the OLED display, glass back, and dual-lens camera of Apple's current flagship phone. This new LCD phone appears to be the successor to the iPhone 8 family and will continue the multi-year transition toward Apple's new design paradigm as the iconic iPhone enters its second decade.   Read Full Article Samsung's Galaxy S9 Expected to Copy iPhone X's Animoji Feature Apple's face-tracking Animoji are one of the flagship features of the iPhone X, and it sounds like Samsung might be launching a similar feature in its Galaxy S9 phone next month. The S9 isn't expected to have the full capabilities of Apple's TrueDepth front camera system, but its face-tracking hardware should still be able to support the feature to some extent. One of the other trademark features of the iPhone X is the notch in the top of the display that houses the camera, earpiece, and other sensors. It looks like Android is similarly preparing to "embrace the notch," with Google's next smartphone operating system said to include support for the design feature as a number of Android handset manufacturers are expected to mimic the iPhone X design.    Read Full Article

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