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If you thought all the news from Apple was already announced, well before yesterday you’d be wrong. Apple gave us plenty of news about what’s ahead and what’s here now from the company. If you’re looking to get new Apple tech you have more choices. If you’re looking to update the Apple tech you already have, you have a lot to look forward to with the Yosemite update for your Mac.
Apple Pay
Owners of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus will soon be able to leave their wallets at home. Apple Pay, announced last month, will be launched on Monday.
Apple Pay works with a credit card or debit card from a participating bank that you use on your iTunes account after you authorize it. You can add additional cards by taking a picture of the card or typing in the number on your phone.
Apple Pay doesn’t store your credit/debit card number(s), what you paid, where you shopped or how much you spent. Instead, your device is assigned an encrypted account number by Apple. Each Apple Pay transaction generates a unique number for that payment.
More than 220,000 retailers will be using Apple Pay at launch, including places such as Walgreens, Macy’s, Panera Bread, Staples, Wegman’s, Bloomingdale’s, and many more.
Using Apple Pay will make spending your money easier, just hold your thumb on the Touch ID Home button on your iPhone 6/6 Plus and point your phone to a payment terminal at checkout. You’ll feel your phone vibrate when the payment has been authorized.
Apple Pay Apps
When Apple Pay is launched, you’ll be able to use Apple Pay with certain apps such as Starbucks, Target and Open Table. When you purchase an item on using an app, you’ll see an Apple Pay button. Tap on it to pay with your Apple Pay credit/debit card and the item will be shipped to the address you have on file.
For a full list of stores and apps where Apple Pay will be accepted, check out Wired, A List of Stores Where You Can Use Apple Pay
iPad Air 2
Apple has updated its line of larger iPads with the new and improved iPad Air 2. If you’re guessing thinner and lighter, then you’ve been paying attention to tech trends! Yes, the Air 2 with its 9.7″ screen is thinner and lighter than its predecessors, measuring 0.24 in (6.1 mm) thick thin.
How thin is it? The Air 2 is so thin that Apple has eliminated the mute button on the side of the device.
[note]No worries, you can use Control Center to mute sound quickly. See, 13 Super Shortcuts for Your iPhone – in Control Center [/note]
…either that or Apple will soon be selling a high-tech whittling tool.
Weight has also been shaved off of the latest iPad with the scales tipping at 15 ounces (425.2 g).
But thin and light don’t mean lethargic. The Air 2 becomes the fastest iPad ever with an A8X processor, a version of the chip that’s in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
Touch ID
If you’ve been yearning to use your fingerprint to unlock your iPad, good news, you can do that with the Air 2. This latest iPad has Touch ID so you won’t have to type in a passcode to unlock your phone.
Apple Pay
The iPad Air 3 gets Apple Pay (when it’s launched) to be used with compatible apps. Unlike the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus though, you won’t be able to use the Air 2 with Apple Pay in stores.
Gold
If you want to Go for the Gold you can do that with the iPad Air 2 which comes in Gold as well as Space Gray and Silver.
Camera
If you plan on taking pictures with your iPad, you’ll be happy that the camera has been upgraded from previous models. The Air 2 gets an 8 MP iSight camera and a 1.2 MP FaceTime HD front-facing camera. The rear-facing camera can capture larger panoramic photos and time-lapse videos.
Availability
The iPad Air 2 is available beginning today:
Wi-Fi only:
$499 16 GB
$599 64 GB
$699 128 GB
Wi-Fi + 4G:
$649 16 GB
$749 64 GB
$849 128 GB
The Air 2 will have an Apple SIM card that will work with multiple carriers, including AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile in the US and EE in the UK, with other carriers to follow. Verizon will be offering its own version of the iPad Air 2 with 4G later.
iPad Mini 3
If you like your iPads to be smaller, then you’ll appreciate the iPad Mini 3. Like its predecessor the iPad Mini 3 comes in at 7.9″ but has improved front and rear cameras. The processor and display remain the same as the Mini 2.
Gold
Like its larger sibling, the iPad Mini 3 now comes in Gold, Silver and Space Gray.
Touch ID/Apple Pay
Also like the Air 2, the Mini 3 gets Touch ID and Apple Pay that will work with compatible apps but not in stores.
Availability
The iPad Mini 3 is available today for:
Wi-Fi only:
$399 16 GB
$499 64 GB
$499 128 GB
Wi-Fi + 4G:
$549 16 GB
$649 64 GB
$749 128 GB
New Mac Computers
If you’ve been holding out on getting a new Mac until Apple offered you more, then your wait may be over. Apple announced a new 27″ iMac computer that is available today.
iMac with Retina
Apple is now offering a 27″ iMac with 5K Retina display. This new screen will have 7x the pixels of an HD TV and 4x that of a regular 27″ iMac. The insides are more powerful too, with advanced processors and a 1 TB Fusion drive.
Availability
New 27″ iMacs with Retina display are available now at prices beginning at $2499.
Mac OS X Yosemite
If your budget doesn’t include a new computer, you can feel as if you have one with Yosemite, the latest version of the Mac operating system. Many of Yosemite’s new features are designed to have a seamless transition between your iDevices and your Mac.
Apple’s Yosemite update adds new features connecting your Mac to your iPhone, making both your computer and phone more convenient and powerful. Many existing features have been redesigned to make them more useful and accessible.
Sidebars, toolbars and your dock have become translucent to give you a better view of your content and open windows. Icons have been redesigned for a more modern look in Yosemite.
Notification Center
Notification Center also becomes translucent and allows you to personalize your Today view. You can add Notification widgets from the App Store to give you more access to information such as Twitter mentions, eBay listings ending soon, Facebook messages, etc.
The Today view can show weather, stock prices, world clocks, reminders and other important information you want in your Notification Center. These notices are customizable and interactive so when you click on them you get more information and can edit the information.
Spotlight Search
Spotlight Search on your Mac will be broader with Yosemite, providing search results for your files as well as information such as contacts, calendar appointments, mail, news, movie times, weather and more.
You can start a Spotlight Search by clicking the magnifying glass in your toolbar that opens a large search box. When you begin typing your Mac will try to guess what you’re searching for to save you time.
When you search for someone in your contacts, Spotlight Search will display their contact information, emails, messages, calendar events, and Wikipedia page (if you have very famous friends).
Calendar
Yosemite gives Calendar a new, modern look and shows your appointments in a sidebar in Day view. The calendar displays appointment-related maps, contact information, and notes to get a picture of your day at a glance.
iMessage
If you’ve enjoyed using iMessage on your Mac but missed being able to communicate with your friends who don’t have iPhones, you’ll like how iMessage has been updated in Yosemite. This update gives you the ability to send and receive text messages to and from any type of phone, including Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry and even non-smart flip phones.
Don’t Miss ➠ iMessage: Team Blue! to learn more about iMessage.
Phone Calls
Yosemite can transform your Mac into a speakerphone so you can send and receive calls from your iPhone directly on your computer. No more having to stop what you’re doing to pull out your iPhone to answer a call. You’ll be able to see who’s calling and answer the phone without leaving your computer.
Continuity between Macs and iDevices
Apple has added a lot of features in Yosemite that will make your iDevices and your Mac new best friends. AirDrop on Yosemite lets you transfer files, photos, documents, and more to and from your iDevices and your Mac.
Handoff is a new feature that lets you start working on a project on your Mac and then pick up where you left off on your iDevice. You can also do the reverse, start a project on your iDevice and then continue it on your Mac. You can also open a web page on your iDevice that you have open on your Mac and vice versa. Edits to email, iMessage, and other documents appear on your computer and iDevice simultaneously in real-time.
Availability
Available for the whopping price of FREE, Yosemite is now available for download. Check out the Apple website to learn whether your Mac is compatible and how to update to Yosemite: How to Update to Yosemite.
iOS 8.1
Apple also announced that iOS 8.1 will be released on Monday, adding Apple Pay and Yosemite Continuity features, as well as squashing bugs in iOS 8.
Your Thoughts
Are you excited about Apple’s latest news? Are you planning on getting a new iPad or Mac? Will you be updating to Yosemite? Will you be using Apple Pay? Let us know in the Comments section below!
Hi Carolyn,
There was one big thing in the Apple announcement that really stands out. ApplePay not only changes consumer behavior but significantly reduces credit card fraud due to the way the card number is controlled. As with many other innovations, Apple is not always first – this payment method has been around for several years – but somehow, they just manage to do it right. Timing was certainly right since major retailers had to be on board and recent thefts of millions of credit card numbers was just what it took to motivate them.
I’m really looking forward to iDrive to share all my documents and Airdrop that now allows simple transfer between OS X and iOS.
I’m currently waiting patiently for the online Apple store to reopen so I can order my 5th iPad. I’m motivated by two things – family members who are eager to take hand-me-downs and the new camera. Since I do a lot of photography and have hundreds of apps and files I will opt for the 128GB model – whatever color they have is fine with me.
Speed improvements along the way aren’t always noticeable to the casual iPad user but when it comes to video and image processing, your device can never be too fast. As processor speeds increase, companies will create more demanding apps – Pixelmator just announced that their popular image editing tool will be on the iPad soon.
I was disappointed they didn’t say anything about Apple TV – that will be the next big thing they come out with. The fact that HBO and CBS said just this week that their content will be on line means devices such as Google Chromecast and Apple TV will be more in demand than ever. The world of TV is likely to evolve rapidly once those two giants got the ball rolling.
Thanks for another great report.
Gary
Hi Gary, I agree with you about Apple Pay. As many announcements as Apple made at its event, Apple Pay may be the one that makes the most lasting impact. Monday will be a very interesting day as Apple Pay and iOS 8.1 are launched.
That’s very exciting you’re getting the next iPad. I would really like to have Touch ID on my iPad Air, but am not upgrading. I do wonder whether the iPhone 5s will get Apple Pay for in-app purchases since the iPad Air 2 has that ability.
Yes, since you’re an iPad power user, the difference in processing speed will make a big difference. You’re very wise to get the larger storage space, it sounds as if you’ll be making good use of it, Gary!
I agree with you about Apple TV. I thought that the tag line “it’s been way too long” referred to the Apple TV, but that turned out to be wishful thinking!
Thank you, Gary, for sharing your insights with us!
Do you know if Apple Mail has been improved in Yosemite? It’s been giving me lots of problems lately, and if what I’ve seen on Twitter is any indication, I’m not the only one.
Hi Kathy, Yes, Mail has been improved with new features in Yosemite, including the ability to add large attachments, up to 5 GB, and annotate images and PDF’s from within the Mail app. I hope whatever problems you’ve been having are solved as well.
Hi Carolyn,
Great news from Apple. I haven’t upgraded to Yosemite yet, but I’ll do it later today. And, now my wife told me she’d like a new computer that she can use by herself. Hmmm, that makes me think 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend.
-Jens
Hi Jens, Yes, there are those who love it when their spouses want to upgrade because they can get a new computer themselves and then pass their gently used computers to their spouses. There are others whose spouses will insist on getting the new device. It can be a true test of a relationship!
I hope your update to Yosemite went well!
Hi Carolyn,
It’s a relief to be able to communicate again. My city Chennai, India (Madras to me) has been inundated by rain and lightning enough to pull all cables out of the comp.
Flooding is of course expected as most slums are built on old British water channels built to drain the city and the Corporation, a synonym for PWD or Public Works Department cannot evacuate the slums that occupy them – all the votes come from there.
That is the vote bank of India- the slum and ignorant farmers.
But PTL! ( Praise The Lord) the internet in various Indian languages is becoming easily available but not dependable. Sigh!
Again ( there is always a but) we the privileged few, the hard working middle class have it. We even have the forbidden fruit- Apple! all of it, with a bite on the side in the bargain! Eve possibly bit on one side only. Wonder where Adam took his bite! I digress!
OSX daily, has been pinging- on deaf years, no net, rain you see, for the past 20 hours so I have Yosemite( Yo-semi-tee) just pleading to be installed.
Hold your horses mate! I just about got to installing Mavericks 6 months ago. Love its screen calibrating capabilities and multi monitor control, but my speed sucks..with 16GB of RAM and a good Video RAM card it is slow compared to Mountain Lion and leaves me wondering why I upgraded – resisting does not happen to geeks/nerds/soft, absorbable brains)!
But! (That word again, never use it to start a sentence) I am am Power User- an imaging geek. I use Adobe Photoshop, LightRoom and Final Cut Pro.
Do I stay with Mavericks, downgrade to Mountain Lion – which honestly was much faster, or do I kill myself and install Yosemite?
Back up my hard drive hoping Time Machine does not have a glitch with Yo!
Uninstall all my imaging and writing software and wait for them to upgrade.
Replace my hard disks with SSD’s
And/buy a 27″ Retina display iMac with a meagre I T hybrid drive.
What that is? I still do not know-(hybrid drive)
But perhaps the comments that follow will enlighten me.
Thanks for the latest update,
Enjoyable as always.
Nick
PS. “Apple pay” and the wrist watch to me is one step closer to the “Mark of the beast” Revelations 13:16-18. Apple ID and iCloud makes me claustrophobic – who owns that?
Great service at what cost, is the question in my brain.
Hi Nick, Wow, I’m very glad your weather has improved in Madras. Yes, when you have thunderstorms you probably, no make that definitely, shouldn’t be updating your computer to Yosemite.
You may want to wait on Yosemite to see whether others are experiencing difficulties. I’m finding that it doesn’t play nicely with Chrome, but if you’re a Safari user you’ll be very pleased.
You’re right, Fusion in the iMac is a hybrid drive, part solid-state and part conventional that seamlessly transfers between the two. You get the benefits of “instant on” technology with the massive 1TB storage space.
Apple Pay has the potential to be a massive success, making credit/debit card payments more convenient and secure, or a failure if the system is somehow hacked. I’m hoping for the former as we definitely need a more secure payment system here in the US!
Hi Carolyn,
Your reply was precise.
I agree it is too early yet to adopt anything new. It’s always better to let the eager beavers and developers use the new software first, they have been using the beta’s a while now, so let them do the polishing up that we cannot cope with anyway.
Yes! I used to love Chrome, have been using it ever since it first made its appearance and liked its speed and very appealing web appearance.
The low profile menus and large content space with unparalleled speed made it easily the best.
For a Gmail and other G products user, it’s probably still the best. Yes! I like Safari that comes with my Mac. It does the job equally well in my opinion.
As bloggers I often wonder, does anybody know what happened to the Flock browser made for blogging? I have not seen it around lately. Opera has not really kept up to its dreams. Opera had promised to give us the first browser based OS and did not do it. Now, I am digressing into browsers.
Happy to hear about the Hybrid drive. If it can deliver it will be interesting.
Then there is always the cost vs performance factor as far as I am concerned.
Also the massive 1TB for us imaging people is not massive. In late 2014 – 2 TB would have been better as a starting point. Maybe Apple realised we won’t be keeping much on the main drive anyway and it also reduces work for Time Machine.
My gripe with Apple ID is it is very restrictive. When upgrading to Mavericks from Mountain Lion my Mac which my daughter gifted me had her name on it. I upgraded and installed in my name. That lead to a lot of problems. All the software upgrades bought on her card were not accessible anymore.
Apple store did not accept my debit card for some reason, perhaps its because in India debit cards these days are used with the user 4 number pin and not the CVV number on the reverse. I did use the Apple India site though. I had to use my daughter’s CC again to make purchases and now every time I sign it to the store I get greeted with my daughter’s name. 🙂 Now with Apple Pay that is going to be a compounded problem.
My last wish is that the Key chain problem is solved. Mavericks had a system that was faulty. None of the suggestions or fixes from Apple fixed it. One mistake in that Key chain and often the only way to solve it is to remove the key chain access password completely. Sounds scary!
I guess in ending I must say; the reason that Macs are the apple of everyone’s eyes are the goodies they have. It’s a pity, they are all priced like bling!
Hi Nick, Yes, I prefer Chrome because of the extensions. I rely on them for so much that it would be difficult to switch to another browser.
I hadn’t heard of the Flock browser. Perhaps I was too late to blogging, I’ve only been at it for 3 years, 9 months.
You can get Fusion drive in sizes up to 3 TB. You’re right, we used to think 1 GB was massive. No one ever complains they have too much space!
Our family shares an iMac and we all have accounts on one computer with my husband and I having admin rights. That seems to work well.
You’re right, Macs do command a premium price, but I’ve found they hold up longer so may save money in the long run!
I haven’t upgraded to iOS 8 and won’t go to Yosemite for awhile yet. Losing Aperture for a cloud based photo program is a big problem for me. I want to get my photos organized into Aperture before it goes away for good, so am very hesitant to get my photos accidentally put into the cloud. If someone knows how to upgrade without the default grabbing my photos, that would help.
Also, my husband upgraded to iOS8 on his iPhone 5s and he’s been having all kinds of problems. Most recently, all iMessages I sent to him didn’t get through, and he’s been having to restart the phone before he gets them as if it gets stuck or something. Also, I used to love the USA today app, but people are reporting content crashes on iOS8, so I think Apple is glossing over the issues with their new mobile iOS.
Hi Ann, Wonderful to have you back here at The Wonder of Tech! You’re wise not to be an early adopter. Tech bugs often appear in the early versions of software, no matter how many beta versions have been tested.
You’re also wise to make sure the apps and software you need are compatible with your updates. Too many people rush in, only to be stuck when incompatibilities are discovered.
iOS 8.1 will be released tomorrow and I hope that solves a lot of the issues people have been having. Between iOS 8 and Yosemite, Apple software developers certainly have their hands full!
Thanks Carolyn. You are always so positive! You are definitely a “glass half full” person. I, unfortunately, am the “half empty” brain type. And, having seen the Apple QA process from the inside, I am very disappointed in the drop in quality I’m seeing. We used to test and test and test and try to release zero defect products. I just don’t see that happening anymore. Just the pressures of the market, I guess.
Hi Ann, Yes, Apple has had a surprising number of stumbles in the past two months. I wonder if they are trying to do too much, launching new iPhones, iPads, Macs, iOS, OSX, etc. in the fall.
Time will tell whether these are mere blips or if they are warning signs of problems to come.