With iOS 10, ‘Hey Siri’ intelligently activates on just one nearby device at a time [Video]
Apple is bringing some clever intelligence for Siri with iOS 10, in addition to the publicly-announced features like third-party app integration. Thanks to a reader tip, we’ve discovered a clever enhancement for Siri on iPhones and iPads running iOS 10. When using ‘Hey Siri’ voice activation in a room with multiple nearby devices, only one device will respond.
Although both devices initially wake up, once one starts recognizing voice input, it appears to send a message to other nearby devices to cancel out the operation. This means that only device keeps listening and prevents the naive havoc that happened on iOS 9, where all devices would try to answer the ‘Hey Siri’ question causing a confusing cacophony of sound from every nearby iPhone and iPad. You can see an example of this behavior in the video after the jump …
Filed under: Apple
Spotify claims Apple rejecting latest version of its app, anticompetitively favors Apple Music
Spotify has become very vocal in recent weeks about Apple’s business practices for its App Store. Apple recently revamped its subscription policy for iOS developers, offering a 85/15 split if developers keep customers for more than a year, but Spotify is still not happy with proceedings.
In a letter to Washington seen by Recode, the company now says Apple is being anti-competitive by rejecting its latest update to the Spotify app in order to encourage sales of its own $9.99 Apple Music subscriptions. Spotify is making a lot of noise to suggest Apple is using illicit business practices to elevate the success of Apple Music, by crippling Spotify and other third-party services.
Filed under: Apple
9to5Toys Lunch Break: 12.9″ 128GB iPad Pro + LTE $800, Amazon Echo from $140, UE Roll Bluetooth speaker $50, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
Apple’s monstrous 12.9-inch iPad Pro 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular is on sale for $800 (Reg. $1,079)
Daily Deals: Amazon Echo (Refurb) $140, Insignia 39-inch LED 720p HDTV $150, more
The UE Roll is one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy and it’s on sale for $50 (Reg. $80+)
Amazon Prime Day 2016 revealed: Tons of deals, increased inventory and Alexa specials for Echo owners
MacBook Air is the best Apple laptop for most everyday users, save $200 today on a pair of the latest models
Save nearly $300 on Apple’s latest 13-inch 256GB Retina MacBook Pro: $1,200 shipped (Reg. $1,499)
PowerTime Apple Watch Charging Dock w/ 3 USB Ports: $39 shipped (Reg. $49)
Just $9 Prime shipped for a new Apple Watch band? Sounds good to me.
Apple offering free download of sketching app Procreate via Apple Store app
One of the best sniper titles on the App Store just went 50% off: Hitman Sniper $1 (Reg. $2)
LEGO Star Wars titles for Mac matching all-time lows: Saga & The Clone Wars for $5 each (Reg. up to $20)
One of the best RPGs of all-time just went 50% off on iOS: Secret of Mana $4 (Reg. $8)
Apple’s Thunderbolt Display has been put out to pasture, here are the best alternatives at every price point
Vansky’s $23 USB LED light strip gives you multi-color mood lighting
Review: Jaybird’s new Freedom Wireless headphones score high marks on design, sound [Video]
How-to: Put a USB Charging port just about anywhere, without AC power for as little as $50 (Solar+Battery)
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
Monoprice has gone off the deep end with this additional 20% off sale – Bluetooth/NFC Speaker $35 shipped (Reg. $44), more
- Lumsing Bluetooth Car Kit Adapter and FM Transmitter $18 Prime shipped (Reg. $28), more
- Ditch your phone service for Ooma’s popular Telo VoIP system: refurb $52 (Reg. $70)
- Sling TV announces new multi-stream packages plus NBC for the Summer Olympics
- highly-rated Audio-Technica AD900X: $115 shipped (Reg. $145+)
- Anova’s Sous Vide Wi-Fi Precision Cooker: $159 shipped (or less)
- Games/Apps: Far Cry Primal X1/PS4 $35, iOS freebies, more
- The remastered BioShock Trilogy is making the leap to current gen consoles
MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:
mophie’s 1840mAh Battery Case will help your iPhone 6/s make it through the day: $40 (Reg. $60)
The Nest Learning Thermostat will help lower your energy costs throughout the summer: $199 (Reg. $249)
Filed under: Apple
Comment: AppleCare+ to the rescue if you rely on Apple Watch
Fitness tracking with the Apple Watch really kicked in for me a few months ago, and now I’m obsessed with filling the Activity rings and improving my health. So when I woke up Tuesday morning and discovered what looked like a small blotch of blue ink under the glass of my Apple Watch, I sort of freaked out. I have a Move streak going and just a few days left before the Perfect Month achievement in the Activity app kicks in, so I really didn’t want to go a day without my Apple Watch.
Apple Stores still don’t swap out Apple Watches on location even with AppleCare; unlike iPhones, every Apple Watch has to be mailed off for repair or replacement. Thanks to some helpful chat support and AppleCare+, however, I learned a few things and managed not to wreck my streak…
Filed under: Apple
MLB now officially using this iPhone-connected swing analyzer sensor
The MLB today announced a deal with Blast Motion that will see it allow teams to use the accessory maker’s Blast Baseball iPhone-connected swing analyzer sensor.
Filed under: Apple
T-Mobile’s prepaid MetroPCS will start selling the iPhone tomorrow … in Florida
Latest Apple Campus 2 drone flyover captures solar panels and fuel cells, underground theater, and R&D buildings progress
One month after his last drone flyover of Apple’s under construction Apple Campus 2 site, Matthew Roberts has sent over an update for July that gives an up-close look at progress in recent weeks.
Filed under: Apple
B&O launches Beoplay H5, wireless in-ear headphones aimed at fitness fans
If you care about audio quality even while you run or work out, Bang & Olufsen‘s latest wireless in-ear headphones may tick the box. The Beoplay H5 have a number of features aimed directly at fitness fans.
First, the cable is moulded directly into the rubber, which B&O says keeps the sweat out, to avoid corrosion in the electronics, while the earpiece housings are also moisture-resistant. Second, the shape has been ‘meticulously tested and improved’ to provide a snug fit no matter what shape your ear canal, so they shouldn’t fall out. Third, when you’re done listening, the two earpieces snap magnetically together, keeping the headphones locked safely around your neck …
Filed under: Apple
Apple supports the average port for 15 years; the headphone socket is at 32 years
Many are viewing the expected removal of the headphone socket from the iPhone 7 as a radical move, even by a company noted for its readiness to abandon what it considers to be legacy ports. But a fascinating chart put together by The Verge (below) suggests that perhaps it’s not so radical after all.
It shows that Apple typically supports a port, or I/O standard, for around 15 years. The headphone socket has been in every Apple product since 1984 – some 32 years. Given that Apple has supported it for twice as long as most everything else, perhaps we shouldn’t be quite so surprised …
Filed under: Apple