Apple reportedly killing iTunes LP format this month, but digital music sales are safe for now

Apple appears to be finally pulling the plug on its iTunes LP format this year. For music sold in the iTunes Store, iTunes LP has served as a useful but not popular digital solution for including a rich multimedia experience with digital music.
Feature Request: Add Hey iPhone/iPad/Watch/HomePod commands to direct Siri responses

My experience with HomePod has so far been a very positive one, with its responsiveness to Siri requests something that’s really impressed me.
A key HomePod feature is its use of noise-cancelling microphones so that it can hear Hey Siri requests no matter how loudly the music is playing, but I’ve also been really amazed by the sheer distance at which Siri can hear me – often from one end of our apartment to the other.
But there is a downside to this …
Apple funding $250k ‘Innovation Zone’ at new accessible playground in Sunnyvale

Apple has long been lauded for their dedication to creating accessible products, and Tim Cook has even called accessibility a “core value” of the company. Now, Apple is giving back to their own local community by partnering with the Magical Bridge Foundation to support the development of a new accessible playground in Sunnyvale, CA.
Analysis of Facebook ‘Protect’ VPN code raises more questions

Facebook caused a lot of raised eyebrows when it incorporated the Onavo Protect iOS VPN app into its own app in a feature it called Protect.
Facebook billed it as protecting user data, but in practice it does the opposite, allowing Facebook to collect and analyze your data. A new analysis of the Onavo Protect code by security researcher Will Strafach raises more questions …
How to maximize the reliability of Face ID on the iPhone X: four tips

A Reddit thread on Face ID reported mixed experience of Face ID on the iPhone X, some owners supporting Apple’s contention that it would improve over time, but others still experiencing a significant number of failures.
9to5Mac readers report mostly positive experiences, but some are still finding it less than satisfactory. For me, it’s worked extremely well, but I have noticed a few things that might help with reliability …
Washington state defies FCC to pass its own net neutrality law

When the Federal Communications Commission overturned net neutrality rules that ensured ISPs had to treat all websites and web services equally, it also decided that its own wishes should over-ride those of individual states. It included a provision that banned states from restoring consumer protection by passing their own net neutrality laws.
Some states – like New York – found workarounds, but Washington has decided to simply defy the FCC and pass its own law …
Apple debuts new HomePod short film directed by Spike Jonze [Video]
Here’s how the iPhone 6s performs before and after a battery replacement [Video]

Apple confirmed in December that it does slow older iPhones as their batteries age and are unable to handle a full load. The company is currently offering users a discounted rate for battery replacements, giving users the opportunity to return to full power.
A new video shared today offers a great look at just how noticeable the performance difference is between an iPhone 6s with performance throttling, and one with a brand new battery just replaced by Apple…
Has Face ID on the iPhone X improved over time for you? [Poll]

The iPhone X has been available for almost exactly four months now, and that means users have had ample time to adjust to Face ID, Apple’s latest biometric technology. An interesting Reddit thread emerged this weekend where iPhone X users discussed whether or not Face ID has improved over time.
Has Face ID on the iPhone X improved over time for you?
New survey shows the top reasons people didn’t upgrade to the iPhone 8 or iPhone X

A new analyst survey published today offers some insight as to what consumers are looking for in future generation iPhones. Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson shared the results of a survey he conducted with 1,500 people who did not recently purchase a new iPhone, finding three primary factors preventing those users from upgrading…
