iPhone 17 Air will be released with a battery case, but there is a better alternative.

Charles Martin from AppleInsider:

Apple will be bringing back a battery-case accessory for its planned iPhone 17 Air to help give the super-slim model all-day battery life.

While the novelty of a super-thin, super-light iPhone is intended to encourage upgrades from older models, the slim design necessitates a smaller battery, and so reduced battery time.

Apple intends to offset this disadvantage by offering an iPhone 17 Air (or iPhone 17 Slim) case that adds its own battery pack, according to a new report from The Information. Adding a thicker battery case would of course undo some of the benefit of a slimmer iPhone, but it's an option that will restore longer battery life.

Battery cases are not new — Apple itself released one for the iPhone 6 and 6s back in 2015. Apple ceased selling a battery case once it released the MagSafe Battery Pack in 2021.

A criticism of both the battery case and its MagSafe successor was that it added bulk to the iPhone. The reported new battery case for the slim model would inevitably do the same, but reportedly Apple believes it's necessary.

That's because Apple's own internal testing of the new model suggests that only between 60% and 70% of users will still get a full day's use of the slimmer, lighter iPhone Air.

That does mean a majority of iPhone 17 Air users will not need to recharge during the day. However, with current iPhone models, it's claimed that this compares poorly to the 80% to even 90% of users who get a full day from a single charge.

People who buy the iPhone 17 Air will be fully aware of its limitations because you can clearly see those limitations, so a battery case would defeat the purpose of the slim device. What makes more sense is a stronger set of magnets and a more robust MagSafe Battery Pack that could be used by all iPhone 17 devices.

Apple Park Visitor Center - Here is all the exclusive merch you can buy (April 2025).

I was fortunate enough to visit Apple Park a few weeks ago, and there’s a lot of exclusive merchandise you can buy that is not available at any other Apple store. It’s not as diverse as it was a few years prior back in 2022 and there is no more One Infinite Loop store, but there is still something for everyone.

The wall of T-shirts. 16 total choices to choose from.

The middle display houses Mugs, Pens, Notebooks, and S’well water bottles with an Apple logo.

The third and final display has onesies, memory cards, and more T-shirts with the same design.

T-shirts

They come in a variety of sizes and designs, but the price tag might turn you off at $40 each. If you don’t see your size on the shelves, ask an associate and they can check their back-end stock. I bought 2 medium shirts and I should have bought 1 large and 1 medium. Apple’s sizing is more towards the tighter petite size if you’re into that sort of fit.

At 6ft and 185ish pounds, the medium is just barely fitting me. I’m color coordinating pretty good though with my black and white setup, including the bonus light ring on my macro lens that looks like Apple Park.

Side Profile.

Apple Pens

Not compatible with any iPad, these are old-fashioned pens that use ink to put your thoughts on physical paper.

I know, it’s crazy.

At $35, they are actually $1 cheaper than the actual pens the company (retro51) sells on their website. I guess they felt that the Apple logo cheapened their brand so they had to make sure their version was priced just a wee bit higher. You twist the knurled top to open and close the pen, which has a nice friction-less glide to it when you write.

They come in five colors:

1. Silver

2. Space Gray

3. Gold

4. Rose Gold

5. Black

I got one in Silver, Space Gray, and Rose Gold (for the wife).* The black one doesn’t look good in my opinion and you can barely see the Apple logo. It doesn’t seem to be anodized like the other colors giving it a painted texture that feels cheaper. The shelves speak for themselves as they were the least popular.

One guy grabbed like 8 of the silver pens before I could get there, clearing out all the stock. I asked the store associate if they had more and thankfully they did. These Apple fanboys I tell ya…

The pen is beautiful.

The Apple logo is perfectly aligned and exactly on the opposite side of the pen clip…

but the company’s logo is surprisingly off-axis.

Apple Coffee Mugs

Honestly, I was on the fence about buying one since I didn’t want it to break on my flight back. I’m not a huge coffee drinker, but it would have been nice to drink in this Japanese made porcelain mug since I love things that are Made in Japan. The black ones are preferable if you like a matte finish to your coffee mug. Comes in 2 sizes as well. The large ones are $29, so maybe $24 for the small?

There’s only one Apple logo that faces you when you drink (assuming you drink right-handed), which is actually nice because it helps you keep a low-profile at your Microsoft Edge Browser improvement meetings. If you’re Android buddy drinks with his or her left hand, you can even serve them coffee in this mug as a friendly prank, making them look like a huge Apple nerd while they’re browsing on their Samsung Galaxy whatever. Another cool functional piece - the bottom of the mug has a cork-like material that acts like a built-in coaster. I will have to snag one of these in a future visit.

Memory Cards

Not the storage variety, but physical cards that feel like a deck of premium playing cards. One of the more nifty pieces of swag that makes for a nice ice breaker at gatherings. At $10 and being made in America, probably the best bang for your buck. We could use an updated set of cards with more recent products, Apple.

Made in America. Here you go, Donald Trump.

The cards feel like premium playing cards.

The original MacBook Air is the only card that is in landscape orientation.

Apple S’well Water bottle

I’m not a fan of these bottles. Very nice shape and design, but doesn’t hold traditional giant ice cubes or a lot of water for that matter. I prefer my REEVUS water bottle any day that devours huge ice cubes, has Find-My built-in, holds more water, and has a MagSafe stand.

Apple Notebook

I keep all my notes in the Notes app, but if you are a fan of all things Apple and are really into journaling or just writing your thoughts on paper, it’s a no brainer to pick up a few of these. Comes in a big and small size.

Onesies

Aah yes, onesies for your loved ones to get them on the Apple bandwagon from an early age. Also a great gift for the Android enthusiast who would like nothing better to see than Apple getting soiled on. $20.

Merch that was not there

Unfortunately there were no baseball hats, tote bags, or postcards to be seen. Maybe next time.

---

*She actually didn’t care for it, so now it’s mine.

The iPhone kept me sober, but not for long…

Juli Clover from MacRumors:

Starting in 2026, Apple plans to change the release cycle for its flagship iPhone lineup, according to The Information. Apple will release the more expensive ‌iPhone‌ 18 Pro models in the fall, delaying the release of the standard ‌iPhone‌ 18 until the spring.

The shift may be because Apple plans to debut a foldable ‌iPhone‌ in 2026, which will join the existing ‌iPhone‌ lineup. The fall release will include the ‌iPhone‌ 18 Pro, the ‌iPhone‌ 18 Pro Max, an ‌iPhone‌ 18 Air, and the new foldable ‌iPhone‌.

Later, in spring 2027, Apple will release the standard ‌iPhone‌ 18 and an updated version of the iPhone 16e. The less expensive ‌iPhone‌ models will undergo manufacturing trials in India as Apple expands efforts to reduce its reliance on Chinese manufacturing.

One of the reasons I left Android for Apple was because it curbed my tech addiction. There would be a new Android phone every few months, causing me to sell and buy new devices to the point where the AT&T reps at the store knew me by first name, ready to buy the newest Android flagship. It could also be because of my name because really, how many Fahads are there in Kansas?

With Apple, you buy one device (an iPhone 5 at the time), and it’s the flagship for the whole year.

The iPhone made me and kept me “tech sober.”

Looks like this year we will have 3 flagships, and 4 flagships next year. Most people would consider the Pro and Pro Max to be one flagship, but I consider them to be separate because it really is a tough decision to decide which size to buy. The small size feels amazing in the hand, but the large size is just so immersive.

I won’t be swayed by the mid-cycle refreshes for the base models, but to have 4 flagships in the Fall of 2026 is going to be insane. I like the idea of a regular sized iPhone that opens up into the size of an iPad mini, so a foldable isn’t out of the question.

I do have more responsibilities now with a total family count of 6, so I’ll have to make my iPhone decisions wisely.

Apple’s premium pre-configured packaging for the original Apple Watch meant insane deals for the patient.

The original Apple Watch launch was a historic event. I would argue it had the best introduction of any new product category for Apple outside the iPhone. As any first generation product gets launched, mistakes are made, and one company’s mistake is another person’s good fortune.

When you look at Apple’s original packaging for the Apple Watch, they came in pre-configured units that were not modular like the current packaging. Today, you can pick your watch size and case material, pair it with any band you like, and you will get a standard cardboard flap that wraps two separate boxes: one for your strap, and one for your watch.

Original Apple Watch packaging with holes for the charging cable and 5W plug (left) vs Series 10 (right).

Pre-configured watches had the strap already assembled in the premium, glossy plastic box with felt lining, compared to a cardboard sleeve holding a paper sleeve with the watch inside.

This type of packaging makes perfect sense since it manages inventory better and allows for better logistics. You literally make the packaging based on what the customer ordered, instead of telling the customer to pick from these standard configurations.

It wasn’t like that for the first few generations of Apple Watch. You would get a pre-configured watch that was set at many price points, all the way from $399 for the base aluminum watch, to the over $1,000 stainless steel watch with link bracelet. If you wanted another band to go with your watch, you would have to buy that separately.

You know you got the Stainless Steel watch if you got the square box.

Same premium high gloss plastic casing.

Your Watch came fully assembled, and you also got the premium charging puck that was stainless steel instead of aluminum (not pictured).

I actually have it placed incorrectly here. The watch body would be in the gapped section, making it fit more flush.

I remember when Apple announced pricing for the Apple Watch, I was bummed because the Stainless Steel with link bracelet was at a minimum $1,000. I told myself there’s no way I would plunk down that kind of money.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, and stores had piles of these sitting in inventory. Retailers didn’t know what to do with their stock of $1,000 plus Series 0* Apple watches that no one wanted to buy, so they heavily discounted these when the Series 2 came out. I’m talking heavy discounts.

Best Buy had a 38mm Apple Watch with link bracelet that normally retailed for $999 down to $349. Yes, $349. They also had the space black version of the same configuration for $449 instead of $1,049.

When I saw these deals online, my jaw literally dropped. Was this really happening? My premium Apple Watch dreams that were once crushed were rejuvenated. My mind was running wild with all kinds of ways to take advantage of this deal:

“I could buy both and sell one of them to essentially get a free Apple Watch.”

“If I kept both, I could mix and match the stainless steel look which would look amazing!”

“I can keep both watches and one of the link bracelets, and just sell a bracelet and still come out on top.”

The opportunities were endless. I always wanted the link bracelet with a stainless steel Apple Watch, and now I could easily afford it. So did I get the regular Stainless Steel or the Space Black?

Yes.

I grabbed both of these deals. The bands alone were worth $449 and $549, and now I can get the whole watch with that band for $100 cheaper!

This was one of my fondest memories of the original Apple Watch because of the insane value it was. Sure they were slower than the Series 1 and 2, but it was fast enough for me.

At first, I didn’t think I would like the 38mm size, but when I wore it, it was perfect. It didn’t look like a toy, but a proper luxury watch. I went from the 42mm Aluminum watch to a 38mm Stainless Steel and never looked back. The smaller size just looked better and became my size of choice from that point forward. The irony of the situation is now the smaller 42mm size equals the original, larger 42mm, so we’re back to square one.

*Series 0 refers to the original Apple Watch released in April 2015. Apple released a Series 1 alongside the Series 2 in September 2016 that had a faster processor and discontinued the original Apple Watch.

A deeper speculation into Apple Watch SE 3rd generation’s display size.

Juli Clover from MacRumors:

Apple is working on an updated version of the low-cost Apple Watch SE, and the displays for the new model have entered production, according to display analyst Ross Young.

Young says that the new ‌Apple Watch SE‌ 3 will be available with 1.6-inch and 1.8-inch display sizes, which suggests little in the way of an upgrade over the current ‌Apple Watch SE‌ models. The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ 2 comes in 40mm and 44mm size options, and Apple could stick with those sizes for the next-generation models.

The ‌Apple Watch SE‌ has historically been based on an existing Apple Watch model, and the current version is based on the Apple Watch Series 6. Apple could continue with another model based on the Series 6 design, but there are other options. The display sizes could be off somewhat due to rounding issues and Apple could be planning for a larger Series 7 design with 41mm and 45mm sizes, or the new ‌Apple Watch SE‌ could get an entirely new design.

The 1.6-inch and 1.8-inch estimates are perfect numbers for speculation because it means the display could be either the size of the Series 7-9 or the Series 10 and technically you can’t be wrong.

I measured my 41mm Series 9 display which is the same as the Series 7 and 8, and it measured 1.56 inches diagonally. The Series 10 is just a hair bigger, and would probably be right at 1.6 inches diagonally. I have the smaller sized watch, and the bigger one would be around 1.8 inches like the rumors are suggesting.

When the original SE was released, it came with the same screen size as the Series 6 at the time. My guess is the SE 3rd gen will come with the same display size as the Series 10 and 11, minus the always-on feature just like the first SE.

Apple Watch Series 7 thru 9 displays never had a version without always-on capabilities, so it makes more sense to just use a Series 10 display without those features included. A series 10 display would also mean the newly updated body style that is all aluminum even in back.

Should make for a more streamlined manufacturing process for the SE 3 and Series 11 with their similar displays and body styles.

A new color, “olo” was observed for the first time.

The Scientific American:

What, exactly, did olo look like? Ng describes it as “blue-green with unprecedented saturation”—a perception the human brain conjured up in response to a signal it had never before received from the eye. The closest thing to olo that can be displayed on a computer screen is teal, or the color represented by the hexadecimal code #00ffcc, Ng says. If you want to try envisioning olo, take that teal as the starting point: Imagine that you are adjusting the latter on a computer. You keep the hue itself steady but gradually increase the saturation. At some point, you reach a limit of what your screen can show you. You keep increasing the saturation past what you can find in the natural world until you reach the limit of saturation perceptible by humans—resulting in what you’d see from a laser pointer that emitted almost entirely teal light. Olo lies even further than that.

To check if what the participants saw as olo really was a color beyond humans’ standard visual range, the researchers completed color-matching experiments in which they could compare olo with a teal laser and adjust the color’s saturation by adding or subtracting white light. All participants found that if they added white light to olo, desaturating it, the new color would match the laser, confirming that olo lies beyond the normal human range of color vision.

I know another “color” that lies beyond the normal human range of color vision...Sky Blue for the MacBook Air.

Apple quietly updates Apple Watch to only work with iPhones on iOS 18 or later.

Update 5/12/25: See the clarification and correction to this article here.

If you have an iPhone X or earlier, don’t unpair your Apple Watch from your device because it will stop working. You must have iOS 18 now in order to pair any Apple Watch with your device. iOS 18 is available on iPhone XS or later, and iPhone SE 2nd generation or later.

This was changed recently and Apple released an updated support document. Apple’s previous compatibility chart was more complicated, but it allowed older versions of iOS to work with older Apple Watches. Their chart was not complete, and I made a modified chart to include the iPhone SE models.

Apple’s compatibility chart was dated Nov. 20, 2024, and Apple’s most recent support document is dated Feb. 28, 2025, a Friday.

So on a Friday, right when the news cycle for the week ends, Apple published a support document quietly making it impossible to pair usable Apple Watches with iOS 17 or older devices. I was in the process today of pairing a Series 5 on watchOS 10 with my iPhone SE 1st gen on iOS 15 which was possible according to Apple’s chart, but I could no longer do that and when I clicked on the “Learn More” option, the support document spelled it out bluntly:

To set up and use an Apple Watch, you need iPhone XS or later with iOS 18 or later.

Both the iPhone SE 1st gen and the Series 5 watch are on their latest software revisions, but even then it is not possible.

iOS 18 is the minimum you need now.

It is a bitter sweet ending, since it was quite perplexing to keep track of which watches on which version of watchOS would work with which iPhones on which versions of iOS. Even for a geek like me it was hard to keep it straight. The backwards compatibility was bound to come to an end, and that time is now.

Keep these 4 points in mind:

1. If you have iOS 18, you can pair any Apple Watch to it.

2. If you don’t have iOS 18, you cannot pair any Apple Watch to it.

3. If your Apple Watch is currently paired to an iOS 17 device, it will continue to work, but you might eventually be forced to upgrade to iOS 18 if you have an iPhone XS or later or an iPhone SE 2nd gen or later.

4. If you have an iPhone X or earlier, unpairing your current Apple Watch will prevent you from re-pairing the device to your iPhone.

This iPhone 17 Pro camera downgrade will actually be an upgrade.

According to Majin Bu, the iPhone 17 Pro will get a 3.5x telephoto zoom instead of a 5x telephoto:

The new iPhone 17 Pro introduces a completely redesigned camera module. Gone is the diagonal lens arrangement: now the lenses are aligned horizontally in a wider layout. This isn’t just an aesthetic change, it’s a functional choice to integrate an enhanced telephoto lens that delivers exceptional performance.

Telephoto Lens: New Optical Zoom 

The telephoto lens of the iPhone 17 Pro is the heart of this revolution. Here’s what makes it special:

– Versatile focal length: It shifts from 120 mm (5x optical zoom) to 85 mm (3.5x), perfect for portraits and everyday shots.

– 48-megapixel sensor: Compared to the previous 12-megapixel sensors, it offers optical zoom up to 7x (160 mm) with top-quality images.

– Advanced optics: Ensures sharp details even at long distances.

With these features, the telephoto lens combines versatility and power, turning every shot into a masterpiece.

Currently the Pro iPhone has a weird gap in its zoom options at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x. By having a 48MP 3.5x lens, they can provide 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3.5x, 5x, and 7x zoom options.

Granted the 2x, 5x, and 7x would be marketing tools for “digital zoom with optical quality,” but they do produce reasonable images considering you’re holding a ultra slim device when compared to a real camera.

The main upgrade for the 3.5x lens would be a lower aperture. The iPhone has been stuck at f2.8 for its telephoto options since the iPhone 13 Pro, and a lot of challenging light situations make the iPhone default back to the 1x Fusion camera leading to worse photos. A lower aperture would mean more low-light 3.5x photos would actually be 3.5x instead of a 3.5x crop from the 1x lens.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ have an f2.4 3x optical zoom, and the S25 Ultra has an f2 3x optical zoom. Hopefully the camera tech has advanced enough to give us a similar aperture at 3.5x.

Apple’s Ceramic Shield ad also highlights Camera Control’s foibles.

Apple was trying to highlight the durability of Ceramic Shield, but the only reason why the guy drops the phone is because of Camera Control. The hand placement is just more secure when using the touchscreen.

Apple Intelligence is selling more iPhones, and that’s more money in your pocket…

The CIRP report (covered by MacRumors):

New data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) suggests Apple's iPhone 16e is off to a strong start, capturing 7% of U.S. iPhone sales in its first partial quarter of availability. The new mid-range offering outperformed the iPhone SE's share from the same quarter last year.

The entire iPhone 16 lineup, now consisting of five models with the addition of the 16e, accounted for 74% of total U.S. iPhone sales in the March 2025 quarter. It's a marked increase from the 68% share held by the four iPhone 15 models during the same period in 2024.

While the 16e drove much of this growth, CIRP's data shows some surprising shifts across the lineup. The standard iPhone 16 saw a decent boost, climbing to 20% of sales compared to just 14% for the iPhone 15 in the previous year's quarter.

Meanwhile, Apple's high-end models had an unexpected decline. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max together accounted for 38% of iPhone sales, down from 45% for the iPhone 15 Pro models a year earlier. The iPhone 16 Pro specifically dropped from 22% to 17% market share.

More evidence for the class-action lawyers who are fighting for the little man to get his $8.43 check from Apple in 6 years.

When you walk into an Apple Store, and sell them a product.

I was trying on some cases at the Apple Store just to see how they feel, and when I took out my iPhone 16 Pro Max with the OpenCase, an Apple employee standing beside me was instantly intrigued. I didn’t have my wallet on it at the moment, so she saw the gaping hole in the back.

“What is that case?!” she asked. I told her what it was and why it was a cool case because it secures any accessory that fits in the slot. I slapped my Apple Wallet on the back of the case to show her how seamlessly it fits, put it in my pocket, and showed her that even if the pants snag on the wallet, it never falls.

She was impressed, and the expression on her face just screamed, “Shut up and take my money!”

Now I’m the salesman, and she’s the customer.

You can read more about my thoughts on the OpenCase in my review.

Old ladies love their mini iPhone, and are still hanging on.

Rarely have I seen an iPhone 12 or 13 mini in the wild. Besides my iPhone 12 mini (which I sold to an old lady), I have only seen one other person with one.

I went for a Genius Bar appointment a few days ago and as I was waiting, and an older lady was there with her iPhone 12 mini trying to see why it wouldn’t charge from the lightning port. I didn’t hear everything that was going on, but she was having charging issues because she got the liquid-detection alert on her iPhone 12 mini. Apparently she might have shorted a few of the pins on her iPhone, and her charging was acting weird. They cleaned out her port and told her it is charging for now, but you might want to upgrade.

She asked about the latest iPhone mini, and the Genius told her there is no more mini, and this is the smallest iPhone (showing her a store model iPhone 16).

“What??!” She said, “No more mini?”

She was dumbfounded, and I felt bad for her. We, the enthusiast, were aware the mini would be discontinued about a year in advance when the 13 mini was released, but to get the news like that must have been a shock to her system.

After she was done talking and was about to leave, I couldn’t help myself and felt compelled to step in. I gave her the suggestion to use a magnetic charging pad if her lighting port ever stops working again, pointing and showing her the MagSafe puck sitting on the Genius table.

She thanked me but said she will stick to charging via the lightning cable for now since that’s what she’s used to. At least now she is fully informed and has a backup plan if her lightning port does go completely dead.

I did my due diligence.

The second old lady is someone I know who bought my iPhone 12 mini a few years ago. She still uses her iPhone 12 mini to this day, even though the font size on it is maxed out and you can only see 3 lines of text on the screen.

She barely uses her phone and only uses it when she needs to, so it’s not a big deal for her. She loves the portability of it considering she treats it like a Light phone. Basic calls and messages and maybe a bit of social media to keep up with family. Half the time she forgets it at home because she actively wants to use a smartphone less and not be hooked on it.

Smart lady.

It’s been through hell and back since I gave it to her, and she has had the battery and screen replaced after shattering it. Not sure how much longer it will last, but it’s been 4 years and counting.

That’s the story of the iPhone mini, barely hanging on until they all go extinct.

Fun fact - both these iPhones 12 mini were (PRODUCT)RED.

Google follows Apple and updates Android devices to auto-reboot after 3 days for security purposes.

TechCrunch:

On Monday, the tech giant pushed updates to Google Play services, a core part of Android that provides functionalities for apps and the operating system itself. Listed under “Security & Privacy” is a new security feature that “will automatically restart your device if locked for 3 consecutive days.”

Last year, Apple rolled out the same feature for iOS. The thinking behind adding an automatic reboot after a certain period of inactivity is to make life more difficult for someone who is trying to unlock or extract data from a phone; for example, law enforcement using a forensic analysis device like those made by Cellebrite or Magnet Forensics. 

Before a phone is switched on and unlocked, certain data stored within is fully encrypted and harder to access without the user’s passcode. This is known as the “Before First Unlock” state. Once unlocked, on the other hand, some data gets decrypted and can potentially be accessed by bruteforcing the passcode or taking advantage of security flaws, which is generally how law enforcement forensic devices work. This state is known as “After First Unlock.”

Arstechnica:

The early sluggishness of Android system updates prompted Google to begin moving parts of the OS to Google Play Services. This collection of background services and libraries can be updated by Google automatically in the background as long as your phone is certified for Google services (which almost all are). That's why the inactivity reboot will just show up on your phone in the coming weeks with no notification.

Great update that will come to all Android devices since it’s tied to Google Play Services and not a specific version of Android.

iPhone 16 Pro Max OpenCase Review - less is more.

I bought an OpenCase after hearing about it on the Talk Show, and I found it to be quite fascinating. It’s like ripped jeans, except this actually makes sense. You get less, but it provides more value. Can’t say the same about ripped jeans.

You can guess why it’s called the OpenCase.

You have an iPhone case, but you have a hole in the back of it for MagSafe accessories that attach directly to the phone instead of the case. This gives you an overall thinner profile when attaching your wallet or a battery pack or any other accessory. Not only do you get a thinner profile but you get a better, more secure fit. No more wallets falling off while you stick your iPhone into your skinny jeans.

The cut out matches Apple’s MagSafe wallet and MagSafe battery pack perfectly, so that is your template for fitment. If you have a battery pack that is too bulky, or a wallet with bigger dimensions, this case is not for you. Thankfully OpenCase also makes compatible accessories if you’re looking for a one-stop shop. I do have an Otterbox MagSafe battery pack that fits right into this slot, making it a perfect fit.

Here are some accessories that I have that fit the OpenCase perfectly:

1. Apple MagSafe Battery Pack

2. Apple MagSafe Wallet

3. Otterbox 5K mAh Wireless Power Bank

4. Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe

The case material is a vegan leather that feels good in the hand, and more importantly, feels good in the pocket. It doesn’t stick to pockets like silicone cases do, and it makes it easy and hassle-free when removing and putting your phone in your pocket. That is my biggest gripe with silicone cases, and cases in general. No matter how premium they are, they still tend to be lint magnets and have a tendency to turn your pockets inside-out. The OpenCase doesn’t have that problem.

A nice ridged texture that makes it easy to grip and doesn’t attract lint.

Pocket dynamics are also good with the case and a MagSafe accessory because you can even use the MagSafe accessory that is jutting out from the back of the phone to help pull the phone out of your pocket. Normally the MagSafe accessory would just slide off leaving the phone in place, but in this case, the attachment is secure enough to help pull the phone out with ease. It’s almost like a grab handle to help retrieve your iPhone from your pocket.

The cutout at the bottom for the USB-C port is big enough for most cables, but you will have trouble charging with a thicker cable, such as a Nintendo Switch USB-A to USB-C cable. The buttons I think are aluminum, and have a satisfying click to them. If they’re plastic, they do a really good job of looking and feeling like aluminum.

The port cut-out might be a bit small for really big cables, but the alignment is perfect.

I can’t tell if these are aluminum or plastic, which is a good thing.

Volume Buttons and Action Button

The cut out for Camera Control is not the most professional looking, but I can see why they did it the way they did it. Since there is already a big hole in the back of the case, having a bigger cutout for the Camera Control button would have made the case flimsy and on the cusp of breaking. I know their website mentions they went through a lot of prototyping, and I’m sure this Camera Control button gave them frustration. You really do have to press a bit harder to launch Camera Control, which could be a plus or a minus depending on the person. The swipe and click gestures do work on it, but if you are really into the Camera Control button and use it a lot for taking photos and changing controls, zooming, etc, you will get a better experience with other cases or no case. Since I use it solely for launching the Camera app, it’s fine for me.

Not much wiggle room to carve out a Camera Control hole.

That Camera Control button on the White Titanium iPhone closely matches the color of the OpenCase.

The case is a bit recessed by the Camera Control button to make it a bit easier to press.

Let’s talk about that hole in the back in more detail.

The MagSafe charging puck fits right in place near the top of the square hole, so if you have a 3rd party charger with a bigger diameter, it won’t line up properly. Any other accessory that has the same diameter as the standard MagSafe puck will work fine.

The Moment MagSafe puck has the same diameter as a MagSafe, making it a perfect fit in portrait or landscape.

If you have a non-circular MagSafe charger or one with a larger diameter, you can’t put your iPhone flush with the charger due to the nature of the case. You can still charge it, but it won’t be as secure and will fall if bumped lightly.

3rd party charger with bigger diameter leads to…

Improper fit in portrait…

and landscape.

The case is as thick as Apple’s Clear Case and the recessed cutout for MagSafe is 3mm, so you get exactly a 3mm savings in thickness when attaching an accessory. Doesn’t sound like much but you can definitely feel it.

~3mm of thickness is enough to secure your MagSafe accessories.

It’s genuinely harder to take an accessory out of that recessed hole versus a regular case where it will just slide off. Rest assured, any accessory that fits the hole perfectly will not detach without significant force.

You get a certain level of satisfaction when connecting an accessory and seeing it fit right in place, kind of like the classic children’s shape sorting cube toy where you have different shapes and wooden blocks that fit only one particular hole. Magnets are always fun, and so is MagSafe, but this is just that extra level of fun when you magnetically fit it into the perfect shape.

Dear Apple, make another MagSafe Battery Pack with USB-C.

If you’re concerned about durability, I would get the black one since it’s harder to notice wear and tear versus the light gray one. I would like to see more colors in the future.

I don’t normally put a case on my iPhone except when I’m traveling, and this seems like the perfect travel case since I can slap on my wallet or battery pack without worry or bulk. Pocket space is already at a premium when traveling, so if I can consolidate two things into one I’m all for it.

This isn’t an ultra-rugged case for all your outdoor adventures, but it is a nice modern case that will keep your phone protected in day to day use.

The case costs $55 for the iPhone 16 series, but if you own an iPhone 14 or 15 variant, you can snag one for $39.

Even with some of its minor quibbles such as wireless charging, this case was purpose-built for one thing, and it does that one thing very well. If you want the most secure and compact way to carry a MagSafe wallet or battery pack while protecting your iPhone, the OpenCase is not just your only option, but a great option.

Case closed.

You can still access your Wallet while hard-locking your iPhone.

After discussing hard-locking your iPhone a few days ago, it turns out you can still use the Wallet app by double-clicking the Power Button to access your boarding passes, membership cards, and Driver’s License in participating states.

You can also pay with Apple Pay, but you would have to enter your Passcode which I would argue is more dangerous in that situation since you’re probably around other people.

You learn something new everyday.

Fire and Water watch face doesn’t go full screen on the Series 10.

When the Series 4 Apple Watch was announced, it debuted with a multitude of watch faces that embraced the full screen nature of the device. Gone was the harsh rectangular shape of the screen, and in was a new “edge-to-edge” display that gave us 30% more real estate and curved around with the watch’s shape.

These three visually appealing and functionally devoid watch faces were:

1. Fire and Water

2. Liquid Metal

3. Vapor

Fire and Water was the best watch face in my opinion, but you can’t get that in full screen mode on the Series 10. It works in full screen mode on my Series 5 with its now thick bezels, and also on my Series 9. It’s been like this since the Series 10 launched back in September. This problem doesn’t exist with the Liquid Metal and Vapor watch faces.

Bug reported to Apple.

There is no “Dial” option on the Series 10 to change it to full screen mode.

Apple…er, beats launches new beats USB-C cables with 4 color options.

I’ve never seen such a flashy landing page for a charging cable, but the marketing team did their job well. Compared to Apple’s USB-C cable, you get a longer 5 ft. cable vs a 3.3 ft. cable, the same USB 2 data transfer rates, and the same max charging rate at 60W.

All for one cent cheaper than Apple at $18.99 vs a whole $19 because Apple still has to market themself as the premium brand, of course.

They even have an 8-inch version (20cm) at the same price, but that only comes in black.

All cables are USB-C on one end, with lightning, USB-C, or USB-A(!) at the other end.

You can only get the blue cable in the USB-C to USB-C variety.

How to Temporarily Disable Face ID or Touch ID, and Require a Passcode to Unlock Your iPhone or iPad (2025 edition).

There’s never a bad time (and always a good time) to be reminded of this feature.

I copied the title straight from Gruber’s website, and it’s best just to read his description since I couldn’t put it any better. His almost 3-year-old article still holds up well, especially in today’s day and age:

The problem is this: if you use Face ID or Touch ID on your device (and you almost certainly should), what happens if law enforcement (or anyone else for that matter) takes your device and physically forces you to unlock it biometrically? There is some legal precedent supporting the notion that police can force you to do this, but can’t force you to provide them with a passcode or passphrase.

Here are two essential things everyone should know.

The first is hard-locking. When you hard-lock your iPhone or iPad, it enters a mode that requires the device passcode to unlock. With recent iPhones and iPads, you enter this mode the same way that you turn off the device: by pressing and holding the power button and either of the volume buttons for about two seconds.* You’ll know when you’ve pressed the buttons long enough because there’s haptic feedback.** This takes you to the screen where you see a slider to power down the device, and on iPhones, where you can initiate an Emergency SOS call or view the device owner’s Medical ID (if they have one). The important thing to note is that you don’t have to do anything on this screen to hard-lock your device — once you’ve gotten to this screen, the device is already hard-locked and will require the passcode to unlock. You can’t use Face ID or Touch ID again until the passcode has been entered. This is important because it means you can easily hard-lock your iPhone without even looking at it, or removing it from your pocket or purse. That you can do this surreptitiously is very much by design.

Just press and hold the buttons on both sides. Remember that. Try it now. Don’t just memorize it, internalize it, so that you’ll be able to do it without much thought while under duress, like if you’re confronted by a police officer. Remember to do this every time you’re separated from your phone, like when going through the magnetometer at any security checkpoint, especially airports. As soon as you see a metal detector ahead of you, you should think, “Hard-lock my iPhone”.

The second thing is to know your rights. Never ever hand your phone to a cop or anyone vaguely cop-like, like the rent-a-cops working for TSA. If they tell you that you must, refuse. They can and will lie to you about this. If you really need to hand it over, they’ll take it from you. And they won’t get anything from it, because you’ll have already hard-locked it, and you’ll know that you cannot be required to give them your passcode.

* You can also do the same thing by quickly pressing the side button alone five times. On older iPhones (iPhone 7 and earlier), rapidly pressing the side button five times will immediately initiate the SOS phone call to emergency services; on iPhone 8 and later it just takes you to the same lock screen as when you press and hold the side button along with a volume button. I find the press-and-hold method easier to remember. I think of it as squeezing my iPhone for a moment to protect its contents.

**This haptic feedback/confirmation only occurs if “Vibrate on Ring” is turned on in Settings → Sounds & Haptics. I feel like this haptic feedback should occur regardless of this setting.

The only thing that needs a minor update is his second footnote, which has changed with iOS updates. Under Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Haptics, you now have four different options:

1. Always Play

2. Play in Silent Mode

3. Don’t Play in Silent Mode

4. Never Play

Keep your Haptics on “Always Play” so you can always feel the confirmation for hard-locking your device even though it is out of sight, regardless of Silent Mode.

The last thing you want is to second guess yourself and think, “is my iPhone actually hard-locked or not?”

For the iPad, there is no Haptics option, so holding the power button and either volume button (or both volume buttons) for 2 seconds is enough.

If you need repairs done on your iPhone 6s, you need to hurry up…

Juli Clover from MacRumors:

The ‌iPhone‌ 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The ‌iPhone‌ 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was equipped with a strengthened aluminum chassis to fix the ‌iPhone‌ 6 "bendgate" design flaw. It was also the first ‌iPhone‌ with 3D Touch, and the last flagship ‌iPhone‌ with a headphone jack.

I’m sure there are many people still using this as an audio device since it’s still got a headphone jack (Tom Brady?), but if you want to get it fixed to make it last even longer, better get it done sooner than later by Apple before they run out of parts:

A device is considered "vintage" five years after it was last distributed for sale. For vintage products, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) are still able to offer repairs, but only if the required parts are available.

Apple should be laser-focused on Vision Pro technology because they have the lead.

Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter discusses Apple’s future plans for the Vision Pro and how Tim Cook is “hell-bent” on the future of Vision Pro technology:

The idea is to create an ultra-low-latency system for streaming a user’s Mac display or for connecting to high-end enterprise applications. Some customers have been using the Vision Pro for things like viewing imaging during surgery or for flight simulators. Those are two areas where a user would want the least amount of lag possible — something that can’t be guaranteed by a fully wireless system.

Still, all of this is a stepping stone toward Cook’s grand vision, which hasn’t changed in a decade. He wants true augmented reality glasses — lightweight spectacles that a customer could wear all day. The AR element will overlay data and images onto real-world views.

Cook has made this idea a top priority for the company and is hell-bent on creating an industry-leading product before Meta can. “Tim cares about nothing else,” says someone with knowledge of the matter. “It’s the only thing he’s really spending his time on from a product development standpoint.”

The Vision Pro is already a game changer for healthcare, and it will only get better with more advanced technology. What seems like a disadvantage for the regular consumer is actually an advantage for healthcare providers. Even though the public perception of the Vision Pro is that of an entertainment device, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Vision Pro starts leaning more heavily into enterprise, and the spectacles become a separate product that is more consumer oriented.

Even though Apple is racing against Meta to be the industry-standard, one key advantage Apple has over Meta is their staunch stance on privacy, which is critical for healthcare and really for any major company that wants to adopt AR/VR headsets. They want to know with reassurance that their data, patient data, and company confidential information is safe. Meta has overhauled their stance on privacy, but the perception of poor privacy practices still lingers from their past blunders. It also doesn’t help that they are a social media conglomerate, which just has anti-privacy vibes written all over it.