Another component that’s bigger in the Series 6 is the Taptic Engine. This time around, it’s also made from 100 percent recycled rare earth metals and tungsten. In late 2019, Apple said it would start manufacturing the iPhone’s Taptic Engine from recycled components. One year later, it’s doing the same with the Apple Watch.
The teardown also highlights the removal of Force Touch. We knew the feature was on its way out when Apple released the watchOS 7 beta in June, but iFixit’s teardown confirms the component that enabled the gesture is no longer present in the Apple Watch Series 6. From a repairability standpoint, iFixit notes the removal of Force Touch makes things easier.
“We’re happy to see a fragile, damage-prone part retired, but sad to see the final nail in the coffin for Apple’s nifty pressure-sensitive display technology,” the company said. “We’re torn, but we’ll call this a win.”
iFixit
The end result of all those tweaks is that the Series 6 is slightly thinner than the Series 5. It measures in at 10.4mm thick compared to the Series 5’s 10.74mm. As for that blood oxygen sensor Apple talked so much about, iFixit wasn’t actually able to take it apart. “Fused display on top, fused sensor array on the bottom. We’re not gonna find anything but broken pieces if we bust this apart.”
When Apple unveiled iOS 14, it quietly noted that this version of the operating system finally lets users set their own default apps for email and web browsing. Google already updated Chrome on iOS so that those who’ve installed the new OS since it was released last week can set the Google browser as a default (however, as MacRumors and 9to5Google note, some users have been plagued by a bug that resets it back to Safari whenever the device restarts), and today it released version 6.0.200825 of the Gmail app.
As the Gmail support page (and an easy-to-follow GIF) explains, changing the default should be as easy as visiting the settings page on your iPhone or iPad, selecting Gmail, then clicking Default app, and switching it to Gmail. For many of you, Gmail has probably already been opening links from Chrome, for example, but now it’s the default everywhere. Wasn’t that easy?
Microsoft is now at a crossroads when it comes to handling this influx of new titles. The decisions it makes over the next few years have the potential to fundamentally reshape the gaming industry. Microsoft could either perpetuate the exclusivity war it’s been waging with Sony for years — something that inevitably hurts gamers who only own one system — or it could take the high road where it ends up publishing more titles on competing platforms. (That’s something Microsoft is already doing with Minecraft on the PlayStation 4 and Switch.)
Microsoft Xbox head Phil Spencer told Bloomberg that the company is honoring Bethesda’s deal with Sony to release Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo as PlayStation 5 exclusives for a limited period. Meanwhile, the company plans to bring upcoming Bethesda titles like Starfield on Xbox, Windows PCs and Game Pass, while managing releases on other consoles on a “case-by-case basis,” according to Spencer.
Here’s where things get worrying. Even though Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the company plans to make its gaming content “broadly available,” it’s unclear what that means in the future, especially if it needs the cachet of enticing exclusives to fend off Sony’s huge franchises like God of War, Spider-Man and Uncharted.
Microsoft spent most of the last console generation recovering from a bungled launch. The Xbox one cost $100 more than the PlayStation 4 (blame the updated Kinect for that), didn’t have nearly as many compelling games, and was bogged down by the company’s terrible messaging around DRM and used game support. So would you blame Microsoft for keeping its new toys to itself? But, given how much Nadella has pushed Microsoft’s software and services to other platforms like iOS and Android, a similar strategy might make more sense.
Sure, it would be nicer for Microsoft if you could only buy the next Elder Scrolls game only on the Xbox Series X and S. But the company certainly benefits from bringing it to other platforms too — it’ll be able to sell far more copies, for one. And in an era where playing competitive multiplayer games across different consoles is becoming normalized, there’s less of an argument for locking major franchises to a single system (especially if they were previously cross-platform). It’ll be tough to maintain the high road, though, when Sony has a titan like Final Fantasy XVI coming to the PlayStation 5 exclusively. (Microsoft still wins a bit in that case, since FFXVI is also headed to Windows PCs.)
There are also potential issues if Microsoft follows the Apple Arcade route and makes some games exclusive only to Game Pass, with no ability to purchase them without subscribing. That would certainly sell more memberships, but it could be a problem for gamers who don’t want yet another monthly service on their credit card bill. I appreciate Game Pass for the sheer breadth of its library. But if I only cared about one game, it wouldn’t make sense to pay a recurring fee instead of making a one-time $60 or $70 purchase.
I wouldn’t worry too much about that dark timeline, though, as Microsoft’s current Game Pass strategy seems to be working out well enough. The company just announced today that it has 15 million subscribers, and I’d expect that figure to grow quickly once the new consoles launch. (Game Pass Ultimate is also included with the Xbox All Access monthly payment plan for the next-gen consoles.) Currently, you can play Game Pass titles for free, or purchase them at a discount to keep them in your library.
One thing’s for certain: As soon as Microsoft’s ZeniMax acquisition is complete next year (barring any regulatory issues), you won’t be able to say the company doesn’t have enough games.
For years, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) hasn’t given a clear answer on whether it uses facial recognition in its policing work. That changed this week. On Monday, the agency told The Los Angeles Timesit has used the technology nearly 30,000 times since late 2009.
The LAPD uses the Los Angeles County Regional Identification System (LACRIS), a database of more than 9 million mugshots maintained by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. At one point, more than 500 LAPD personnel had access to the system, though the department claims that the number is closer to 300 in recent months. Josh Rubenstein, a spokesperson for the LAPD, said he couldn’t be sure how many arrests LACRIS has helped the police department make. However, he said, “No individuals are arrested by the LAPD based solely on facial recognition results.”
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was supposed to be the first official Marvel Studios TV show to debut on Disney’s streaming service. But now, that honor will go to WandaVision, the teaser trailer of which dropped during the Emmy’s last night. The series revolves around the relationship between Scarlet Witch and Vision in a post-Endgame world, but somewhat set in a 1950s TV format. It’s also said to have a tie-in with the upcoming 2021 movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Though not Disney+ exclusives, theatrical releases of both Black Widow and The Eternals are a couple of other Marvel properties that were delayed until 2021. Disney has not specified just when The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will launch in 2021.
Cowboy is bringing crash detection smarts to its e-bikes by the end of this month. It has been beta testing the feature with a thousand users, but it’ll soon be available for free to all Cowboy 2 and Cowboy 3 owners.
The bike uses its sensors to watch out for potential falls. If it detects one, and you don’t confirm that everything’s okay within a minute, Cowboy can alert up to two emergency contacts. If you don’t have your phone with you or the bike can’t communicate with the Cowboy app, it can use its built-in SIM card to let your contacts know something might be wrong. It’ll also provide your location to them in real-time through GPS tracking.
Apple’s streaming rival Netflix didn’t fare so well. Despite receiving 160 nominations total, Netflix won just two Emmys in the main “Primetime” division and 19 in the Creative Arts and other categories. For the major awards, Maria Schrader nabbed best director for Unorthodox and Ozark’s Julia Garner won the Emmy for best supporting actress in a drama. That was a distant third place to HBO, which dominated with 11 wins for Watchmen and Succession, while Pop TV took seven Emmys for Schitt’s Creek.
Disney+ failed to score any Primetime Emmys, but it took home eight awards last week in the Creative arts category, including five for The Mandalorian. That show was nominated for seven more awards in other categories, but failed to take home a major Primetime Emmy (it won seven in total). Rounding out the major streaming networks, the much maligned short-form streaming service Quibi managed to win two Emmys last week for the police drama #FreeRayshawn.
Reducing water consumption is also a focus. At the company’s new Silicon Valley campus, 100 percent of the site’s non-potable water will come from onsite recycling sources like rainwater collection and waste treatment. That could save as much as 4.3 million gallons of potable water each year. At other campuses, Microsoft will use recycled water for landscaping, plumbing and tower cooling.
Microsoft says it will use its tech to help individuals and governments better understand their water consumption. And the company plans to partner with NGOs to make sure underserved communities have access to clean drinking water.
Big tech companies like Microsoft and Google have set lofty emissions reduction goals, but this dedicated focus on water consumption is a newer trend. In July, as part of its first ever sustainability report, Facebook said it’s trying to improve water usage, too. It plans to use less water for cooling its data centers and to restore about 206,000 cubic meters of water annually. As companies get closer to erasing their “carbon legacies,” perhaps more will focus on water.
The Xbox app, which is a beta release, has a design that matches the updated user interface on Xbox One and the Xbox Series X/S dashboard. It works in concert with the share button on the latest version of the Xbox Wireless Controller. When you capture a screenshot or clip, you’ll be able to select which social networks to which you want to share it from your phone or tablet. You’ll be able to share it on the Highlights section of your profile as well.
You’ll be able to use the app to set up an Xbox Series X or Series S, so while the console is downloading updates, you can configure your settings. On top of that, you’ll be able to manage your game library with the app or use it as a remote control.
The app includes access to profiles too, so you can see what your friends are playing and invite them to a party. There’s a unified search function that’ll display game titles and friends in results.
The Xbox app is available now from the Play Store. It’s not clear when Microsoft will roll out the app on iOS.
An impressive sky can make all the difference in a photo, especially a golden hour sunset. If anyone knows this, it’s Adobe. Today, Adobe showed off a new Sensei-powered AI Sky Replacement tool that will arrive in Photoshop soon. The tool makes it easy to replace drab skies with more dramatic backgrounds.
In the Sky Replacement window, you’ll see a menu of pre-loaded options to choose from, or you can add your own files. You’ll be able to expand the thumbnail previews and see file names and dimensions.
