• Introduction with Mike Turnbull
• "OS 26, First Impressions" with Robert Elphick
Location:
by Zoom online
MAGIC Minutes for September 2025
At 4:0o p.m. Ron Sharp welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order with 16 attendees present within a few moments.
Presentation by Ron was about "Using Reminders and Calendars.
The next meeting is November 19, which Mike will host and the Robert Elphick will be presenting on "Music", followed by Q&As.
After the presentation, the 'A' team answered members' questions, and the meeting was adjourned at 5 p.m.
MAGIC Musings
Hello Magic members,
Because of the release of Apple macOS Tahoe 26 for the Macs and iOS 26 for iPad and iPhone, we are changing up this month's presentation to address the changes you may see when upgrading. The previously scheduled Apple Music presentation will be during the November meeting.
I have just returned from a trip where I was using an international eSim for my iPhone, mostly to navigate. I was slightly surprised to see how fast I could use up 3 GB of purchased cellular data for use with just a few apps in the beginning of the trip. I quickly began maximizing as much use of locked WiFi access I could find. Lesson learned.
Mike Turnbull
MAGIC President
Note: This Software Update section of the newsletter lists the most relevant Apple updates. Not all updates are listed for all products. Additionally, I'll add other pertinent updates on occasion.
iOS 26.0.1 is out now to fix the most annoying bugs on your new iPhone
by Jason Cross, macworld
Apple has released a minor bugfix update to iOS 26 aimed primarily at fixing a few problems with the new iPhone 17 and iPhone Air phones. But there are a couple of fixes that affect everyone. There are no new features in this release. Those are coming in iOS 26.1.
Here are the release notes:
This update provides important bug fixes and security updates for your iPhone, including fixes for the following issues:
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth may occasionally disconnect on iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro models
A small number of iPhone users may be unable to connect to a cellular network after updating to iOS 26
Photos taken under certain lighting conditions with iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro models may include unexpected artifacts
App icons may appear blank after adding a custom tint
VoiceOver may become disabled for some users after updating to iOS 26
In addition, there is one relatively minor security update as part of this release.
To update your iPhone, open Settings, then select General and Software Update, and follow the prompts.
The best mouse and trackpad for your Mac or MacBook
by Simon Jary and Cliff Joseph, macworld
Looking for a mouse that works with your Mac? Here are the best Mac mice, including Apple's Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse and some great alternatives to Apple's mice.
If you're looking for a mouse for a Mac or MacBook, you've got plenty of options beyond Apple's Magic Mouse.
These days most mice will work on either Mac or PC, so you've got access to just about the entire PC mouse market, from wired to wireless, trackpads to trackballs, and even over-the-top dedicated gaming mice. The more sophisticated mice require software, so ensure that the settings app works on a Mac. All the mice tested here that have Settings apps are Mac-compatible.
A lot of people prefer using a mouse to their laptop's trackpad. A mouse makes things much easier and just feels more comfortable and familiar. But for some people mice can be an ergonomic nightmare, so luckily there are alternatives.
Beware of the cheapest wireless mice out there. Many require a nano receiver to plug into an old-school USB-A port on the computer, and newer MacBooks have just one or two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports instead. Ideally, you'll want a Bluetooth-compatible mouse to connect wirelessly to a MacBook or Mac.
While recently working on a website that contained nearly 4,000 names I discovered an error in Numbers and Pages tables. The error is in the sorting algorithm. Above is a simple example of a list of surnames.
After sorting the column, the spreadsheet looked like this:
You will see that names that contain a double 'a' have been incorrectly placed.
Kraam should be above Krammer
Aarvark should be at the top above Anderson
I have found that this sorting error is in other applications too. Apple has been notified of this serious error (several times) so we hope that the next version will see this fixed. The error is in all Apple devices.
In the meantime, it is necessary to use another application to sort lists. I use BBEdit, a text editor.
With OS 26 Apple has upgraded all the devises to the same OS. The OS includes a new look which they call "Liquid Glass". An example is shown above in which the time is displayed on an iPhone with the Liquid Glass look. It uses Translucency to allow it to be "see through" so that images behind it can be seen through it.
Some people are not fond or this translucency. It can be reduced in the System Settings:
Start System Settings
Click on "Accessibility"
Scroll down to the "Display" section
Activate the "Reduce Transparency" option
This will not completely remove the transparency, but it will reduce it.
Forget AirPods Pro, the Powerbeats Fit are the perfect iPhone 17 Pro companion
by Filipe Esposito, macworld
Beats' newest earbuds come as a sport-ready refresh that makes the Beats Fit Pro feel new again. And they look good in orange.
Powerbeats
Apple might have owned the Beats brand since 2014, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the lineup. Over the past few years, Apple has largely kept the Beats identity intact. Last summer, Apple gave the Beats Pill speaker a new lease on life, and earlier this year, it gave the Powerbeats Pro 2 a heart-rate sensor before its own AirPods Pro. This week, Apple's Beats launched the newest member of the non-AirPods family, the Powerbeats Fit.
If Powerbeats Fit look familiar, that's because they are. Beats is revamping the excellent Beats Fit Pro to bring them under the high-end Powerbeats brand. I had the chance to try out the new earbuds at an event held by Apple and Beats and walked away impressed.
Apple will soon update its pro tablet. Here's our complete guide to the M5 iPad Pro coming in 2025.
M5 iPad Pro
M5 iPad Pro: In summary
The next iPad Pro will get a processor upgrade with Apple's next-gen M5 processor.
The M5 iPad Pro is expected to have an identical design to the current model.
We expected the M5 iPad Pro to arrive in fall 2025.
While the iPad update schedule is somewhat unpredictable, Apple has established an 18-month cycle with the M-series iPad Pro. Several reports state that Apple is scheduled to release an M5 iPad Pro in fall 2025, which would be right on schedule.
The iPad Pro with M5 chip is expected to launch in October 2025, although it could be delayed until spring 2026.
iOS 26 superguide: All the features in the iOS 26 iPhone update, and what's still to come
by Karen Haslam, macworld
All the features in iOS 26, which iPhones are compatible, latest version, problems, beta update, and what's to come in iOS 26.1.
iOS 26: Summary
Apple has switched its iOS naming convention to match its primary release year. This means the new version of iOS is iOS 26, despite its September 15, 2025 release date.
The latest version is iOS 26.0.1 which includes some bug fixes.
All iPhones released since 2019 will be able to install iOS 26, including iPhone 11, iPhone SE (2nd gen) and later.
Apple is continuing to work on development of iOS 26. The latest beta version is iOS 26.1 and includes some enticing new features and fixes.
With its new 'Liquid Glass' interface, iOS 26 will see the biggest design change since iOS 7 in 2013.
iOS 26 puts the 'Phone' back in iPhone, with Voice Mail summaries, Call Screening, Hold Assist, and Live Translations.
The latest version of the iPhone operating system is iOS 26 and everyone with a compatible iPhone can install it now. Read on to find out what's new, what is still to come, and everything else you need to know about the latest iPhone update.
There's lots more than a new naming convention to get excited about in iOS 26: not only does it bring the biggest design change we've seen since 2013, when iOS 7 dropped the skeuomorphic design in favor of flat icons, it also puts the phone back in iPhone, with several call enhancements-from Voice Mail Summaries and Hold Assist to Live Translations-that will make it feel almost like you have a personal receptionist at your service.
Apple Maps got a big iOS 26 upgrade for an essential feature
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Apple Maps recently gained several new features in iOS 26, but the one that could make the biggest impact for users involves an essential app function: search. Here's what's new.
Maps now offers natural language search with Apple Intelligence
Last year when Apple Intelligence began rolling out, I found that some of its most valuable features were the least flashy.
For example, the Photos app overhauled its search feature with Apple Intelligence, and search worked so much better as a result.
Apple later brought this AI-powered search upgrade to more apps, such as Apple Music and the TV app.
And in iOS 26, Maps is the latest app to now infuse search with Apple Intelligence.
AI search isn't a special, separate mode in Maps. Rather, for all devices that support Apple Intelligence, the technology simply makes search smarter and more effective than ever.
iOS 26 users might notice a popup when using Maps that has the heading, "Search the Way You Talk." Underneath it reads:
Use natural language for searches like "Find cafes with free Wi-Fi."
Why does natural language search require AI, you might ask?
Essentially Apple is applying the same AI language tools that power things like notification summaries, email categorization, and Smart Replies to let you use more complex search queries.
So for example, during iOS 26's beta period I performed the following Maps search: "Coffee shops near Disney World that have Wi-Fi."
Maps in iOS 18 would have stumbled over the various components of that query. But with iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence, Maps understood exactly what I was looking for.
Have you been using Maps' new AI search in iOS 26? How has it been working for you? Let us know in the comments.
iOS 26 added seven brand new iPhone ringtones, listen here
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
The iPhone's default ringtone is highly recognizable, but with iOS 26 Apple added a lot of alternate options. There are seven brand new ringtones total, most of which are remixed versions of the familiar default. Listen to all of the new iPhone ringtones below.
New ringtones in iOS 26 offer remixed versions of default 'Reflections' sound
New ringtones
Apple has long offered a variety of iPhone ringtones that serve as alternatives to the system default.
But iOS 26, for the first time, takes that very familiar default ringtone and adds a bunch of new versions as remixes.
Open the Sounds & Haptics menu inside the Settings app in iOS 26, and you'll find seven new ringtones in total. Six of those additions are remixed versions of the iPhone's default 'Reflection' tone.
Now, Reflection includes the following options:
Default
Buoyant
Dreamer
Pond
Pop
Reflected
Surge
The top option is the same as before, but every other ringtone is a fresh spin on a long-time favorite. You can get a taste of each remixed option below.
iOS 26 adds six new versions of the default Reflections ringtone
I love that Apple chose to take this route with its new iOS 26 ringtones.
Some of the other iPhone ringtone options can be such stark departures from the default. But by creating alternate versions of the Reflections ringtone we're all so familiar with, Apple is enabling customization that's still comfortable and familiar.
If you do want something entirely different, however, iOS 26 does have one more option that's not based on any existing sounds.
Little Bird is a quirky, fun new ringtone that I suspect could prove a hit with a lot of users.
Overall, these seven new ringtones are a great complement to the variety of other new iOS 26 features introduced with Apple's redesigned Phone app.
The new AirPods Live Translation feature also works with AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4
by Benjamin Mayo, 9to5mac
Apple launched the new AirPods Pro 3, promising a bunch of improvements including a flashy Live Translation feature. But it turns out you don't actually need to upgrade just to try out the new translation stuff.
Live Translation is also available through a software update for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. However, there is a slight gotcha …
If you have compatible AirPods, that's only half the story, as the feature does not run natively on the AirPods itself. It actually relies on the connected iPhone to function.
That means you also need to have an iPhone 15 Pro or newer, running iOS 26, in order to use Live Translation. It specifically requires iPhone 15 Pro or later because the translation feature is powered by Apple Intelligence.
Even if you have AirPods Pro 3, you also need a relatively new iPhone for this feature to work. Compatible models include iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 16 series, the iPhone 17 series, and iPhone Air.
Live Translation is also limited to select languages. At launch, you'll be able to use it with English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. Later this year, with the release of iOS 26.1, Apple will expand the list of supported languages to include Italian, Japanese, Korean and simplified Chinese.
If you have new enough AirPods and an up-to-date iPhone, you can activate Live Translation by pressing on the stems of both AirPods at the same time. You can also access the feature through a new 'Live' tab that appears in the Translate app on iPhone.
With Live Translation active, the AirPods microphones listen for foreign language speech during conversation. The device translates that into your language, and plays it back to you in your headphones.
Obviously, unless both people are wearing AirPods with the latest software, this only really facilitates a one-sided conversation.
However, Apple has a solution for that too. You can use your iPhone display to show a transcript of your translated speech to the other person. That means you hear what they are saying translated through your AirPods, and they can read your response in their native language.
T
he translation models are downloaded to your phone's local storage, which means that the feature can run entirely offline without an active network connection.
After many years of using 'Pro' iPhones, this year I bought an iPhone Air instead. My first impressions were very positive, but I knew there might come a time I missed the Pro's battery life and cameras. But a recent trip to Disney World with the iPhone Air brought surprising results.
Putting iPhone Air to the test at Disney World
The iPhone Air is a beauty to see and hold. But it comes with some definite shortcomings compared to Apple's iPhone 17 Pro:
there's only one rear camera, no Telephoto or Ultra Wide
battery life isn't as good as the much thicker Pro models
and it has just a single speaker
I almost never use my iPhone's speaker, but I expected cameras and battery life might be the biggest challenges to using iPhone Air as my daily carry.
As beautiful as the ultra-thin iPhone is, obviously it needs to be practical too.
In my first week using iPhone Air, I was consistently impressed by areas that were expected to be weaknesses. And it became clear pretty fast that in "normal life," the Air is the right model for me.
But where I thought it would come up short is during vacations.
Last week, however, I went to Disney World. If ever there was a place that could make me want the iPhone 17 Pro's cameras and battery, this was it.
But it turns out, iPhone Air passed the test with ease.
Cameras and battery officially passed the test
I thought being at Disney would make me miss the Telephoto camera desperately. I even brought my old iPhone 16 Pro with me a couple days, just in case.
Surprisingly, I found the iPhone Air's single camera totally fine for my needs.
I used the Air's 2x zoom often, but I can't recall a time when I missed being able to zoom more. In the times I wasn't close enough to something, I just walked closer to it. Imagine that.
Battery life was similarly a champ. I brought the Air's new MagSafe battery with me, fully expecting to use it every day.
I didn't use the MagSafe battery once.
I will confess that on some days I charged a little in the middle of the day when back at the hotel. But that was more out of habit than need. I have always done the same when traveling with my Pro model iPhones, simply because I use my iPhone so much on vacation for photos, videos, outdoors with high display brightness, and on cellular.
I was surprised not only by how well the Air's battery stood up during the trip, but also on travel days.
Often, travel days are when I experience the biggest battery drain and need to monitor my use closely.
But on the day I traveled home, I went from 7:30am in Orlando to 10:00pm in New York without charging once—and had 25% battery left.
iPhone Air's biggest test: wrap-up
I'm not here to try to convince anyone to buy an iPhone Air. Everyone has their own priorities and usage patterns that should inform their choice.
But for me, the iPhone Air has proven so much better than I expected. There's now zero chance I'll trade it in for an iPhone 17 Pro.
I thought I'd have to live with some shortcomings for the sake of a futuristic, ultra-thin design.
Instead, I've found that this is just an all-around excellent iPhone. And its drawbacks barely impact me—even when put to the Disney World test.
iPhone 17 Pro: These two features will make you want to upgrade
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Apple's full iPhone 17 lineup is almost here, and the latest rumors point to major iPhone 17 Pro improvements coming in two areas that often motivate upgrades: battery life and cameras.
Apple's flashy new model this year will be the iPhone 17 Air, but for anyone who cares a lot about battery life, iPhone 17 Pro will be the better option.
The latest leaks indicate Apple's 17 Pro models will offer significantly better battery life than their predecessors.
Here's the rumored capacity for eSIM models:
iPhone 17 Pro: 4252mAh (18.6% higher than iPhone 16 Pro)
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 5088mAh (8.6% higher than iPhone 16 Pro Max)/li>
We'd been expecting a larger Pro Max battery, but now it seems Apple has a big upgrade coming for the smaller iPhone 17 Pro too.
As my colleague Benjamin points out, these higher capacities could result in 3-4 hour gains over prior models.
In other words, the smaller 17 Pro will surpass even last year's 16 Pro Max, while the 17 Pro Max easily takes the crown for longest iPhone battery life ever.
#2: Major camera upgrades
If big battery gains aren't enough to compel an upgrade, the iPhone 17 Pro is also expected to boast several major new camera improvements.
Mark Gurman writes at Bloomberg:
I think Apple is going to tout this year's iPhone camera changes as some of the biggest in the device's history. After all, the company is completely redesigning the camera area on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro — something it wouldn't do just for aesthetic reasons. As I reported in my preview, I expect there to be a new variable aperture system, simultaneous video recording on the front and rear cameras, and hugely improved video recording. So if you've been holding out for an iPhone upgrade and waiting for major camera enhancements, this could be the year for you.
Here's a rundown of what's expected, per another Gurman report:
Telephoto lens upgraded to 48MP, up from 12MP
Selfie camera's "biggest-ever upgrade" with 24MP sensor
Variable aperture system
Video recording will be "hugely improved"
Up to 8x optical zoom on Pro Max
Multi-cam simultaneous video recording/li>
It's always possible Apple will have some surprises in store too. One way or another, it sounds like a very big year for the iPhone's cameras.
iPhone 17 Pro upgrades: wrap-up
Battery life and camera improvements are among the top two reasons users buy new smartphones.
Though battery and cameras sometimes get minor improvements in the same year, I can't recall another time we saw such huge gains in a single new iPhone model.
Offering both of these sure-to-be-hit features alongside the host of other rumored iPhone 17 Pro changes could make this an especially compelling year to upgrade.
iOS 26 adds two brand new apps to your iPhone's Home Screen
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
iOS 26 might be best remembered for its Liquid Glass design, but among many other new features and changes, the update also adds two brand new apps to your iPhone's Home Screen. Here's what's new.
#1: Apple Games app
Gaming on the iPhone gets a new central hub in iOS 26.
'Apple Games' is a brand new app that joins the ranks of other media-focused iPhone apps such as:
Apple TV
Apple Music
Apple Podcasts
Apple Books
The new Games app includes a Home view where you'll spend most of your time. Here's Apple's description:
The Home tab keeps you connected to the games you love, recommends new games, and makes jumping back into all your favorites easy. Browse can't-miss events from your games, and get personalized suggestions for what to play next.
Joining Home are tabs for Arcade, Friends, and Library.
Arcade largely replicates the type of content you'd see inside the App Store's Arcade tab.
Friends shows challenges, multiplayer options, and Game Center data from your friends.
Library contains all the games installed on your iPhone, plus your achievements and more.
Apple Games debuts not only on iPhone, but also iPad and Mac with iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe.
#2: Preview app
Preview might sound familiar—it's the name of Apple's long-time Mac utility for viewing and editing PDFs and images.
In iOS 26, Preview is now available on the iPhone (and iPad) for the very first time.
Preview offers a dedicated app for viewing PDFs and images saved in iCloud, on your device, or other Files app sources.
Features include:
Browsing PDFs and images in a dedicated app
Editing PDFs and images with tools like resize, rotate, and more
Document scanning
PDF AutoFill
Creating new images, whether from scratch or the clipboard
Just like the Mac's Finder launches PDFs and images in the Preview app by default, now your iPhone and iPad's Files app will launch those document types inside Preview too.
Preview uses the new document browser UI first introduced in iPadOS 18 and seen in other apps like Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. So it won't look quite like the Mac app does, but the functionality is very similar.
New apps in iOS 26: wrap-up
With Apple Games and Preview, Apple is once again expanding the number of built-in apps on an iPhone.
Games seeks to capitalize on the iPhone already being a popular gaming platform for many, while Preview is a useful hub for PDFs and images. Both apps replicate a lot of functionality previously found elsewhere, but add new features too and feel like natural candidates for new standalone apps.
Apple TV+ is exclusive Peanuts streaming home through 2030
by Ryan Chritoffel, 9to5mac
Apple TV+ has focused almost entirely on creating original content, but one exception is a partnership with Peanuts that started in 2020. Now, Apple has announced that TV+ will remain Peanuts' exclusive streaming home through at least 2030—and shared ways to watch select Peanuts holiday specials for free.
Apple extends partnership with Peanuts and announces free streaming dates
When Apple was first rumored to be building a TV streaming service, many assumed the company would license outside content like Netflix had successfully done for years.
Instead, Apple went all-in on originals—with some very limited exceptions.
Peanuts has been one such exception. While Apple TV+ does feature brand new Peanuts specials created by and for Apple, the streamer also houses classic licensed specials like:
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Today, Apple announced that its partnership with Peanuts has been extended another five years—until 2030.
That means Apple TV+ will continue being the exclusive streaming home for all things Peanuts.
As it does every year, the company also highlighted dates that select Peanuts specials will be available free for all users, even those without a TV+ subscription.
On October 18-19, the Halloween special can be streamed for free. November 15-16 you can stream the Thanksgiving special, and December 13-14 the freebie is the Christmas special.
If you subscribe to Apple TV+, you can watch these and all other Peanuts content at any time, all throughout the year.
Apple TV+ is available for $12.99 per month and features hit TV shows and movies like Ted Lasso, Severance, The Morning Show, Silo, and Shrinking.
Apple will launch 5+ new products in October, here's what's coming
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
September was a big month for Apple, with iPhone 17 and iPhone Air launching alongside Apple Watch Ultra 3, AirPods Pro 3, and more. But there are even more Apple launches coming soon, with 5+ new products rumored to debut in October. Here's what's coming.
New Apple TV 4K
It's been three years since the last Apple TV 4K launched, but a new model is almost here.
Rumors for the new Apple TV 4K indicate it will feature:
A17 Pro chip, up from the current A15 Bionic
Apple Intelligence support
Apple's new N1 wireless chip
and possibly a Center Stage camera
Following the long gap between updates, and with recently increased competition from Google and Amazon, here's hoping Apple has an upgrade-worthy new model in store for users.
HomePod mini 2
Apple is expected to launch not one, but two Home products in October, with the second being a new HomePod mini.
The original HomePod mini is long overdue for an upgrade. It arrived in November 2020, nearly half a decade ago.
Like the new Apple TV 4K, Apple's HomePod mini 2 is expected to feature Apple Intelligence support and the new N1 chip. It's also rumored to get audio quality improvements and an updated Ultra Wideband chip.
M5 iPad Pro
Last year's iPad Pro was a major upgrade thanks to tandem OLED, an ultra-thin design, new accessories, and the first-ever M4 chip.
There's an M5 iPad Pro coming soon, but it's expected to be more of a spec bump update—as a recent leak seemingly confirmed.
In addition to the new M5 chip, the iPad Pro will likely have Apple's new N1 wireless chip, 12GB RAM on some models and 16GB on others, and possibly dual front-facing cameras.
I'm also interested to see if Apple might bring its new C1X modem to the iPad Pro. So far, only iPhones have gained Apple's new line of C-class modems.
AirTag 2
AirTag isn't a product that needs a new version every year. But now that we're more than four years since the original AirTag debuted, a lot of anticipation has built up for its successor.
AirTag 2 is rumored to include three main upgrades:
new Ultra Wideband chip
improved focus on privacy features
precision finding with greater range
Otherwise, the new AirTag is expected to look and work largely the same as the existing model.
M5 Vision Pro
Apple has been working on Vision Pro since at least 2008 | Display unit in an Apple store
Apple Vision Pro launched in early 2024, and so far has struggled to build momentum with consumers. There's a new Vision Pro model launching soon, but it's unlikely to move to needle much.
Rumors indicate that Vision Pro 2 will include an M5 or M4 chip, a new head strap for greater comfort, and possibly come in a black finish. Mostly though, it will retain the same form factor and features as the original.
Wildcards: M5 MacBook Pro and new Studio Displays
Historically, Apple has launched new MacBook Pro models in or near October too. So normally, we would expect an M5 MacBook Pro release this month.
Mark Gurman at Bloomberg has indicated, however, that the M5 MacBook Pro might be pushed into early 2026 instead. Though as recently as this past weekend, Gurman said a fall launch is still possible—not only for the M5 MacBook Pro, but also two new Mac displays. One or both are expected to be successors to the Studio Display.
Additionally, evidence of the M5 MacBook Pro was recently leaked by the FCC, which might hint at a launch sooner rather than later.
Which of Apple's October product launches are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments.
Here are the watchOS 26 features I've been loving most
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
watchOS 26 is the Apple Watch's latest major software update, and I've been using it in beta for a few months now. Here are the new watchOS 26 features I've been loving most throughout that time.
Scuba diver's life saved by Apple Watch Ultra's siren
by William Gallagher, appleinsider
A Mumbai diver didn't even know Apple Watch Ultra had a siren until it automatically started and saved his life.
It's not the best known or most publicized feature of the Apple Watch Ultra, but every model to date has come with an 86-decibel siren alarm. Apple designed it to start blasting out either when the user turns it on or, as in this case, when they are incapacitated and the Apple Watch Ultra's depth sensor determines there's a problem.
According to India Today, Kshitij Zodape was SCUBA diving over the summer, swimming in the Bay of Bengal near Puducherry. When he was at around 120 feet down in the ocean, a weight belt he was wearing came unstuck.
The loose belt didn't just stop him diving lower, it actually propelled him back up toward the surface.
"The water was very choppy and visibility was poor, we could see only 5 to 10 meters," he said. "We were about 36 meters down when I suddenly started shooting up towards the surface."
How Apple Watch Ultra's siren saved the diver's life
Even as Zodape says he wasn't able to understand what was happening, his Apple Watch Ultra's depth sensor detected the rapid vertical ascent. It sent him an emergency notification, but he wasn't able to stop rising.
Smartwatch screen showing time 3:54, siren mode, 99% battery, play button, and emergency call option. Dark background with a gray strap.
The siren feature on Apple Watch Ultra
"Before I could even realise, my watch started showing warnings. It told me that I needed to slow down because my ascent was too quick and it could cause injury," he continued. "I couldn't control [what was happening], I was still rising rapidly."
When he failed to respond and continued to rise, the Apple Watch Ultra sounded its siren. It was this that got the attention of a diving instructor who was with Zodape.
That instructor was able to reach Zodape and prevent him rising any further. At the depth Zodape was originally, his body was under pressure and too fast a rise to the surface would have made his lungs expand and potentially rupture.
Following what could have been a fatal accident, Zodape wrote to Apple to thank them for this feature he says he didn't even know about.
"I'm so glad your instructor heard the alarm and quickly assisted you," replied Tim Cook. "Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. Be well."
We had a power outage today...
...and my PC, laptop, TV, DVD, iPad & surround sound music system were all shut down.
Then I discovered that my phone battery was flat and I couldn't charge it.To top it off it was snowing outside. So I couldn't play golf and I couldn't fish. I went into the kitchen to make coffee and then I remembered that this also needs power. So does the microwave. So popcorn won't happen.
So I talked with my wife for a few hours. She seems like such a nice person.
Malware Examples *
by Ron Sharp and Robert Elphick, MAGIC *
Here are some tips if you do respond to a scam email. Call your bank. Put a stop payment on your charge card if it is involved. Change your account password for whatever accounts are involved. If it's a PayPal account, log into that account and change the password. If you use a bank account online change that password. You can also set up email "rules" to block email from the sender if their email address shows. If you use Apples Mail app you'll find the "Rules" options in the Mail app Settings. You should also change the password to your email account that the scam email came to.
These are NOT from Whidbey Tel They are Phishing to get your personal details DO NOT CONTACT.
Internet Crime
Any one bothered by internet criminal activity should report it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at this web page. This includes phishing, malware, spoofing, any demand for money.
Sell or Swap
by MAGIC
Got something you would like to sell or give away? Need something second hand or out of date? Contact MAGIC at this email .
FREE
G Drive 500GB external drive- Free USB 3.0, 7200 RPM drive
Widgets. It's really kind-of a funny word. So what is a widget? It's not like a wedgie! It's a small app like window that you can put on your desktop, or on your iPhone and iPad home screen. Often clicking on the widget will open a full application.
They can be very useful for information that you access often, such as the weather or calendar, or the stock market. A large choice of widgets are available. You can put a Notes app widget on your desktop or a clock. The time of day displayed is in your menu bar on the top right side of your screen, but you may prefer a larger view or maybe an analog clock. There are a lot of clock options to choose from.
Widgets can also be added to your iPhone and iPad. I've added a battery level widget to my iPhone to easily see at a glance how much battery remains. It also will show the battery life of Air Pods when you are using them. You may want to add a news widget. And when you click on the widgets you'll get more information, or it'll open the app or webpage associated with the widget.
To add widgets to your Desktop, click on Notifications Center and then at the bottom of that menu is the Widgets button to see what's available. Then just drag whatever widget you like to the desktop. It's easy… Where's the Notifications menu, you ask? When you click on the date and time in the upper right corner of your screen you'll get see notifications. When you go to System Settings, Notifications, then you can choose which apps show in the Notification Center. But another way to set the apps that show in the Notification Center Menu is using the Widgets option. When you click the Widgets button, the top section of the widget choices is labeled "Suggestions." When you drag item to that section of the widgets app they will show in the Notifications Center menu.
But whether you have any Notification set to show in the Notification Center you will still see the Widgets button at the bottom of the menu.
On iPhone and iPad, the Notification Center is just to the left of the Home Screen as well as the Lock Screen. So when you're on the first page of your Home Screen icons, swipe from left to right to see the Notification Center. With the new iOS26, to edit the Notifications menu you go to that menu and tap and hold on any widget to get the option to edit screen. But then you have to click the word "Edit" to add widgets. If seems an extra step that is unnecessary. But but it's not difficult. Give it a try.
Apple has started a live video shopping service in various locations. It's one of the many things they are setting up and expanding for future business and company service. With live video shopping customers can see products and communicate with Apple specialists without having to leave their homes.
Apple has also been preparing for and changing production locations due partly to tariffs. At least 25% of iPhone production takes place in India now, and that percentage is expected to rise.
Another change coming is Goldman Sachs stepping away from the Apple credit card and being taken over possibly by JPMorgan Chase. I use the Apple credit card and the Wallet app and have been very happy with it. Convenient as ever.
These are just a few areas Apple has been working on for service and sales to continue smoothly for the future. Details of there plans and progress can be found in the Apple magazine. And they indicate Apple's commitment to service that is reassuring particularly since the Apple stock had been stagnet. The stock performance has been affected in part due to Apple's slow efforts in bringing Artificial Intelligence to their devices. They have incorporated some AI, but not what the tech world was hoping for apparently. I appreciate that Apple is taking it's time with AI. I'd rather have it done well than marketed before it's really up to quality standards. And the stock performance has really ticked up since the new iPhone 17 has become available. It has sold well so far. And the new Mac OS26 Tahoe is an extensive update with the flashy liquid glass appearance.
MAGIC, the Macintosh Appreciation Group of Island County, serves people who use Macintosh computers, software and peripherals. Our goal is to share information and get answers to questions to make us more productive with our use of technology. Our monthly meetings give us a chance to discuss computer problems and share ideas with other Mac users, feature speakers on specific topics, and to keep apprised of Apple news.
