Siri sucks, but AirTags rock.

After seeing Siri’s failings getting miserably worse and worse from both John Gruber and Paul Kafasis, I found some hope for all you Apple fans out there. Even though Siri is still “doomed,” Apple’s AirTags are still the best trackers in the world.

Rita El Khoury from Android Authority did a comparison of AirTags versus Google’s AirTag competitors, and the AirTag was the hands-down winner of all the different tests she threw at them. Mind you this test was conducted in multiple countries, none of them being the United States, where Apple might be accused of having an unfair advantage.

Her quick summary in the beginning gives you the TLDR, but I suggest you give it a full read.

I’ve been testing Chipolo and Pebblebee’s Google-compatible trackers ever since Google first launched its Find My Device network in May 2024. For eight months now, I’ve lugged them around, plus a bunch of their competitors, on every flight, train ride, outing, and activity, hoping to find the absolute best Bluetooth tracker out there. What started as a fun exercise of, “Hey, let me see if I can track my husband through a busy area in Paris,” quickly turned into a nightmare because of the sheer logistics of testing these.

I often had at least two or three phones in my pocket — sometimes four — with a bunch of testing scenarios, features to check, and environments to test in. I also had to enlist my husband’s help very often because I had to be physically separated from the “lost” item without losing it for real. Overall, I’ve tried these trackers in the UK, France, UAE, Lebanon, Belgium, Albania, Italy, and Portugal. When all was said and done, I had to comb through over 150 screenshots and dozens of videos. I’ve also delayed this article time and again because I wanted to give Google more time to roll out its network and redeem its disappointing performance. But time’s running out, and if there’s one verdict you need to know, it’s this:

Under absolutely no circumstance should you rely on Google's Find My Device network... just yet.

Nokia’s Design Insights from Apple’s iPod.

Before the iPhone, Nokia was analyzing Apple’s iPod and how it went from a cult status to a global icon. They wanted to know what was it, that drew people to a device that really only did one thing?

They knew the formula, and they spelled it out clearly in their presentation:

• core design team

• start with an idea for an unmet customer need

• drive innovation from imagining user’s experience

• define essentials for “insanely great”

• simplify to great lengths to hide complexity

• grow user involvement through evolution

Nokia dives into each of these topics in more detail, but I wanted to highlight what they said about the user experience:

Apple’s UI is superior to the competitions because it is easy to use, and it focuses on what is essential

“The vertical integration between iTunes and the iPod has been key to Apple’s success.

Because it owns all of it, Apple can control the user-experience from beginning to end.”

Apple has created a seamless user experience from opening the iPod box to purchasing songs.

Apple always launches products with content. The content is easy to find, load and play back.

Complexity is hidden, optimizing flow, integration of key use cases so a seamless user experience happens across applications while user performs user tasks.

Apple’s vertical integration, which is getting even deeper with its own established custom silicon and future Wi-Fi and 5G modems, will only strengthen their brand and the seamless integration between their hardware and software.

I’m not sure if a lot of the material in this presentation was distinctly Nokia’s analysis, or that of Leander Kahney. They used the cover art for his book, “The Cult of iPod,” as the image for their opening slide.

Is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra ‘Jetblack,’ really Jet Black?

No.

It’s a matte-gray finish that does injustice to the words, Jet Black.

Source: Samsung

No polished mirror-like shine here circa 2016 with the iPhone 7.

Source: Apple

The only difference between Jetblack and Black seems to be black phone rails and a black S-Pen click-button to match.

It’s an online exclusive color…for now.

And yes, they did spell it, “Jetblack.”

Another injustice.

The Bose SoundDock XT fixed my HomePod mini problem.

I work a weird schedule.

I work a normal 8am - 4pm shift for 2 weeks, and then I work 1am - 9am on the 3rd week, rinse and repeat. I have been doing this rotation for the last 10 years, so I have gotten used to it.

Kind of.

With a full house (wife and 3 kids), I have to balance my sleep into multiple naps when I work the graveyard shift. The rest of the family is awake, and they do a great job of staying quiet. They’re homeschooled, so they stay home during daytime hours except on certain days when they have in-person classes.

The problem isn’t them making noise, but the problem lies with my white noise stopping in the middle of my nap. I have my iPhone connected to my HomePod mini, and I play my favorite YouTube video as a form of white noise at a high volume. To protect my hearing and to double down on normal house chatter (because…kids), I also wear ear plugs.

More often than I would like, my YouTube video stops playing and I wake up due to some noise that would easily be masked by the HomePod. If this happens when I am sleeping at night like a regular human, it isn’t a big deal since I can just restart it and go back to bed. If it happens during the day or late in the evening when I have to wake up at midnight for work, it becomes a challenge to fall back asleep.

As much as I wanted the HomePod mini to be my permanent solution, I just can’t rely on it when working the graveyard shift.

I also use a Bluetooth Anker speaker as an alternative, but that has its own annoyances. If I permanently keep it plugged in and charged, it will fail in 2 years due to the battery conking out (I’m on my 2nd unit). Plus, I don’t want to fiddle with yet another device that needs to be charged.

With Anker, I get reliable audio but annoying charging. With the HomePod, I get reliable power but annoying AirPlay issues. I needed something that has the best of both, and I decided to get a Bose SoundDock XT.

This was released back in 2012, but still holds up well today. It has no wireless capabilities whatsoever and has to be physically plugged into the wall like the HomePod. It has very simple touch controls in the front for volume, and that’s it. You can plug in a lightning iPhone and it will charge while playing audio, but I ended up using the AUX jack in the back. With Apple’s USB-C to headphone jack adapter, I can plug in my iPhone from a distance and I am set. No more power, Bluetooth, or AirPlay issues to worry about.

As for my iPhone, I have it docked on a dome-shaped, MagSafe charging station by Anker.

My white noise is bass heavy, and this Bose system handles it just fine. You can fetch one of these on eBay for about $50-60, and with shipping it was $75.

I liked it so much that I bought another one for only $50 with shipping.

If you want old-school, high-quality sound with reliable connectivity, you can’t go wrong with one of these older Bose SoundDocks.

iPhone SE supply is dwindling.

Joe Rossignol from MacRumors:

In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said iPhone SE inventory is "quickly" dwindling at a "large number" of Apple Store locations in the U.S., and he believes this is a "reliable sign" that a new model is on the horizon.

The current iPhone SE is still available to order on Apple's online store.

The current iPhone SE looks similar to the iPhone 8, with outdated features such as a Touch ID button, Lightning port, and thick bezels around the display. Pricing starts at $429, but at least a slight price increase seems probable for the next model.

Looks like the iPhone SE 3rd gen is on its way out, and if you really wanted one, now is the time to get it. A classic and a collectible down the line. You’ll be able to tell your grandkids about the “old days,” when you had to press a button to go to your Home Screen.

Using your AirPods Pro upside down works great.

I have been using my AirPods Pro upside down for certain reasons, and it turns out to be a great solution.

When I trim my beard near my ears, the AirPod stems get in the way and are at risk of falling out since I’m bringing my trimmer right in that area. All I do is switch the left and right earbuds, and flip them so the stems are now facing upwards. 

If I am at risk of them falling out or getting loose, such as during intense workouts, I also do the same thing, and they are actually more stable for me.

Keyword being, for me. 

We all have different ear shapes and sizes, so if you do have AirPods Pro, or even any other AirPods, give it a shot and see how you like it. 

I even called my wife while in “upside down mode,” and she could still hear me, but she said I sounded “distant,” and not in the psychoanalytical way. A disadvantage for call quality, but that’s fine because when I’m trimming my beard or working out, I don’t want to talk to anyone.

It’s even easier to adjust the volume up and down when the stems are pointing up. I don’t feel like my ear fit is any looser versus when the stems are hanging down. It actually feels more stable. 

The controls are reversed, so you have to slide up to lower the volume and slide down to increase the volume. Think inverted mouse scrolling.

This is a legitimate way to use your AirPods in certain scenarios. If you are using them for other Accessibility reasons such as Hearing Aids, I wouldn’t recommend flipping them upside down since orientation is a big part of those features working properly.

Nokia’s internal presentation to the iPhone announcement in 2007.

The Nokia Design Archive was opened to the public on January 15, 2025, and it has some interesting, previously confidential documents, including a reaction to the iPhone launch with a presentation titled:

Apple iPhone was launched (yes, it is “iPhone” *)

The asterisk led to the footnote:

*) Apple has agreed with Cisco on using the name, details not known.

We don’t know the details either, but let’s just say Apple got the better end of that deal.

The title sounds like they're mocking the iPhone, but the presentation tells a story of panic, fear, and stiff competition.

Not sure if this presentation should be in their Design Archive, but seeing references to the S60 Symbian OS and other Nokia phones was nostalgic.

This is as close to being a fly on the wall you could have been in Nokia’s executive meeting.

Full PDF of presentation in case they take it down.

Which iPhones have Face ID that work in landscape?

I watch a decent amount of videos on my iPhone, and there’s nothing worse than trying to unlock your iPhone in landscape with an iPhone that doesn’t support Face ID in landscape. 

You have to do that tilt gesture with your head while looking like an idiot to unlock your phone, or you have to turn your phone back to portrait mode to unlock it. You can also meet in the middle and do a slight head tilt and turn your phone at the same time, but the problem is you're eating fried chicken, and your hands are covered in refined oils.

Trust me, I’ve been there.

To avoid this, make sure you buy an iPhone that supports Face ID in landscape. Any iPhone 13 or later model on iOS 16 or later will support it.

How to make your iPhone Passcode more secure without changing it.

Apple released Stolen Device Protection (SDP) in response to criminals successfully ruining people’s lives by using an iPhone’s password to reset the victim’s iCloud password.

In 2023 the New York Times did a report on this new tactic, summarized on TidBITS:

Watch the video, but in short, a ne’er-do-well gets someone in a bar to enter their iPhone passcode while they surreptitiously observe (or a partner does it for them). Then the thief steals the iPhone and dashes off. Within minutes, the thief has used the passcode to gain access to the iPhone and change the Apple ID password, which enables them to disable Find My, make purchases using Apple Pay, gain access to passwords stored in iCloud Keychain, and scan through Photos for pictures of documents that contain a Social Security number or other details that could be used for identity theft. After that, they may transfer money from bank accounts, apply for an Apple Card, and more, all while the user is completely locked out of their account.

And yes, they’ll wipe and resell the iPhone too. Almost no crimes like this have been reported by Android users, with a police officer speculating that it was because the resale value of Android phones is lower. In the video, Joanna Stern said a thief with the passcode to an Android phone could perform similar feats of identity and financial theft.

Apple’s response? Stolen Device Protection:

With Stolen Device Protection, some features and actions have additional security requirements when your iPhone is away from familiar locations such as home or work. These requirements help prevent someone who has stolen your device and knows your passcode from making critical changes to your account or device.

• Face ID or Touch ID biometric authentication: Some actions such as accessing stored passwords and credit cards require a single biometric authentication with Face ID or Touch ID — with no passcode alternative or fallback — so that only you can access these features.

• Security Delay: Some security actions such as changing your Apple Account password also require you to wait an hour and then perform a second Face ID or Touch ID authentication.

In the event that your iPhone is stolen, the security delay is designed to prevent a thief from performing critical operations so that you can mark your device as lost and make sure your Apple account is secure.

Thieves can still come after you if they see you entering your passcode because they’re hoping you don’t have this feature enabled, or they might not be aware of it themselves.

The goal shouldn’t be to prevent thieves from breaking into your accounts and your life, the goal is to prevent them from taking your iPhone in the first place. Even if you have all the safety measures in place and your phone gets swiped, you’re still without a phone, which will be expensive to replace and will take hours to get everything synced up again.

The best way to stop this is to hide your password when typing it in, but sometimes we might be in a hurry and forget to keep our guard up. Not to mention this type of attack is common in bars, so your guard is already lowered.

The next best thing? Change your password to an alphanumeric one.

You don’t have to actually change your password, but you do have to add something at the end of it. Like a period.

Say your passcode was “090708”. You can change your passcode and add a period, so your password is now “090708.” If the potential thief does see you entering your passcode, they will see the alphanumeric keyboard and will be more likely to skip past you because it’s almost impossible to really see what someone is typing. The keyboard is small enough, even on the Pro Max models, that your “fat finger” will obscure what you’re typing, compared to the huge numeric keypad.

It also helps to turn off haptics when typing in your code since people can’t hear how long your password is.

Over time, you’ll actually get faster at typing the alphanumeric code since it is all number based, but no one would know you would do such a thing…unless they read my blog.

I tried to be even slicker and just keep the exact same password even though I selected an alphanumeric option and keyboard, but the iPhone defaults back to a numeric keypad, so I had to add the period.

Time to stand.

This is perhaps the most underrated health feature of the Apple Watch, and the most important.

The “Time to stand” function is so important, and something you hopefully you won’t realize too late in life.

As a healthcare professional and as someone who has to stand a lot for work, I can tell you with certainty that the days I have to work and move around a lot, I actually feel less lower back pain. When I am off and sit on a computer trying to think about what to write, I feel more back pain.

I would encourage everyone to take their “Time to stand” reminder seriously because it will help you in the long run.

Remember, sitting is the new smoking.

This feature needs to come back to Apple Watch.

You’re a busy person, and so am I.

You glance at your Apple Watch to pace yourself as you drive away, trying to conquer your checklist for the day.

After all, time is money.

But the reality is, you have already been defeated.

You don’t have your iPhone, and you don’t even know it.

After a while, when you are well past the point of no return, you start feeling your pocket for your iPhone, only to find out it isn’t there. You have your watch on, so you know you can go to your Control Center and hope to see the green iPhone logo. 

Maybe it’s in the center console, or it fell in the car somewhere, you tell yourself with an optimistic, anxious mind. 

But when you raise your shaky finger and click the Side Button, that’s when you see it:

The red iPhone of death.

You feel helpless, and might even hyperventilate with this heart-piercing, visual confirmation of impending doom.

How could they not have told me sooner? 

Why Apple??

Why couldn’t you let me know more aggressively that I forgot my beloved?

Why couldn’t you put the red iPhone logo front and center, staring right back at me the moment my iPhone was not in range?

Why?!

Everything looks fine at first glance…

until you realize your iPhone is missing.

You feel defeated in the moment, until you realize that all hope is not lost. 

You remember back to a time, a simpler time, where Apple used to let you know right on your watch face, that your iPhone is missing. It didn’t matter what watch face you had, but that red iPhone with a slash right through it would show up immediately, letting you know before you get too far that you need to grab your iPhone.

My Series 3 on watchOS 8 lets me know every time without fail. 

Whether you use the Simple watch face, or are admiring the peaceful serenity of Mack Lake with a Timelapse, Apple didn’t hesitate to interrupt you with their passive aggressive way of letting you know:

“Hey genius, you forgot your iPhone.”

That subtle, red, “iPhone logo of death” on your watch face was quick and easy. Bring it back.

We can only hope that in watchOS 12, Apple gives us back this feature. 

Just literally put the disconnected iPhone logo where the red notification dot goes (like it used to!), and call it a day. 

Don’t think different with this one, just do it.

You’re using it too much.

Ten tips from MacRumors for saving battery life on your iPhone, but I have one more:

Stop using it too much.

Touch some grass, bruh.

Camera Control comes in for the win (for once).

Yesterday was the first time I really appreciated Camera Control on the iPhone 16.

I have to set the scenario for you to really appreciate it:

It was below freezing outside, and I was standing on a hilly, icy surface at an angle, trying to take videos of my kids. Not in any danger, but still easy to slip and take a small fall. I’m really sensitive to cold and had to wear gloves. The gloves had capacitive tips for both the thumb and pointer finger allowing for touch screen operation.

Even with the capacitive gloves, it was a challenge to navigate the touchscreen due to my new artificial problem of having fat fingers. I still had to use the screen to switch to video mode which was a bit cumbersome, but for other controls, I used Camera Control.

The problem with taking pictures and videos in the snow is the camera sees all the white snow and ice and underexposes the shot, thinking the scene is too bright. That leads to a slurry of underexposed, underwhelming videos. I had to adjust the exposure throughout my memory capturing journey to get the whites to pop just right.

I could have made exposure adjustments with the touch screen, but “fat glove fingers” are not the best. Camera Control was perfect for this situation, and swiping with my gloves was effortless and dare I say, satisfying.

Zooming in and out was also easy to do without having to resort to the touch screen.

As satisfying as it was to benefit from the Camera Control button, let’s see how often I use it when winter is over…

Watching the original iPhone launch event with the next generation.

It’s hard for kids to imagine a world where smartphones don’t exist, especially if they were born after 2012.

The original iPhone event in hindsight is quite funny to watch and even condescending to kids because Steve Jobs was explaining how to use a multi-touch screen, something that was science fiction in 2007 for most people, yet is as natural as air in 2024.

It’s funny to just watch your kids reacting to people being oohed and aahed by something they take for granted.

Three of my favorite clips of the original launch:

“And to unlock the phone I just take my finger and slide it across.”

“I just take my finger…and I scroll.”

“I can just take my fingers and I can…we call it the pinch. I can bring them closer together or move them further apart.”

Be careful with Apple’s Drug Interaction Checker

I set up my 15 Pro Max as a fresh new testing device, and I added the same drugs that I had on my 16 Pro Max. This list on my 16 Pro Max was ported over from my health data when I set it up initially.

Here’s the list of drugs that I setup as a dummy patient profile:

1. Crestor (generic name is rosuvastatin) - cholesterol medicine.

2. Lisinopril - blood pressure medication. 

3. Zocor (generic name is simvastatin) - this is the same drug category as Crestor, used for cholesterol medicine.

4. Chantix - for smoking cessation.

5. Simvastatin - literally the same drug as Zocor.

6. Rifampin - used for treating tuberculosis.

7. Gemfibrozil - cholesterol medicine.

8. Promethazine VC with Codeine - used to treat cold, stuffiness, and allergy symptoms.

9. Accutane - for severe acne.

I had the exact same list of drugs on both phones, but I had more drug interactions on my 15 Pro. The 16 Pro was only showing 8 Serious and 4 Moderate interactions, while the 15 Pro was showing 2 Critical, 9 Serious, and 5 Moderate interactions.

I tried to see what was the reason behind this, and I could not see anything different. Sure, I skipped putting an image background and pill color for my 15 Pro drugs, but that shouldn’t matter.

The main drug causing more interactions was Gemfibrozil, so I archived it and then unarchived it to see if it would “fix” the amount of drug interactions I had. That did fix the problem.

In fairness to Apple, these type of glitches happen in all software based systems, including Pharmacies.

Considering there were 2 Critical and 1 Serious interactions that would not be seen, it’s always a good idea to consult with your care team whenever new medications are added or doses are changed. Even when taking over-the-counter medications, you should add it to your drug list to see if it can have harmful effects.

It also can’t hurt to archive and then unarchive your medications every so often.

After I archived Gemfibrozil and then unarchived it…

I got the proper amount of Drug Interactions to display.

Sleep Apnea detection on the Apple Watch could have been much better with Blood Oxygen data.

Lauren Jeffries from Tom’s Guide talking about how reliable Apple Watch’s sleep apnea detection works:

To avoid the possibility of false positives, Apple decided to prioritise specificity over sensitivity. These terms mean:

Specificity: The percentage of those without moderate to severe sleep apnea who wouldn’t receive a notification

Sensitivity: The percentage of participants with moderate to severe sleep apnea who are correctly identified by the algorithm. 

Apple recorded the notification performance as 66.6% for sensitivity and 95.9% for specificity. This means that there is potential for many cases of sleep apnea to remain undetected even when using the Apple Watch. 

This is what concerns Dr Runge, who says, "The lack of accuracy is a significant issue. I don’t mind the idea that the Apple Watch will “over diagnose” sleep apnea. At least in that setting people will get formal evaluations. It is the under diagnosis that concerns me — people with sleep apnea may say to their partner 'see, I told you I didn’t have sleep apnea.'"

If you look at Apple’s study, sensitivity for severe sleep apnea had a sensitivity of 89.1%, while sensitivity for moderate sleep apnea was 43.4%, giving an average score of 66.3%. What that actually means is the Apple Watch is best at detecting severe sleep apnea 89% of the time. It is not that great at determining moderate sleep apnea at only 43%.

Apple would rather underdiagnose people than give false positives, which is still better than no diagnosis at all. They were able to get this far with just the accelerometer sensor:

The Sleep Apnea Notification Feature is a software-based medical device that analyzes Breathing Disturbance data collected nightly by the Apple Watch accelerometer sensor.

I wonder how much better the Apple Watch could have been at detecting Sleep Apnea if they included Blood Oxygen data, which is another key component in diagnosing sleep apnea. To perform another study at this scale would take years, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Apple’s sleep apnea detection gets better sensitivity with more crucial data points like blood oxygen levels once the battle with Masimo ends.

Which Apple Watches have Blood Oxygen availability?

The Blood Oxygen sensor on the Apple Watch is a nice tool to help those that require frequent monitoring of their oxygen levels. It can provide data that can help treat people who have lung issues, heart problems, and even blood issues. Unfortunately, support for the Blood Oxygen sensor is limited in the United States due to Apple’s ongoing legal battle:

The removal of the Blood Oxygen feature is the result of an intellectual property ruling from the United States International Trade Commission, which Apple is appealing.

The Blood Oxygen feature is no longer available on units sold by Apple in the United States on or after January 18, 2024. These are indicated with part numbers ending in LW/A. Learn how to identify your Apple Watch.

To make it easier I have made two lists here to show you which Apple Watches do and don’t support Blood Oxygen availability in the United States.

With Blood Oxygen availability:

1. Series 6

2. Series 7

3. Series 8

4. Series 9 model numbers NOT ending in LW/A.

5. Apple Watch Ultra 1

6. Certain Apple Watch Ultra 2 Natural Titanium models NOT ending in LW/A.

Without Blood Oxygen availability:

1. Series 9 model numbers ending in LW/A

2. Apple Watch Ultra 2 model numbers ending in LW/A. This includes all Black Titanium models.

3. All Series 10 models.

If you own a Series 9 or an Ultra 2 in Natural Titanium, you need to go to your Apple Watch app under General > About > Model Number, to see if your watch has Blood Oxygen capabilities.

I have a Series 10 which doesn’t support Blood Oxygen at all, but it is confirmed with the LW/A at the end of my model number.

This patent dispute will eventually get resolved, and once that happens, Apple will resume Blood Oxygen availability for all watches that had it disabled.

If you are buying online through a 3rd party retailer or on eBay, make sure you check the model number so you can tell if the watch has Blood Oxygen capability.

You can also get the model number from the box:

This one has Blood Oxygen enabled…

This one doesn’t.

How about other countries?

If you live in one of the countries where Blood Oxygen is supported (almost every country except the USA), all Series 6 models and higher have Blood Oxygen availability, except the Apple Watch SE and SE2.

If you are traveling abroad, it might be worth buying your Apple Watch from abroad since it will have Blood Oxygen enabled, and you can bring it back to the States and not lose functionality.

Update 1/9/25 @ 7:37PM - changed the description of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 from “Slate” Titanium to “Black”Titanium.

iOS 18 does not give you the freedom to move widgets wherever you want.

18 years.

We have been waiting 18 years to move our apps wherever we want to in iOS, and now we have complete app freedom.

After all, it took a new generation of engineers to make this happen.

Developers had to be born first, in order to handle the complexities of moving the icons from the top, to the bottom, per Craig Federighi himself.

Truly a remarkable feat.

Unfortunately, we may need to wait for another batch of engineers to be born to fix the widget situation.

All jokes aside, Apple states we can place widgets where we want them, but that is not the case. 

Apple’s claim:

Place your apps and widgets right where you want them. Arrange them along the bottom for quicker reach, or off to the side to frame a favorite wallpaper. Or give each page of your Home Screen a unique layout that's most helpful for you.

When it comes to apps, we do have complete freedom. With widgets, we cannot place them where we want them.

If you use the large widget, you have 2 spots to place them, but you cannot center the widget:

If you are using a medium-sized widget, you have 3 spots to place them, but you cannot place them in rows 2-3 and 4-5:

The smallest widget size, perhaps the most used by people to customize their home screens, has even more limitations. There are 6 layouts that you can use, but there are 9 layouts that you cannot use.

Apple’s walled garden gives you these six choices…

but not these nine choices.

This is the definition of freedom, within Apple’s walled garden.

The situation is more optimistic on iPadOS 18. You still have similar restrictions with the large and medium sized widgets, but for small widgets, you can place them anywhere. The extra space between icons allows for that luxury. It’s actually quite satisfying turning your apps into small widgets, and nothing moves.

I turned whatever apps I could into small widgets, and nothing shifted position.

Also works in portrait mode.

In order to fix this issue, we need the birth of a new generation to rise.

A new generation, with the skill and capabilities to fix what was thought to be unfixable.

A new generation, filled with hope and ambition.

A new generation, to give us the freedom we deserve.

Springboard, here we come!

Does Apple still repair the Series 3 Apple Watch?

With the Series 4 watch now considered a vintage product by Apple, I thought for sure the Series 3 would also be vintage, but it is not.

What is Apple’s definition of vintage?

Products are considered vintage when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than 5 and less than 7 years ago.

When the Series 5 was launched in 2019, the Series 4 was discontinued, and the Series 3 stuck around as a low-cost option. The Series 3 was discontinued in September 2022, so it cannot “achieve” vintage status until at least September 2027.

Even though it stopped getting watchOS updates after watchOS 9, it is still more than functional and does the basics well. You can get repairs done by Apple, including screen and battery replacements for at least 5 to 7 years, depending on where you live.

Is my Apple Watch band going to give me cancer?

Stephen Warwick from TechRadar:

Scientists from the University of Notre Dame have called for more comprehensive studies and greater transparency from manufacturers after a study found elevated levels of so-called "forever chemicals" in some consumer smartwatch and fitness tracker bands.

The study, published this week in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, analyzed 22 watch bands from numerous brands and price points and found that some of these bands contained elevated levels of PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances), namely perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA). These chemicals are colloquially known as "forever chemicals" because they have an almost unbreakable chemical structure which means they don't degrade or break down over time.

The tested brands include many of the best smartwatch manufacturers and accessory makers including Apple (and Apple Watch Nike sport bands), CASETiFY, Fitbit, Google, and Samsung.

As reported by Notre Dame News, nine of the 22 bands tested contained elevated levels of PFHxA, with more expensive bands generally found to have higher levels.

The conclusion of this study? Inconclusive:

While the study does mention some big names in the smartwatch sector, notably Apple, Samsung, and Google, it's difficult to extrapolate too much because the study doesn't give the results for each brand. Companies like Apple clearly advertise Fluoroelastomer as present in its best Apple Watch bands, notably its Nike offerings, Sport Band, and the Apple Watch Ultra's Ocean band. However, the study doesn't tell us which of the bands offered by these major players were tested, or if they were the bands with notably high PFA levels.

Also why it’s inconclusive:

Speaking to Yahoo Life, Jamie Alan, associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University called the findings "interesting", but said that the study doesn't give any insight into how much PFHxA is absorbed through the skin, if any is absorbed at all. Other specialists in toxicology and dermatology agreed, stating that it is unlikely a significant amount of PXHxA would be absorbed through the skin. Finally, Alan pointed out that the study involved chemically extracting these compounds from Apple Watch bands, something users aren't doing when they wear these items day-to-day. "So although they found very high levels, that does not mean any significant amount is getting into our system," she concluded.

Apple sells 4 bands that are made of fluoroelastomer:

1. Ocean Band

2. Sport Band

3. Nike Sport Band

4. Hermès Kilim Single Tour

Interestingly the solo loops are made of liquid silicone which is a safer material.

If you look at Apple’s (and any company’s) Substance Specifications Report, you will see a number of substances on that list that can freak you out. On Apple’s 2023 report on page 8, you will see PFAS and specifically PFHxA used in “All Materials,” and an example of their use is “Protective and oleophobic coatings.”

If you remember your Apple history correctly, the iPhone screen has an oleophobic coating.

It could very well be that your iPhone and many other phones out there are coated with PFHxA, and your touching them all day while you’re snacking on Chick-fil-A.

Your Apple Watch band is not the only thing with dangerous chemicals in it. Millions of products out there have them.

It is good to be aware of these studies and how likely it can harm the human body, but the unfortunate reality is that these chemicals are everywhere.

Your pizza boxes are coated with an oleophobic coating so the oil doesn’t seep through the box. It makes for a better presentation to the customer.

Your heat-printed receipt from Best Buy that fades before the 14-day return policy? It has phthalates. Another chemical that can harm the body and cause cancer.

The list goes on.

If someone gets cancer or any other illness, most of the time you can’t blame one specific factor and say that is the cause. It is the cumulative effect of many factors, including these chemicals that are growing in our highly industrialized world.

What does Apple plan to do about PFAS? They plan to phase it out based on a 2022 report.

What can you do about it? Make informed decisions and take realistic steps to decrease exposure.

Even though the Apple bands with fluoroelastomers might not actually be harmful, you can choose to play it safe and use another band.

Just like you can opt for emailed receipts instead of physical ones and dine-in for pizza.

This study just stirred the pot, but it hasn’t cooked any solid information.