Celebrate Pride with the vibrant new Apple Watch Band

Photo: Apple

Apple unveils its annual tribute to Pride Month with the stunning Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop for Apple Watch. This eye-catching band features a unique woven design in the colours of the Pride flag, with a subtle "PRIDE 2024" inscription etched on the lugs.

Available starting May 22 in Canada and the US (May 23 internationally), the Solo Loop offers a comfortable and secure fit for Apple Watch SE and Series 4 or later in 41mm and 45mm sizes. It's priced at $99.

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iPhone 12 gains surprise Qi2 support with iOS 17.4 update

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In a quiet update, Apple enabled 15W Qi2 wireless charging on iPhone 12 with the recent iOS 17.4 release. This means you can now leverage the benefits of supported Qi2 chargers. Macworld first discovered this functionality and confirmed it through testing alongside Belkin. Belkin verified that their Qi2 chargers deliver 15W charging to the updated iPhone 12. Anker has also confirmed similar compatibility for their Qi2 chargers.

As the pioneer of MagSafe on iPhones, the iPhone 12 has always supported 15W magnetic charging. However, other iPhones were limited to slower 7.5W wireless charging unless they used certified MagSafe chargers. This update effectively brings all MagSafe iPhones under the Qi2 umbrella, offering greater flexibility and potentially more affordable charging options.

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Apple to allow default navigation apps on iPhone (EU only)

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Android users have long enjoyed the flexibility of setting default apps, while iOS users have faced limitations. However, Apple is making a user-centric shift. Starting next year, iPhone users in the European Union can choose their preferred navigation app, like Google Maps, instead of solely relying on Apple Maps.

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Google Drive on iOS gains user-friendly search filters

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Google announced an update to their Google Drive app for iOS, bringing intuitive search filters via dropdown menus for file type, owner, and last modified date. These filters appear before and after a search, with dynamic recommendations popping up as you type. The update caters to all Google Drive users, including individual and Workspace subscribers. While currently exclusive to iOS, Google confirms a similar update is on the way for Android users.

These new filters address the pain point of locating specific files when you're unsure of their exact name or location. For example, if you're looking for a recently saved video, you can simply select "Videos" under the file type filter, then choose a custom date range under "last modified" to pinpoint your search. 

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