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CAN YOU CONNECT AIRPODS TO TWO DEVICES AT ONCE? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Woman with AirPods in ears and using an iPhone

There’s no denying that AirPods are the best wireless earbuds for your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. With Apple-exclusive features like location finding, control customization, and automatic in-ear detection, they make the experience a lot smoother for Apple users.

But while AirPods are indeed most compatible with Apple devices, at the end of the day, they’re still just Bluetooth earbuds. This means you can readily connect them to any other Bluetooth-enabled source out there. AirPods can work with Android phones, non-macOS computers, and even smart TVs.

The question now, though, is: can you connect your AirPods to two different devices at the same time? Maybe you have an iPhone and an iPad and want to use the earbuds with both. Or perhaps you prefer to borrow your significant other’s AirPods instead of buying your own.

The short answer to that is yes: AirPods can be paired with two or more devices at once. They’ll still only work for one device at a time, but you won’t have to repeat the pairing process after each use. But how exactly would this look if you were using two Apple devices versus two random ones with different operating systems?

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AirPods two Apple devices with the same ID

Woman holding AirPods with iPhone on table

AirPods will work flawlessly with two other Apple products, especially if they are signed into the same Apple ID. All you need to do is pair them to each of your devices — hold the open charging case next to your iPhone or iPad and follow the prompt that appears. If you have a Mac and paired the AirPods to your iPhone first, they should automatically connect without any extra steps.

Once paired, your devices will remember the AirPods and connect to them right away the next time you use them. If they don’t, you can go to your Bluetooth settings, where you should find the AirPods as an available option. Besides quick connection, using the AirPods with two Apple devices you own also means you get to enjoy one of the best hidden AirPods features – automatic device switching. All models, except for the AirPods 1, can transfer audio to any other Apple device with the same Apple ID.

Here’s how it works: Say you’re watching YouTube on your iPhone, then decide you’re more in the mood to listen to an audiobook on your Apple Watch. As soon as you play the audiobook, your AirPods will disconnect from the phone and switch to your watch. You won’t need to connect it manually. If you change your mind, you can easily move back to your iPhone by hitting the back arrow that appears on your handset.

If you’re not a fan of automatic device switching (it can be annoying and disruptive at times), you can turn it off. Launch Settings, open Bluetooth, and press the info icon to the right of your AirPods. Then, go to “Connect to this [device]” and choose “When last connected” instead of Automatically.

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AirPods two Apple devices with different IDs

One man holding iPhone and another man using AirPods

Apple Newsroom

So you want to pair the same AirPods to two Apple devices, but they use different Apple IDs — maybe your other device is a work phone, or you’re just borrowing your sister’s AirPods. In this case, the process is a bit different. You’ll still need to pair the two devices to your AirPods as you normally would, but unlike devices with the same Apple ID, the AirPods won’t automatically switch to the other device. This means you’ll have to do so manually.

On iPhone or iPad, long-press on “Bluetooth” from the Control Center and choose “AirPods.” If you have an Apple Watch, start playing the audio you want to listen to, then select your AirPods from the list. For Mac computers, press the Bluetooth icon at the top and click on AirPods. Finally, on Apple TV, wait for the AirPods to pop up, then hit the TV button on the remote.

Depending on what devices you’re using, automatic connection (where the AirPods automatically connect to the mobile device, computer, or TV they were last used with) may or may not work. We’ve personally tested this on an iPhone 15 Pro, an iPhone 7, and AirPods 2. The AirPods automatically connected to the iPhone 15 Pro but wouldn’t do so on the iPhone 7. We had to tap on it from the Bluetooth menu.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the original owner of the AirPods (the first Apple ID it was linked to) would always get access to the earbuds’ location. Having said that, if you ever move away from the owner’s device, you’ll get notified about it, and the owner can track the AirPods’ location on the Find My app.

AirPods two devices from different ecosystems

AirPods on table with laptop, phone, and water bottle

The beauty of AirPods is that they aren’t completely exclusive to Apple devices. You can use your AirPods with PCs, Linux computers, Android, and any other non-Apple operating system. For instance, you can pair them to an iPhone and a Windows PC simultaneously or have your AirPods connect to two Android phones.

As usual, you’ll need to pair the AirPods to every device before use. The process is the same for Apple devices if you’ll be using one. For other devices, though, follow these steps to get your AirPods paired:

Turn on Bluetooth on your Android, Windows, or Linux system.
Go to your device’s Bluetooth pairing screen.
Activate the AirPods’ pairing mode:

For AirPods 1 to 2 and both AirPods Pro models: Open the charging case and long-press on the back button.
For AirPods 4 models: Open the lid and double-tap the invisible button on the front.
For AirPods Max: Hold down on the noise control button.
Back on your device, tap “AirPods” when it appears on your available Bluetooth list.

The AirPods should then connect to your non-Apple device, and you can now use them to listen to music and watch movies. When you want to transfer to a different device, you’ll have to select the AirPods from the Bluetooth settings manually (applicable for both Apple and non-Apple products). Auto device switching, unfortunately, doesn’t work. You also won’t get other Apple-exclusive AirPods features.

What works in this case, though, is the auto-connection feature. Whenever you use your AirPods, they will automatically connect to the last device used, regardless of whether it was your iPhone, Windows PC, or Android phone. The AirPods will connect right out of the case, so you won’t have to bother doing so manually.

WHAT DOES AIO STAND FOR? THE MEANING BEHIND THE ABBREVIATION EXPLAINED

If you’ve been in the market for a new computer, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the term AIO thrown around. It can be difficult to assess what the term means, since it is extremely context-dependent. You may have encountered it when shopping for multiple different types of computers. It’s especially prevalent in the world of custom-built PCs, but you may also hear it when shopping for a prebuilt system.

As it turns out, AIO, or “all-in-one,” is a fairly flexible term that can refer to anything that integrates multiple parts that would usually be separate into a single product. However, with that in mind, there are two types of products you’ll hear referred to as AIO: liquid PC coolers and integrated desktops. These uses of AIO should be disambiguated from other terms we won’t discuss in this article like AI/O (asynchronous input/output) and artificial intelligence optimization, or various medical terms (adhesive intestinal obstruction, sounds awful — new fear unlocked). In this article, we’ll break down the most common uses of the term as it relates to consumer computer hardware. Here’s what you need to know.

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AIO can refer to all-in-one desktop PCs

AIO is an abbreviation that usually means “all-in-one,” but it has multiple applications in the realm of computers. One common meaning is a desktop computer that contains all of its components within a single unit that includes a display. The most straightforward example of an all-in-one desktop is the Apple iMac, which has been a staple of school computer labs, households, and offices for decades. Rather than the computer and display monitor being two separate units, the iMac integrates its motherboard, processor, RAM, storage, and more into the display itself. All a user needs to do is connect a mouse and keyboard. Other AIO desktops include the Microsoft Surface Studio, which folds down to become a massive desktop tablet for artists, and the Lenovo 24 All-In-One, which is closer to the sort of thing you might see on a receptionist’s desk at a doctor’s office.

In addition to being convenient, especially for users who aren’t very comfortable with or knowledgeable about computers, all-in-one desktops have two more benefits. First, they’re often relatively cheap, with many priced at under $1,000. Bulk deals make them even more affordable, which goes a long way to explain their popularity in offices and schools. Second, they’re space savers, eliminating the need to make room for a big desktop tower while also cutting down on cable management.

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AIO can also refer to PC liquid coolers

custom gaming pc with AIO cooler installed

Another common use of the AIO abbreviation appears in the realm of PC components, where it can refer to an all-in-one cooler. Water cooling has become increasingly popular among custom PC enthusiasts, as it provides more effective cooling for CPUs during intense workloads compared to traditional air coolers that use heat pipes and fans. However, cooling with a custom loop is rather complicated, requiring multiple components including a radiator, pump, reservoir, and water block. In addition to the complexity of assembling such a system, you risk spilling the cooling liquid into your system if you’re not careful, and you need to maintain it by changing out the liquid every so often.

That’s where AIO coolers come in. They have all the necessary components of a cooling loop, but are contained in a single closed ecosystem within a single unit. An AIO cooler has a pump with a cold plate that mounts to the CPU. This is connected by tubes to a radiator with fans that mounts (in most instances) on the top or back of the PC case. Unlike cooling loops, AIO coolers come pre-filled with water-based coolant, so you never have to worry about spills. You also don’t need to refill AIO coolers. The liquid inside lasts for the lifetime of the AIO. Cooling loops can be more fun, with some PC enthusiasts using them to add flair to their PCs. Lately, though, more AIOs come with RGB effects and other aesthetic touches. When trying to choose the right cooling kit for your PC, these factors make AIO coolers the best choice for people who aren’t experienced PC builders.

Nintendo thinks spying is the answer to making GameChat on the Switch 2 safe

Nintendo is in for a rude awakening

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The new Discord-like GameChat feature for theNintendo Switch 2may come with a major privacy compromise.

In its effort to strengthen child safety on GameChat, Nintendo may spy on all your calls, chats, and messages.

That makes sense from a moderation perspective, but could alienate gamers despite good intentions on Nintendo’s part.

Here’s what gamers should know.

Nintendo quietly announces it might be spying on GameChat activity

This week, Nintendo quietlyupdated its Privacy Policyto include a major change for GameChat, its Discord clone for the Switch 2. The update effectively reveals that Nintendo may be watching all of your activity in GameChat in attempt to ensure safety.

According to Nintendo, “We clarified that we may collect, monitor and record audio and video of your chat sessions with other users to provide a safe and secure environment.”

This means anything you say or do in your GameChat sessions could be monitored by Nintendo. It isn’t clear how Nintendo plans to analyze GameChat activity or how it might deal with unwanted behavior, but it’s clear Nintendo plans to have some level of surveillance on GameChat.

Nintendo first announcedGameChatback in April during the official Switch 2 reveal. It’s a built-in video and chat feature with a dedicated button on the Switch 2. The demo footage of the feature looks blatantly similar to Discord, only with visibly grainy video quality and seemingly low framerates. It will be free until March 31, 2026, but after that you will need a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership to use GameChat.

Unfortunately for Nintendo, a lot of gamers might be passing on this Discord wannabe after this news, and that’s probably the right call.

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Is it worth using GameChat on the Switch 2? Probably not.

I understand why Nintendo is implementing this Privacy Policy change, but unfortunately for most gamers it’s just another reason to skip GameChat.

Making any kind of social feature like this kid-friendly is very difficult to do without some sort of surveillance or kneecapping the service itself, like the limited pre-written chat options you get in kid-friendly MMOs.

This surveillance measure, along with seemingly poor resolution on GameChat, make it an all-around less attractive option for gaming calls and chats compared to Discord. If you’re already using Discord, the possible convenience of having GameChat built-in on the Switch 2 is likely not worth sacrificing your privacy and the higher-resolution video and screen sharing you can get on Discord.

While, of course, you can never be 100% sure that anything you say or do online is completely private and un-monitored, it’s clear from Nintendo’s updated privacy policy that GameChat will likely be less private than Discord.

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Parents may be tempted to overlook that with the assumption that GameChat will be safer for their kids, but no amount of surveillance is going to make GameChat 100% kid-friendly. The best solution is for parents to make sure their kids know how to be safe online and stick to chatting only with known friends and not strangers, rather than trusting Nintendo to keep everyone safe.

Microsoft says it hasn’t raised Surface prices

Instead, the company removed base Surface models from Microsoft.com

Microsoft hasn’t secretly raised Surface prices, as earlier reports claimed. Instead, it has removed the base models of the Surface Pro 13-inch and Surface Laptop 13.8-inch from Microsoft.com, according to a statement by Nancie Gaskill, GM of the Surface group. “Customers can purchase base models of Pro and Laptop at the starting price of $999 at other key retailers,” she added.

Currently, you can still find those models atAmazonandBest Buy, where they’re discounted to $800. That’s the same price as the smaller (and slower) Surface Pro 12-inch, so potential buyers have to think hard about balancing portability versus power. It’s also unclear if those base models are still being produced by Microsoft, the company could be trying to sell through it’s existing stock so future customers canonlyorder the more expensive models.

Earlier this week,XDAfirstnoticeda potential Surface price change at Microsoft.com. The starting prices of the13.8-inch Surface Laptopand13-inch Surface Proappeared to jump from $1,000 to $1,200 — but it turns out those are just higher-specced models.

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And despite the confusion around actual Surface pricing, Microsoft has definitely made its accessories more expensive. The 65W Surface power supply shot up from $90 to $120 this week, and the 127W variant went from $125 to $175. (Perhaps consider themany cheaper options from Anker and other companiesin our fast charging guide.)

Microsoft also increasedXbox prices last week increases. The Xbox Series X is now $80 more expensive, while an Xbox Series X costs an extra $100.

Updated 5/8/2025 6:00PM:Added Microsoft’s statement about not increasing Surface pricing.

Google Maps gets a screenshot tool that eases travel planning on your iPhone

AI scanning screenshots and adding details to Google Maps.

A few weeks ago, Google announced a bunch of new features targeted at digital travel planning, such as hotel price tracking and deploying AI as a personal guide. Among them was also aneat trick that could extract address details from screenshotsand save them to Google Maps.

That feature has now started to roll out slowly. Users started receiving it this week, it seems, and earlier today, Google also released a blogupdateinstructing users on how to enable it. For now, it is focused on iOS, but the facility will soon land on Android, as well.

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Why does it matter?

I often save Google Search listings, social media ads, and blog posts about a certain place, restaurant, monument, or stuff related to my travel plans as screenshots. It’s the quickest way to save such information, especially for scenarios where you don’t have the time to type it all as a note.

Woah this new Google map feature where it can scan screenshot and save the place. Genius! Something I’ve needed for a long time bc I have so many random screenshots— coleen 🌴🐺 (@fluffybbom)May 4, 2025

When I eventually return to them, I mostly use Google Lens to extract the text details from those screenshots, and accordingly save them either in my planner notes, or custom lists in Google Maps’ “You” section.

Now, thanks to Gemini, the AI assistant will automatically look for such information in screenshots saved on your phone, and add them to a dedicated list in the Google Maps app. “Places you save will show up on the map, and you can easily share the list with your travel buddies,” Google said back in March. Picking address details from screenshots in Google Maps.

The new feature is somewhat similar toGemini’s file analysis capabilities. When you open a document, let’s say a PDF, in the Files app, you will see a Gemini chip at the top that lets you ask Gemini questions about the contents of the file. It works quite well, actually.

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How to enable it?

In order to let Gemini scan your screenshots and automatically add them to a dedicated list in Google Maps, follow these steps:

1. Make sure that you are running the latest version of the Google Maps app on your iPhone.

2. Open the Google Maps app and tap on the “You” option in the bottom row. AI scanning screenshots for Google Maps. Google

3. On the next page, you will see a new list named Screenshots, with a “Try it out!” badge attached to it.

4. When you tap on it, the app will show a brief tutorial video on how it works. At this point, you will need to grant the app permission to access the media files stored locally on your iPhone.

5. The next time you take a screenshot with address-related information mentioned in it, it will be scanned in the background. When you open the Google Maps app afterward, it will inform you that there are new location details ready for review.

6. Approve the addresses that you want to save, and they will automatically be added to the list. Users will also be able to do a manual screenshot scan from within the “You” tab in the app.

7. The saved addresses will appear in the “Screenshots” list and the map view.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN USB-C AND USB4?

If you, like most people, have a drawer full of USB cables for all your different devices, then you know how quickly those cables can get out of hand. However you organize your cables, keeping track of the different types can require a course in tech jargon just to make sense of it all. Two of the terms you’ve likely come across are USB-C and USB4, especially if you’ve been out shopping for new tech recently. Most of us are at least somewhat familiar with USB-C and what it can do, but if we throw USB4 in the mix, things can start to get confusing, especially since they share the same connector.

While you’ll often see USB-C and USB4 listed side by side on packaging and spec sheets, they’re not interchangeable. USB4 refers to the technology standard, while USB-C describes the physical shape of the connector. In other words, when we talk about USB-C, we’re referring to the design of the connector itself: the small, reversible plug that you see at the end of the cables you use for everything from charging your phone to connecting accessories like external drives and monitors. However, just because two cables share the same connector doesn’t mean they deliver the same performance; that’s where USB4 comes in. USB4 is a technology standard that uses the USB-C connector to deliver faster speeds, better power delivery, and more advanced features.

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USB-C is just the connector, but performance varies widely

Whether you’re charging the brand new MacBook Air M4 or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, you’re plugging your device into a USB-C port. Over the past few years, the compact, rectangular-shaped reversible connector has become the standard across modern tech, replacing older USB-A and USB-B ports. From laptops and tablets to smartphones and wireless earbuds, if you bought a new device in the last couple of years, there’s a good chance it has a USB-C port. And that’s what makes the USB-C connector so special: it has a universal port shape that’s easy to plug in and supports a wide variety of devices and functions, including charging, data transfer, and even video output.

As convenient as this universal connector is, there’s a catch: USB-C only describes the shape of the connector; it says nothing about its speed, charging capability, or features. For example, that USB-C cable you’re using to charge your device may only support slow USB 2.0 speeds, or it may support much faster USB 3.2 or USB4 speeds; it all depends on the cable’s specifications and the standards it supports.

Some USB-C cables are even charge-only, meaning they don’t support data transfer at all. In other words, the USB-C cable you’re using could be limited to basic power delivery or support high-wattage charging for laptops. It’s this variation that makes USB-C so confusing for many people. You can be staring at two seemingly identical cables, and one charges your device rapidly while the other moves at a snail’s pace and doesn’t even support data transfer.

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How USB4 improves performance over older USB-C standards

USB-C cable restingon top of black smartphone

While USB-C describes the physical connector, USB4 refers to the technology standard that uses it. Introduced in 2019, USB4 is a major upgrade over previous USB technology, offering faster speeds, better power delivery, and built-in support for Thunderbolt features. That said, just because a device uses a USB-C connector doesn’t guarantee it supports USB4; you’ll need to check the specs carefully. If you’re using a USB-C connector that supports USB4, you’ll get data transfer rates of up to 40 Gbps, which is almost double what USB 3.2 Gen 2 can provide. That means you’ll be able to move your large files a lot faster, stream high-resolution video, or connect multiple monitors through a single port and not worry about lag.

USB4’s capabilities go beyond just delivering faster speeds; it also improves power delivery, supporting up to 100 watts, which is something you’ll find especially useful if you have large devices like laptops that need to be charged. Another important feature is its compatibility with Thunderbolt 3 or later, which makes it possible to use high-speed accessories like external monitors, docks, and storage drives through the same USB-C port. Getting to know the difference between Thunderbolt and USB-C can be helpful in making sure you get the right cable or accessory for your device, as well.

Not Just Xbox: Microsoft Raises the Price of Its Surface Laptops

Alongside the rollout of cheaper Surfaces, Microsoft also increased prices on previous-gen laptops by around 20%.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch

Microsoft announced twonew Surface laptopson Tuesday, and it appears the company used the announcement to increase prices on some of the previous models by around 20%.

Spotted byXDA, Microsoft has yet to officially announce the price changes, but they’re active on the company’s online store. For example, the13-inch Surface Prolaunched at $999.99 but now costs $1,199.99 if you try and buy one in its cheapest configuration.

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Surface Pro price on May 5 (Credit: Wayback Machine/Microsoft)

Surface Pro price on May 7 (Credit: Microsoft)

Other retailers, like Amazon and Best Buy, have yet to reflect the price increases, so if you’re looking to buy one of these products, it may be cheaper on a third-party site. Price hikes spotted so far include:

Surface Laptop, 13.8-inch— now $1,199.99, up from $999.99
Surface Pro, 13-inch— now $1,199.99, up from $999.99
Surface 65W Power Supply— now $119.99, up from $89.99
Surface 127W Power Supply— now $174.99, up from $124.99

TheSurface Laptop Studio 2also got more expensive in recent weeks, moving from a base of $1,999.99 to $2,379.99, XDA notes. There’s currently a deal on the product that keeps it at the $1,999.99 mark, but Microsoft says it’s a time-sensitive discount rather than the base price. Meanwhile, the 15-inchSurface Laptopremains at $1,299.99.

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The reasoning for the price change is unclear, but the company alsosignificantly increased the prices of its Xbox products last week, citing “market conditions and the rising cost of development.” That saw the price of an Xbox Series X rise $100 and an Xbox Series S increase by $80, alongside various accessories. The brand also warned customers to expect its first-party games to rise to $80 at some point later this year.The brand’s two new Surface products are a 12-inch version of the Pro that starts at $799.99 and a 13-inch Surface Laptop that starts at $899.99. Both are more affordable than recent Surface products, giving customers a new entry-level option.

WHY DOES THE IPHONE HAVE A BAROMETER? (AND HOW TO USE IT)

For many in the tech arena, the iPhone has been, and likely always will be, the gold standard for handheld mobile devices. The smartphones were the very definition of “game changer” when they debuted in 2007, and they have continued to evolve into some of the most technologically advanced devices on the consumer electronics scene in the years since.

These days, the iPhone has become such an advanced piece of tech that it tends to have lots of features and functions installed that many users don’t even know about. With the list of hidden iPhone features only seeming to get longer with every new iteration of IOS, it’s likely that some users will never fully grasp what their devices are actually capable of. Even as Apple continues to build new functions into the iPhone, a few have been around for a while now, though you still may not know about them.

For example, did you know that your iPhone has a barometer built into it? Apple’s iPhones have boasted a built-in barometer since the device’s sixth generation. As for why the Apple design team began incorporating barometers into the smartphones, it’s likely because a barometer can help provide the device with better readings for vertical location, which greatly improves the iPhone’s GPS capabilities. So, how exactly does a barometer aid in that particular endeavor?

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What do barometers actually do?

If you are wholly unfamiliar with what a barometer does, the devices are designed to measure atmospheric pressure, which is sometimes called barometric pressure, hence the name. The devices have long been utilized by scientists and meteorologists, as changes in atmospheric pressure tend to coincide with changes in the weather. Historically, those devices have functioned with the aid of mercury, as the metal fluid is directly impacted by the amount of pressure in the air, though fluid-less aneroid barometers have also been utilized regularly.

Don’t worry, you don’t have a tube of mercury or an aneroid chamber built into your iPhone. Barometers went digital long ago, and the readings taken from digital sensors built into your iPhone are far more accurate and immediate than those taken by the old school instruments. If you’re curious how they take readings, the barometer is one of the reasons there are vents in the bottom of your iPhone, as the design feature allows air to enter the device for readings.

As for what the barometer in your iPhone is measuring, it, in part, uses the change in pressure to chart the device’s change in elevation, since air pressure can shift dramatically the higher or lower you are in the world. The barometer in your iPhone may be so sensitive that the readings shift by moving from the first floor of a home to the second. Readings from the barometer can also be used by certain weather and health-monitoring apps if you give permission for them to access that information.

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Accessing your iPhone’s barometric readings

Now that you know your iPhone has a barometer and is regularly charting the changes in atmospheric pressure depending on where you are in the world, you might be wondering how you can access this information. Unfortunately, it does not appear that you can directly access the information on your iPhone yourself. In fact, searching “barometer” on your device will produce exactly zero results.

That means you’ll need to visit ye old App Store and download a third-party feature if you want to tap into the barometric potential of your iPhone. As a reminder, the barometer did not debut in the iPhone until the sixth generation models made it to market. So, if you’re using an iPhone 5 or earlier, you will not be able to access the info because, well, there just won’t be any info to access. The good news is that, assuming you are using a barometer-equipped iPhone, there are several third-party apps to choose from in the App Store.

Among the higher-rated free apps you’ll find are the Barometer & Altimeter & Thermo from ExaMobile S.A. and My Altitude from Dayana Networks Ltd., which each boast a 4.8 stars out of 5 rating with more than 8,000 and more than 25,000 user reviews, respectively. The apps offer many of the same free features, with each offering in-app upgrades at a cost, meaning that the differences are primarily aesthetic. But if you’re interested, My Altitude does allow users to utilize barometric readings from NOAA instead of those taken directly by your iPhone, though there’s no guarantee of which numbers will be more accurate.

Forget Venmo, Samsung Wallet will let you transfer money by tapping your phones together

Samsung tap to transfer feature for Google Wallet

(Image credit: Samsung)

Summary

Samsung Wallet is introducing a Tap to Transfer feature for peer-to-peer payments using debit cards stored in the app.
The feature allows users to send money in person by tapping their Galaxy phone against the recipient’s phone (using NFC) or even their physical tap-to-pay debit card. Remote transfers are also possible.
Tap to Transfer will be available to all Samsung Wallet users in the USA later this month.

There are more options than ever for transferring money to friends and family, but it can still be a major hassle. Whether it’s having the right app, or making sure you’re sending it to the right person. But Samsung thinks it’s found a better way with a new feature called “Tap to Transfer”.

The name is rather literal, and means you can transfer money from your debit card to another person by tapping your phones together. The NFC chips in two of thebest Samsung phoneswill register, and you’ll send the money over instantly.

Alternatively, if there are people without Samsung phones they can tap their debit card against the phone — which can be useful for getting money from someone not in your contacts list.

The feature has been done in partnership with Visa and Mastercard, and my guess is Tap to Transfer will be exclusive to those card companies for the time being. It’s also a debit card transaction, so no trying to transfer money from your credit card by mistake.

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Paying your debts made easy

The only real downside here is that Tap to Transfer is exclusive to Samsung Wallet.

Still the idea behind this is pretty interesting. Rather than having to Venmo someone your share of the dinner bill, or the cab ride you used to get home, you can simply tap their phone just as you would with a normal credit card machine.

Samsung also confirmed that location won’t always matter. It will still be possible to send money to people you know through Samsung Wallet, all by searching for their Samsung account.

The only real downside here is that Tap to Transfer is exclusive to Samsung Wallet. So if you’re an iPhone user, or have an Android phone not made by Samsung, you’re going to miss out. You’re going to be stuck transferring money the old fashioned way unless someone in your friend group has a Samsung Galaxy — and is willing to pick up the bill.

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Tap to Transfer will hit Samsung Wallet at some point later this month.

App Store rule change takes the headache out of buying books on iOS Kindle app

Making purchases from your iPhone just got a whole lot easier

A hand holding an iPhone 12 Mini showing the updated buying page on the Kindle iOS app

It’s finally getting easier to buy ebooks on theiOSKindle app after a major App Store rule change.

In response to a court order in the case ofEpic Games, Inc. v. Apple Inc.,Applehas been forced to stop charging a commission on purchases made outside of the App Store. This is good news foriPhoneusers in general, but solves an especially annoying issue with the iOS Kindle app, which has received an update to make buying ebooks on your iPhonemucheasier.

Thanks to this court order, making purchases from your iPhone just got a whole lot simpler.

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iOS Kindle app gets desperately-needed update after App Store rule change

An iPhone sitting on a wood table showing the updated buying page in the Kindle iOS app

If you opened the iOS Kindle app recently days, you may have noticed you now have the option to purchase books in the app… sort of.

Prior toa major App Store rule changeon May 1, you couldn’t purchase books through the iOS Kindle app at all (or the Amazon app) and instead had to go through the entire process in your web browser. Now, you can simply tap “Get Book” and the Kindle app will take you directly to the book’s purchasing page in your browser.

This is a far more streamlined process and it’s thanks to a recent court order that forced Apple to stop charging commissions on external purchases.

So, for instance, previously an app developer couldn’t include a link in their app taking the user to their web browser to make a purchase outside of the app. That rule was used to effectively force app developers to only allow purchases through their apps, which would force them to give Apple a 30% commission on every purchase.

Now, developers are allowed to include buttons and links directing users to external purchase mechanisms, mainly web browsers, without being forced to pay a commission. As a result, buying things like ebooks on your iPhone is now much more straightforward and user-friendly.

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The court case slowly opening iOS to third-party app stores

As one might expect,Apple is appealing the rulingthat led to this change in the App Store rules. However, I hope for the sake of iOS andiPadOSusers that the rule change stays in effect since it contributes to a much better user experience with apps like Kindle and others that allow for digital purchases.

In fact, Epic Games, the plaintiff in the case that led to last week’s App Store change, has had an ongoing dispute with Apple over its restrictions and commission system for purchases made on iOS. Epic currently doesn’t have an iOS/iPadOS app available in the U.S. due to those restrictions.

Users in the European Union can download the Epic Games Store on their iOS and iPadOS devices thanks to the Digital Markets Act, which forced Apple to allow the use of third-party app stores, but that ruling only applies to users in the EU. Luckily,that may change soonthanks to rulings in Epic’s case against Apple.

I’m hoping Epic continues to score wins in its case against Apple since this case is finally bringing more freedom to iOS, giving users more choice over the apps they download, where they download them from, and how they purchase digital items like ebooks. Although, admittedlyI still prefer my ereaderover the Kindle app.