Shipments grew 6% in 2019, compared to a 43% decline the year before.

What you need to know

Apple’s iPhone fortunes in India have finally turned around.
Shipments were up 6% in 2019, compared to a 43% decline the year before.
Apple’s decision to discount the iPhone XR by $250 made it the best selling iPhone in the country.

Apple’s iPhone shipments in India grew by 6% in 2019, compared to a 43% decline the year prior.

According to Bloomberg:

Apple Inc.’s iPhone shipments in India grew 6% in 2019 compared with a 43% decline in the previous year, stabilizing its position in a rare market that still exhibits growth in smartphone demand. Discounting the iPhone XR by $250 in the middle of the year made it Apple’s best-selling phone in the country, according to Counterpoint Technology Market Research. The fall introduction of the iPhone 11, with a reduced starting price, ”helped to gain share during the festive season and in its launch quarter in India,” the researchers added.

T…

Adobe announced that it would kill off flash by the end of 2020.

What you need to know

Apple has released a new update for Safari Technology Preview.
In the latest release, Adobe Flash will no longer be supported.
It marks the final death of Adobe Flash, some 10 years after Apple first made the decision not to pre-install it on the Mac.

Adobe Flash is no longer supported in the latest release of Safari Technology Preview, marking its final death on the platform.

Waaaay back in 2010, Apple made the decision not to pre-load Adobe Flash player onto the Mac. It has never truly embraced Flash for macOS, even after installing it, Flash remained off by default and Safari required explicit approval for each website before running the Flash Plugin. iPhone, iPad, and iPod have never supported Flash.

Back in 2017, Adobe announced that it would end-of-life Flash by the end of 2020 and that it would encourage content creators to migrate any existing Flash content to new open formats in the…

Eve’s latest HomeKit accessory protects against water leaks.

What you need to know

Eve Water Guard is now available for purchase on Amazon.
Plug-in sensor uses a cable to detect water leaks.
Built-in LED and siren alerts those locally in addition to iOS notifications.

Here’s something that you do not see very often, a HomeKit accessory announced just a couple of weeks ago at CES is actually available for purchase ahead of its announced release date. The Eve Water Guard, which was scheduled for release on February 11th, is now available on Amazon in the US and directly from Eve’s online store.

The release of the Eve Water Guard is notable as it is the first HomeKit-enabled water leak sensor that plugs into an electrical outlet, offering protection without having to worry about changing batteries. The sensor is also the first HomeKit accessory to use a cable for water detection, allowing the brains of the operation to be placed away from potential hot spots.

Compared to other…

Apple Watch saves lives.

What you need to know

Apple Watch appears to have saved another life.
A Kentucky woman credits her watch with alerting her of a heart condition.
This is one of many stories where the Apple Watch has served as a guardian of health.

A Kentucky woman is crediting her Apple Watch with alerting her to get her heart checked after it detected she may be suffering from Atrial Fibrillation.

Reported by WHAS11, an ABC affiliate, Rosemary Stiles had received the Apple Watch as a Christmas gift from her boyfriend in 2018. She had wanted the Apple Watch so she could check in on her kids without having to text and drive.

Over the course of last year, Stiles began to suffer from low energy without much explanation.

”I felt tired, I was run down … I had no energy. I would get up in the mornings and I could do a little bit of stuff around the house but then after a few minutes, I would have to go sit down in a chair, and it wouldn’t be long before I would fall as…

Square Enix is teasing the actual name with a contest.

What you need to know

Square Enix announced ”Project Xehanort,” an upcoming mobile ”experience.”
It’ll be available on iOS, Android, and Amazon.
An official title hasn’t been released yet, but people can guess what the name of it is and possibly win a prize.

Just as it said it would, Square Enix announced a new title on Wednesday. The project, temporarily dubbed ”Project Xehanort,” is a new ”experience” for iOS and Android set to launch in Spring 2020.

The news came straight from a new Twitter account set up for the project (aptly called @projectxehanort). The first tweet announced the project, along with a contest for users to ”Guess the Name.”

Welcome to the official Twitter page for ”Project Xehanort”, an all-new KINGDOM HEARTS experience planned for Spring 2020! Read about our ”Guess the Name” Twitter campaign on the Project Xehanort website: https://t.co/G8NEwhmS2Y pic.twitter.com/S5cWIyCdJN— Project Xehanort (@pro…

I’ve seen iPhone cases, I’ve seen AirPods cases, but I’ve never seen an AirPods case neatly tucked into the back of an iPhone case while still maintaining an overall sleek design.

When Apple announced the first generation of AirPods in 2016, I immediately knew I had to have a pair, but what I didn’t know was how easy it’d be for me to lose track of my shiny new toys. While I’d rather not tell you how many pairs of AirPods I’ve lost in the past, I am happy to report that losing my AirPods (and yours if you’re anything like me) might soon become a thing of the past with the help of one of these 2-in-1 cases that’ll house your AirPods and iPhone in one spot.

It’s a simple yet genius concept for people who are constantly misplacing their AirPods or are just looking to carry one less thing in their pockets. Now, while each case will come with its own unique features and functionality, my absolute favorite is the OFOCASE. The case currently comes in two colors — black and white — and…

Reuters detonated a huge controversy in the Apple and security spaces yesterday with this headline — Apple dropped plan for encrypting backups after FBI complained – sources.

First, what Reuters is referring to as ”backups” here is specifically iCloud backups. There are still two ways to backup Apple devices — to iCloud and locally to a Mac or PC. For a very long time now, and still, to this day, you can locally back up to your Mac or PC and opt-in to those backups being password encrypted. It’s not a plan, it’s a checkbox. And none of that has changed. 

Second. Based on reactions to the headline, many people, including very tech-savvy people, didn’t seem to realize or remember that iCloud backups weren’t quote-unquote encrypted.

I say quote-unquote because the backups actually are encrypted. But, Apple has their own set of keys and can access them.

Which… is not unusual. There are a couple of reasons for that: Features and fail-safes.

Features and fail-safes

I’ll get…

Nintendo Switch doesn’t directly compare with the next main gen consoles, but it might have trouble with potential PlayStation and Xbox handhelds.

Since its launch in 2017, the Nintendo Switch has proven to be a popular and innovative console. Unlike any previous gaming system, it allows players to play more in-depth titles both on their TVs and on-the-go. Due to its versatility, this console has made its way into the hands of millions of video game lovers. However, at the end of this year, we will see the launch of the new PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Obviously, Nintendo Switch is different enough from these devices to make it stand out, but it also has a few weak points that could make it lose money this holiday season.

Here are some reasons why the Nintendo Switch likely has nothing to fear from PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, as well as a couple of things that might spell doom for the beloved hybrid.

The lower price

The official prices for the PS5 and the Xbox Series X h…