This week on AppleInsider: Apple Pay, 4-inch iPhones, iPad Pro woes & more

Posted:
in General Discussion edited November 2015
The biggest news this week revolved mostly around Apple Pay, but there was also an official Apple Watch dock launch, problems with the iPad Pro, and more rumors of a 4-inch iPhone.




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Rumors conflict over 4-inch iPhone details

Talk of a 4-inch iPhone was resurrected on Monday with a rumor that an "iPhone 6c" might ship in mid-2016. The device would allegedly be powered by an A9 processor, the same chip in the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

A second rumor referred to an "iPhone 5s Mark II," which would have an A8 processor instead, accompanied by some other minor improvements like 802.11ac Wi-Fi. That device is allegedly ready to ship at "anytime."

Apple Pay comes to Canada & Australia




Both countries gained access to Apple Pay by way of American Express, which has a relatively small presence locally. Any retailer with support for AmEx's wireless payment technology is compatible, however.

Apple meanwhile promised to add Domino's and Cinnabon to the list of Apple Pay merchants -- the first by the end of 2015, the second sometime in 2016.

Apple Watch gets Magnetic Charging Dock




On Wednesday Apple launched a Magnetic Charging Dock for the Apple Watch, priced at $79. A ring section in the disc-shaped device pops out, allowing users to rest their Watch on its side and take advantage of watchOS 2's Nightstand mode.

The product effectively came out of nowhere, having only been leaked one day prior. It can be bought online or at Apple Stores.

Adele holds new album off of Apple Music




The pop singer was reportedly personally involved in keeping her new album, 25, off of any streaming service, including not just Apple Music but popular rivals like Spotify. The record can still be bought through download services like iTunes.

Her main motivation is likely to be royalties, since artists and labels typically make far less money from streaming than song purchases.

Apple admits problem with iPad Pro 'blackouts'




With the tablet on the market for less than a week, Apple was forced to post an online support document telling users how to cope with iPad Pros suddenly going black and refusing to respond. The company said it was "investigating" the bug, but without a timeframe for a fix.

Owner anecdotes suggest that the issue is related to charging a Pro for an extended period of time.

First look: Apple Pencil paired with iPad Pro




AppleInsider's Neil Hughes had a chance to try the iPad Pro with the $99 Apple Pencil, discovering how the stylus integrates and engaging in some early testing.

The Pencil is often considered one of the killer features of the Pro platform. It's in extremely short supply in the U.S. however, frequently selling out at retail shops and only shipping in 4 to 5 weeks for online customers.

AppleInsider podcast

The iPad Pro was at the center of this week's podcast, but our editors also had a chance to talk about Tim Cook's comments on "hybrid" tablets, and still more topics such as DJI's 4K Osmo steadycam.

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