O'Grady's PowerPage

  • Verizon Fios to expand to nearly 30 U.S. states following Frontier acquisition

    Verizon Fios to expand to nearly 30 U.S. states following Frontier acquisition

    You can’t argue with broadband expansion.

    Verizon has announced that its Fios service, which is well-reviewed, but still has fairly limited availability in the U.S., is set to expand, and that a previously announced Verizon acquisition could add up 10 million new eligible Fios homes.

    According to The Verge, Verizon CEO Nilay Patel offered the following comment as to the company’s acquisition of Frontier in a $20 billion transaction:

    “We bought Frontier, and we are going to close before the year’s end, or maybe in the first quarter of 2026. That’ll give us another 10 million homes. Nilay, we’re going to have a path to get to 40 million homes of fiber.”

    Until now, Fios has largely been available in the northeast. But with the Frontier acquisition, it’s going to be available much more broadly throughout the rest of the US.

    Currently, Fios is only available in nine states plus Washington, D.C., With the acquisition, this number comes to around 30 states within the U.S.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and The Verge

  • Apple TV+ subscriptions available at a discount until April 24

    Apple TV+ subscriptions available at a discount until April 24

    The Apple TV+ streaming service is a bit cheaper, albeit for only a few more days.

    Apple is currently offering access to its Apple TV+ service for $2.99 per month for three months for both new and qualified returning subscribers. Afterwards, regular pricing of $9.99 per month applies. The offer is available in the Apple TV app, and at tv.apple.com, through April 24. Unfortunately, existing subscribers are not eligible to receive the discount.

    The promotion is currently running in the U.S., in Canada where it’s available for $3.99 per month, and in the U.K., where the price is set at £2.99 per month.

    With an Apple TV+ subscription, you can watch all of Apple’s original shows and films. You can also watch select MLB and MLS games with weekly Friday Night Baseball and Sunday Night Soccer doubleheaders, at no additional cost.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and tv.apple.com

  • Apple Sports app gains new Game Card Sharing Feature, allows for sharing via iMessage and social media

    Apple Sports app gains new Game Card Sharing Feature, allows for sharing via iMessage and social media

    If you’re a sports fan, you’re going to like this.

    The Apple Sports app has been updated with a new Game Card Sharing feature. With this feature, Apple Sports users can generate and share game cards for all supported leagues, whether the matchup is upcoming, live, or completed. The game cards can be shared via iMessage, on social media, and elsewhere. In addition to the NBA and NHL, the feature will be available for MLB, MLS, Formula 1, and more.

    The feature became available on Friday, and no app update is required.

    The Apple Sports app was launched in February 2024, and shows scores, stats, standings, upcoming games, and more for a variety of leagues.

    The app is available for free, is available in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, and requires iOS 17.2 or later to install and run.

    If you’ve had a chance to try the new Game Card Sharing feature, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

    Via MacRumors and the App Store

  • Apple offers trade-ins, discounts for Earth Day 2025 recycling promotion

    Apple offers trade-ins, discounts for Earth Day 2025 recycling promotion

    This could come in handy if you’re looking to save some money.

    Apple is celebrating Earth Day by offering 10 percent off eligible accessories through May 16 when you bring an old device to recycle at a participating Apple Store. The promo covers everything from AirPods and Apple Watch bands to iPhone cases and charging cables. Customers will have to make an accessory purchase at the same time as they recycle the old device, and it has to be in-store, as online purchases don’t count.

    Apple has stated that up to five eligible devices can be recycled per customer during the promotion period, and all accessories must be new (no refurbished or open-box items).

    The following devices qualify for the discount:

    • AirPods
    • iPhones and iPads
    • Apple TV units
    • HomePods
    • Keyboards, mice, and printers
    • Smartwatches
    • Notebooks and desktop computers

    With the exchange, you can get 10 percent off the following item categories:.

    • Apple Watch bands
    • AirPods (including models with noise cancellation)
    • Apple TV 4K
    • HomePod mini
    • Apple Pencil
    • Magic Keyboard, Mouse, and Trackpad
    • iPhone and iPad cases
    • Adapters, chargers, and cables

    The full terms are available on Apple’s official promotions page.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Apple

  • Leaked images of “Vision Air” power cable surface online, lead to speculation

    Leaked images of “Vision Air” power cable surface online, lead to speculation

    A series of additional images showing what appears to be a redesigned power cable for a next-gen Apple “Vision Air” headset leaked online Wednesday by the prototype collector and online personality known as “Kosutami.”

    The leaker explained that the Apple “Vision Air” will feature a thinner design and switch the battery enclosure and several of its internal structures to titanium to reduce the device’s overall weight. Most of the exterior of the device will continue to be aluminum, except with a “Midnight” bluish-black finish. Today’s Vision Pro is only available in silver.

    The recent images of the purported power cable show an anodized aluminum connector finished in Apple’s distinctive Midnight color. Initial pictures of the Lightning-style connector in Midnight purportedly for the next-generation Vision device were first shared yesterday:

    The Vision Pro uses a similar connector, albeit with 12 pins instead of eight. This suggests that the new cable is part of a more significant redesign, at least of the external battery. The audio strap connector appears to be the same design as that of the Vision Pro.

    Apple is thought to be launching a second-generation Vision Pro headset powered by an M5 chip between fall 2025 and spring 2026. Although the company is also said to be working on a lower-cost headset that could be the “Vision Air” device that Kosutami has referred to.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and @Kosutami