Will third-party tweaks follow? Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple TV owners still running tvOS 10 or tvOS 10.1 will soon get a jailbreak that allows them to run unauthorized third-party software. Hackers have confirmed that work on the tool is finished and that it will be available to download soon.
iOS 10.3 is full of new features. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Developers received a fresh new batch of updates from Apple today: the third beta builds for iOS 10.3, watchOS 3.2 and tvOS 10.2.
The new beta builds come two weeks after Apple’s last betas got made available to developers, bringing a host of bug fixes, performance improvements and even some new features and UI changes for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV.
A new Apple TV could be on its way later in 2017. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple’s fifth-gen Apple TV will reportedly be capable of streaming ultra-HD 4K images, according to a new report. The new box is codenamed “J105” and could launch later this year.
The article also notes a couple of previously unrevealed details about the current fourth-gen Apple TV, such as the fact that Apple engineers debated packaging it with a dedicated gaming controller as a way to compete more directly with the PlayStation and Xbox.
Facebook is coming to Apple TV. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Mark Zuckerberg wants to take over your television.
Facebook revealed today that it is planning to build an all-new video app for set-top-box devices like Apple TV and Amazon Fire. And if it’s successful, it could cause big problems for YouTube.
Premium entertainment network EPIX today launched its new Apple TV app.
Subscribers get access to the complete catalog of content, including original series like Berlin Station and Graves, while new users can enjoy a limited-time free trial.
Apple TV just got a new experienced negotiator. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple has hired the former head of Amazon Fire TV, Timothy Twerdahl, as a new vice president for Apple TV. Alongside Amazon, Twerdahl has also previously worked for Netflix and Roku.
In Twerdahl’s previous role at Amazon, he was in charge of negotiating media deals. This is an area Apple has struggled with, with one previous report claiming that content dealmaker Eddy Cue was viewed as arrogant by TV execs during negotiations.
There are a lot of new goodies in iOS 10.3. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
The second beta of iOS 10.3 is now available for download. Apple seeded the new software update to developers this morning, alongside watchOS 3.2 beta 2 and tvOS 10.2 beta 2.
All three updates contain under-the-hood improvements as well as new features, including Theater Mode for Apple Watch, Find My AirPods and some UI tweaks for Apple TV.
Apple TV hasn't been the winner that Apple was hoping for. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Remember when we all got excited about Apple TV and how it had the potential to change TV as we know it?
It seems that fewer and fewer people do. New data from eMarketer suggest Apple is currently “at the bottom of the U.S. connected TV market, behind Google Chromecast and Roku, with its share shrinking.”
Single sign-on gets another big supporter. Photo: Apple
HBO Go is now compatible with Apple’s single sign-on feature on Apple TV and in the TV app for iOS 10. The feature, which was added back in December, means users are no longer required to sign into each app using the credentials assigned by their cable provider.
Iovine says Apple Music isn't just about music. Photo: Apple
Jimmy Iovine is hinting that Apple may indeed be looking to follow Amazon and Netflix down the original TV programming route, telling The Hollywood Reporter that the company is “going to do whatever hits popular culture smack on the nose.”
“At Apple Music, what we’re trying to create is an entire cultural, pop cultural experience, and that happens to include audio and video,” Iovine said.
The new Apple TV is about to be unveiled. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
If you’re a decent person (we’ll assume you are since you’re a Cult of Mac reader), you don’t leave your old TV on the sidewalk when it’s outlived its usefulness. The same consideration for your neighbors and the environment should extend to your old Apple TV.
Whether you’re abandoning your old Apple TV to upgrade, replace a busted unit or to give up TV entirely (yeah right), the Cult of Mac buyback program will make sure you get the most money possible. Even better-known companies like Gazelle and Walmart can’t offer as much, and you’ll be making sure your dated or defunct device ends up in the right place.
Apple TV apps can now be 4GB right from the start. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple’s plan to make the modern TV experience all about apps has just gotten a big boost, with Apple upping the size limit of tvOS apps from 200MB to 4GB.
For those keeping track at home, it’s a whopping 20x the original size limit — and means that Apple TV apps can now be as big as the ones developers can submit for iOS.
Could Apple challenge shows like Netflix's Stranger Things Photo: Netflix
Move over The Crown and Stranger Things! Apple is planning to enter the original TV shows and movies market, according to a new report.
The Wall Street Journal claims Apple has been in talks with “veteran producers” over the past few months about buying the rights to existing shows, and has also told them that it has plans to create its own programming — although those efforts are still in the early stages.
iOS sales are about to hit a major milestone. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple’s revenues generated from the iOS ecosystem will surpass $1 trillion sometime this year, according to one analyst.
By mid-2017, the company is forecast to have sold a whopping 1.2 billion iPhones, while collective sales of all iOS devices will surpass 1.75 billion units.
Missy and Michelle be puttin' it down in Carpool Karaoke. Photo: CBS Studios
Instead of having a single host, Apple’s upcoming TV show Carpool Karaoke will put someone new in the driver’s seat each episode.
The company also plans to add more interview elements to the show, which was created by Late Late Show host James Corden. The show will pair different musicians and celebrities for each of the first 16 episodes during Season 1.
A new iOS 10 beta is here. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
The first big batch of beta updates of 2017 have finally arrived from Apple, bringing developers a slew of bug fixes and performance improvements on the Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV.
Apple’s betas come nearly three weeks after the last batch of updates. The new software updates includes the third betas for iOS 10.2.1, macOS 10.12.3, tvOS 10.1.1 and watchOS 3.1.3.
The Smart Cycle comes with games that require peddle power. Photo: Fisher-Price
Many of today’s toddlers are addicted to tablets, which means they like to sit around for hours on end playing games and watching videos. Fisher-Price wants to make this activity a little less sedentary with the Think & Learn Smart Cycle.
Unveiled at CES 2017 in Las Vegas this week, it’s a stationary bike for kids with a built-in tablet stand that lets them cram in some much-needed exercise while their little minds remain focused on other things.
Affordable first drones and our favorite gadgets on The CultCast! Photo: 3DR
This week on The CultCast: It’s our epic final episode of 2016! We’ll wrap up the year with our hands-on review of the hotness themselves, Apple’s AirPods. Then … is Apple’s “Golden Era” drawing to a close? We discuss. And finally, ya’ll know we review a lot of products during the year — we’ll reveal our absolute favorite gadgets of 2016!
Apple's 2016 wasn't exactly inspiring. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
2016 hasn’t been Apple’s best year by a long shot. While the company is still making money hand over fist and has seen its Services division go from strength to strength, Apple also consistently stumbled for the first time in years.
While we remain loyal to the Apple brand, here are our picks for the year’s biggest disappointments.
Handbrake is our favorite video converter. Photo: Michael Steeber/Cult of Mac
Handbrake has been our go-to tool for all types of video conversion how-tos for years and now after 13 years in ‘beta’ the free software is officially ready for its official launch.
You want innovation? Look no further than Apple's advertising. Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple may not have launched its most innovative products in 2016, but when it comes to marketing, Cupertino is still killing it.
By utilizing celebrities, musicians, athletes and everyday iPhone owners, Apple created some of its most memorable ads ever in 2016. Whether they were touting Apple TV with Kobe Bryant, or using the story of an autistic boy to show how technology can change the world, Apple ads entertained us and gave us all the feels.
The popular building and exploration game is finally on tvOS. Photo: Mojang
2016 is certainly ending with a bang for Apple customers. Just days after Nintendo dropped Super Mario Run for iOS, Mojang’s smash hit Minecraft has landed for Apple TV.
Costing $19.99, Minecraft: Apple TV Edition isn’t cheap, but it’s something which is sure to be very popular among the game’s ultra-passionate fanbase.
AirPods aren't the only wireless buds in the game. Photo: TBS
This week on The CultCast: An honest look at Super Mario Run; we review better-sounding AirPods alternatives; the cool new stuff in the iOS and tvOS updates; and we reveal the hands-down best TV shows of 2016!
This episode supported by: Jamf Now, the affordable, cloud-based solution you can rely on to manage the iPads, iPhones and Macs in your workplace. Manage three devices for free at jamf.com/CultCast.
The new Apple TV videos are incredible. Photo: Apple
One of the best things about owning an Apple TV — staring at the hypnotically beautiful screen savers — just got a whole lot better.
Apple published 21 gorgeous new videos today that give Apple TV viewers a bird’s-eye view of fantastic cityscapes in Hong Kong, China, Dubai and other beautiful locales.
Would you buy an Apple console? Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple’s product portfolio is crying out for something new. Fans and investors are itching to see where the company will go next, and whether it can revolutionize yet another industry. Should a games console be top of its list?
Some fans may not know this, but Apple has produced a console before. It wasn’t too successful, but Apple is a different company now, and it’s already serving hundreds of millions of avid gamers with its Apple TV and iOS devices. In some ways, a console makes a lot of sense.
But could Apple really topple the PlayStation or Xbox? Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over whether Apple should build its own console!