The App Store ecosystem enabled $643 billion in billings and sales during 2020. That’s up 24% over the previous year, with much of the increase related to people taking more of their lives online during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study that examines how the App Store helps small businesses.
Apple touted these numbers as it waits for a federal judge to decide whether to order significant changes to the App Store.
The Fox family’s adventures will continue in The Mosquito Coast on Apple TV+. The streaming service committed to second season on Wednesday.
The series is adapted from the best-seller by Paul Theroux, and the story isn’t anywhere near its conclusion in the final episode of season 1, which will premiere June 4.
Update: Apple changed the status for Apple Card from “outage” to “resolved outage” Wednesday afternoon. The service was offline for almost exactly six hours.
Apple Card users may find that they’re unable to make a payment or see recent transactions. Apple reports that the software that handles these tasks for its credit card has been having problems for several hours.
An improved display in the iPhone 13 series reportedly will force Apple to put in a larger battery, making the upcoming handsets slightly thicker.
This could mean we finally get an iPhone screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The faster rate makes the user interface of a phone or tablet just a bit smoother and more responsive.
Add Nvidia Shield to the lengthy list of smart TVs and streaming boxes that can play Apple TV+. A version of the free app for the Android-powered media player debuted Tuesday.
Newly released versions of the Pages and Numbers productivity apps let users make embedded objects like shapes and images into links. This is true for both the Mac and mobile versions of the iWork apps.
Plus, the iPad and iPhone versions — as well as Keynote — also get additional capabilities for teachers who use the Schoolwork app.
Two new, larger versions of the Linedock multi-port USB-C docking station make room for additional capabilities. The Linedock 16” and 15” sit under a MacBook where they take up minimal space but add ten ports, up to 2TB of storage and a 99.9Wh battery.
The new versions can be ordered now and ship later this summer.
Intel struck a blow against Apple by pointing out how weak Mac gaming is. The chip-maker held a presentation at Computex 2021, during which it said Windows laptops offer a “better gaming experience than 100% of Mac laptops.”
This will likely damage any remaining relationship the Intel has with Apple. But this was already in tatters as macOS transitions to Apple’s M-series processors and away from Intel ones.
Update: iOS 15 was unveiled at WWDC 2021 and there was no mention of interactive widgets. Maybe in 2022…
It’s high time iPhone Home screen widgets grew up. They were one of the best additions to iOS last year, but they are still too limited. Fortunately, iOS 15 will reportedly make widgets much more interactive.
There are a few other changes expected in the new iPhone system software update, but none are as important as this one.
The Belkin Soundform Connect could be just what you need to connect your speakers to Apple Music’s upcoming high-quality lossless audio. The wireless adapter allows iPhone and Mac users communicate with any speaker over AirPlay 2 using Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth.
I ran some tests, and I’m impressed with the usefulness of this tiny accessory.
A concept artist took the rumors about an Mac Pro desktop with Apple Silicon and created a design that might really be what’s on the drawing board.
The concept combines the look of the current Mac Pro tower with the Mac mini to create a unique device.
Beloved PlayStation games could make the jump to iPhone, iPad and Android. The head of Sony’s games division promised to launch “iconic PlayStation IP on mobile” in the near future.
Update: Apple changed the status on iCloud Mail from “issue” to “resolved issue” on Thursday afternoon. Problems with the service persisted for about 5.5 hours before being fixed, though.
It’s not just you having problems with an Apple email account. Apple reports that iCloud Mail has been having an ‘issue’ for several hours.
The service is not completely offline, however.
Professional photog/developer Sebastiaan de With accidentally discovered that the rear-facing camera in the 2021 iPad Pro can focus on objects very close to the lens. This allows the tablet to capture close-up images not possible with an iPhone.
Cult of Mac did a bit of experimenting and confirmed the results.
A job opening at Apple for an “Alternative Payments” business manager set off a wave of speculation that the iPhone-maker is getting into cryptocurrency.
It’s apparently a change of heart by CEO Tim Cook, who’s on the record as being opposed to privately controlled currencies.
Stephen King makes no bones about it: Lisey’s Story is his favorite novel. He talks about why in a video released a week before the Apple TV+ premiers an adaptation starring Julianne Moore.
The author also discusses why he changed the story for the series.
Watch King explain it in his own words now:
Zoom users with a 2021 iPad Pro will be able to use the tablet’s Center Stage effect that keeps them cantered in the front-facing camera during video calls.
And Zoom 5.6.6 will also lets Apple tablet users see far more people in the gallery view.
Zagg Pro Keys wraps a range of iPad models in a very protective case, and includes a removable keyboard that makes the tablet even more productive. It’s a full-featured accessory that comes at a relatively low cost.
I used the Pro Keys with my work/personal iPad for several days. Here’s what I found out.
Concept artist Antonio De Rosa combined the leaks and rumors about the next 16-inch MacBook Pro into a collection of images of the significantly redesigned device.
Apple’s Siri voice control system was named after a real woman in Norway. This isn’t her story.
Instead, it’s the story of Siri Hafso, an ordinary Apple fan who’s very tired of people making jokes about her name. And she asked Apple CEO Tim Cook if he can make it up to her.
Brydge iTrack may be the first trackpad designed specifically for iPad. That allows the desktop accessory to take full advantage of the support for trackpads Apple added to iPadOS.
And while it uses Bluetooth, Brydge promises minimal connection hassles.
The Chipolo One Spot is the strongest rival for Apple’s new AirTag. Both can access the Apple Find My network for locating lost objects. But the One Spot has better range, and is easier to attach. And there’s more.
I’ve tested both these trackers. Here’s why I prefer Chipolo’s over Apple’s.
A tip that a new MacBook will be unveiled at WWDC 2021 in two weeks could be hidden in the image Apple released Monday for the developers conference. It appears in the reflection in a pair of glasses.
Noted Apple tipster Jon Prosser apparently moved quickly to confirm the report.
Anyone accustomed to the hefty MacBook power brick might want to sit down before they see the Anker Nano II 65W. This is far, far smaller than Apple’s wall charger, but can still put out 65 watts. The secret is gallium nitride.
Anker also introduced on Monday versions with 45W and 30W.
Apple just released software updates with new features for iPhone, Mac, iPad and Apple TV. Most notably, macOS Big Sur 11.4 includes support for Apple Podcasts subscriptions, while iOS 14.6 adds support Apple Card Family. Plus, iPadOS 14.6, watchOS 7.5 and tvOS 14.6 debuted Monday.
All these features were pre-announced.