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Now is the time to buy Apple stock

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What’s it like to have your startup bought by Apple? Stressful
Buying Apple shares now could earn you quite a bit of money this year, according to Morgan Stanley.
Photo illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you’ve been thinking about investing in Apple stock, an analyst from Morgan Stanley says this is to time to do so. The price is already low, and not likely to go any lower.

There’s been bad news for Apple recently but that’s already priced into the stock.

High prices are killing iPhone in China

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Chinese iPhone shoppers have gone from thrilled to shocked at prices, leaving Apple crying.
Chinese iPhone shoppers have gone from thrilled to shocked at prices, leaving Apple crying.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The Chinese phone market cratered in the final quarter of 2018, but iPhone sales in the country did even worse.

This poor showing is primarily a result of the high prices Apple charges for its handsets, according to an industry analyst.

Latest iOS beta confirms ‘Hey Siri’ in AirPods 2

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iOS 12.2 makes it clear you’ll be able to set up AirPods with “Hey Siri.”
iOS 12.2 makes it clear you’ll be able to set up AirPods with “Hey Siri.”
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Buried in the just-released iOS beta is a clear reference to using “Hey Siri” with Apple’s AirPods.  It’s generally assumed this addition — which will make it much easier for people on the move to give verbal commands ot their iPhone — won’t work with the current version.

And this is just one of the features expected in Apple’s next-generation wireless earbuds.

Luna Display update makes iPad a better MacBook second screen

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Luna Display easily converts an iPad into a second screen for your MacBook Pro.
The Luna Display adapter is so small you can hardly see it.
Photo: Astro HQ

A new version of the software that drives Astro HQ’s Luna Display promises to noticeably improve the screen refresh rate and latency for this dongle that lets an Apple tablet function as an external screen for a Mac.

The improvements have also been brought to Astropad Stiudio, this company’s app that turns an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil into drawing tools for a Mac.

iPhone, Apple Watch could get poison gas sensor

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A future Apple Watch might be able to alert you that you’re breathing poison.
A future Apple Watch might be able to alert you that you’re breathing poison.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple is considering adding a poison gas sensor to its mobile products. This would enable your iPhone or Apple Watch to detect if you’re being exposed to carbon monoxide or another harmful chemicals.

HomeKit geofencing may soon gain pinpoint accuracy

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Apple Home Services chief Sam Jadallah left his post after less than three years.
HomeKit accessories could know to group themselves together based on exactly where they are.
Photo: Apple

Instead of you having to tell your HomeKit devices that they should work together, Apple wants its home-automation system to know when items are close to each other. The goal is to greatly simplify both setup and daily usage of HomeKit gear.

Ride over for 200 employees of Apple’s autonomous vehicle program

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Apple Car might be coming, but will it be special?
Apple keeps so quiet about its vehicle program that this concept someone dreamed up is the best image we have.
Image: Aristomenis Tsirbas/Freelancer

Normally, Apple keeps mum about its self-driving car program but it has officially acknowledged a bit of restructuring in the project. This involved a reduction in its headcount.

The employees weren’t fired, and the move is being positioned as a restructuring after a new manager joined the program in August.

Apple poaches battery expert from Samsung

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The first iPhone XS teardown video shows the unusual L-shaped battery.
Apple hiring someone to be in charge of battery development is a strong sign future iPhone batteries could be made in-house.
Photo: FixjeiPhone

Apple‘s new global head of battery developments is very familiar with these critical components. Most recently, new Apple hire Soonho Ahn served as a vice president at Samsung SDI, a division of the Korean conglomerate that specializes in battery tech.

If Ahn’s new title doesn’t seem familiar, that’s because he appears to be the first person to hold this position at Apple.

Quirky Apple Pay videos urge iPhone users to text cash

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Pay for your doughnut dash with help from Apple Pay.
Pay for your doughnut dash with help from Apple Pay.
Screenshot: Apple

It’s been a banner week for Apple Pay with big new retailers adopting this payment service. And now the company is piling on with a trio of short videos urging users to send money via the Messages app with Apple Pay Cash.

Like many  of this company’s videos, the entries in “They send, you spend” are both funny and informative.

Watch them now:

Foxconn hiring spree allays some iPhone fears

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iPhone XR test
A top iPhone maker hiring thousands of new people is a strong sign that sales aren’t in a freefall.
Photo: Apple

A recent unconfirmed report indicated that Foxconn, who produces handsets for Apple, had laid off thousands of employees. But the company itself says it’s actually hiring 50,000 people, a sign that iPhone sales aren’t a weak as some fear.

Still, there are indications of a slowdown in Foxconn production, just not a dramatic one.

Back Market gives another option to save on refurbished iPhones

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iPhone 7 Plus lineup
Get an iPhone 7 Plus 128GB refurbished by Back Market for $395. That’s about half the original price.
Image: Apple

Back Market, a marketplace dedicated to preowned electronics, now offers a range of iPhone models refurbished by Apple. Before going to Back Market, Apple checks over these units and always replaces some of the components that typically wear out.

In addition, this reseller refurbishes iPhones itself, just not as thoroughly. These sell for considerably less, however.

MacBook Pro ‘stage light’ flaw could hit you with a $600 repair

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These cables can wear out and cause your MacBook Pro’s display to fail.
These cables can wear out and cause your MacBook Pro’s display to fail.
Photo: iFixit

Every MacBook Pro since 2016 harbors a hidden design flaw that inevitably will require an expensive repair, according to DIY repair website iFixit.

The problem supposedly lies in “delicate” ribbon cables that connect the screen with the display controller inside the main body of the laptop. Opening and closing the clamshell case eventually causes these to wear out and begin to tear, iFixit says.

Wifi Porter makes sharing your wireless network a breeze

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Connect to Wifi Porter by simply tapping your phone on it.
Connect to Wifi Porter by simply tapping your phone on it.
Photo: Ten One Design

Imagine letting a friend connect to your Wi-Fi network just by tapping a hockey puck-sized chunk of wood. That’s the promise of Wifi Porter, an accessory from Ten One Design that saves guests from having to type in a password to get on the net.

It uses NFC and doesn’t require users to install any software.

Mac Evo concept imagines small, liquid-cooled Apple desktop

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The Mac Evo would fit between the Mac mini and Mac Pro in Apple’s lineup.
The Mac Evo would fit between the Mac mini and Mac Pro in size, capabilities, and assumably price.
Photo: Pierre Cerveau

A new concept called the Mac Evo seeks to bring faster performance through liquid cooling. The computer would be just three times the size of Mac mini but offer greater speed by lowering the temperature of the processor.

The Intel chips Apple uses in its OS X computers often have to be throttled down to keep them from overheating. Liquid cooling is one solution.

3D Touch is probably dead

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3D Touch
The handy but not vital tricks that come with 3D Touch are reportedly going away.
Photo: Apple

Apple will scrub 3D Touch, the feature that powers Quick Actions and other handy shortcuts, from all 2019 iPhones, according to multiple sources.

The tech, which lets the iPhone tell how hard someone is pressing on its display, will apparently fall victim to Apple’s attempts to lower the price tag of future models.

Concept video brings 2019 iPhone rumors to life

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A USB-C port is one of the features rumored to be part of the 2019 iPhone.
A USB-C port is one of the features rumored to be part of the 2019 iPhone.
Screenshot: ConceptsiPhone

An artist has compiled many of the recent 2019 iPhone leaks into a video that might — or might not — portray Apple’s next handset.

It includes features like the smaller notch that’s many people are hoping for, and a much larger camera bump that no one wants.

Watch it now:

Apple volunteers donate more than $365 million to charitable causes

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Apple volunteers teach coding at a disadvantaged high school in Ireland.
Apple volunteers teach coding at a disadvantaged high school in Ireland.
Photo: Apple

To honor the life of service of Martin Luther King Jr., Apple is highlighting charitable contributions made by its employees.

Thanks to matching funds from the iPhone-maker’s Giving program, donations by employees in time and money have reached considerable sums.

Dodocase Two Tone turns your iPad into an old-school notebook [Review]

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Dodocase Two Tone looks right at home in a classroom or coffeeshop.
Dodocase Two Tone looks right at home in a classroom or coffeeshop.
Photo: Dodocase

The Dodocase Two Tone brings a retro look to iPad or iPad Pro. You could almost write “Trig” on the cover in Magic Marker and feel like you’re in high school again.

And this case is very lightweight while still doing double duty as a stand. There’s even an Apple Pencil holder.

The Dodocase Two Tone is available for a wide range of iOS tablets, including the 2018 iPad Pro models.  Prices start at $64.95.

Apple busts out iPad Pro tips in new vids

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Sketching with an Apple Pencil is the merest tip of the iceberg of Apple’s suggestions for making your iPad Pro more useful.
Apple Pencil will soon convert your chicken scratches into legible text.
Screenshot: Apple

Making your iPad Pro more useful is the theme of a series of short videos released today by Apple. Each takes a common task and briefly shows how it can be tackled with a iOS tablet and Apple Pencil.

There’re suggestions on creating presentations and podcasts, going paperless, and more. Watch all five videos now.

Brilliant concept merges iPad mini and iPod touch

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An artist dreamed up an iPod touch almost as big as the iPad mini.
An artist dreamed up an iPod touch almost as big as the iPad mini.
Photo: Антон Курилов/Rozetked

New versions of the iPod touch and iPad mini are reportedly coming out this year, and one graphic designer imagines what would happen if Apple combined these into one.

The proposed device would resemble an iPhone XS Max but with an even larger display: 7 inches.

Musish brings Apple Music to the web

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Connect to your Apple Music account through the Musish web portal.
Connect to your Apple Music account through the Musish web portal.
Photo: Musish

A new service allows Apple Music access through a web site without requiring any new software to be installed on the computer. Musish is free to use, and is far more secure than one might think.

The simple design of this portal is reminiscent of the Apple Music  app.

Apple explores handy gesture controls for iPhone, Apple Watch

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Apple Watch Series 4 Workout 3
Apple proposes a way for you to control your Apple Watch through wrist movements.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple is looking into making your iPhone smart enough to know you wanted to take a picture just because you aimed the camera at something.

And that’s not the only gesture it’s investigating. The company proposed a complex system to let users control their Apple Watch with wrist movements, with no need to touch the screen.

X-Men writer preps new sci-fi show for Apple TV

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Simon Kinberg both wrote and directed X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Simon Kinberg both wrote and directed X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Photo: Cult of Mac/20th Century Fox

Apple has reportedly approved a 10-episode sci-fi series co-created by Simon Kinberg, who has written many of the X-Men movies going back to 2006. This show will apparently be part of the streaming video service Apple is expected to launch this year.

Not much is known about Kinberg’s latest creation yet, though it’s scheduled to start filming this summer.

2019 iPhone XR might get a big cellular speed upgrade

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iPhone XR giveaway: Enter to win this gorgeous blue iPhone.
The 2019 iPhone XR might offer even better 4G performance than the original one.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

The next version of the iPhone XR could offer significantly faster cellular connections than the current one, according to industry analysts. That’s because the new model is supposedly getting 4×4 MIMO — the iPhone XS series are currently the only Apple devices with this speedy tech.

Most phone users comfortable with their screen time

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Gaming on iPhone XS
Most phone users have no problems how much they’re on it.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Only a small percentage of phone users expressed real concerns in a recent survey about how much time they spend on their device. And a large number of respondents were fine with it.

Still, a significant percentage of people use the tools offered by Apple and others to track their screen time.