Ed Hardy - page 29

Apple TV+ controlled 8% of the U.S. streaming market in the first quarter of the year, according to market analysts. That’s the same share it had a year ago, showing Apple’s recent difficulties outcompeting its rivals.

One might think that three months of new episodes of the mega hit Severance would have pushed up the Apple TV+ share of the market, but it got only a small bump over the previous quarter.

Still, that doesn’t mean the number of subscribers to Apple’s video service isn’t growing. While its share of the market is fairly static, the size of the whole streaming market keeps increasing.

Apple once again released an AirPods Max firmware update that adds support for 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio and ultra-low-latency audio to the USB-C headphones.

Apple originally said it would release the free update on Monday, but it didn’t actually become available until late Wednesday.

Apple Watch users can now install watchOS 11.4, an update that improves wake-up alarms and makes a few other tweaks.

Apple announced on Monday that the update was available, but didn’t actually release it until Tuesday.

The Plugable PS-10CC 10-port USB-C charger can power up a whole family’s fleet of computers at once. That’s what 10 ports can do for you, as we found while testing the device for our hands-on review.

It can handle up to 100W, and depending on how the devices are plugged in, users can even specify which devices get the most power first.

I tested the PS-10CC in my home office. I like it enough that it’s going to stay.

It’s World Backup Day, a good opportunity to learn how to clear iCloud storage of old backup files made by iPhone and iPad. Are you running out of iCloud storage space? Worried about privacy? You might want to delete some old backups from the cloud.

The good news is erasing these files is easy if you know the steps to follow. Here’s how.

Apple released macOS Sequoia 15.4 for Mac users around the world Monday. The upgrade brings AI-powered automatic categorization of emails in Apple’s Mail app, among other things. Plus, it makes Apple Intelligence available in many more languages and regions.

The launch came earlier than expected — Apple previously said the next macOS version would debut in April.

iPadOS 18.4 also launched Monday with the same mail categorization. Plus, iOS 18.4 reached iPhone users, and visionOS 2.4 arrived as well.

Apple’s move to build satellite connectivity into the iPhone reportedly faces pushback from Elon Musk, owner of the rival Starlink satellite service.

Competition between similar services is nothing unusual, but the twist here is that Musk is the world’s richest man by a wide margin and has become extraordinarily powerful in President Donald Trump’s administration, to the point where some critics call him an unelected co-president. He’ll be a tough foe for Apple.

In the week of its season 2 finale,  Severance stayed near the top of the lists of most-watched streaming series, according to a pair of companies that track ratings. Week after week, the weird workplace drama on Apple TV+ keeps beating almost everything on any streaming service.

Plus, the new comedy The Studio became one of the popular series on streaming last week.

Starting Friday, iPhone users who love Google Maps can make it the default navigation application. It replaces Apple Maps, the current default.

But there is an important caveat. While the option is reportedly available for European iPhone users, those in the United States got left out.

Apple seeded second release candidates of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 on Friday, a day after releasing a second release candidate for macOS 15.4. These follow-up releases likely do nothing but fix bugs discovered in the first release candidates of these operating systems, which Apple released Monday.

When the final versions go live sometime in April, the OS updates will give millions of people around the world their first access to Apple Intelligence (and bring other improvements to boot). But they won’t include the much-anticipated smarter version of Siri that Apple promised last year.

Clip the latest Backbone One iPhone controller to your iPhone to assemble what’s essentially an Xbox you can take anywhere. Press a dedicated button on the controller to dive into Xbox Cloud Gaming or Remote Play.

The gaming accessory launched Thursday.

TSMC, the Taiwanese company that makes all Apple’s processors, reportedly starts building its third chip foundry in Arizona this year. It could be finished in as little as two years, much quicker than the first one.

The company is already using its initial U.S. factory to make chips for Apple, while the second is still under construction.

Apple made the recently launched iPad 11 (A16) with younger users in mind, and the Zagg Tough Keys expands the tablet with a keyboard and trackpad that provides 6.6 feet of drop protection — something any parent can see the advantage of.

I took the rugged iPad keyboard case for a test drive. It adds quite a bit for young students, but there are limitations for anyone older. Read on to learn more.

Apple revealed Tuesday that its annual Worldwide Developers Conference will kick off with a keynote on June 9. Apple traditionally uses WWDC to show off the next major upgrades for iOS, macOS and its other operating systems. WWDC25, which will run from June 9 to June 13, will be no different.

“We’re excited to mark another incredible year of WWDC with our global developer community,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “We can’t wait to share the latest tools and technologies that will empower developers and help them continue to innovate.” 

Twelve South just launched AirFly Pro 2, which improves on what was already a brilliant AirPods enhancer. Plug it into audio sources that don’t have Bluetooth — like an airliner’s in-seat entertainment system — and you (and a friend!) can listen to them with your AirPods. Alternately, plug it into the AUX port on a car stereo and play music from your iPhone over a wireless connection.

The new version of the Bluetooth audio adapter offers better sound and new controls.

I tested out AirFly Pro 2 with my AirPods, iPhone and other gear. Here’s what I found.

To avoid mistakes made by rivals, Apple reportedly will do everything it can to create a crease-free folding iPhone with a durable hinge. According to a report released Friday, that includes producing the hinges using a liquid metal process.

The innovative handset should arrive in 2026.

We aren’t left wondering what the four models in the upcoming iPhone 17 series will look like — not when a picture of “dummy” units posted Thursday reveals the design of each of them.

These show the rumored move from a camera hump to a camera bar in most of Apple’s upcoming handsets, and the back panel on the two Pro models will employ a new design.

The PNY Pro Elite V3 external SSD holds terabytes of files, and can transfer data at up to 1,000MB/s. Another standout feature is cost, with the 2TB variant coming in at just $145 — well below many rival SSDs.

I tested the speed, build and other aspects of the drive with a range of computers to be sure it lives up to expections.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally launched on Thursday, and Mac gamers can play the action-packed, role-playing game from Ubisoft at the same time as players on PCs and consoles. Mac owners won’t face the usual wait of months or years. There’s even a version for iPads with M-series processors in development.

The adventure is set in medieval Japan, and players can choose either a samurai or a shinobi (aka ninja) for very different gaming experiences.

9iPhone 16e owners can easily add an inexpensive MagSafe sticker to make up for Apple leaving this magnetic connection system out of its new handset. Adding MagSafe improves wireless charging and opens the doors to magnetic stands, power banks and clip-on wallets.

Android users frustrated that they can’t take advantage of great accessories designed for iPhone can use one of these stickers, too.

Here’s our buying guide to the best MagSafe stickers we found.

An Apple reorganization reportedly brings new management to the team struggling to develop an AI-enhanced version of Siri. Apple apparently tapped Mike Rockwell, an exec with one successful Apple product launch already under his belt, to shepherd the promised Siri upgrade.

Clearly, the goal is to accelerate a project that’s been significantly delayed — and has become a major embarrassment for Apple.

Don’t buy a separate stand and hub for your iPad until you check out the Zagg 6-port Media Hub that launched Wednesday. Add an HDMI port, a USB-A port and more to your tablet without taking up any more space on your desktop than a stand alone would.

Plus, it got a big brother: the Zagg Pro Dock is a stand for MacBooks with 10 ports, including dual HDMI and Ethernet.

These are part of a collection of new hubs from Zagg with a range of port options.

The European Commission issued “guidance” Tuesday on changes it says Apple must make to comply with the interoperability requirements of the EU’s Digital Markets Act. The new mandates would open up the iPhone to work more closely with third-party smartwatches, headphones and TVs.

Apple says the new rules will undercut user privacy and slow innovation, and vows to make its case to the EU. It remains to be seen whether the changes will take effect only in Europe or globally.

With Microsoft winding down Windows 10, many companies could take the opportunity to switch to macOS, according to an industry analyst.

The prediction comes as U.S. Mac sales are already spiking, up a whopping 25.9% in the fourth quarter. This made Apple the third-largest computer maker in the U.S. market.

Capcom brought Resident Evil 3 to Mac, iPad and iPhone on Tuesday. The latest AAA game to arrive on Apple’s platforms, the 2020 survival horror title lets players use a variety of weapons to fight zombies.