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Killian Bell - page 171

Curved OLED displays will be exclusive to premium iPhone 8

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iPhone 7
Not all iPhone 8 models will be created equal.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will indeed bring OLED displays to the iPhone 8 this year, according to fresh reports out of Japan — but you’ll have to pay a premium to get your hands on one.

Sources claim the new 5.8-inch curved display will only be available with the high-end iPhone, while the more affordable 4.7- and 5.5-inch models will carry LCD panels similar to those Apple has been using since the iPhone’s introduction in 2007.

Should Apple swap Lightning for USB-C? [Friday Night Fights]

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friday_night_fights
Which would you prefer?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A recent rumor claimed Apple could swap its Lightning port for USB-C connectivity with iPhone 8 later this year. That’s already been debunked by one reliable analyst, but is it a move Apple should consider making in the foreseeable future?

Friday Night Fights bugLightning and USB-C both have their pros and cons. One has been around since iPhone 5 and we’re all familiar with it; the other is an open standard that anyone can use, which makes accessories, cables, and peripherals more affordable.

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over whether Apple should give Lightning the boot in 2017.

Senior Apple execs fight for Hollywood deals

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Eddy Cue
Eddy Cue is one of three Apple chiefs trying to secure original content.
Photo: CNBC

Three senior Apple executives are in talks with Hollywood’s “most successful” TV and movie producers over original content for Apple TV, according to a new report.

Each member of the trio, which includes Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of internet software and services, is so desperate to secure the first deal that they supposedly are fighting against each other.

iPhone 8 to bring custom ultrasound fingerprint scanner

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touchid
It won't need a physical Home button.
Photo: Apple

Apple might be doing away with the physical Home button for iPhone 8, but Touch ID is going nowhere.

Sources in the company’s supply chain say Apple is working on a custom fingerprint scanner that uses ultrasound technology, which will be integrated into the iPhone 8’s OLED display.

iPhone’s high ‘failure rate’ gives Android the edge on reliability

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iOS and Android are killing off the competition.
Unstable apps are the biggest issue on iOS.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS might be the “world’s most advanced mobile operating system,” according to Apple, but it isn’t the most reliable, according to a new study.

New data shows that iPhone’s “performance issues and high failure rates” over the last year make Android more stable. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s are said to be two of the worst-performing Apple handsets.

Should Apple swap Lightning for USB-C with iPhone 8? [Poll]

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This kevlar-encased Lightning cable is built to last.
USB-C has its pros and cons.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple is rumored to be making major changes for iPhone 8, like doing away with Touch ID in favor of a mini Touch Bar. Another big move, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal today, could be a switch from Lightning to USB-C.

An iPhone with USB-C instead of Lightning would have its pros and cons. But which would you prefer? Let us know in the poll below.

Mozilla buys Pocket in first ever acquisition

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pocket_dribble2
But don't worry; Pocket is going nowhere!
Photo: Pocket

Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox web browser, just snapped up Pocket in its first ever acquisition.

Pocket will remain an independent subsidiary and promises to continue delivering the service fans know and love. However, the Mozilla takeover will allow it to add “fuel to the rocketship” and build an even greater product.

MacBook Pro destroyed by exploding battery

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exploding-MacBook-Pro
The machine was hot enough to melt its owner's fingers.
Photo: Daniel Dourvaris

iPhone fanboys will have you believe that exploding batteries are exclusive to Samsung Galaxy smartphones, but that’s not true.

Even Apple devices go bang from time to time — like this 2015 Retina MacBook Pro, which was completely destroyed when its battery catastrophically failed and caught fire.

Apple TV jailbreak for tvOS 10.1 is coming soon

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apple tv and siri remote
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.

Samsung’s answer to iPhone 7 lands March 29

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Galaxy-S8-invite
Galaxy S8 will be one of the hottest handsets of 2017. (But hopefully not too hot.)
Photo: Cult of Mac

Samsung has issued invites to a press event in New York City on March 29 where it will unveil the much-anticipated Galaxy S8 series.

Fans are expecting two devices, both of which will attempt to outshine the iPhone 7 with curved glass designs, Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon processor, and features like iris recognition.

OPPO’s new camera puts iPhone 7 Plus zoom to shame

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Oppo-5x-lens-periscope
Oppo's camera uses periscope-style lenses for 5x lossless zoom.
Photo: Oppo

Chinese smartphone maker OPPO today announced a new smartphone camera with even greater zoom capabilities than iPhone 7 Plus.

The module uses two camera sensors just like Apple’s, but they’re positioned differently to allow for “groundbreaking” 5x lossless zoom. They’re also 10 percent slimmer than the typical 2x zoom lenses used in smartphones.

Third-party display repairs no longer void iPhone warranties

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Apple eases up on third-party screen repairs.
Photo: Faris Algosaibi/Flickr CC

Getting your iPhone screen fixed by a third-party repairer no longer voids its warranty entirely.

An internal memo distributed among Apple employees confirms stores and authorized service providers can now accept handsets for repair following a third-party display replacement as long as the issue is not related to the screen.

Should Apple make iPad Pro compatible with a mouse? [Friday Night Fights]

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iPad Pro Keyboard Mouse
Would you use a mouse with iPad?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is again trying to convince fans that the iPad Pro is a suitable PC replacement. Earlier this week, the company rolled out new ads that remind us why its high-end slate is better (in some ways) than a desktop. But there’s just one problem.

Friday Night Fights bugiPad Pro, like other iOS devices, isn’t compatible with a mouse or trackpad. That’s fine in most cases, but many users would like to use a mouse for all manner of things, and Apple doesn’t allow it. Should this change in a future version of iOS?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we discuss why mouse compatibility might be great for iPad Pro, and why it might be pointless!

Google’s iPhone keyboard gets voice dictation, more languages

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gboard
Gboard just got even better.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Google’s awesome Gboard keyboard for iPhone finally supports voice dictation. The feature is powered by Google’s own voice recognition technology, and you can access it quickly by holding down the space bar.

This update also brings new emoji, Google Doodles, and support for 15 additional languages.

World’s smallest flashlight, markers made from air pollution and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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Crowdfund Roundup
Help turn these awesome ideas into reality!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Still worried that smartphone signals will fry your brain? What about your manhood? Spartan boxer shorts can prevent it from happening by blocking over 99 percent of wireless signals.

That’s just one of the awesome ideas we have in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We’ve also got the world’s smallest flashlight, ink made from air pollution, a cute little personal assistant robot, and more.

Apple Watch Series 3 to adopt new display technology

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Apple Watch
Apple is making another display change for this year's Apple Watch.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch Series 3 will ship with a new display technology as Apple looks to move away from the “touch-on-lens” (TOL) panels it adopted for Series 2.

Not only are TOL displays more expensive than alternate solutions, but Apple’s manufacturing partners are struggling to produce enough to meet demand. Apple is instead expected to switch to “glass-film” displays for its next model.

iPhone 8’s wireless charging won’t be as good as we hoped

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iPhone 8 wireless charging
iPhone 8 will have wireless charging, but it won't be special.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you were hoping Apple had developed a spectacular new wireless charging system for iPhone 8, you’re going to be disappointed come September.

The latest rumor claims that Apple won’t be using range charging technology developed by Energous as previously expected, but instead one of the existing solutions already found in rival smartphones like those made by Samsung.

iPhone 8’s ‘revolutionary’ FaceTime camera to bring facial recognition

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iPhone 8 facial recognition
You'll be able to unlock your iPhone simply by looking at it.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

This year’s iPhone 8 will offer a “revolutionary” FaceTime camera that will be capable of facial recognition and iris scanning, according to one reliable analyst.

Apple is expected to do away with the handset’s physical Home button and Touch ID in favor of a larger display and a mini Touch Bar. Facial recognition could well become the new method of unlocking your iPhone and securing your apps.

Should Apple give iPhone 8 a mini Touch Bar? [Friday Night Fights]

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FNF iPhone 8
Wouldn't you want an iPhone like this?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The jury’s still out on whether the MacBook Pro’s new Touch Bar is a useful upgrade or a fancy gimmick. But according to recent rumors, Apple is already planning to bring similar functionality to this year’s iPhone 8.

Friday Night Fights bugTo make this happen, the company would almost certainly have to drop Touch ID. Would a mini Touch Bar be worth the sacrifice, or would contextual shortcuts and buttons make iOS more complicated than it needs to be?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we discuss whether a Touch Bar would be a useful addition to the iPhone!

YouTube is killing 30-second unskippable ads

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youtube-iphone-6
YouTube's most annoying feature is going.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Google has confirmed plans to scrap 30-second unskippable ads on YouTube in 2018.

The clips, which users are forced to watch before their chosen video, are seen as a nuisance to viewers. Google will instead focus on “formats that work well for both users and advertisers.”

Some popular Mac apps fail as developer certificates expire

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1Password is one of the apps that stopped working this weekend.
Photo: AgileBits

Several popular Mac apps began crashing over the weekend after their developer certificates expired.

The apps suddenly refused to open due to a change Apple made to its signing policy last year. Apple now requires that all apps from the Mac App Store have a valid provisioning profile that must be updated periodically.