Killian Bell - page 29

Submissions fall to all-time low as devs lose interest in Mac App Store

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Office Mac App Store
Fewer than 300 new apps hit the Mac App Store last month.
Photo: Apple

Developers are seemingly losing interest in bringing their titles to the Mac App Store, with new submissions steadily declining since the beginning of 2021. There were fewer than 300 new releases for the first time ever in July.

And research indicates August could prove even worse for new Mac App Store submissions.

Apple pumps another $30 million into Racial Equity and Justice Initiative

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Apple REJI initiative
"The call to build a more just and equitable world is an urgent one," Apple CEO Tim Cook said.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Tuesday announced plans to commit another $30 million to its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI), supporting those who are “leading the charge in creating a more inclusive, more just world.”

The latest pledge builds on the $100 million Apple has already invested in REJI to help students, innovators, and advocacy organizations.

Kanye West breaks Apple Music streaming records with Donda

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Kanye West's Donda breaks Apple Music records
More than 60 million streams in 24 hours.
Image: Universal Media Group

Kanye West’s much-anticipated 10th studio album finally landed Sunday — and quickly broke Apple Music streaming records. Donda saw a staggering 60 million streams during its first 24 hours of availability. It also topped the Apple Music album charts across 152 countries worldwide.

South Korea is first to say App Store must allow third-party payments

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App-Store-Today
It's a major win for developers and users, and other countries are expected to follow suit.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

South Korea has become the first country to tell Apple that it must open up the App Store to third-party payment platforms. The same law also applies to Google, and other countries likely will implement similar rules.

The amendment to South Korea’s Telecommunications Business Act prevents large app market operators from forcing their own payment systems on users and developers. It also bans unreasonable delays in app approvals.

Google could cough up $15 billion to remain default search provider in iOS

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Google Search on iOS and iPadOS
And that figure could rise to $20 billion in 2022.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Google could pay a whopping $15 billion to remain the default search provider on iPhone and iPad, according to one analyst. The figure could rise even higher, to as much as $20 billion, in 2022.

It is believed Google is willing to pay so much to ensure Microsoft and Yahoo, which may also be interesting in striking a deal with Apple, cannot break up the partnership Google has enjoyed for more than a decade.

Apple pays $100 million, agrees to App Store changes to settle dev lawsuit

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App Store
But do the changes go far enough?
Photo: James Yarema/Unsplash CC

Apple will make several changes to its App Store policies to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by developers, the company said Thursday. Cupertino also will cough up $100 million to create a “fund” for small app-makers.

As part of the deal, Apple will allow developers to inform customers about alternative payment methods outside of their iOS apps. But they won’t be able to mention those payment methods inside the apps themselves.

New bands for larger Apple Watch 7 models spotted in leaked photos

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Larger Apple Watch Series 7 bands
The new bands fit 41mm and 45mm Apple Watch models.
Photo: DuanRui/Majin Bu

New bands for a larger Apple Watch models have appeared in leaked photos ahead of this year’s Series 7 upgrade.

The images, from two different sources and of two different band variants, hint at new 41mm and 45mm size options. They’ve surfaced just days after a tipster claimed Apple’s next Watch refresh will pack larger screen sizes.

Spy shot supposedly confirms iPhone 13’s real name

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iPhone 13
We were right all along?
Photo: EverythingApplePro

We’ve all been referring to Apple’s next-generation iPhone lineup as “iPhone 13” for months now. And according to a spy shot published by one leaker this week, we’ve been right on the money.

Despite suggestions Apple might change its naming convention for iPhone this fall due to superstition around the number 13, it looks like Cupertino isn’t (fortunately!) going to take any notice of that.

Apple could hike price of iPhone 13 to cover increasing chip costs

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Apple A15 concept
Apple chip-maker TSMC is increasing prices by as much as 20%.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhone 13 may not be as affordable as iPhone 12, after all. A new report claims Apple is planning to hike prices for its next-generation smartphone lineup to cover the rising costs of its powerful chipsets.

Apple’s primary chip supplier, TSMC, has reportedly notified all customers that it will be increasing prices by as much as 20%, starting in January 2022.

Awesome AirPods essentials bundle is a steal at just $12.99

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Speidel-AirPods-bundle
Everything you need at a stellar price.
Photo: Speidel

Every AirPods owners should have a few essential accessories to keep their precious buds protected and prevent them from getting lost. This awesome bundle from Speidel includes everything you need — and it’s a steal.

You get a shock-absorbent case, silicone ear tips for a more secure fit, a strap that keeps both AirPods together at all times, and a second hardcover case that lets you carry everything together.

Bag your bundle today for just $12.99!

YouTube gets official Picture in Picture support on iPhone … with a catch

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YouTube Picture in Picture on iPhone
You need a YouTube Premium subscription.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Google has begun rolling out official Picture in Picture support for YouTube on iPhone. It’s just an “experimental” feature for now, but it works as intended — giving you the ability to watch videos in a small window above other apps.

Oh, and there’s a rather large catch. You can only use the feature right now if you cough up for a YouTube Premium subscription.

Apple beta testing platform TestFlight lands on macOS

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TestFlight lands on Mac
It's in beta for now.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

TestFlight, the Apple platform developers can use to distribute beta versions of their apps, just hit the Mac for the first time. It’s available only to developers for now, and it requires macOS Monterey.

Apple is also allowing developers to submit beta releases of their macOS apps to App Store Connect, which wasn’t possible before.

Leather cuff for Apple Watch is crazy-comfortable, super-stylish [Review]

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Monowear-leather-cuff
Another excellent photo from Killian Bell.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Monowear’s Contemporary Leather Cuff is so good, it might just be my favorite Apple Watch band to date.

Not only is it made from a soft, luxurious leather that makes it insanely comfortable, but it looks terrific. It’s compatible with all Watch models, and it’s nowhere near as expensive as it looks.

Pegasus spyware is avoiding Apple’s security protections on iPhone

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Pegasus text message sent to iPhone
A Pegasus text message sent to one Bahraini activist.
Screenshot: Citizen Lab

The Pegasus spyware, developed by Israeli firm NSO Group, has successfully been avoiding security new measures built into iPhone to block such attacks.

One version of the “zero-click” exploit was installed on an iPhone 12 Pro belonging to a Bahraini human rights activist, despite the fact that the device was running recent versions of iOS 14 with Apple’s “BlastDoor” protection.

14-inch MacBook Pro could be just as fast, almost as pricey as 16-inch model

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Full-screen works great on a MacBook.
A lot faster and a lot more expensive.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The next-generation 14-inch MacBook Pro will be nearly identical to the 16-inch model that launches alongside it in terms of performance, according to a tipster. Both machines are expected to feature the same M1X chip.

That’s great news for those who want a capable machine that’s small enough to take anywhere — but there is a downside. The leaker also claims that the 14-inch MacBook Pro will be close to the 16-inch model in price.

Apple CEO Tim Cook will discuss cybersecurity with President Biden this week

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Tim Cook congressional antitrust hearing: Should Tim Cook be worried about Congress breaking up Apple?
Cybersecurity is a big concern for many countries.
Photo: C-SPAN

Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and other tech executives will meet President Biden at the White House this week. The focus of the meeting will be the efforts of private companies to improve cybersecurity following an increase in online attacks, one report claims.