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Luke Dormehl - page 105

Apple Music may reduce free trial to just one month

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A new ad for Apple Music shows a one-month free trial.
Apple's new banner ad.
Photo: Apple

Right from the start, Apple Music offered a three-month trial to new users to try and get them to subscribe. In some cases, this even extended all the way up to a six-month free trial before users would have to pay a dime.

Apple may be shifting away from this strategy, though. A new banner ad on Apple’s website mentions a one-month tryout period for the streaming music service.

New Spotify book contains a very weird Steve Jobs anecdote

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Steve Jobs’ estate triumphs in battle over SteveJobs.com
Did Jobs intimidate the Spotify founder by breathing down the phone to him?
Photo: Kazuhiro Shiozawa/Flickr CC

Despite his sometimes prickly reputation, Steve Jobs was well known for mentoring select young tech entrepreneurs. When it comes to Spotify, however, he may have taken a different tact.

According to a new book, Spotify Untold, Jobs freaked out Spotify co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek by calling him up and breathing deeply down the phone. (Then again, it may have all been Ek’s imagination!)

Apple suppliers prep to build 75 million next-gen iPhones this year

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iPhone 11R and 11 Max on wooden railing
Apple reportedly expects iPhone sales to remain stable this year.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Apple suppliers reportedly are gearing up to produce 75 million iPhone 11 devices this year.

That number falls roughly in line with the number Apple produced last year for the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max. It suggests that, while iPhone sales certainly aren’t growing like they did half a decade ago, Apple doesn’t think they’re shrinking either.

House of Representatives passes bill cracking down on robocalls

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Anti-robocall bill is one step closer to being passed into law
Could this be the beginning of the end for robocalling?
Photo: Pexels

The House of Representatives passed a new bill Wednesday calling for tougher penalties on “robocalling” operations. This means that carriers would need to put technology in place to ensure phone calls are authentic.

The legislation also would allow the Federal Communications Commission to fine illegal robocallers $10,000 per violation. When you think about the potential quantity of calls made, that figure could add up quickly!

FTC hits Facebook with record $5 billion fine

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Facebook owns 4 of the top 10 apps of the past decade
This is the largest fine in FTC history.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The Federal Trade Commission hit Facebook with a massive $5 billion fine Wednesday due to the social network’s lax privacy policies.

This stands as the largest fine ever dished out to a tech company by the FTC. The massive penalty eats up approximately 9% of Facebook’s total 2018 revenue.

Apple lobbying for new ‘very low power’ Wi-Fi tech

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home Wi-Fi
This could open up new possibilities for Wi-Fi devices.
Photo: Alan Levine/Flickr

Apple joined forces with a number of other tech companies to lobby the Federal Communications Commission for a new Wi-Fi band.

The proposed 6 GHz band would open up new types of short-range connectivity for portable Very Low Power (VLP) devices. It could prove useful for everything from mobile augmented reality devices to high-speed tethering with smartphones, laptops and tablets.

Major expansion for Civilization VI coming to iOS

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Civilization VI
Gathering Storm will make a sprawling epic game even bigger.
Image: Aspyr Media

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is a triumph on iOS. But it’s about to get even better — courtesy of an upcoming new expansion pack in the form of Gathering Storm.

Arriving on Windows, Mac and Linux computers earlier in 2019, the expansion is set to come to iPhone and iPad later this year.

Hilariously sarcastic weather app gets an iPad-focused refresh

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Carrot Weather 1
CARROT Weather is a quirky -- but surprisingly great -- weather app.
Image: Carrot Weather

Everyone’s favorite sarcastic AI taskmaster weather app has received a big update.

CARROT Weather 4.12 just landed in the App Store, bringing a plethora of upgrades designed around the iPad. If you’re a tablet user with an interest in a quirky, yet surprisingly deep weather app, this may be the one for you!

Attorney General says tech companies should break strong encryption

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Apple: Keep Out, privacy
Barr's comments won't win him any friends in Cupertino!
Photo: Apple

Attorney general William Barr has a warning for tech companies using strong encryption: You need to be willing to break it.

In a keynote at the International Conference on Cyber Security in New York, Barr stressed that it is important that law enforcement can crack encrypted messages when they need to do so. The comments are likely to win Barr no friends in Cupertino, given Apple’s stance on privacy.

Steve Jobs insisted every bolt on Pixar’s HQ be hand-tightened

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Steve Jobs sweated the details of the Steve Jobs Building on the Pixar campus in Emeryville, California.
Steve Jobs sweated the details.
Photo: Duluoz cats/Flickr CC

Breaking news: Steve Jobs was kind of a perfectionist when it came to design.

OK, so that’s not exactly the world’s best-kept secret. But a new story about the creation of Pixar’s headquarters highlights Jobs’ obsessive attention to detail. For anyone who remembers hearing about the creation of Apple Park, it will sound eerily familiar…

Apple pushes to make India its manufacturing hub

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iPhone sales are showing signs of life in India
Apple's "Made in India" initiative.
Photo: Apple

Apple is petitioning the Indian government to rethink its policies regarding manufacturing. The move comes as Apple looks to lessen its reliance on China as a manufacturing base.

According to a new report, Apple is pushing for the Indian government to adopt reduced import duties. These would cover components that would later be re-exported.

Why Apple doom predictions could be good news

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Tim Cook with money bag
At least, it's good news for investors -- according to Morgan Stanley.
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac

People sure love predicting doom and gloom for Apple — but that might actually turn out to be a good thing. At least, as far as investors are concerned.

According to Morgan Stanley analysts, Apple is way over-performing current negative perceptions about its business. And that’s going to pay off in spades when it comes to the next earnings announcement.

T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger could earn DoJ approval this week

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T-Mobile CEO John Legere with the Phone BoothE.
Sprint and T-Mobile are 'all-in' on their merger.
Photo: T-Mobile

The long-awaited merger between T-Mobile and Sprint could finally be approved by the Department of Justice this week. The deal requires the agreement of the DoJ in order to proceed.

Provided that it goes through, the merger will create a company valued at $160 billion. The merged companies will also have to help establish a new fourth wireless competitor to replace the one being taken away.

Apple Watch prompts 48-year-old man to get lifesaving heart surgery

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Apple Watch alerts user of irregular heart rhythms in sleep
The Apple Watch is turning out to be a life-saver!
Photo: Apple

Someone needs to get the Apple Watch its own comic book series, because right now it’s saving more lives than most DC and Marvel superheroes put together.

The latest case involves a 48-year-old U.K. man who underwent lifesaving heart surgery after a series of Apple Watch alerts about his low heart rate.

Tim Cook tweets condolences to Japanese animation studio

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Kyoto Animation image
KyoAni was attacked in an arson attack this week.
Image: Kyoto Animation

Tim Cook has sent his condolences to the Japanese animation studio targeted in a suspected arson attack. The attack resulted in the deaths of 33 people. It is Japan’s worst mass killing in 20 years.

“Kyoto Animation is home to some of the world’s most talented animators and dreamers,” Cook tweeted. “The devastating attack today is a tragedy felt far beyond Japan.”

New malware steals data from your device and cloud accounts

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Proposed bill could hold tech giants more accountable for child exploitation
Pegasus could be used by governments to spy on individuals.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A new spyware tool reportedly can harvest data from iOS devices and their connected cloud accounts.

The tool, called Pegasus, also works with Android devices. The data it is able to gather even reportedly includes encrypted messages from third-party apps. It does this by fraudulently posing as the user to download their private content.

Apple Music rebrands one of its most popular playlists

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Apple Music's focus on hip-hop continues.
Apple Music's focus on hip-hop continues.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple Music has switched the names of one of its most popular playlists. “A-List: Hip-Hop” is now branded as “Rap Life,” and comes with a new show on Beats 1 radio.

The change was orchestrated by Ebro Darden, global editorial head of hip-hop and R&B at Apple Music. “Rap Life” will be promoted as a segment during Darden’s daily show on Beats 1. Apple is also launching a self-contained “Rap Life” show on Beats 1 every week.

5G could make Apple a $1 trillion business again

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money
Judging from this reaction, the 5G iPhone will be a big one.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple won’t get 5G iPhones until next year, but already it’s causing investment analysts to geek out on the hype.

In a new note to clients, an analyst for investment banking firm Raymond James raises the firm’s price estimate on Apple due to the next-gen connectivity technology. That’s despite the fact that he thinks this year’s iPhone refresh will be a disappointment.

Apple’s new Vancouver office looks absolutely spectacular

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Merrick
New office looks like a Hollywood special effect!
Photo: Merrick Achitecture

Whether it’s taking space in iconic buildings or creating one of Earth’s most valuable offices, Apple sure has an eye for architecture.

Its next move? Occupying two floors in a spectacular, still-under-construction development in Vancouver, BC. The 400 West Georgia building is set to open in 2020.

Apple could make AirPods outside China for first time

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Bounce ad for AirPods1
Apple is looking at new places to build its devices.
Photo: Apple

Apple is gearing up to carry out a trial production of AirPods in Vietnam. This is as part of Apple’s aim to expand manufacturing outside of China.

Earlier this summer, Apple asked its suppliers to explore manufacturing in other markets. This was at a time when concerns about possible China tariffs were at their height.

Mac classic Flashback blasts its way onto iOS

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Flashback
This was a game on seemingly every computer back in the day.
Photo: MobyGames

If you were a gamer in 1992, you may well have fond memories of Flashback — or, as it was known in the U.S., Flashback: The Quest for Identity.

Created by Paul Cuisset, the platform game was reminiscent of Prince of Persia, but set in the far future. Well, almost 30 years later, it’s coming to iOS in a new, updated version.