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Luke Dormehl - page 128

Apple Pay finally available through Australia’s largest bank

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Australia money
It only took a few years!
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac / Picturesofmoney

Australia’s largest bank, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (abbreviated to CommBank), has announced that Apple Pay is finally coming to its customers.

The bank previously promised that Apple Pay support was coming soon, although it did not give an exact date. “Thanks for all your gentle prompts,” it stated in a tweet sent today. “We read them all. Now you #CanApplePay.”

Health-tracking AirPods rumored for first half of 2019

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AirPods
The new AirPods sound intriguing.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Updated AirPods are supposedly on their way in the first half of 2019, possibly bringing new health-monitoring functions to Apple’s wildly popular Bluetooth earbuds. The upgraded AirPods’ impressive new features are “expected to receive enthusiastic market responses,” according to the report.

With other companies, such as Google and Amazon, supposedly launching rival wireless earbuds this year, the move could keep Apple ahead of the curve when it comes to innovation.

Apple is ‘most admired’ company for record 12th year in a row

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Apple adds 5 new vice presidents to its executive lineup
It turns out that every other company exec wants to be Apple.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

For the twelfth year in a row, Fortune has ranked Apple number one in its list of “most admired” companies.

Despite Apple’s iPhone-lead decline in recent months, the publication considers that Apple has beaten the opposition in nine different criteria. These include innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment value, quality of products and services, and global competitiveness.

Apple admits Qualcomm was the only choice for 4G iPhone chips

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iPhone 5
The iPhone 5 was a brilliant phone. And Qualcomm was a big reason for that.
Photo: Apple

Apple has admitted in court that, when it transitioned to 4G connectivity with the iPhone 5, Qualcomm was the only company capable of providing the chips Apple needed.

The admission of Qualcomm’s technical superiority over rivals came from Matthias Sauer, Apple’s director of cellular systems architecture. Sauer said that Apple considered working with Ericsson, Broadcom and Intel — but that none could deliver the chip specifications that Apple wanted.

Lawsuit over Apple Watch’s heart-tracking tech has been settled

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Apple Watch Series 4 redesigned heart-rate monitor
Apple Watch's heart rate-tracking abilities is a major selling point for the device.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

A three year battle over Apple Watch technology has been resolved with Apple and biometric sensor company Valencell reportedly coming to terms over a dispute.

Valencell sued Apple back in 2016 over the heart rate-sensing technology in the Apple Watch, which has gone on to become one of the device’s big selling points. The company claimed that Apple met with its executives prior to launching the Apple Watch, but ultimately failed to reach an agreement.

Foxconn gets more serious about assembling iPhones in India

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Foxconn moving additional iPhone production to India as coronavirus disrupts work
Designed in California, built in India?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple supplier Foxconn is reportedly showing more interest in manufacturing iPhones in India, a new report claims.

The move would reduce Apple’s reliance on China at a time in which turbulence in the Chinese market, both from customers and potentially trade tariffs, is causing headaches in Cupertino.

AirPower may finally ship later this year

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AirPower
Coming soon? Well, we hope so at least.
Photo: Apple

When 2018 ticked over to 2019, Apple’s AirPower charging mat officially missed its Apple-imposed deadline. But, counter to rumors that it has been abandoned, a new report suggests that Apple will be shipping it “later in 2019.”

There’s no proposed shipping date mentioned in the report, but “later” could suggest the second half of the year. If so, it could ship a whole two years after it was originally unveiled in September 2017.

Apple hits back at complaints it is abusing its power in Korea

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South Korea3
A view from inside Apple's first South Korea retail store.
Photo: Apple

Apple has hit back at claims that it is abusing its power in South Korea by forcing mobile carriers to pay the cost of advertising its devices.

The company said that its actions were fully justified, and that selling the iPhone in South Korea wasn’t just advantaging Apple, but also to local mobile carriers.

Apple pays tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on MLK Day

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MLK 2
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born 90 years ago this month.
Photo: Apple

Apple has commemorated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day by changing the image on its homepage to showcase a quote from the legendary civil rights leader.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” reads the quotation. It is accompanied by a photograph of the iconic minister who was born 90 years ago this month. Tim Cook also paid homage to King on Twitter.

Apple launches ‘Everyone Can Create’ curriculum in new languages

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Everyone can Create 1
Apple's free guides are aimed at enhancing users' abilities to create using iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple has rolled out its “Everyone Can Create” curriculum in German, French, Spanish, and Italian languages. Support for Swedish and Dutch will also follow later this spring.

The free project guides for iPad are intended to help students to “develop and communicate ideas” using music, video, drawing, and photos. They are also suited for teachers hoping to better incorporate creativity into their lesson plans.

‘Game changing’ iPad Pro app will feed NHL coaches real-time data

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iPad
Tim Cook has praised the new app on Twitter.
Photo: Arian Durst/Flickr CC

The NHL has created a new iPad Pro app for coaching staff by providing real-time data about players such as faceoff percentage, shot charts, and more.

The app follows on from a previous collaboration between Apple and the NHL, allowing teams to review video highlights during games. The new tool takes this to the next level by giving coaches the ability to take a deeper dive into data to make better informed decisions about play.

Apple inks deal with Ron Howard’s documentary company

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apple tv
Apple's TV efforts continue to ramp up.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Right now, Apple is snapping up new TV shows, movies and other video content like a shopping addict on Black Friday.

Its latest deal? Getting a “first look” deal for documentaries created by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Documentaries. Imagine has made a wide variety of non-fiction shows and feature-length productions, including The Beatles: Eight Days a Week — the Touring Years, Jay-Z’s Made in America, Katy Perry: Part of Me, and more.

Every frame of this ‘Shot on iPhone’ video is a stunner

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Shot on iPhone 2
Apple's new documentary was shot on American Samoa.
Photo: Apple

Apple has debuted a new 3-minute short documentary as part of its continuing “Shot on iPhone” campaign.

The beautifully filmed documentary was recorded using an iPhone XS, along with a DJI Osmo Mobile 2, FiLMiC Pro, Joby GripTight PRO Video GP Stand, NiSi Smartphones Filter Kit accessories. Check it out below.

Stroke-detection could be Apple Watch’s next big thing

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Apple Watch Series 4 redesigned heart-rate monitor
The Apple Watch is a medical game changer.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The Apple Watch is already saving lives, but it could turn out to be even more of a powerful tool if the results of new research turns out positive.

For the study, Apple teamed up with pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson to establish whether the Apple Watch — in conjunction with a new app — could help diagnose one of the leading causes of strokes.

Apple could launch two new low-cost iPads in early 2019

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iPad
Expect to get updates on Apple's low-cost 2018 iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple may have only debuted its latest iPads at the end of 2018, but it is reportedly gearing up to launch at least two more in the first half of 2019.

According to a new report, Apple touchscreen suppliers are expecting new “entry-level” iPads, including a new iPad mini and an upgrade on last year’s cheaper 9.7-inch iPad.

FAANG stocks are bouncing back — except Apple

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apple earnings
"I think what Tessa’s saying is that you haven’t bounced back."
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

FAANG stocks suffered a massive dip before the holidays, wiping out $1 trillion in combined value. Now they’re bouncing back — with one notable Apple-shaped exception.

While Facebook, Google, Netflix and Amazon have all gained between 10.7 percent and a massive 50 percent since Christmas Eve, Apple is severely lagging. It’s up just 5.5 percent over the same period.

Tim Cook takes aim at the ‘shadow economy’ of data brokers

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privacy policy
Apple has been a big advocate of user privacy.
Screenshot: Apple

Tim Cook has called for “comprehensive federal privacy legislation” in the U.S. that would fight the “shadow economy” of data brokers. Cook’s comments were made in an op-ed for Time Magazine, published today.

This is just the latest example of Cook calling out companies which make their money trading in user data, often gathered without the full understanding of users of a particular service.

$350,000 Swiss watch looks like an Apple Watch on standby

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Swiss Alp Watch Concept Black 1
This way, everyone will know how much you spent. Or perhaps not.
Photo: H Moser & Cie

Plenty of tech companies “borrow” from Apple’s designs when it comes to new products, but it’s relatively rare for other industries to play copycat.

A Swiss watch company, however, is making an exception to the rule. The Swiss Alp Watch Concept Black from H Moser & Cie offers a hands-free Swiss watch that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Apple Watch.

Here’s how much Apple spent keeping Tim Cook safe in 2018

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quotes on Apple
It's a lot of money -- but way less than some of Cook's contemporaries.
Photo: Apple

Apple spent $310,000 on Tim Cook’s personal security last year. That figure alone may be around 5x the median household income in the U.S., but it’s a bargain compared to the figures some tech companies spend keeping their executives safe!

Amazon and Oracle, for example, spent $1.6 million each protecting Jeff Bezos and Larry Ellison. Google, meanwhile, spent $600,000 looking after CEO Sundar Pichai. All of those pale in comparison to Facebook, however — whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s security detail cost a reported $10 million.

Motorola’s relaunched Razr could cost more than iPhone XS

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Razr2
Expect a bit of a design overhaul since the last time you saw the Razr.
Photo: OptoScalpel/Wikipedia CC

Motorola is planning to bring back its popular pre-iPhone line of Razr handsets — but don’t expect it to cost what a cellphone cost back in the early 2000s.

According to a new report, Motorola’s revived flip phone brand could carry a price tag of $1,500 when it launches. In other words, it’s trying to take on the iPhone, a handset whose popularity helped cement the Razr’s fate, with a new phone that costs more than Apple’s flagship. We’ll give it to Motorola: That’s a bold strategy!

Roku follows in Apple’s footsteps by removing InfoWars app

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Infowars app
Apple removed the InfoWars app last year.
Photo: Infowars

Streaming service Roku is the latest tech company to follow Apple’s lead in banning right wing conspiracy website InfoWars from its platform.

Apple booted podcasts from the website off its platform back in September, following by banning InfoWars and host Alex Jones from the App Store. These decisions prompted other tech companies such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to follow in its footsteps. Now they have been joined by Roku.

Scott Forstall reveals the surprising origins of Apple TV

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Scott Forstall 2
The Apple TV started as a passion project.
Photo: Philosophy Talk

Scott Forstall has been largely absent from the tech world since leaving Apple following the Apple Maps debacle in 2012. However, in recent times he’s been giving a few more interviews about his time at Apple — when some people predicted he could even be a potential future CEO.

In a new interview on Philosophy Talk’s The Creative Life, Forstall talked about (among other things) his work on the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Including a rather intriguing anecdote about the creation of the Apple TV.

Apple Music will be free to some Verizon customers

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Streaming services like Apple Music dominate the US music market
Verizon customers could get a treat worth dancing about.
Photo: Apple

Update: Verizon has officially confirmed this offer. 

“When we introduced six months free of Apple Music to Verizon Unlimited subscribers, we said it was just the beginning of a great collaboration between Verizon and Apple to bring music streaming to our loyal customers,” said Angie Klein, vice president of marketing at Verizon. “Our customers loved the offer, so we’re expanding the value of our Beyond Unlimited and Above Unlimited plans by including Apple Music at the same plan price. You can stream more of the music you love on the network you deserve.”

According to a new report, Verizon is set to offer Apple Music as a freebie service to customers on two of its “unlimited” cell phone plans. This would, in essence, reduce Apple’s $9.99 per month subscription costs to zero — while boosting Apple’s subscriber numbers as well.

Court rules against Apple in $440 million patent battle

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European Commission could get even tougher on tech in 2020
Apple may have to pay up big bucks.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A U.S. appeals court has upheld a $440 million judgment against Apple by “patent troll” VirnetX, an intellectual property licensing firm which has been battling Apple for years.

VirnetX won a $302 million verdict against Apple in 2016. That figure has now grown to $440 million thanks to interest, enhanced damages, and additional costs.