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Luke Dormehl - page 138

Apple’s online store goes down ahead of today’s event

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Be right back
What are you looking forward to from today's Apple event?
Photo: Apple

As expected, the Apple Online Store has gone down (purposely) hours ahead of today’s special event.

When it returns following Apple’s keynote event, we expect to see redesigned versions of the iPad Pro, a new low-cost MacBook, refreshed iMac models, and — after four years of waiting — a more powerful Mac mini desktop.

Apple is having to rethink its Apple Store strategy in China

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Apple West Lake
Apple's gorgeous retail store in the West Lake shopping center in Hangzhou, China.
Photo: Apple

Over the past several years, new Apple Stores have been opening all over China — but the bloom might be off the rose.

According to a new report, Apple’s Chinese retail stores have been struggling with slowing growth. Despite recently opening its 50th store in greater China, Apple is facing challenges on a number of fronts. And they’re causing it to rethink its strategy as a result.

Possible China tariffs could drive up the price of all Apple products

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
The future of Apple prices could rest on a meeting with Donald Trump next month.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

It’s just the news you probably didn’t want to hear before a new Apple keynote event: Your Apple products could be about to get even pricier.

The reason? The Trump administration is reportedly considering tariffs on, “all remaining Chinese imports” by early December. While Apple has so far gotten away unscathed in the burgeoning U.S.-China trade war, this would be all but guaranteed to affect Apple’s business — since the majority of its products are manufactured in China.

Services could make up nearly half of Apple’s profits by 2020

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Apple waives developer fees for nonprofits, others in 8 additional countries
Apple's Services division is a money-minting machine.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s burgeoning Services division could make up 40 percent of the company’s gross profits by fiscal 2020, predicts Jefferies analyst Timothy O’Shea.

O’Shea says that Apple’s growing Services are the creamy sweet icing (not exactly his words) on top of the cake that is the existing “stable” iPhone business. As a result, he puts a price target of $265 a share on the Cupertino giant.

Apple investigates reports of underage workers at Apple Watch factory

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App Home Screen Apple Watch Series 4
The incident allegedly took place at Apple manufacturer Quanta.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple has said that it will investigate allegations that one of its manufacturers used high school students to build Apple Watches in China.

The news came to light late last week, when the Hong Kong-based labor rights group Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) said it had received a report. Today, Apple issued a statement saying previous audits revealed no cases of underage labor, but that it will carry out its own investigations.

iBeacon use slows to ‘a trickle’

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beacon1
iBeacons were introduced as part of iOS 7.
Photo: Apple

iBeacons haven’t exactly caught on as Apple hoped, and neither have the similar smartphone-communicating beacons launched by other companies like Google.

But why has beacon adoption slowed to “a trickle?” A new report lays out several possible explanations.

Versace could bring back 1990s Apple sneakers

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Apple sneaker 2
Here's what Apple's original 1990s sneakers looked like.
Photo: Heritage Auction

These days, the term “Apple wearable” immediately makes you think of the Apple Watch. But back in the 1990s, Apple created sneakers that carried the company’s rainbow-colored logo.

Jump forward a quarter century, and Versace’s head sneaker designer just posted an image on Instagram that bears a striking resemblance to Apple’s sneakers. Check it out.

Qualcomm claims Apple owes $7 billion for royalty payments

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Qualcomm patents
Qualcomm has been battling with Apple since early 2017.
Photo: Qualcomm

Qualcomm has told a federal court in San Diego that Apple is $7 billion behind in its royalty patents to the firm for technology which uses Qualcomm licenses.

Apple, which has been locked in a battle with Qualcomm for close to two years, has disputed the amount that it owes. It also claims that Qualcomm is trying to force it to pay for certain patents twice over: once for the use of Qualcomm’s chips in iPhones and once for patent royalties.

iPhone XR makes Apple’s coolest phone the cheapest

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iPhone XR was India’s no. 1 ‘ultra premium’ smartphone in 2019
For the first time in years, Apple's best iPhone is also its cheapest.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR is out and, for the first time in years, Apple’s most exciting device isn’t the one that commands the really big bucks. For all the talk of an “Apple tax,” 2018’s coolest iPhone starts at just $749. That’s half the price of a top-of-the-line iPhone XS Max.

And that’s seriously great news for fans.

$150,000 worth of Apple devices stolen from Best Buy

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Best Buy 1
Robbery comes shortly after massive crime spree targeting Apple Stores.
Photo: Mike Mozart/Flickr CC

Upwards of $150,000 worth of Macs, iPads, and Apple Watches was stolen this week from a Best Buy stores in Peoria, Illinois. The theft took place overnight on Wednesday.

It was noticed by the manager early the following day, who filed a report with the Peoria Police Department. The theft is described by Lt. Mike Boland, who leads the department’s detective bureau, as one of the largest heists in terms of dollar value in recent memory.

Larry Ellison doesn’t agree with how Apple handled its FBI standoff

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Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison was one of Steve Jobs' best friends.
Photo: Oracle Corporate Communications

Oracle founder Larry Ellison may have been Steve Jobs’ BFF and even considered buying Apple at one point, but he doesn’t agree with everything the company does. In a recent interview, Ellison criticized Apple’s refusal to help hack an iPhone belonging to a shooter in the 2015 San Bernardino attack.

The case blew up into a massive standoff between Apple, in favor of privacy, and the FBI. Speaking on Fox, Ellison called Apple’s behavior, “bizarre.”

Snapchat’s number of daily users continues to tumble

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Snapchat
Forget disappearing messages; Snapchat is suffering disappearing users.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Snapchat isn’t having a good time right now. The company just released its third quarter results, and once again suffered a decline in daily active users.

That number fell by 2 million to 186 million people, marking the third straight quarter of user declines. However, Snap seems confident it can break the losing streak in 2019.

Apple’s colorful iPhone XR now available for sale

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Nearly every configuration of the Apple's latest handset is still available hours into launch day. What does this say about iPhone XR sales?
Which color would you go for?
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR is officially available for sale. Those who pre-ordered the device have began receiving their orders, while Apple Stores are also stocking the new phones.

With the iPhone XS and XS Max out as well, that means that Apple’s complete 2018 iPhone range is now available for you to purchase. Well, provided you can find the handset you want, that is!

Apple wants you to be able to use your iPhone when it’s wet

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iPhone XS Max vs. iPhone XS size: Sometimes bigger really is better.
This wouldn't be a problem any more.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has done a great job of making the iPhone more water-resistant over the years, but one thing you still can’t do particularly well is to use your iPhone when it’s wet.

That’s something that Apple wants to change, based on a pair of patent applications published today. They describe technology to allow finger tracking in wet environments, letting users continue swiping and tapping away even if they’re out in the rain.

China tells Trump to ditch his iPhone for a Huawei

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Chinese company Huawei wants the media buzz that would come with releasing the world's first foldable phone.
Worried about China eavesdropping? Simple: Buy a Chinese smartphone.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns / Flickr CC

A representative for China’s Foreign Ministry says a report in The New York Times about the country possibly eavesdropping on President Donald Trump’s personal iPhone is “fake news.” Spokesperson Hua Chunying does, however, have some advice for the leader of the free world: Switch to a Huawei phone.

Hey, for a company like Huawei that loves celebrity endorsers, Trump would be one hell of a catch!

Apple’s first Thailand store looks absolutely stunning

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Spin9 Apple Store Bangkok 1
Well, that certainly makes a good first impression!
Photo: Spin9

Apple has confirmed that its first retail store in Thailand will open next month in Bangkok — and it looks absolutely spectacular. If Apple’s goal was to make a strong impression from day one, we can safely say this: Mission accomplished.

The new store is part of the ambitious Iconsiam complex on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. Along with Apple’s debut retail store in the country, Iconsiam is home to two shopping malls, a department store, 3,000-seat auditorium, amusement park, fitness center, and residential buildings.

Trent Reznor says working at Apple made him feel ‘guilty’

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Trent Reznor 1
Trent Reznor, pictured out of his boardroom attire.
Photo: Ed Vill/Flickr CC

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor says he quit his job at Apple because he felt “guilty” over abandoning his work as an artist in favor of a product design and marketing job.

“I have a mixed set of feelings about the whole thing,” he admitted in a recent interview with Stereogum. Reznor joined Apple back in 2014 as part of the $3 billion Beats acquisition. After joining, he worked on a secret project which turned out to be the launch of Apple Music.

Google follows Apple with free 4K movie upgrades for customers

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Google 4K 1
Apple introduced the same deal one year ago.
Photo: Google

It’s not exaggeration to call Apple a trendsetter. When Cupertino does something, then other companies will invariably follow. As a result, it’s no surprise that Google has just announced that customers in the U.S. and Canada will receive free 4K upgrades of titles they have previously bought on Google Play Movies.

Italy fines Apple $11.4 million for throttling older iPhones

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France fines Apple $27 million for intention iPhone 'throttling' controversy
Samsung had to pay up as well.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Italy’s antitrust watchdog has fined Apple 10 million euros ($11.4 million) for slowing down iPhones with aging batteries. The country also hit Samsung with a fine of 5 million euros ($5.7 million) for issuing software updates to artificially slow down its mobile phones.

Apple’s got slapped with an extra 5 million euros for failing to give customers clear information about maintaining and replacing iPhone batteries.

New Macs spill in online database

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Apple Mac mini
Next week's Apple event should be one for the Mac fans.
Photo: Apple

New Macs are expected at Apple’s upcoming October 30 event — and the Eurasian Economic Competition database is the unlikely place that may have just confirmed that.

The online database has been updated with three new filings for desktop computers running macOS 10.14. These most likely refer to rumored upgrades of the iMac and Mac mini. Apple last updated the Mac mini four years ago on October 16, 2014.

Tim Cook wants U.S. to adopt tougher, EU-style data privacy regulations

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There are lots of things that make Apple so great, Cook says.
Tim Cook is no fan of tech giants which hoover up user data.
Photo: Apple

Tim Cook has upped the ante in the privacy conversation by calling for the United States to adopt “comprehensive” privacy laws similar to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.

GDPR is a unifying regulation concerning data protection and privacy for individuals in the European Union and European Economic Area. It was introduced in May 2018, tightening up on Europe’s already strict data regulations. Now Cook wants to bring it to the U.S.

Update: Video of Tim Cook’s speech added.

Brilliant farming RPG Stardew Valley arrives on iOS

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Stardew Valley
You could say the game's outstanding in its field. You know, like a farmer. Out standing.
Photo: Chucklefish Limited

Looking for a fun game to get you through the rest of the week? You’re in luck if so, since massively popular farming RPG Stardew Valley just landed in the App Store, optimized for iPhone and iPad.

And it’s every bit as great as you’d hope. Check out the trailer below.

Apple teams up with French school to teach Swift coding

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Swift Crypto will help more developers than ever to build secure applications
Apple is spreading its Swift curriculum around the world.
Photo: Apple

Apple is teaming up with a French digital vocational school Simplon to teach Swift coding to learners. Swift is the language used for developing iOS apps.

“Proud to announce our new training program in partnership with France’s [Simplon], teaching the basics of coding with Swift,” Tim Cook wrote in a tweet. “Learning to code unlocks a world of creativity and potential.”