Mobile menu toggle

Luke Dormehl - page 149

Apple chipmaker is back up and running after malware attack

By

chips
Hopefully this won't cause delays for the iPhone.
Photo: Intel

After being knocked out of commission over the weekend by a computer virus, iPhone chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) was back up and running on Monday.

According to the manufacturer, the problem was caused by a ransomware attack from the infamous WannaCry ransomware cryptoworm. This ransomware attack first struck in May 2017, requiring victims to pay a bitcoin ransom in order to decrypt their files.

Privacy is the secret sauce that makes Apple Pay Cash special

By

Apple Pay Cash
Apple Pay Cash has one big advantage over its rivals.
Photo: Apple

From Apple Pay Cash to Venmo, there’s a growing number of peer-to-peer payment services that allow you to send cash to your friends. But which one is the safest to use?

Respected product testing publication Consumer Reports recently tested out the main apps in this space — including Apple Pay Cash, Venmo, Square Cash, Facebook Messenger, and Zelle. Although the report says that all of them work, Apple Pay Cash has one very important selling point that gives it the edge over its rivals.

In-car AR system could let you FaceTime other vehicles

By

Ford CarPlay
Apple has big plans for the future of in-car infotainment systems.
Photo: Ford

Here’s an idea that, on the surface, sounds totally dangerous: an in-car display that let you make FaceTime calls to people in different vehicles. I mean, keeping your eyes on the road is 2017, right?

In fact, the concept — which was the subject of a recent patent application from Apple — is pretty darn smart. Apple’s invention describes a future augmented reality windshield system that could project various bits of information as you drive in an autonomous or non-autonomous vehicle.

Apple’s new iPhone strategy for world’s second-biggest market

By

Apple supplier is increasing its ability to build masses of iPhones in India
Apple's got renewed focus on India.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple may be kicking all kinds of butt on the global stage, but it’s struggling in India, where the iPhone currently ranks 11th in the overall list of smartphones. To put that in perspective, Apple accounts for just 1 percent of India’s iPhone sales, with fewer than 1 million handsets sold in the first half of this year.

But it’s got a plan (well, several) to change all that.

Apple Watch Series 3 gets its first jailbreak

By

Apple Watch Series 3
If you've been dreaming of jailbreaking your Apple Watch, today is your lucky day!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Jailbreaking isn’t nearly as big news as it was in the early days of the iPhone. However, that doesn’t mean we’re not excited to hear about a new Apple device being given the jailbreak treatment.

That’s what happened recently when jailbreaker Tihmstar released the first “almost complete” jailbreak for the Apple Watch Series 3, running watchOS 4.1. However, the jailbreak will also work on older Apple Watches with slight modifications.

Apple removes InfoWars and Alex Jones podcasts

By

Alex Jones
Alex Jones is a prominent online conspiracy theorist.
Photo: InfoWars

Apple has removed the entire back catalog for five of far-right conspiracy theory website InfoWars’ six podcasts on iTunes and its Podcasts app. One of these shows is the daily “War Room” show hosted by owner and radio host Alex Jones.

The podcasts were removed due to their breaking of Apple’s hate speech guidelines. It comes as part of a concerted effort by Silicon Valley to cut down on the spread of so-called “fake news” online.

HomePod sales reportedly hit 3 million units in U.S.

By

Apple debuts HomePod in India at its cheapest price yet
HomePod sales are "small but meaningful," according to a new report.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The smart speaker contest may be a two-horse race between the Amazon Echo and Google Home, but Apple’s HomePod is starting to carve out a share as well.

According to new research from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, the total smart speaker market has now reached 50 million units in the United States. Among the installed base of U.S. devices, Amazon has 70 percent, Google has 24 percent and Apple has 6 percent.

Apple will help China fight iMessage spam

By

iMessage
Users in China complain they're being swamped with spam on iMessage.
Photo: Weibo

Apple is working with Chinese telecoms firms to find a way to cut down the amount of iMessage spam customers in the country receive.

Apple has recently been under fire by state-controlled Chinese media for supposedly allowing users to be bombarded with illicit content through its iMessages. These are said to include gambling ads (illegal in China, aside from state lotteries), pornography, and counterfeit goods.

iOS 12 beta confirms iPad Pro overhaul with edge-to-edge screen

By

bezel free
A bezel-free iPad as it may appear later this year.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

This year’s iPad Pro will boast Face ID and a new iPhone X-style bezel-less design, code and assets hidden in the iOS 12 developer beta seemingly confirms.

The asset relating to the new asset was discovered in the battery usage user interface part of the new developer beta. It’s an icon depicting an iPad without home button and much thinner bezels.

Apple stock earns Warren Buffett $2.6 billion in a single day

By

Buffett
Breaking news: Warren Buffett knows how to invest wisely.
Photo: CNBC

For a person who famously said he doesn’t like to invest in tech stocks, Warren Buffett has done pretty well with Apple.

Following the company’s amazing quarterly earnings this week, Buffett’s shares in Apple have proven to be an insanely smart bet. How smart? Thanks to the 6 percent spike in Apple stock yesterday, Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway firm likely made upward of $2.6 billion in a single day.

iPhones could be about to get even more expensive

By

Ex-student sentenced to 3 years in prison for massive iPhone scam
We may one day look fondly back on the days iPhones cost just $1,000.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple may have just reported yet another record quarter, but there’s a potential dark cloud lurking on the horizon in the form of the impending China trade war.

Not only has Tim Cook been outspoken about China being Apple’s future biggest market, but Apple also relies on China for the majority of its manufacturing. In other words, Apple has a problem — and in this case it’s a problem that could be passed onto you, the customer.

Apple must pay $145.1 million for infringing on patents

By

Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Apple has battled WiLan in court before.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has been ordered to pay out $145.1 million in damages for infringing on patents held by the Canadian patent licensing company WiLan.

A federal jury in San Diego, California ruled that the iPhone infringed on two WiLan patents. These “8,457,145” and “8,537,757” patents relate to wireless communications tech — specifically bandwidth request protocols in a wireless communication system and adaptive call admission control.

Apple won’t pay Cupertino ‘head tax’ after all

By

Apple waives developer fees for nonprofits, others in 8 additional countries
It's not like Apple has the cash to spare!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple won’t have to pay additional taxes to the city of Cupertino based on the company’s number of local employees, city officials have decided.

Some Cupertino City Council members planned to give voters the opportunity to decide whether Apple, and other large local businesses, should pay a “head tax.” Apple would have paid around $9.4 million annually to the city. However, those plans have now been scrapped.

France bans smartphones and tablets from schools

By

What to expect from Apple education event 2018.
Just don't take your iPhone with you!
Photo: Apple

Think smartphones are an unavoidable part of daily school life if you’re a teen? Think again. Well, if you live in France, at least.

Under new legislation, French students are banned from using either smartphone or tablets during the school day. The new laws were part of President Emmanuel Macron’s election promises.

Apple and Qualcomm could work together again in 2019

By

Qualcomm patents
Qualcomm is a major player in 5G technology.
Photo: Qualcomm

Apple and Qualcomm have been feuding for the past year-and-a-half, but they may make peace in time for the upcoming 5G era.

According to a new report, sources in the supply chain think the companies will patch up their relationship next year, due to the fact that it would be too risky for Apple to bet on 5G smartphone production adopting non-Qualcomm chips. Qulacomm is one of the leaders when it comes to 5G chip technology.

Pocket City is the iOS city-building sim you’ve dreamed of

By

Pocket City
Well, that's the rest of our week sorted then!
Photo: Bobby Li

There are few game franchises I poured more time and energy into as a kid than SimCity. From the mid-1990s, the classic metropolis-building strategy games were guaranteed a place on whichever computer I owned at the time.

Jump forward to 2018, and the not-dissimilar Pocket City has just landed in the App Store. And if you’re a fan of Will Wright’s construction classic, this loving tribute will certainly appeal. Check out the trailer below.

Huawei steals Apple’s crown as No. 2 smartphone maker

By

Chinese company Huawei wants the media buzz that would come with releasing the world's first foldable phone.
This is the first quarter since 2010 that Apple hasn't been in the no. 1 or 2 spots.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns / Flickr CC

Apple just smashed expectations yet again with another monster quarterly earnings report. But that’s not enough to stop Huawei from stealing Apple’s crown as the world’s second-largest smartphone maker, based on number of handsets shipped.

The figures come from analysts at IDC, who note that Apple shipped a total of 342 million iPhones in the quarter, compared to Huawei’s 54.2 million units. Market leader Samsung shipped a massive 71.5 million units during that same period.

Apple has a gambling and porn problem in China

By

Apple Store
State-controlled media in China is piling on Apple right now.
Photo: Apple

As if the threat of the burgeoning trade war between the U.S. and China wasn’t enough, Apple has another problem in the world’s most populous country.

State-controlled media in China is accusing Apple of failing to act to block content that is pornographic, gambling-focused, or intended to promote the selling of counterfeit products. At least five news agencies in the country have jumped on the accusations.

Panicky analyst warns investors off Apple

By

CNBC
AAPL stock is currently trading slightly down at $189.92.
Photo: CNBC

Apple reports its quarterly earnings later today, and while most people are optimistic, one analyst is throwing out a warning.

Referring to the so-called FAANG stocks of Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google, analyst Larry McDonald warns that the tech giants have the potential to lose more than a third of their value. Is this the time to quit AAPL while you’re ahead? McDonald says you might want to get the hell out of Dodge.

New videos reveal 2018 iPhones in all their glory

By

2018 iPhones
Sadly, we've still got a couple of months to wait!
Photo: TigerMobiles

One day after Benjamin Geskin’s dummy photos of the forthcoming iPhone X Plus and new LCD iPhone hit the internet, a pair of videos showing Apple’s 2018 lineup have emerged, too.

Like Geskin’s iPhones pics, these ones depict mockups, rather than the real thing — but are still supposedly based on in-depth schematics from sources in Apple’s chain. Check out the videos below.

Apple lists good deeds to avoid Cupertino ‘head tax’

By

Apple Park Close up
Apple has long been based in Cupertino, where Steve Jobs grew up.
Photo: Apple

Apple is the reason why most non-locals know the name Cupertino. Just in case free international advertising wasn’t enough, however, the company just sent a letter to the Cupertino City Council, outlining all the nice things Apple does to benefit its hometown.

Although it doesn’t mention it, the letter conveniently arrives on the eve of a discussion on whether to impose a “head tax” on Apple employees in the area.

MacOS is a hellstew of error messages, says new Chromebook ad

By

Chromebook ad
Is this your experience of using macOS? Google suggests it is.
Photo: Google

Tensions between Google and Apple may have cooled since Steve Jobs declared “thermonuclear war” on the search giant, but that doesn’t mean hostilities have ceased altogether.

In its latest Chromebook commercial, Google fires shots at both Apple and fellow tech giant Microsoft. Both companies are mocked for the error messages their operating systems supposedly bombard customers with, and more. Chromebooks, on the other hand, represent, “a laptop you can count on.” Check the ad out below.

Feast your eyes on the iPhone X Plus and new LCD iPhone

By

New iPhones 2018
Only a couple of months to go!
Photo: Ben Geskin

Want a possible early glimpse at what appears to be this year’s fancy new 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus and 6.1-inch LCD iPhone? Renowned Apple leaker Ben Geskin is here to help!

Geskin posted the images on Twitter. He describes the iPhones in the pictures as “dummy models,” meaning that they are models he has made based on leaked Apple schematics. Check out more images below.