Mobile menu toggle

Luke Dormehl - page 37

Hyundai could pass Apple Car collaboration off to Kia

By

Kia
Apple's partner on the Apple Car project could be Kia.
Photo: Nils Bogdanovs/Unsplash CC

Hyundai’s Kia Corporation will reportedly be the company responsible for working with Apple on the electric, self-driving Apple Car project, a new report states.

As per the South Korean news outlet, eDaily, “If Kia decides to do this, the Apple Car production base will be at Kia’s Georgia plant in the US.”

Ted Lasso scores hat trick of Critics Choice nominations for Apple TV+

By

Jason Sudeikis plays a clueless college football coach in the Apple TV+ comedy series
Jason Sudeikis plays a clueless college football coach in the comedy series.
Photo: Apple TV+

Popular Apple TV+ comedy series Ted Lasso earned three nominations in the upcoming 26th annual Critics Choice Awards.

The show, about a hapless Kansas football coach who is somehow hired to lead a U.K. soccer team, earned nods for Best Comedy Series, Best Actor in a Comedy Series (lead actor Jason Sudeikis, who plays the title role) and Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (for Hannah Waddingham, who plays club owner Rebecca in the show.)

Apple extends free repair program for faulty MacBook Pro models

By

MacBook
Apple's replacement program sorts out a big display flaw.
Photo: Apple

Apple has quietly extended a free repair program covering faulty 13-inch MacBook Pro models introduced in 2016. The laptops in question suffer from a problem related to the display backlight.

Initially, Apple’s repair program — announced in May 2019 — covered the laptops for up to four years after they were purchased. Now Apple has extended that to five years.

Court sentences Samsung heir to 2.5 years in prison

By

Lee Jae Yong
The Samsung heir in 2016.
Photo: Wikipedia CC

Samsung’s 52-year-old heir, Lee Jae Yong, has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison related to a bribery case. Lee was found guilty of bribery, embezzlement, and concealment of criminal proceeds worth $7.8 million.

Lee has already served some time in prison while waiting for the trial. This leaves him with 18 months still to serve. He was first arrested back in early 2017 over a political scandal linked to the then-president of South Korea, Park Geun-hye. The case has been ongoing since then, leading to Monday’s decision by the Seoul High Court.

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

By

MLK Day 2021 homepage
The U.S. celebrates MLK Day on the third Monday of every January.
Photo: Apple

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

“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice,” reads the quotation. To this, Apple ads,  “We honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his leadership in civil rights.”

Coalition for a Safer Web sues Apple for not giving Telegram the boot

By

Telegram flames
Telegram is under fire. And Apple as well.
Photo: Telegram/Cult of Mac

The Coalition for a Safer Web, a Washington DC-based nonprofit, is suing Apple for not removing messaging app Telegram from the App Store.

In a lawsuit filed Sunday, Marc Ginsberg, a former U.S. ambassador to Morroco, and the coalition say the app remains in the App Store “despite Apple’s knowledge that Telegram is being used to intimidate, threaten, and coerce members of the public.”

Tim Cook won’t comment on Apple Car, talks suspending Parler from App Store

By

CEO Tim Cook photo via Fox Business
Tim Cook talked with Fox News over the weekend.
Photo: Fox Business

Apple CEO Tim Cook refused to take the bait about Apple Car during a Sunday interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News. After Cook commented that Apple continues “making the best products in the world,” Wallace asked if that would include an Apple Car.

Cook responded by laughing, and said he “can’t comment on rumors and so forth.” Wallace then pushed back, saying that Cook could comment, he was just choosing not to. “You’re right,” Cook said, ending the exchange. “I choose not to. Touché.”

Apple Watch could spot COVID-19 symptoms a week before it strikes

By

Apple Watch Series 6
Two studies suggest Apple Watch could be a useful diagnostic tool.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Smartwatches such as Apple Watch could detect COVID-19 infections a week before the wearer feels sick or would test positive for the novel coronavirus, two medical studies suggest.

Since such devices can identify subtle changes in heart rate that might indicate an early infection, they could spot asymptomatic individuals, who make up a sizable proportion of COVID-19 cases.

MagSafe charger could make triumphant return to MacBook Pro this year

By

MagSafe
MagSafe was a great Apple innovation.
Photo: Gordon Mei/Flickr CC

Apple’s MagSafe branding technically made a return last year with the iPhone 12. But the MagSafe fans most fondly recall — the neat magnetic charging system for the MacBook — is also gearing up to make a comeback.

According to a Friday report from Bloomberg, Apple is bringing back MagSafe for this year’s MacBook Pro refresh. The connector will reportedly be similar in design to the “elongated pill-shape” original MagSafe. It will provide faster charging for the MacBook.

A16 Bionic: TSMC gears up to produce first 3nm chips for future iPhone

By

Apple A14 is made with an amazing 5nm production process.
Ready to see the A14 look like old hat?
Screenshot: Apple

Apple’s A14 chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is gearing up for “risk production” of its next-gen chips, Digitimes reported Friday.

The chips in question are TSMC’s 3-nanometer chips, expected to be the eventual successor to the current 5-nanometer chips. Risk production refers to the dress rehearsal process for manufacturing, in which things appear ready to go, but are not quite ready to go into mass production just yet.

Apple may drop the Touch Bar from its next MacBook Pro

By

You got the touch. Here's how to master your MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar.
Apple introduced the context-sensitive Touch Bar in 2016.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

According to reliable TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the next-gen MacBook Pro will come in 14- and 16-inch sizes, feature more ports and bring back the MagSafe charger in some form (!). And, of course,  the high-end laptops will run on new Apple Silicon chips.

But the first big MacBook Pro redesign in half a decade also do away with the Touch Bar, the controversial — and never entirely successful — innovation Apple debuted back in 2016.

PSA: Season 2 of Servant gets off to a spooky start on Apple TV+

By

Servant
Episode one debuted Friday.
Photo: Apple

2021 not scary enough for you? Apple TV+ is here to help. On Friday, Apple debuted the first episode of season two of Servant. The creepy psychological thriller series from Tony Basgallop and M. Night Shyamalan spooked audiences with its first season about the supernatural goings-on involving “baby” Jericho and nanny Leanne.

Check out the season 2 trailer below:

AirPods continue to rule the ‘hearables’ market, but Apple’s lead is shrinking

By

AirPods Pro with black background discounts
AirPods continue to be a big winner for Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s AirPods are still the market leader when it comes to wireless earbuds, but others are starting to catch up, claims new research from analysis firm Counterpoint.

According to data released Thursday, Apple now makes up 29% of the TWS (that’s “true wireless stereo hearables”) market. The biggest competitor in terms of shipments is Xiaomi, which represents 13% of the market, followed by Samsung with 5%. Other players include the likes of JBL, QCY, JLAB, and Sony.

A14 chipmaker earnings hint at monster success for the iPhone 12

By

iPhone 12 Pro parts cost shockingly little
Signs look good that the iPhone 12 has been a big hit for Apple.
Photo: Cult of Mac

We won’t definitively know how well the iPhone 12 is doing until Apple’s next earnings call January 27. But the signs are certainly looking good.

On Thursday, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the company that makes Apple’s A-series chips, reported better-than-expected earnings for the December quarter. This was apparently helped by “robust” demand for the iPhone 12.

Samsung Galaxy S21 will ditch power adapters just like iPhone 12

By

Galaxy S21
“Whaaaaaaat's in the box?!”
Photo: Samsung/Evan Blass

Samsung was quick to mock Apple when it revealed that it was going to stop including power adapters with the iPhone. But a few months later, it seems the South Korean tech giant has reconsidered its stance, and realized that maybe Apple actually kind of had a good point.

At least, that’s according to images leaked by tipster Evan Blass, showing what he claims are promotional images for the Galaxy S21 and S21 Ultra. The new premium handsets boast a refreshed design, support for 5G — and no charger in the box.

Tim Cook: Parler can return to App Store once it solves moderation issues

By

Google, Apple and Amazon exercise their rights as private companies to refuse to do business with Parler.
Parler is welcome back as soon as it can solve its moderation problems.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Social media app Parler will be restored to the App Store if it complies with Apple’s terms of service, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Wednesday.

In a CBS interview, Cook said the app “has some issues with moderation.” However, he said Apple’s “hope is that they do that and get back on the store.”

Foxconn strengthens its chances of making the Apple Car

By

Foxconn Wisconsin
Foxconn has long been Apple's go-to manufacturer.
Photo: Foxconn

Apple manufacturer Foxconn is setting up an automotive arm, just as Cupertino is reportedly gearing up to build an Apple Car. This could make Foxconn a prime manufacturing partner, much in the same way that the Taiwanese company currently assembles iPhones and other devices for Apple.

Apple’s new Racial Equity and Justice Initiative projects will combat systemic racism in US

By

Parler Center
Apple is supporting the construction of a new learning hub for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s promised big announcement is a series of new projects within the company’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, designed to fight systemic racism and advance racial equity across the United States.

As part of a previously announced $100 million fund, Apple revealed Wednesday that it will support the launch of a new global innovation and learning hub for historically Black colleges and universities, open it’s first U.S. Developer Academy to support coding efforts in Detroit, and contribute venture capital funding for Black and other minority entrepreneurs.

Apple held talks with electric vehicle startup Canoo about possible acquisition

By

Canoo
Canoo is a California-based EV startup.
Photo: Canoo

Hyundai is rumored to be on the verge of signing a deal with Apple to build an electric car. But Hyundai wasn’t the first automaker Apple approached about a deal, a new report claims.

As per The Verge, Apple held meetings with the California-based EV startup Canoo in early 2020. The two companies discussed options such as an Apple investment or even an outright acquisition, sources familiar with the conversations suggest.

Prototype wearable supposedly can monitor blood sugar noninvasively

By

Quantum
It might look like an Apple Watch, but it reportedly does something no Apple Watch can do.
Photo: Quantum Operation Inc.

CES 2021 bug A new device shown off at CES may look like an Apple Watch knockoff, but its maker says it can do something Cupertino’s wearable can’t: accurately and noninvasively measure a person’s blood sugar level.

Japanese manufacturer Quantum Operation says its prototype employs a miniature spectrometer to scan blood in the wrist for biomarkers that reveal glucose levels. The user supposedly just puts on the smartwatch and activates the monitoring with a touch. After 20 seconds, the wearer receives the blood sugar data on the device’s screen.

What’s old is new: CAD renders show off 2021’s familiar 11-inch iPad Pro

By

11-inch iPad Pro
A glimpse at the new iPad Pro.
Photo: MySmartPrice

A new, 11-inch iPad Pro is expected for early 2021, and the website MySmartPrice claims that it has received an early glimpse at them — courtesy of some CAD renders.

The renders suggest there will be minimal design changes for the 11-inch iPad Pro , one of the two sizes of iPad Pro Apple is ship this year. According to the report, the next-gen tablet will boast the same approximate dimensions as its predecessor. However, it will “shave off some millimeters from the length and breadth.”