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Luke Dormehl - page 46

Sony confirms Apple TV app is coming to PlayStation 4 and 5 in Nov

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PS5 media remote
A look at the PS5 media remote.
Photo: Sony

The Apple TV app is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, Sony revealed Thursday.

According to Sony, the Apple TV app will join Disney+, Netflix, Spotify, Twitch and YouTube as streaming services that will be available when the PS5 ships on November 12. (Amazon Prime Video, MyCanal, Hulu, Peacock, and others are also coming soon.)

Apple spent more than $1.5 million on lobbying fees in Q3

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Election contributions by Apple employees for heavily toward Democrats
Apple threw around some money in the last quarter.
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels CC

Apple spent $1.56 million on lobbying fees in the third quarter of 2020, a new report reveals.

Apple directed seven lobbyists to influence the *deep breath* U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Defense, Federal Communications Commission, Treasury Department, Health & Human Services, U.S. Trade Representative, State Department, Homeland Security, Office of Management & Budget, National Institute of Standards & Technology, and Executive Office of the President.

These were the biggest hits on Apple TV+ in the third quarter

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Jason Sudeikis is the titular Ted Lasso
No wonder he's smiling.
Photo: Apple TV

Apple doesn’t reveal too many numbers about Apple TV+, which can make it difficult to gauge which shows are the streaming service’s biggest hits.

Most of the time, the best you can do is use anecdotal evidence, such as what people are talking about on Twitter, or extrapolate the number of Rotten Tomatoes reviews to get a sense of which shows are the getting the most attention.

However, Reelgood, which describes itself as the “most extensive movie and TV streaming search engine with more than 2 million monthly active users in the United States,” thinks it’s going a more accurate idea. It’s produced a chart showing date about Apple TV+’s top-performing TV shows for the past three months. Check it out.

Quibi launches Apple TV app just in time to shut down [Updated]

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Power players Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman apparently couldn't save Quibi.
Power players Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman ran Quibi.
Photo: Fortune Brainstorm Tech/Flickr CC

Quibi, the mobile-first streaming video service that launched at the worst possible time, is shutting down, according to The Wall Street Journal. The report came Wednesday, just days after Quibi launched an Apple TV app so subscribers could enjoy its bite-size videos on the big screen.

Apple reminds iPhone 12 customers of all the ways they can buy devices

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There are plenty of ways to buy a new iPhone or iPad, either online or in stores, including new Shopping Sessions.
There are plenty of ways to buy a new iPhone or iPad, including new Shopping Sessions.
Photo: Apple

Thanks to COVID-19, the idea of queuing up for an iPhone, huddling up with other people eager to get their hands on the latest Apple smartphone, seems like the stuff of another lifetime in 2020.

To ensure that as many people as possible can get the iPhone 12, 12 Pro or iPad Air 4 when they launch this week, Apple’s issued a press release Wednesday detailing the myriad ways would-be customers can give the company their hard-earned cash.

Early iPhone 12 and 12 Pro battery tests suggest 5G comes at a cost

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Tim Cook seems really excited about 5G. Should you be?
Tim Cook seems really excited about 5G. Should you be?
Photo: Apple

The new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro bring 5G to Apple’s smartphones for the first time. But it comes at a cost to your battery.

In the first published battery tests, Tom’s Guide tested the new iPhones on both 4G and 5G, running both on the same screen brightness and loading up new sites every 30 seconds until they ran out of battery. Their conclusion? That 5G usage has a pretty major impact on battery life.

Apple yanks Apple TV Remote app from App Store

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The Remote app is no more.
The Remote app is no more.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple quietly (or as quietly as Apple can do anything, which means it’s widely reported) removed the Apple TV Remote app from the App Store.

The app allowed owners to control their Apple TV without having to use the controversial Siri Remote that comes with the set-top box. It let users navigate Apple TV with touch gestures, quickly enter text using the keyboard, ask Siri to find things to watch, and more.

Here’s how the new, smaller iPhone box measures up to its predecessor

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Does anyone really need another iPhone charger?
Here's what removing the iPhone charger means for the box size.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

This year’s iPhone 12 and 12 Pro will be the first new iPhones not to come with EarPods or a charger in the box.

During Apple’s October keynote it said that removing these components lets it reduce carbon emissions from shipping by packing way more boxes onto shipping pallets. Now, thanks to a comparison posted by Apple analyst Neil Cybart, we have an idea what that means in terms of the overall box footprint.

I want my Apple Music TV: Cupertino’s latest concept is fascinatingly retro

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MTV shirt
Is Apple reanimating the corpse of MTV?
Photo: Chris Benson/Unsplash CC

What’s old is apparently new. With Apple Music TV, the new streaming channel that plays music videos 24 hours a day, Cupertino created a 21st-century version of MTV that looks a lot like the 1980s.

The service — which is free to everyone in the United States, not just Apple Music subscribers — launched out of the blue Monday. More than a quarter century after the original MTV’s heyday, this is going to be fascinating to watch. Can it possibly work?

iPhone 12 and 12 Pro first impressions: Apple does it again

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iPhone 12 Pro in Pacific blue
Coming soon to a pocket near you.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro landed online Tuesday, and the devices’ marquee feature — 5G wireless connectivity — largely went unnoticed.

Most reviewers said they could not properly take advantage of the next-gen networking, which Apple heavily promoted during last week’s iPhone 12 launch event. This makes 5G more of a hypothetical selling point than something the reviewers could personally recommend. (That’s not surprising, considering the current state of 5G in the United States.)

That said, the first impressions focus on both phones’ impressive new designs — and pay special attention to the premium feel of the iPhone 12 Pro. The reviewers also highlight MagSafe, the new magnetic connection system for cases, chargers and other accessories that Apple added to this year’s iPhones.

Here’s a look at the first iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 reviews.

Airline crew arrested for smuggling $50 million in stolen iPads, iPhones

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Handcuffs
Ten Aeroflot crew members have been charged.
Photo: Bill Oxford/Unsplash CC

A band of Aeroflot Airlines crew members have been charged with smuggling $50 million worth of stolen electronic goods — including iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches — into Russia.

The plot was uncovered when crew members’ luggage was inspected. This resulted in the discovery of many of the devices in question. In total, 10 people have so far been charged, eight suspects arrested, and two are currently described as fugitives. A massive 113 visas of Aeroflot employees were also revoked.

Apple’s location-tracking AirTags could come in 2 different sizes

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AirTags are allegedly being released next month because AirPods Studio won’t be.
After more than a year of rumors, AirTags might soon see the light of day.
Concept: Jon Prosser

Apple’s eagerly anticipated, location-tracking AirTags will come in two different sizes, claims reliable Apple leaker l0vetodream.

In a tweet sent out Tuesday, the leaker — who has a reliability score of 87.9 percent on the website AppleTrack — claimed that Apple will release AirTags in both large and small options. It’s not clear what the precise sizes would be or what, if anything, would be the different functionality between sizes.

iPad Air 4 is now available for preorder, shipping October 23

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iPad Air 4
Gets your starting October 23.
Photo: Apple

As rumored, Apple’s iPad Air 4 is now available for preorder on the Apple Online Store. The fourth-gen iPad Air was shown off by Apple at last month’s “Time Flies” event, but Apple declined to announce a preorder date — beyond simply “October.”

Because both the iPad Air 4 and new iPhone 12 handsets feature Apple’s A14 chip, Apple reportedly wanted to hold back the iPad Air 4 until the first iPhone 12 handsets were available to preorder.

iPhone 12 and 12 Pro preorders go live!

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iPhone 12 pricing is lower for Verizon and AT&T customers.
The long-awaited iPhone 12 and 12 Pro are here. Almost.
Photo: Apple

On your marks, get set, go, go, go! Apple preorders went live Friday at 5am Pacific time, giving customers the chance to order their new iPhone 12 handsets.

For the first time in history, Apple is this year offering four different iPhone models. The 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini are Apple’s two “regular” iPhones, while the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and monster 6.7-inch iPhone Pro Max are its premium handsets.

You can only order the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models today, though. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, this year’s two size extremes, will be available for preorder November 6. Phones available for preorder today will ship October 23.

PSA: New episodes of Tehran and Long Way Up debut on Apple TV+

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Apple TV+ Tehran
Tehran continues to be one of the best things on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple

Friday means, among other things, new shows on Apple TV+. This week, Apple debuted a new episode of both its hit spy drama Tehran and Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman-fronted travelogue Long Way Up. There’s also a new series of kids show Helpsters.

Here’s what to expect from this week’s new shows.

Apple could showcase its Apple Silicon Macs at event on November 17

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Tim Cook talks diversity, sustainability, and coming out as gay
"Good morning... for the third month in a row."
Photo: Apple

If rumors are to be believed, Apple is set to host yet another virtual event in November, making three in a row after September’s “Time Flies” iPad and Apple Watch event and October’s “Hi, Time” HomePod mini and iPhone 12 unveiling.

While the November event has yet to be officially announced, notorious Apple leaker Jon Prosser thinks he knows when it will be — and we don’t have long to wait.

Average US customer spends $20.78 a month on app subscriptions

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Election contributions by Apple employees for heavily toward Democrats
Costs can quickly add up!
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels CC

Recurring subscriptions have changed how we pay for digital content. And, while each service might only demand a couple of our hard-earned bucks at a time, the costs can quickly add up.

According to a report citing data from mobile measurement firm Adjust, the average person in the U.S. spends $20.78 a month on app subscriptions. And, given that this just an average, many spend a whole lot more than that.

Spotify gets an iOS 14 widget that lets you access recent listens

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Spotify
Spotify makes it easier to access your music and podcasts.
Photo: Spotify

If Spotify remains your main streaming music listening platform, there’s some good news: the streaming giant has finally released an iOS 14 widget that lets you quickly access recently played artists, podcasts, and albums in a single tap.

There are both small and medium-sized versions of the widget. The smaller of these shows your most recently listened to item. Meanwhile, the medium-sized widget offers a more luxurious, five most recent items array.

Best Buy’s Canadian website suggests iPad Air 4 goes on sale October 23

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iPad Air 4 Touch ID Sensor
Apple previously said the tablets would be available sometime in October.
Photo: Apple

Beyond saying it would be available in October, Apple didn’t announce a precise launch date for the iPad Air 4 when it showed it off at last month’s “Time Flies” event.

Eagle-eyed Apple watchers may have uncovered the official release date, with Best Buy’s Canadian website listing October 23 as the date it will go on sale. While that’s not conclusive on its own, it coincides with a previous date suggested by Apple tipster Jon Prosser.

Here’s how much RAM the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are packing

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iPhone 12 Pro color options
It seems the iPhone 12 Pro gets a RAM increase from last year.
Photo: Apple

While it’s long been considered a fundamental spec for computers, Apple doesn’t publicize the amount of RAM its iPhones ship with. But newly published AnTuTu scores, referring to a popular Chinese benchmarking tool, appears to shed some light on this year’s iPhone 12 handsets.

They suggest that the iPhone 12 comes with 4GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro model comes with 6GB of RAM. If accurate, that would be an increase for the Pro models from the 4GB used for both variants of iPhone 11 last year.

Apple demands that Telegram removes posts involving protests in Belarus

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Telegram flames
More controversy involving Telegram.
Photo: Telegram/Cult of Mac

Apple is currently facing a mini-scandal involving messaging app Telegram and posts made by pro-democracy protestors in Belarus, which Apple asked to be removed.

The posts concern political controversy in the country, following this year’s election of President Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko, who has been president of Belarus since 1994, supposedly won 80 percent of the vote in August. However, opposition has accused his party of rigging the election, with the fallout continuing several months later.