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Google just crippled image search, and people are angry

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Google image search
"View image" is gone.
Photo: Google

Google just made two big changes to image search, and you’re not going to like either of them.

In addition to killing off the “view image” button, the company has removed the ability to “search by image.”

The heartbreaking changes come after a complaint from Getty Images, which wants Google to make it harder for people to steal its photos.

Google Maps for iOS just made your commute easier

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Google Maps Feb 18 update
You can now gain one-tap access to useful commute info.
Photo: Google

Google today rolled out a new Maps update for iOS that makes accessing commute information easier than ever.

A new one-tap access bar at the bottom of the app lets you quickly view nearby restaurants and hotels, real-time traffic data, and transit information.

Google Chrome ad blocker could prove good for everyone (even publishers)

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Chrome
Here's why it's a win for everyone.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Google will roll out an awesome Chrome ad blocker Thursday that takes aim at some of the most invasive forms of online advertising.

The new Chrome ad-blocking feature won’t annihilate ads entirely. But users won’t need to worry about full-page ads, ads with auto-playing sound and video, or flashing ads anymore.

Ex-Google engineer says the company is boring. Is the same true of Apple?

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An image of the Google beta logo with the rainbow Apple logo in place of the first O
Google isn't innovating and Apple is "meh" claims a departing Google exec.
Photo illustration: Google/Apple

Google can no longer innovate, claims departing 13-year company vet Steve Yegge in a long Medium post this week.

Yegge puts Google on blast for what he perceives as the four biggest problems facing the company today. How many of them hold true for Apple as well?

App Store and Google Play raked in $60 billion last year

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iOS 11
iOS 11 made big changes to the App Store.
Photo: Apple

2017 was a great year to be an app developer, based on new data that show smartphone users spent more money than ever on apps last year.

According to a new report from Sensor Tower, customers spent $58.6 billion on apps and games in 2017 on the App Store and Google Play. And iOS developers took away the most cash.

iPhone was very nearly the world’s top Google search this year

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iPhone X
iPhone X and iPhone 8 were two of the top Google searches in 2017.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Given how much time we spend Googling things, analyzing the world’s top searches provides a pretty good insight into the people, ideas, products, and news we could consider to be important.

With that in mind, Apple’s got to be pretty happy at the news that iPhone X and iPhone 8 were two of the top three most popular search terms of the year, with the top search being for Hurricane Irma. Fourth and fifth places were taken by Matt Lauer and Meghan Markle.

Amazon tops Apple for title of best-managed company

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Amazon is on fire.
Amazon is on fire.
Photo: Amazon

American tech companies are a some of the most effectively managed businesses in the world, according to a new landmark system that ranked the top 250 companies.

Even though Apple is the world’s most profitable company, the rankings found that Amazon is actually the most efficiently run business. But Apple follows at a close second.

Music streaming is a horrible business, says Apple Music boss

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Iovine
Jimmy Iovine’s days at Apple are numbered.
Photo: Apple

Spotify is in for a rough future, according to Apple’s Jimmy Iovine, who is warning the music industry not to place too much faith in the tech industry.

Iovine sat down for a new interview where he discussed the future of the music industry. According to the Apple Music boss, record labels are “100 percent” overly optimistic about where things are headed with technology.

Essential chief takes leave of absence over ‘inappropriate’ relationship

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Andy Rubin
Andy Rubin allegedly dated a colleague at Google.
Photo: Google

Essential founder Andy Rubin has stepped away from the company following claims he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a colleague while at Google.

Rubin’s leave of absence comes just three months after Essential launched its first smartphone. A statement from his representative denies any wrongdoing.

Google investigates potentially disastrous Pixel 2 display fault

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Pixel 2
OLED display is causing issues for Google.
Photo: Google

Apple’s not the only company that’s had issues with OLED displays this year. According to early reviewers, Google’s Pixel 2 XL suffers from screen burn-in, which leaves faint outlines of the phone’s navigation buttons on the display.

Needless to say, that’s a bit of an issue if it turns out to be widespread. Google says that it is “actively investigating” the potential problem.

Google forced to remove new iPhone feature following outrage

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Google Maps calorie count
A calorie count is useful to some, but offensive to others.
Photo: BuzzFeed

Google added a neat new feature to Maps on iPhone this week — then pulled it in under 24 hours following user outrage.

It was seemingly designed to encourage users to walk more frequently by showing how many calories they could burn on their route. But many feel the feature was shameful and judgmental, and a negative trigger for those who suffer from an eating disorder.

Apple pledges $1 million to help fire-ravaged wine country

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Extreme winds and dry weather are making the wildfires in California's wine country hard to contain.
Extreme winds and dry weather are making the wildfires in California's wine country hard to contain.
Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr CC

The fire-relief efforts in Northern California are getting a boost from some of the biggest tech companies in Silicon Valley.

Smoke from the wildfires ravaging wine country are currently choking out residents in San Francisco’s bay area, so Apple, Google and Facebook are stepping up by donating local efforts.

Google’s most underrated app finally comes to iPhone

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Google Opinion Rewards
Google Opinion Rewards pays real cash for your opinion.
Photo: Google

Google Opinion Rewards, the company’s most underrated app, has finally landed on iPhone.

For the first time, iOS users have the chance to answer surveys that earn them real cash. More than 10 million people are already using the service on Android.

Apple and other tech giants battle Chinese intellectual property theft

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Apple Store
Apple has faced challenges growing its brand in China.
Photo: Apple

Chinese companies copying Silicon Valley tech giants, and thereby infringing on intellectual property rights, is something that has been an issue for years.

It seems that U.S. tech companies are striking back, however, with a trade group that represents companies including Apple, Google, and IBM speaking out against Chinese regulators at an International Trade Commission hearing this week.

Simple Android app lets AirPods activate Google Assistant

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AirPods in ear
AirPods now work even better on Android.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

AirPods can be paired with any smartphone, just like other Bluetooth headphones. But you don’t get full functionality on third-party platforms. On Android, however, they just became a lot more useful.

You can now use AirPods to activate the Google Assistant — thanks to one simple app.

Today in fake news: Google buys Apple

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An image of the Google beta logo with the rainbow Apple logo in place of the first O
For a brief moment, there was a report of Google buying Apple.
Photo: Google/Apple

It’s the kind of headline The Onion would write, except this one came from the Dow Jones Newswire: Google, Apple join to create tech giant

The breaking fake news Tuesday morning was eventually retracted by Dow Jones which blamed the report on a “technical error.”

Cult of Mac Magazine: Google’s Pixel 2 vs. new iPhones and more!

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cover
In this week's Cult of Mac Magazine, we show you how Google's Pixel lineup compares to iPhone 8 and the upcoming iPhone X, and much more!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Can Google convince iPhone fans to jump ship for the new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL?We show how Google’s Pixel lineup compares to iPhone 8 and the upcoming iPhone X.

In this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine, you’ll find that story and more. Check out the serious internal upgrades packed into iPhone 8 Plus, and Google’s new mini speaker. We’ve got some great Mac apps for photo editors, a roundup of the best chargers and stands for Apple Watch Series 3 and a review of the iconic Speidel Twist-O-Flex band. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.