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Apple slashes trade-in prices on a bunch of Android phones

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Apple cuts Android trade-in prices
Some Mac and iPad models have also seen reductions.
Photo: Onur Binay/Unsplash

We have disappointing news for anyone currently thinking about swapping their Android smartphone for an iPhone. Apple just cut its trade-in prices for a bunch of popular handsets from Google and Samsung.

The reductions are pretty significant in most cases. A Galaxy S21+ 5G, previously worth up to $435 according to Apple, now fetches $325 max. The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, previously valued at up to $545, will now get you only $405 at most.

Apple cut the trade-in values of some Mac and iPad models, too. Luckily, you have other options for recovering more cash from your old gear.

Safari bug leaks your browsing activity and Google account details

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Safari 15 leaks browsing activity
Well, that's not good.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

A newly discovered bug in Safari 15 allows any website to track your browsing activity and may even reveal your identity if you’re a Google user.

The vulnerability stems from Apple’s implementation of IndexedDB, a storage API widely supported by most modern browsers. And the problem affects users on Mac as well as iPhone and iPad. Here’s what you need to know.

Experts say Apple is missing out on the cloud gaming boom

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Nvidia-GeForce-Now-MacBook-Pro
Cloud gaming is taking off in a big way, and Apple isn't part of it.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple is missing out on another major revenue stream by ignoring cloud gaming services, according to market experts.

While rivals like Amazon, Nvidia and Microsoft are reaping the rewards of a gaming industry boom that’s only expected to get bigger, Apple is leaving money on the table. But there is a simple way it could enjoy a piece of the pie.

Google steps up fight against iPhone by ripping off more Apple features

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Google rips off iPhone features
Spatial audio, unlock with Wear OS, and more on the way.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Google plans to make its latest Pixel and Wear OS devices more compelling alternatives to iPhone and Apple Watch by ripping off some of Cupertino’s most popular software features — including spatial audio and AirDrop.

The Android-maker revealed the long list of improvements, which will span all of Google’s software platforms as well as Windows, this week at the CES trade show in Las Vegas. Here’s what you can expect if you plan to ditch your Apple devices and swap sides.

Apple and Google face class-action lawsuit over search engine deal

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Apple Google
The complaint calls for both companies to be broken up.
Image: Apple/Google

Google’s deal with Apple, which ensures that it remains the default search engine in Safari across all Apple devices, is the subject of a new class-action lawsuit against both companies and their CEOs, Sundar Pichai and Tim Cook.

A lawsuit filed in California this week alleges that the two Silicon Valley giants have a non-compete agreement in internet search that violates U.S. antitrust laws and prevents Apple from launching a search engine of its own.

Beef up your video presence and your paired HomePod minis’ bass [Setups]

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A key light can be a webcam's best friend. And did you know your HomePod minis need a subwoofer?
A key light can be a webcam's best friend. And did you know your HomePod minis need a subwoofer?
Photo: [email protected]

Sometimes when you’re trawling the interwebs for cool computer setups, you learn a lot not just from the person bragging about their gear in a social media post, but also from the folks admiring or lambasting it. Such is the case with today’s iPad Pro and Dell widescreen setup.

Its owner and other folks push the importance of adding a good webcam and good lighting for successful videoconferencing. And other folks make a compelling case for adding a subwoofer to paired HomePod minis if you want any bass at all in your music.

UK says Apple, Google have ‘vice-like grip’ on smartphones and millions are losing out

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Sell your old iPhone today
Yet another regulator isn't pleased.
Photo: Aaron Yoo

The U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says Apple and Google have unfairly “developed a vice-like grip” on how we use our smartphones and that “millions of people” are losing out.

In addition to dominating the smartphone market, Apple and Google also “set all the rules,” the CMA said in a report published Tuesday. The two companies are accused of limiting innovation and choice, and driving up smartphone prices.

PlayStation Now was on its way to iPhone before Sony changed its mind

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PlayStation Now
Sony changed its mind.
Photo: Sony

PlayStation Now, the streaming service that gives players access to more than 500 PlayStation 3 and 4 games, was on its way to iPhone and iPad back in 2017, according to documents that have surfaced as part of the Epic vs. Apple trial.

Apple had inside knowledge of Sony’s plans back in 2017, before PlayStation Now made its official debut. But for reasons currently unknown, the Japanese company never followed through on support for mobile devices.

iMessage reactions now appear as emoji on Android

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iMessage reaction
But only inside the Google Messages app.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

iMessage reactions now appear as emoji inside the latest version of the Google Messages app on Android.

Prior to this release, Android users saw somewhat lengthy template messages when they received an iMessage reaction from a contact using an iPhone. This change offers a cleaner, much more streamlined experience.

Epic CEO calls for single App Store for all, says ‘Apple must be stopped’

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Epic Games vs. the App Store
Tim Sweeney is not a fan of the App Store.
Photo: Epic Games

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney renewed his attack on the App Store, telling a conference in South Korea that “Apple must be stopped.”

Sweeney, who spoke Tuesday at the Global Conference for Mobile Application Ecosystem Fairness, accused Apple of complying with “oppressive foreign laws.” He also called for “a single store that works with all platforms.”

Google rolls out big upgrades for Gmail, Meet and Sheets on iOS

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Gmail, Meet and Sheets gets big updates on iPhone and iPad
Enjoy Home screen widgets and Picture in Picture support.
Photo: Google

Google this week rolled out a bunch of rather significant updates for Gmail, Meet, and Sheets on iPhone and iPad that add a number of neat new features and improvements. You can download them from the App Store now.

Gmail now offers a Home screen widget that lets you see your inbox at a glance, while Meet now features Picture in Picture support so you can carry out remote meetings while you continue to do other things on your device.

Apple says sideloading apps on iPhone would ‘cripple privacy and security’

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iPhone sideloading isn't safe, Apple says
iOS restrictions make it safer than Android, Apple says.
Image: Apple

iOS is safer than Android because you cannot sideload apps onto an iPhone, Apple says. The company this week published a document in response to the European Commission’s proposal that could force Apple to allow third-party app marketplaces, which points out the many risks (as Apple sees it) with that plan.

Titled “Building a Trusted Ecosystem for Millions of Apps,” the 31-page PDF argues that allowing the sideloading of apps on iPhone “would cripple the privacy and security protections that have made iPhone so secure.”

Apple TV+ is the only streaming service that takes your privacy seriously

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Spatial audio for Apple TV in tvOS 15
Most streaming services are watching you while you watch them.
Photo: Apple

Almost every video streaming service except Apple TV+ is selling your data to third-party companies and tracking your viewing habits for targeted ads. A new report from Common Sense Media exposes the loose privacy policies employed by most streaming providers, including Amazon and Netflix.

“Many viewers know that free streaming apps are most likely selling their personal information, but most viewers may not know that most paid sub‐ scription streaming apps are also selling users’ data,” warns the report.

Google mercilessly mocks those pretentious Apple videos Jony Ive used to make

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Google hilariously mocks Jony Ive’s Apple product videos
“Engineered for optimal haptic feedback to deliver the satisfying feeling of… click.”
Screenshot: Google

A new video for the Google Pixel 5a pokes fun at the ones Jony Ive used to make gushing about the smallest details in designs of Apple products.

While an homage, the video also exhibits a cutting edge. It highlights the new Android smartphone’s headphone jack, a feature Ive removed from iPhones. Still, Apple fans shouldn’t miss this well-made parody:

Google could cough up $15 billion to remain default search provider in iOS

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Google Search on iOS and iPadOS
And that figure could rise to $20 billion in 2022.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Google could pay a whopping $15 billion to remain the default search provider on iPhone and iPad, according to one analyst. The figure could rise even higher, to as much as $20 billion, in 2022.

It is believed Google is willing to pay so much to ensure Microsoft and Yahoo, which may also be interesting in striking a deal with Apple, cannot break up the partnership Google has enjoyed for more than a decade.

Google wants to bring Android games to your Mac

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Android games on the way to Mac
It wants to "provide the most reach of any platform."
Photo: Oppo

Google plans to bring Android apps and games to Mac and Windows in the coming years, according to internal documents recently made public as a result of the ongoing lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games.

As part of a project it calls “Games Future,” the company wants to make quality games available “on all screens.” The service is expected to run alongside Stadia, Google’s platform for streaming PC games to any device.

Samsung scraps iPhone support with new Galaxy Watch 4 series

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 drops iPhone support
Android 6.0 or later is required.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch 4 series, introduced alongside its next-generation foldable smartphones on Wednesday, scraps support for iPhone.

The South Korean company’s wearables have been playing nicely with Apple devices since 2017. But with the Galaxy Watch 4, an Android device that supports Google Mobile Services (GMS) is required.

YouTube lets you eliminate ads for less with ‘Premium Lite’ subscription

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YouTube Premium Lite
Premium Lite costs just €6.99 a month, but it's tight on benefits.
Photo: YouTube

YouTube has begun piloting a “Premium Lite” subscription that lets you eliminate ads for a more affordable price. The new tier, currently available in some parts of Europe, costs just €6.99 a month. But it doesn’t include background playback or other benefits available with a full Premium plan.

Play god. Drive safe. Flip birds. Search secret. [Awesome Apps of the Week]

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Apple Arcade delivers blasts from the past, but there's new stuff in the App Store this week as well.
Apple Arcade delivers updated blasts from the past, but there's totally new stuff in the App Store this week as well.
Image: Cult of Mac

Some classic iOS games got upgraded for their Apple Arcade debuts this week, but that’s just the start of this week’s roundup. A new iOS app gives you the chance to win prizes for not driving like a jerk. And a new Mac app lets you effortlessly declutter your presentations.

Plus, a couple of heavy-hitter apps got updates — one kind of serious from a privacy perspective, and one almost completely frivolous. Are you ready for your app upgrades?

Brave browser bravely takes on Google with privacy-focused search

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Brave browser bravely takes on Google with privacy-focused search
Try Brave Search if you’re trying to prevent Google from tracking everything you do online.
Photo: Brave

A public beta of a privacy-preserving search engine from Brave debuted Tuesday. It doesn’t track users, their searches or their clicks.

It is, of course, entering into a David vs. Goliath fight with Google, which dominates the search business with a more than 90% share.