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iPhone 13’s secret satellite trick! [CultCast No. 508]

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Cult of Mac podcast: This week on The CultCast, we talk iPhone 13's satellite secret.
What will iPhone 13's satellite communications feature actually do?
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: It sounds like iPhone 13 will come with a secret satellite trick that will give you signal anywhere on Earth! The feature might not prove as groundbreaking as it initially seemed, but it still sounds like a lifesaver.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Sorry, but Apple Watch Series 7 might be a much smaller update than we’ve been told.
  • A radical new South Korean law is forcing Apple to open up the App Store there — and other countries are sure to follow.
  • Sadly, it couldn’t last forever. It sounds like our beloved Tim Cook is eyeing his retirement from Apple. So who at Apple will take the reins next?  We got it all figured out!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Apple agrees to relax App Store rules for ‘reader’ apps like Netflix, Spotify

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App Store
A small step in the right direction.
Photo: Apple

Apple will relax App Store rules for “reader” apps that let users access previously purchased content and subscriptions for books, magazines, music and more, the company said Wednesday.

The move closes an investigation by the Japan Fair Trade Commission, and will apply to all reader apps on the App Store — in all countries. The agreement with the JFTC also paves the way for users to create and manage accounts inside iOS apps.

These are the first states adopting driver’s licenses and IDs in Apple Wallet

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Driver's licenses and IDs in Apple Wallet
Arizona and Georgia will be first, followed by six others.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Wednesday confirmed the first states that will adopt digital driver’s licenses and IDs in Apple Wallet. Residents of Arizona and Georgia will be able to take advantage of the feature first, with six other states to follow.

The Transportation Security Administration will enable select security checkpoints and lanes at participating airports as the first locations customers can use their driver’s license or state ID in Wallet, Apple added.

Save $72 on a 3-in-1 charging dock for iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch

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Charging station for iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch
Now just $29.99 for a limited time.
Photo: Aduro

Charge your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch simultaneously and cut down on cable clutter with $70 off the PowerUp 3-in-1 charging station from Aduro. It uses speedy Qi wireless charging technology and ships with an included power adapter and charging cable.

Get yours for just $27.99 — its lowest price yet — before this discount disappears.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

South Korea is first to say App Store must allow third-party payments

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App-Store-Today
It's a major win for developers and users, and other countries are expected to follow suit.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

South Korea has become the first country to tell Apple that it must open up the App Store to third-party payment platforms. The same law also applies to Google, and other countries likely will implement similar rules.

The amendment to South Korea’s Telecommunications Business Act prevents large app market operators from forcing their own payment systems on users and developers. It also bans unreasonable delays in app approvals.

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.

How to add a free digital vaccine certificate to Wallet on iPhone [Updated]

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Travel is a main reason why a digital vaccine certificate on your iPhone could come in handy.
Travel is a main reason why a digital vaccine certificate on your iPhone could come in handy.
Photo: VaxYes

Now that you’ve got the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer, Moderna or Johson & Johnson, how do you prove it?

Well, you can carry around your vaccination card just in case you need it to travel or gain entry to a gathering place, job or in-person event. Or you can take a few minutes and add a secure digital vaccine certificate, or passport, to Apple Wallet on your iPhone. We’ll show you how.

Pegasus spyware is avoiding Apple’s security protections on iPhone

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Pegasus text message sent to iPhone
A Pegasus text message sent to one Bahraini activist.
Screenshot: Citizen Lab

The Pegasus spyware, developed by Israeli firm NSO Group, has successfully been avoiding security new measures built into iPhone to block such attacks.

One version of the “zero-click” exploit was installed on an iPhone 12 Pro belonging to a Bahraini human rights activist, despite the fact that the device was running recent versions of iOS 14 with Apple’s “BlastDoor” protection.

Pokémon Unite brings online team battles to mobile next month

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Pokémon Unite
Preorder today to get "special rewards."
Photo: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Unite, the newest mobile release from The Pokémon Company, will make its App Store debut next month. You can preorder the team-based battling game now ahead of its official debut on iPhone and iPad.

Nintendo also confirmed this week that the Pokémon Home app will pick up support for its next-generation Pokémon games — Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus — early next year.

Apple isn’t done fighting Corellium’s virtual iOS devices just yet

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Apple revises fight against Corellium
Despite Apple's claims it supports independent security research.
Photo: Corellium

Just when it looked like Apple’s lengthy legal battle with Corellium was finally over, Cupertino on Tuesday appealed a copyright case it previously lost in an effort to take down the firm’s iPhone virtualization platform.

The news is somewhat surprising after Apple last week settled other claims against Corellium, in what experts called a significant win for security research. And it contradicts Apple’s own stance on validation.

FlickType gives up on accessible iPhone keyboard after ‘abuse’ from Apple

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FlickType gives up on iPhone keyboard
That's the end of FlickType as we know it.
Photo: FlickType

FlickType, maker of the accessible iPhone keyboard that has become popular among those with vision impairment, has confirmed it is discontinuing its app after years of obstacles and “abuse” from Apple’s App Store approval team.

The announcement comes after FlickType last week submitted an update to fix bugs related to iOS 15 and got “incorrectly” rejected by Apple. The team says Apple has ignored repeated requests for clarification and support.

Apple employees reportedly join backlash over CSAM photo scanning

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Apple.logo.paris.store
Some inside Apple aren't happy with the move.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple employees have begun voicing their concerns over the company’s plan to scan user photos for child abuse material (CSAM), according to a new report. Many are said to have taken to internal Slack channels to express worries over how the feature could be exploited by governments.

“More than 800 messages” have been shared on one channel during a “days-long” discussion about the move. It comes after a number of privacy advocates this week spoke out against Apple’s announcement, calling it mass surveillance and warning that it could set a dangerous precedent.

Unlock your iPhone’s SIM card with iToolab SIMUnlocker

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When you need to unlock your iPhone's SIM card, iTooLab SIMUnlocker helps you do it.
When you need to unlock your iPhone's SIM card, iTooLab SIMUnlocker helps you do it.
Photo: iTooLab

This SIM card unlocking post is presented by iToolab.

iToolab has released a new tool designed to quickly and easily let you unlock your iPhone or other smartphone’s SIM card and even switch cellular data carriers. This may come in handy when someone gives or sells you a second-hand phone and you realize it’s locked.

Wild ‘iPhone 13 Pro’ concept dazzles with dual displays

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iPhone 13 Pro concept
See your notifications on both sides.
Photo: ConceptsiPhone

What if “iPhone 13 Pro” had a second screen on its back that allowed you to see incoming notifications even when it’s face-down? There’s no need to imagine it because one concept designer has done that for you.

Check out the two-minute video below that shows off a next-generation Apple handset dream with “rear Retina XDR display,” no ports, and a significantly smaller notch. It’s a beauty, even if it will never come to life.

Elago adds 3 multi-device chargers to MagSafe lineup

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Elago's MS5 Duo Charging Stand powers up your iPhone 12 and Apple Watch.
Elago's MS5 Duo Charging Stand powers up your iPhone 12 and Apple Watch.
Photo: Elago

Elago has added three new MagSafe-compatible multi-device chargers to its collection. Made from silicone, the new Elago MS5 Duo Stand, MS Charging Hub Duo and MS Trio 1 Charging Hub give you MagSafe-compatible options for powering up your iPhone 12, Apple Watch and Airpods.

Bamboo makes for stylish, sustainable Apple Watch + iPhone dock

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iPhone and Apple Watch dock
Get yours for under $25.
Photo: Limited77

Give your Apple Watch and iPhone a safe and stylish place to charge and avoid unfriendly plastics with this brilliant charging dock from Limited77. Made entirely from bamboo, it looks great and it’s incredibly sustainable.

Bag yours today at its Cult of Mac Store launch price of under $25.

Hey kids, fight crime with Batman in new AR app for iOS

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Games, comics, stickers -- the new Bat-Tech app for iOS packs a lot of fun.
Games, comics, stickers -- the new Bat-Tech app for iOS packs a lot of fun.
Photo: Warner Bros.

On Thursday Warner Bros. launched its DC: Batman Bat-Tech Edition app for iOS, aimed at kids aged 6 to 12 (but who’s counting?). The app comes loaded with exclusive Batman content, mini-games, augmented reality (AR) filters and digital comic books.

Edward Snowden, privacy advocates speak out against Apple’s photo scanning plan

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Apple photo scanning
A "slippery slope" that could lead to mass surveillance.
Photo: @Privacyfan2021

Whistleblower Edward Snowden and other privacy advocates are speaking out against Apple’s plan to scan user photos for child abuse imagery.

The move will turn everybody’s iPhone into an “iNarcs,” Snowden said on Twitter. “If they can scan for kiddie porn today, they can scan for anything tomorrow.” The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is also against the plan.