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iPhone - page 85

Nobody wants a folding phone anyway. But folding iPads? [Opinion]

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Folding iPhone 2
Is that a folding iPhone? Or a folding iPad?
Photo: Foldable News

At this week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, phone-makers are demonstrating their folding phones. These range from the laughable (Samsung) to the desirable (Huawei), but none of them is really plausible. Why? Because nobody is going to buy a folding phone. Not now, and not in the future. At best they will be a niche product, like ruggedized laptops are now, for example.

No. The folding phone will probably never happen. But what about foldable tablets?

iOS 12 adoption rate hits 80% on all iOS devices

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iOS 12.2 public beta 1 is more than just a collection of bug fixes.
iOS 12.2 adds even more goodies for iPhone and iPad.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iOS 12 is proving to be Apple’s most widely adopted software updates for iPhone and iPad in years.

Apple published its latest adoption percentages for iOS 12 today revealing that 80% of all iOS devices in the world are now running iOS 12, far outpacing iOS 11’s adoption last year.

Sprint’s 5G network goes live in U.S. cities this May

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Sprint-5G
Now we need a 5G iPhone.
Photo: Sprint

Sprint plans to launch its 5G network in select U.S. cities this May.

Customers with compatible devices, such as the new Galaxy S10 5G, will initially get to enjoy faster data in Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Kansas City. Other cities will be added to the roster “in the first half of 2019.”

Handsome co-worker gets bokeh’d in Apple’s latest ad

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Depth control 2
Well, that's one way to do it!
Photo: Apple

Apple continued its run of bokeh-related iPhone ads over the weekend. In its new “Depth Control” ad, a jealous partner blurs a handsome male co-worker out of a photo of his girlfriend/wife, using the depth of field function.

Come to think of it, that sounds a lot less funny in writing than it comes across on screen. As a slice of everyday iPhone use, though, it certainly raised a smile. Check it out below.

Some of your favorite iOS apps are feeding your data to Facebook

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Facebook owns 4 of the top 10 apps of the past decade
Oh look, another Facebook controversy.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Deleting your Facebook account isn’t enough to stop some apps from sending deeply personal information about you to the social network.

The Wall Street Journal found a wide range of apps that send personal information to Facebook even if you don’t have an account. Health apps and real estate apps were discovered sending a lot of information to Facebook and the type of data might surprise you.

Samsung could use sneaky trick to delay foldable iPhone

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Galaxy-Fold-inside
Could it be here any day now?
Photo: Samsung

Samsung has beaten Apple to the foldable smartphone, and it could have a sneaky trick up its sleeve to prevent the iPhone-maker from catching up quickly.

Analysts expect Samsung to hold off on selling its Infinity Flex displays to delay a foldable iPhone. It’s unlikely Apple would be able to source flexible OLED displays elsewhere.

How to listen to the radio on your iPhone

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Radio is still remarkably rad.
Radio is still remarkably rad.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Yes, the radio.

Some phones, and some old iPods — the clip-on Nano, for example — have real radio receivers built in. They can pick up over-the-air AM and FM waves, and play them, just like you were in a car from the olden days. The iPhone and iPad, though, have never had working radio tuners. But thanks to internet streaming, it doesn’t matter. You can listen to live radio anywhere, using an app.

Today we’ll see one super-simple app that works a lot like an old radio, and another app that I don’t really like, but that does pretty much anything you could want in a radio-streaming app.

Apple teams up with Alipay to boost iPhone sales in China

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iPhone XS box gold
Bag yours before they're all gone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has joined forces with Alipay in an effort to boost iPhone sales in China.

iPhone fans can now bag one of the company’s latest handsets with up to two years of interest-free finance. The loan allows customers to swap the costly upfront fee for much more affordable monthly payments. It’s available on purchases of 4,000 yuan (approx. $595) or more.

iPhone sales suffered worst quarter in 3 years in late 2018

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Would you pay $568 to AppleCare+ to replace a stolen iPhone XS?
What will Apple do in 2019?
Photo: Apple

Apple no longer discloses exact iPhone sales, and that might be for the best.

New data suggests the company’s smartphone business suffered its worst decline in nearly three years over the 2018 holiday period. Apple still managed to be the second-best seller, however.

Apple Pay adoption soars, but still lags in U.S.

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Apple Pay adoption
Target stores are now accepting Apple Pay.
Photo: Apple

The number of Apple Pay users continues to climb, but the country with the slowest adoption is the United States.

Year over year figures show a 135 percent increase in Apple Pay users, a meteoric climb likely fueled when Apple added peer-to-peer payments at the beginning of 2018.

iOS 12.2 beta 3 brings changes to Apple News, TV remote app and Group FaceTime fix [Updated]

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animoji
The new animoji of iOS 12.2.
Photo: Apple

Update: The latest beta of iOS 12.2 is now available to the public, not just developers.

Apple just released the third beta build of iOS 12.2 to developers this morning, bringing a bunch of fixes and new features to the iPhone and iPad.

iOS 12.2 beta 3 arrived just over two weeks after developers received the last build. There are also new betas out for tvOS 12.2 and watchOS 5.2 to go with the macOS 10.4.4 beta that came out yesterday.

Apple turned ‘bokeh’ into a verb, and photographers hate it

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bokeh verb
The child in the background was "bokeh'd."
Screenshot: Apple/YouTube

The serious photographer has made peace with the iPhone and how it has turned everyone into a photographer.

But Apple’s introduction of bokeh to the photographic novice has caused some heartburn, thanks to an ad featuring two mothers who turn bokeh into a verb.

Qualcomm renews efforts to block certain iPhone imports in U.S.

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Qualcomm headquarters
Certain iPhone models could potentially be blocked from sale in the U.S.
Photo: Qualcomm

Qualcomm has ramped up its efforts against Apple as part of the long-running battle between the two tech companies.

The chip maker has asked U.S. trade regulators to reverse a previous judge’s ruling. This would allow it to block the import of certain iPhone models into the United States.

Apple plans to merge iOS and macOS apps by 2021

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Office Mac App Store
Your favorite apps could soon be available on any Apple device.
Photo: Apple

Apple plans to make it easy for developers to merge iOS and macOS apps into one by 2021, according to a new report.

The project, dubbed “Marzipan,” hopes to encourage development and boost App Store revenue. It will start with a new software development kit that will let developers port their iPad apps to Mac later this year.

Triqtraq turns your iPhone into an amazing groovebox [Review]

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Triqtraq is almost too much fun.
Triqtraq is almost too much fun.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

A week or so back, I took a long trip, and I figured I’d make some music on the journey. I wanted an app that would be simple to use, but powerful enough to get some real expression into these musical sketches. Plus, I wanted something called parameter locks, which I’ll explain below.

I quickly narrowed in on Triqtraq. It’s not a new app, but it’s so good you should check it out ASAP.

How to get 1080p YouTube videos in iPad Safari

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Safari can now show 1080p video on YouTube
Safari can now show 1080p video on YouTube.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Up until recently, the only way to get 1080p YouTube videos on the iPad was to use the YouTube app. Now, and possibly for a limited time (knowing YouTube’s fickle support of features), you can view full 1080p video in Mobile Safari on your iPad.

It looks amazing on the 2018 13-inch iPad Pro screen, and it’s one tap away on every YouTube page.

Here’s what Apple’s (apparently) got in store for 2019

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The iPhone XS Max is 25 percent larger than any previous iOS handset. So how is it as an iPad mini replacement?
From new iPhones and major Macs to a refreshed iPod touch, this could be a great year for Apple hardware!
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

2018 was a great year for Apple devices, but 2019 could be even better, if a new report is to be believed. Issued over the weekend by noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, his research note runs down some of his hardware expectations for the coming year.

From redesigned MacBooks to Apple’s best-ever desktop display, this could be a year to remember. Heck, there’s even a new iPod in the cards, according to Kuo!

Google’s Gboard keyboard for iOS now has haptic feedback

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gboard
Grab the latest update now!
Photo: Cult of Mac

Google has updated its excellent Gboard keyboard for iOS to add haptic feedback.

You will now feel subtle vibrations when you type, which help make on-screen keys feel more physical. Gboard is one of just a handful of third-party options on iOS that offer this feature.

Apple once again selling older iPhone models in Germany

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iphone
You can once again buy iPhone 7 and 8 handsets from Apple Stores in Germany.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has seemingly reached a compromise in its battle with Qualcomm in Germany. It will resume selling older iPhone models in Apple Stores in Germany, after previously withdrawing them following a court decision. However, it will sell iPhones only with Qualcomm chips inside.

This means not selling iPhone 7 and 8 models which contain Intel chips. Apple began phasing in Intel modem chips back in 2016. Last year, it dropped Qualcomm entirely in favor of Intel.

Brilliant iOS 13 concept packs 40 features Apple should steal

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iOS 13
Always-on lock screen complications would be great!
Photo: AppleiDesigner

There are 110 days left until Apple takes the wraps off iOS 13, but if the company is still looking for a few more features to cram in, look no further than AppleiDesigner’s new concept.

With over 40 new features packed into a two-minute video, this iOS 13 concept has a little something for everyone. Dark mode, picture-in-picture on iPhone, an AR-powered Camera app, split view on iPhone and redesigned apps and more all make an appearance. There are also tons of new iPad features that could make Apple’s tablet a true PC replacement.

Get ready to drool over all the new goodies:

Samsung offers $550 off a Galaxy S10 when you trade in your iPhone

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Galaxy S10 trade-in deal
Look out, Apple!
Photo: Samsung

Samsung has already started taking reservations for the Galaxy S10 — a week ahead of its official unveiling. It’s also offering a big discount if you switch from iPhone.

The South Korean company will give you up to $550 off its latest flagship when you trade-in your old Apple handset.

Apple products have a repair shop problem in India

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Apple supplier is increasing its ability to build masses of iPhones in India
Apple has to rely on third-party repair shops in the country.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has another potential problem in India: the sub-par repair options available for its products.

According to a new report, Apple’s authorized repair shops in the country are disappointing to say the least. That’s especially bad for a company which is well known for providing some of the best customer service around.

How to delete unwanted music downloads on iPhone

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Enjoy this music-related image.
Enjoy this music-related image.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Problem: Your iPhone is full of downloaded music. There’s probably a lot of it that you don’t need taking up space on there, but deleting it is a pain. The solution? As ever, it’s hidden inside the Settings app. There’s a dedicated page just to solve this exact problem, listing your downloaded music and making it easy to delete. Let’s check it out.

$723 million bailout could rescue struggling Apple supplier

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The iPhone XS Max is 25 percent larger than any previous iOS handset. So how is it as an iPad mini replacement?
Japan Display has struggled to catch up rivals in OLED displays.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Chinese and Taiwanese investors reportedly will throw a lifeline to Apple supplier Japan Display in the form of a $723 million bailout.

Taiwanese panel-maker TPK Holding, also an Apple manufacturer, and China’s state-backed Silk Road Fund would give the cash to the struggling Apple supplier in exchange for a 30 percent to 50 percent stake in the company.