Forget all the doom predictions about Apple — according to Drexel Hamilton analyst Brian White, the company may have just had its best January since 2008.
Although Apple itself has said that iPhone sales are likely to fall for the first time ever in the January quarter, White claims that his own analysis of Apple’s suppliers suggests that things are looking far from bleak.
Apple is getting its financial house in order, filing for a series of maturities running from 2018 through 2046 — or roughly around the time the iPhone 22 will be released.
If you didn’t catch Steve Jobs in theaters (and, based on the box office, chances are you didn’t!) Universal Pictures Home Entertainment today released the movie on Blu-ray and DVD.
Extras for the controversial, somewhat divisive film include an “Inside Jobs: The Making of Steve Jobs” bonus feature, and audio commentaries from director Danny Boyle, writer Aaron Sorkin and editor Elliot Graham.
And, hey, if you don’t feel like shelling out for it, you can always enter our free giveaway here.
It may have taken a bit longer than Tim Cook hoped, but Apple Pay is finally launching in China this week — with bank representatives from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Guangfa Bank and China Construction Bank revealing that the mobile payments service will be available from February 18.
These three banks will be joined by 16 other Chinese banks and financial organizations over the coming months.
Apple is reportedly adding a new supplier to help build its eagerly-anticipated 4-inch “iPhone 5se” — giving up-and-coming supplier Wistron a piece of the iPhone-producing pie in an an attempt to “nurture” it as a non-Foxconn Apple manufacturer.
Whether it’s proclaiming himself the next Steve Jobs, screening the recent Aaron Sorkin movie as a birthday gift for his wife, appearing with a rare custom gold-band Apple Watch Edition, or inviting Steve Wozniak to be one of the first to see his baby daughter, Kanye West has always been an enormous Apple fan.
That appears to have changed, however, with the mercurial rapper/pop star sending out a series of bizarre tweets in which — among many, many other things — he pleads with Facebook and Google (but not Apple) to invest $1 billion in “Kanye West ideas” and says that his latest album will never appear on Apple Music.
AT&T wants you! So much so that the carrier is currently offering $650 per line when you switch from Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon and bring your number with you.
What’s more, if you buy one of the latest devices, you’ll get a second handset free.
Apple has acknowledged the existence of a somewhat bizarre bug which bricks any iOS devices that has its date set back to 1970 — and confirms that a fix is on the way.
“An upcoming software update will prevent this issue from affecting iOS devices,” Apple notes on one of its support pages.
While there’s no word on exactly when this software update will be made available, it’s good to know that Apple is on the case.
Apple has a large number of high-profile fans, but there are always bound to be one or two less desirable (but equally famous) ones who slip through the cracks.
One of these is North Korea’s super villain dictator Kim Jong-un, who apparently is quite the Apple fan — as evidenced by a recent photo posted on Twitter by Reuters’ Korean correspondent and author of North Korea Confidential James Pearson, showing Jong-un looking deliriously happy about his Apple MacBook Pro.
It’s easy to assume that traditional kid’s toys are taking a beating due to the sky-high popularity of tablets and smartphones among the younger generation.
But toy-maker Mattel is attempting to strike back with a concept that, honestly, sounds amazing: an affordable $300 3D printer designed to let your sprogs (or, let’s be honest, immature adults everywhere) print their own toys, as designed on an accompanying mobile app.
Since being introduced back in 2011, iMessage has gone on to become a monster hit for Apple as a communication tool.
How popular is it? According to Eddy Cue, iOS users cumulatively send up to 200,000 per second: a number which adds up to a whopping 63 quadrillion messages per year.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) might be on course to take over 100 percent of Apple’s A10 chip orders, but that’s not to say that it’s entirely without problems right now.
According to a new report, a recent earthquake which hit one of TSMC’s factories in southern Taiwan caused more damage than initially thought: with resulting wafer shipments for the first quarter of 2016 likely to fall as a result.
Kate Winslet picked up another award win for her role as Apple PR guru Johanna Hoffman at last night’s BAFTA British movie award show.
Winslet’s win was the only prize won by Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs semi-biopic, which was also nominated for “Best Adapted Screenplay” and “Best Actor” gongs for screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and lead actor Michael Fassbender, but lost out to The Big Short and Leo in The Revenant.
We’re always keeping our heads up for the best new apps coming to our iOS devices and Apple TVs. We’re like prairie dogs that way, only we’re not as cute, and our homes are only metaphorical holes.
Every week, we round up the coolest new apps (or awesome updates to existing ones) that have hit Apple’s digital storefront in the past seven days. And if you’re spending your Valentine’s Day browsing the App Store for some new utilities, we have you covered. Also, we’re sorry that that is how you’re spending your Valentine’s Day.
Check out our weekly picks for apps of the week below.
Maybe moviegoing audiences didn’t completely fall in love with director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs, but we liked it a lot. And if you also enjoyed it — or are just looking to score yourself a free copy — keep reading.
Sports apparel makers clearly believe that fitness apps are an important part of their futures. Under Armour and Adidas have invested heavily in fitness apps, and Runkeeper’s recent acquisition by ASICS is just the latest in a long series of app acquisitions by apparel makers.
These companies have big brands and deep pockets. Can an indie developer realistically compete with all that? Gareth Nettleton, VP of marketing for indie fitness app Strava, tells me that like any serious athlete, his hard-charging company thrives on competition.
Honestly, you know things are grave when the U.S. government thinks we’re behind on something. According to the Government Accountability Office, the United States has dismally low recycling rates for used TVs, computers and other devices.
There’s no national infrastructure for a strong recycling program, so states are left to take on the problem themselves, leading to a patchwork of regulations and inconsistencies on how to deal with it. Luckily, Cult of Mac can help Mother Earth and you at the same time — check out our Apple devices buyback program to either sell or straight-up recycle your used or broken gear.
This week: Neighbors complain of “motor noises” emanating from Apple’s secret auto labs; the strange error that’s bricking iPhones everywhere (and how to avoid it); and, has Apple lost their way? Some pundits argue Cupertino needs to shape up and start shipping better products. We discuss!
Our thanks to FreshBooks for supporting this episode. FreshBooks is the easy-to-use invoicing software designed to help small business owners get organized, save time invoicing and get paid faster. Get started with a free trial at Freshbooks.com/cultcast.
Your next MacBook will get more than just a speed bump, with Intel’s powerful new Skylake chips bringing intense performance (and maybe better battery life) to the new laptops we’ll all be drooling over soon.
Find out exactly how these new processors will make new MacBooks rock, plus what you need to know about iOS’ brick-inducing “Error 53,” how to make Siri work even harder for you on your Apple TV, and which are the best ergonomic accessories for your Mac in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine.
Here are the week’s top stories.
If you’ve got one of those fancy new Macbooks with the USB-C charging cable, Apple is ready to replace it for you if it’s one of the defective ones.
“A limited number of Apple USB-C charge cables that were included with MacBook computers through June 2015 may fail due to a design issue,” says the Apple web page announcing the program.
Your MacBook might not charge (or only charge intermittently) when it’s connected to one of these faulty cables.
An upcoming update to the iPhone’s Remote app will let it completely control your Apple TV.
We’re looking forward to this because while we love the Siri Remote that comes with Apple’s latest streaming box, it has a few problems. First, it’s tiny, and we’ve discovered it wedged inside the absolute farthest and darkest corners of our couches far too often. It’s also covered in glass, and while we know that it’s really strong glass, we’re slightly afraid of breaking it because see Point 1: It’s just a little thing.
Third, if the worst happens and we do lose or break our Siri Remote, a replacement costs $79, and then the anxiety starts all over again.
In other words, bring on the update, Apple.
In a court letter today, Apple is insisting that the legal system make up its mind on mobile encryption.
This is a bit of a surprise, and it’s hardly necessary anymore for the case at hand. The defendant has entered a guilty plea since the question of whether law enforcement could induce Apple to access encrypted information on its devices first arose. But in its two-page letter, Apple wants a decision anyway for “efficiency and judicial economy.”
It might also clear up a bunch of its own headaches.
Looking to play a fast-paced, arcade-inspired video game on your iPhone or iPad? Polyblast, like a modern mashup of retro arcade favorites Space Invaders, Missile Command and Tetris, has just gotten a Valentine’s Day update, making this simple yet addictive little shooter a fantastic choice for your day of love.
If you love simple arcade-style shooters, Polyblast will keep you well-sated with solid gameplay mechanics, a delightful visual style, and a soundtrack that’ll take anyone from the era of quarter-gobbling standup cabinets back to their alien-blasting youth.
Check out the video below for a quick look at the game in action.
Once Apple finally unveils its new iPad and 4-inch iPhone, it won’t take long before Apple fans are able to get their fingers all over the two new iOS devices.
Both the iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 will be available the same week they are introduced to the public, according to a new report that claims Apple Stores will have the new devices in stock by March 18th, but there won’t be any pre-orders.
The first piece of original programming to come out of Apple may star none other than the company’s own employee: Andre Young, aka, Dr. Dre.
The hip-hop mogul turned Beats co-founder is reportedly starring and executive producing the first-ever scripted TV series bankrolled by Apple, but it’s still unclear how Dre’s production will be distributed.