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News - page 202

iPhone shipments grow as rivals tank

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iPhone 14 could be a good upgrade for those coming from iPhone 11 or older (or to go with the big screen of the Plus without shelling out for the Pro Max).
iPhone 14 helped push up Apple handset shipments in Q3.
Photo: Apple

iPhone shipments grew in the July-through-September period compared to the same quarter of 2021. The increase was modest, but still put Apple on a different trajectory from other handset makers.

Shipments of iOS devices went up 1.6% while its biggest rivals all dropped, some quite significantly.

Huge jump in Mac revenue propels Apple to another record-breaking quarter

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Apple MacBook cash dollars money
A 25% increase in Mac sales helped Apple beat analysts' expectations during the September quarter.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple pulled in record revenue during the July-through-September quarter: $90.1 billion, an increase of 8% over the same period of last year. That’s $1.29 in earnings per share, a 4% annual bump. Most of Apple’s signature products experienced revenue growth.

“Our record September quarter results continue to demonstrate our ability to execute effectively in spite of a challenging and volatile macroeconomic backdrop,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO.

Apple releases important iOS 15 security patch

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Updates is here for your iPhone bugs
iOS 15.7.4 takes care of a long list of security bugs.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Egor Kamelev/Pexels

iPhone users not on iOS 16.1 can now update their handset to iOS 15.7.1. Apple says it “provides important security updates.” It closes almost 20 security holes in the OS.

There’s also iPadOS 15.7.1 that does the same for iPad.

iPad 9 vs. iPad 10: Which offers more bang for the buck?

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iPad 9 vs. iPad 10: Which offers more bang for the buck?
Apple now offers both the iPad 9 and the iPad 10. But which is better for you?
Image:

Apple positioned the new iPad 10 as the successor to last year’s iPad 9, but the two are far more different that their names suggest. The just-released tablet has a long list of improvements, including a larger screen. But it also comes at a substantially higher price.

Both models are still in Apple product lineup so you have a choice. Let’s go head-to-head to see how they stack up.

Take this slender power bank on the road for fast charging

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Excitrus 105W Power Bank Ultimate is about the size of a new iPhone.
Excitrus 105W Power Bank Ultimate is about the size of a new iPhone.
Photo: Excitrus

Mobile charging specialist Excitrus introduced its 105W Power Bank Ultimate Thursday, a small but potent charger with an 18,000mAh battery for on-the-go device charging.

The company called the iPhone-sized device “one of the smallest [on] the market with around 100W power output.”

[UPDATED] Developers don’t like Apple’s intrusive new App Store ads

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Examples of ad placements in the App Store.
Starting this week, paid, targeted ads can appear in App Store search results (left) and on the product page for a specific app (right).
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

After Apple began running new advertisements in the App Store on Tuesday, some developers checked their product pages to find banner ads for adult video chat apps, video poker apps and gambling apps of all varieties.

The fact that some of these advertisements appear on apps for children and apps for addiction recovery adds insult to injury. I asked a few independent developers to get their reaction to the news — and they were not happy.

Update (October 27): Apple has revised the types of ads that may appear, but the new ad placements remain.

Apple Learning Coach program adds instructors nationwide

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The program certifies instructors who help school teachers make the most of Apple products in their work.
The program certifies instructors who help school teachers make the most of Apple products in their work.
Photo: Apple

The Cupertino tech giant expanded its free Apple Learning Coach program Wednesday to invite more tech instructors of various stripes across the U.S. to join. Once certified, they can show school teachers how to get the most out of Apple products to help their students.

Folks like tech coaches and digital learning specialists who want into the program can apply by November 16, Apple said.

Massive 16-inch iPad could arrive next year

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Massive 16-inch iPad could arrive in 2024
An iPad the size the largest MacBook Pro is supposedly on the way.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple apparently plans to “grande size” the iPad. A version with a 16-inch display is reportedly being developed.

If true, this will be a considerable jump up from the Apple’s largest current tablet, which includes a 12.9-inch screen. And the device – perhaps called iPad Ultra – will have a display the same size as the largest MacBook Pro.

Apple TV+ nabs 5 Gotham Awards nominations

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Britt Lower got a Gotham Awards nomination for her work in
Britt Lower got a Gotham Awards nomination for her work in Severance.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ received five nominations for the 32nd Annual Gotham Awards Tuesday, including two nominations apiece for the series Pachinko and Severance and one for the film Causeway.

This comes after Apple took two wins in the 2021 Gotham Awards, which recognize visionary work in indie film and TV. This year’s awards ceremony takes place November 28.

Apple won’t fight EU mandate to put USB-C in iPhone

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No more Lightning ports
Apple has officially said it'll pull the Lightning port out of the iPhone.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

An Apple executive confirmed that iPhone will drop the Lightning port in favor of USB-C. It’s a change being forced by the European Parliament, and Apple VP Greg Joswiak says the company won’t try to get around the new regulation.

Until now, it could only be assumed iPhone would give up Lightning.

iPad 10 and M2 iPad Pro go on sale

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iPad Pro in Apple Store
You can now buy Apple's M2 iPad Pro from your nearest Apple store.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s latest iPad Pro lineup and the new iPad 10 are now on sale in the United States and 27 other key markets. The company announced the new iPads via press releases last week.

The launch of the new iPads comes hot on the heels of Monday’s iPadOS 16.1 release.

Apple already hard at work on iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1

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iOS 16.2 beta 1 receded developers on Tuesday.
iOS 16.2 beta 1 is joined by new OS versions for Mac, iPad and Apple Watch all seeded to developers on Tuesday.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Major updates for all Apple operating systems just reached users on Monday, but Apple is already looking ahead to the next versions. The initial betas of iOS 16.2, macOS 13.1 Ventura, iPadOS 16.2 and watchOS 9.2 were all seeded to developers the next day.

These will bring new features and changes to the various Apple devices. Many iPad users will be especially pleased by full support for external displays. And Apple’s Freeform app is coming, too.

iPad 10 review roundup: Better and not pricier [UPDATED]

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iPad 10 in Hand
The first reviews of iPad 10 show a device with many enhanced features and a noticeably higher pricetag.
Screenshot: Apple

Early reviews of iPad 10 compliment its larger display, relocated camera and faster processor. But they also have plenty to say about the steep increase in price.

Read on to see if the new “budget” iPad, which now starts at $449, is right for you.

Updated: In spring 2024, Apple lowered the cost of the iPad 10 to $349.

Grab and go with new fast-charging EcoFlow portable power stations

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The three new portable power stations charge quickly and last a long time, EcoFlow said.
The three new portable power stations charge quickly and last a long time, EcoFlow said.
Photo: EcoFlow

EcoFlow rolled out three new River 2 series power stations Tuesday. The under-1kWh devices charge to 80% as fast as 48 minutes and offer a long life, making them cost-effective for on-the-go uses like camping as well as home power backup, the company said.

PayPal teams up with Apple to kill the password

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PayPal teams up with Apple to kill the password
PayPal introduces passkeys as an alternative to passwords.
Photo: PayPal

PayPal just adopted passkeys as an easy and secure log in method for user accounts. Users with an iPhone, iPad or Mac will be the first able to take advantage of the passwordless biometric security system because Apple built support for it into its devices.

Passkeys are an improvement over passwords, as they can’t be phished, stolen or guessed.

YouTube for iPhone adds pinch to zoom, precise seeking, more

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Google's YouTube for iPhone adds pinch to zoom, precise seeking, more
Finding the exact moment in a YouTube video you're looking for is a lot easier with Precise Seek.
Screenshot: Google

Google upgraded the iOS YouTube application with a number of enhancements, including pinch to zoom in videos and a new way of showing thumbnails while rewinding will make it easier to find an exact location.

There are other changes too, and some of the enhancements are coming to the desktop version.

Scary-good deals for Halloween: 15% off all Elago accessories

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Elago's R1 strap is perfect for your new AirPods Pro 2 charging case.
Elago's R1 strap is perfect for your new AirPods Pro 2 charging case.
Photo: Elago

Halloween is the time for kooky costumes, candy-induced belly aches and frighteningly good deals on Apple accessories in Cult of Mac‘s Super Sweet Deals sale. You can get anything made by Elago for 15% off this week.

Just head to the Cult of Mac Store to take 15% off all Elago accessories. That’s 162 products that go along with pretty much everything Apple. See some highlights below.

Apples hikes prices of Apple TV+, Apple Music and Apple One

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Apple is raising some subscription services costs for the first time.
Apple is raising some subscription services costs for the first time.
Photo: David Švihovec/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

Apple plans to raise the prices of some of its subscription services by $1 to $3 each, reports indicated Monday. The services include Apple TV+, Apple Music price increase and the Apple One subscription bundle.

Users should see the price increases, listed below, with their next subscription renewal.

4 great iPadOS 16.1 features that aren’t Stage Manager

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4 great iPadOS 16.1 features that aren't Stage Manager
iPad users get many new features in iPadOS 16.1 without Stage Manger ever being activated.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple finally released iPadOS 16.1. The debut of the Stage Manager multitasking system has drawn most of the attention, but plenty of other new features are worth checking out, too.

Monday’s launch is extra-significant because iPadOS 16 never launched. Version 16.1 is the first replacement for last year’s iPadOS 15.x.