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‘Outdated’ iPhone apps about to be kicked out of App Store

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App Store
Apple is warning developers of "outdated" applications that they'll soon be removed from the App Store.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Numerous developers report that their applications that aren’t being actively updated will soon be kicked out of the App Store. This is apparently part of an ongoing effort by Apple to remove “outdated” software from the store.

Devs must submit new versions of their applications to stay in the store, which means they’ll have to comply with newer Apple policies.

Get a launch discount on this affordable 3-in-1 magnetic wireless charger

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The new 3-in-1 magnetic wireless charger from Excitrus is affordable, and you can get another 20% off with a launch code.
The new 3-in-1 magnetic wireless charger from Excitrus is affordable, and you can get another 20% off with a launch code.
Photo: Excitrus

Need a MagSafe-compatible charger that won’t break the bank? Mobile charging specialist Excitrus, known for power banks, rolled out its capable new 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charging Stand on Thursday.

Not only does it come with an 18W fast-charging wall adapter and an elegant LED light circle on the main charging pad, but the price is right — especially with an additional 20% off as a launch discount. See the details below.

Next Macs and iPhones: Whose bump will be bigger? [The CultCast]

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CultCast 541: M2 Macs and iPhone 14: Which gets a bigger bump? The CultCast episode 541
Looks like 2022 is gonna be bumpin'!
Image: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: It sounds like Apple is planning nearly a dozen new Macs with a next-gen M2 processor. The question is, just how big of a speed bump will that new chip bring? And then there’s iPhone 14, which sounds like it might come with a very big bump indeed — and not the kind you might be hoping for.

Also on The CultCast:

  • The original HomePod never ceases to surprise.
  • iPhone 14 could be the ultimate smartphone for narcissists.
  • Apple might be prepping an ingenious hybrid device to take over your living room.
  • When you’re tired of wearing earbuds, you’ve got options. Very strange options.

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 what you hear.) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

Leaked ‘final’ EU antitrust bill looks bad for Apple

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European Union
The European Union takes another step toward tough regulations on tech giants like Apple.
Photo: Freestocks.org

The European Union may force Apple to make big changes to its App Store as well as services like FaceTime and Messages, if a leaked version of an EU antitrust proposal becomes law.

The draft is said to be the “final version” of the Digital Markets Act, provisionally approved by EU regulators in March. It seeks to restrict how tech giants operate in order to foster greater competition.

Take a slingshot space adventure in Moonshot on Apple Arcade

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Take a slingshot space adventure in Moonshot on Apple Arcade
Blast off! Moonshot – A Journey Home premiered Friday.
Photo: Noodlecake Games

Physics-based puzzlers are all the rage, and the latest Apple Arcade game takes the concept to the stars. In Moonshot – A Journey Home, players use a slingshot to reunite a wandering moon with its home planet.

It debuted Friday on Apple’s gaming service, which now offers more than 200 titles.

Anker’s new 100W GaN charger beats Apple’s closest offering in 3 ways

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The new Anker 736 USB Charger is compact, powerful and versatile.
The new Anker 736 USB Charger is compact, powerful and versatile.
Photo: Anker

Anker showed off its much-anticipated 736 USB Charger at CES back in January. At long last, now you can buy the powerful-but-compact 100W gallium nitride (GaN) charger at Amazon.

And you might want to do just that. It looks like Anker’s new GaN II charger beats Apple’s 96W charger in three ways. It’s smaller, more powerful and more versatile.

Telling a marvelous Mac mini workstation story in pictures [Setups]

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The computer setup was updated this month and it couldn't be much nicer.
The computer setup was updated this month and it couldn't be much nicer.
Photo: [email protected]

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. So today’s M1 Mac mini-driven computer setup, with eight smashing photos, must be roughly equivalent to 8,000 words. But instead of burying you in a horrible cascade of text, we’ll let the pictures tell most of the elegant rig’s story.

The newly updated setup has some exceedingly nice touches. Each of the photos below includes a little commentary.

Apple’s chipmaker counting on blazing-fast 2nm processors in rivalry with Intel

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TSMC looks ahead to super-speedy 2nm processors
2nm processors made by TSMC will be faster while using less power than today's 5nm iPhone and Mac chips.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhones will continue getting smaller, faster and more efficient processors for years to come. TSMC, the company that manufactures all Apple’s chips, says it should be able produce processors in 2025 that are an amazing 2nm. These should make today’s fastest Macs and iPhones look like slugs in comparison.

Rival Intel is working hard to keep up. It says it’ll pass TSMC in a few years – but it’s missed plenty of similar self-imposed deadlines over the years.

Film and TV pros want Apple to love Final Cut Pro as much as they do

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Many film and TV editors say Final Cut Pro is powerful and fun to use. So why can't it be a professional standard?
Many film and TV editors say Final Cut Pro is powerful and fun to use. So why can't it be a professional standard?
Image: Apple

In an open letter sent to Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday, more than 100 film and TV professionals called on the company to publicly commit to building its video editing software Final Cut Pro into an industry-standard tool.

The group praised FCP as as “the biggest leap forward in editing technology since the move to digital” but complained it’s not living up to its potential.

The group noted, bitterly, that even the crew on CODA — the first streaming service release to win a Best Picture Oscar, and Apple’s own release — would probably not have chosen to edit it with FCP.

iPhone 13 mini makes up a tiny percentage of Apple sales

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iPhone 13 mini makes up a tiny percentage of Apple sales
The iPhone 13 dwarfs the iPhone 13 mini in size as well as sales.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 13 series is selling very well… with one exception. The iPhone 13 mini is not attracting U.S. buyers, according to a report by a market-research firm.

This helps explain why the upcoming iPhone 14 series isn’t expected to have a “mini” version with a 5.4-inch screen.

Extended! Turn your iPad into an iMac with a Lululook stand and charger [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Urban Magnetic Stand
The stand's sleek, magnetic design lifts your iPad off your desk.
Photo: Lululook

Our latest giveaway is for iPad owners. We are giving away five Lululook bundles to five lucky winners. Each bundle features one Urban iPad Magnetic Stand and one 33w GaN USB-C charger.

If you own an 11-inch or 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the sleek Urban Magnetic Stand will elevate your iPad and make viewing and working more user-friendly. The 33w GaN USB-C charger is compact and will charge your devices quickly. This $90 bundle will make your desktop flow, so make sure to enter the giveaway below.

Leak shows Sonos is about to roll out a new budget soundbar

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The Sonos
The Sonos "Fury" budget soundbar will probably look similar to the Sonos Beam (pictured), but a bit shorter. It should launch with black and white finishes.
Photo: Sonos

If you’d love to add a Sonos soundbar to your home theater but you find the company’s well-regarded products a tad pricey, just wait. According to a new leak, Sonos will release its least-expensive soundbar ever — just $249 — in early June.

First Macs with M2 processor might take the stage at WWDC22

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Apple M2 chipset
The M2 processor could be a highlight of WWDC22.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
WWDC22 - Brought to you by CleanMyMac X

The wait for a redesigned MacBook Air with an M2 processor will be over soon, if a tipster is correct. The notebook will supposedly be announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June. And a version of the Mac mini with the M2 allegedly will be unveiled at the same time.

If true, these will be the first Macs with the improved replacement for Apple’s M1 processor.

Apple TV+ The Big Conn trailer tracks fraudster’s $550 million scam and run from the law

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"The Big Conn" is a four-part Apple TV+ documentary series and podcast coming May 6.
Photo: Apple TV+

Former eastern Kentucky lawyer Eric C. Conn is notorious for committing the largest-ever Social Security fraud, bilking the U.S. government and taxpayers out of $550 million. Plus, he partied with porn stars and opened a brothel before leading authorities on a major chase.

Apple TV+ covers the whole sordid affair like a blanket, judging by the new trailer for upcoming documentary series and podcast, The Big Conn.

Protect your Apple Watch in style with Elago’s Duo Case

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You can give your wearable different looks with different Duo cases.
You can give your wearable different looks with different Duo cases.
Photo: Elago

Accessories maven Elago has a cool new way for you to protect your pricey Apple Watch while also dressing it up. The Elago Duo Case for Apple Watch completely wraps around your wearable’s housing. And the case’s accent pieces in different colors can be swapped out to freshen up your look.

You could have a different-looking case for every day of the week. People might even ask why you have so many Apple Watches!

Apple will start turning prototypes into products outside of China

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A folding iPhone might leave a portion of the screen always exposed.
Turning a design into a product doesn't have to happen in China.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple will increase the number of countries where it does an important phase in developing products, according to a industry analyst. Currently, its R&D-oriented New Product Introduction (NPI) sites are in China, but the company plans to build NPI offices in other places as well.

Recent COVID shutdowns — which have disrupted several recent products — are supposedly the reason for the change.

Idris Elba thriller Hijack takes off for Apple TV+

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Idris Elba thriller 'Hijack' takes off for Apple TV+
Idris Elba will star in Hijack, a thriller series on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ landed Hijack, a thriller starring Idris Elba set on a plane that’s been hijacked. It will be a seven-episode series covering seven hours of action, so it’ll be told in real time — a technique that should be familiar to fans of 24.

Apple’s streaming service loves thrillers, and already has quite a few of them, with more on the way.

Music streamer Tidal adds Siri support (but not for HomePods)

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Tidal finally added Siri support, but not for your HomePod or HomePod mini.
Tidal finally added Siri support, but not for your HomePod or HomePod mini.
Photo: Tidal

Music streaming service Tidal rolled out its long-awaited Siri integration Wednesday. Subscribers can ask Apple’s voice assistant to play songs, playlists, albums and more on the platform.

That’s great if you play music on an iPhone, iPad or Mac. But the Siri integration with Tidal doesn’t extend to HomePod or HomePod mini, unfortunately.

DuckDuckGo and Brave browsers protect against Google’s sneaky AMP pages [Updated]

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DuckDuckGo and Brave browsers protect against Google's sneaky AMP pages
Both Brave and DuckDuckGo have moved against AMP, one of the ways Google tracks users.
Image: Brave/DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo and Brave have started bypassing Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages. Brave says, “AMP harms users’ privacy, security and internet experience.”

The web browsers will ignore these pages, which are surreptitiously hosted by Google, and give users the original publishers’ webpages instead.

Add 1TB of storage to 2021 MacBook Pro with JetDrive Lite 330

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Add 1TB of storage to 2021 MacBook Pro with JetDrive Lite 330
The JetDrive Lite 330 might be the best option for Time Machine backups for the 2021 MacBook Pro.
Photo: Transcend

The Transcend JetDrive Lite 330 is now available with 1TB of storage. This SD card is designed specifically to add to the capacity of the 2021 MacBook Pro, and sit flush with the card slot.

Once inserted, the card acts like any other drive. And data transfers are fast enough for Time Machine backups.

How to upgrade Apple MagSafe Battery Pack firmware to get faster charging

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How to upgrade Apple MagSafe Battery Pack firmware to get faster charging
There's new firmware for the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack, and you are going to want it.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack now wirelessly charges iPhones up to 50% more quickly. Ever since the external battery launched in 2021, it topped out at 5W. But now it can wirelessly juice up an iPhone at 7.5W.

Even better, getting the improvement doesn’t require buying a new one — anyone who has the power bank can upgrade it. Here’s what to do.

Apple store workers eye unions for higher pay

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Apple Store employees in Atlanta and New York work to unionize for higher pay
The Apple Store in Cumberland Mall could soon become the first to have a union.
Photo: Apple

Dozens of workers at an Apple store in Atlanta reportedly plan to file a petition with the National Labor Relations Board asking to become a union. Employees at an Apple retail store in New York are moving in that direction, too.

These could be the first U.S. Apple store employees to unionize. Both groups are asking for higher wages.