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News - page 248

Apple realizes no one wants small phones, increases iPhone 13 orders

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Consumers don't want the new iPhone SE, but they can't get enough of iPhone 13.
Photo: Apple

Apple reportedly increased iPhone 13 orders after coming to the realization that there’s not enough demand for smaller smartphones.

Both iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini experienced “dismal” sales performance, according to an analyst. And Apple already cut orders for its revised iPhone SE due to weaker-than-expected demand.

Apple TV+ pulls out of bidding war for Will Smith biopic after Oscars slap

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Apple TV+ drops its bid.
Apple TV+ drops its bid.
Photo: Apple TV+

Both Apple TV+ and Netflix pulled out of a bidding war over a movie about Will Smith’s life amid controversy following the actor slapping comedian Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars.

In addition, Apple TV+ owns a $120 million film starring Smith entitled Emancipation. Already shot and being readied for release in time for next Oscars season, the movie could become a problem for Apple TV+.

Trailer for Apple TV+ Prehistoric Planet dinosaur documentary looks stunning

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Trailer for Apple TV+ ‘Prehistoric Planet’ dinosaur documentary looks stunning
The five-episode Prehistoric Planet dinosaur documentary will premiere on Apple TV+ in late May.
Graphic: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ on Monday gave the first glimpse at Prehistoric Planet, its highly anticipated series of documentaries focusing on dinosaurs and other ancient animals. It’ll be narrated by Sir David Attenborough, and produced by Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton.

The eye-popping trailer shows off the series’ photorealistic visual effects from MPC (The Lion King, The Jungle Book).

Hefty iPhone 14 Pro Max camera hump could nearly double its thickness

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Hefty iPhone 14 Pro Max camera hump could nearly double its thickness
The iPhone 14 Pro Max could end up much thicker than its predecessor.
CAD drawing: ShrimpApplePro

A previous leak had already indicated that the iPhone 14 Pro Max will have a sizable hump, but new specs show the entire device is going to be… well, huge. But it’s all supposedly part of a significant improvement in camera specs.

These leaked specs also reveal other iPhone 14 Pro Max details, like the size and positioning of the new “hole and pill” design allegedly replacing the notch.

New Vivid app doubles brightness of mini-LED screens for Mac

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The new app Vivid can just about double screen brightness on mini-LEDs for Mac (but not iPad).
The new app Vivid can just about double screen brightness on mini-LEDs for Mac (but not iPad).
Photo: Jordi Bruin

When you watch HDR videos on the mini-LED screens of a Pro Display XDR or a 2021 MacBook Pro, the displays can crank out up to 1,600 nits of brightness. But under most conditions, they’ll emit about 500. So a new app called Vivid, by developers Jordi Bruin and Ben Harraway, now offers to double usable screen brightness under all conditions.

“Full Brightness, System-Wide,” reads the app’s tagline.

Stylish MagWallet keeps cards attached to iPhone, costs a lot less than Apple’s

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SwitchEasy MagWallet for iPhone
Slim, attractive, and just $34.99.
Photo: SwitchEasy

SwitchEasy’s new MagWallet carries up to two credit cards and snaps onto the bag of your iPhone so that it’s always with you. It’s a lot like Apple’s MagSafe Wallet, only considerably more affordable.

The MagWallet’s stylish design is available in three attractive color options, all made from genuine leather. Bag one from the Cult of Mac Store today for just $34.99.

iPhone saves snowboarder after plunge into icy crevasse at 10,000 feet

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Tim Blakey takes a selfie high in the Alps.
Tim Blakey takes a selfie high in the Alps.
Photo: Tim Blakey

Here’s a word to the wise: Always carry your charged iPhone, and don’t ski or snowboard “off-piste” in the Alps at 10,000 feet by yourself. Tim Blakey got the first part right, just barely, and that’s why he’s alive today.

The British personal trainer was snowboarding solo off of marked trails near Zermatt, Switzerland — on a glacier — when he plunged about 15 feet down into a crevasse and got stuck. He couldn’t scale its icy walls. He was alive for the moment down there, but he was alone.

Alone, that is, except for an iPhone clinging to 3% battery life and a weak 3G signal.

New iPad Air dresses up festive ‘pink’ MacBook Air workstation [Setups]

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The iPad Air on the left is the new addition to this computer setup.
The iPad Air on the left is the new addition to this computer setup.
Photo: FoxyFreckles1989

Apple’s newest iPad Air has received some stellar reviews, though murmuring from some quarters claims it’s a bit on the flimsy side. But the owner of today’s featured setup seems over the moon about the new addition to her workstation, centered by an M1 MacBook Air and an LG display.

And she’s eager to get going with the new, much-ballyhooed Universal Control functionality using the new tablet, despite challenges.

Elon Musk splashes $3 billion to become Twitter’s largest shareholder

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Elon Musk spends $3 billion on Twitter
What's next for Musk and Twitter?
Image: Elon Musk/Twitter/Cult of Mac

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has acquired a 9% stake in Twitter worth almost $3 billion. The purchase, revealed in a recent regulatory filing, gets Musk a whopping 73,486,938 shares in the popular social media platform.

Despite being described as a passive investment, one analyst believes the move is “just the start” of Musk’s involvement with Twitter.

Oops! Microsoft scraps embarrassing tweet that featured an M1 iMac

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Microsoft tweet features M1 iMac
That's unfortunate.
Image: Twitter

There’s one thing you don’t do if you’re on Microsoft’s social media team, and that’s promote Apple products. It seems at least one person forgot that last week when they posted a tweet featuring an image of the M1 iMac.

The post, which was removed after a few hours, was about cleaning Windows machines “safely and smoothly.” Microsoft should know better than anyone that it’s not even possible to run Windows natively on M1 Mac models.

Apple makes battery replacements easier on new iPad Air

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iPad Air 5 battery replacements are easier
No more isopropyl alcohol baths.
Photo: iFixit

Apple has made iPad Air battery replacements slightly easier with a small but welcome change to the newest model. While it’s still difficult to get inside the device, removing its large battery pack is a simpler task for repairers.

It’s just one of many improvements you get with the fifth-generation iPad Air.

Apple now sells 14- and 16-inch MacBook refurbs with big discounts

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Apple preps subscription service for iPhone, Mac and more
But Amazon is still cheaper.
Photo: Apple

Refurbished versions of the newest MacBook Pro models are now available to purchase from the Apple Store online. Both 14- and 16-inch units are available with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, and customers can save up to $350.

This is the first time refurbs of these machines have been made available by Apple since they made their debut last year. But if it’s a bargain you’re after, you’re likely to find a better deal elsewhere.

12 reasons to love the iPad on its 12th birthday

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12 reasons to love the iPad on its 12th birthday
There are so many reason to love the iPad — here are 12 of them.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac/Dan Prado/Pexels license

Apple launched the iPad in stores exactly 12 years ago today, and the device has evolved enormously since then, in both capabilities and hardware. Today’s devices can do so much more than their forbearers. Tablets have lived up to Steve Jobs’ vision … and exceeded it.

Here are a dozen reasons to love what Apple’s tablet has become.

iOS update fails to deliver promised iPhone battery improvement

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iOS update does not deliver promised iPhone battery improvement
While some iPhone models saw an increase in battery life with iOS 15.4.1, most did not.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Benchmark testing of nine different iPhone models shows that less than half of them experienced any improvement to battery life from the recent iOS 15.4.1 update, despite Apple describing that as a major feature of the new version. More of the handsets saw a decrease instead.

On the devices affected, the drop in battery life is generally small, but it’s nevertheless likely to leave some iPhone users holding off on the update. Which is unfortunate, as iOS 15.4.1 also closes a security hole that Apple says has been actively exploited.

Apple just can’t give up the iPhone notch

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iphone 12 without notch
Tipsters agree, an iPhone without a notch is on Apple’s drawing board. But not as soon as we might like.
Photo: ConceptsiPhone

The good news is that Apple will bring in-display Face ID to the iPhone, finally eliminating the distinctive “notch” at the top of the touchscreen. The bad news is that it’s reportedly not happening as soon as possible.

This means we’re still years away from an iPhone with a truly edge-to-edge display.

We’ve got good news and bad news about iPhone 14 [The CultCast]

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iPhone 14 rumors: Just how big will the iPhone 14 Pro camera bump be? We discuss in our weekly Apple podcast,
Just how big will the iPhone 14 Pro camera bump be?
Image: 91 Mobiles and Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: So, what’ll it be first? Good news or bad news about iPhone 14? We’re talking about Touch ID, a possible Apple hardware subscription service and an even bigger camera bump on the Pro model. Hoo boy!

Also on The CultCast:

  • A peek inside Apple’s new Studio Display proves surprising.
  • Would a 15-inch MacBook Air by any other name smell as sweet?
  • The EU might wreck iMessage.
  • We’re giving away five leather crossbody iPhone cases from Noémie.
  • What “The Slap” heard ’round the world says about Apple events.

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.

This week’s episode is brought to you by CultCloth. Forget about that overpriced Apple Polishing Cloth. This is the cleaning cloth your Apple devices deserve.

Don’t fall for these clever April Fools’ Day jokes

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Don’t fall for these clever April Fools’ Day jokes
You’d surely run out to spend $500 on the tvTV for Apple TV if it weren’t April Fools’ Day.
Photo: Twelve South

Many companies just can’t resist April Fools’ Day jokes. Some people find these exasperating, but others enjoy the lighthearted humor. This year, we got a ridiculous new Apple TV accessory, what’s perhaps the most tasteless way to wear an AirTag, and more.

Read on for our favorite gags to celebrate this unusual holiday.

First M1 Max and M1 Pro MacBooks hit Apple’s refurb store

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2021 MacBook Pro review roundup: Just what we hoped for
New isn’t always the best option. Save big by buying a refurbished 2021 MacBook Pro from Apple.
Photo: Apple

Just added to Apple’s refurbished offerings are the MacBook Pro models that in launched fall of 2021 with the blazing fast M1 Max and M1 Pro processors. These refubs offer welcome cost savings — especially on such recent notebooks — but they can not be reconfigured. Buyers can only choose from the configurations Apple has in stock.

But again, savings are considerable: a refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max is up to $350 off.

Wyze knew of its security cameras’ vulnerability for 3 years and told no one

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A Wyze V2 security camera.
A Wyze V2 security camera.
Photo: Wyze

Media outlets are reporting that Wyze knew for three years about a security flaw that rendered its security cameras vulnerable to hackers. But in all that time, it did not tell its customers about the problem.

News of the flaw broke on Tuesday. Wyze, long know for its inexpensive but useful security cameras, has since responded to the controversy, as noted below.

Laut’s stylish aluminum stands cradle your Apple devices in style

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Laut stand for iPhone
And they're more affordable than you might think!
Photo: Laut

If you’re looking for a clean way to charge your beloved Apple Watch, or somewhere to place your iPhone so that it’s easy to see while you’re working, check out these elegant, super-sturdy stands from Laut.

They’re made from robust, anodized aluminum and designed to look good anywhere. They’re also available in a range of color options to match your Apple devices.

‘Mac setups are cool but Lego Technic is cooler’ [Setups]

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Those Lego Technic race cars flying across the wall in the back are almost as complicated as real cars.
Those Lego Technic race cars flying across the wall in the back are almost as complicated as real cars.
Photo: [email protected]

Who doesn’t like to have a little fun on a Friday, especially when it’s also April Fools’ Day? Not that today’s featured setup is a joke or fake in any way. It’s real. It’s serious. Not as serious as a heart attack, maybe. But it’s a working setup that likes to have a good time, let’s say.

The seriousness stems mainly from a late-model MacBook Pro and a killer ultra-wide LG display. The good time comes from the super-cool Lego Technic racing cars on the wall — two for now, with a third to come. Each one of these things has thousands of pieces.

Roblox sides with Apple in App Store battle against Epic Games

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Roblox
Roblox has a good relationship with Apple it wouldn't want to ruin.
Image: Roblox

It would appear that large sections of the developer community are firmly behind Epic Games in its battle for a fairer, more open App Store. But not Roblox, which believes Apple’s strict controls enhance safety and security.

The online game platform, which calls itself a metaverse company and boasts almost 55 million daily active users, said in a legal filing this week that the App Store review process adds “greater legitimacy in the eyes of users.”

Apple ‘actively testing’ 9-inch foldable, but don’t expect foldable iPhone before 2025

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Apple tests 9-inch foldable
Could Apple's first foldable be a lot like the Galaxy Fold?
Photo: Matt Baumeister/Unsplash

Apple is “actively testing” a 9-inch foldable device, but it won’t be taking on Samsung with a foldable iPhone until 2025 at the earliest, one analyst claims.

The company’s “priority order” for foldables is said to be medium, large and then small devices. Its current prototype is being used to test new technologies and may not be indicative of an upcoming product.

Modded Android phone steals iPhone’s Lightning port

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First Android phone with Lightning port
Why? Why not?
Photo: Ken Pillonel

This Samsung Galaxy A51 is almost certainly the only Android phone in the world that uses a Lightning port. That’s thanks to engineer Ken Pillonel, who hacked the handset to use Apple’s connector instead of USB-C.

The port is fully functional, with support for charging and data transfer — despite the fact that Apple designs its cables to work only with its own devices. Why go through all that effort? Well … why not?