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News - page 361

Apple wins trademark for Apple Card in Canada

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Apple Card’s ‘elite card’ status is hitting retailers in the wallet
Does this mean Apple Card is coming to Canada?
Photo: Apple

Apple launched its Apple Card credit card back in 2019 but, so far, it’s only been available to customers in the United States.

That may soon change, however, with eagle-eyed Apple watchers spotting that Apple has been granted two trademark applications in Canada, covering both Apple Card and Apple Cash.

Apple settles antitrust dispute in South Korea with ‘voluntary correction scheme’

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Apple South Korea Store
Dispute has been running in South Korea since 2016.
Photo: Apple

Apple has settled a long-running antitrust dispute in South Korea. The country’s Fair Trade Commission announced Wednesday that it has accepted Apple’s offer to spend $89.83 million in the country as part of a voluntary correction scheme.

“This is the first time that a correction scheme [to make up for unfair market practices] actually provides direct benefits to consumers such as repair and warranty cost discounts,” said FTC Chairwoman Joh Sung-wook in a press briefing. “[The FTC] shall thoroughly keep watch on whether Apple carries out the promised actions to contribute to the domestic ICT ecosystem.”

Apple gears up to sign $3.6 billion deal with Kia to build Apple Car

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Kia
Cars could then hit the road by 2024.
Photo: Nils Bogdanovs/Unsplash CC

Apple could be poised to sign a $3.6 billion deal with Kia Motors to build Apple Car, Bloomberg reports Wednesday, citing Korean news outlet DongA Ilbo.

The report says Apple and Kia, which is owned by Hyundai, could sign a deal as soon as February 17. It would then aim to “introduce Apple cars in 2024,” with a possible target of produce 100,000 electric vehicles per year, according to DongA Ilbo.

First macOS 11.3 beta brings tweaks to Safari and Reminders

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First macOS 11.3 beta brings tweaks to Safari and Reminders
Those in the Apple Developer Program can begin testing macOS Big Sur 11.3.
Image: Cult of Mac

A mere day after the release of a fresh macOS version, Apple went ahead and seeded to developers macOS 11.3 beta 1. The company isn’t one to sit on its hands.

The new beta includes small improvments to Safari and Reminders. And enhancements to a range of other features too. Plus bug fixes, of course.

Cupertino poaches Porsche chassis expert for Apple car

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The Apple Car could be partially designed by a man who designed this Porsche.
A man who helped design this Porsche is allegedly now working on the Apple Car.
Photo: Porsche

Apple reportedly hired Manfred Harrer for its top-secret self-driving vehicle project. It’s a telling move because Harrer previously was head of chassis development at Porsche. This is a clear sign that the Mac-maker is planning an Apple car, not simply an autonomous vehicle system to be licensed to automakers.

Apple developing mystery health hardware products

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Probably not the Apple health hardware products in development.
Probably not this.
Screenshot: NBCUniversal

A job posting leaves no room for doubt that Apple plans more health-related devices. The company seeks to hire a project manager to develop “Apple-branded Health Hardware products.”

The company doesn’t have anything like this now. It’s instead mostly concentrated on building wellness features into Apple Watch, iPhone and AirPods. And selling third-party health devices.

Music to your ears? This Mac setup is part workspace, part soundscape [Setups]

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An audiophile's setup includes not just computers and a killer sound system, but sound enhancers on the walls and in corners.
An audiophile's setup includes not just computers and a killer sound system, but sound enhancers on the walls and in corners.
Photo: Ed Yoon

Ed Yoon has a job many music fans and players would covet. He’s chief operating officer of high-end electric guitar maker and distributor Strandberg Guitars USA in Riverside, California. As you might guess from his line of work, he’s a major audiophile. And his office setup makes a lot of noise to that effect.

OK, not “noise.” Beautiful music.

Even before the pandemic, Yoon had been working a lot from home to manage the company’s operations. Then, as COVID-19 spread, remote work became the norm. Unlike most of us, he needed more than just a desk and a computer with decent speakers. He had to have mind-blowing audio.

Tim Cook faces 7-hour grilling in Apple vs. Epic legal battle

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Tim Cook goes to Washington
Tim Cook will chime in on Apple vs. Epic Games case.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook must participate in a seven-hour deposition during his company’s upcoming legal battle with Epic Games. Epic reportedly wanted Cook for eight hours, while Apple lawyers tried to whittle it down to four hours.

Seven hours is the compromise that was ultimately ruled on by Judge Thomas S. Hixon.

Little Buddy case keeps iPads safe around clumsy kids

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Little Buddy case for iPad
No more shattered screens!
Photo: Laut

Every parent knows that one of the most effective ways to appease an unhappy child is to hand them an iPad. And with the brilliant Little Buddy case from Laut, it’s finally safe to do so.

The Little Buddy’s lightweight yet rugged design, made from impact-resistant EVA foam, makes an iPad easy to carry around, and prevents it from shattering into pieces when it inevitably gets dropped.

It’s compatible with a wide range of iPad models, and it’s a bargain at under $35.

Metroidvania game Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night gets speed run mode, more

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Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
A spiritual successor to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Photo: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, the “spiritual successor” to the excellent Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, just got a big update on iOS.

The game made its debut back in 2019. It’s a Metroidvania type video game, set in 18th century England during the time of the Industrial Revolution. It started life as crowdfunding venture led by Symphony of the Night assistant director, Koji “Iga” Igarashi.

Apple car could finally hit the road in 2025, but it won’t be cheap

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Making a car could produce a massive windfall for Apple.
Ming-Chi Kuo offers more details about Apple car in his latest report.
Photo: Possessed Photography/Unsplash CC

An Apple car could ship in 2025, and will be “positioned as a very high-end” model in terms of pricing, claims TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo doesn’t give a dollar figure. But he writes that the sticker price, as well as the cost of Apple car components, will come in much higher than a those for a regular electric vehicle.

macOS Big Sur 11.2 brings Mac Bluetooth fix

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macOS 11.2, the latest version of Big Sur, includes a range of bug fixes.
Apple called special attention to a Bluetooth bug fix in its release notes for macOS 11.2.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.2 to the public Monday, bringing more reliable Bluetooth connections. That should warm the hearts of those using recently released Macs built around Apple’s first-generation M-series processor.

The Mac update brings other bug fixes as well, but the release notes make no mention of new features.

Facebook will try to convince iPhone users to let themselves be tracked

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Your iPhone will soon offer a bit more privacy.
Facebook will try to talk users into hitting the “allow” button when asked if they can be tracked. Apple will add this pop-up to help users protect their privacy.
Graphic: Apple

Facebook is going to take a shot at persuading users to skip the “do not track” button that Apple will soon require iPhone application to display. The pop-up is designed to protect user privacy, but the Facebook app will offer its own pop-up screen explaining the benefits of targeted advertising before users are given the option to opt out of being tracked.

Apple showcases Black photographers for latest Shot on iPhone campaign

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Shot on iPhone 5
Sam Trump, local jazz musician, Bronzeville, Chicago. Shot on iPhone 12 Pro by Lawrence Agyei.
Photo: Apple

Apple enlisted dozens of Black photographers to document their hometowns using iPhone 12 Pro, and the company showed off their handiwork Monday to kick off Black History Month.

“All across the US, these photographers set out to showcase the people and the pockets of their cities that embody their local culture,” Apple said in a press release about the Hometown project.

It’s a neat spin on the company’s ongoing “Shot on iPhone” campaign, and the results are pretty darn impressive. Check out some of the images below.

Apple offers limited-edition Apple Watch Series 6 for Black History Month [Update]

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Apple Watch Black History Month
The new limited edition watch will be available for one month only.
Photo: Apple

To mark Black History Month, Apple is releasing a limited-edition Apple Watch Series 6, among other things.

Apple’s Black Unity Collection includes a new Apple Watch Series 6, a Black Unity Sport Band and a Unity watch face. The watch features the words “Black Unity” laser-etched onto the back crystal, while the strap — inspired by the Pan-African flag — includes the words “Truth. Power. Solidarity.”

European Union seeks to overturn Apple’s $14.8 billion tax verdict

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Image showing
Apple's battle with the European Union rages on.
Photo: New York Public Library/Unsplash CC

The European Union wants to overturn Apple’s 2020 victory in the massive $14.8 billion tax dispute, which has been raging for the past several years.

Bloomberg reported Monday that the appeal challenges a July court judgment ruling against Apple. The court decision going against the EU was a big setback for lead Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.

Why those App Store ‘nutrition labels’ are suspect [Cult of Mac Magazine 386]

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App Store nutrition labels: You can't trust everything you read.
Turns out you can't trust everything you read.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac Magazine

So-called App Store nutrition labels that detail exactly how an app handles your data sounded like such a fantastically simple idea when Apple described them last year.

Now that the feature is live, the devil is apparently in the details. As it happens, you can’t just trust all app developers to tell you exactly how much data their software hoovers up — or how they share it with potentially nefarious third parties. Apple says it’s working to police the problem, but it’s a black eye for the privacy-conscious company.

These affordable cases protect iPhone 12 without spoiling MagSafe

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MagEasy's MagSafe cases for iPhone 12
Simply add two or more to your cart to bag the discount.
Photo: MagEasy

It’s important to protect your pricey iPhone 12, but you don’t want to ruin one of its best features. MagEasy’s affordable cases keeps yours covered up without spoiling MagSafe functionality.

They’re available in a wide range of designs and color options, and prices start at just $24.99.

Here’s why you can’t trust App Store ‘nutrition labels’ … yet

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privacy WWDC
Apple talks a lot about user privacy, but its App Store privacy “nutrition labels” need some work.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new privacy “nutrition labels” in the App Store might not be as useful as hoped. Spot checks by a Washington Post writer turned up applications with incorrect information.

The basic problem? Apple asked developers to describe their own privacy practices. And some of them were less than honest.

Dodge giant doughnuts in Populus Run on Apple Arcade

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‘Populus Run’ zoomed onto Apple Arcade on Friday.
Populus Run is a curious take on diet and exercise.
Photo: FiftyTwo

Populus Run isn’t a typical running game. Players control a group of people, not a single runner. And, oh yeah, you have to evade gigantic fast food and engage in rap battles. Because games.

The title zoomed onto the Apple Arcade subscription service on Friday.