Apple followed though on its warning to remove Parler from the App Store this weekend. Google already banned the social-networking app from the Android software store, and Amazon is cutting off Parler’s cloud-hosting service.
The bans follow accusations that rioters used Parler to plan the attack on the U.S. Capitol last week.
iPhone 13 will will still have a screen notch but it’ll be a bit thinner, according to information leaking out of Apple’s Asian supply chain.
Plus, the same source says Apple will cover the camera lenses of its upcoming handset with sapphire glass.
An augmented reality Mac powered by Apple glasses offers a glimpse of what computing might look like in the future.
Yes, it’s just a concept. But man, is it gorgeously detailed. We talked with concept designer Dominik Hofacker about his fascinating concept, and you can read all about it in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now to read on your iOS device, or get the links below.
We’ve also got the latest news and rumors on the the long-rumored Apple Car and AirTags (not to mention those Apple AR glasses that Hofacker is talking about). Plus, we’ve got how-tos and reviews (including a second take on AirPods Max and a look at the second anachronistic season of Dickinson on Apple TV+).
January 9, 2001: Steve Jobs introduces customers to iTunes at Macworld.
In a world before the iPod or the iTunes Store, iTunes is simply described by Apple as, “the world’s best and easiest to use jukebox software that lets users create and manage their own music library on their Mac.” Even the biggest Apple fanboy can’t imagine just how significant a step this will be for Apple.
Apple told Parler on Friday that it must either begin moderating “dangerous and harmful” comments posted by users or its application will be removed from the iPhone App Store. The free speech site popular with supporters of President Trump reportedly has until Saturday morning to come up with a “moderation improvement plan” or it’ll be removed.
The move comes because Parler has been accused of being used to plan the attack on the U.S. Capital on Wednesday.
Sorry, 11-inch iPad Pro — no mini-LED display for you. The new type of screen will reportedly be in Apple’s largest top-tier tablet for 2021 but not the smaller version.
In addition, there are supposedly changes to the speakers and camera hump in this high-end tablet that’s expected in early spring.
The next iPad mini could be a bit less mini. Apple reportedly will expand the tablet from a 7.9-inch screen to an 8.4-inch one in the version coming in Q1 2021.
If true, the change would hardly be unprecedented. Apple has enlarged the displays in all other iPad models in recent years.
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There are a range of leather and metal options to choose from, with prices starting at just $16 in the Cult of Mac Store’s big January sale. These discounts end tonight, so enjoy them before they’re gone!
Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon, a four-player dungeon crawler with a 16-bit feel, is the latest game to hack its way onto Apple Arcade. It offers rogue-like action for up to four friends sharing a couch.
It’s a follow-up to Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm, an RPG also available through Apple’s gaming service.
Update: The New York Times says the deal has been completed. Quibi’s 75 shows and documentaries will appear from free on the Roku Channel through 2021. The deal last for seven years.
Roku is negotiating to buy the content catalog of ill-fated short form streaming video service Quibi, the Wall Street Journal claims.
Quibi, which made short, episodic shows for watching on your phone, launched in April 2020 and shut down in October, giving it a shelf-life as short as the shows it produced.
The App Store grossed upward of $64 billion in 2020, according to a CNBC report.
Provided that number is correct, it’s a big jump from the relatively stable $48.5 billion and $50 billion respectively the App Store grossed in 2018 and 2019. It shows how, in contrast to many other businesses, the digital app economy boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apple stopped signing iOS 14.2 and iOS 14.2.1 this week, meaning users who upgraded to iOS 14.3 can no longer go back again. The same goes for iPadOS 14.3 and those who installed it.
iOS/iPadOS 14.3 added support for Apple Fitness+ and AirPods Max. For users with an iPhone 12 Pro, it also allowed them to take photos in the Apple ProRAW format. In addition, the updates included new privacy information and an assortment of bug fixes.
Apple won’t upgrade the seven-element primary lens assembly seen in the iPhone 12 until at least 2023, claims reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The analyst revealed this in a Friday note to investors, stating that Apple isn’t planning on upgrading the lens system for the iPhone for either of the next two big handset upgrades. The seven-element lens was introduced with the iPhone 12, featuring a wider ƒ/1.6 aperture. This results in better low-light images.
Hyundai confirmed Thursday that it engaged in talks with Apple, lending more credibility to the possibility of an Apple Car co-developed with an established automotive company.
A spokesperson for Hyundai Motors provided the confirmation (which also mentioned Apple speaking with a “variety of global automakers”) to CNBC. The statement followed a report from Korean website Hankyung that claimed Apple was working with Hyundai on both the car and battery technology to power it.
Apple’s plan to make a self-driving vehicle is back on track, according to an unconfirmed report from a very reliable source. But the Apple Car won‘t be out for several years.
Still, as part of the effort the company recently snapped up Tesla’s head of autonomous vehicle software development to work on the project.
Anker took the wraps off an wireless charging stand that can power up an iPhone 12 and a pair of AirPods. It also began offering a small charging pad.
Both cling to the handset with magnets built into Apple’s latest iOS device. But they don’t fully support MagSafe.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office is not happy about certain international digital tax laws, which it claims is unfair to American tech giants.
According to Reuters, taxes on digital services imposed by France, India, Italy and Turkey are “inconsistent” with international tax principles. They could, in turn, result in retaliatory tariffs being put in place by the United States.
Satechi redesigned its iPad desktop stand to provide a more stable, hands-free option. The device includes a pair of hinges to offer a wide range of viewing angles.
The accessory maker also introduced a pair of slim keyboards Thursday that can be used with MacBooks or iPads.
Apple would only need to capture 2% of the mobility market with a possible Apple Car to equal the revenue that it currently gets from the iPhone, according to Morgan Stanley researchers.
While that’s certainly easier said than done, it’s an interesting observation when considering Apple’s chances of turning its automotive plans into a potential financial windfall.
The iPhone 12 reportedly costs at least 21% more to manufacture than the iPhone 11, Counterpoint Research claims.
In a recent post, the publication totted up what it believes are the materials cost for the 128GB iPhone 12 and found them to add up to around $415. That’s due not only to the 5G components, but also other new components for the 2020 device versus the previous year’s model.
Facebook sent out a message to businesses recently pointing out how Apple’s new privacy features could hurt them by clamping down on targeted advertising.
It also claims that personalized ads that utilize user data to target individuals can coexist with user privacy online.
Apple CEO Tim Cook decried the shocking scenes that took place Wednesday in Washington, D.C., as supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol building.
“Today marks a sad and shameful chapter in our nation’s history,” Cook wrote on Twitter. “Those responsible for this insurrection should be held to account, and we must complete the transition to President-elect Biden’s administration. It’s especially when they are challenged that our ideals matter most.”
Pick up a pair of AirPods at their lowest ever price today only. Woot is offering refurbished units for as little as $84.99, while Amazon can hook you up with renewed AirPods Pro buds for just $193.
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Can’t wait for the second season of Dickinson? Then quickly sign up to watch an advance screening. A one-time stream will allow viewers to see the comedy/drama on Thursday, January 7, the day before it debuts on Apple TV+.
Update: The screening is now full. “Registration for this event is now closed,“ says Apple.
An AirPods 3 concept video brings together rumors and hopes for redesigned Apple in-ear headphones that are anticipated for later in 2021. The result is a video showing earbuds that merge aspects of AirPods Pro with the more basic version, and mix in some new features as well.
Watch the video now:
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