Apple has stopped signing iOS 13.6.1, meaning that it is no longer possible to turn back to the earlier version if you have already upgraded to iOS 13.7.
Apple typically stops signing code for previous software versions soon after releasing their successor. That’s because every software update Apple creates is supposed to be faster, more stable, and — most importantly — more secure than the previous version.
It’s therefore in the best interest of users to stop them turning back.
Oprah Winfrey’s famous book club is now an Apple podcast. The show, which launched Tuesday, bears a predictable name: Oprah’s Book Club. And the subject matter might sound familiar, too.
The eight-episode series features Winfrey talking with Isabel Wilkerson, author of Caste: The Origins of our Discontents. Winfrey called it essential reading when announcing it as her book club pick last month.
Los Angeles-based designer Johan Loekito has three MacBooks on his desk. Yes, three!
It may sound bonkers to have three MacBooks on one desk but his hardware collection is more modest that it first appears. His main machine is a 2018 MacBook Pro and it’s a company laptop. He has a 2015 MacBook Pro for personal stuff, and a 2014 MacBook Air that is his partner’s.
The Epic Games v. Apple fight got a bit uglier on Tuesday. For the first time, the iPhone-maker asked that Epic Games pay damages for breach of contract. The two companies are arguing over whether Apple has the right to 30% of in-app purchases in the wildly-successful game Fortnite.
A survey of current iPhone users found that 41% of them intend to upgrade to the iPhone 12 when it’s released this autumn.
What’s drawing in potential buyers the most is a faster connection via 5G. And there’s plenty of interest in the tiny 5.4-inch model. But survey respondents aren’t much interested in another rumored feature of the iPhone 12: a LiDAR scanner for augmented reality.
Vizio SmartCast TVs now supports the Apple TV app. This makes it easier for users of these smart TVs in the US and Canada to watch Apple TV+, the company’s streaming video service.
To sweeten the deal, Apple is offering a free three-month subscription to users of these smart screens.
Hidden in Tuesday’s invite to the September Apple event is a clue that might confirm rumors that the company will make a major push into augmented reality.
The graphic for the invite is an apple sketched out with blue swirls. iPhone and iPad users can put that design in motion, with it seemingly appearing in the real world.
Opening this Thursday, Apple’s Marina Bay Sands retail store in Singapore is an absolute stunner. Resembling a lantern floating on the water (it’s not actually floating) or a Buckminster Fuller-style geodesic dome, the store may be my favorite Apple Store design yet.
In a year where most of Apple’s focus has been on reopening stores shuttered by coronavirus, it’s a reminder of just how brilliant Apple Store design has consistently been. Check out some of the photos of the new retail site.
Apple’s next virtual event will take place on September 15 — but don’t expect to see the new iPhone 12 models.
The big announcements for the “Time Flies” event that Apple announced Tuesday will likely be the new Apple Watch and iPad. The Apple Watch Series 6 could feature blood-oxygen tracking. Meanwhile, the iPad Air 4 could borrow a design from the iPad Pro — but retain Touch ID.
The world got its first glimpse of upcoming Apple TV+ animated movie Wolfwalkers, thanks to a trailer dropped Tuesday.
The movie, directed by Oscar-nominated Tom Moore (Song of the Sea) and Ross Stewart, follows the adventures of a young apprentice hunter named Robyn Goodfellowe. She travels to Ireland in the 1600s to help her father in pursuit of a wolf pack — only to meet a girl who is part of a tribe rumored to turn into wolves at night.
France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has lambasted companies such as Apple that “develop strategies to lock in their users” through the creation of ecosystems. Speaking Tuesday, Le Maire said that these companies represent a “competition issue” that should be scrutinized by antitrust investigators.
Le Maire’s comment was broader than just Apple. But he did note that Apple’s market capitalization is now larger than the capitalization” of all the CAC 40. This refers to the benchmark French stock market index.
Apple’s item location-tracking AirTags are already in production, claims a Nikkei report published Tuesday. This suggests that AirTags, which have been heavily rumored for months, are likely on the verge of launching.
AirTags can be attached to items like a keychain or luggage and then be easily located using the “Find My” app on iPhone. This tags will use ultra-wideband technology to accurately determine their location. Recently, sounds discovered in iOS code gave an indication of how the AirTag-finding process will work.
Pick up Apple’s newest iPad Air during Best Buy’s three-day Anniversary Sale to enjoy the biggest discounts so far. You can save $100 on 256GB models with or without cellular connectivity.
Plus, you’ll get a year of free Apple TV+, and you can save another $30 if you also pick up the Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case.
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Judging by the number of timelapse art creation videos on YouTube, people in 2020 don’t just like to see great art online; they also like to see how it was created.
Timelapse videos are a great way to show this — since they allow creators to compress the lengthy process of making something, whether it’s a kickass Photoshop montage or a digital drawing into a few short minutes. The results can make you realize just how much work goes into a particular finished product.
Hustl 2.0, a newly rewritten Mac app, offers a great, one-click way to do this. While there are plenty of screen recording apps, this one doesn’t require a whole lot of postproduction speeding-up to create the finished piece. Just a couple of clicks and you’re good to go.
This year’s iPhones will arrive in two waves, a report published Monday claims. According to Digitimes, the initial iPhone 12 units will be the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. After that, the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 and 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro will both ship together.
Italy has opened the latest investigation into potential Apple antitrust violations. Announced by the Italian antitrust authority Monday, this investigation will look into Apple’s iCloud cloud computing services.
Similar investigations will be carried out investigating Google parent company Alphabet and Dropbox.
Apple has hired a former executive who worked for shortform video service Quibi, in addition to Hulu and Disney, to work on growing its video-focused endeavors.
Spotted by the UK’s Telegraph newspaper, Tim Connolly recently updated his LinkedIn profile to reflect his job at Apple. It’s not evident exactly when he started working in the new role.
In the latest development in Epic Games’ battle with Apple, the Fortnite-maker requested that a court require Apple to return the game to the App Store and restore Epic’s developer account.
Lawyers for the company argue that Epic is “likely to suffer irreparable harm” if this is not done.
Anyone looking for new TV comedies to binge watch on a long holiday weekend shouldn’t miss the very positive reviews for Central Park and Trying on Apple TV+. Both shows debuted at the beginning of the summer, which means their entire first seasons are available now.
And while Ted Lasso is only halfway through its first season on Apple’s streaming service, it also has drawn praise from critics.
It’s officially Apple hardware season. With new gear coming as early as next week, the rumors and leaks are coming in fast and furious. Read the latest to get an idea what to expect in the near future from iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Apple TV and maybe even some high-end Apple headphones.
Get those rumors, plus the rest of the week’s top Apple news, how-tos and reviews, in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it to read for free on your iPad or iPhone. Or scroll below to get the headlines in your browser.
Duncan Schultz, a government official from the land down under, started working from his home in Brisbane earlier this year. It turned out to be a great opportunity to upgrade his setup. He got rid of his 2015 iMac and instead bought himself a 2020 Mac mini and decided to experiment. He specced out his Mac mini with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. He wanted plenty of screen real estate without having two screens. So he connected it to a Samsung 43-inch 4K Smart TV and is not looking back.
Apple TV+ took over the Apple.com home page on Friday. And the company also released a lengthy video about a game recently added to Apple Arcade. These Apple services are seen as increasingly important to its bottom line. And the company is using new ways to advertise them.
Apple’s new statement on “Our Commitment to Human Rights” promises the company will make devices that respect human rights, including freedom of speech. But the company will also follow national laws.
Just-released World’s End Club happily mixes genres. It’s a side-scroller puzzle-action game and a story-adventure game… all at the same time.
The action starts when a group of Japanese school kids find themselves in a long-abandoned amusement park under the ocean. It just gets weirder from there.
Some iPhone owners are refusing to install Apple’s latest software update for fear of being tracked. iOS 13.7, which Apple released Tuesday, makes COVID-19 contact tracing easier for government health agencies to implement — but some people claim its true purpose is more sinister.
“Another step towards a totally surveillanced state,” said one iPhone user on Twitter — and many others continue to voice similar complaints and fears.