The Quatro Wireless Power Bank can recharge an Apple Watch on the go. Photo: Satechi
Satechi’s Quatro Wireless Power Bank stands out from the pack by including a built-in Apple Watch charger. It can also wirelessly power an iPhone. In addition, the 10,000 mAh external battery has USB-C and USB-A ports. That gives it a total of four ways to charge — hence the “quatro” name.
This was Apple’s original face shield. It has a new model now. Photo: Apple
Apple designed its own face mask because of course it did. A company long known for setting itself apart from the competition with superior design couldn’t use over-the-counter masks to protect employees and customers from COVID-19.
Instead, the team that ordinarily designs Macs and iPhones dreamed up their own face covering for Apple employees, including the people that work in Apple retail stores.
If the Tile network can’t find your lost item, you could get reimbursed for it. Photo: Tile
Clip a tile Bluetooth tracker to your luggage, lose it, and if the Tile network can’t find it, then the company will pay you up to $1,000 in reimbursment. The goal of the new Tile Premium Protect plan is to demonstrate how confident the maker of these trackers is in its network.
But the offer isn’t available to every Tile owner.
Facebook CEO has issues with App Store. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinks Apple’s control of the App Store should be scrutinized. In an interview for Axios on HBO, the Facebook overlord said that Apple has “unilateral control of what gets on phones, in terms of apps.”
Zuck went on to say that this power meant that there are questions that should be asked about whether this is “enabling as robust of a competitive dynamic.”
Graphics sure have come a long way! Photo: Nintendo
Way back in the grungy dark days of 1992, when A Few Good Men was playing in theaters and Rage Against the Machine was busy blasting out of the boomboxes of flannel shirt-wearing youths, the original Super Mario Kart landed on SNES.
Jump forward to the present day and Mario Kart Tour, the iOS version of the popular Nintendo kart-racer, is paying nostalgic tribute to its glorious past with a new tour and characters. Check out the details below.
TikTok enjoyed a great month in August. From a downloads perspective, at least. Photo: Kon Karampelas/Unsplash CC
Despite the challenges it continues to face, TikTok was the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide on iOS and Google Play in August, a new report by app analytics platform Sensor Tower claims.
In total, TikTok was downloaded upward of 63.3 million times during the month. That is a slight increase of 1.6% from the same month last year. Indonesia and Brazil were the most popular growing markets for the app during the month.
Mass production on the 5-nanometer chips that will be used in the next-gen iPad Pro and the inaugural Apple Silicon Mac will supposedly kick off in the fourth quarter of 2020, Digitimes reported Wednesday.
According to the report, TSMC will be turning out around 5,000-6,000 Apple Silicon wafers per month. This is rumored to be the A14X chip, which is a more powerful version of the A14 expected with this year’s iPhone 12.
iOS 13.7 upgraded Apple's contact-tracing tools. Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
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.
In case you just can't get enough of Oprah's Book Club ... Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
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.
There is a lot of open desk space in this setup. Photo: Johan Loekito
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 gloves just came off in Epic Games v. Apple. Graphic: Epic Games/Cult of Mac
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.
The iPhone 12 will reportedly offer a 6.7-inch option, but there’s more interest in the smallest version. Concept: ConceptsiPhone
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.
It’s now a breeze to watch Apple TV+ movies and shows on Visio SmartCast TVs. Photo: Vizio
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.
The logo for the September Apple Event is more than just a simple graphic. It’s an AR object. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
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.
Apple's most stunning retail store yet? Photo: Apple
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.
Apple's new animated movie looks intriguing. Photo: Apple TV+
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.
AirTags could arrive sooner rather than later. Concept drawing: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
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.
What better way to record your stunning digital painting? Photo: Hust
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.
Apple will reportedly release four iPhone handsets this year. Photo: Technizo Concept
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.
iCloud is one of the cloud services being scrutinized. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
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.
Connolly recently updated his LinkedIn profile. Photo: LinkedIn
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.
The Epic Games vs. Apple battle rages on. Screenshot: Epic Games
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.