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Apple yanks Apple TV Remote app from App Store

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The Remote app is no more.
The Remote app is no more.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple quietly (or as quietly as Apple can do anything, which means it’s widely reported) removed the Apple TV Remote app from the App Store.

The app allowed owners to control their Apple TV without having to use the controversial Siri Remote that comes with the set-top box. It let users navigate Apple TV with touch gestures, quickly enter text using the keyboard, ask Siri to find things to watch, and more.

Here’s how the new, smaller iPhone box measures up to its predecessor

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Does anyone really need another iPhone charger?
Here's what removing the iPhone charger means for the box size.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

This year’s iPhone 12 and 12 Pro will be the first new iPhones not to come with EarPods or a charger in the box.

During Apple’s October keynote it said that removing these components lets it reduce carbon emissions from shipping by packing way more boxes onto shipping pallets. Now, thanks to a comparison posted by Apple analyst Neil Cybart, we have an idea what that means in terms of the overall box footprint.

Your iPhone will soon work on the moon

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A 4G moon cellular network. It’s really happening.
4G LTE on the Moon isn’t sci-fi. An iPhone could soon be able to make calls from the Lunar surface.
Photo: Alex Powell/Pexels cc

Nokia will build a 4G cellular network on the moon. It’ll allow future astronauts to make voice and video calls, but also transmit data and remotely control equipment.

The goal is to have the wireless network in place on Earth’s largest satellite by 2022. It’s part of NASA’s Artemis program, which has the goal of establishing a sustainable presence on the moon by the end of the decade.

iOS 14.1 and iPadOS 14.1 arrive to squash some bugs

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iOS 14.1 and iPadOS 14.1 arrive: Here come the bug fixes.
Here come the bug fixes.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Apple released iOS 14.1 and iPadOS 14.1 Tuesday, bringing bug fixes and a handful of other improvements to iPhones and iPads.

Support for 10-bit HDR video playback and editing seems like the main new feature. But the updates supposedly fix plenty of little problems that might be annoying people who updated to iOS 14. If your Home screen widgets, folders and icons don’t look quite right, you should probably grab iOS 14.1.

I want my Apple Music TV: Cupertino’s latest concept is fascinatingly retro

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MTV shirt
Is Apple reanimating the corpse of MTV?
Photo: Chris Benson/Unsplash CC

What’s old is apparently new. With Apple Music TV, the new streaming channel that plays music videos 24 hours a day, Cupertino created a 21st-century version of MTV that looks a lot like the 1980s.

The service — which is free to everyone in the United States, not just Apple Music subscribers — launched out of the blue Monday. More than a quarter century after the original MTV’s heyday, this is going to be fascinating to watch. Can it possibly work?

Artists, grab your Pencils! Adobe Illustrator for iPad is out.

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Adobe Illustrator for iPad will debut in late October 2020
Adobe Illustrator for iPad will let artists draw with an Apple Pencil.
Photo: Adobe

The wait is over for the iPad version of the Adobe Illustrator. After many years as a Mac application, this professional drawing tool launched Tuesday in the iPadOS App Store.

In addition, Adobe introduced an iPhone version of Fresco, the company’s drawing and painting application previously out for iPad.

iPhone 12 and 12 Pro first impressions: Apple does it again

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iPhone 12 Pro in Pacific blue
Coming soon to a pocket near you.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro landed online Tuesday, and the devices’ marquee feature — 5G wireless connectivity — largely went unnoticed.

Most reviewers said they could not properly take advantage of the next-gen networking, which Apple heavily promoted during last week’s iPhone 12 launch event. This makes 5G more of a hypothetical selling point than something the reviewers could personally recommend. (That’s not surprising, considering the current state of 5G in the United States.)

That said, the first impressions focus on both phones’ impressive new designs — and pay special attention to the premium feel of the iPhone 12 Pro. The reviewers also highlight MagSafe, the new magnetic connection system for cases, chargers and other accessories that Apple added to this year’s iPhones.

Here’s a look at the first iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 reviews.

Airline crew arrested for smuggling $50 million in stolen iPads, iPhones

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Handcuffs
Ten Aeroflot crew members have been charged.
Photo: Bill Oxford/Unsplash CC

A band of Aeroflot Airlines crew members have been charged with smuggling $50 million worth of stolen electronic goods — including iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches — into Russia.

The plot was uncovered when crew members’ luggage was inspected. This resulted in the discovery of many of the devices in question. In total, 10 people have so far been charged, eight suspects arrested, and two are currently described as fugitives. A massive 113 visas of Aeroflot employees were also revoked.

Apple’s location-tracking AirTags could come in 2 different sizes

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AirTags are allegedly being released next month because AirPods Studio won’t be.
After more than a year of rumors, AirTags might soon see the light of day.
Concept: Jon Prosser

Apple’s eagerly anticipated, location-tracking AirTags will come in two different sizes, claims reliable Apple leaker l0vetodream.

In a tweet sent out Tuesday, the leaker — who has a reliability score of 87.9 percent on the website AppleTrack — claimed that Apple will release AirTags in both large and small options. It’s not clear what the precise sizes would be or what, if anything, would be the different functionality between sizes.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and other Peanuts specials come to Apple TV+

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Promotional image for Charlie Brown Halloween special,
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is always streaming on the Apple TV service.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ is the new home for all things Peanuts. That includes rights to stream the classic Christmas, Halloween and Thanksgiving specials starring Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole gang. In addition, new specials are in development just for this streaming service.

Many of the beloved classics will be available to all, not locked behind a paywall.

New Beats Flex earbuds offer AirPods features for just $49

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Beats Flex have many AirPods features for much less.
Beats Flex wireless earphones offer sophisticated Apple tech for just $49.
Photo: Apple

Some of the advanced features of Apple AirPods are in Beats Flex, wireless earphones that come in at a much lower price. Apple’s Beats division built in 12-hour battery life, a new acoustic driver and USB-C charging. All for $49.

Beats Flex are scheduled to reach customers’ hands on Wednesday.

iPhone 12 sees strong start with twice as many preorders as iPhone 11

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iPhone 12 Pro in Pacific blue
Up to 2 million preorders during the first 24 hours alone.
Photo: Apple

iPhone 12 has seen twice as many preorders as last year’s iPhone 11, while iPhone 12 Pro is proving more popular than iPhone 11 Pro, according to new estimates from reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple’s newest smartphone lineup — the first with 5G connectivity — is thought to have attracted between 1.7 million and 2 million orders during the first 24 hours of availability.

Repair costs rise for iPhone 12’s Ceramic Shield display

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The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 price is now the same for all the top US telecoms.
Fixing a broken iPhone 12 out of warranty isn't cheap.
Photo: Apple

iPhone 12 users will have to cough up more cash should they need to replace the handset’s new Ceramic Shield display. The price of a new screen has risen by $80 compared to that for last year’s iPhone 11.

However, it should be more difficult to break iPhone 12’s screen, thanks to tougher glass. And you do get a lot more for your money.

5 biggest takeaways from Apple’s iPhone 12 event [Cult of Mac Magazine 371]

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Let's run down all the week's big Apple news.
Let's run down all the week's big Apple news.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

New iPhones (both “regular” and mini, as well as Pro and Pro Max). A new, pint-size HomePod mini. And the triumphant return of MagSafe … this week’s “Hi, Speed” event delivered the goods.

Read up on all the new Apple gear, and find out why we’re totally psyched about the iPhone 12 mini (and a bit less so about 5G), in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now to read on your iOS device.

Oh, and don’t worry — we’ve got plenty of post-show analysis (and some even fresher Apple news and rumors, too) …

Take a meditative walk through a hand-drawn world in The Collage Atlas on Apple Arcade

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‘The Collage Atlas’ debuted Friday on Apple Arcade.
The Collage Atlas takes players on a hand-drawn, first-person journey through a picture book.
Photo: John William Evelyn

The Collage Atlas could be a temporary escape from 2020. It’s “a journey through an entirely hand-drawn picture-book dream-world,” according to the creator of the game, John William Evelyn.

This title launched Friday on Apple Arcade, and is available for a range of devices.

Faster Apple TV hardware might not arrive before 2021

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Expect a significant Apple TV hardware update in 2021.
A significantly better Apple TV is in development. But it won‘t be out in November.
Photo: Apple

A rumored Apple TV with more of a focus on gaming allegedly won’t be out before the end of 2020. It’ll be a significant upgrade, with new features beyond a performance bump.

But it’s probably not on the list of devices to expect at an anticipated Apple November product launch event.

Look at all these fantastic iPhone 12 cases

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Apple plans several iPhone 12 cases, all MagSafe compatible.
Apple’s iPhone 12 cases aren‘t ready yet, but there are plenty of third-party options available now.
Photo: Apple

There are already plenty of iPhone 12 cases to choose from, even though Apple’s newest handset hasn’t yet reached customers hands. When this product arrives on October 23, they can have a case waiting.

Here’re are descriptions of a wide range of options already up for sale, along with lots more coming soon.