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Why Fortnite’s big matchmaking changes are good for everyone

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Fortnite iOS 14
Everyone should welcome skill-based matchmaking.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Epic Games has confirmed major matchmaking changes are coming to Fortnite in this week’s 10.40 update.

The changes are designed to make Battle Royale a little easier and therefore more enjoyable for inexperienced players. But here’s why it could be good news for every Fortnite fan.

App Store prices climb in Japan as tax increases

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iOS 11 iPad Pro
Look out for the changes next month.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will raise App Store pricing in Japan next month in line with an update to Japan Consumption Tax (JCT).

The increase will affect sales and in-app purchases, but not auto-renewable subscriptions. Only the most affordable tier priced at ¥120 will avoid the change.

Apple Music introduces new ‘Lyrics to Live By’ video series

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Apple just launched its Lyrics to Live By video series
Apple is shining a spotlight on lyrics.
Photo: Apple

Apple has launched a new “Lyrics to Live By” video series. The video series features artists explaining the meaning of some of their best known lines.

It accompanies iOS 13’s new real-time lyrics feature which turns Apple Music into a karaoke experience. It lets users view scrolling song lyrics for the music they listen to.

iPhone 11 ultra-wide camera disappoints RAW shooters

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the three view of the iPhone 11 Pro
The three views from the iPhone 11 Pro's three rear-facing cameras.
Photo: Apple

What makes the iPhone 11 Pro a Pro smartphone? It’s definitely not the ultra-wide camera.

According to Ben Sandofsky, co-developer of the photo app Halide, the ultra-wide camera does not support RAW capture of images or allow photographers to manually focus the camera.

Nixed bilateral charging could have been iPhone 11 Pro exclusive

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iPhone 11 teardown disassembled
Taking an iPhone 11 to pieces finds no sign of one rumored feature, but hints Apple Tags could still be on the way.
Photo: iFixit

A teardown of the iPhone 11 finds Apple’s less-expensive handset lacks any sign of inverse wireless charging. iFixit did discover hardware possibly related to this rumored feature in the iPhone 11 Pro series, however.

An X-ray of the iPhone 11 does turn up evidence of ultra-wideband support, however. That will prove important if Apple launches the item-tracking tags that also showed up in many rumors.

Amazon plans to launch cheaper AirPods alternative

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AirPods supplier confident of booming business through 2021
AirPods are getting some fresh compeition.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Amazon is gearing up to take on Apple with its own set of wireless earbuds that pack some features AirPods can’t match.

Apple’s HomePod speaker could get some tougher competition from Amazon too as the company is also reportedly working on a bigger Echo smart speaker that will have better sound quality.

Galaxy Fold debacle nears its end with US launch coming Friday

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Galaxy Fold specs
Despite its problems, the Galaxy Fold is likely a harbinger of many folding phones to come.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s demonstration on the dangers of letting one’s reach exceed one’s grasp is almost over. The Galaxy Fold, the first mass-market phone with a foldable display, will reach US customers’ hands on Friday, many months after first scheduled.

Despite well-publicized problems, this company is already hard at work on a more affordable version. And rivals, including Apple, are also considering flexible screen handsets.

iPhone 11 is first phone to survive this brutal torture test

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Apple has raised $220 million to fight AIDS-related deaths in Africa
Apple has raised $220 million to fight AIDS-related deaths in Africa
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

We know Apple’s new iPhone 11 lineup is its toughest yet. And a number of rudimentary drop tests have already proven that. But what do more scientific torture tests tell us about its strength?

SquareTrade used a series of punishments to simulate real-world incidents that could damage your pricey new phone. It says iPhone 11 is the only handset to survive its brutal tumble test.

iPhone 11 Pro Max wins highest-ever A+ score from DisplayMate

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iPhone 11 Pro Max display specs
The OLED display in the iPhone 11 Pro Max has some impressive specs.
Photo: Apple

The experts at DisplayMate positively gushed about the quality of the iPhone 11 Pro Max display. They call the screen “almost certainly considerably better than your existing Smartphone, 4K UHD TV, Tablet, Laptop and computer monitor.”

The crisp OLED screen in Apple’s newest flagship handset met or exceeded the test lab’s records in color accuracy, brightness, reflectance and more.

Apple will make the new Mac Pro in Texas

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Mac-Pro-manufacturing-US
Mac Pro manufacturing isn't going anywhere.
Photo: Apple

Apple today confirmed that its brand new Mac Pro will be manufactured in Austin, Texas. It will soon enter production at the same facility where the last Mac Pro was assembled.

The move is part of Apple’s commitment to U.S. economic growth, it says. It is currently on track to invest $350 billion into its home country by 2023.

Got a new Apple Watch? Now get the best price for your old one

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watchOS 5
Avoid selling your old Apple Watch to Apple.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Now that you have your shiny new Apple Watch Series 5, it’s time to make back some of the money you just spent by selling your old model. But don’t take it to the Apple Store.

Apple will offer you just a fraction of what your old Apple Watch is really worth. Make a lot more by selling yours to Cult of Mac instead.

Price of iPhone 11 with space history is out of this world

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Gargarin space craft, Titanic iPhones from Caviar
Caviar's customized iPhone 11 Pro models have fragments of historic ships, Yuri Gargarin's Vostok 1, left, and the Titanic.
Photo: Caviar

Caviar is a Russian jeweler that routinely applies precious gems and gold-plating to iPhones to sell to the rich.

Now it is working with new materials – pieces of the Titanic and the first manned spaced craft.

Drop test confirms iPhone 11 is a tank

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iphone11
The iPhone 11 can take a licking and keep on ticking.
Photo: Apple

Apple advertised the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro’s toughness as one of the new devices’ big selling points. But just how durable are Apple’s latest handsets?

Reviewers seemed unwilling to test this out, lest they damage their highly coveted review units. But now that the iPhone 11 is available for sale, an early drop test reveals just how tough the new phones are.

Apple chipmaker may start volume production of 5nm chips in March

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Apple chipmaker racing ahead with its next next-gen nanometer process
Could next year's iPhone chip be made using a cutting-edge 5-nanometer process?
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro is just making its way into customers’ hands. But work is already underway for next year’s handset refresh.

According to a new report, Apple chipmaker TSMC is gearing up to carry out volume production of its next-gen chips as early as March. And they could offer a major boost over this year’s A13 Bionic chips!

Oprah’s Book Club finds new home in Apple Books

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Oprah-Book-Club
Preorder Oprah's first selection today.
Photo: Apple

Oprah’s Book Club has landed in Apple Books, connecting readers worldwide to “stories that truly matter by today’s most thought-provoking authors.”

Its arrival comes weeks before Oprah’s new TV show kicks off on Apple TV+. A new episode will air every two months, and every title selected will be available from Apple Books.

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates is Winfrey’s first selection, and you can preorder it now in ebook and audiobook formats ahead of its debut tomorrow, September 24.

Apple spammed Emmy viewers with ads for Apple TV+

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Truth Be Told on Apple TV+
Ads included glimpses of two shows Apple hasn't previously shown off.
Photo: Apple

Apple has its eye on dominating next year’s Emmy Awards with its original content. But Apple TV+ wasn’t exactly hiding in the shadows at this year’s event.

Apple bombarded people who tuned in to the Emmys with 15-second spots for its TV+ ads during commercial breaks. This included the first teases for its shows Servant and Truth Be Told. Check them out below.

Apple will get an early indication of its EU tax case outcome this week

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International governments plan to rethink tax rules for the ‘digital age’
Fiat and Starbucks cases will offer Apple advance warning (or good news) about its ongoing EU tax battle.
Photo: Pexels

Apple could get an early indication about the likely outcome of its giant European Union (EU) tax case early this week.

Apple was in court last week protesting its 13 billion ($14.4 billion) tax bill from the EU. Although the case is likely to drag on for months, two related cases will be ruled on this week. They may offer Apple some clues about its chances of success.

Wicked bike wreck shows importance of Apple Watch hard fall detection

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fall detection
An Apple Watch can call 911 if you trip, slip, or wipe out so severely you knock yourself unconscious.
Photo: Apple

Bob Burdett was mountain biking near Spokane, then the next thing he knew he was waking up in an ambulance. He’d had a crash so severe he was knocked unconscious for a considerable amount of time. Fortunately, his Apple Watch called 911 for him.

iPhone 11 makes powerful first impression [Cult of Mac Magazine 315]

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The iPhone 11 looks simply stunning in red. And that's just for starters ... read all about it in Cult of Mac Magazine 315.
The iPhone 11 looks simply stunning in red. And that's just for starters ...
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The new iPhones and Apple Watch are out, and they’re racking up rave reviews. Our hands-on iPhone 11 first impressions show it to be a pretty, powerful photographic phenom. Meanwhile, other reviewers can’t stop complimenting the entry-level iPhone (or its beefed-up siblings, the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max). Same goes for Apple Watch Series 5.

So, basically, accolades all around. Well done, Apple.

If you picked up a new device, you’ll need to know the right way to set it up. Here are tips and tricks for setting up your new iPhone or Apple Watch the right way. And even if you don’t have a brand-new shiny device, you’ll want all our tips and tricks for Apple’s latest mobile software. Here’s everything you need to know about iOS 13.

Get all that info and more in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.

iOS 13 bug is a ‘total game killer’ for Fortnite and PUBG

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Fortnite-X-Borderlands
Think twice before making the jump to iOS 13.
Photo: Epic Games

Don’t upgrade to iOS 13 if you love playing Fortnite or PUBG on your iPhone or iPad.

Gamers quickly discovered that iOS 13’s new three-finger gesture interrupts gameplay. While players try to aim and move with a 4 finger claw-like input method it brings up a new text editing bar that prevents you from doing anything so you’re just a sitting duck for opponents.