Apple says that it is working to fix a problem in which too many temporary workers were found illegally working on the iPhone line at a Foxconn factory.
Over the weekend, New York-based watchdog China Labor Watch published a report about alleged violations. These supposedly took place at the biggest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, China.
However, while Apple acknowledges the group’s point about temporary workers, it maintains the other findings are inaccurate.
This week we listen to Apple Music in the browser, live on the edge with The Most Dangerous Writing App, lock up our notes in Bear, and schedule our messages to send later in Telegram. And more, etc.
Get the scoop on this week’s best new (or freshly updated) apps for iOS and Mac.
The Cult of Mac Watch Store’s huge Labor Day sale is almost over — but there’s still some time to take advantage of the discounts. This one gets you 20% off all superb Strapa bands for Apple Watch until September 9.
Apple’s long bet on augmented reality is about to pay off. Thanks to new tools for developers, and hardware that can handle the advanced apps they create, an AR revolution is in the offing.
Find out how Apple will spark the AR boom in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now for iOS, or see the top stories below in your browser.
Apple is just days away from unveiling the iPhone 11 lineup, but the rumor mill is already turning its attention to the 2020 iPhone.
In his latest research note to investors, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims the 2020 iPhone will feature an all-new design — the first in three years.
The accusations Google recently made about iOS security flaws were greatly overstated, deliberately “stoking fear” in iPhone users, according to Apple. The iPhone maker points out that the issues were much more narrow than its rival indicated, and were online for only a brief time.
The item-tracking tags Apple is expected to unveil next week will have ultra-wideband radio technology, according to a reliable analyst. This will make them much more accurate than rival trackers like Tile that depend on Bluetooth to measure distance.
Separate groups of US state attorneys general are investigating Facebook and Google for antitrust violations. So far, there has been no word of AGs probing Apple.
However, that doesn’t mean the iPhone maker has escaped probes by other government bodies, both in the US and Europe.
The Department of Justice has ordered Apple and Google to turn over names, phone numbers and IP addresses for users of a gun scope app that allows gun owners to calibrate scopes and capture video.
Data privacy activists say the government’s ask would set a “dangerous precedent,” giving officials access to data on thousands of innocent people.
Apple made a big update to the design of the sensor array that powers the autonomous functions on its self-driving fleet of cars.
Some eagle-eyed observers in the Cupertino area spotted the new array a couple of times over the last month or so. Instead of having LiDAR and camera sensors mounted on a rack around the car, Apple’s gearheads created a system that’s entirely enclosed. And it looks like they’ve ditched LiDAR in the process.
Watch Apple’s whip drive down the streets of Cupertino.
The ability to have back-and-forth conversations about users’ health problems is one of several new abilities planned for Siri in “fall 2021,” a new report claims.
Based on leaked documents, The Guardian says that Apple is planning a host of new features for its AI assistant. These will include built-in machine translation and, intriguingly, support for a new, unspecified piece of Siri hardware.
When Apple introduced ARKit in 2017, the augmented reality platform was hailed as a game-changer. Two years later, Apple’s AR push looks ready to deliver the type of experience that gets CEO Tim Cook so excited he wants to scream.
Thanks to a trio of new augmented reality tools for iOS 13, and the very real possibility of an Apple AR headset on the horizon, 2019 promises to be the start of something truly special for Apple’s augmented reality efforts.
Your iPhone is a great camera trapped in the body of a smartphone.
Shuttercase restores the ergonomic sensibility of your ancient DSLR to the iPhone with a grip and mechanical shutter button for quicker, reactive shooting.
Life is good if you’re Apple’s biggest contract manufacturer! Foxconn, a.k.a. Hon Hai Precision Industry, has reported its highest-ever August sales in the company’s 45-year history.
Foxconn sales hit $12.76 billion for August. That’s up 0.2% from one month earlier. This is the sixth consecutive month in which Foxconn has registered month-on-month increases. While it can’t necessarily all be chalked up to Cupertino, Apple represents more than 40% of Foxconn’s total sales.
Huawei’s newest AirPods clones have beaten Apple to active noise cancellation (ANC).
The new feature is rumored to be on its way to next-generation AirPods in 2020. But if you can’t wait, the latest FreeBuds have you covered — and they beat AirPods in other areas, too.
Pokémon Go developer Niantic has coughed up $4 million to settle a class-action trespassing lawsuit.
The massive payout comes after Niantic was sued in 2016 for allegedly encouraging dangerous play and trespassing. But thanks to hefty legal fees, plaintiffs will receive just $1,000 each.
An Apple Store in San Mateo’s Hillsdale Shopping Center was targeted by a trio of thieves Thursday night. They escaped from the San Mateo robbery with 40 Apple products.
The San Mateo robbery was reported at 9.01pm Thursday. Cops arrived within two minutes, but the thieves had already escaped. A high-speed pursuit then took place. However, the thieves got away.
This week on The CultCast: A noted leaker says the September 10 Apple event will include a mythical “one more thing.” Plus: More leaks shine a light on next week’s iPhone announcements; a new turbocharged Apple TV is on the way; and Apple Watch will finally get a long-awaited feature.
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The iPhone XR remains a big hit for Apple — not only in the U.S. but around the world. The $749 handset easily outsold every other smartphone during the first half of 2019, according to new data.
With Apple’s next keynote event just days away, Apple has updated its Apple Events app for Apple TV. If you own an Apple TV and want to watch Tuesday’s event from the comfort of your couch, this is the app you need.
The September 10 “By innovation only” event kicks off at 10am Pacific/1pm Eastern. A new wallpaper hints at the event’s theme, which many are predicting refers to the new color options for the iPhone 11.
Apple Pay users flying Southwest Airlines can now use Apple’s mobile payments service for their travels. Customers can use Apple Pay to pay for tickets as well as ancillary services, such as meals, during flights.
“Providing modern digital payment solutions to our Customers is critical,” said Christopher Priebe of Southwest Airlines. “The launch of Apple Pay enhances our ability to sell flights, as well as ancillary products using one of the most widely-used digital wallets in North America.”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is reportedly going to produce and star in a show for Apple’s upcoming streaming video service.
Mr. Corman will be a drama centered on an elementary school teacher.
An original Apple-I unit recently sold for $471,000 but you can assemble your own replica for much, much less.
Steve Wozniak designed and hand-built the original back in 1976. Anyone who wants to assemble their own today can buy the parts and instructions from SmartyKit.
Apple launched a new web player for Apple Music today, allowing pretty much any PC, tablet or smartphone to access the music streaming service.
This is the new MicroLab from Arturia. It’s a USB MIDI keyboard you can hook up to your Mac, your iPad or your iPhone. It’s tiny — but how does it differ from the zillion other portable MIDI keyboards littering the pages of Amazon? Two ways.
One is that it has a bunch of clever design features that make it great for travel or small desktop setups. The other is that it has big, proper, velocity-sensitive keys, instead of the stupid junky keys on almost every similar MIDI keyboard.