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Parental control app OurPact makes App Store return

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OurPact
OurPact was booted from the App Store in February.
Photo: OurPact

Apple has restored a parental control app, called OurPact, to the App Store after originally removing it back in February.

The makers of the app had criticized Apple for getting rid of it, saying Apple was deleting services which competed with its own Screen Time offering.

1989 NeXT catalog is a stylish trip back in time

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NeXT
Can this really have been 30 years ago?
Photo: NeXT

Looking for a dose of Monday nostalgia? If so, then you might enjoy checking out the 1989 fall catalog for NeXT, the company started by Steve Jobs during his years outside Apple.

Loving scanned by amateur computer historian Kevin Savetz, it’s a fun look at computing 30 years ago.

Apple stops selling cheaper iPhones in India

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iPhone sales are showing signs of life in India
Apple is changing up its strategy in India.
Photo: Apple

Apple has stopped selling its cheaper iPhones in India, driving up the price of an “entry-level” iPhone in the process.

A new report notes that Apple has stopped selling the iPhone SE, iPhone 6, 6 Plus and 6s Plus. This is part of a change of strategy on Apple’s part.

Apple Watch saves life of man stuck ‘hundreds of feet from shore’

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Apple Watch Emergency SOS
The SOS Mode feature is a life-saver.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The Apple Watch’s amazing life-saving abilities continues. This time, the beneficiary is a Chicago-based Apple Watch owner who used the device’s SOS Mode after being knocked off his jet ski.

Phillip Esho was “hundreds of feet from shore” in Lake Michigan when he was hit with a big wave. Having lost his phone, and being knocked about, the Apple Watch came to his rescue.

New Macs smackdown! [Cult of Mac Magazine No. 305]

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New Macs smackdown in Cult of Mac Magazine No. 304
Get the latest on the new MacBook lineup.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple just radically simplified its laptop lineup, rolling out great updates to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (and killing two models). Now the big question is, which Apple laptop is right for you? Here’s our buyer’s guide to the new MacBooks.

Find out what makes these new machines so enticing and different in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Grab it for free from the iOS App Store to enjoy on your iPad. Or read the rest of the best Apple news, reviews and how-tos in your browser by clicking on the headlines below.

MLB stadium installs vending machines with portable iPhone chargers

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Hoplite Power portable charger on iPhone
Hoplite Power now has vending machines with portable phone chargers in Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.
Photo: Hoplite

You’re at Citi Field watching the New York Mets struggle. To make matters worse, you can’t distract yourself with your iPhone because the battery’s dead.

Fortunately, the Mets this season can solve one of those problems. Citi Field installed vending machines that dispense mobile phone chargers for a fee cheaper than a beer sold at the ballpark.

Want to keep playing Fortnite on mobile? Don’t install iOS 13

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Fortnite mobile controller
You can now play at 120Hz on iPad Pro.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If you want to continue to enjoy Fortnite on your iPhone and iPad, you should avoid upgrading to iOS 13 and iPadOS for now.

Epic Games has warned users that there are “stability concerns” with Apple’s latest betas. Installing them early could mean that you’re no longer able to play the its battle royale game.

Hulu 4K streaming comes back to Apple TV

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Apple TV Siri Remote
Hulu subscribers should seriously consider an Apple TV 4K.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The latest Apple TV is one of just two devices that can stream Hulu programming in 4K. Still, until recently there were none.

Watching Hulu shows in Ultra HD is a feature that was removed last year, but now it’s back for a very limited selection of shows and players, including one of Apple’s.

Sony’s new USB-C hub boasts world’s fastest SD card reader

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Sony MRW-S3 USB-C hub
This USB-C hub can pull data from an SD card faster than any other.
Photo: Sony

Taking aim at professional photographers, Sony Electronics unveiled a USB hub that includes readers for UHS-II SD and microSD cards. There are plenty of hubs that can access memory cards, but the MRW-S3 is faster than any of them.

Sony’s hub also has an HDMI port, plus high-speed USB-A and USB-C ports.

How to get free McDonald’s fries using your iPhone

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McDonald’s Fries
Mmmm, feeling hungry?
Photo: McDonald’s

Tomorrow is National French Fry Day and McDonald’s is celebrating by giving away these golden delicious treats every Friday for the rest of July. The fast-food chain has partnered with Apple Pay on this promotion so you’ll need to make the purchase with your iPhone.

Harry Potter actress joins new Apple comedy series

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Imelda Staunton
Imelda Staunton made our skin crawl as Dolores Umbridge.
Photo: Warner Bros.

Tim Cook’s home state might become the backdrop of one of Apple’s new TV shows for 2020. Or at least, it’s lending its name to it.

In its first comedy co-production with the BBC, Apple has tapped Imelda Staunton to star in a new eight-part series that will also feature Darren Boyd and Phil Davis called Alabama.

New MacBook Pro teardown reveals surprising internal tweaks

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2019-MacBook-Pro-13-teardown
Here’s what’s inside the new 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Photo: iFixit

iFixit just got its hands on Apple’s newest 13-inch MacBook Pro, which can only mean one thing: It’s time to take a look at what’s inside its svelte aluminum shell.

The new model ships with a Touch Bar, Touch ID, and the Apple T2 Security Chip as standard. It also boasts newer Intel chips that promise up to 83% faster multi-core performance.

But that’s not all you get for your money. There’s a bigger battery inside it, too — plus some other surprising tweaks. And not every change is a good one.

Amazon’s next Echo could challenge HomePod on audio quality

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Apple debuts HomePod in India at its cheapest price yet
An Amazon Echo for audiophiles? Yes please!
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Amazon’s Echo is annihilating Apple’s HomePod when it comes to smart speaker sales. But Jeff Bezos’ retail giant clearly knows a great idea when it sees one.

According to a new report, Amazon is developing a new Echo device that will measure up more favorably to Apple’s audiophile HomePod.

Struggling iPhone display-maker secures massive bailout

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Apple display maker exec fired for embezzling millions of dollars
Japan Display makes the LCD screens for the iPhone XR.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

Struggling Apple display-maker Japan Display has successfully secured bailout funding of 80 billion yen ($738 million).

The funding comes from Chinese investment firm Harvest Group and Hong Kong-based Oasis Management. It was previously reported that Apple would be part of this bailout package — to the tune of $100 million.

Big Mac updates! This week on The CultCast

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CultCast 396
It's a great time to buy a MacBook.

This week on The CultCast: Big Mac updates! Apple just refreshed the MacBook Air (and dropped the price), and supercharged the 13-inch MacBook Pro. Plus: A new report says Apple will finally update the butterfly keyboard with a design we were all hoping for. And we wrap with a true story that could save you thousands: How neglecting the batteries in your tech could cost you big-time

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain..

Tesla wants Apple’s help in solving IP theft

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Tesla
Tesla and Apple have something in common.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Tesla and Apple have previously engaged in a sort of cold war over next-gen car technologies. However, Elon Musk’s automotive company is now seeking help from Apple — to catch a suspected thief.

The issue involves a lawsuit put forward by Tesla against a former employee, who jumped ship to a Chinese rival while in possession of Tesla secrets. Apple has faced a similar problem in the past.

Apple Park is one of Earth’s most valuable buildings

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Apple leases new offices near to Apple Park
Want to buy Apple Park? It'll cost you in the vicinity of $4.17 billion.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

Apple Park is one of the most impressive corporate headquarters in the world — and that don’t come cheap.

In fact, it’s one of the most valuable buildings on Earth. A recent assessment for property tax by Santa Clara County lists Apple’s circular HQ at $3.6 billion. This is based on a detailed appraisal of the building. Including its contents, it’s valued at $4.17 billion.

India might steal iPhone production from China

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Long-term iPhone XR demand could eventually lead to greater sales than the iPhone XS.
Foxconn will make all three of these 2018 iPhone models in India for the first time.
Photo: Apple

Apple is reportedly significantly increasing iPhone production in India. Rather than just making low-end handsets, the latest top-tier models will be manufactured and sold there.

These will be less expensive than imported units and might improve Apple’s sales in this huge potential market.

Intel chip shortages put a crimp in Mac sales

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Intel Core processor
Not enough Intel Core processors is the reason Apple can’t meet demand for its computers.
Photo: Intel Corporation

Intel continues to struggle to provide enough processors to meet demand from PC makers, and one of the victims was Apple. This is likely the cause for a slight drop in Mac shipments during the second quarter of this year.