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Rally or not? Apple stock is at a ‘key technical juncture’

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AAPL stock
Should you be excited about Apple stock? This chart could tell you.
Image: CNBC

Apple shares increased 2% on Monday, buoyed by the news that the burgeoning trade war between China and the U.S. could be over.

In all, AAPL is up almost 30% for the year. But according to an equity strategist, what happens next could be crucially important. It’s either very good news for Apple, or very bad.

Confirmed: Samsung’s new iPhone XS Max rival will arrive on August 7

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Galaxy-Note-10-Unpacked
You’ll be able to watch the event online.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung today issued invites for a big Galaxy Unpacked event on August 7. The South Korean company is expected to unveil its newest rival to the iPhone XS Max — the much-anticipated Galaxy Note 10.

We recently got a glimpse at leaked photos of the device, which will offer a giant edge-to-edge display with a tiny camera cutout.

You can now enjoy Spotify Stations on the road with CarPlay

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CaPlay 1
Spotify Stations is like your own personal radio station.
Image: Spotify

Spotify has updated its Spotify Stations app with support for CarPlay. The app is intended to provide a radio station-like experience, which customizes itself to your tastes.

With its latest update, you no longer need to use your iPhone to access the app. If you’re a CarPlay user, you can do it right from your dash.

Apple has a surprising plan to save iPhone in China

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The 2018 iPhone models aren't going to have an in-display Touch ID fingerprint scanner.
Touch ID could be back, but not as you know it.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple could have a surprising trick up its sleeve to save the iPhone in China.

New reports claim the company is working on a smartphone exclusively for the Chinese market. The device is expected to be significantly more affordable and will include an under-display fingerprint scanner in place of Face ID.

Apple still struggling to make a sound in Europe’s smart speaker market

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Apple debuts HomePod in India at its cheapest price yet
Google and Amazon continue to lead.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

There’s a new challenger to the smart speaker throne — and, no, it’s not Apple’s HomePod.

According to the latest data from IDC, in Europe Google has overtaken Amazon as the market leader in smart speakers. Google Home devices accounted for 45.1% of shipped smart speakers in the region in Q1. That beats Amazon’s 41.8%. Apple’s HomePod doesn’t even even get a mention.

Tim Cook slams alleged rift with Jony Ive as ‘absurd’

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2018 interview with Tim Cook suggests Apple was working on iCloud backup encryption
Cook says the projects the design team is working on will blow you away.
Photo: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook is firing back on a report that surfaced over the weekend claiming design boss Jony Ive drifted away from the company.

Ive allegedly stopped coming into Apple HQ as frequently once the first Apple Watch launched, according to the Wall Street Journal‘s report. The newspaper also claimed Tim Cook’s inattentiveness to the design team caused the two sides to grow apart. Responding to an NBC reporter via email, Tim Cook said the story is “absurd.”

Unique iPhone battery case charges AirPods, too

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Power1 iPhone battery case also stores and charges AirPods
The Power1 is an iPhone battery case and AirPods charging case in one.
Photo: Power1

People who carry their iPhone and AirPods everywhere might really use the Power1. Not only does this battery case charge the handset, it includes a built-in AirPods charging case.

It’s just been fully funded on Kickstarter, but there are still pre-release specials available.

AirPods top Galaxy Buds in new water test

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Galaxy buds
The Galaxy Buds are bulkier than AirPods but not as durable.
Photo: Samsung

Apple’s wireless earbuds face some new competition from Samsung’s cheaper Galaxy Buds, but a new water-damage test shows the cheaper price tag comes at a cost.

Neither AirPods or Galaxy Buds boast waterproofing but do have some water resistance. The folks at CNET pitted the two earbuds against each other in a new real-world test along with the new Powerbeats Pro and the results were pretty bad for Samsung lovers.

macOS Catalina revives Expansion Slot Utility app for new Mac Pro

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Expansion-Slot-Utility-Catalina
Expansion Slot Utility reborn in macOS Catalina.
Photo: Steve Moser

Apple’s latest macOS Catalina beta revives the long-lost Expansion Slot Utility app for the new Mac Pro.

Now updated to version 2.0, the app helps users configure things like video cards, audio adapters, and more. It went away for a while after the introduction of the 2013 Mac Pro — but it will be called into action again when the 2019 Mac Pro makes its debut.

Samsung CEO calls Galaxy Fold ‘embarrassing’

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Apple invents a unique, no-crease folding iPhone screen
Apple invents a unique, no-crease folding iPhone screen
Photo: Samsung

The CEO of Samsung Electronics personally took responsibility for the Galaxy Fold debacle. However, he promises his company is fixing the problems that delayed the launch of its first folding-screen handset, and still intends to release it.

AudioKit’s retro ’80s synthesizer now works inside your favorite music app

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Even the promo pictures are pretty 1980s.
Even the promo pictures look pretty '80s.
Photo: AudioKit

Here’s some pretty big news for iOS musicians: AudioKit’s Digital D1 synth is now an Audio Unit. What? That means that, instead of running as a standalone app, you can now run it as a plugin inside your music app of choice. It also means you can run more than one copy, putting one instance on each track of GarageBand, for instance.

And what makes D1 more interesting than other synths for iOS? A few things. One, it’s open source and built by volunteers. Another is that it looks and sounds amazing. And finally, it’s totally ’80s, giving you the synth sounds of pop music’s best decade. Radical.

’CrescentCore’ malware attacks your Mac, evades antivirus tools

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CrescentCore-Flash-update
Don’t install Flash Player. Not even the real one.
Photo: Intego

Security researches have discovered new malware that targets macOS users and evades popular antivirus tools.

“CrescentCore” is distributed as a DMG package that’s disguised as Adobe Flash Player. It can now be found on multiple websites — one of which is “a high-ranking Google search result,” according to Intego.

WWII-era dispute could ensnarl release of 2019 iPhones

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iPhone 11 rumor from Olixar
Apple could feel the fallout from a dispute between Japan and South Korea.
Photo: Olixar

Another dispute between countries looms over Apple, but this one dates back to World War II and could cause the tech giant heartburn as it readies the lineup of 2019 iPhones.

Japan will tighten export restrictions on South Korea for materials used to make smartphone chips and displays beginning Thursday. Japan imposed the rule after a court in South Korea ordered Japan’s Nippon Steel to compensate South Koreans for wartime forced labor.

Legrand’s new HomeKit light switches require no hub

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Legrand Home Smart Lighting for Apple HomeKit
Legrand’s latest dimmable light switches and wall plugs are all HomeKit compatible.
Photo: Legrand

The just-released Legrand Home Smart Lighting for Apple HomeKit collection includes 3-way and dimmable wall switches, as well as plug-in wall sockets that are also either on/off or dimmable. Any of these can be controlled via an iPhone, HomePod, etc. with no pesky hub required for in-home use.

Build the skyscraper of your dreams in Lego Tower for iOS

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Lego-Tower-iOS
Start playing Lego Tower today!
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Lego Tower, the newest game from Tiny Tower developer NimbleBit, has landed on iOS.

The free-to-play title lets you build a Lego skyscraper world, with apartments, hospitals, stores, and more. The higher you build, the more options you have — and you’ll collect a bunch of awesome Lego toys along the way.

iOS 13 beta and HomePod lets you ask Siri to play radio

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iPhone FM radio chips
"Hey Siri, play BBC Radio One."
Photo: Alan Levine/Flickr CC

The ability to use Siri to listen to live radio stations is up and running for HomePod users, along with people running the latest iOS 13 beta.

Apple announced the feature at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, boasting support for iHeartRadio, TuneIn and Radio.com streaming radio. That means users can access more than 100,000 different stations using Apple’s AI assistant.

Google starts testing AirDrop clone for Android Q

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AirDrop
‘Fast Share’ will roll out later this year.
Photo: Apple

Google is working to deliver an AirDrop clone that will allow Android users to quickly share files with nearby devices.

Its new “Fast Share” feature, which will also make its way to Chrome OS, can be used to send images, videos, links, and other files without an internet connection. It can already be enabled on some Android Q devices.

Apple could be the victor of successful G20 trade talks

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Activist shareholders push Apple on why it booted Hong Kong protest app
Could the trade war with China be over?
Photo: Fredrik Rubensson/Flickr CC

Apple is the big winner of global trade talks at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

That’s according to Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives. Ives notes that Apple has become the “poster child” for the U.S. vs. China trade war. As a result, the news that trade talks will resume between President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping is a winner for Apple.