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Apple’s self-driving car fleet gets downsized

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Project Titan
Apple is invested heavily in self-driving tech.
Photo: Idiggapple/Twitter

Apple’s fleet of self-driving cars has gotten smaller for the first time since the project’s inception.

In a recent filing with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Apple revealed that both its number of cars and drivers permitted to test them have decreased since that company’s last report at the end of 2018.

Surfer finds Apple Watch lost at sea for 6 months – and it still works!

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Apple Watch lost at sea found
Robert Bainter lost his watch in the Pacific Ocean. It returned to his wrist six months later.
Screenshot: KTLA 5 TV

Forget the needle in the haystack. The odds of finding an Apple Watch lost to the Pacific Ocean are much worse.

But a body surfer from Huntington Beach, Calif. got lucky and was reunited with his Apple Watch six months after losing it to a big wave.

And it still works.

iPhone XR completely dominates Apple’s US sales

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Long-term iPhone XR demand could eventually lead to greater sales than the iPhone XS.
Sales of the iPhone XS and XS Max are dwarfed by the success of the iPhone XR.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR accounted for 38 percent of all Apple’s US handset sales during the first three months of this this year, according to a market research company.

Combined with the iPhone XS and XS Max, these 2018 models totaled 59 percent of all iOS handset sales in the US last quarter.

Why adding mouse support to iPad is a touch of genius [Opinion]

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IPad mouse
Confused? You will be.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

A recent rumor says the iPad Pro will soon be compatible with USB-C mice. The idea is that you can just plug one in, and — perhaps by enabling an option in the Accessibility settings — use a mouse just like you would use a mouse on the Mac.

But what would such a feature look like? And would it actually be useful, or would it just be confusing? Let’s think about that.

Samsung wants to make iPhone, iPad and Mac processors

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Samsung
Samsung wants to make iPhone processors again. And maybe even Mac ones, too.
Photo: Jim Merithew / Cult of Mac

Samsung is investing billions in its chip business to better compete with Intel, Qualcomm and TSMC. The Korean company wants to make CPUs for a broad array of computers. This raises the odds that Samsung could begin making iPhone and iPad processors again.

And maybe even future Mac desktops and MacBooks could be powered by Samsung chips.

Jony Ive: I feel like I’m living two years in the future

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Jony Ive CultCast
It's like Back to the Future, but with more aluminum.
Photo: BBC

Because his job involves dreaming up Apple’s next products, Jony Ive says he feels like he’s constantly living “two years in the future.”

That’s one of the insights that emerges from a new interview with Ive and Kim Jones, creative director of Dior Men. While short on specifics about Apple’s future plans, it sheds light on Ive’s design process. It also reveals some of the challenges that accompany his role.

Foxconn wants to change the terms of its Wisconsin factory deal

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Foxconn Wisconsin
Foxconn previously agreed a massive deal to build a factory in Wisconsin.
Photo: Foxconn

Foxconn promises that it’s working hard to deliver the Wisconsin factory it received $4 billion in tax breaks for. However, behind-the-scenes dealings show that the company could be trying to renegotiate terms.

A letter from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers indicates that Foxconn proposed a change to the deal back in March. It is now planning to submit “the necessary documentation” to do so in the coming weeks.

Huawei’s 5G modems could be a good backup option for Apple

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Huawei launched the Balong 5000 5G modem in January.
Huawei's 5G modems may be as good as Qualcomm's.
Photo: Huawei

Having concluded its battle with Qualcomm, Apple will use the company’s modems for its eagerly anticipated 5G iPhone.

However, it seemingly has a strong backup option in the form of Huawei’s own 5G chip. The Chinese smartphone maker has previously said that it would happily do business with Apple. Now an independent analysis of its 5G tech shows that they are on par with other top-tier options.

Heads up: Bills for Apple News+ trial subscriptions going out soon

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Some publishers report that Apple News+ isn't a 'huge boon' for business
Apple News+ is about to send out its first monthly bills. It’s time to decide how much you like access to 300 magazines and more.
Photo: Apple

Everyone who signed up for a free trial of Apple News+ right after it was unveiled is about to get charged for their first month. While there’s a lot to like in this digital magazine/newspaper subscription service, anyone who’s not interested should get out before they get their first bill.

Fortunately, iOS makes this a snap.

Third-gen AirPods may be on the way before end of 2019

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AirPods wall display is on show in New York.
What are your hopes for the next AirPods?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

We may only just be getting used to our second-gen AirPods, but Apple is reportedly gearing up to release its third generation AirPods.

According to a new report, the AirPods 3 headphones will go on sale by the end of 2019. The main selling point of the new AirPods will be their smart noise-cancelling tech.

Apple Pay goes live in Austria

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple Pay has arrived in a new market.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Pay has launched in Austria, representing the 35th market for Apple’s mobile payment platform.

The service is supported for Maestro, MasterCard and Visa cards provided by the Erste Bank, Sparkasse, and N26 banks. Other Austrian Apple Pay partners are supposedly “coming soon.” These will include the likes of Bank Austria, VIMPay, Revolut, Boon and Edenred.

iOS 12.3 beta 3 is now available to developers and the public [Updated]

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The Apple TV app gets a raft of new features in iOS 12.3.
The Apple TV app gets a raft of new features in iOS 12.3.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple is back with a brand new batch of beta software for developers, including the third beta of iOS 12.3.

Update: The public can now also install the latest iOS beta on their iPhone or iPad.

The iOS 12.3 beta arrives two weeks after the last version came out, bringing with it new features to the Apple TV app along with plenty of bug fixes. There are also new beta builds for macOS 10.14.5, tvOS 12.3 and watchOS 5.2.1.

Steve Jobs sculpture will make you think twice about tech

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Steve Jobs Sebastian Errazuriz
Steve Jobs, The Prophet.
Photo: Sebastian Errazuriz

Few modern-day figures inspire art like Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. His face has been painted on canvas, tattooed on forearms, vilified on the silver screen and deified in sculpture.

Now, Jobs is the first figure in an exhibit in New York next month featuring busts and full-body statues of Silicon Valley titans by Chilean artist Sebastian Errazuriz.

Apple launches YouTube channel all about TV and movies

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Apple TV
Apple’s new YouTube channel is a bit odd.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple is gearing up for the launch of its Apple TV+ streaming service this fall with the creation of a new YouTube channel dedicated to movie and TV shows.

The channel serves up teasers, clips, behind the scenes looks, interviews and more about upcoming shows. While Apple’s lineup of original TV shows are still in development, Apple is focusing on other shows, like Game of Thrones which is in the middle of its final season.

Apple sets 24-hour turnaround time for MacBook keyboard repairs

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Taking it out on your problematic MacBook butterfly keyboard will only make things worse.
Don’t get mad if your MacBook keyboard develops problems, get it fixed. It’s free and now it’s quick.
Photo illustration: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple has ordered that sticky MacBook keys be repaired fast enough that, whenever possible, the owner can get their computer back the next day.

The company says only a small number of its laptops develop keyboard problems, but clearly it’s feeling the heat from irate customers.

Tiny attachment gives iPhone better ECG than Apple Watch

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KardiaMobile lets an iPhone detect three types of heart problems.
KardiaMobile lets an iPhone detect three types of heart problems.
Photo: AliveCor

AliveCor‘s KardiaMobile has been cleared by the FDA to detect the three most common heart arrhythmias. It’s the only personal ECG cleared to do so.

That puts this pocket-size phone accessory well ahead of the Apple Watch, which can only detect one type of heart problem.

Powerbeats Pro will only be available in black at launch

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Powerbeats Pro
When will yours turn up?
Photo: Beats

Beats fans that are hoping to scoop up the colorful new Powerbeats Pro might be a bit disappointed with the color options when units arrive in stores in May.

Apple revealed the Powerbeats Pro wireless earbuds earlier this month with black, ivory, moss and navy color options. The ivory ones look especially sleek, but it appears that only the black ones will be available at launch.

Tim Cook warns government can’t save us from climate change

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Tim Cook and Co. bring the hardware heat at The Brooklyn Academy of Music during the
Businesses need to step up to help fight climate change, per Tim Cook.
Photo: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook made an appearance at the TIME 100 Summit in New York City today where he spoke about leadership and innovation.

Cook sat down with Time managing editor Nancy Gibbs who asked about everything from education to privacy policy. Of course, politics came up as well. While Cook refrained from talking about his conversations with Donald Trump, he did warn the crowd that some issues like global warming are too big for us to rely on the government to fix.

Pad & Quill’s Oxford iPad Sleeve swallows a 2018 iPad Pro and Magic keyboard

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The Oxford Sleeve is like a tiny mobile office. An office made out of leather.
The Oxford Sleeve is like a tiny mobile office. An office made out of leather.
Photo: Pad & Quill

Pad & Quill’s leather Oxford iPad Sleeve is an utter bargain at its sale price of $119.95. I have owned a similar sleeve for years, one that was originally conceived to fit a MacBook, and it’s softer and more beautiful now than when I got it.

Will we be able to say the same for Apple’s $99 iPad Pro Smart Folio (for which I paid $135)? The answer is almost certainly “No.”

iPad Pro could work with USB-C mouse very soon

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Mighty Mouse
Who wouldn't want their iPad experience to be a bit Mightier?
Photo: Feureau/Wikipedia CC

Among its other new features, iOS 13 could bring USB-C mouse support to the iPad, a new report claims.

The rumor comes courtesy of MacStories editor Federico Viticci, who revealed it on the latest episode of his podcast. While he didn’t (unsurprisingly) single out names, he mentioned that he had heard it from a “couple of people.”

BeyoncĂ©’s Lemonade album finally lands on Apple Music

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Lemonade
The lauded album arrives on Apple Music three years after its release.
Photo: Columbia

Update: Beyoncé’s acclaimed Lemonade album finally arrived on Apple Music — three years after its debut.

Originally dropped on April 23, 2016, Lemonade is the singer’s sixth studio album and second “visual album.” It was accompanied by a 65-minute film. This marks the first time all of Bey’s back catalog is available for streaming on Apple Music.

Samsung recalls glitchy Galaxy Fold review units

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Galaxy Fold specs
The Fold isn't the precedent-setter Samsung may have hoped.
Photo: Samsung

Having pushed back the launch of its Galaxy Fold folding smartphone, Samsung is now supposedly retrieving all units it sent reviewers — without issuing replacements. While there’s disagreement on whether the original units were meant to be returned after 10 days, it seems things aren’t quite playing out as expected.

This comes after early reviewers noted that the $1,980 handset suffered some serious screen problems.

Apple expected to pass on some of its massive cash pile to investors

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Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
At least, according to Wells Fargo.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Analysts at Wells Fargo think that Apple’s going to start handing some of its massive cash pile to investors by increasing its dividend.

Ahead of Apple’s Q2 earnings later this month, Wells Fargo suggests that Apple will be looking to pass on some of the money that it’s accrued in the U.S. through repatriation. The firm also thinks that Apple is going to raise the number of shares that it buys back.