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News - page 624

Gmail app finally gets handy swipe actions on iOS

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Gmail swipe actions
It's as simple as a swipe.
Photo: Google

The official Gmail app for iOS finally boasts handy swipe gestures that make dealing with your email easier. You can swipe to snooze, mark as read, archive, and more. There’s also the ability to customize the actions if you don’t like the default setup.

Mac users in China can no longer use Taiwan flag emoji

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Taiwan
Not China's favorite emoji symbol.
Photo: Maya-Anaïs Yataghène/Flickr CC

As countries, it’s fair to say that China and Taiwan aren’t exactly BFFs. For evidence of this, look no further than the recently released macOS 10.14.4. Eagle-eyed users in China have noticed that their Mac devices can no longer display the Taiwan flag emoji.

The flag ban can’t even be circumvented by changing the region in your Mac’s System Preferences.

AirPods absolutely dominate the wireless headphones market

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AirPods wall display is on show in New York.
They may be small, but AirPods are a big hit.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

AirPods aren’t just a massive hit for Apple, they’re a giant in the overall “wireless hearables” market. According to new research from Counterpoint, AirPods made up a massive 60 percent of the overall market in Q4 2018.

It would have been even bigger, too, if customers hadn’t been waiting on Apple’s updated AirPods 2 at the time!

 TV+,  Card,  Arcade,  News+, we react to it all, on The CultCast

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CultCast 381 Lisa
Apple's got four new services for you to choose from.
Photo: @YSR50

This week on The CultCast:  News+,  TV+,  Arcade,  Card … we react to it all. We’ll fill in the details on Apple’s new services. And, just when you thought it was safe to type, Apple apologizes for yet more MacBook Air and MacBook Pro keyboard issues.

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..

Tim Cook is ready to testify in Qualcomm trial

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Tim Cook talks diversity, sustainability, and coming out as gay
We doubt that Tim Cook will look quite so happy on the day.
Safari: Apple

Tim Cook will offer testimony as part of Apple’s legal battle with Qualcomm. Cook will discuss Apple’s business practices, strategy, agreements with cellular network carriers, and more.

He’s not the only senior Apple executive ready to talk, either. Former hardware boss Bob Mansfield, current COO Jeff Williams, SVP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller and others will chime in as part of the case.

Leaked ‘iPhone 11’ schematics show a major camera upgrade

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iPhone 11 schematics
Is this our first proper look at the iPhone 11?
Photo: Weibo

Newly leaked schematics might provide our first look at Apple’s next-generation “iPhone 11.”

The technical drawing lends credence to rumors of a major camera upgrade for the upcoming device. However, if the iPhone 11 schematics prove legit, fans might not be happy with the placement of the smartphone’s camera lenses.

Get an autographed copy of new Tim Cook biography

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Tim Cook book
Buy an autographed copy of the new Tim Cook biography
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Here’s your chance to get a signed and personally-engraved copy of my new Tim Cook biography.

If you preorder a copy of Tim Cook: The Genius Who Took Apple to the Next Level, I’ll sign and inscribe the book for you.

App Store revenue could more than double by 2023

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Apple pays $467k for doing business with blacklisted app developer
The App Store continues to go from strength to strength.
Photo: App Store

Apple may be launching a plethora of new Services, but its established App Store business also continues to boom.

According to new figures released by analytics platform Sensor Tower, the App Store will more than double its revenue by 2023. That would mean bringing in a global revenue of $96 billion, a 104 percent increase over last year’s $47 billion.

Apple’s free iWork suite adds useful features

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iPad Pro, Apple Keynote, Apple Pencil
The Apple Pencil just got more useful for iWork users.
Photo: Apple

An update to Apple’s free iOS alternative to Powerpoint allows iPad users with an Apple Pencil to easily draw an animation path for any object in Keynote.

At the same time, quite a few features were added to this software and the other iWork applications, Pages and Numbers.

The Elder Scrolls: Blades slashes into public beta testing

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The Elder Scrolls: Blades promises top-tier gaming on iOS.
The Elder Scrolls: Blades promises top-tier gaming on iOS.
Photo: Bethesda Softworks

Everyone who signed up for early access to the hotly-anticipated iOS game The Elder Scrolls: Blades should start compulsively checking their email for an invitation: the company started a public beta test.

Bethesda Softworks’ free-to-play RPG set in the Elder Scrolls universe promises console-quality graphics on an iPhone or iPad.

Microsoft puts a stop to April Fools’ Day pranks

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MS-DOS mobile
A previous Microsoft prank resurrected MS-DOS on mobile.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft has banned employees from participating in April Fools’ Day pranks.

The stunts “have limited positive impact and can actually result in unwanted news cycles,” an internal memo explains. This comes just days after Microsoft resurrected Clippy, the famous Office assistant, only to remove it a day later.

iOS 12.3 beta 1 arrives with new TV app [Updated]

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iOS 12 features
There's a new iOS beta out for iPhone and iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple has one more major update for iOS 12 before it unveils iOS 13 at WWDC 2019.

Developers just received the first beta build of iOS 12.3 this morning, bringing a bunch of new features and bug fixes to iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. There is also a new beta for tvOS 12.3 available.

UPDATE: The public beta is out now too.

Warren Buffett is skeptical of Apple’s entertainment play

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Buffett
Warren Buffet is Apple's biggest investor.
Photo: CNBC

Mega-investor Warren Buffett doesn’t sound too confident in Apple’s ability to dominate the entertainment industry.

The Oracle of Omaha said in a recent interview that there are so many big players trying to grab eyeballs in the streaming industry that he wouldn’t want to play that game himself. Even though he’s not gung ho on Apple’s TV service, he also doesn’t sound worried if Apple doesn’t knock it out of the park.

Apple gets top marks for workplace equality

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Apple continued a long string of high scores on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.
Apple continued a long string of high scores on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.
Photo: Human Rights Campaign

Apple received the highest possible score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2019 Corporate Equality Index. This means it took steps to provide greater equity for LGBTQ workers and their families.

It’s one of 571 businesses earning the CEI’s top score of 100, meeting new and higher benchmarks.

Apple video beards the hairy issue of web privacy

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The Safari web browser won’t let sites track you
The Safari web browser won’t let sites track you, whether you’re a man or a boy.
Photo: Apple

Apple is again using humor to get across a serious message. Its latest video has a young man using his iPhone to answer a personal question, and assures him that he isn’t being tracked while he’s doing so.

Watch it now:

Apple may be softening its stance on repair laws

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Right to Repair
This shouldn't hurt.
Photo: iFixit

Apple has been publicly opposed to a rapidly growing movement known as “Right to Repair”

But internally, the tech giant is slowly loosening its grip on parts for repair as 20 states consider legislation that would make it easier for consumers to repair their electronic devices, such as iPhones and MacBook computers.

Killer underwater photos could be iPhone’s next big camera upgrade

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underwater iPhone photography
Future iPhones could encourage users to dive into underwater photography.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

The iPhone makes a pretty nice picture underwater. Whether it’s with a 6s in a waterproof case or the latest submersible iPhone XS, you can record an image that rivals any picture produced with a dedicated underwater camera.

But only in a limited range of conditions and with a little luck.

Now, Apple believes it can improve future iPhone cameras to automatically sense when a picture is being made underwater and adjust according to light, depth and the degree of murkiness.

Xiaomi puts a different spin on folding phones

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Xiaomi
This might be the best looking folding phone yet.
Photo: Xiaomi

Xiaomi is the latest smartphone maker to tease its upcoming folding smartphone with a short new video that shows its double folding display in action.

While Samsung’s Galaxy Fold and Huawei’s Mate X each have one folding section, the Xiaomi’s Mi Fold goes from tablet to phone mode by folding down two sides of the screen. This leaves you with a nearly edgeless phone display that’s a bit wider.

Watch it in action:

Washington Nationals fans can use Apple Pay to purchase snacks

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MLB
They can also order more substantial food from their seats.
Photo: Andrei Niemimäki/Flickr CC

For whatever reason, the worlds of pro baseball and Apple Pay seem to go hand in hand. First it was just using the iPhone’s NFC scanning tech for ticketing.

Now, fans attending Washington Nationals baseball games in the 2019 season can enjoy another perk. By using Apple Pay contactless payments, they can pay for food using a roving payments terminal operated by concessions hawkers. Along with paying for snacks, they can also use an app to place orders for more substantial hot food from their seats.

Apple takes on Lighthouse team after acquiring security patents

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Lighthouse
Is Apple planning to make cameras of its own?
Photo: Lighthouse

Around 20 members of the Lighthouse team are now working at Apple, according to a new report.

The hires, which include two company co-founders, come after Apple acquired a bunch of Lighthouse’s home security patents earlier this month. An email sent to customers this week requested permission to transfer security camera data with Apple.

Activating your Apple Card will be insanely simple

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Apple Card activation 2
Apple Card is going to be a beautifully simple user experience.
Photo: 9to5Mac

One thing I’ve long loved about Apple products is how easy they are to setup. There’s no scouring incomprehensible user manuals. Simply turn a new device on and you’ll be using it within minutes.

That same philosophy sounds like it’ll be carried over to Apple Card, the company’s first (well, second) ever credit card.

Apple News+ accused of violating App Store guidelines

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Apple News+ trial
Some aren't happy with Apple's tactics.
Photo: Apple

Apple has been accused of violating its own App Store guidelines within the new Apple News app.

The Apple News+ signup page is missing a number of important elements that would lead the app to be rejected if it was made by a third-party developer. A former Apple developer says he is surprised the company hasn’t been hit with an “an extremely public lawsuit” for its double standards.

Promo video showcases Apple Card’s gorgeous design

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Apple Card
The Apple Card is a thing of beauty.
Photo: Apple

Against all odds, Apple Card was the most exciting thing coming out of Monday’s keynote event. The credit card itself won’t be available until later in the year. However, in the meantime an Apple promo video lets us salivate at the prospect of the gorgeous titanium wallet pleaser.

Check out the newly uploaded video, originally shown off during Monday’s “Show Time” event, below.

How Steve Jobs gaslighted journalist about Apple’s TV ambitions

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Why Salesforce chief gave up AppStore.com for Apple
Did Jobs second guess himself on Apple's TV potential?
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

Apple has been working towards its TV ambitions for more than a decade now, ever since it launched the original Apple TV in 2007. However, a new anecdote from technology journalist Nick Bilton makes clear just how unsure the company has been in the past about its goals with television.

Bilton recalls a meeting with Steve Jobs in 2010. During the encounter, Jobs backtracked on his previous claim that TV was going to be a core business for Apple. Things have certainly changed!