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News - page 627

App Store downloads fall, but revenues still rise

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Apple pays $467k for doing business with blacklisted app developer
Fewer iOS apps were downloaded from the App Store last quarter. But the money is still pouring in.
Photo: Apple

The number of downloads from Apple’s iOS App Store declined slightly last quarter, according to a report from market analysis firm Morgan Stanley.

However, revenue from iOS software is increasing, up 15 percent year-over-year.

UAG brings serious protection to new iPad Air and iPad mini

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UAG Metropolis for 10.5-inch iPad Air
The UAG Metropolis iPad case defends this tablet from drops, bumps and blows.
Photo: UAG

The Urban Armor Gear Metropolis is line of lightweight but protective folio cases for a range of Apple tablets. As of today, that includes the just-released iPad Air 3 and iPad mini 5.

These cases offer MIL-SPEC drop protection and can securely hold an Apple Pencil. They also function as stands, naturally.

Apple wants to add BO detection to iPhone and Apple Watch

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You Apple Watch can't assess the efficiency of your running style
Future Apple Watches might tell you when you stink.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Future iPhones and Apple Watches could pack “smell recognition capabilities,” based on some new patent filings submitted by Apple.

The iPhone-maker has been researching ways to detect air pollution and other dangerous chemicals with tiny sensors that could be integrated into its products. In the new patents, Apple describes how it could use multiple sensors to detect things like spoiled food, body odor and maybe even blood sugar levels.

Fake iPhone scam costs Apple nearly $900,000

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Can you identify the iPhone clone? (The fake is on the right.)
Can you identify the iPhone clone? (The fake is on the right.)
Photo: Gabe Trumbo/MyPhones Unlimited

Federal agents recently busted two college students who allegedly made nearly $1 million by returning fake iPhones to Apple.

Officials charged Quran Juan and Yangyangg Zhou, both Chinese nationals attending college in Oregon, with participating in a counterfeit iPhone scam. The duo reportedly submitted more than 2,000 iPhones to Apple claiming, the devices were broken and wouldn’t power on. The fake iPhones were only worth about $30, allowing the scammers to pocket nearly $600 for each successful return, authorities said.

Future iPhones could merge multiple selfies into a group shot

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Group selfies can be be awkward. Apple has a possible solution.
Group selfies can be be awkward. Apple has a possible solution.
Photo: 20th Century Fox

Crowding a group of people into a selfie can be challenging. Seems someone always ends up halfway out of the picture. Apple has a solution: it’s developing a way to automatically combine multiple images into a group selfie.

This could become a part of iOS 13 this fall, perhaps as a new feature in the iPhone XI.

Apple chip supplier will be maxed out by 2019 iPhone orders

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iPhone X Unleash ad
Apple will require a lot of chips for this year's iPhone refresh.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s primary chip supplier will see production capacity pushed to the limit by 2019 iPhone orders, according to a new report.

TSMC has been tasked with supplying next-generation 7-nanometer chips for this fall’s refresh. It is expected to start mass-production of what will likely be the A13 during the third quarter.

Luminar Flex adds plug-in power for photographers used to Adobe

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Luminar Flex
Luminar Flex won't disrupt your post-production workflow. It will make it shorter.
Photo: Skylum

Style and workflow get hardwired in the brains of photographers working with programs like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. New imaging software can be a hard sell.

Even if the positive reviews for Skylum’s all-in-one Luminar sparked curiosity, many shooters may not hit pause in their firmly entrenched post-production long enough to try it.

Today, Skylum rolled out Luminar Flex, a plug-in it says will add its AI-powered features to photographers used to working with the Adobe suite.

Apple Store barricade highlights Apple’s obsessive attention to detail

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Apple Store barricade 1
How do you get a perfectly smooth wall? It certainly takes a while.
Photo: Cabel/Twitter

Whether it’s ensuring that the back of the original Macintosh looked as good as the front or hand-painting the corners of every single iPhone box to make the color uniform, Apple has always sweated the little details.

The latest example of this kind of obsessive perfectionism? That Apple reportedly insists that the tiny screw divots in its temporary Apple Store barricades are covered up. Because Apple.

Monument Valley celebrates birthday with new update and videos

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Monument Valley
Monument Valley was a masterpiece of design.
Photo: ustwo/Cult of Mac

It’s one thing to be reminded that Apple turned 43 earlier this week. But it’s another when a major anniversary comes around for something which, seemingly, arrived just a couple of months back.

That’s how I feel about the fifth anniversary of ustwo’s Monument Valley. One of the most stunning iOS games yet created, the beautiful puzzle game landed in the App Store this month in 2014. To celebrate its birthday, its creators have given it a neat anniversary update. And thrown in a couple of videos for good measure.

WhatsApp Business for iOS rolls out worldwide

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WhatsApp Business
Find WhatsApp Business in the App Store now.
Photo: WhatsApp

WhatsApp Business for iOS has begun its worldwide rollout.

The new app, which lets businesses connect with their customers in an instant, made its debut on iOS last month — but only in a small number of countries. Now you can get your hands on it anywhere.

Apple slashes price of iPhone XR in India

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iPhone XR was India’s no. 1 ‘ultra premium’ smartphone in 2019
The iPhone XR is now (a bit) cheaper in India.
Photo: Apple

India is cutting the price of the iPhone XR by up to 22 percent in an attempt to boost sales.

Apple has long wanted to make meaningful inroads into India with its potential customer base of 1.3 billion people. However, this is the first time that it been willing to reduce the selling price of one of its latest iPhones in order to do so.

Apple co-founder Woz will talk tech’s future at free event

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Woz: I don’t think true self-driving cars will arrive in my lifetime
Steve Wozniak played a major role in Apple history.
Photo: Nichollas Harrison/Wikimedia Commons CC

Want to hear Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak talk about his career and the future of tech? As part of Purdue University’s Ideas Festival, Woz is headed to West Lafayette, Indiana, later this month.

Wozniak will join Purdue Engineering Dean Mung Chiang to discuss the early days of Apple, and Woz’s vision for the future of technology. The event is free to attend, but you’ll need to book tickets ahead of time.

Intel’s modem challenges may delay 5G iPhone until 2021

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2020 could be Apple's greatest year so far
Don't expect your super-speedy iPhone connectivity until 2021.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Update: In a statement, Intel says: “As we said in November 2018, Intel plans to support customer device launches in 2020 with its XMM 8160 5G multimode modem.”

Apple replaced Qualcomm with Intel when it comes to producing modem chips for iPhones. But now Intel is the subject of its own “increasingly stormy” relationship with Apple — and the immediate future of 5G iPhones is at stake.

According to a new report, Intel was supposed to be the main provider of 5G modem chips for Apple’s 2020 iPhone. However, it has continually missed deadlines along the way. As a result, users may not get the super-fast iPhone connectivity they’re hoping for until a bit later.

Alleged 2019 iPhone chassis makes room for 3 cameras

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2019 iPhone chassis leak
A third camera lens is looking increasingly likely for this year's iPhone.
Photo: Weibo

A smartphone chassis, allegedly destined for the 2019 iPhone, has leaked out on Chinese social media.

The metal plate seems to indicate Apple’s next-generation handset will have an additional rear-facing camera. And just as other rumors have hinted, they will be arranged in a strange triangular formation.

Apple names Adrian Perica as VP of Corporate Development

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Adrian Perica pic 1
Adrian Perica is an expert in mergers and acquisitions.
Photo: Apple

Apple has promoted Adrian Perica to the role of Vice President of Corporate Development. The company updated its Leadership webpage to highlight Perica in the new role.

He will now report directly to Tim Cook. In his new role, he will be responsible for Apple’s mergers, acquisitions and strategic investing efforts.

Google’s creepy Duplex callbot arrives on iPhone

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Google Duplex uses an AI to make very realistic phone calls on your behalf.
Google Duplex uses an AI to make very realistic phone calls on your behalf.
Photo: Google

People find Google Duplex both amazing and slightly creepy. And this service, which can make restaurant and hotel reservations via synthesized voice calls, is now available for iPhone or iPad.

Duplex can be unnerving because it works so hard at mimicking human voice habits.

iOS updates might drain your battery faster

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iOS 10 wins in a battery life comparison with iOS 11 and iOS 12.
iOS 10 wins in a battery life comparison with iOS 11 and iOS 12.
Photo: iAppleBytes

A side-by-side test of four iPhones running current and older iOS versions found that the more recent ones drain batteries more quickly.

This result is likely to feed the concerns of people who refuse to upgrade their iPhone’s operating system for fear that doing so will render the device useless.

Sketchy report claims Apple will resurrect iPhone SE this fall

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iPhone SE 2 with edge-to-edge display and notch
Is a dream iPhone SE upgrade on the way?
Photo: Olixar

Apple is preparing an entry-level “iPhone XE” that will be introduced this fall, according to a sketchy new report.

The device is claimed to be an iPhone SE successor with huge improvements, including an edge-to-edge display and Face ID. It could also pack Apple’s latest A12 Bionic processor.

Stark is a new kind of guitar amp for iPad

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Stark looks as good as it sounds.
Stark looks as good as it sounds.
Photo: Klevgrand

A new music app release from Klevgrand is always something to get excited about. And a new guitar amp simulation app? Almost as rare as an in-the-wild sighting of an AirPower mat. Combine both, at an introductory price of just $10, and you have a pretty special day. The app is called Stark, and it’s also the first Audio Unit amp sim for iOS.

Powerbeats Pro earbuds look like AirPods for athletes

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Powerbeats Pro
When will yours turn up?
Photo: Beats

The first truly wireless Beats earbuds have finally arrived.

Beats unveiled its new Powerbeats Pro earbuds today which are a successor to the Powerbeats 3 buds that feature an over-the-ear support system. The new Powerbeats Pro feature some of the same features you’ll find on the new AirPods, only in a sporty, sweat-resistant package with more color options and a larger price tag.

Check out the teaser:

Verizon 5G goes live in Chicago and Minneapolis

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5G
The Galaxy S10 5G is one of the only 5G-ready phones announced.
Photo: Samsung

Verizon’s rollout of 5G mobile data service is finally underway in the U.S. after nearly a year of hype about the technology.

Certain parts of Chicago and Minneapolis are the first two places Verizon customers will find 5G coverage, though it is fairly limited. At least 30 cities are expected to get Verizon 5G by the end of the year, but getting on the network isn’t so simple.

Here’s what you’ll find inside the new iPad Air

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iPad Air 3 teardown
The new iPad Air, torn apart.
Photo: iFixit

The new iPad Air has suffered a customary teardown after finding its way into the hands of iFixit.

As expected the device shares a lot in common with the 10.5-inch iPad Pro. But if you look closely, you’ll find Apple has made a whole bunch of big changes that make this more of a mid-range iPad than a smaller flagship.

Here’s what was found under its hood.