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News - page 663

Apple accused of violating EU data privacy laws in new complaint

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Apple data privacy
Apple’s Data and Privacy website launched last year
Photo: Apple

Apple is named in a complaint filed by a data privacy watchdog group for failing to comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.

Austrian-based noyb said 10 users tested Apple, along with Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, by requesting private data that companies hold about users.

App Store made almost twice as much as Google Play in 2018

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App Store
Apple apps no longer dominate App Store search results.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The App Store raked in almost twice as much revenue as Google Play in 2018, despite significantly fewer downloads.

Google’s marketplace did enjoy a 27.3 percent rise in gross app revenue year-over-year — a larger rise than Apple’s — but iOS remains the most lucrative platform for developers by far.

2019 iPhone could bring big upgrades where it matters most

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A leaked render shows the trio of camera leases that might be a highlight of the 2019 iPhone.
Better cameras, batteries, and more.
Render: OnLeaks/Digit.in

This year’s iPhone refresh will bring big upgrades for some of the handset’s most important features, according to a new rumor.

One tipster claims that we can look forward to an even better camera with 3x optical zoom, a bigger battery, faster wireless charging, and a more responsive screen.

Apple explores handy gesture controls for iPhone, Apple Watch

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Apple Watch Series 4 Workout 3
Apple proposes a way for you to control your Apple Watch through wrist movements.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple is looking into making your iPhone smart enough to know you wanted to take a picture just because you aimed the camera at something.

And that’s not the only gesture it’s investigating. The company proposed a complex system to let users control their Apple Watch with wrist movements, with no need to touch the screen.

GoodNotes 5 improves the notes app in every way

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GoodNotes 5 finally gets app-wide handwriting search.
GoodNotes 5 finally gets app-wide handwriting search.
Photo: GoodNotes

GoodNotes is one of the most popular notes app on iOS, and the Mac. and with good reason. It combines a great PDF viewer with a free form notes app, and mixes the two together. This week, GoodNotes 5 launched, an entirely new app (with upgrade pricing for users of the old app) that blows out the dust, and the olde-timey app UI in favor of a clean and organized view.

Apple vies for J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot shingle

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Bad Robot
J.J. Abrams has studio pitches on his mind.
Photo: Joi/Wikimedia Commons

Apple looks like the competitive underdog in a field of entertainment’s heavy-hitters vying to be the new home for J.J. Abrams and his company, Bad Robot.

Abrams, the director of the last two Star Wars films, is set to part with Paramount, creating a bidding war among studios, including major players Disney, Universal and Warner Bros.

X-Men writer preps new sci-fi show for Apple TV

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Simon Kinberg both wrote and directed X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Simon Kinberg both wrote and directed X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Photo: Cult of Mac/20th Century Fox

Apple has reportedly approved a 10-episode sci-fi series co-created by Simon Kinberg, who has written many of the X-Men movies going back to 2006. This show will apparently be part of the streaming video service Apple is expected to launch this year.

Not much is known about Kinberg’s latest creation yet, though it’s scheduled to start filming this summer.

First HomeKit-enabled video doorbell gets launch date

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The industrial finish on the ProLine HomeKit video doorbell looks gorgeous.
The industrial finish on the ProLine video doorbell looks gorgeous.
Photo: Robin Telecom Development

The first HomeKit-compatible video doorbell finally has a launch date in the USA, giving iPhone lovers an alternative to Amazon’s Ring doorbell and Nest Cam from Google.

Robin Telecom Development — a tech hardware company from the Netherlands — revealed today that its ProLine Doorbell will launch in over 50 countries on January 31, but people in the USA and Canada will have to wait until February 28.

Teen golf phenom lands in rough over Apple Watch ad

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golfer Lucy Li
Lucy Li's appearance in an Apple Watch ad may force her to turn pro.
Screen shot: Apple/YouTube

A teen-aged golf prodigy could lose her amateur status after she appeared in a 15-second video for the Apple Watch.

Lucy Li, 16, is ranked ninth among the world’s women’s amateurs. The United States Golf Association could revoke her status as early as next week – even though, according to her mother, she received no compensation for appearing in the ad.

2019 iPhone XR might get a big cellular speed upgrade

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iPhone XR giveaway: Enter to win this gorgeous blue iPhone.
The 2019 iPhone XR might offer even better 4G performance than the original one.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

The next version of the iPhone XR could offer significantly faster cellular connections than the current one, according to industry analysts. That’s because the new model is supposedly getting 4×4 MIMO — the iPhone XS series are currently the only Apple devices with this speedy tech.

Stroke-detection could be Apple Watch’s next big thing

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Apple Watch Series 4 redesigned heart-rate monitor
The Apple Watch is a medical game changer.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The Apple Watch is already saving lives, but it could turn out to be even more of a powerful tool if the results of new research turns out positive.

For the study, Apple teamed up with pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson to establish whether the Apple Watch — in conjunction with a new app — could help diagnose one of the leading causes of strokes.

Apple could launch two new low-cost iPads in early 2019

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iPad
Expect to get updates on Apple's low-cost 2018 iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple may have only debuted its latest iPads at the end of 2018, but it is reportedly gearing up to launch at least two more in the first half of 2019.

According to a new report, Apple touchscreen suppliers are expecting new “entry-level” iPads, including a new iPad mini and an upgrade on last year’s cheaper 9.7-inch iPad.

FAANG stocks are bouncing back — except Apple

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apple earnings
"I think what Tessa’s saying is that you haven’t bounced back."
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

FAANG stocks suffered a massive dip before the holidays, wiping out $1 trillion in combined value. Now they’re bouncing back — with one notable Apple-shaped exception.

While Facebook, Google, Netflix and Amazon have all gained between 10.7 percent and a massive 50 percent since Christmas Eve, Apple is severely lagging. It’s up just 5.5 percent over the same period.

Most phone users comfortable with their screen time

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Gaming on iPhone XS
Most phone users have no problems how much they’re on it.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Only a small percentage of phone users expressed real concerns in a recent survey about how much time they spend on their device. And a large number of respondents were fine with it.

Still, a significant percentage of people use the tools offered by Apple and others to track their screen time.

Tim Cook takes aim at the ‘shadow economy’ of data brokers

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privacy policy
Apple has been a big advocate of user privacy.
Screenshot: Apple

Tim Cook has called for “comprehensive federal privacy legislation” in the U.S. that would fight the “shadow economy” of data brokers. Cook’s comments were made in an op-ed for Time Magazine, published today.

This is just the latest example of Cook calling out companies which make their money trading in user data, often gathered without the full understanding of users of a particular service.

$350,000 Swiss watch looks like an Apple Watch on standby

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Swiss Alp Watch Concept Black 1
This way, everyone will know how much you spent. Or perhaps not.
Photo: H Moser & Cie

Plenty of tech companies “borrow” from Apple’s designs when it comes to new products, but it’s relatively rare for other industries to play copycat.

A Swiss watch company, however, is making an exception to the rule. The Swiss Alp Watch Concept Black from H Moser & Cie offers a hands-free Swiss watch that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Apple Watch.

Here’s how much Apple spent keeping Tim Cook safe in 2018

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quotes on Apple
It's a lot of money -- but way less than some of Cook's contemporaries.
Photo: Apple

Apple spent $310,000 on Tim Cook’s personal security last year. That figure alone may be around 5x the median household income in the U.S., but it’s a bargain compared to the figures some tech companies spend keeping their executives safe!

Amazon and Oracle, for example, spent $1.6 million each protecting Jeff Bezos and Larry Ellison. Google, meanwhile, spent $600,000 looking after CEO Sundar Pichai. All of those pale in comparison to Facebook, however — whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s security detail cost a reported $10 million.

Apple plans to reduce hiring amid iPhone sales slump

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Apple leases new offices near to Apple Park
Apple leases new offices near to Apple Park
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

Slumping iPhone sales have caused Apple to rethink its hiring strategies for certain division.

During an employee meeting earlier this month, Tim Cook was asked if the company is about to go on a hiring freeze. Cook reportedly responded that a total hiring freeze wasn’t a solution, the company would reduce hiring in some areas.

2019 iPhone could retain Lightning port, gain hi-res selfie cam

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A major topic of debate about the iPhone XI is camera lens placement.
Allegedly, these 2019 iPhone rear cameras could be getting an upgrade.
Photo: OnLeaks/CompareRaja

One rumored change to the 2019 iPhone might not happen: a generally reliable source indicates that Apple’s next handset will hold onto its Lightning connector.

And the same source says the iPhone XI will have very high-resolution front- and rear-facing cameras.

New iPhone XS battery case works with iPhone X. Sort of.

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APple Smart Battery Case iPhone XR
You can use the new Apple Smart Battery Case with the iPhone X if you’re willing to put up with some hassle.
Photo: Apple

Apple clearly says its new battery cases aren’t compatible with the iPhone X but some users of that handset claim that they’ve gotten the two to work together.

The designs of new iPhone XS and older X are nearly identical and the 2017 model mostly fits in the Smart Battery Case. Nevertheless, the handset gets power only under some conditions.

Apple snags another TV insider

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Apple TV
The guy that created Parenthood is joining Apple's TV team.
Photo: NBC

Apple may have found the perfect TV executive to help it produce a bevy of squeaky-clean TV shows for its upcoming streaming service.

Jason Katims, who created Parenthood and produced Friday Night Lights inked a multi-year deal with Apple will have the award-winning TV veteran develop and produce a number of shows for Apple.

Meet Korg’s new hardware groovebooxes: Volca Drum and Volca Modular

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Who wouldn’t want to play with one of these little tykes?
Who wouldn’t want to play with one of these little tykes?
Photo: Korg

Hey, iOS musicians. Not just you, in fact: Hey anyone who likes fun! Meet Korg’s new music-making boxes, the Volca Drum and the Volca Modular. They’re new additions to the Volca family of paperback-size music machines that hook up together or work alone. And they work great with your iPad or Mac, if you like.

Apple may hit the brakes on autonomous vehicle program

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Project Titan
Apple’s test vehicles from its self-driving car project could be headed for the highway exit.
Photo: Idiggapple/Twitter

Apple’s self-driving car development could be headed for a cliff. Maybe. A questionable report from industry analysts says that there are layoffs in this division and the whole project might even be scrapped.

The cause is supposedly the slowdown in iPhone sales caused by the weakening Chinese economy. The reduction in revenue leaves less room for non-core programs.