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Two months with iPad Pro and USB-C [Opinion]

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This is a great-looking hub, but it still has problems.
This is a great-looking hub, but it still has problems.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

In the nearly two months I’ve been using the new iPad Pro with USB-C hubs, I’ve found these accessories to be alternately miraculous and frustrating.

This isn’t a review, or a how-to. It’s just a look at what’s right — and what’s still very wrong — with USB-C and the 2018 iPad Pro.

Handy graphic shows every Apple product ever

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apple
How many of these Apple products have you owned?
Photo: Tucker Jaxson/Visually

 

Before Apple’s magical product pipeline pops out a plethora of new goodies this year,  it might be good to take a minute to appreciate the insane number of products the iPhone-maker has come out with over the last 42 years.

Keeping tabs on all the products Apple comes out within a single year is hard enough, but some ambitious person has created a detailed graphic that shows everything Apple has ever made.

Prepare to be overwhelmed by all the innovations:

Your new Apple Watch Series 4 deserves a serious leather strap

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Strapa
Strapa makes gorgeous leather Apple Watch Series 4 straps that combine craftsmanship with high-quality materials.
Photo: Strapa

So, someone who obviously likes you very much gifted you an Apple Watch Series 4 this holiday season. Now you’d like to add some personal style with an out-of-the-ordinary Apple Watch band. You should consider those made by Strapa, a company based in The Netherlands that produces some of the best leather Apple Watch bands we’ve seen.

Trust us, you’ll love these bands.

Samsung will make life even harder for iPhone on February 20

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Samsung Galaxy S10 teaser
You won’t be blown away by Galaxy S10 performance.
Photo: Samsung

Weakening demand for the iPhone could get worse next month when Samsung delivers its next-generation smartphone lineup.

The South Korean company has confirmed a Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday, February 20. Its teaser video all but confirms the Galaxy S10 will be the star of the show.

Slowing iPhone sales cause Apple suppliers to suffer

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iphone XS
It’s not just Apple that’s feeling the impact.
Photo: Apple

Slowing iPhone sales aren’t just bad news for Apple.

Foxconn, the company’s largest manufacturing partner, is also suffering as a result of weakening iPhone demand, with revenue for December falling 8.3 percent year-over-year.

It’s the first time Foxconn has experienced a drop in revenue in almost a year.

Welt smart belt is like an Apple Watch for your waist

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Welt2
This belt will monitor your increasingly girth.
Photo: Welt

CES 2019 bug Forget your wrist. The new location for wearable devices is clearly your waist, at least according to Korean wearables company Welt. At CES 2019, the startup unveiled its smart belt, which promises to track physical activity, measure your expanding waistline, and even perform Apple Watch-style fall detection.

The Welt smart belt does this using a bevy of sensors and a Bluetooth connection. The data gathered is sent to a connected mobile device such as an iPhone.

HSBC is worried about Apple’s future

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iPhone X-R-llent.
HSBC has previously said iPhone's days of massive growth are over.
Photo: Apple

Apple stock seems to have stabilized after its steep decline in recent weeks, but HSBC analysts seemingly don’t think the worst is over just yet.

Having previously said that meaningful iPhone growth is “broadly over,” analysts for the bank have now lowered their Apple price target for a second time.

Apple Maps gets turn-by-turn navigation in another key market

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Updated Apple Maps rolls out in Pacific Northwest and Midwest
Enjoy turn-by-turn navigation in India today.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Turn-by-turn navigation in Apple Maps has expanded its reach to one of Apple’s most important markets. Users in India can finally take advantage of the feature when driving or walking.

Apple has also added the ability to book a cab through Uber or Ola from within the Maps app.

Apple slashes prices on iPhones in China

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Hong Kong police arrest smugglers with $1 million of iPhones and other devices
Apple is offering biggest discount on the iPhone XR.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple has slashed the prices of certain iPhone models in China. Chinese iPhone vendors reportedly received the word from Apple that they can offer discounts on the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.

Of these, the biggest price reduction amounts to around $66 off the price off the iPhone XR. Other iPhones are receiving price cuts of around $59.

Apple and Qualcomm can’t agree on whether or not they’re talking

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Qualcomm headquarters
The battle goes on.
Photo: Qualcomm

Qualcomm has blasted comments made by Apple CEO Tim Cook as “misleading.”

During his recent CNBC interview, Cook said that there had been no recent settlement talks between Apple and Qualcomm. Qualcomm, meanwhile, insists that there have been. But Apple disagrees with Qualcomm’s disagreement. What was it that we said about this case having more twists than a pretzel?

Pioneer transforms your iPhone into an in-dash car display

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Pioneer
Have no in-car display in your vehicle? This will help.
Photo: Pioneer

CES 2019 bug While a growing number of cars come with iPad-style in-dash displays, there are plenty of older or cheaper models that don’t. To allow these customers to take advantage of Pioneer’s in-car infotainment system, it has launched its SPH-10BT Smart Sync in-dash receiver in the U.S.

The device allows you to dock your smartphone in a receiver. This then transforms your handset into a high-resolution, touchscreen LCD display for using Pioneer Smart Sync Driving features while you’re on the road.

Android phones start lying about offering 5G

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AT&T’s false 5G claim on an Android phone
There are three types of lies: lies, damned lies, and marketing.
Photo: AT&T

Some Android phones already claim they’re connected to a 5G network. This is the result of some fairly shady rebranding on the part of AT&T, which is pretending that improvements to its LTE network make it no longer 4G.

This is raising protests, especially from the other Big 4 wireless carriers.

Apple Watch ECG saves NH man from serious heart problem

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Apple health care
The electrocardiogram built into his Apple Watch 4 was the best gift a NH man received last year.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

A Christmas gift may have saved a New Hampshire man’s life. The ECG built into Barry Maden’s new Apple Watch 4 detected a heart problem.

A problem severe enough that the treatment included stopping his heart.

All you need to track any phone’s location is a small bribe

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Apple Maps reservation OpenTable
Your phone company constantly tracks your location, and that information is for sale.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

It’s not hard to get learn the location of almost any phone, according to a new report. All that’s required is some cash and the right contacts in a web of companies with access to the geolocation data collected by mobile phone companies.

iPhone XR already outsells iPhone XS, will soon pass XS Max

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Long-term iPhone XR demand could eventually lead to greater sales than the iPhone XS.
More people have an iPhone XR than an XS, and soon the XS Max.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR is Apple’s newest handset but more of its units are already in use than the iPhone XS which launched two months earlier. And the XR is on course to pass the XS Max in the near future.

That said, all three are still trailing the installed base of 2017 iOS models, especially the iPhone X.

Apple puts big Facebook critic in charge of privacy practices

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Apple
Apple is serious about keeping your personal data safe.
Photo: Apple

One of Facebook’s biggest critics is teaming up with Apple, which as it turns out, has also been one of Facebook’s biggest critics lately.

Former Facebook employee Sandy Parakilas has reportedly been hired by Apple. Instead of levying criticism at Facebook though, Parakilas has reportedly been hired to help Apple examine its own privacy policies.

Sonos will add Google Assistant to its speakers this year

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Sonos supports AirPlay2
Sonos speakers connect to over 80 streaming services.
Photo: Sonos

CES 2019 bug Sonos is about to add a new weapon to its smart speakers that will help make it even more competitive against Apple’s HomePod.

The company revealed today that it plans to bring Google Assistant to its smart speakers later this year. Beta testing for the new feature has already begun, allowing Google’s Siri-competitor to be the main voice input on some Sonos speaker models.

Grovemade’s sleek dock charges Apple Watch in style

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Apple Watch
Grovemade has a knack for making beautiful accessories.
Photo: Grovemade

CES 2019 bug Grovemade, makers of some of our favorite wooden accessories for Apple devices, have finally come out with a dock for Apple Watch. And per usual, it’s absolutely gorgeous and subtle at the same time.

Designed to be a dock that doesn’t stick out like an ugly gadget stand, the Grovemade Apple Watch Dock will enhance your desk space with its clean style and seamless functionality.

Take a closer look:

Elgato’s new Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock packs all the ports

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Elgato Thunderbolt Pro Dock
Bring ports back to your MacBook.
Photo: Elgato

CES 2019 bugIf you just upgraded to a new MacBook, you’re probably finding it hard to live without all your favorite ports. But if you pick up Elgato’s new Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock, you won’t have to.

The Pro Dock packs the most popular ports you’ll need — including Gigabit Ethernet, DisplayPort, and two card readers — eliminating the need for a bunch of different dongles.

These iPhone cases don’t make you choose between style and protection

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Altigo
Three layers of protection in five colors.
Photo: Altigo

Start-up companies often introduce themselves to the market with a single product. Accessories brand Altigo launched in November with a colorful line of sleek headphones and iPhone cases.

Now two months later at its first CES, Altigo debuts more mobile lifestyle accessories to its growing product line.

Fornite made almost half a billion on iOS alone in 2018

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Fortnite iOS 14
Everyone should welcome skill-based matchmaking.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Fortnite is like an unstoppable freight train that continues to plow through players’ wallets month after month. Despite controversial changes and additions to its insanely popular Battle Royale mode, it shows no signs of slowing down.

Even on mobile the game has been incredibly successful, with almost half a billion dollars made on iOS alone in 2018. A whopping $69 million of that was raked in during December, Fortnite’s best month so far on iOS, according to new data.

Apple rewards Korean cops who caught counterfeit accessories

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Lightning cables that plug into USB-C ports charge your iPhone more quickly.
Haul included counterfeit cables and earphones.
Photo: Apple

Apple is planning to present police officers in South Korea with a plaque to celebrate their work cracking down on almost $1 million worth of fake accessories.

The fake products were supposedly shipped in from China under the guise of being official Apple products. Their distributors are under investigation for potential fraud and trademark violation.

Samsung’s first foldable phone is coming early this year

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This early prototype Samsung foldable phone suggests how the Galaxy X might look.
The so-called Galaxy Flex be Samsung’s first foldable phone.
Screenshot: Samsung

CES 2019 bugIf you’ve been waiting to splash your cash on a foldable smartphone, you’ll be pleased to know that the wait for Samsung’s first is almost over.

The so-called Galaxy Flex will go on sale during the first quarter of this year. It will feature the Infinity Flex display that Samsung showcased at a recent developers conference, and it could cost as much as $2,550 in the U.S.

There are 5 different ways to open this secure smart lock

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Lockly 2
The most secure smart lock yet?
Photo: Lockly

CES 2019 bug In the same way that Apple has given us Face ID, Touch ID and good old-fashioned passcodes, so too does Lockly’s new Secure Pro smart lock offer a multitude of ways for users to unlock it.

In addition to a keypad, there’s also a fingerprint scanner, voice assistant integration, and connected mobile app. Oh, and a regular key, of course — just in case you’re one of those people.

Tim Cook got a big pay rise last year

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Tim Cook earnings apple
Tim Cook took home a tidy paycheck in 2018.
Illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook took home $15.7 million in compensation for his role as Apple CEO in fiscal 2018, a 22 percent raise on his earnings the previous year.

The figure is approximately 283x the median Apple employee’s pay, which stood at $55,426. That average is more than Amazon’s $30,000 median, but significantly lower than Facebook’s $240,430 and Alphabet’s $197,000.