News - page 674

2018 was a rollercoaster year for Apple — with incredible highs, massive dips, and probably an executive or two throwing up along the way.

Apple became the first $1 trillion public company in U.S. history, unleashed some amazing new products, and pulled in record amounts of cash. But it also faced lows, from the iPhone-throttling controversy to a tanking stock price at the end of the year.

One thing that can’t be said, however, is that this was an uneventful 12 months for Cupertino. Here’s a recap of some of the year’s most memorable Apple moments.

We know what you’re thinking, “Another Instagram giveaway already?!” The answer is, “Shh, yes we do love our readers and followers that much.”

In fact, we appreciate you all so much, this is round we’re giving away three extra special treats from Spigen, Silk, and Casemate with a total value of $80. Each iPhone XS Max case is both aesthetically and sturdily impressive.

Our Instagram giveaway only lasts this week from December 17, 2018 – December 24, 2018, so check out the details below ASAP.

Currently, there’s no officially sanctioned Apple way to play Apple Music in your web browser.

Enterprising software engineer Naveed Golafshani (a.k.a. Reddit user NaveedGol) has sprang to the rescue with a new — totally unofficial — web player at wwww.playapplemusic.com. It allows users to log in using Apple’s own authentication service, and then access their Apple Music libraries online.

The “notch” on Apple’s iPhone X, XS and XS Max devices is causing more problems — and this time could even land Apple in court.

A new lawsuit filed against Apple late last week alleges that Apple has lied about the display specifications in its newer iPhones. How? By including pixels and screen dimensions hidden beneath the notch and corners. As a result, Apple’s new iPhones don’t boast quite as much screen as they’re advertised as having.

Apple is offering a bunch of free audiobooks narrated by celebrities, including Kate Beckinsale and Kelsey Grammer.

The giveaway is an effort to promote Apple Books, which saw a big overhaul with iOS 12 — but audiobook fans will probably feel Apple could have done better.

Netflix was the biggest earner in non-game apps in the App Store this year. According to data from app analytics company Sensor Tower, the streaming-video powerhouse raked in a massive $790.2 million on iOS during 2018 — or, at least, through November 30.

Here are the other companies that carved out spaces in the top 10 non-game app list.

When Apple first introduced Face ID with the iPhone X, many were concerned that facial recognition would make it easier to hack into phones.

Fortunately, Apple’s approach to Face ID has largely allayed people’s fears. But just how secure is the facial recognition biometric technology adopted by Apple and its rivals? A Forbes reporter (and his 3D printed head model) recently demonstrated just how the iPhone stacks up against Android rivals.

This week we dim the lights (with HomeRun), fire up the music (with Djay 3.0) and settle in with a nice long read (Instapaper). Also, Nanostudio 2, which I couldn’t fit into that cozy scene, is awesome nonetheless.

The iPad Pro is pro enough for almost anything, but one thing it still can’t handle is making a Skype or FaceTime call and recording it at the same time. This is a total pain for podcasters who like to travel light. Luckily, there’s a neat workaround.

Find out how to podcast from the road in the latest free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Get it now on iTunes, or keep reading for the week’s best Apple news, reviews and how-tos.

If you’ve ever considered breaking into an Apple Store with a U-Haul truck, don’t bother: it won’t work.

A couple of guys tried it in Berkeley, California last night and got away with exactly no Apple merchandise.

Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have scored a new contract with Apple.

The iPhone-maker has reportedly struck a deal with DHX Media that will give Apple exclusive access to new Peanuts content, including TV shows and other original programming.

You lock your house, right? And your car? It’s equally important to lock your data with a secure password. But year after year people insist on using the same easily-guessed passcodes.

The list of “Worst Passwords of 2018” is out, and if your favorite is on there you really need to change it to something more secure.

Even amid the three-quarters of a million residents of Winnipeg, Canada, Rocky Bergen felt alone when it came to his love of vintage computers.

But thanks to his papercraft models of classic machines like the Apple II, Bergen has connected with folks in places as far away as Italy and Sweden.

Fortnite’s newest item, which has seen a lot of criticism since being added to Battle Royale this week, is getting a big nerf.

Developer Epic Games has confirmed it is taking away the ability to harvest resources and build structures while carrying the Infinity Blade. It promises to continue monitoring the Blade’s effectiveness after the changes and “make adjustments as necessary.”

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is one of the more reliable Apple watchers out there. And he doesn’t have good news for the company.

In his latest note to clients, Kuo slashes his estimate on the number of iPhones Apple is likely to sell in the coming months. Compared to the 50 million iPhones Apple sold in Q1 2018, Kuo thinks the company will sell just 38 to 42 million units.

Just a few years back, Japan Display was talking about building a $1.4 billion factory to create iPhone displays for Apple. Jump forward to 2018 and the company is having to reimagine its future for a world in which smartphone growth isn’t guaranteed.

According to a new report, Japan Display has responded by focusing on smart sensors. Compared to one year ago, the firm has shifted one-third of its research staff to sensor development. These would be focused on everything from sleep tracking to assorted healthcare applications.

This week on The CultCast: It’s all our favorite gadgets of 2018! Well, not all, but lots of them. We didn’t have time to get through them all but we tried real hard. Plus: Apple is finally gearing up to overhaul the AMD GPUs in the Mac lineup. And the legit way to purchase a base iMac Pro for just $3,900.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off your first hosting plan or domain.

One of Australia’s largest banks has said that it has listened to its customers and is about to start offering Apple Pay support. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (abbreviated to CommBank) doesn’t give an exact launch date, but a tweet suggests that it’s coming soon.

This is significant due to the fact that CommBank is part of Australia’s “Big Four” largest banks, which previously struggled to come to terms with Apple over mobile payments.

Apple is rushing to release an iOS update in China to resolve potential infringement of Qualcomm patents. The news follows a report stating that a Chinese sales ban of certain iPhone models would cost Apple millions of dollars a day.

“Early next week we will deliver a software update for iPhone users in China addressing the minor functionality of the two patents at issue in the case,” Apple said in a statement.

Tumblr’s exile from the iOS App Store is over, but the company behind it had to kick all forms of pornography off the platform to be allowed to return.

While that decision is controversial, it did mean that this blogging app can be again be downloaded to iPhone and iPad. 

The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) published a draft privacy bill this morning that proposes making it harder for companies to track people’s location or collect biometric information about them. 

Apple is a top donor to the CDT, and the company has taken a strong stance on protecting user’s privacy.

Buying for an Apple fan who already has the latest products and accessories doesn’t have to be difficult. There are a ton of great gifts out there, like beautiful books showcasing Apple design, cool cushions that carry familiar Apple logos and slogans, and more.

In this gift guide, we’ve hand-picked a bunch of awesome products that would make any Apple fan insanely happy this holiday season. They’re products we’ve used, reviewed, and would recommend ourselves — and there’s something to suit every budget.

Jennifer Garner and J.J. Abrams are finally getting back together to create an all-new TV show.

The duo rose to stardom in the early 2000s with Abram’s TV show Alias that starred Garner as a double agent for the Central Intelligence Agency. Now they’re set to make a TV show for Apple, only it won’t be quite as action-packed as their last endeavor together.

Urban Armor Gear created its new Metropolis case for people who take the  2018 iPad Pro to more than offices and coffee shops.

This rugged case protects the tablet from drops and impacts, plus it includes a stand and an Apple Pencil holder.

If you’re going to become the proud owner of a brand new Apple device over the holidays, it’s time to start thinking about what you should do with your old ones. Don’t let them sit around, collecting dust.

Your old iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac could be worth a small fortune — and Cult of Mac wants to buy it! We typically pay more than other trade-in services, and we won’t leave you waiting ages for your cash.