Apple isn't giving up on the mid-2012 MacBook Air just yet. Image: Apple
Apple is expanding its pilot repair program for vintage Macs.
Both the 11- and 13-inch MacBook Air machines released in mid-2012 will remain eligible for service at Apple Stores worldwide until August 31, 2020. That’s despite them being added to Apple’s vintage and obsolete products list on August 31, 2018.
New startup shows the crossover of tech and Hollywood. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
A former Apple executive who left to join Netflix has launched a new startup, aimed at producing a searchable library of content which can be adapted for movies or TV.
George Berry worked at Apple for almost six years, first as its Senior Manager of Video Operations and then of Global Media Services. He then jumped ship to Netflix, before teaming up with producer Uri Singer to launch TaleFlick as its COO.
Apple's CEO just got even richer. Illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Tim Cook has been granted 560,000 restricted Apple stock options and, to celebrate the windfall, he’s cashed in $58 million.
As revealed in an SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) filing, Cook was awarded his stock options on Friday, valued at around $120 million. However, approximately half of these were withheld as the result of statutory tax withholdings on vested stock options.
This will make you the envy of Apple fans! Photo: 321dady/eBay
Apple may have sold well over a billion iPhones, but something in much, much more limited supply are the prototype models for Apple’s original 2007 handset. These never-commercially-available models were produced for internal use at Apple, back when the company was still honing the software and hardware for its now iconic device.
If you’re eager to have a piece of history in your possession, one of these rare prototypes just showed up for sale on eBay — although you’ll have to be willing to splash some serious cash to get it.
Always wanted a Tesla but don’t have a cool $50K sitting in the bank? Well, Elon Musk just released a new product to satiate your Tesla lust. It doesn’t have four wheels or an Insane Mode. But it will keep your iPhone powered up all day.
With Air Port 2 support added, the AirPort Express is your ticket to whole-house audio. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
It’s possible you have an old AirPort Express wireless router in a box somewhere. Dig it out and set it up, because it can now be used as part of an AirPlay 2 audio system.
Even though it’s been discontinued, Apple just issued a firmware update for the second-generation AirPort Express that adds AirPlay 2 support.
Apple's phone-only training covers the iOS and macOS versions of Photos. But a Today at Apple training session might be better. Photo: Apple
Apple is once again offering one-on-one tutorials on photo editing. Oddly though, these training sessions are given over the phone.
There are grounds to question the usefulness of a lesson in which neither the teacher nor the student can see what the other is doing. Perhaps an in-person Today at Apple group session would be a better option.
Mom, I swear I didn't use the internet. Photo: KGO San Francisco
Correction: This story has been updated to accurately explain how Airplane Mode works.
A family from San Jose, California, returned from an overseas trip with several memories. But the strongest may be the one that greeted them at home — an iPhone bill with more than $13,000 in data charges.
The Chung family prepared for their trip to Vietnam with a firm rule that the iPhones would be on Airplane Mode to avoid roaming and internet fees. So it appeared son Nicholas Chung was in trouble when the T-Mobile bill showed the sky-high data charges coming from his number over a 30-minute period.
Instagram is letting everyone apply for verified badges. Photo: Pixabay
Getting verified on Instagram just got a little bit easier. The social photo sharing app revealed today that it will now let users apply to get a little blue check by their profile so followers know if you are really a public figure, celebrity or global brand.
This Bose smartspeaker costs more than the HomePod, built not nearly as much as an upcoming Harman Kardon model. Photo: Bose
Apple’s HomePod smartspeaker has struggled at least partly because of its high price. Well, Bose doesn’t see a problem because it just unveiled an even pricier option. And Harman Kardon will bring out one twice as expensive.
The Bose smartspeaker uses Alexa, while Harman Kardon turned to Google Assistant. Both these voice control systems are widely regarded as a more capable than Apple’s Siri.
Oliur Rahman didn't have to say much to start the conversation on Twitter. Photo: Oliur Rahman/Twitter
Huawei can boast about surpassing Apple in worldwide smartphone sales. It just shouldn’t try to one-up the iPhone X on design and interface points.
The Chinese tech giant got a lesson in marketing, user experience and the power of the Apple brand community last week when a presentation showing the notch on the Huawei P20 next to the one on the iPhone X backfired.
The Steve Jobs Theater as it appears today. Photo: Apple
Apple is rightly proud of its Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus, and now it’s got the design patent to stop others copying it.
The attractive circular glass building gives way to a 1,000 underground auditorium — complete with hidden walls, high tech projection system, and leather chairs which set Apple back a reported $14,000 apiece.
Fight with the Enforcer in Battle Royale. Photo: Epic Games
Epic Games has given Fortnite players a number of new ways to get around in recent months, and its next update will provide another one. The new Shockwave grenade will let you blast into the action without taking fall damage.
Survival Straps’ paracord Apple Watch bands are a big hit with Watch Store customers. These custom-made bands are the real deal, made with military-grade materials and great craftsmanship — yet the unboxing experience isn’t what we expected.
I know what you’re thinking. Did I just pay $49.99 for my watch band to come in a plastic baggie? We thought the same thing, and you how Cult of Mac loves a good unboxing. While Survival Straps’ packaging is barebones, the contents speaks for itself and doesn’t disappoint. Let’s check it out.
The latest release also includes Chromecast support. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Apple Music is about to get a big upgrade on Android.
A beta version of its next major update reveals Android Auto support is on the way. A number of other new features will also be added to bring the Android version of the app in line with its counterpart on iOS.
This concept takes the Touch Bar to the next level. Photo: Apple
When Apple introduced the MacBook with Touch Bar a couple of years back, it got positive reviews — although it also seemed like a concept that Apple hadn’t pushed as far it would go.
That same criticism certainly can’t be leveled at a new concept video created by Turkish designer and Apple fan Furkan Kasap. Kasap has reimagined the MacBook keyboard as a full-on virtual keyboard built around a touch display. Check it out.
Get your Apple Watch for under $200. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
You can now sign into your Microsoft account using your Apple Watch.
Microsoft’s free Authenticator app, which brought password-free logins to iOS last year, has made the leap to watchOS. It’s in beta testing for now, but it’s easy to sign up for early access.
This is gonna be the big one, folks! Photo: Jonas Dähnert
Apple is expecting big things for its new iPhones — and we’re not just talking about the extra spacious screen size of Apple’s largest OLED handset.
According to a new report, Apple is planning to ship 70-75 million of its new handsets by the end of this year. If accurate, this would be the biggest iPhone launch since 2014’s iPhone 6 series.
Apple Music is undergoing a major transition right now. Photo: Apple
Brian Bumbery, a veteran PR strategist who worked closely with musical acts including Metallica, Green Day, Madonna and others, has joined Apple as director of Apple Music Publicity.
Google Duo was previously at its best on iPhone. Photo: Google
Google’s answer to FaceTime, an app called Duo, has officially landed on iPad. While iPad users could previously use the app, they had to make do with a scaled-up iPhone version. In its latest update, Google Duo is now optimized for Apple’s tablet.
There's growing evidence that 3D Touch will soon join the Dock connector and the headphone jack on Apple's scrap heap. Photo: Apple
Some people love it, others forget about it. But however you feel about 3D Touch, it appears increasingly unlikely that it will be part of any 2019 iPhone model.
That’s because another analyst said today that some of the 2018 models will have this user-interface trick, but they’ll be the last.
The wait for AirPods 2 could stretch out over a year. Photo: Ste Smith/ Cult of Mac
New iPhones and iPads are coming this fall, but some Apple products reportedly won’t be refreshed so soon. New versions of this company’s smartspeaker and wireless headphones might not be out until 2019.
And the wait for AirPods 2 could be much longer than many are hoping.
State representatives in Wisconsin are worried that Apple supplier Foxconn might be about to pull off “the mother of all bait and switches” with its proposed factory in the state.
Foxconn is allegedly scaling back its plans for the factory which could get $4 billion-worth of subsidies and infrastructure spending. Despite President Trump attending the groundbreaking ceremony this past June, construction still hasn’t begun and the plant could be much smaller than originally planned.
A tweaked image of the A11 suggests what the improved Apple 12 processor could look like. Photo: IFIXIT
The A11 Bionic chip from last year makes the iPhone X run faster than the new Samsung Galaxy Note 9. And now Apple is about to release the A12, a replacement with even quicker performance.
A switch to a better manufacturing process will bring some of those performance increases, while at the same time using less power. And other improvements are expected to further boost the speed.