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Cult of Mac Magazine: What to expect from next week’s big Apple event, and more!

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cover
In this week's Cult of Mac Magazine: Cupertino is calling the faithful to "Gather Round" on Sept. 12 for the unveiling of the latest, greatest iPhones and other new Apple products.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

In this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine: The annual Apple event we’ve all been waiting for is right around the corner.

On September 12, Apple will host a special keynote from the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, where it will reveal all the hardware it has planned for this fall.

We’re expecting a slew of big announcements, including updates for the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch — all of which will be covered by Cult of Mac. You’ll find that top story and much more. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

Apple in talks with major newspapers for subscription service

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Texture
Texture might add daily news.
Photo: Apple

Apple is trying to get three of the biggest newspapers in the U.S. to join forces for a new subscription service.

The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post have all allegedly been in talks with Apple this summer. Apple is proposing that the newspapers join its digital magazine service, Texture.

Trump’s tariffs would make Apple gear more expensive

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Trump's trade war with China will hit consumers' wallets the hardest.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

President Trump’s latest list of proposed tariffs on products manufactured in China would have a negative impact on some of Apple’s most popular products.

In a letter sent to the U.S. Trade Representative, Apple says the Apple Watch, AirPods and Apple Pencil would be caught in the crossfire of Trump’s escalating trade war with China. And regular consumers stand to lose the most.

Apple Music launches its own ‘Top 100’ song charts

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Streaming services like Apple Music dominate the US music market
Streaming services like Apple Music dominate the US music market
Photo: Apple

Apple will begin publishing “Top 100” Apple Music charts from its 50 million-plus subscribers as it seeks to apply more muscle in an ultra-competitive music-streaming business.

Apple quietly launched a software update today to roll out the numeric charts that will show a global “Top 100” plus lists for the top-streamed songs in every country the service is offered.

Here’s what we think we know about the 2018 iPad Pro lineup

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Both the 2018 iPad Pro tablets have undergone the most significant redesign yet.
Both the 2018 iPad Pro tablets have apparently undergone the most radical redesign yet.
Photo: MySmartPrice

Apple is about to make the most significant change to its iPad lineup since 2015. And you don’t have to wait to find out what’s coming because just about all the details have already leaked out.

From what we can tell, Apple is going to make its Pro tablets better by making them smaller. However, there are some odd changes that have many people worried.

Smartphones covered in camera lenses will change everything

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multi-camera smartphones
Take a picture or nine with this smartphone prototype from Light.
Photo: Light via Photo Rumors

Mobile phone photography has been through a mostly meaningless megapixel war. Now on to the next battle – the smartphone with the most cameras.

Apple, true to its playbook, will watch while other companies fire opening salvos with smartphones packing three or more lenses.

What to expect from Apple’s ‘Gather Round’ event next week

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What to expect from Apple Sept. 12
You should be very, very excited.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The annual Apple event we’ve all been waiting for is right around the corner.

On September 12, the company will host a special keynote from the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, where it will reveal all the hardware it has planned for this fall.

We’re expecting a slew of big announcements, including updates for the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Here’s our roundup of everything Apple is likely to deliver at its “Gather Round” event.

Top Mac app steals your browsing history and sends it to China

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The CIA has a team of more than 5,000 hackers.
If you've downloaded Adware Doctor, you may want to reconsider!
Photo: Brian Klug/Flickr CC

A top paid app in the Mac App Store has been revealed as stealing the browser histories of anyone who downloads and uses it.

Adware Doctor is among the top grossing paid apps in the App Store’s utilities category. According to a report by TechCrunch, Apple was warned about the data pilfering several weeks ago, although it has still not pulled the app.

Apple veteran critiques tech’s flawed drive to solve healthcare

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Health
Tech wants to disrupt the healthcare profession.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

A number of tech companies are excited about the possibility of revolutionizing healthcare. However, a long-time Apple veteran believes that the “fast fail” approach employed by many Silicon Valley startups is fundamentally at odds with the requirements of digital health.

Interestingly, while her critiques certainly apply to a number of companies, they don’t totally apply to Apple. That certainly bodes well for the company’s health ambitions going forward.

iPhone Max, and the practical processes behind Apple’s creative genius, on The CultCast

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CultCast MacBook 2018
Are you ready to take your next iPhone to the max?
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: Get ready for the iPhone Max! Plus: Rumors indicate Apple’s new iPhones will receive a serious price cut; Apple is working on the one feature the  Watch desperately needs; and Leander reveals Apple’s secret sauce — the design and creative processes Cupertino developed over the years that help it create some of the world’s most iconic products.

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.

Qualcomm makes a tactical error in its battle with Apple

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Qualcomm patents
Apple's battle with Qualcomm has raged on for well over a year.
Photo: Qualcomm

Qualcomm has seemingly made a big tactical error in the pre-trial run-up to its infringement court case with Apple — and now it’s trying to get out of it.

According to a report of the events, Qualcomm failed to dispute Apple’s legal argument that certain patents in the case were either invalid or that it did not infringe on them as suggested. Now that we’re closer to the trial, Qualcomm’s lawyers have seemingly realized that this wasn’t the best idea. And the judge isn’t too impressed.

Condé Nast executive joins Apple’s growing News team

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Apple News
Apple has a new head of news business.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has hired ex-Condé Nast executive Liz Schimel to work as part of its Apple News team. Schimel joined the company earlier this summer, and will serve as the “head [of Apple’s] news business.”

It’s another illustration of how Apple is increasing its focus on this area. This comes at a time when rival tech giants like Facebook are more worried than ever about their role in helping disseminate news online.

Everything we think we know about the 2018 iPhone lineup [Updated]

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iPhone X
Behold, the iPhone Xs.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is set to unleash its newest iPhones on the world in just a couple weeks and based on the rumors, these will be the most lust-worthy phones to ever come out of Cupertino.

Not only will the 2018 iPhone lineup include the biggest iPhone display Apple’s ever made, it will also be more colorful and more expensive than ever. We’ve been keeping our pulse on all the rumors leading up to Apple’s big September 12 unveiling and have a pretty solid idea on what’s coming through the pipeline.

This is what the 2018 iPhone lineup will look like:

No one knows what 2018 iPhone models will cost

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This could be the iPhone XS Plus and iPhone XS, Apple's 2018 iPhone models.
What will these two devices cost? Your guess is probably about as good as any analyst's.
Photo: Lee Gunho

A hot topic of debate among Apple analysts is the prices for the three iPhone models expected next week. And there have been some leaks suggesting prices for the 2018 models. Thing is, none of these agree.

At this point, there’s enough disparity between what the rumors say and the various analysts’ predictions to question whether there’s a point of paying attention to any of them.  

The wait is over for iPad version of Minecraft: Education Edition

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Minecraft: Education Edition can teach math, science, history, and more.
Students can now download Minecraft: Education Edition for their trusty iPads.
Photo: Microsoft

Kids love Minecraft and iPad. Teachers love applications that turning learning into a game. All of these come together with an iPad version of Minecraft: Education Edition. 

After being announced last month, this application just debuted in the iOS App Store.

Another celeb gets caught promoting Android from their iPhone

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When you're getting paid to promote the Google Pixel 2 XL, don't use your iPhone.
When you're getting paid to promote the Google Pixel 2 XL, don't use your iPhone.
Photo: Anushka Sharma/Marques Brownlee

It’s happened often enough now that it’s a thing: A celebrity is paid to gush about how much they love an Android device but they make their Twitter posts from an iPhone.

It’s a black eye for Android because it makes it clear which phone the celebrity really likes.

Satechi’s new extended keyboards gives you Apple looks on a budget

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Satechi Aluminum Bluetooth Keyboard
Satechi's Aluminum Bluetooth Keyboard is the perfect match for your Apple setup.
Photo: Satechi

Accessory maker Satechi has been around for years, offering a wide range of charging solutions, headphones, dongles, and computer peripherals for both Mac and PC. Their newest Mac accessories, the Aluminum Bluetooth keyboard and Aluminum USB keyboard offer Apple-inspired design at a fraction of Apple’s keyboard prices.

EU finally gives its blessing to Apple buying Shazam

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Shazam iPhone
Apple nabbed Shazam for a reported $400 million.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

The European Union has given its official stamp of approval to Apple’s acquisition of UK-based music discovery app Shazam.

While the deal was announced way back in December, it has been held up until now by an EU antitrust investigation, based on the popularity of Shazam and the amount of data it holds. This investigation was requested by seven European countries, including France, Italy, Spain and Sweden.

Inexpensive Logitech Crayon iPad stylus available to all

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Logitech Crayon
The Logitech Crayon was designed for the classroom, but soon anyone can purchase this Apple Pencil alternative.
Photo: Logitech

This spring, Logitech introduced an active stylus for iPad. People were excited that this was half the price of an Apple Pencil, but frustrated that the Logitech Crayon could only be purchased by schools.

Turns out both of those are about to change. This digital pencil will go on sale to the general public beginning September 12. And the price is going up.

How Steve Jobs poached a Microsoft employee with a restaurant menu

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A successful Steve Jobs recruitment pitch came from an Il Fornaio menu. (It's an Italian restaurant in Palo Alto, California.)
"Do you want to eat pasta all your life, or join me and change the world?"
Photo: Lou Stejskal/Flickr CC

It’s not exactly breaking news that Steve Jobs was a great salesman. But a hilarious anecdote from Adam Fisher’s recent oral history of Silicon Valley, Valley of Genius, gives a great example of Jobs’ next-level skills.

Want to know how Jobs persuaded a product marketing expert from Microsoft to join his company NeXT? It turns out it involved little more than a bit of patented Steve Jobs charm — and a helping hand from a local Italian restaurant menu.

6.1-inch iPhone for 2018 pictured in fancy new color options

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6.1-inch iPhone color options
This could be an early glimpse of the iPhone 9.
Photo: Slashleaks

The more affordable 6.1-inch iPhone expected to launch this year won’t be as exciting as its pricier siblings, but it seems Apple has some tricks up its sleeve to make it more appealing.

New photos reveal some of the fancier color options buyers will be able to choose from, including red and blue.

Apple hiring a neuroscientist, possibly for its mystery AR headset

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Apple glasses
Apple has high expectations for its products, and it might take a neuroscientist to build its augmented reality glasses.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Apple employs a broad range of people, from software developers to retail staff. And soon, at least one neuroscientist.

The company is seeking an expert in sensory perception, suggesting the scientist will be employed developing its mysterious augmented reality glasses.

Why you couldn’t type the F-word on iPhone and other fascinating facts from Apple book

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Ken Kocienda's book, Creative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Stave Jobs.
Ken Kocienda's book, Creative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Stave Jobs.
Photo: St. Martin's Press

Why couldn’t you type the F-word on the iPhone? Why did Steve Jobs make weird eye movements during demos? What kind of manager was Scott Forstall?

These and other questions are answered in a new book by Ken Kocienda, a former iPhone programmer who spent 15 years at Apple helping to develop the first iPhone, iPad and Safari web browser.

Published this week, Creative Selection, Inside Apple’s Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs, is a fascinating account of Kocienda’s career that focuses on how Apple makes great software. (read our review here)

Here are some of the most interesting things we learned from the book.

Apple Pay won’t be launching in India any time soon

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple has run into more regulatory problems in India.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is supposedly cooling its plans to bring Apple Pay to India, despite having discussions with leading banks and the National Payments Corporation of India.

Eddy Cue previously said that Apple hoped to bring Apple Pay to India sooner rather than later. “It is great that all of these payment mechanisms are coming out in India because it empowers people to be able to pay,” Cue said last year. “What Apple Pay does is make that process easy, integrated and safe. We absolutely want to bring Apple Pay to the market here.”