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News - page 751

Ex-Apple employee arrested for stealing Apple Car secrets

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Here's how Apple Car might eliminate blind spots
Apple constantly faces the threat of industrial espionage.
Photo: Aristomenis Tsirbas/Freelancer

An Apple employee who downloaded blueprints for its self-driving car circuit board and then attempted to flee with them to China has been arrested.

Xiaolang Zhang supposedly told Apple of his plans to join a Chinese self-driving car startup, Xiaopeng Motors, shortly before booking his flight. He was arrested on July 7 after going through the security gates at San Jose airport.

Aquaman actor Jason Momoa will star in Apple TV series

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Momoa
Momoa is soon to lend his hunky brooding good looks to an Apple original TV series.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Wikipedia CC

Former Game of Thrones and current Aquaman actor Jason Momoa is set to star in another new Apple original series.

Called See, the show is an epic, world-building drama that’s set in the future. Momoa will play the lead role of Baba Voss, described by trade magazine Variety as, “a fearless warrior, leader and guardian.” So a totally different type of role for Momoa, then!

Grab-and-run thieves plague multiple Apple Stores

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Thieves grab MacBooks from an Apple Store
Two brazen thieves grabbed thousands of dollars worth of MacBooks from a California Apple Store.
Screenshot: CBS New York/Apple

Four teens in hoodies brazenly snatched a bunch of MacBooks and iPhones from an Apple Store in California this weekend. The crime is very similar to one committed in New York last week.

The brazen thefts took place so close together it’s not impossible the second was inspired by the first.

Ex-Google AI expert will fix Siri’s serious flaws

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Meet Siri's new boss, John Giannandrea.
Siri's new boss, John Giannandrea, has the job of making this voice assistant less terrible.
Photo: Apple

Craig Federighi is no longer in charge of Siri. Responsibility for Apple’s troubled voice assistant has been given to John Giannandrea, who is now in charge of all Apple’s artificial intelligence efforts.

Siri is seen as poor competition for Amazon Alexa, Microsoft Cortana, and Google Assistant. Its weakness is hurting sales of Apple products, including the HomePod.

More buyers prefer Apple’s latest iPhones than in the past

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latest iPhones
More iPhone buyers selected a newer phone, like the iPhone 8, than when the iPhone 7 line was new.
Photo: Apple

Buyers were slow to buy when the latest line of iPhones first launched. But new market research shows today’s shopper is more likely to slap down a credit card for a new model than the previous cycle.

The findings from the group M Science are in line with figures showing the popularity of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X.

LiquidText PDF Reader gives paper the upgrade it needs

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LiquidText
Using paper is so old-school. Your iPad is capable of much more!
Photo: LiquidText

Paper’s great for some things, but when it comes to reading and taking notes, the traditional medium is mediocre at best. And when iPad apps try to replicate paper, things get even worse.

“It doesn’t work,” said Craig Tashman, developer of the LiquidText PDF Reader app, which Apple showcased in an iPad ad this week. “They end up inheriting the deficiencies of paper without really inheriting the things that make it work.”

Tashman talked with Cult of Mac about his quest to reinvent paper, and the massive benefit of having a $945 billion tech giant giving an indie developer some props.

Netflix Smart Downloads manages TV shows for you

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Netflix iPhone
Want to watch the next episode of your favorite show on the subway? Netflix Smart Downloads makes it easy by automatically replacing each watched episode with the next one.
Photo: Netflix

A new feature in the Netflix app will automatically download episodes of your favorite shows. This means they’re waiting on your phone or tablet when you’re ready.

Netflix already allows users to download episodes to watch later. The improvement announced today just makes it easier.

Instagram gets more conversational with Question Stickers

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Instagram lawsuit
Instagram is beefing up Stories with loads of new features.
Photo: Pixabay

Striking up a conversation on Instagram just became as easy as slapping a sticker on your Story.

Instagram revealed today that it has added a new feature called Question Stickers that gives users a new way to ask and receive questions from followers so you can get more acquainted with each other.

Apple could rake in $11 billion from augmented reality

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LEGO AR Studio
Apple AR could help you shop for LEGOs in your living room, and help Apple make lots of cash.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Augmented Reality (AR) is still an emerging technology, but Apple is poised to profit from it significantly. Or that’s the prediction of one analyst anyway.

And all the extra billions in revenue wouldn’t require the rumored Apple AR Glasses, though that would help.

1Password shoots down report of Apple acquisition

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1Password
Apple isn't buying 1Password.
Photo: AgileBits

One of the biggest password managers for iOS and Mac will not be acquired by Apple, despite rumors to the contrary.

1Password issued a response this morning to a report that Apple is in talks to acquire it saying the rumor is “completely false.” AgileBits, the developer studio behind 1Password, has been independent since its inception and the firm says it plans to remain so indefinitely.

Microsoft challenges iPad with $399 Surface Go

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Microsoft Surface Go with optional accessories.
Microsoft Surface Go with Surface Pen ($99), Surface Cover ($99) and Surface Mouse ($49.99).
Photo: Microsoft

The iPad Pro and Microsoft’s Surface Pro are serious competitors, but until now Redmond didn’t have anything to take on the $329 iPad. That changed with the reveal of the Surface Go.

This device is $70 more than Apple’s offering and includes a screen just a hair larger. Let’s take a look at how all of their specs compare.

Foxconn starts Silicon Valley invasion with new AI company

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Terry Gou
Foxconn founder Terry Gou (right) says he's making the U.S. a bigger focus in 2020.
Photo: Voice of America/Wikimedia Commons

Foxconn Technologies is starting a new company in California’s Silicon Valley to concentrate on artificial intelligence for factory floor automation.

The plan comes as Foxconn looks for ways to deal with the slowdown of smartphone sales globally, demands for higher wages and a changing workforce that is sidestepping manufacturing. Foxconn assembles thousands of iPhones and iPads and is among Apple’s biggest contractors.

iPhone 8 replacement to get iPhone X style edge-to-edge screen

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Microsoft Edge on iPhone
This kind of display won't be exclusive to Apple's top-end iPhone.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Last year, only Apple’s OLED iPhone X was the recipient of the edge-to-edge infinite display. Owners of the regular iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, meanwhile, had to endure the indignity of the old fashioned iPhone design, complete with bezel.

That appears set to change with the 2018-era iPhone refresh, however. And a new report reveals the technology that will make it all possible.

Doctors worry that cocaine users rely on Apple Watch as a lifesaver

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Apple Watch alerts user of irregular heart rhythms in sleep
Or you could just not take massive amounts of coke.
Photo: Apple

An Apple a day may keep the doctor away, but that doesn’t mean you should use an Apple Watch to safeguard against ill effects while binging on massive amounts of drugs.

According to a new report, medical experts are concerned that some drug users, particularly people taking cocaine, are using their Apple Watches and other wearables to monitor their heart rate while imbibing.

Apple expects 2018 iPhones will bring the massive upgrade cycle it’s dreaming of

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Ex-student sentenced to 3 years in prison for massive iPhone scam
Apple is poised for a massive 2019, it seems.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will drop the iPhone X and iPhone SE from its list of available products this year, a new report claims. The reason? To help push a super cycle for the next-gen iPhone handsets that Apple supposedly believes will be, “far larger than normal cycles.”

The report, from analysts John Donovan and Steve Mullane from research firm BlueFin Research Partners, suggests that Apple is planning to build a combined 91 million units of its three 2018-era iPhones, which they think will be named the iPhone 9, iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Plus.

Apple’s USB-blocking update is already counter-blocked

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There may already be a way around Apple's USB Restricted Mode
There may already be a way around Apple's USB Restricted Mode.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Yesterday, Apple’s iOS 11.4.1 update secured the USB Lightning port on iPhones and iPads. And already there is a workaround, allowing cops and criminals to retain access to the port, and then use their hacking tools to extract your private data.

macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 brings AirPlay 2 to iTunes

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wwdc 2017
MacOS High Sierra is still being updated. In fact, there's a new version out now.
Photo: Apple

Apple isn’t quite done with macOS High Sierra, even though most people’s attention is on the replacement, macOS Mojave. What’s likely the final update to the old version, macOS 10.13.6, is now available for download.

The main purpose of this release seems to be bug fixes, but the release notes do mention one new feature.

Hackers and cops hate Apple’s iOS 11.4.1 update

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iPhone hacking is more difficulty with iOS 11.4.1
iPhone hacking is more difficulty if a new "USB Accessories" setting in iOS 11.4.1 is left off.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The iOS version debuting today partially deactivates the Lightning port after an iPhone hasn’t been used for an hour. This makes iPhone hacking more difficult, for both criminals and law enforcement.

Previously, this feature was available in iOS betas. iOS 11.4.1 is the first time it’s been in a public version.

Super-fast WiGig could be in future iPhone

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A WiGig iPhone might happen in 2020.
A WiGig iPhone might happen in 2020. This standard is fast but short range.
Photo: Wireless Gigabit Alliance/Cult of Mac

Apple appears to be planning to put WiGig in future iPhones. This a version of Wi-Fi that’s more than five times faster than 802.11ac.

An Intel Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modem has reportedly been turned down by Apple because it lacked WiGig. This certainly implies that the iPhone maker will go looking for a modem that does include this feature.

Win 1 of 10 LuxArmor Elite iPhone X cases with our giveaway!

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iPhone X Case giveaway
Win a LuxArmor Elite iPhone X case with our latest YouTube giveaway.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

After I made a video showcasing my favorite iPhone X cases, I got a lot of feedback from readers wanting to know more. By far the most popular iPhone X case in that lineup — and the one I get asked about the most, even to this day — is the LuxArmor Classic.

The super-sleek $24 case bears no branding whatsoever. It’s extremely thin and light, but adds a surprising amount of protection. Now, LuxArmor has launched a new collection of iPhone X cases that keep that great, minimalist style but add extra protection.

In today’s video, I give you a quick hands-on look at the new LuxArmor Elite cases. Plus, we’ve got 10 of these to give away!

See a dreamy underwater film shot with naked iPhone X

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Frederic Van Strydonck
Shot on iPhone X underwater without a case.
Photo: Frederic Van Strydonck/Vimeo

We can be fairly confident that the iPhone X can survive a quick dunk underwater. Frederic van Strydonck did more than quick dunks when he used an iPhone X without any case to make an ethereal short film below the surface in various watery locations.

The iPhone X is not technically considered fully waterproof. It’s rated to be water-resistant when submerged at a maximum depth of 1 meter.

Here’s how much each country makes off the iPhone 7

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iPhone-7
The major components for the iPhone 7 come from a variety of counties. Most at of the profit still goes to the U.S.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone is made in China, so most of the profit stays over there, right? Actually, everything in that sentence is wrong.

A new study finds that China makes less than $9 from each iPhone 7. Some of the rest goes to other Asian countries, but the lion’s share is earned by Apple and other U.S. companies.

Cheap-ass case helps iPhone X survive deathly drop

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GizmoSlip
The iPhone X is more useable than what it was encased in.
Photo: GizmoSlip/YouTube

The patent for a case that can protect an iPhone X from a 100-foot drop was filed in 1883 – toilet paper on a roll.

Admittedly, the history isn’t quite right, but the hosts of the YouTube channel GizmoSlip did discover that an iPhone X nestled in two rolls of toilet paper can fall form a drone high in the sky and look and work like new.