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iTunes will drop support for first-generation Apple TV in May

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Apple TV
The original Apple TV is now considered “obsolete.”
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

iTunes will drop support for the “obsolete” first-generation Apple TV in May, Apple has confirmed.

Windows XP and Windows Vista are also being pushed out. Apple says that “security changes” will make these older products incompatible with the iTunes Store.

Apple’s slick new over-ear wireless headphones may come this year

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Save $70 on Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones
New headphones could offer AirPods tech in a different form factor.
Photo: Beats

Apple’s AirPods are great and everything, but some folks out there prefer their headphones to be over-ear models, rather than earbuds.

Fortunately, that audience may well be in for a happy 2018 — since Apple is reportedly planning to release new “high-end over-ear” headphones this year.

5 ways Apple will rule Mobile World Congress (without even showing up)

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Everyone who is anyone in mobile (except Apple) will be at Mobile World Congress 2018.
Everyone who is anyone in mobile (except Apple) will be there.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Mobile World Congress 2018 When the entire mobile phone industry heads to Barcelona next week for Mobile World Congress 2018, there will be one notable absence: Apple.

Cupertino doesn’t do trade shows. Not even really big ones like MWC. Yet, despite its absence from the massive Spanish trade show, Apple’s influence will loom large over Barcelona’s beautiful horizons.

Here are five things Apple fans should look out for at MWC next week.

Alto’s Odyssey, UniChar, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

A brilliant sandboarding endless runner that’s sure to go down as one of this year’s greatest iOS games is just of one of the picks for this week’s “Awesome Apps of the Week.”

In addition, we’ve got a great Unicode app for iOS, a gambling-centric version of Angry Birds, and a significant update to one of the best image-editing apps available on iPad Pro. Check out our selections below.

Cult of Mac Magazine: 5 ways Apple will rule Mobile World Congress and more!

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cover
Everyone who is anyone in mobile (except Apple) will be at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

When the entire mobile phone industry heads to Barcelona next week for Mobile World Congress 2018, there will be one notable absence: Apple.

Cupertino doesn’t do trade shows. Not even really big ones like Mobile World Congress. Yet, despite its absence from the massive Spanish trade show, Apple’s influence will loom large over Barcelona’s beautiful horizons. Cult of Mac shows you five things Apple fans should look out for at MWC next week.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Enter to win a HomePod through Cult of Mac Deals. Learn how to drag and drop text between apps on iPad. Shop Casetify’s Stainless Steel Mesh Bands in two new finishes — Gold and Irisdescent — in our Watch Store. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

Steve Jobs job application hits auction block for $50,000

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Steve Jobs
Jobs during the early days of Apple.
Photo: Apple

Steve Jobs probably never had to fill out a job application after founding Apple Computer Inc., but if you want proof that he was once some regular Joe, one of his last job applications is up for auction.

A signed copy of Steve’s job application is expected to fetch as much as $50,000 at an auction next month. The document is a single 8.5 x 11-inch paper questionnaire filled out in Steve’s own handwriting.

Take a look at the full document:

Customer service on Twitter just got a big upgrade

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Twitter has changed its mind on deleting inactive user accounts (for now)
Twitter is crushing dreams in 2020.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Twitter has made new tweaks that make it easier for businesses to provide customer service through direct message.

Its more relaxed rules mean that businesses can more freely reply to customers who need support without having to worry about reaching a direct message limit. Spam accounts will still find it difficult to bombard users with junk, however.

How to find out if hackers leaked your passwords

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1Password
Has your password leaked online?
Photo: AgileBits

Longtime favorite password manager 1Password just teamed up with Pwned Passwords, a new service that helps you find out if your passwords have been leaked online. The database boasts more than 500 million passwords collected from various breaches.

Here’s how to use it.

Apple repair centers are accidentally calling 911 dozens of times a day

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Apple Watch Emergency SOS
Emergency SOS isn’t always useful.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Emergency responders in Elk Grove and Sacramento Country have received over 1,600 accidental 911 calls from Apple repair facilities in the past four months.

The calls waste valuable time and resources and potentially slow down the response to genuine emergencies. The problem seems to have been introduced by iOS 11, which added an Emergency SOS shortcut to iPhone and Apple Watch.

Top Hollywood director’s new iPhone movie makes its debut

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iPhone SE 2 could cost $399 just like the first-gen iPhone SE
Steven Soderbergh is a big fan of shooting on iPhone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Director Steven Soderbergh’s new psychological thriller, Unsane, which was shot on an iPhone, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival this week.

The movie was shot over the course of just two weeks, considerably shorter than the typical shooting schedule on a feature film. It stars actress Claire Foy as a woman who moves to a new city to unsuccessfully escape a man who is stalking her. Check out the trailer below.

Apple hires Hannibal producer to oversee original TV content

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apple tv
Apple has recruited another high level executive to oversee TV production.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple has added yet another high level executive to its ranks to join the company’s growing Worldwide Video Programming division.

Carol Trussell has been hired to serve as Apple’s new Head of Production. She previously worked at Gaumont Television where she oversaw production on various series including Narcos, Hannibal, Hemlock Grove and F is for Family.

Apple’s AirPower wireless charging pad could arrive next month

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AirPower
Coming to Apple Stores everywhere in March. Maybe.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s AirPower wireless charger still doesn’t have an official release date. However, a new report claims that Apple’s charging pad — allowing users to charge their iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch simultaneously — will debut in March.

While no date is given, the report suggests that the AirPower Qi charging pads will be available to buy in Apple Stores, as well as other select retailers, as soon as next month.

This affordable Apple Pencil rival works with any iPad

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SonarPen
SonarPen costs less than a third of Apple Pencil.
Photo: GreenBulb

If you do any kind of writing or sketching on your iPad, you should use a stylus. But you don’t need to spend $99 on an Apple Pencil. SonarPen is the affordable “smart pen” every iPad owner needs. It’s accurate, practical, and it never needs charging.

This ARKit demo is what nightmares are made off

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The Ring
Watch out for Samara!
Photo: Dreamworks

Your favorite horror movies could soon invade your living room thanks to Apple’s ARKit.

iOS developer Abhishek Singh has created a lot of AR experience since ARKit came out last year, but his latest is the most shocking. In a tweet posted this week, Singh showed off his latest demo that brings the scariest scene from the movie The Ring into your house.

Check it out:

Tiny Spotify players, smart sleep masks and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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Mighty
The on-the-go Spotify player.
Photo: Mighty

Crowdfund Roundup bugYou don’t need to carry your smartphone to enjoy Spotify on the go anymore. Mighty is the tiny, lightweight Spotify player that’s ideal for runners and outdoor adventurers who want to leave their hefty smartphone at home.

It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have the world’s smartest sleep mask, an iPhone battery case that brings back the headphone jack, and more.

Smartphone sales decline for first time ever in 2017

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iPhone X
iPhone X didn't come out early enough to give Apple a sales boost.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The world may have passed its peak smartphone moment last year.

Smartphone sales data released today from the number crunchers at Gartner revealed that worldwide smartphone sales declined for the first time ever during the last quarter of 2017. Both Apple and Samsung saw their market share decline just slightly, but good news could be on the horizon.

Microsoft Edge update brings 3D Touch support

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Microsoft Edge on iPhone
Microsoft Edge makes search even easier.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

MicrosoftMicrosoft is continuing its mission to make Edge a better browser on iOS by adding 3D Touch support. The app’s latest update adds Peek and Pop — plus a bunch of other new features and improvements.

127 million iPhone owners use Apple Pay

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple Pay subscriber numbers may have doubled in the past year.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Pay has an estimated 127 million active global users — representing an increase of more than double the 62 million who used it this time last year, a new report claims.

While Apple hasn’t given exact figures for its mobile payments service, the figures are based on conclusion drawn by analyst Gene Munster, based on retailer reports.

Apple’s first Austrian retail store looks absolutely gorgeous

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Apple Store
Apple's new store in Vienna sits on a popular pedestrian shopping street near the Vienna State Opera.
Photo: Apple

Apple just gave us a sneak preview of its first store in Austria, and it’s pretty stunning! Apple Kärntner Straße, which will open this Saturday in Vienna, is designed with “the original heritage building in mind,” Apple says.

The totally Apple-y redesign of the building, which sits on a famous shopping street between St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Vienna State Opera, combines exposed columns outside with large window openings.

Twitter begins long-awaited crackdown on bots

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Twitter
Will Facebook and Instagram follow suit?
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Twitter has finally begun its long-awaited crackdown on bots.

The company has made changes to its API that make it significantly harder for services to batch tweet to multiple accounts, retweet, follow users, and more. This puts a stop to the software that powers Twitter bots.

This stainless steel Apple Watch band is super-shiny and sleek [Watch Store]

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casetify
Take your pick of any two Casetify Apple Watch bands and get 20% off! Includes Stainless Steel, Woven Nylon and Saffiano Leather bands.
Photo: Courtesy of Casetify

Stainless steel meticulously weaves its way through the Mesh Band for Apple Watch — Casetify’s answer to the significantly more expensive Milanese Loop by Apple. Casetify’s version is just as stylish and functional as the behemoth brand’s band, and now comes in two brand-new finishes: Iridescent and Gold (that matches the Series 3).

For penny-counters, you’ll save from $67 to $117 on Casetify’s silver and black stainless steel mesh bands, respectively, and gain three additional colors not offered by Apple: gold, rose gold and iridescent.

The Stainless Steel Mesh Bands are for both men and women. Check out the latest colors in our Watch Store, and read on to learn more.

New AirPods will bring water-resistant design, ‘Hey Siri’ support

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AirPods sales
35 million pairs of AIrPods sold in 2018.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is working on upgraded AirPods with a new wireless chip and “Hey Siri” support, according to a new report.

The refresh will arrive “as early as this year,” according to sources familiar with the matter. A future refresh, pegged for early 2019, will also bring a water-resistant design.