Siri's popular, but getting less so. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Siri remains the most widely used virtual assistant but is losing popularity, according to a new report.
What does this mean for HomePod, Apple’s upcoming smart speaker? And what type of person is an AI assistant “superuser”? The study offers some surprising insights.
Well, that's one way to get your work done. Photo: Twitter
There’s dedication to Apple computers and … well, taking your iMac on the train with you.
While riding the rails in the U.K. recently, a passenger spotted a woman using a full-size Apple desktop in the first-class carriage of a Virgin train — alongside a mechanical keyboard. We’re betting her fellow passengers were pleased!
The iPhone 8 may struggle to beat the iPhone 6. Photo: Imran Taylor
Pretty much everyone thinks the iPhone 8 is going to be Apple’s biggest hit to date, with some Wall Street pundits even claiming its success will transform Apple into a trillion-dollar company.
Some analysts at Deutsche Bank don’t agree, however. In a note to investors, analysts Sherri Scribner, Adrienne Colby and Jeffrey Rand write that they think “investors will be disappointed by iPhone growth in FY-18 and FY-19.” Here’s why.
'Leaked' iPhone 8 image shows no rear Touch ID Photo: Weibo
An image which has shown up on the Chinese microblogging service Weibo depicts what is claimed to be an authentic backplate for the iPhone 8 — complete with missing rear-mounted Touch ID sensor.
Earlier this year, reports circulated that Apple was considering moving the Touch ID sensor to the rear of its next-gen iPhone, much as Android device makers have been doing. Provided that this image is authentic, it suggests that this is not the case.
See the iOS 11 beta 3 changes in action. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple squashed a few bugs in iOS 11 beta 3, released for developers today, but the update also adds new iPad multitasking features, Siri upgrades and more. Check out our video below to see everything that’s new.
In iOS 11, the Control Center becomes a remote control for your life. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
The latest batch of beta builds from Apple is now available to developers this morning. Developers can download the third betas of iOS 11, macOS High Sierra, watchOS 4 and tvOS 11.
Apple’s new software comes with a slew of new bug fixes and performance enhancements for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV to go with the new features that were unveiled at WWDC 2017. iOS 11 beta 3 also packs a couple of big changes to Siri and Control Center.
Eddy Cue is auctioning off another charity lunch. Photo: CNBC
Eddy Cue really likes helping out charities. Either that or he really enjoys lunches with fans.
That’s based on the fact that, just weeks after his last charity auction offering lunch to one lucky Apple fan ended, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services is auctioning off yet another charity lunch date — this time to benefit the charity Autism Movement Therapy.
Imagination first started building GPUs for Apple with the iPod. Photo: Apple
Apple is upping the ante in its battle with British iOS chipmaker Imagination Technologies by opening a new office “a stone’s throw” from Imagination’s headquarters in St Albans, in the U.K.
This comes days after Apple attacked Imagination for its “inaccurate and misleading” claims. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Apple will be ditching Imagination to develop its own mobile GPUs in-house. Imagination has made clear its belief that Apple can’t design its own GPUs without copying Imagination’s technologies.
Bigger buttons, voice control and more. Photo: Spotify
Spotify has begun testing a new Driving Mode feature on mobile that makes its app easier to control behind the wheel. It offers larger buttons, supports voice control, and announces songs before they play.
The new OLED iPhone 8 will come in four different color options including a new mirror-like reflective version, claims Twitter designer and leaker Benjamin Geskin.
Geskin shared an image of an existing iPhone in a mirror case with his post, although he suggests that the iPhone 8 will look very similar.
iTunes movie downloads suffering thanks to the rise of rival services. Photo: Apple
It’s not just music downloads where iTunes is struggling. According to a new report, Apple’s share of the digital home video movie market has also been falling precariously in recent years — largely thanks to the rise of companies like Comcast, Amazon Video and Netflix.
From a high of over 50 percent in 2012, market share has now fallen to between 20-35 percent, with various Hollywood studios reporting a decline in iTunes’ leadership position.
'Appy weekend everyone! Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Want to impress the kids by sending them animated stickers of yourself against a funky background, courtesy of the latest AI image recognition breakthroughs?
That’s just one of the picks we’ve highlighted for this week’s “Awesome Apps” roundup. We’ve also got a great note-taking app for Apple Pencil users, a revisited classic tank blaster newly arrived on iOS and Mac, and an update to the massively popular Instagram Stories.
Both examples of hubris on their creator's part? Photo: Igor America
Apple Park is a physical manifestation of Steve Jobs’ undying hubris, a monument to fussy perfectionism that’s as crazy as his NeXT Computer, the not-entirely-successful computer he launched after being booted from Apple in 1985.
That’s the premise of a new Bloomberg op-ed, which draws parallels between the new Apple campus and one of Jobs’ most notorious tech launches. It’s interesting, but ultimately wrong. Here’s why.
Is Apple about to dive deeper into AR? Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Apple has updated its iCloud trademark to cover “smartglasses” and headsets.
The company has been on a mission to add new devices to many of its filings in recent months, but its latest update is particularly interesting following the introduction of ARKit at WWDC.
iPhone 8 rumors haven't had an impact yet, either. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
iPhone 7 sales remain “steady” despite the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and a flood of iPhone 8 rumors.
A new report suggests that Apple’s most recent smartphone is dominating the premium smartphone market in the U.S. alongside its main rival, and there’s little sign of a mass-holdout for the big refresh this fall.
The iPhone 8 may drive Apple stock prices to new heights. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple stock might be down slightly from its crazy record-breaking high earlier this year, but that’s not dampening Wall Street analyst Brian White’s belief that it’s just 12 months away from becoming the world’s first ever trillion dollar company.
In a research note to clients, White refers to Apple stock as one of the “most underappreciated stocks in the world.” We’re pretty certain that’s an invitation for people to buy!
The EU wants gadgets that are easier to fix and upgrade. Photo: iFixit
Future iPhones and MacBooks will be more robust and easier to repair if the European Commission has its way.
Parliament is pushing for gadget makers like Apple to prolong the lifespan of their products by eliminating planned obsolescence and making it easier for consumers to repair and upgrade their devices.
Were you a Jawbone user? Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Electronics company Jawbone is reportedly closing shop after years of financial pressures.
Having started life in 1998, Jawbone initially made Bluetooth-equipped earpieces and wireless speaker, before transitioning into wearable devices for use in fitness tracking. It was best known for the UP series of wearable devices, and at its height was valued at a whopping $3 billion.
It was a thing of beauty, but the software made it magical. Photo: Apple
It’s easy to ignore how intuitive it is to use an iPhone. But a team of designers painstakingly crafted the vast array of simple swipes and taps that give the iPhone its magic.
This week on The CultCast, we’ll tell you the stories behind inertial scrolling and Swipe to Unlock. And we’ll talk about Bas Ording, the man who brought iOS to life using the physics of our natural world.
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off any hosting plan.
You don't necessarily need expensive gear to make a great iPhone video. Photo: Marques Brownlee/YouTube
You can make great photos and videos with just an iPhone. There is nothing fake about that statement. Thousands of great iPhone photos appear on our camera rolls and Instagram feeds every day to prove it.
Nevertheless, a recent YouTube video suggested Apple uses more than just iPhones to create its “Shot on iPhone” commercials. The video quickly went viral. Headlines it generated sowed seeds of doubt about the authenticity of Apple’s claims.
So, are we really getting the great camera Apple says it puts in its iPhones?
Apple isn't happy with Imagination Technologies. Photo: Apple
Apple has finally hit back at British chipmaker Imagination Technologies for its “inaccurate and misleading” claims.
Imagination, which has been manufacturing graphics chips for iOS devices for the past decade, has been taking stabs at Apple since it revealed the company will be developing its own mobile GPUs. Now Apple is setting the record straight.
...and Apple may have helped. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Samsung’s Q2 operating profit rose 72 percent from this time last year, setting a new record for the South Korean tech giant in the process.
Operating profit likely sits around the 14 trillion won ($12.1 billion) mark, according to the company. Revenue meanwhile increased 18 percent from a year earlier to 60 trillion won — beating analyst forecasts in the process.
Jay Z's own streaming service has exclusivity. Photo: Jay Z
Jay-Z’s latest album is now available on Apple Music and iTunes. Tidal, the rap star’s own music streaming service, had exclusivity over 4:44 at launch — but that lasted just one week.
It’s not good news for Spotify subscribers, however.
Pegatron will team up with an Indonesian manufacturer.. Photo: iFixit
The ongoing fight between Apple and Qualcomm could result in an import ban on all new iPhones powered by Intel.
Qualcomm requested today that the U.S. International Trade Commission place a “limited exclusion order” on all iPhones that use Intel’s 4G wireless modem. iPhones powered by Qualcomm’s chip would be excluded from the ban.