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Don’t even think about copying Apple’s Steve Jobs Theater

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steve jobs theater
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.

Hands-on with Survival Straps’ paracord Apple Watch bands [Unboxing]

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survival straps

Photo: Benjamin McKay/Cult of Mac

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.

Apple Music is getting a massive upgrade on Android

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music streaming
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.

MacBook concept ditches physical keys for a giant Touch Bar

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MacBook sales rising
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.

Microsoft makes account sign-ins easy with Apple Watch

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Save big on the Apple Watch Series 3
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.

2018 iPhones could be the biggest smash hit since iPhone 6

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2018 iPhone compared to 2017 iPhone X
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.

Say goodbye to 3D Touch next year

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3D Touch
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.

Don’t expect new AirPods or HomePod until 2019

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airpods
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.

Foxconn is already scaling back plans for Wisconsin factory

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Foxconn Wisconsin
Foxconn is coming to Wisconsin.
Photo: Foxconn

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.

Siri is the best way to search photos on your iPhone

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search photos with siri
Hey Siri, show me photos of melons.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Siri is useless for a lot of things, but when it works, it can be a real timesaver. For instance, you can use Siri to search for photos in your iPhone or iPad photo library. Say something like, “Hey Siri, show me photos of clowns,” and it’ll do just that, opening the Photos app, switching to the search tab, and entering the search term “clowns” for you.

Even if you’re sitting looking at the search tab in the Photos app already, Siri is still way easier to use for search than manually tapping something into the search field, deleting the previous search, and typing a new one.

And that’s just the beginning.

Apple A12 chip brings huge gains to performance and battery life

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A tweaked image of the A11 suggests what the improved Apple 12 princessor could look like.
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.

Teens are starting to realize they have a screen-addiction

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screen-addiction
Sometimes this feels like the only way to spend less time with our smartphone.
Photo: TechRax/YouTube

Self-reflection can be good, especially if that reflection is on the screen of your iPhone.

A Pew Research Center study on screen time and device distraction show more than 50 percent of all teenagers admit they spend too much time on their screens. The parents who say they fear for their children also admit they have device distraction problems of their own.

Apple drops yet another batch of iOS 12 and macOS Mojave betas

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Photos app
The new and improved Photos app on iOS 12.
Photo: Apple

iOS and macOS developers received a fresh batch of new beta updates from Apple this morning as the company prepares to launch its new software this fall. And the general public got a new iOS beta too.

macOS Mojave beta 9 and iOS 12 beta 11 can be downloaded from the Apple developer center immediately. The updates bringing a host of bug fixes and performance improvements to the iPhone and Mac.

2018 iPhone might not work with Apple Pencil after all [Updated]

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Apple Pencil is the ultimate iPad accessory.
There are a lot of people hoping the next iPhone models will work with the Apple Pencil, but a prominent analyst says no.
Photo: Apple

A respected analyst just threw cold water on the reports that the Apple Pencil will work with next month’s iPhone models.

This contradicts several sources that pointed to support for Apple’s pressure-sensitive stylus being added to the 2018 iPhones. So we’re left guessing which is correct.

Apple seeks hotshot editor to make Siri great again

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Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
Apple wants to evolve Siri into a distinct, recognizable character.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Siri is about to get a huge upgrade in the way it answers users questions and searches.

In a new job listing posted today, Apple says it is seeking a writer and editor who can help evolve Siri from one of the most-criticized digital assistants into a “distinct, recognizable character.”

Muslim woman sues government over seized iPhone data

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data privacy
Protesters in San Francisco line up with pro-privacy signs outside the downtown Apple Store in 2016.
Photo: Traci Dauphin/Cult of Mac

An American Muslim woman whose iPhone was seized and held for several months by U.S. customs officers has filed a federal lawsuit that raises new data privacy questions over what we store on our devices.

After a flight from Zurich, Switzerland landed in New Jersey in February, Rejhane Lazoja said agents seized her iPhone 6s Plus after she refused to open it during questioning because it contained photos of her without her hijab, considered a form of undress in Muslim culture.

Apple might drop ‘Plus’ iPhone naming scheme

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6.1-inch 2018 iPhone concept image
Apple might kill its "Plus" models.
Photo: OnLeaks

The 2018 iPhone lineup might be missing a “Plus” model when all three new iPhones are unveiled at the Steve Jobs Theater early next month.

Apple’s marketing team has reportedly been considering whether or not to ditch the Plus suffix that has been used on larger display iPhones ever since the iPhone 6 Plus came out in 2014.

Moodo lets you control the way your home smells from your iPhone

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Moodo
Want to make your home smell nice? There's an app for that.
Photo: Moodo

Entrepreneurs are tripping over themselves to make “smart” versions of every product we already own. As such, it was only going to be so long before someone made a smart scent dispenser. That product is called Moodo. It’s a smart home fragrance box that lets you control how your home smells from your iPhone. Or your smart speaker.

But does it smell like a winner, or is this one gadget we’re turning our nose up at?

Score a lifetime of Ableton Live lessons from top music pros [Deals]

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Learn about the endless possibilities of Ableton Live with lessons taught by professional producers and performers.
Learn about the endless possibilities of Ableton Live with lessons taught by professional producers and performers.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Popular music-production software Ableton Live offers an endless universe of sonic possibilities. However, all those possibilities can prove overwhelming.

If you’re looking to make music with Ableton Live, it helps to have some solid guidance.

Today in Apple history: Flash controversy results in banned iPhone ad

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A photo of people looking at the first-gen iPhone inside a glass case on the original iPhone launch date.
The internet wasn't quite so seamless on the first-gen iPhone.
Photo: Traci Dauphin/Cult of Mac

August 27: Today in Apple history: Flash controversy results in banned iPhone ad August 27, 2008: The U.K. bans an iPhone ad for apparently misleading consumers.

The misleading bit? The ad overhypes the iPhone’s internet-surfing abilities. It does this by not mentioning that the device doesn’t support Adobe Flash — which is vital to internet surfing in 2008. How times change, eh?