Xiaomi's latest phone bears a strong resemblance to the iPhone X. Photo: Xiaomi
Xiaomi founder Lei Jun gained attention for his company by dressing like Steve Jobs and releasing a string of iPhone-alike devices. Now we know the reason: Because it was Jobs’ story which prompted the entrepreneur to get into the computer business.
Apple has some fascinating (if dangerous) research projects underway. Photo: Mark Rober
Apple has recruited popular science YouTuber Mark Rober to work as part of its top secret special projects group, developing a VR on-board entertainment system for self-driving cars.
Rober has been working with Apple for the past several years, although he has kept news of Apple’s identity secret. In a Reddit AmA, he described it as a “large tech company in the Bay Area.” His name was revealed as part of several patent applications Apple has recently filed.
There are lots of welcome tweaks in iOS 12 beta 2. Photo: Cult of Mac
Two weeks after the initial — and surprisingly solid — beta of iOS 12, comes the second update. iOS 12 beta 2 has tweaked the operating system in several places, mostly in Screen Time, which was quite sparse in the first round. Let’s take a look at what’s changed.
Keeping enough cables around to keep your iPhone and Android-toting friends charged up can be a big tangled pain, but there’s now one cable to rule them all.
inCharge debuted its new tiny charging cable today. Not only does it pack a Lightning connector that also works with Micro-USB ports, but you can also clip on a USB-C port too, making it the most versatile charging cord we’ve ever seen.
CEO Tim Cook says short-term investors aren't needed at Apple. Photo: Apple
Apple stock price has dropped steadily throughout June. That likely bothers short-term investors, but not Tim Cook. Apple’s CEO thinks long-term, and says planning no farther than the next quarterly earnings report is a recipe for disaster.
“If you’re making a decision based on the short term investors, you’re going to be guaranteed to be making terrible decisions,” Cook said yesterday.
The iOS 12 public beta could render your iPhone almost useless. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
The iOS 12 public beta is available to download and install on any of your compatible devices. The public beta is essentially the same as the developer beta, only each build is released around a week after the developer version. So far, the develoer beta has been surprisingly stable, but its definitely not ready for regular day-to-day use (more on that in a moment). But if you’re feeling brave, or if you have a spare device you’d like to use to see what all the fuss is about, then installing the beta is easy.
Instagram is becoming a full blown communication platform. Photo: Instagram
Communicating with your friends on Instagram just got a lot more fun with a new update today that brings group video chat to the photo-sharing social network.
Instagram previewed the new video chat feature last month at Facebook’s developer conference, but now all users can take advantage of the new feature that lets you connect with friends whether they’re on iOS or Android.
The iPhone X Plus is set to launch in September. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
The best Apple analyst in the game just dropped a huge report on all the new products coming out soon and there’s a lot for Apple fans to be excited about.
If you’ve been desperately waiting for Apple to come out with a new MacBook Air the wait might be over real soon. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says a cheaper MacBook Air is set to launch later this year, and he’s got some info on the 2019 iPhone too.
Siri Shortcuts could become super powerful. Photo: Apple
Siri Shortcuts are the iOS way to automate actions you do over and over. The WWDC 2018 keynote gave an examples of chaining together a bunch of these actions into one shortcut — order your favorite “coffee,” and give you directions to work, or switch on the lights at home one whole hour before you get there in order to, I don’t know, waste electricity? To trigger these little automations, you just tell Siri, using a pre-chosen keyword/name.
However, you don’t alway want to put together lots of steps. Sometimes you just want Siri to carry out a single action with a Shortcut. For instance, opening up your favorite news site in Safari, or sending a message to your spouse, or viewing your most recent photos. The good news is, you can do all of these right now, even without the fancy new Siri Shortcuts app.
Apple adds 5 new vice presidents to its executive lineup Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
When Tim Cook wants to know how Apple is doing, it’s doubtful he turns to some research group’s published rankings of brands and companies with the most value, most love or most intimacy with its customers.
So for what it’s worth to the CEO or, for that matter anyone else, Apple is the second-most valuable U.S. brand, according to a new report published today by the group Brand Finance.
They’re still running! Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Android owners are still ditching their handsets for an iPhone at an impressive rate.
New research reveals that up to 20 percent of iPhone buyers each quarter are switching from Google devices. The iPhone SE is one of the most popular models among former Android fans, but there’s a lot of love for larger Apple devices, too.
Students and teachers can start using Schoolwork today. Photo: Apple
Apple’s free Schoolwork app, which lets students and teachers collaborate on school assignments, is available now.
Schoolwork makes it easy to create assignments, take advantage of third-party apps for learning, and view student progress. It will work alongside the Classroom app to provide teachers around the world with the tools they need to “enhance the learning experience.”
Save $300 on an ultralight Apple laptop that's perfect for students. Photo: Apple
In today’s edition of Deals & Steals, we have select models on the latest MacBook Air for a phenomenal deal. Plus, you can get an (ugh) Galaxy S9, FIFA 18 and a pair of Bose wireless earphones — all at neat discounts.
Will we finally get a release date for AirPower? Photo: Apple
Apple’s upcoming AirPods case will offer more than just wireless charging for your headphones, according to a sketchy new report.
A source familiar with Apple’s plans claims the case will double as an iPhone charger that will give you a boost in battery life when you’re in a pinch. The device could be available before the end of this year.
Mediate and decompress with this well reviewed iPhone app Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Keeping a clear mind takes discipline and practice. And in the age of smartphones and constant distractions, mindfulness is more of a challenge than ever. So it makes sense that your phone might also offer a solution.
Original content could turn out to be a big money spinner for Apple. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
In three years’ time, Apple could bring in an extra $10 to $12 billion in annual revenue through its original video content and Apple Music, analyst Amit Daryanani of RBC Capital Markets argued in a note to clients this week.
In terms of Apple’s share price, that would add up to 75 cents to the company’s earnings per share.
The iPhone 6s is making a comeback in India. Photo: Apple
Apple supplier Wistron has started production of the iPhone 6s at its factory in Bengaluru, India.
This marks the second iPhone to be produced in India. Last year, Wistron began producing the iPhone SE in India. The iPhone 6s, which launched in 2015, is a logical choice as a follow-up due to the popularity of the handset in India, thanks to its cheaper price.
Get your V-Bucks back for unwanted Fortnite purchases. Photo: Epic Games
Epic Games is suing a former employee for spilling Fortnite secrets.
Thomas Hannah is alleged to have broken his non-disclosure agreement by leaking details of season four’s meteor story. The news surfaced last month, just days before Epic rolled out its big content update.
Apple has already taken steps to fight fake news. Photo: Apple
Apple is among the tech companies which recently met with members of the U.S. intelligence community to discuss the upcoming midterm elections.
Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Oath, Snap and Twitter were approached because of continued concerns about the way that tech platforms were allegedly used for spreading fake news during the 2016 Presidential elections.
CEO Tim Cook apparently laid out Apple's three policy priorities. Photo: Apple
Whenever Apple CEO Tim Cook weighs in on a social issue, like his recent disparaging comments about U.S. immigration policy, there are always voices urging him to be quiet and concentrate on making great products.
Speaking at a forum in San Francisco this evening, Cook said that changing the world is in his job description.
The T-Mobile FamilyMode app and Home Base promise control over every Internet-connected device in your house. Photo: T-Mobile
Parental controls are a hot item. Apple is building them into iOS 12, kid-friendly apps have them, and T-Mobile just unveiled its solution: Family Mode.
This includes iOS and Android apps than can limit what children do online. And the Family Mode Home Base connects to the home Wi-Fi router and lets parents put restrictions on every device in the house.
You no longer need to be a developer to try Apple’s biggest software updates of 2018.
Public testers can now get their hands on the first public beta builds of iOS 12 and tvOS 12 that bring tons of UI changes and feature improvements to the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.
Mobile device management products are designed to solve exactly this problem, and today we're announcing Jamf Now as our official Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution.
Photo: Jamf Now
It’s pretty hard to run a business today without accounting for the devices your employees use to do their jobs. We’re all pretty technically savvy here at Cult of Mac, but as a distributed team, there is a huge need for us to agree on apps, settings and tools that we use.
Mobile device management products are designed to solve exactly this problem, and today we’re announcing Jamf Now as our official Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution.
CBS and the NFL ironed out their differences, allowing your iPhone to stream football games for the first time. Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
CBS has been struggling to find stand-out content for its All Access streaming service beside Star Trek: Discovery. That problem has been solved.
The entire 2018 NFL ON CBS schedule, including Super Bowl LIII, will be streamed live on All Access. That includes smartphones and tablets, a significant development.