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iPhone will grab more market share as Samsung falls in 2018

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iPhone plus model next to iPhone X
New iPhones will require millions of new displays.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone will gain market share as Samsung loses its grip in 2018, according to new predictions.

Apple is one of just three companies that are expected to see growth this year following weaker-than-expected smartphones sales in late 2017. TrendForce expects total handset production to grow just 2.8 percent, down from the 5 percent previously expected.

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration brings Lara Croft back to Mac

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Tomb Raider
An excellent installment in the tomb raiding series.
Photo: Feral Interactive

Feral Interactive has announced that Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration will be making its way to Mac sometime this spring.

The critically acclaimed title stars everyone’s favorite tomb-raiding adventurer Lara Croft, now with slightly more realistic proportions. It was originally released for Xbox in late 2015, while the 20 Year Celebration special edition landed on PlayStation 4 in October 2016.

Check out its spectacular trailer below.

Retro video imagines what Siri would look like in 1980s

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Siri
I can't decide whether to be glad to live now, or nostalgic for the past.
Photo: Squirrel Monkey

Thanks to HomePod, everyone is talking about Siri and how it compares to the other AI smart assistants created by companies like Google, Amazon and Microsoft.

But no matter what Siri’s relative failings may be, the technology is way ahead what was possible only a few years ago — as a brilliant 1980s-style parody for S.I.R.I. software makes abundantly clear. Check it out below.

Apple Music opens up to students in 82 new markets

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apple-music
Apple Music is continuing its meteoric rise.
Photo: Apple

Apple has added an extra 79 regions to its list of locations offering Apple Music student membership — with three more being added on February 26. New markets offered include Israel, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, and Taiwan.

Apple’s latest videos show off iPhone X’s portrait selfies

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Portrait Lighting in selfies. Humankind can now sit back and relax.
Portrait Lighting in selfies. Humankind can now sit back and relax.
Photo: Apple

Apple published a new set of videos today giving iPhone X owners some more tips on how to get the most out Apple’s most advanced camera ever.

The new videos show how to take advantage of the new Portrait mode selfies feature on the iPhone X and the best way to edit them. There’s also a new tutorial for Live Photos that shows you how to create a bounce photo which is a lot like Instagram’s boomerang feature.

Check ’em out:

How ‘Hey Siri’ works with multiple devices

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hey siri homepod
Hey Siri is smarter that your thought.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Siri itself might be frustrating, but Hey Siri is great. And on the HomePod, the voice activation for your virtual assistant is even more impressive, because it hears you perfectly, even if you speak at normal volume while the music is hammering the walls, the floor, and your neighbors’ patience. Now it’s possible to have many Siri-equipped devices laying around a room, but somehow, when your say “Hey Siri,” only one device responds. Did you ever wonder how? Here’s the answer.

Apple invests in maker of AR headset displays

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Face Id
Apple wants to make smart glasses that don't look dorky.
Photo: Apple

Apple is gearing up to make a big play in the world of augmented reality glasses with its newest investment.

The iPhone-maker has reportedly made a big investment into AR display component maker EMagin Corp, giving Apple a key partner in its quest to build an AR headset that looks good.

How to use HomePod to control your smart home

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HomePod HomeKit Unboxing
HomePod is a great speaker, and a more-than-adequate Home Hub.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you’re a home automation fan, then you’re going to love Apple’s new HomePod speaker. Not only can you use it to control your HomeKit setup with your voice using Siri, but you can also use the speaker as a Home Hub. That means that you can leave it at home taking care of business, letting you dial in to tweak things from wherever you are in the world.

Verizon will start locking iPhones to deter theft

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iPhone X
Ready to ditch your iPhone X already? There's still time to get a great price!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Verizon plans to start locking all phones, including iPhones, to its network for a certain period of time. The carrier is hoping the move, which will prevent customers from using other SIM cards in Verizon devices, will help it fight theft.

Here’s what Apple’s got planned for iOS 12

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iPhone X wireless charging
Apple is changing its strategy when it comes to iOS launches.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The biggest launch features for iOS 12 will reportedly involve allowing a single set of apps to work across both iOS and macOS, a Digital Health tool for monitoring screen time, and improvements to Animojis, a new report claims.

Apple will meanwhile hold off on introducing a redesigned home screen and revamped Photos app until 2019. This marks a new strategy for Apple, in which software engineers won’t have to rush to finish features in time for each year’s iOS refresh around the time of the new iPhone launch.

Long-awaited Alto’s Odyssey lands on iOS this month

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Alto
This stunning new title is the sequel to a beloved 2015 classic.
Photo: Snowman

Alto’s Odyssey, the long-awaited follow up 2015’s brilliant Alto’s Adventure endless snowboarding game is finally landing on iOS later this month.

The game combines the snowboarding of its predecessor with wall jumping, balloon bouncing, and far more — all with the same sumptuous graphics of the original game, which remains one of the best titles available in the App Store. Check out the trailer below.

Apple overtakes Asus to become fourth largest notebook maker

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13 inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
Notebook sales increased more than expected last year.
Photo: Apple

Global notebook shipments increased more than expected last year, and part of it came down to Apple’s strong MacBook growth.

According to a new report from market research firm TrendForce, Apple recorded a 9.6 percent market share in global notebook shipments, up from 8.3 percent the previous year. As a result, Apple overtook Asus to become the fourth largest notebook maker by shipments, compared to the fifth largest in 2016.

New HomePod ads show off its musical versatility

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HomePod
Sound quality is the biggest selling point of Apple's new smart speaker.
Photo: Apple

Apple debuted short four HomePod-themed ads over the weekend, showing off the speaker’s high-end audio playback capabilities. The ads are titled “Beat,” “Bass,” “Equalizer” and “Distortion” and feature some striking but simple imagery that subtly harks back to the clean dancing silhouettes Apple used to use to advertise iTunes and the iPod.

Check them out below.

HomePod may sound great, but Siri still sucks

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HomePod Close Up
HomePod sounds great, but right now it doesn't have some of the AI tricks of its rivals.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has been pretty outspoken about marketing HomePod as a high-end speaker that just happens to have Siri, as opposed to a smart speaker built around its AI assistant, like the Google Home or Amazon Alexa.

A new study published by Loup Ventures suggests one reason why: Because Siri is seriously lagging behind its rivals in terms of its functionality and ability to answer questions.

This ’50s-style Bluetooth speaker will blast you with nostalgia [Deals]

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The Lofree Poison is a modern Bluetooth speaker with a retro 1950s style.
The Lofree Poison is a modern Bluetooth speaker with a retro 1950s style.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

These days, everything old is new again. Pop culture is bursting with reboots, references, and a general nostalgia for the comfortable looks and feels of the past. Escapism aside, classic styles are classic for a reason, and they make a great look for modern technology.

What you should know about HomePod, before you buy, on The CultCast

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X-ray view of HomePod
Is HomePod nearing its end, or just getting started?
Photo: Apple

The HomePod reviews have been coming out hot and heavy, and they’re surprising. This week on The CultCast, we’ll tell you what people like, love and hate about Apple’s new speaker. If you’re planning on buying one, don’t miss our discussion. Plus: Something strange is happening at Apple HQ … we elaborate; 150 new kickass emojis are coming to your iPhone; and we pitch you the movies, gadgets and food we can’t get enough of in all-new What We’re Into!

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