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New battery speeds up old iPhone (and rekindles Apple conspiracy theory)

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battery1
Can't afford to upgrade to a faster iPhone? Maybe just buy a new battery!
Photo: Apple

Swapping out the battery in a slow old iPhone could drastically improve the device’s performance.

That claim comes from a Reddit user who says he almost doubled the clock rates of his lagging iPhone 6s simply by popping in a new battery. His theory that Apple intentionally slows down old phones sparked a furious debate online.

iPhone manufacturing in India hits another bump in the road

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Apple supplier is increasing its ability to build masses of iPhones in India
India won't budge on iPhone component import duties.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple wants to ramp up its iPhone manufacturing in India, but coming to an arrangement with the Indian government over all the necessary details — including Apple’s desired tax breaks — is proving to be hard work.

A new report claims that Apple has asked the government in India to defer a planned increase on import taxes for mobile phone parts, but that the request is unlikely to be successful.

Chocolate Hub 2 should ship with every MacBook

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Chocolate Hub
Chocolate Hub 2 gives you back all the ports you need.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple doesn’t think you need traditional USB ports and SD card readers anymore, but for the vast majority of MacBook users, that’s false. That’s why every model should ship with the excellent Chocolate Hub 2.

This pocket-sized device gives you back all the connections you frequently rely on, including USB and HDMI. It also has a built-in Qi charging pad for juicing up your iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, or iPhone X on the move.

Apple seeks to silence activist shareholders at its annual general meeting

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Apple could be a $2 trillion company by end of 2021
Apple doesn't want to talk sustainability or human rights at its 2018 AGM.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple may be very happy to talk environmental issues and human rights when it suits it to do so — but not at its shareholder meetings.

According to a new report, Apple is “pushing back” on four activist shareholder proposals to discuss these issues at its annual general meeting (AGM) early in 2018. The reason? Because Apple says they relate to “ordinary business” and are already areas that Apple is dealing with. In other words, don’t worry about it!

Knockoff crypto wallet app rises to the top of the App Store

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Apple pays $467k for doing business with blacklisted app developer
This isn't the kind of thing we expect from Apple.
Photo: Apple

In what looks like its latest security faux pas, Apple has allowed an app pretending to be created by MyEtherWallet.com — one of the internet’s leading services for storing ETH and other crypto currency — into the App Store.

Not just that, but the app quickly rose to the top of the iOS App Store over the weekend. Despite the creators of MyEtherWallet saying that the app is fake, and asking Apple to remove it, at time of writing the $4.99 app is still available to download.

Apple slashes iPhone X wait times again as holidays approach

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iphone x
Average wait times are just 3-5 business days.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you’re hoping to get hold of an iPhone X in time for the holidays, there’s some good news: Apple has slashed shipping times again to an average of 3-5 days in the United States, while lead times in China are down to as low as 1-3 business days.

As per Apple’s U.S. website, orders for AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and SIM-free iPhones are down to 3-5 days, while T-Mobile handsets are still estimated at 9 days.

Clean Text, Ashworld, and other awesome apps of the week

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

An incredibly useful app that cleans your text of formatting issues is just one of our picks for this week’s “Awesome Apps of the Week” roundup.

In addition, we’ve got a brilliant music making app, an app for editing your 360 camera videos, and a superb post-apocalyptic survival adventure game. In the same week that Apple highlighted its top apps of 2017, these are our choices for the greatest apps of the past seven days. Check them out below.

Jony Ive is once again leading Apple’s design team

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Jony Ive
Ive is back manning Apple's day to day design.
Photo: Vanity Fair/YouTube

Jony Ive is reportedly returning to hands-on design duties at Apple, two years after being promoted to the role of Chief Design Officer.

According to an Apple spokesperson, “With the completion of Apple Park, Apple’s design leaders and teams are again reporting directly to Jony Ive, who remains focused purely on design.”

5 ways to liven up your iPhone game [Deals]

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These five add-ons will make any iPhone better.
These five add-ons will make any iPhone better.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Picking up an iPhone means putting an amazing device in your pocket. But there are plenty of ways to make it even better. We’ve rounded up five deals on peripherals and lessons that can enhance anyone’s iPhone experience. That includes wireless charging batteries, a robust car mount, truly wireless earbuds, lessons in iOS coding, and more. Each is discounted massively, some by more than 90 percent. Read on for more details:

Cult of Mac Magazine: Bugs could tarnish Apple’s sterling reputation, and more!

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mag
It seems that with every software update, Apple fans face new problems. A recent doozy of a security flaw left Macs wide open to attacks.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple built its trillion-dollar reputation delivering beautiful hardware that turned tedious tasks into magical experiences. But, a recent string of ridiculous bugs put Cupertino in a precarious position: If Apple doesn’t stop the screw-ups, it could permanently sully its good name.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Learn how to track package deliveries on iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch. Check out our Gift Giving Guides and get your holiday shopping out of the way now! Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

5 upgrades that make any Mac more productive [Deals]

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We've rounded up 5 great productivity upgrades for your Mac.
We've rounded up 5 great productivity upgrades for your Mac.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Getting a Mac is just the first step. To get the most out of your new machine, you’ll want the right apps and peripherals. So we’ve gathered five of the best extras for any Mac. That includes a port expander, portable powerstrip, Apple Mail and iTunes replacements, and a WiFi ‘heat mapper’. Everything is discounted by 25 percent or more, read on for more details:

Phil Schiller says all of Face ID’s competitors ‘stink’

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Phil Schiller
Phil Schiller says iPhone X will dictate the direction of smartphones for the next decade.
Photo: Apple

Apple marketing guru Phil Schiller has heard the haters saying the iPhone X wasn’t the first smartphone to get facial recognition. But according to Schiller, that doesn’t matter at all.

“They all stink,” says Schiller in a new interview discussing Apple’s new facial recognition feature. The wide-ranging interview touches on everything from AirPods to virtual reality, but what sets Face ID apart is what got Schiller the most excited.

Apple is allegedly in talks to buy Shazam

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Shazam
Shazam, an essential iPhone app for years, just got better.
Photo: Shazam

Apple is adding another key weapon to its war chest in the battle against Spotify, based on a new report that claims the company plans to acquire the app Shazam.

The popular app helps users identify any song, TV show or movie in seconds just by listening to it via a smartphone’s microphone. iOS integrated Siri with Shazam a few years ago, but it appears that Apple’s looking to bring the entire operation in-house.

Best Lightning cables to replace the one you already broke

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Apple's Lightning cable works great, right up until it doesn't. These are the best Lightning cables to replace it.
Apple's Lightning cable works great, right up until it doesn't.
Photo: Richard Unten/Flickr CC

Lightning cables are the most boring part of your iPhone or iPad kit, but one of the most essential. After all, without one your iPhone won’t last much longer than a day. Apple’s cables prove adequate, but we wouldn’t recommend buying one as a replacement or a spare. You can find several better (and cheaper) options for charging your iDevices. Here are our picks for the best Lightning cables.

Enter to win a dream Apple setup worth $3,000 [Deals]

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Tim Ferriss Apple dream setup giveaway
Supercharge your life with the Tim Ferriss Tribe of Mentors Dream Setup giveaway.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The New York Times best-selling author Tim Ferriss is widely regarded as one of today’s leading productivity gurus. His latest book, Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice From the Best in the World, just dropped, and it’s full of great pointers for people looking to make the most out of their time and energy. To mark the book’s release, we’re sharing this giveaway of top-shelf Apple tech.

There are three chances to win, and entry is free. Read on for details on the three awesome bundles of Apple gear you could win.

Lego mechanical keyboard is an awesome way to brick your Mac

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Lego keyboard
Yes, it actually works.
Photo: JK Brickworks

If you love Legos and the clicky feeling of using a mechanical keyboard then prepare to meet the keyboard of your dreams.

Lego master builder Jason Allemann revealed his latest creation today that transforms an old school mechanical keyboard into a fully customizable Lego creation. The Lego keyboard uses a Cooler Master Quick Fire Rapid keyboard as a base and replaces the frame and keys using 3D printed Cherry MX Lego compatible keycaps.

Take a closer look:

The Novel backpack oozes with awesome tech

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Novel backpack
Pack everything and keep it all powered up.
Photo: Visvo

Why bother with basic backpacks when you can buy one oozing with tech designed to make life a whole lot easier. Meet Novel, a new generation of bags that come packing everything you need on the road in the modern age.

Learn to build amazing ARKit apps for iOS 11 [Deals]

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Learn how to build working, immersive AR apps in iOS 11.
Learn how to build working, immersive AR apps in iOS 11.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

One of the most exciting features in new iPhones is its specialized support for augmented reality. So for developers, that means a whole new era of interactive and immersive content. But it also means learning the ins and outs of ARKit in iOS 11 and Swift 4.

Apple may be slashing iPhone X orders already

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iphone x
But shipments will remain strong through Q1 2018.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple suppliers claim that, having enjoyed a surge in orders for the iPhone X in September and October, orders are now starting to decline.

According to sources in Apple’s supply chain, orders weakened in November, and are dropping even further this month. Shipments for Q1 are reportedly around 30 percent lower than previously forecast.

All the best gadgets of 2017, this week on The CultCast

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CultCast
We've spent all year reviewing gadgets and we're ready to reveal our favorites.
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast, we reveal not five, not 10, but 18 of the best gadgets of the year! Plus: The Amazon Prime Video is finally available for your Apple TV, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about iOS 11’s new Apple Pay Cash feature.

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% off any hosting plan.