Apple has raised the price of many iPhone handsets in India, following last week’s increase in import duties on the new handset.

In new rules announced last week, the cost of importing smartphones to India was raised from 10 to 15 percent. As we noted at the time, Apple’s choices were to either raise the price of iPhones in India, or to eat some of the cost itself in order to keep pricing competitive. It seems that Apple did some combination of the two — since prices have been increased an average of 3.5 percent.

When it comes to the iPhone X, facial recognition is most associated with the Face ID biometric security system, but there are other ways to use the front-facing camera on your device.

In a new game, titled Rainbrow, Washington University computer science graduate Nathan Gitter has created an innovative new game mechanic using Apple’s TrueDepth camera system — requiring players to control an on-screen character by raising or lowering their eyebrows. Yes, seriously!

If you’re planning to pick up some last minute AirPods as a Christmas gift, sadly you may have left it a little bit too late — because both Apple’s website, and those belonging to other retailers we checked, are all showing that the next-gen earbuds are sold out.

Apple is now quoting the first or second week of January for delivery, having previously got shipping down to just 3-5 days.

A unique selfie app, created by Google, that summons up your inner supermodel is just of one of the picks for this week’s “Awesome Apps” roundup.

In addition, we’ve got part one of an excellent episodic adventure finally available on iOS, a sound-matching app for any guitar players out there, and an augmented reality-focused update to Facebook Messenger. Check out our picks below.

Games have changed a lot over the last 25 years. Technologies have improved, tastes have changed, whole new genres have been created. But in that time, some games have shown that classics are classics for a good reason.

This week on The CultCast: Shakeup at Apple! In a surprising turn of events, Jony Ive takes back the reigns of the Apple design team. We discuss what this means for Apple. Plus: The new iMac Pro is out, and the reviews are coming in. We’ll tell you what’s new about this beastly machine with a monster price tag. And we wrap with what Apple got right 2017, and what the company needs to do better in 2018! It’s been a wild year.

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.

Whether you’re a graphic designer or just need to touch up a spot of wall paint, precise color is key. Out in the world there are endless sources of color inspiration and reference. But without a highly trained eye, matching those colors is basically a guessing game.

Cult of Mac publisher, Leander Kahney, can’t think of anything to hate about the iPhone X. On the contrary, there are lots of things to love. Kahney breaks down the 10 things he just loves about the iPhone X.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. The first iMac Pro reviews are in — see if the new Pro is worth the $5,000 price tag. 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.

If you dropped $1,000 on an iPhone X, you certainly don’t want to drop that thing without a case. (Yes, we know it’s kind of slippery.)

In this week’s roundup of the best Apple deals, you’ll find plenty of options for inexpensive iPhone X cases to protect your fancy phone.

Windows 10 users hoping for some love from Apple by the end of the year are in for a dose of disappointment.

Apple says it won’t be bringing iTunes to the Windows Store this year. The move comes after Microsoft announced in May that iTunes would be supported on Windows 10 S machines by the end of 2017.

Once you’ve dropped almost $14k on a new iMac Pro, what’s another $50 to add some extra ports to the front of it? Satechi’s Aluminum Type-C Clamp Hub Pro might be one of the most awkwardly-named gadget this year, but it may also prove to be one of the most useful.

This post is presented by SnapWings.

To keep your phone propped up at a convenient reading angle, you need a special case with a kickstand or some sort of (typically bulky) iPhone stand. But over at Kickstarter, a new solution just snapped into view.

The guy that developed Battlestar Galactica for TV is teaming up with Apple for an all-new sci-fi TV series.

Apple has reportedly inked a deal with Ronald D. Moore that will see the sci-fi TV producer bring his next series exclusively to Apple. The project is being created in partnership with Sony Pictures Television and Moore’s studio-based Tall Ship Productions.

something political? nah

Facebook has added a new snooze button that lets you mute annoying friends, groups, and pages.

The feature lets you temporarily avoid content you don’t want to see — without having to unfriend or unfollow. No more baby pictures, Black Friday deals, or royal engagement stories.

Apple manufacturer Foxconn is planning to adopt artificial intelligence image recognition systems for quality control in its factories, a new report claims.

The tech could help identify faulty circuit boards or other components, thereby improving Foxconn’s efficiency when it comes to assembling devices. The AI system was developed by Andrew Ng, a machine learning expert who has previously headed up major projects for both Google and Baidu.

Many Mac users were once PC people. And of course there are many reasons to prefer a Mac. But there are also a lot of great Windows apps and games that you might start to miss.

Who says a MacBook isn’t fit for the battlefield? The C6SHELL case made from real carbon fiber is all you need to keep your beloved notebook protected in a war zone.

It’s strong enough to stop bullets, but light enough to carry anywhere.

Xbox players will soon be able to chat with friends wherever they may be. Microsoft is bringing a new Xbox party chat app to Android and iOS. You can try it now in beta before it makes its official debut.

Apple may be keen to grow its business in India, but it’s certainly not getting any favors from the government.

In a new ruling, it’s been announced that the import tax paid on smartphones is being raised from 10 to 15 percent in a decision that will hurt Apple’s business in the country. Unless Apple absorbs the cost itself, this will make its iPhones more expensive at a time when it is desperate to get more handsets into customers’ hands.

Apple will reward you with a $5 gift card for using Apple Pay at select retailers over the holidays. Your credit can be spent in the App Store or on iTunes. There’s a limit of one card per retailer, and the promotion is only available in the United States.

Earlier this week my colleague Killian Bell published 10 things he hates about his iPhone X.

Like some of our readers, I was shocked. Hates? How could he find one thing to hate, let alone 10?

I can’t think of anything to hate about the X. On the contrary, there are lots of things to love. Here are 10 things I love about the iPhone X.

Samsung wants to take on Apple’s HomePod with its own smart speaker, which could arrive as soon as the first half of 2018, a new report claims.

Like Apple, the Samsung smart speaker will reportedly focus on high-end audio quality, as well as functioning as a hub for controlling smart home devices. The smart speaker will reportedly be based around Bixby, the Samsung AI assistant introduced this year for the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ handsets.

Apple is exploring new ways to make Siri smarter — and one of them involves letting Siri know when you want to keep the noise level low by whispering.

According to a patent application published this week, Apple is interested in, “a digital assistant that is capable of detecting a whispered speech input and providing a whispered speech response.” That could be useful in scenarios such as protecting your privacy, while still letting you use its speech capabilities, or settings where high volume levels are prohibited.

Gear-shopping for your favorite outdoors-loving friends and family members can be as daunting as trekking up Mount St. Helens as she’s about to blow. There are so many options — and so much crap! Nobody wants to waste money on a gift that’s not going to get used.

To help you out with your holiday shopping, we waded through the endless lists of camping and hiking gear and gadgets that came out in 2017. The goal? To find the perfect stuff your special someone will love.