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Cousins trick Face ID into thinking that they’re the same person

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face id jokes
Apple has touted the security of Face ID, but there have been a couple of exceptions to the rule.
Photo: Apple

There have already been multiple reports of close family members being able to successfully unlock each other’s iPhone X using Face ID.

After publishing a story yesterday on a kid who managed to unlock his mom’s handset, however, we heard from another pair of individuals. The difference? That this time they are not mother and son, or siblings, but “very distant” third cousins. (Although it’s still not an issue you should worry about.)

Check out the video below.

Apple will work with Indian government to kill spam

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Apple supplier is increasing its ability to build masses of iPhones in India
Apple previously clashed with the government over whether or not to create the app.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple appears to have partially backed down in a clash with the Indian government over whether or not to help develop an anti-spam application for iOS, having previously refused to do so because of privacy concerns.

The issue concerned a so-called “Do Not Disturb” app, which the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India wanted Apple to distribute on the App Store. The app is already available on Android.

Apple under investigation for patent infringement

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Apple adds 5 new vice presidents to its executive lineup
Possible patent infringement covers Macs, iPhones, iPads, iPods, and Apple TVs.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

The U.S. International Trade Commission has confirmed that it is investigating Apple for allegedly infringing on patents on various devices, including Macs, iPhones, iPads, iPods, and Apple TVs.

The probe was launched following a complaint from Aqua Connect Inc. and subsidiary Strategic Technology Partners of Orange, California.

Shooting From the Hip showcases beautiful iPhone photos [Book review]

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iPhone photo book
Shooting From the Hip, the iPhone street photography of San Francisco's Scott Strazzante, is now for sale.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

You may be tempted to marvel at Scott Strazzante’s new book, Shooting From the Hip, simply because he made all those gritty street photographs with an iPhone.

We can’t seem to get over the fact that the little wonder device in our pockets can be used to create great work. Apple touts stunning photos on big billboards, luring us with the promise that good pictures will come pouring out if we upgrade to the latest iPhone.

But photography — good photography, anyway — isn’t that simple. And to fixate on the tool Strazzante uses would be a disservice to him, and to the collection of 150 pictures inside this hardcover coffee table book.

This beautiful weather app is worthy of iPhone X’s OLED display

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Today Weather app is an ideal fit for iPhone X's OLED display.
Today Weather is a simple, sleek app that's an ideal fit for iPhone X's OLED display.
Image: Today Weather

This post is presented by Tho Tran, maker of Today Weather.

If you venture outside on a regular basis, chances are you check your weather app pretty often. Whether the info it gives you is good or bad, it should deliver it in eye-pleasing style. Especially if you’ve forked over the cash for a new iPhone X.

How to turn any song into a ringtone with GarageBand for iOS

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custom ringtones itunes
This is a screenshot of the original iTunes, on an iPad.
Photo: Cult of Mac

There are very few iOS tasks that still require a Mac. One of those is getting your own ringtones onto your iPhone. You can buy them, but you can’t add a downloaded ringtone onto your iPhone without hooking up to iTunes. Or can you? GarageBand on iOS lets you save your own creations as ringtones, to be used immediately. Here’s how.

Lounge Dock charging stand for Apple Watch adjusts to you

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lounge dock
The eye-catching Lounge Dock is height-adjustable.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

We love great design in all its forms — especially when that form is a cute and compact charging stand for Apple Watch. Just Mobile again hits all the marks in fusing function and design with its adjustable-angle charging stand, the Lounge Dock.

Just Mobile continues to impress us with its great Apple-centric accessories, and is well-known as a company who’s ethos is great design. We’re excited to feature the Lounge Dock in our Watch Store alongside Just Mobile’s TimeStand and HoverDock.

iPhone X guts Foxconn profits

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Foxconn Wisconsin
Foxconn workers in Shenzhen will not report next week until further notice.
Photo: Foxconn

Production issues with the iPhone X caused Apple’s biggest supply partner to suffer its biggest decline in profits in nearly a decade.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., aka Foxconn, posted its latest earnings today and disappointed investors by posting a 39 percent decline in net income compared to the same quarter last year.

Undercover smartwatch blends new tech with classic styling

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watch
A classic watch design, with all the modern trimmings.
Photo: NYSW

Do you want a smartwatch that works with your iPhone, but aren’t ready to give up on the classic stylings of an analog timepiece in favor of an Apple Watch?

If so, you may be interested to hear about New York Standard Watch’s (NYSW) newly launched series of semi-smart watches, blending classic design with digital functionality.

Kid unlocks mom’s iPhone X with Face ID

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iPhoeX
Spot the difference? The iPhone X can't.
Screenshot: Attaullah Malik/YouTube

Another way to circumvent the iPhone X’s Face ID security system has been discovered — but, don’t worry, it’s not going to be one that affects the overwhelming majority of users.

The Face ID “hacker” in question is the fifth-grade son of an iPhone X owner, who apparently looks close enough to his mom in appearance that the system recognizes them both as the same person.

Best wireless charging pads for iPhone X and iPhone 8

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Best wireless charging pads for iPhone X and iPhone 8
You've got a new iPhone. Now it's time to get ready for wireless charging.
Photo: Belkin

Update: Apple added faster 7.5-watt wireless charging in iOS 11.2, which is currently in beta. We’ve updated this guide and placed compatible fast-charging pads at the top of the list.

Apple’s new iPhone lineup finally supports wireless charging. Both the iPhone X and the iPhone 8/8 Plus use the Qi standard that’s been popular for years. That means you can choose from an endless list of compatible charging pads, mats and stands already on the market.

So, which one(s) should you buy? We’ve rounded up some of the best iPhone wireless chargers to make your buying decision a little bit easier.

Apple Watch 3 shipments reached new highs last quarter

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Apple Watch Series 3
The Apple Watch is going from strength to strength.
Photo: Apple

Apple has yet to reveal exactly how many Apple Watches it has manufactured and sold, but according to market research firm Canalys the shipments figure is likely to have been 3.9 million units in Q3 2017.

That’s its strongest quarter so far in 2017, and enough that Apple retook the wearable device lead — with rivals Xiaomi and Fitbit shipping 3.6 million and 3.5 million bands, respectively.

There are two new ways the Apple Watch could help save your life

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apple watch 1
Apple Watch can help diagnose sleep apnea and high blood pressure
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The Apple Watch may be a useful tool for detecting potentially fatal medical conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and sleep apnea (a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing while a person is asleep), claims a new study.

Carried out by the health startup Cardiogram and the University of California San Francisco, the study illustrates that the Apple Watch can detect hypertension with 82 percent, and hypertension with an impressive 90 percent.

Using iPhone X’s dark mode uses less than half the battery power

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grayscale iphone x dark mode
The iPhone X sips power in dark mode.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Did you read our guide to switching on the iPhone X’s Unofficial Battery Saver Dark Mode in order to stretch the battery life of your new iPhone X? Well, it turns out that blacking out as much of the screen as possible really can save a whole lot of juice. In testing, running the iPhone X in dark mode saves a staggering amount of battery power.

Essential iPhone X tips you need to know [Video]

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Watch our latest video to see all the crucial iPhone X tips and tricks.
Watch our latest video to see all the crucial iPhone X tips and tricks.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhone X is radically different from every iPhone that came before it. As you strive to get accustomed to life without a Home button, these iPhone X tips and tricks will come in handy.

Check out the video below to see nine iPhone X tips you need to master immediately.

Apple drops big batch of new beta updates

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iOS 11
iOS 11.2 brings Apple TV support to Control Center.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Developers received a bunch of new beta software updates from Apple today that included the third beta of iOS 11.2 and macOS 10.13.3 beta 3 as well.

The new betas contain a number of bug fixes and performance improvements as Apple prepares to launch Apple Pay cash and other new additions to the public later this year.

Apple may launch 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus in 2018

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iPhone x
Would you like more screen?
Photo: Martin Hajek

One of the most reliable Apple analysts in the game is predicting big things for the iPhone X design in 2018.

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will release an iPhone X Plus next year with the biggest smartphone screen the company has ever made.

Save over $150 on these Jetsons-worthy earbuds [Deals]

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These futuristic Bluetooth earbuds feature great audio, battery life, and comfort.
These futuristic Bluetooth earbuds feature great audio, battery life, and comfort.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Not long ago, the idea of wireless personal audio seemed downright futuristic. Now that it’s a reality, our expectations have caught up.  We expect a set of Bluetooth earbuds to have a good mix of battery life, audio quality, and comfort.

U.K.’s flagship Apple Store robbed in scary nighttime raid

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Apple is the U.K.'s top tech employer.
The exterior of the Regent Street Apple Store.
Photo: Apple

A gang of thieves robbed London’s Regent Street Apple Store in a brazen overnight raid. After threatening a security guard with a hammer, the group of 10 robbers took off on mopeds with an assortment of iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches.

The Metropolitan Police were called at 12:45 a.m. Monday, just minutes after the thieves broke into the U.K.’s flagship Apple store. Two iPhone X handsets were recovered at the nearby King’s Cross subway station, but the criminals got away.

Hackers claim they fooled Face ID with cheap mask

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Face ID iPhone X
Face ID has already been hacked.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Hackers may have already proven that Face ID isn’t quite as secure as secure as Apple claims.

Using a simple 3D printed mask, Vietnamese security firm Bkav, has posted a video showing an iPhone X being unlocked after unveiling a composite 3D-printed mask made of plastic, makeup, silicone and paper cutouts for some facial features.

iPad X concept looks edge-to-edge gorgeous

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iPad Pro2
Now this is an iPad we'd love to see!
Photo: Martin Hajek

The iPhone X has brought an all-new design language to the iPhone, complete with jaw-dropping infinite display. But how would Apple’s iPad look if it adopted the same bezel-free aesthetics as Apple’s tenth anniversary iPhone? Concept artist Martin Hajek decided to find out.

Check out a few of his images below.