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Qualcomm sues Apple again, accuses it of helping rival Intel

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Qualcomm patents
It looks like the battle between Apple and Qualcomm isn't close to over.
Photo: Qualcomm

In the latest twist in the Apple versus Qualcomm battle, Qualcomm has sued Apple yet again — this time claiming that it has taken advantage of its access to Qualcomm code to help rival Intel by giving it information about Qualcomm’s technology.

The lawsuit lends credibility to a previous story suggesting that Apple may be planning to drop Qualcomm chips for new iPhones and iPads which will ship in 2018, and replace them chips made by Intel and MediaTek.

AAPL passes another milestone on its way to $1 trillion market cap

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What’s it like to have your startup bought by Apple? Stressful
Apple is a $900 billion company and counting.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s spectacular quarterly earnings, which had previously seemed like they’d be the calm before the iPhone X storm, have pushed Apple over the $900 billion valuation in pre-market trading, making it the first company in history to do so.

AAPL shares were marked 3.2 percent higher in after-hours trading, indicating a record high opening price of $173.49 for Friday.

7 biggest takeaways from Apple’s record Q4 earnings

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Will Apple reach its own targets for Q2?
AAPL shares are on the rise.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple surprised investors with its best Q4 earnings report ever today. The outrageous numbers dispelled doubts about the iPhone-maker’s strategy — and pushed Apple closer to becoming the world’s first trillion-dollar company.

With the launch of the iPhone X just hours away, Apple CEO Tim Cook had a lot to be happy about during the earnings call with investors. Analysts quizzed Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri on everything from iPhone 8 sales to how Apple plans to monetize its augmented reality efforts.

Here’s what we found out:

Learn all the new gestures for iPhone X

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gestures iPhone x
Your thumb will get a workout now that the home button is no longer around to do all the work.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone X has no home button. We already know that, but what does it mean when you’re actually using the phone? The home button is the most important button on the iPhone. It wakes it up, gets you to the home screen, activates Apple Pay, invokes Siri, takes a screenshot, and helps you force the phone to reset if everything goes wrong. And that’s just the beginning. The iPhone X replaces the home button with a combination of gestures, and by using other buttons. Some of them you may already use. Others take existing gestures and move them. Let’s take a look at all the new gestures on the iPhone X.

Apple beats expectations in historic Q4 earnings

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Apple earnings
Apple crushed its Q4 earnings.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The last Apple earnings report of 2017 is finally here and the results are even better than Wall Street anticipated.

Aided by strong iPhone sales thanks to the launch of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, Apple was able to bring in slightly higher than expected revenues and the company is expecting big things next quarter too.

Apple earnings call live blog: How high can AAPL fly?

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Apple earnings
Apple's Q2 earnings are expected to be a bit of a downer.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is set to unveil its last earnings report of 2017, and it’s expected to be one of the company’s biggest Q4 results ever.

Wall Street analysts are eager to see how many iPhones Apple sold during the quarter, which included a few days of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus sales at the end. Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will be hopping on the call with investors at 2 p.m. Pacific today. Naturally, we’ll be here live-blogging all the action.

Come join the fun:

Massive iPhone X lines form at Apple Stores worldwide

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iPhone X line
Outside the Singapore Apple Store.
Photo: @R_Kami

Fans have begun lining up outside Apple Stores around the world to get their hands on iPhone X. The device makes its official debut tomorrow, and Apple has promised that units will be available for walk-in customers. However, they’re expected to disappear quickly (just like preorders did).

Some lines have already turned chaotic, while latecomers are offering money for precious spots near the front.

Apple may keep face data locked down, but devs can still get it

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Michael Cohen Face ID
There's a (sort of) loophole in Apple's privacy stance.
Photo: Apple

Apple might have been praised for ensuring that Face ID data stays securely on the iPhone X, but privacy experts are concerned that the same thing isn’t true for the apps which use iPhone face data,

According to a new report, apps which use facial data for their services — such as offering fun masks for selfies or having animjoi-style video game characters who mirror the expression of gamers — are not subject to the same privacy terms and conditions. In fact, so long as they ask customer permission and don’t sell the data, they are free to take it off the phones and store it on their own networks.

This first-person drone fits in your hand [Deals]

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This teensy drone manages to send real-time, HD video straight to your phone.
This teensy drone manages to send real-time, HD video straight to your phone.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The technology that allows for awesome experiences just keeps getting smaller and more affordable. Drones are no exception. Now it’s possible to get the feeling of flight from a device that you can hold in the palm of your hand.

Apple joins other tech giants in opposing plans to end DACA

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Apple is clashing with President Trump over calls to end the DACA program.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Apple has added its name to a letter of support for a legal challenge to President Trump’s attempts to end DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program which protects undocumented immigrants who were brought into the U.S. when they were minors.

Other tech companies to sign the brief include IBM, Google, Lyft, Microsoft, Twitter, and others.

Tim Cook: Russian ads aren’t to blame for U.S. election results

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Tim Cook
Cook thinks there are bigger issues to deal with.
Photo: NBC

The tech and political worlds may be buzzing over claims that Russian ads helped influence the U.S. presidential election, but one person who’s not so quick to jump on board with the theory is Apple CEO Tim Cook.

In an interview with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, which aired Wednesday night, Cook poured cold water on the suggestion by arguing that such ads make up an absolutely tiny part of the larger issue as to why people in the U.S. are so divided in their politics.

Wrap your Apple Watch in woven stainless steel [Watch Store]

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casetify
Casetify's Stainless Steel Mesh Bands rival Apple's Milanese Loop Bands in quality and cost nearly half the price.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Stainless steel meticulously weaves its way through the Mesh Band for Apple Watch — Casetify’s answer to the significantly more expensive Milanese Loop by Apple. And, Casetify’s version is just as stylish and functional as the behemoth brand’s band.

For penny-counters, you’ll save from $67 to $117 on Casetify’s silver and black stainless steel mesh bands, respectively, and gain an additional color not offered by Apple: rose gold. I’ve been wearing mine all week and am loving the quality and fit of this sleek metal band.

Casetify designs all its products to be super stylish and functional, and its latest collection of Stainless Steel Bands for Apple Watch is no exception. Check out these new bands in our Watch Store, and read on to learn more.

Apple’s earnings call will be the calm before iPhone X superstorm

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Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will give investors their first insight into iPhone 8 sales, right on the eve of the iPhone X launch.

The final Apple earnings call of 2017 takes place Thursday, November 2, at 2 p.m. Pacific. Apple’s fourth fiscal quarter ended right after the iPhone 8 started shipping. The results aren’t expected to be record-breaking, but this first glimpse should give us a better idea of how monstrous Apple’s holiday season will be.

This is what to watch for:

Listen to the iPhone X’s exclusive new ringtone

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iPhone X
Did you get lucky?
Photo: Apple

Apple fans that purchase the iPhone X will get an extra tree when devices finally start arriving later this week: an exclusive ringtone.

Bundled inside the software for the iPhone X is an all-new ringtone called “Reflection.” The song has a melody that is somewhat similar to the iconic “Marimba” ringtone that launched with the original iPhone.

Take a listen:

Face ID can be slower than Touch ID, but you can speed it up

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Face ID iPhone X
Ensure Face ID is as fast as it can be.
Photo: UrAvgConsumer

Face ID is the future, and it’s easy to see why. It’s significantly more secure than Touch ID, and it eliminates a number of big limitations. But it’s not quite perfect yet.

Those who are lucky enough to have received a unit early from Apple have discovered that Face ID is slower than its predecessor. There are some things you can do to speed it up, though.

These aggressive cases are futuristic armor for iPhone X

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Zizo's line of futuristic cases for iPhone X are designed to military specifications of toughness.
Zizo's line of futuristic cases for iPhone X are designed to military specifications of toughness.
Photo: Zizo Wireless

This post is brought to you by Zizo Wireless.

Buying a new iPhone means being being constantly vigilant about not dropping the thing. As nice as the naked phones feel in-hand, no amount of tactile pleasure can overcome the terrible feeling of cracking the screen or worse. Now, with the iPhone X commanding a bank-busting $1,000 per unit, the stakes are even higher.

Public testers can now try iOS 11.2

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iOS 11
iOS 11.2 comes with some Control Center tweaks.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Members of Apple’s public beta testing program can already get in on the action with iOS 11.2.

Apple released its newest batch of betas to public testers today giving members access to all the new features and fixes in the the first beta builds of iOS 11.2 and tvOS 11.2.

Apple Music gets an anthem in funky new ad

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Streaming services like Apple Music dominate the US music market
Streaming services like Apple Music dominate the US music market
Photo: Apple

Album covers take center stage in the latest ad for Apple Music. The funky new video that was pushed to Apple’s YouTube channel this morning features an eclectic collection of quick art shots inspired by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Sia, Eminem, Drake, FKA Twigs and many more.

Check it out:

How to buy an app on iPhone X using Face ID

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face id scan
Face ID still requires a button-tap to make an App Store purchase.
Photo: Aditya Doshi/Flickr CC

There’s one big conceptual difference between Face ID and its predecessor, Touch ID. With a fingerprint, you have to explicitly touch the home button to confirm an action. When unlocking a password-protected app, or unlocking the iPhone itself, it’s hard to do it unintentionally. But what about buying an app? The old Touch ID way is to tap the buy button, and then use your fingerprint to confirm the purchase. What happens with Face ID? How do you cancel a purchase after tapping buy? Do you look away? Close your eyes?

No. It’s much simpler than that, although much less discoverable than touching a fingerprint scanner.