Countless rumors have warned iPhone 8 won’t be cheap. One of the things pushing up its price tag is the manufacturing process for its swanky new OLED display.

According to one Foxconn executive, the display is proving difficult to produce because of the “special cutting” required to create the notch at the top of the screen.

An apparent iPhone 8 photo straight out of Foxconn has confirmed one of our biggest fears for Touch ID: It will be relocated to the back of the device.

Apple has been working to embed its fingerprint scanner into the iPhone’s display, but it seems the technology won’t be ready in time for this year’s big refresh.

Apple finally has an official Instagram account. The company has expanded its social media presence to promote Shot on iPhone photos, and it is inviting fans to take part by using the #ShotoniPhone tag on their Instagram uploads.

In today’s world, digital marketing is the dark magic that makes the world go round. Maybe you’re selling a product, promoting a message, or just trying to get more followers on Instagram. Whatever you’re up to online, you have to get familiar with digital marketing.

Prosecutors are seeking a 12-year jail sentence for Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong, who is charged with playing a role in a bribery scandal involving Park Geun-hye, the former president of South Korea.

Four other Samsung executives are also charged, with prosecutors seeking sentences between seven and 10 years for each. However, Lee is credited as the “ultimate beneficiary” of the crime, hence the longer sentence.

Thanks to secrets discovered in Apple’s own firmware, we already know a lot about the iPhone 8. Now an apparent X-ray of the device has all but confirmed even more of its hottest features ahead of its official debut this fall.

France and Germany are looking to crack down on loopholes that allow U.S. tech companies, including Apple, to minimize their tax contributions at the expense of local rivals.

According to a new report, France will kick things off by proposing “simpler rules” for taxing tech giants. These will be revealed at a meeting with EU officials in mid-September.

The U.K. company rumored to be producing wafers for the laser diodes for the iPhone 8’s 3D tracking technology has seen its share price treble this year.

The lesser-known company IQE, based in Wales, has neither confirmed or denied its relationship with Apple, but has reported a “significant ramp” in demand for “VCSEL” ­laser components, which it says will be used for “mass market consumer applications.”

The iPhone SE hasn’t been updated in the 18 months since its release, but according to a new report, Apple manufacturer Wistron is gearing up to produce the next-gen iPhone SE at its factory in India.

The new 4-inch iPhone SE will reportedly be made available in the first quarter of 2018, roughly two years after the first model shipped. It will keep the look of its predecessor, but come with A10 processor, iOS 11, and will boast 32GB and 128GB storage options, with a 1700mAh battery.

The new iPhone 8 will be capable of unlocking with its face recognition even when it’s lying flat on your desk, a new report suggests.

The information is just the latest leak from a treasure trove of Apple code accidentally released just over one week ago. A line in the firmware refers to “Pearl,” Apple’s internal name for its facial recognition tech — alongside words including “unlock” and “resting.”

An empire-building, resource-trading, planet-colonizing strategy game in which you play a shared universe alongside thousands of other players is just one of the great App Store picks we’ve highlighted for this week’s “Awesome Apps” roundup.

We’ve also selected a nifty update to an augmented reality favorite, a fun crazy golf game, and new functionality for one of the best third-party iOS keyboards going. Check out our choices below.

For the tech-aware, few things catch the eyes and ears as surely as a drone. They seem like tangible proof that the future has finally arrived. Ultimately, they’re just plain fun.

However, drones can be expensive. Luckily, new drones are hitting the market that offer easy flight, awesome features and a reasonable price point. The lure of the drone life grows stronger every day!

HomePod software appears to reference an unannounced “SmartCamera” feature built into iOS 11 or the yet-to-be-released 2017 iPhone. And it could totally change the way we snap photos.

In this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine, you’ll find that story and more. Get more juicy details on iPhone 8. And check out one of our favorite custom-fit bands for Apple Watch now available in seven new leather colors. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

As summer reaches full force, the Cult of Mac Store is turning out hot deals left and right. This week, we’ve got a tool for transferring pretty much any media file to any device, and a set of wireless headphones with a case that re-charges them. There’s also an app that will transform the way you take notes, and a bona fide heads-up display for your car. Read on for more details:

This week on The CultCast: Apple accidentally leaked major details about the iPhone 8 and HomePod — we’ll tell you everything we’ve learned. Plus: Leaked audio files show off the HomePod’s cool UI sounds; we reveal exclusive new audio of the HomePod’s boot-up noise; and we wrap with our reviews of the best internet-connected security cameras and the hawt new flagship Olympus OM-D EM-1 mirrorless camera in an all-new Under Review.

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 percent off any hosting plan.

The next Apple Watch won’t be dependent on the iPhone for cellular data connectivity, according to a new report that sheds light on the unannounced wearable.

Some of the new Apple Watch Series 3 models will allegedly come with LTE chips, allowing the Apple Watch to be more of a standalone device.

This coming Tuesday Apple is set to debut its newest original TV show Carpool Karaoke: The Series, but with Planet of the Apps being such a dud, some of us at Cult of Mac are questioning whether Apple has anything to gain by making mediocre TV shows.

During Apple’s Q3 earnings call this week, Tim Cook said Apple will continue to explore original content for Apple Music. Can Apple actually make great TV shows, or is it losing focus on what’s more important?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we discuss Apple’s media ambitions:

Apple and The Rock’s rampage of crazy ads continued today with two new commercials that pair the movie superstar with digital assistant Siri.

In the latest short ads, The Rock taps into his ability to speak Mandarin in order to showcase Siri’s support for more than 20 languages. The funny ads are a sequel of sorts to the short film Apple released last month starring the unlikely duo.

Check out both new ads below.

Nobody likes having to type a password every time they need to sign in to a website or service. iCloud Keychain is Apple’s take on simplifying password management across the Mac, iPhone and iPad. It securely stores your user names, passwords, and credit and debit card details, then auto-fills fields when required. It can also generate strong passwords and sync Wi-Fi credentials.

If you’re deep into the Apple ecosystem, it might be a good idea to start using this handy feature. Before we dive in to use it, let’s have a look at all the features of iCloud Keychain.

Do you find yourself at a loss in conversations due to the nonexistence of a smiling or frowning poop emoji to get your point across? Feel that your conversations about great punk albums just don’t work without a picture of a safety pin to illustrate them?

Have no fear: Unicode is on the case with 67 new proposed emojis!

This is a great time for learners. Because of the internet, mobile devices, and other tech advances, it’s effortless to get at basically all of humanity’s information. Of course, that also makes it harder than ever to stay focused and organized. Note taking is proven to be helpful for study. But we’re less likely than ever to scrawl in our textbooks as we read.

Samsung plans a massive seven-fold increase in OLED production for Apple this year, according to a new report.

The display-making Samsung division reportedly installed seven production lines at its A3 plant, which will be dedicated exclusively to Apple. They will allow Samsung’s monthly OLED capacity for iPhone screens to increase from “just” 15,000 sheets to a massive 105,000 sheets!

Having stumbled in recent years, the iPad has had a great few months. Not only were iPad sales up 15 percent year-over-year in Apple’s most recent quarter, but a new IDC report (mentioned by Tim Cook during the most recent earnings call) highlights just how significantly the company is leading its rivals in the tablet market right now.

While the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus capture impressive 4K video with their rear camera — the one primarily used for shooting photos and movies — the front FaceTime selfie camera is stuck shooting 1080p resolution.

According to a new report, that looks likely to change with the iPhone 8. Apple’s next-gen phone reportedly will capture 4K video at 60 frames per second from the device’s back and front cameras.

Can’t wait for iPhone 8? Get great prices on iPhones and service this week, as well as one of the best iPad deals we’ve seen!