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Developers lose interest in iMessage apps

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Messages iOS 10
iMessage got some huge upgrades in iOS 10.
Photo: Apple

The popularity of iMessage apps is already starting to diminish, less than a year after their debut.

iMessage apps have been the hottest new feature on iPhones since iOS 10 introduced them last year. But new data from analytics firm Sensor Tower shows that excitement for the new apps is already starting to fade among developers.

Apple drops new betas for iOS 10.3 and macOS 10.12.4

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macOS Sierra is here!
A new macOS beta is here!
Photo: Apple

Just three days after seeding the last betas of iOS 10.3 and macOS 10.12.4, Apple is back with yet another new build.

Signaling that a public release is just around the corner, the new updates come with a number of bug fixes and under the hood improvements to go with new features that were added in previous versions.

iOS 11 concept imagines an all-new lockscreen

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The iPhone's lockscreen could use some changes.
The iPhone's lockscreen could use some changes.
Photo: Matt Birchler

Apple is set to unveil big changes for the iPhone at WWDC 2017 and one feature that could definitely use some improvements is the lockscreen.

In a new concept design that imagines some potential lockscreen upgrades, Matt Birchler shows how a few very simple changes could make the lockscreen feel totally new.

Alexa brings awesome new powers to Amazon’s iPhone app

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It does almost everything you would expect Alexa to do.
It does almost everything you would expect Alexa to do.
Photo: Amazon

You can now ask Alexa to do your shopping, fetch information, and control your smart devices without a fancy Amazon speaker.

Starting today, the virtual assistant is being integrated into the Amazon shopping app for iPhone in the U.S., with support for thousands of skills. It can find products and track orders, play music and movies on Amazon Prime, and lots more.

iPhone 8 will strain world’s supply of OLED displays

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The iPhone 8 won't be cheap.
The iPhone 8 won't be cheap.
Photo: iDropNews

Apple will acquire 14 percent of all OLED panels produced this year for the upcoming iPhone 8, according to a new report.

Cupertino, along with South Korean rival Samsung, will require so many that rival smartphone makers like Huawei will be forced to use alternative technologies due to an insufficient supply.

Protect your privacy online with a versatile VPN [Deals]

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CoM - VPNSecure- Lifetime Subscription
Stay anonymous and secure online without losing access to any of your favorite content thanks to this powerful VPN.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re reading this, it’s a safe bet you go online. Unless of course you’ve discovered a new and exciting way to read digital articles without connecting to the internet…in which case, please get in touch with us. Otherwise, you’ll want to protect your connection to the web. And one of the best ways to do that is through a virtual private network, or VPN. A good VPN will keep your identity and activity anonymous, while bypassing common headaches like regional content restrictions. Right now, you can get premium VPN protection through VPNSecure for just $39 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Apple absent from new legal brief opposing Trump’s latest travel ban

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Yeah, we're pretty incredulous about your ideas, too, Mr. Trump.
The brief has been successful despite support from big companies.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Apple’s name is notably absent from a new legal brief opposing President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban.

Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, and more than 60 other companies are also missing from the lawsuit that hopes to block a second, “watered-down version” of the controversial executive order.

Week’s best Apple deals: Get 4 hit iOS games for free

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Grab these free iOS games before the prices go up!
Grab these free iOS games before the prices go up!
Images: Fallen Tree Games, Frost3D, Spil Games, Perceptor

We’ve got a very specific focus this week: Four free iOS games you can find in the App Store. Three of them are puzzle games. And, best of all, they each cost nada. Save a few bucks and grab these deals before they go back up in price.

Siri glitch sends hooker hunters to bar with zero prostitutes

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Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
Hey Siri, I need two hookers and an eight ball of cocaine.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s digital assistant is great at finding information for all sorts of things. But when it comes to hookers, Siri is the world’s worst pimp.

Thanks to a glitch with Siri, iPhone users in Toronto looking for prostitutes keep getting routed to an bar in Little Italy. There’s just one problem. The owner insists his bar is definitely not the place to find a call girl.

Back up your Windows Boot Camp partition the easy way

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Winclone 6 makes it even easier to back up and copy your Mac's Windows partition.
Winclone 6 makes it even easier to back up and copy your Mac's Windows partition.
Image: Twocanoes Software

This post is brought to you by Twocanoes Software, which is releasing the sixth version of its popular Mac utility Winclone.

One of the great things about owning a Mac is how easily you can run Windows. But while there’s no need to hack anything together, that doesn’t mean running Windows on a Mac isn’t tricky.

iOS 11 might make 200,000 apps obsolete

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iPhone 7 in hand
Some of your favorite old games might get booted from iOS.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s decision to drop support for 32-bit apps in iOS 11 later this year could kill about 187,000 apps, based on a new report that shows some old apps have been slow to catch up.

Analytics firm Sensor Tower estimates about 8% of all apps on the App Store will become obsolete. That small percentage may sound insignificant, but old games might be impacted the most.

Aukey lenses good for iPhone photogs on a budget

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The Aukey PL-A8 Ora lens kit for iPhone 7 features both wide-angle and telephoto lenses.
The Aukey PL-A8 Ora lens kit for iPhone 7 features both wide-angle and telephoto lenses.
Photo: Aukey

Mobile photographers itching to expand their view beyond the fixed lens of the iPhone can find an assortment of attachments that vary in quality and price. And like their camera and lens forefathers, a high-quality lens generally comes with a high price.

There have always been exceptions to that rule and in the case of mobile photography lenses, the tech accessories company Aukey stands out as the best of the budget lenses for iPhone.

Flyover reveals Apple Park is still dirty ahead of April opening

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The spaceship is almost move-in ready.
The spaceship is almost move-in ready.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

Apple is set to move into its new spaceship campus next month, but based on the latest drone video of the construction site, there’s still a lot of work left to do.

The grounds of Apple Park are still littered with construction crews working on everything from landscaping to solar panels. Tim’s big beautiful pile of dirt has been spread throughout the site and some new trees are finally being planted.

Check it out:

iOS grows as iPhone 7 remains a top seller

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iOS and Android are killing off the competition.
iOS and Android are killing off the competition.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS saw continued growth in almost every market around the world last quarter, according to the latest data, while iPhone 7 remains a top seller in key countries.

Android also achieved market share increases in every region but the U.S., while BlackBerry, Windows, and other mobile operating systems continue to die out.

Charge better with 3 extra-long Lightning cables [Deals]

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CoM - 10' Lightning-to-USB Cable- 3-Pack
With this three-pack of extra-long Lightning cables, you're covered for inevitable fray and breakage, all for around the price of a single standard cable.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For all their solid design, our iOS devices depend on a short, fragile cable to stay charged and synced. Every Lightning cable seems to inevitably fray and break to the point where it stops working or becomes a safety hazard.

This makes having a backup a must. With this three-pack of extra-lengthy, MFI-certified Lightning cables, you get extra utility and extra lives, all for about the cost of a single standard cable from Apple. Grab three for just $20 at Cult of Mac Deals.

iPhone 8’s curved OLED display to be made by Samsung

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iPhone 8 concept
Imagining the iPhone of the future.
Photo: Gabor Balogh

Apple’s “premium” iPhone 8 will offer an OLED display with curved glass similar to that used by Samsung, according to a new report out of Japan.

In fact, sources say the display will be manufactured exclusively by Apple’s South Korean rival, but its curves won’t be quite as pronounced as those found on the Galaxy S7 edge.

The ultimate 3D printer, Android-powered iPhone cases and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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Crowdfund Roundup
Help turn these awesome ideas into reality!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Before everybody had a smartphone in their pocket, many carried palmtop computers to stay productive on the move. A British company is hoping to bring them back with Gemini PDA, an ultra-portable computer with a physical keyboard that fits in your pocket.

It’s just one of the awesome projects in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We’ve also got the ultimate 3D printer, an iPhone case that has a built-in Android phone, and stunning sleeves for your MacBook.

Apple hires renowned iPhone jailbreaker to help protect privacy

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iPhone 7
If you can't beat 'em, hire 'em.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

One of the world’s top iPhone security experts and jailbreakers has decided to help Apple in its battle to keep iOS secure.

Jonathan Zdziarski, who was active in the iPhone jailbreaking community for years, revealed today that he has accepted an offer to join Apple’s Security Engineering and Architecture team.

Russia finds Apple guilty of iPhone price-fixing

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money
Apple may face stiff fines in Russia.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

A federal agency in Russia has ruled that Apple is guilty of fixing the price of the iPhone with third-party resellers and could face huge fines.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service revealed today that its investigation into Apple found that the company’s local subsidiary illegally coordinated the cost of iPhones and prevented sellers from offering discounts.