You're going to have to get used to life without Touch ID. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
iPhone 8’s new facial recognition functionality will be just as versatile as Touch ID, giving users the ability to authorize Apple Pay transactions, unlock third-party apps, and more.
Apple’s code suggests “Face ID” will even support multiple faces for different users.
Apple’s new Carpool Karaoke series may not have found favor with critics, but it’s still stuffed full of musical celebrities — ranging from Metallica to Ariana Grande to Will Smith.
One name you might not find among them, however, is Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington — who recorded an episode of the show last month, just six days before his untimely death at the age of 41. However, according to Apple it might not run.
Facebook is expanding its focus on video by introducing a new service called Watch, which will see the company enter the world of original content for the first time.
Available for desktop, mobile and TV apps, the new Watch tab will appear on users’ newsfeeds. It will include links to a variety of shows — including comedy, reality TV and live sport — some of which will be created by Facebook. The move puts Facebook into more direct competition with services like YouTube, as well as Netflix, Amazon, and Apple.
Carpool Karaoke hasn't been the smash hit Apple may have hoped for. Photo: Apple Music
Apple is 0-2 when it comes to critical acclaim for its original series, after early reviews for its Carpool Karaoke spinoff show have been largely negative. The show debuted this week for Apple Music subscribers.
While it’s still early days for Apple’s original content, between this and Planet of the Apps, things aren’t exactly looking good!
Don't expect this kind of functionality. Photo: iDropNews
Bidding goodbye to the iPhone’s physical Home button won’t be easy, but there are some advantages to going virtual for iPhone 8.
Not only will it allow for a larger edge-to-edge display, but it also means you’ll be able customize the virtual button. Apple code suggests we’ll have the option to resize it and hide it away if we don’t want it to be displayed on screen at all times.
Level up: I used the iPad’s camera level to shoot this picture of the iPhone compass level, and it’s still not level. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Did you ever try to take a photo of something flat on the ground, and spend ages trying to line it up right so that it is square in the frame? No, well, humor me here, because Apple just granted everyone’s biggest iOS camera wish: The camera app now has a level that kicks in when you hold the iPhone horizontally, and which will tell you when you’re holding the iPhone, uh, level.
Apple should be worried about Galaxy Note 8. Photo: Samsung
Samsung may have finally worked out how to rip off 3D Touch.
A new report claims its upcoming Galaxy Note 8 will be the first to offer the feature, which will recognize presses as well as touches — just like the iPhone.
Files app keyboard shortcuts Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
The Files app is iOS 11’s Finder. You can use it to browse the files in your iCloud Drive, along with files and folders in your Dropbox, and inside other apps that open up their file systems to iOS. Apple has also added some keyboard shortcuts to the Files app. This lets you carry out many common tasks without touching the screen when you have a hardware keyboard attached.
Most of the new keyboard shortcuts are great, and show how serious Apple is about the new user-accessible iOS file system. But some serious limitations mean you’ll still need to reach up and tap the screen to do the most basic things.
It would make shooting video a whole lot simpler. Photo: Apple
Apple could be planning to add a pause and resume function to its Camera app in iOS 11. References to the feature have been spotted in the company’s beta code, but it’s not yet clear which devices will support it.
They’re still running! Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Apple’s share of the U.S. smartphone market rose last quarter, but that couldn’t prevent Samsung from stealing the top spot.
Strong demand for the Galaxy S8 helped the South Korean company overtake its biggest rival, but the “bounce” from its launch was less than expected for a flagship device.
A fun arcade blaster with a tech theme. Photo: Taito
Nineteen years after it arrived on the first-generation PlayStation console, RayCrisis, a.k.a. the final installment in Taito’s 1990s trilogy of awesome scrolling shooters, has landed on iOS.
The first two installments of the series, RayForce and RayStorm actually arrived in the App Store waaaaay back in 2012, but RayCrisis has been mysteriously missing in action. Now, finally, it’s possible to get the whole threesome on your iOS device!
Regular maintenance with apps like Drive Genius can keep your Mac humming. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Underneath the sleek Mac exterior is a machine hard at work. Accessing and crunching data takes a toll on any computer. As a result, any drive’s works will gum up without regular maintenance .
Pegatron will team up with an Indonesian manufacturer.. Photo: iFixit
Component suppliers enjoyed stronger sales throughout July as Apple ramps up production of its next-generation iPhones.
Supply chain sources say all three models that will be unveiled in September have now entered mass-production, but shortages are still expected for iPhone 8.
One of Apple's many R&D centers. (This one's in Japan!) Photo: Apple
This year marks ten years since the launch of the original iPhone and, appropriately enough, Apple has ramped up its R&D spending as a percentage of its total revenue to the level it was during the development of its debut handset.
Sounds won't, well, sound when you're paying attention. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
The iPhone 8 might use its 3D facial recognition sensor to silence notifications when you’re looking at the device.
Developer Guilherme Rambo discovered the possible UI element buried inside code accidentally released as part of Apple’s HomePod firmware. Coders digging into the software discovered numerous other details about upcoming Apple devices.
Ever wanted to see Metallica and Billy Eichner riding together? It's your lucky day! Photo: Apple
Carpool Karaoke, Apple’s second television series, is now available for Apple Music subscribers. Building on the Late Late Show format established by James Corden, the show features a variety of celebrities driving in a car, singing hit songs.
Facial scanning may be the iPhone's next big feature. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult fo Mac
Despite rumors of production holdups, the next-generation iPhone won’t face a delayed launch, according to the latest report out of Asia. The new iPhone 8 will allegedly come in only three color options, with manufacturing hitting full swing next month.
Still, getting your hands on one might not be so easy.
Zoom’s wonder-box has real knobs and faders, just like a proper music studio. Photo: Zoom
Zoom’s new Livetrak L-12 could be the only box you need to turn your iPad into a mobile music studio. In one unit, the L-12 combines a mixer, a 12-track recorder, and an interface that lets you hook up all your musical instruments and gadgets to your iPad. And that’s just the beginning.
ALL Controller lets you game on anything. Photo: Digital Depth
Many of us own more than one console, which makes finding and replacing the right controllers a real pain. But not if you have ALL Controller, the gamepad that’s compatible with almost any system — and fully customizable.
It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have the ultimate smartphone car mount, a top that warms you up on cold winter mornings, and more!
A redesigned Control Center is one of many changes to look forward to in iOS 11. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Just one day after developers received the fifth beta build of iOS 11, Apple has released the same beta update to public testers, bringing a number of UI changes and bug fixes with it.
iOS 11 public beta 4 and macOS High Sierra public beta 4 are now available to download for all members of Apple’s public beta software testing program. You can also download the new software directly to your Mac, iPhone or iPad if you have the previous public beta installed.
If you’re dropping coin for a new iPhone 7 Plus, you’ll want protection for when you drop the phone. The ideal iPhone case is slim, strong and affordable. That makes the straightforward design of Jaagd iPhone cases a refreshing return to simplicity. We want cases that give our phones a tougher skin, not a whole new look and feel.
Often, our eye is drawn to something because of its color. But sometimes we’re attracted by a pattern, or perhaps color even detracts from an image (like a row of cars in front of a beatific white building). At those times, we should shoot black-and-white images, which emphasize pattern, texture and shape.
The iPhone — with its giant screen, its great camera and its huge library of photo apps — is fantastic for shooting B&W pictures. Let’s take a look at how to shoot amazing black-and-white photos with your iPhone.
Spark's latest update for Mac makes searching for emails a lot easier. Photo: Readdle
An update to Spark, a powerful Mac email app from Readdle, brings a serious boost to the software’s Smart Search functionality. The Spark 1.3 update also comes with a lot of under-the-hood changes and performance improvements, making a great Mac email app even better.
Not everyone is happy about Apple in India. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple might be desperate to make inroads into India, but not everyone in the country is quite as supportive as Apple might like.
In particular, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has accused Apple of carrying out “data colonization” in the country, while also being “anti-consumer” in its behavior. The strong language suggests an attempt to paint Apple as the bad guy among the general public.
These funky little wireless earbuds come backed with a bunch of cool features. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Wireless earbuds are all about convenience. And if they also sound great, that’s a big plus, enough that it doesn’t matter that they look a little unusual.