2016 has been a tough year for fitness trackers, with scientists questioning their effectiveness and headlines boldly proclaiming that “fitness trackers don’t work.”
And yet, sales of fitness trackers are healthier than ever, while struggling smartwatch makers are desperately trying to reposition their gadgets to muscle into the fitness market. So what is going on? If fitness trackers really don’t work, why are consumers still buying them?
One of the best things about owning an Apple TV — staring at the hypnotically beautiful screen savers — just got a whole lot better.
Apple published 21 gorgeous new videos today that give Apple TV viewers a bird’s-eye view of fantastic cityscapes in Hong Kong, China, Dubai and other beautiful locales.
Apple’s product portfolio is crying out for something new. Fans and investors are itching to see where the company will go next, and whether it can revolutionize yet another industry. Should a games console be top of its list?
Some fans may not know this, but Apple has produced a console before. It wasn’t too successful, but Apple is a different company now, and it’s already serving hundreds of millions of avid gamers with its Apple TV and iOS devices. In some ways, a console makes a lot of sense.
But could Apple really topple the PlayStation or Xbox? Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over whether Apple should build its own console!
Super Mario Run, Nintendo’s first major game for mobile, is already a huge hit on iPhone, but Android users will have to wait until 2017 to get their fingers on the real deal.
However, a ton of Super Mario Run clones are already springing up on Google Play — trying to steal Nintendo’s thunder.
The world of quotes is a poorer place without Steve Jobs, who was a quote machine. Nonetheless, plenty of people talked about Apple this year, whether lauding the company’s successes or damning its strategies.
Here are the most memorable Apple quotes of 2016.
Like a computer, we use our iPhones and iPads to store all sorts of data. Unlike a computer, you can’t just plug in a USB thumb drive to expand storage or transfer that data. Unless of course you have an iKlips DUO+, an dual sided Lightning and USB-compatible thumb drive that you can carry right on your keychain. It’s a sleek and simple upgrade for any iOS device, and right now you can get one for $69.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.
LG Display is to start mass-producing folding OLED displays in 2018, and new reports claim Apple is one of the first companies to have already placed an order. The displays pave the way for smarter flip phones that can be folded in the middle.
A new drone video provides the latest glimpse at how Apple’s futuristic “spaceship” campus is coming together, three years after the company broke ground on the impressive HQ.
Rather than just showing us the massive Apple campus as it looks today, YouTuber Matthew Roberts gives us a “year-end” montage, showing progress made since the middle of the year.
Apple has secured the right to sell the iPhone 7 in Indonesia after committing to investing $44 million in the country in the form of an R&D center.
The investment helps Apple get around a law stating that, from January, all 4G handsets sold in Indonesia must comprise 30 percent of “local content.” This can include hardware, software, or an investment commitment.
Maybe your Apple Watch is broken, or you want to get some extra cash to spend on a Series 2 upgrade (or a totally different device). Whatever your reason for wanting to sell your Apple Watch, the best and easiest bet is selling it to us through Cult of Mac’s Apple gear buyback program.
Apple and Nintendo have become a match made in heaven, thanks to the Super Mario Run game that debuted today for iPhone and iPad.
To celebrate the game’s launch, Super Mario Run creator Shigeru Miyamoto showed how he draws the iconic videogame character using an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.
Watch him sketch below:
The Apple Watch’s improved waterproof technology is on full display in Apple’s newest ad, which catches some waves with the wearable.
Go Surf is the latest in Apple’s “Give the gift of go” series of short holiday ads that show off Apple Watch Series 2’s fitness features. The new ad is accompanied by another spot titled Go Ride that zips through the city on a bike.
Check ’em out:
Losing one of Apple’s tiny new AirPods will probably be an unfortunately common occurrence for customers/ Apple already has a plan in place that will allow you to buy a replacement pod when you invetiably lose one, but it won’t be cheap.
It’s been a banner year for iOS apps. From smart photo-editing tools to music-generating apps, Apple and third-party developers alike brought some serious heat to the App Store. We’ve combed through our home screens to pick out the best iOS apps of 2016.
Check out our picks below.
At long last, Nintendo’s long-awaited Super Mario Run has sprinted into the App Store, in what is certainly the biggest iOS game launch of 2016 after Pokémon Go.
Marking the first time Nintendo’s most iconic character has been available on iOS — outside of dodgy third-party game emulators — a demo of Super Mario Run is downloadable for free, while the whole game priced at $9.99.
Instagram’s move to adopt features similar to SnapChat seems to have paid off for the globally popular photo-sharing network.
On its blog Thursday, Instagram sent a thank you note to its community, a number that surpassed 600 million users since it was founded in October of 2010.
Fitbit is buying Pebble and killing its existing lineup of wearables to focus on new ones — but it won’t be dropping support for those devices right away. Pebble today confirmed that its software and services will continue to run through 2017.
Holidays can stress anyone out, and the music that comes around this time each year sure doesn’t help. Whether you’re trying to focus on your gift list, relax after a busy day of shopping, or just tune out the holiday noise altogether and get some work done, Brain.fm might offer something you can use. It’s an AI-powered streaming station that composes music scientifically designed to help you relax or stay on task, and right now you can get a lifetime of Brain.fm for just $39 at Cult of Mac Deals.
Like a short, Apple-produced version of the movie Sliding Doors, the company’s latest ad for the Japanese market pits two parallel versions of the same character against each other — one with Apple Pay, one without.
Guess which one makes it onto the train home in time? (Hint: the answer probably won’t shock you!)
Yahoo today confirmed that hackers have stolen data from over 1 billion user accounts.
The breach occurred in 2013, and Yahoo warns that stolen data may have included names, dates of birth, email addresses, telephone numbers, hashed passwords, and more.
Apple just released macOS 10.12.2 to the public, so in today’s video I’m going to give you a guided tour of everything that’s new or missing.
Check it out below.
Apple could incorporate some impressively cutting edge wireless charging tech into its future devices, claims a new report — and it’s got the perfect partner companies to work with.
According to Fast Company, Apple may draw on the wireless company Energous and chip maker Dialog to usher in technology that would allow users to charge their iOS devices from across the room, rather than using the kind of charging mats employed by rivals like Samsung.
Christmas is almost here, and if you’re still shopping for gifts, you only have a few days left before express-shipping fees kick in and brick-and-mortar stores get stingy with discounts to take advantage of your need.
Before that happens, check out some of the best iPad, iPhone and game prices we’ve seen all year, in this week’s roundup of the best Apple deals.
The people on your holiday shopping list deserve cutting-edge gifts. That’s why you won’t find ugly sweaters or gifts that are actually meant for pets not people in the Cult of Mac gift guide.
Loaded with tech gift ideas for Apple fans, this handy guide will make you the best gift-giver in the family for once.
Trump Tower in New York City became the site of the biggest meeting of tech figures in years Wednesday, as President-elect Donald J. Trump called together Silicon Valley’s elite for a meeting of the minds.
Apple CEO Tim Cook was among those in attendance and was seated within arm’s reach of the Trump, even though Cook previously has been criticized by the recently elected Republican. Trump also called for a boycott against Apple products during the blistering presidential campaign.