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Exclusive ‘enhanced edition’ of A Game of Thrones hits iBooks

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Expanded editions should keep you busy until the sixth book arrives.
Photo: Apple

George R.R. Martin missed the projected deadline for the sixth novel in his Song of Ice and Fire series. However, have no fear: Game of Thrones addicts can enjoy all-new material — including a sneak preview of the forthcoming The Winds of Winter — courtesy of the iBooks Store.

Here’s how.

Apple will open its first R&D center in China later this year

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Apple's new R&D center will reportedly employ 500 people.
Photo: Meinhardt Group

Apple has reportedly set up its first R&D center in China, located in Beijing’s Zhongguancun Science Park, according to a statement issued by the Zhongguancun Park Management Committee.

The plan is for the center to hire a total of 500 employees, who will focus on a wide range of Apple products and devices including, “the development of computer software and hardware products, communication, audio and video devices, as well as advanced technologies for consumer electronics products and the information industry.”

Get ready to see ads in App Store search results

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App-Store-Ads
Apple is embracing ads in the App Store.
Photo: Apple

Apple is set to start showing adverts in iOS App Store search results starting Wednesday, October 5.

The company previously carried out an apparently-succesful beta test involving ads, which appear at the top of search results when users type a keyword into the search box. According to Apple, more than 65 percent of app downloads come through search results.

Apple partners with Deloitte to push iPad into enterprise

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Tim Cook and Deloitte Global CEO Punit Renjen
Tim Cook and Deloitte Global CEO Punit Renjen roll out a new partnership to boost business use of iPhone and iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple revealed that it is making a deeper push into enterprise today with the help of the business consulting firm Deloitte.

The partnership between the two companies will lead to the creation of Deloitte’s first-ever “Apple practice.” Deloitte’s new Apple team will be comprised of over 5,000 iOS specialists who will analyze businesses and advise them on the best way to integrate iPhone and iPad into their work environments.

Week’s best deals on iPhones, game consoles and other great gear

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iPhone 6
If you don't need the latest, greatest model, you can grab an iPhone 6 for a song.
Photo: Apple

There is virtually nothing you can’t buy on the internet, but finding the best tech at the lowest prices can take some major research. That’s why today we’re doing the work for you, and delivering this week’s best tech deals from around the web. Check it out.

iOS 10 has already overtaken iOS 9 in adoption

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iPhone 7
Users can't wait to get their hands on iOS 10.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS 10 now has a larger install base than iOS 9, just over two weeks after making its public debut. Apple’s latest software has now reached 48.16 percent of all devices, while iOS 9’s share has dropped to 47.79 percent.

Apple Music tops first JD Power music streaming rankings

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Exclusives are keeping Apple Music subscribers loyal.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The first ever J.D. Power music streaming satisfaction survey found that Apple Music is the most liked streaming service in the U.S.

Spotify didn’t even manage to crack the top 3 in the survey that polled over 4,000 subscribers to music streaming services to gauge how well each company performs when it comes to performance and reliability, ease of use, cost, content, communication and customer service.

iPhone 7 camera loses to Samsung in expert tests

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iPhone 7's new iSight camera is better, but not the best.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The new iSight camera packed into iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is Apple’s best yet, according to tests carried out by the experts at DxOMark. It has been improved by a wider aperture, support for a wide color gamut, and faster autofocus.

But it’s not quite enough to beat the cameras found in Samsung’s latest Galaxy smartphones.

How to force quit apps on watchOS 3

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Force quitting apps is different in watchOS 3.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch apps are faster than ever thanks to watchOS 3, but if you ever run into the rotating dial of death, sometimes quickly force quitting the app can help.

With watchOS 3, Apple has made the force quitting process a bit different. Wearers used to be able to double click the side button to force quit an app. Now the process also involves the Digital Crown.

Save $3,500 on a terabyte of cloud storage for life [Deals]

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Save massively on a terabyte of instant and long term storage
Save massively on a terabyte of instant and long term storage
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Cloud storage is a great way to keep your hard drive clear and your most valuable data safe, but it can cost you. That makes this offer from Zoolz especially drool worthy — it’s 500 GB of instant-access cloud storage, and another 500 GB of ‘Cold Storage’ for the files you want kept secured over the long term, for life. This service would normally cost $3,600, but right now you can get the whole thing for $39 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Apple’s massive new U.K. campus is a pop culture landmark

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Apple's new London office will be based in this iconic location.
Photo: Alberto Pascual/Wikipedia CC

Apple’s circular “spaceship” campus in Cupertino isn’t the only fantastic new location where the company is setting up shop. The tech giant is opening an impressive new London headquarters at the iconic Battersea Power Station.

With its four gigantic chimneys, the complex should strike a chord with pop culture fans: The station is a true pop culture landmark most famously seen on the cover of Pink Floyd’s 1977 album, Animals.

5 hidden macOS Sierra features you may not know exist

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macOS Sierra
There's plenty of hidden macOS Sierra features, here's our top 5.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s latest Mac operating system has a host of big new features including Siri, Apple Pay on the web and Universal Clipboard.

But with so many marquee features, you may be missing some of the more hidden capabilities and tips. Check out our video below of the top five hidden macOS Sierra features you may not know exist.

Apple may be secretly building iPhone 8 in Israel

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iPhone 7 sales
We're already waiting on next year's iPhone refresh.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 7 is barely settling into our pockets, but already Apple is developing the hardware for next year’s tenth-birthday iPhone 8 — at least according to a somewhat dubious new report, citing a source in Apple’s Israel office.

The report claims that hardware for the next-gen iPhone is being developed at Apple’s offices in Herzliya, Israel, and is being referred to internally as the iPhone 8. If true, this would represent a change in Apple’s naming convention, which would suggest that next year’s iPhone will be the iPhone 7s.

Apple continues to boost iPhone 7 orders

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iPhone-7
iPhone shipments are down, but not as much as you might think.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has reportedly upped its component orders for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, resulting in manufacturers receiving 20-30 percent higher orders than they were expecting.

Aetna is going all-in on Apple for help with health care

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Apple Watch Nike Plus
Your insurance company might subsidize your Apple Watch.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Aetna, one of the largest U.S. health insurance providers, revealed today that it will subsidize a major portion of Apple Watch costs for customers as part of a new initiative.

The company will combine its own wellness and care-management programs with the power of iPhone and Apple Watch to create new iOS apps that it says should significantly improve customers’ ability to manage their own health.

DJI’s tiny Mavic Pro drone will land at Apple Stores

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The Mavic Pro can be flown via the included controller or your iPhone.
The Mavic Pro can be flown via the included controller or your iPhone.
Photo: DJI

The battle for droning supremacy is heating up today after DJI revealed its tiny new Mavic Pro drone that will take on GoPro’s new Karma drone system.

Despite launching later, the Mavic Pro has a few advantages on the Karma though. It’s smaller, faster and smarter. And you’ll be able to buy it at your local Apple Store.

Another new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has caught fire

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Forget jet black, the Galaxy Note 7 apparently comes in charred black.
Photo: Hui Renjie

Samsung no doubt hoped its Galaxy Note 7 nightmares would be over when it completed its costly recall and reissue of the next-gen smartphones, after the first batch of units were reported as bursting into flames — and even torching one family’s Jeep.

Unfortunately, it seems that problems linger, as one Chinese tech worker found out this week.

Xiaomi beats Apple to embedded ultrasonic fingerprint scanner

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The Mi 5s in all its iPhone 7-inspired glory.
Photo: Xiaomi

Known for ripping off Apple in the past, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has beaten Cupertino in bringing to market a futuristic ultrasonic fingerprint sensor reported to be the same one Apple plans to use for the iPhone 8.

In its new Mi 5s and Mi 5s Plus handsets, Xiaomi debuts a new “ultrasonic fingerprint sensor,” which promises to be more accurate than current fingerprint sensors. Check out a video of it in action below.