Mobile menu toggle

iMessage and WhatsApp security flaw means deleted chat logs aren’t really erased

By

Messages iOS 10
Your deleted chat logs could come back to haunt you.
Photo: Apple

WhatsApp and iMessage may be examples of end-to-end encryption in action, but there are still potential security flaws which can leave your data exposed.

As discovered by iOS researcher Jonathan Zdziarski, both messaging services have been found to not completely delete messages when erasing them — meaning that a person with physical access to your phone, or backups of data in the cloud, may be able to retrieve “deleted” conversations.

Nobel economist calls Apple’s tax arrangement ‘fraud’

By

money
Apple holds $216 billion out of its $232 billion fortune overseas.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s decision to hold $216 billion out of its total $232 billion fortune overseas amounts to a “fraud,” claims Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz.

Stiglitz, who is advising Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, said that there is something “obviously deficient” about U.S. tax laws which make this a possibility — and singled Apple out as one such beneficiary.

The Apple Store app is getting a big redesign

By

Apple_Store_Union_Square_exterior - 1
Shopping for Apple stuff on iPhone is about to get better.
Photo: Milo Kahney/Cult of Mac

A major redesign is coming soon to the Apple Store iOS app that will bring Amazon-like shopping suggestions to users based on customers’ buying history.

Apple’s redesign will reportedly include a new “For You” tab that suggests products based on previous orders, arming the tech giant with a new tool to create more sales right before the launch of the iPhone 7 in September.

Apple engineer to give behind the scenes look at iOS 10 security

By

iPhone SE
iOS 10's security secrets will be revealed at Black Hat Conference.
Photo: Apple

In an unprecedented talk, Apple plans to give the world an in-depth look at the security features on iOS 10 at the Black Hat USA 2016 conference where hundreds of the top computer security professionals from around the world will gather.

The keynote will be given by Apple Engineer Ivan Krstic who will give technical details about three iOS security mechanisms, including the new Auto Unlock feature that is brand new in iOS 10.

Apple turns car ambitions toward self-driving system

By

CarPlay
Your next car probably won't have an Apple logo.
Photo: Hyundai

As Apple’s “secret” electric car project gains momentum, the company continues to pick up top talent for their automotive experience.

Its latest hire is Dan Dodge, founder and former CEO of QNX, who was recently the head of BlackBerry’s automotive software team. The move comes after “Project Titan,” the codename for Apple Car, started to take a whole new direction.

Alleged iPhone 7 headphone adapter spotted in the wild

By

iPhone-Lightning
New regulations could force Apple to ditch Lightning cables in Europe.
Photo: Tinhte

Photos of an alleged iPhone 7 adapter that will allow owners to connect regular 3.5mm headphones to a Lightning port have surfaced out of Asia today.

The new dongle has been rumored for months and will supposedly be included in the new iPhone so that customers aren’t forced to buy new headphones. Images of the adapter look very similar to the style of Apple’s other adapters, and in a video it appears to only work on iOS 10 devices.

Have a look:

Apple’s hardline negotiating tactics stalled TV expansion

By

apple tv and siri remote
An Apple TV streaming service will probably never come.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The tough negotiating tactics made famous by former Apple CEO Steve Jobs are starting to hurt the company in the era of Tim Cook, according to a new report that reveals the company’s planned TV service failed to launch as a result.

Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior VP of internet software and services, supposedly angered TV industry execs more than any other Apple employee during the negotiations with companies such as Disney and Time Warner.

Why do some folks hate Apple? It’s complicated.

By

Mac Man tries to gobble up all the Apples.
Mac Man tries to gobble up all the Apples.
Illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac 2.0 bugYou don’t see long lines for the latest Lenovo PC or LG Android phone. But take a quick peek on the internet and you’ll find plenty of people lining up to say how much they hate Apple.

Every successful person or company has its critics, but the expressions of vitriol for Apple are more complex than the popular refrain ‘haters gonna hate’.

How to use Tabs in macOS Sierra to get your docs in a row

By

macos_sierra_tabs
Tabs will help keep your desktop clutter free!
Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Imagine if every time you opened a new tab in your web browser it instead opened an entirely new window on your desktop. It would basically mean living like an animal, right?

However, while we have long since gotten used to being able to easily switch between tabs while browsing the internet, things aren’t always so straightforward if you’re using other apps — be it Maps, Keynote, Pages, or some other third-party app.

Fortunately that’s all changing thanks to the new tabs feature on macOS Sierra. Here’s what you need to know if you’re running the new operating system, which is currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

Get 1TB of secure online storage for life [Deals]

By

Get a terabyte of long term, secure cloud storage at a massively discounted price.
Get a terabyte of long term, secure cloud storage at a massively discounted price.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For something named after water vapor, cloud storage sure comes with a hefty price tag. That makes this opportunity from Zoolz extra enticing — they’re offering a lifetime of their Cold Storage service, a full terabyte of secure storage, for life. That’s a whole lot of media files, documents, anything made of 1’s and 0’s that’s worth keeping for the long term. And right now you can get this storage for the unheard-of price of $34.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Apple Watch’s digital crown could change the way we use iPad

By

Digital Crown
Could the digital crown be a valuable addition to iPad?
Photo: Apple

Apple has considered bringing the Apple Watch’s digital crown over to other iOS devices such as the iPad, according to a newly-published patent application.

An iPad-specific digital crown could be used for a variety of functions — including controlling the device’s volume, resizing text, zooming in on photos or with the Camera app, and much more.

iPhone 7 pre-orders will reportedly open on September 9

By

iPhone 7 camera lens
The iPhone 7 is just weeks away.
Photo: TechTastic

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will reportedly be made available for pre-order on September 9, according to well-connected tipster Evan Blass.

Extrapolating from that date, it suggests that the two devices are likely to go on sale one week later, on September 16, while the official unveiling of the handsets will take place on September 7.

Apple just sold its billionth iPhone!

By

Tim Cook
Apple named in another top tech list.
Photo: Apple

One billion iPhone devices have officially been sold now since Steve Jobs unveiled the magical smartphone back in 2007, the company revealed today.

Apple CEO Tim Cook made the announcement at a company meeting in Cupertino today that was also attended by COO Jeff Williams and other top Apple executives.

Apple deals: Buy one, get one iPhone 6s, Lightning cable and more

By

Product image of iPhone 6 Plus, which set a new sales record for Apple by selling 10 million over its launch weekend.
Buy one, get one free on the Apple iPhone 6s/6s Plus for AT&T.
Photo: Apple

This week brings deals that might not be right for everyone, but will be perfect for some. Students can score the cheapest iPad Pro 9.7″ we’ve seen, while AT&T customers can get two iPhone 6s’s for the price of one. These deals and more are in this week’s best Apple bargains.

Former Apple engineers build app to take on iCloud

By

iCloud
iCloud has a new rival.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s iCloud platform is getting fresh competition this week from some of its former engineers who want to completely change the way content is stored on your iPhone.

Co-founded by Bertrand Serlet, former senior VP of software engineering at Apple, the new startup called Upthere is launching its first iOS app that allows users to store digital photos in Upthere’s cloud that was custom made to be screaming fast.

Eve Energy smart switch lets you manage your home’s energy use effortlessly

By

Eve Energy offers easy tools for controlling and monitoring home electricity use.
Eve Energy offers easy tools for controlling and monitoring home electricity use.
Photo: Elgato

This post is brought to you by Elgato, makers of Eve Energy.

We’ve been told for a long time to expect the Internet of Things to give us a new relationship with our homes. By releasing HomeKit, Apple took a big step toward turning that prediction into reality, offering a platform for apps to interact with your home right through your iPhone.

Microsoft says its new camera app is even better than Apple’s

By

Microsoft-Pix-iPhone
Pix wants to help you take better photos on iPhone.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft today launched its new camera app for iOS, and the company claims it’s even better than the one Apple builds into iOS.

Pix uses artificial intelligence to make your camera “smarter,” automatically adjusting settings and making enhancements to give you the best shots.

Apple Maps will help you find open parking spots

By

Parking data is coming to iOS 10.
Parking data is coming to iOS 10.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Finding a parking garage with plenty of empty spaces is about to get a whole lot easier in Apple Maps.

To give Apple Map users more data about parking lots and garages around the world, Apple has partnered up with Parkopedia which provides detailed info on more that 40 million parking spots in 75 countries around the world, making the hassle of parking a bit more bearable.

How to use Messages to play videos and preview links in macOS Sierra

By

iMessage Messages on Mac
Sharing videos and webpages just got a bit easier.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

macOS Sierra has a ton of neat features that’ll change the way you work using your Mac. The ability to play videos inside Messages probably isn’t one of them, but it’s certainly a nice touch that makes chatting to your friends and sharing content that much better.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re running the new operating system, which is currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

It’s impossible to catch ’em all in Pokémon GO

By

Pokemon GO
Pikachu is obtainable, but many others aren't!
Photo: Niantic

Give up trying to “catch ’em all” in Pokémon GO, because it’s never going to happen.

Seriously. No matter how much time you put into the game, you will never catch all 151 pocket monsters from the first generation. Right now, it’s only possible to collect 142 of them. Here’s why.

MacBook Air might not be scrapped after all

By

Adding an OLED touchpad could make the MacBook Pro even more magical.
The MacBook Pro might not be the only laptop Apple updates this year.
Photo: Martin Hajek

The death of the MacBook Air has seemed pretty much inevitable ever since the introduction of Apple’s super-thin retina MacBook last year, but it appears that Apple may have at least one more update in the pipeline.

Apple is supposedly planning to release a new MacBook Air with USB-C, according to the latest rumor out of Asia, though no timeframe has been given on the launch date.

These futuristic headphones transmit sound through your skull [Deals]

By

KOAR
These bone conduction headphones offer a listening experience unlike any other.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Imagine walking around listening to your music without buds blocking your ears, keeping you present and aware in the place you’re standing. That’s exactly what bone-conduction headphones offer, like this Bluetooth-enabled set by KOAR. Instead of air, they use your skull as the medium to transmit sound to your earbuds for a one-of-a-kind listening experience. And right now, you can get a set for $76.99, almost half off.