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iPhone 7 launch date leaks and Apple Car rumors heat back up on The CultCast

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dual-camera iphone 7 render
The wait is almost over.
Image: feldvolk.com

This week, on The CultCast: iPhone 7 gets a new 3D Touch home button and a reported September 9th pre-order date! Plus: we may be just weeks away from Apple’s Macbook Pro and Apple Watch 2 launch event; the big gun is back—Apple puts Big Bob Mansfield at the helm of their top secret Apple Car project; one of the internet’s best web series is now an Apple Music exclusive; and stick around for apps, man—we’ve got some sweet picks for you.

Our thanks to TunnelBear, the simple privacy app that makes it easy to browse privately and enjoy a more open internet, for supporting this episode. Visit GetTunnelBear.com to get your free TunnelBear today.

Run Windows or Linux apps straight from your Mac dock [Week’s Best Deals]

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Secure your phone or GPS on the road, but please don't use it to play Pokemon Go.
Secure your phone or GPS on the road, but please don't use it to play Pokemon Go.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Another week, another grip of great new deals on gadgets and gear. This round, we’ve got a dead simple solution for running your favorite Windows and Linux apps right out of your OS X dock, a top notch phone mount for driving, steel-sheathed Lightning cables, and comprehensive data recovery for your iOS devices. Everything here is super useful and super discounted, take a look:

Should Apple Watch’s digital crown come to iPad? [Friday Night Fights]

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ipad_fnf
Would you use it?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch’s digital crown is yet to make its way to other Apple devices, but that could soon be about to change. According to a recent patent application, Apple is already exploring the idea of bringing the feature to the likes of the iPad.

Friday Night Fights bugBut would a digital crown make sense on a larger device, or will it feel out of place? Will it actually add useful functionality that enhances the user experience, or would it be little more than a useless gimmick that’s there for the sake of it?

Join is in this week’s Friday Night Fights as we battle it out over whether the digital crown deserves a place on the iPad and other Apple products.

Apple Watch 2 may get thinner display

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Apple Watch
The new Apple Watch will look just like the old one.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The second-generation Apple Watch is set to adopt new “One Glass Solution” technology for its display, according to the latest rumor out of Asia.

Apple’s new wearable is expected to debut later this year and while previous rumors have claimed it won’t feature any major design changes, Apple supplier TPK Holding supposedly let it slip that Apple is using one of its new displays that could save Apple some space on the inside.

Tim Cook to host fundraiser for Hillary Clinton

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Tim Cook
Apple's CEO is helping Democrats and Republicans raise money.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple CEO Tim Cook is planning to help Hillary Clinton in her bid to become the first female president in U.S. history by hosting a fundraiser in Silicon Valley next month for the Democratic nominee.

Cook helped House Speaker Paul Ryan score some sweet Silicon Valley funding at a breakfast fundraiser last month. Now the the Apple CEO is teaming up with the Hillary Victory Fund.

How to swap words for emoji in iOS 10

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iOS-10-QuickType-keyboard
iOS 10's improved QuickType keyboard is big on emoji.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

We hope you like emoji, because you’re going to be seeing a whole lot more of them when iOS 10 makes its public debut this fall.

Apple is introducing a new feature for its built-in QuickType keyboard that makes it easy to swap words for relevant emoji characters as you type. Here’s how to use it.

You can now control your Nest smart devices using your Apple Watch

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Nest
Nest just helped our smart homes get smarter.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

One of the most important components of smart homes is going to be our ability to easily control them, preferably with the minimum effort required to do so.

With that in mind, Nest’s app for iOS has just gotten a significant upgrade in the form of new Apple Watch accessibility — which means that users can now control their Learning Thermostat, Nest Protect, Nest Cam and Dropcam from their wrist using Apple’s debut wearable device.

You don’t need to break the bank for a great VR headset [Deals]

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VR
This headset offers the chance for a high-quality VR experience without paying high-quality prices.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

All the news about virtual reality, the pictures and videos of people having a great time wearing high performance (and high price) headsets, makes for a brand new form of FOMO. Thankfully, it doesn’t take hundreds of dollars to get in on the virtual fun, thanks to headsets like the DAWAY 360. It’s a full-featured, comfortable, high quality headset that transforms your mobile device into a VR gateway, and right now you can get one for just $38.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

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

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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’

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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]

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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

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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

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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!

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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

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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

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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.