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OS X is dead! Long live macOS

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macOS Sierra is here!
Apple's desktop OS has been rebranded.
Photo: Apple

OS X is dead. The name, at least.

Apple’s desktop operating system will become macOS this fall with its next major update, which will bring a whole host of exciting new features and improvements — including Siri integration, automatic unlocking, and Apple Pay for the web.

Apple unveils iOS 10, its biggest update ever

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iOS 10
iOS 10 is huge!
Photo: Apple

The next big iOS update for iPhones and iPads was unveiled by Apple today at WWDC and it comes with some gigantic new features to go along with an even bigger Siri upgrade.

iOS 10 is the “mother of all releases” according to Tim Cook. It comes with 10 big new features that make Siri more powerful than ever, plus some much needed changes to the way you interact with the lock screen and homescreen thanks to interactive notifications, widgets, and deeper 3D Touch integration.

tvOS update makes Siri search better than ever

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Eddy Cue unveiled the future of tvOS.
Eddy Cue unveiled the future of tvOS.
Photo: Apple

The next generation of tvOS for Apple TV will be more powerful than ever thanks to some huge new updates Apple unveiled today at the company’s WWDC keynote.

Apple VP Eddy Cue showed off new features for Apple’s set-top box that make Siri more powerful than ever while also giving developers new tools to create better tvOS app experiences.

WWDC liveblog: Apple reveals the future of iOS and OS X

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Mo money, mo problems.
Mo money, mo problems.
Photo: Milo Kahney/Cult of Mac

Nerds rejoice. WWDC is finally here!

Apple’s annual developer conference is set to get underway in just a few hours. The company is expected to unveil the future of iOS, OS X, Apple Watch, Siri and much more in what is expected to be one of the most action-packed keynotes we’ve seen in years.

Cult of Mac will be liveblogging all the action of today’s events right here and we won’t stop until every last morsel of info has been dished out by Tim Cook and the rest of Apple’s team. If you’re not sure what to expect from today’s keynote, take a look at this quick refresher — “Everything to expect from Apple’s jam-packed WWDC 2016 keynote” — and then join us for our WWDC liveblog below. The keynote starts Monday at 10 a.m. Pacific.

Apple to finally step up its AI game by opening Siri up to devs

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Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
Siri won't be restricted anymore.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

We’re all stoked for our first previews of iOS 10 and macOS from WWDC, but according to sources familiar with Apple’s plans, it’s going to be Siri that steals the show.

The virtual assistant is expected to make the leap to the Mac for the first time, and could also open up to third-party apps and services — allowing users to check in for flights, book Uber rides, and do more using only their voice.

Long lines make WWDC look like an iPhone launch

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Apple has taken over Bill Graham Auditorium.
Apple has taken over Bill Graham Auditorium.
Photo: Milo Kahney/Cult of Mac

WWDC is set to kick off in less than 90 minutes and the lines (and hype) building around the event have reached an all-new level of insanity.

Showing up a few hours early to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco was not enough to secure a front row seat to this year’s keynote, thanks to the lines that are so huge you’d think a new iPhone is launching.

Check out how long the line was at 6 a.m.:

Your Lightning cables look like sissies next to these [Deals]

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CoM - Armour Cable

When Iron Man charges his iPhone, he probably uses one of Armour’s Lightning cables. These sleek, steel-lined, MFi-certified, charging devices are built to last. In fact, they come with a limited lifetime warranty, making them the last Lightning chargers you’ll ever need to buy. Right now they’re going at a big discount, so take a look and upgrade your charging game.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs’ NeXT gets major cash injection

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Photo of the NeXT Cube computer manufactured by NeXT Inc.
Steve Jobs' NeXT Computer was a gorgeous machine for its time.
Photo: Rama & Musée Bolo/Wikipedia CC

monday13June 13, 1989: Canon Inc. invests $100 million in NeXT Inc., the computer company founded by Steve Jobs after he left Apple.

The massive cash infusion gives Canon a 16.67% stake in NeXT. It also helps the money-losing company find a direction that ultimately leads Jobs back to Cupertino.

Apple TV apps may be struggling to retain their users

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apple tv and siri remote
Apple TV's App Store may have some challenges.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

tvOS devs may be driven away from developing for Apple TV, claims a new report citing poor audience retention rates.

Suggesting that users are “generally disinterested” in Apple TV, the report from mobile app analytics company adjust says they found that just 8.9 percent of users return to a tvOS app seven days after installing it. That’s roughly half the number seen on mobile devices, where the comparable numbers stand at nearly 20 percent on tablets and 18.5 percent on smartphones.

Everything to expect from Apple’s jam-packed WWDC 2016 keynote

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WWDC's opening keynote will be at San Francisco's cavernous Bill Graham Auditorium.
WWDC's opening keynote will be at San Francisco's cavernous Bill Graham Auditorium.
Photo: Milo Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple’s keynote to kick off this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference is going to be huge. So huge, in fact, that Apple already revealed some stuff early because Tim Cook and his Cupertino cronies won’t have time to cover everything during the jam-packed, two-hour event.

While WWDC might seem like a bit of a snoozefest for Apple fans who don’t know anything about Xcode and Swift, the 2016 edition of the annual developer conference should bring lots of new stuff even normals can get hyped about. The WWDC keynote will give us a peek inside the ever-evolving Apple ecosystem — and thus our clearest picture of the future of all Apple products.

This year, all of Apple’s platforms are set to get major updates, as are some of the company’s most popular services, like Siri and Apple Music. Here’s what to watch for during Apple’s keynote, which will kick off WWDC 2016 next Monday morning in San Francisco.

Heroes of Loot 2, a Logic Pro X upgrade, and other awesome apps

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appsoftheweek_1024
'Appy weekend all!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

‘Appy weekend everyone! If you’re anything like me, Sunday’s the perfect time for kicking back and catching up on everything you missed during the week — not least the top apps to have either arrived in the App Store, or been the recipient of major upgrades.

Fortunately we’ve done the hard work of sorting through them for you to pick out to pick out the cream of the crop. Check out our picks below.

Adobe lessons, 1,000s of design assets, and more in the latest deals at Cult of Mac [Deals]

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Easily connect any device to a worldwide VPN network.
Easily connect any device to a worldwide VPN network.
Photo: Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We’re breaking off a brand new week, and as usual we’ve got a bunch of brand new deals. This round, we’ve got a portable VPN portal, a year of Adobe Creative Cloud with comprehensive lessons, an uber-classy iPhone wallet, and more. Take a look:

Catch our WWDC 2016 hardware and software predictions on The CultCast

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macbook-pro-wwdc-2016
Next week's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco is looking pretty momentous.
Photo: Apple

This week, on The CultCast: it’s our WWDC 2016 predictions! We’ll tell you what hardware and software to expect. Plus: Apple makes huge changes to the prices you’ll pay for apps; this year’s Back to School specials are some of Apple’s best yet; and Steve Jobs… the opera? Don’t miss more weird and wild stories from the Cult of Mac.

Our thanks to Freshbooks for supporting this episode. FreshBooks is the easy-to-use invoicing software designed to help small business owners get organized, save time invoicing and get paid faster. Get started now with a 30-day free trial.

WWDC 2016 preview, Ken Segall talks to Kahney’s Korner podcast, best iPhone 6/6s cases out there, and more

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The Worldwide Developers Conference 2016 promises to be huge.
The Worldwide Developers Conference 2016 promises to be huge.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Get ready for next week’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2016! We give you a sneak peek of what to expect in Apple’s keynote on Monday in San Francisco. Plus, teenager earns scholarship to WWDC by creating his own news app.

Listen to former Apple ad man Ken Segall — who put the “i” in iMac — discuss what he learned in 12 years working with Steve Jobs on Cult of Mac’s brand-new podcast Kahney’s Korner.

All this, and much much more, in Cult of Mac Magazine, free for you right now.

Here are this week’s top stories.

Put your fitness to the ultimate test with Apple Watch

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Get set to test yourself to the limit with your Apple Watch.
Get set to test yourself to the limit with your Apple Watch.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

If you want to get in shape, the best way to get started is with some fitness testing. That might sound challenging, but luckily your Apple Watch is all you need to test yourself to the limit.

Fitness tests enable you to establish a baseline so you can see how your physical condition improves over time. And if you are already a fitness fanatic, regular testing enables you to identify areas of weakness and optimize your training program. Here’s how to make the Apple Watch a part of your essential fitness testing.

Will major changes kill the MacBook Pro? [Friday Night Fights]

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fnf
Don't you want an OLED touchpad on your MacBook Pro?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s MacBook Pro redesign this fall will bring big changes to one of its most beloved notebooks. According to recent leaks, the machine will pack an OLED touchpad above its keyboard, and only USB-C connectivity.

FNF-bugSome fans aren’t happy about that. Many love the physical function keys already found on the MacBook Pro, while others don’t believe it will be a suitable “pro” machine without standard USB ports. But isn’t it time they moved on?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over the rumored changes to the MacBook Pro.

Apple Pay may take on PayPal with web payments

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Apple Pay
Apple Pay is everywhere.
Photo: Apple

Pretty soon when you’re shopping online, Apple Pay might become the quickest way to checkout instead of using PayPal.

Rumors have been floating around the web for months that Apple plans to bring Apple Pay to the web and according to a new report, Apple’s WWDC 2016 keynote will be the site of the grand unveiling.

BitCam brings Mac OS 6-style retro photography to iPhone

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Screen Shot 2016-06-10 at 19.29.40
BitCam on iPhone.
Screenshots: Iconfactory

Remember those awesome pictures you used to take on your Game Boy Camera? Now you can snap them on your iPhone, thanks to BitCam.

Created by Iconfactory to celebrate its 20th anniversary, BitCam brings retro photography from the ’90s back to life. It even has an 8-bit interface inspired by Apple’s early Mac OS operating system.

Apple takes over Bill Graham Auditorium ahead of WWDC

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Mo money, mo problems.
WWDC is nearly here.
Photo: Milo Kahney/Cult of Mac

There are only a few days left before Apple unveils its biggest software updates of the year during its WWDC 2016 keynote, and the final preparations are underway.

Apple’s iconic logo was just placed on the side of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco where Tim Cook and company are expected to announce some huge features coming to iOS, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and more.

Cult of Mac got an early look at Apple’s decorations for the event which construction crews are still working on.

Check it out: