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Apple Watch 2 likely to ship 2 million units per month

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Apple Watch n
Apple is being "very aggressive" with component orders for its sequel wearable.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple’s announcements about the new watchOS 3 was one of the exciting highlights of Monday’s WWDC event, and it seems that Apple’s just as enthusiastic about its next-gen Apple Watch hardware — with sources in the supply chain claiming it’s ramped up component orders for the wearable sequel.

At WWDC 2016, Apple strengthens bonds between increasingly powerful platforms

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Apple lays out the future of its evolving ecosystem at WWDC 2016.
Apple lays out the future of its evolving ecosystem at WWDC 2016.
Photo: Apple

With absolutely no new hardware to show off, Apple focused on software — the glue that binds together its increasingly powerful and interconnected platforms — during the Worldwide Developers Conference kick-off event Monday.

“Our North Star has always been about improving people’s lives by creating great products that change the world,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook, addressing thousands of developers in San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. “Today for the very first time, we are going to talk to you about four Apple platforms. Each of these platforms is category-defining and world-changing.”

Apple quietly killed Game Center app today

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Game Center is causing some problems for iOS 9 updaters.
Farewell, Game Center. We hardly knew (or used) you.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Game Center finally met its demise this morning with the unveiling of iOS 10, which effectively kills Apple’s attempt at creating a gaming social network.

Starting with iOS 10, the Game Center app will no longer be found on iPhones and iPads, after having been preinstalled on devices for years. Apple isn’t just adding it to the list of stock iOS apps you can delete, though. It’s actually getting rid of the platform altogether in favor of GameKit.

Everything from WWDC 2016 worth getting excited about

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There's some exciting stuff at WWDC.
There's some exciting stuff at WWDC.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Although WWDC is a developer event, Apple’s keynote today was chockablock with features for end-users. It came thick and fast, with updates for watches, TVs, phones and computers.

There’s lots to unpack. Some of it was ho-hum. Siri on the Mac? Meh. A new app called Breathe? To do what exactly — remind you to inhale?

But there was tons of great stuff. Here are the features big and small that we’re most excited about.

You can now watch Apple’s WWDC 2016 keynote online

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Sign off
Apple just posted its WWDC 2016 keynote video.
Photo: Apple

Didn’t have time to catch Apple’s huge keynote this morning? You could go back through Cult of Mac’s liveblog to relive all the action. Or if you’d prefer the real thing, Apple just posted a video of the two-hour event on its homepage.

The new video covers all of the changes that Apple unveiled today for iOS 10, macOS Sierra, watchOS 3, and some new Apple TV software too. Apple topped off the event with a video celebrating developers who took their first step into coding with Apple’s Swift programming language.

 

iOS 10 finally lets you delete Apple apps you don’t want

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iPhone
Free at last!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The days of having a junk folder full of Apple-made apps you don’t want is finally coming to an end.

It appears that Apple made its first steps toward allowing iPhone and iPad users to delete stock apps today by making them available to download via the App Store.

The company didn’t announce the changes during its WWDC keynote, but after installing the first beta build of iOS 10, developers have discovered that apps like Maps, Contacts, Stocks, and others can now be deleted.

Apple gives first look at iOS 10 in new video

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iOS 10 launches this fall.
iOS 10 launches this fall.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s big iOS 10 update for iPhones and iPads won’t be available to the public until later this fall, but the company has already started hyping its launch with a new teaser video.

iOS 10 packs 10 big additions that change everything from the lock screen’s UI, Siri, and how you’ll interact with friends in Messages. We’re still diving into all the new features in the first developer beta. In the meantime, you can get your first glimpse of iOS 10 below:

iOS 10 won’t be compatible with all iOS 9 devices

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otherfeatures
You might need a new iPhone to get iOS 10.
Photo: Apple

Tim Cook called iOS 10 “the mother of all releases” during today’s keynote in San Francisco, but Apple doesn’t plan to share iOS 10’s greatness with all the devices that are currently running iOS 9.

Apple made iOS 9 supported on more devices than ever last year by pushing it to all iPhones and iPads running iOS 8. This year though it appears that some users will be left out of the update, including iPhone 4s owners.

Here’s which devices will be compatible with iOS 10:

Apple’s new Swift Playgrounds app turns kids into coders

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Coding is fun with Swift Playgrounds.
Coding is fun with Swift Playgrounds.
Photo: Apple

Apple introduced a powerful new way to teach kids how to learn to code today with a new app called Swift Playgrounds that makes learning Swift as easy as ABC.

The iPad app helps students learn to code by presenting a number of simple lessons aimed at kids, though simpleton non-coder adults can learn a great deal from it as well.

Siri comes to Mac and opens up to developers

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Siri is coming to the Mac, and will be opened to third-party developers on iOS.
Siri is coming to the Mac, and will be opened to third-party developers on iOS.
Photo: Apple

Big changes are coming to Siri, Apple’s intelligent voice-activated assistant. For the first time, Siri will be available on the Mac and will be opened to third-party developers on iOS.

While Siri was one of the first voice-controlled AI assistants on the market, it’s fallen behind competitors like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Now, largely because it was a closed system that worked only in Apple’s apps. Opening it to developers makes it much more functional, and presents a more serious challenge to upstarts like Viv that promise to help with a wide range of services and tasks.

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.