Mobile menu toggle

Chinese devaluation is terrible for Apple, great for its suppliers

By

China iPhone sales
Tim Cook meets with Apple Store employees in China.
Photo: Apple

China’s surprise devaluation of the yuan is likely to have a massive impact on Apple and its suppliers.

China devalued its currency in an attempt to boost a flagging economy — resulting in the country’s biggest one-day loss in 20 years.

And while some will be celebrating, others (likely including Tim Cook) can’t be too happy about it!

iPhone 6s sales could be a big disappointment for Apple investors

By

Is this our first look at the iPhone 6s screen?
Will the iPhone 6s mark the end of Apple's boom period?
Photo: Nowwhereelse

The days of iPhone sales growing year after year could be over with the iPhone 6s, claims an investment advisor for KGI — citing a stalling smartphone market in China and an underwhelming Force Touch feature as the handset’s big selling point.

The unnamed KGI analyst — who is more than likely Ming-Chi Kuo — says that Apple is likely to sell between 65 and 75 million iPhones in the last quarter of 2015, which would signal either zero or possibly even negative growth for the company.

iPhone users are 50% dirtier than Android owners

By

iphone-users-are-50-dirtier-than-android-owners-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201508Screen-Shot-2015-08-11-at-104611-jpg
Finally Android owners have something to brag about.
Photo: Brighthouse
Heading. Photo:
Finally Android owners have something to brag about. Photo: Brighthouse

iPhone owners are 50 percent dirtier than Android users, according to a new study commissioned by the U.K.-based online retailer Brighthouse.

Brighthouse tested 170 items as part of its study, including game controllers, remote controls, laptop computers and 38 different phones — with 24 being iPhones and 14 being unspecified Android devices.

Spotify will make you pay for music by destroying its free plan

By

Rap Genius is partnering with Spotify.
Spotify is finally listening to the labels.
Photo: Spotify
Spotify is finally listening to the labels. Photo: Spotify
Spotify is finally listening to the labels. Photo: Spotify

Spotify is planning to introduce a new “gated access” model that will make its free streaming plan a lot less attractive, according to a new report. Those who choose to opt out of paying for the service could see it become extremely limited, with access to just one or two songs from big album releases.

Vulkan is Google’s answer to Apple Metal for Android games

By

vulkan-is-googles-answer-to-apple-metal-for-android-games-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201506E3_thumb-jpg
Vulkan will bring better games to Android.
Photo: Samsung
Vulkan is coming to Android. Photo: Samsung
Vulkan is coming to Android. Photo: Samsung

Apple Metal, introduced at last year’s WWDC, gives developers low-level access to the GPU to maximize the graphics and performance potential of their games. Now Android gamers are going to get a taste of that, too.

No, Apple isn’t bringing Metal to Android — but Google is adopting an alternative called Vulkan.

Google now a subsidiary of a new company: Alphabet

By

google-now-a-subsidiary-of-a-new-company-alphabet-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201508alphabet-jpg
Larry Page announced a whole new company, Alphabet, and it now owns Google.
Photo: Alphabet
alphabet
Larry Page announced a whole new company, Alphabet, and it now owns Google. Photo: Alphabet

Google just dropped a bombshell announcement that the operating structure of the company is getting seriously shaken up. To start, co-founder Larry Page broke the news of Alphabet: a new holding company which Google will operate under moving forward. Page will operate as the CEO with Sergey Brin as President effective immediately.

The makers of MacKeeper owe you a refund

By

ZeoBIT has to shell out $2 million in MacKeeper refunds.
ZeoBIT has to shell out $2 million in MacKeeper refunds.
Photo: ZeoBIT

The original developers behind the controversial Mac cleaning/scam software MacKeeper at ZeoBIT have entered into a settlement with customers, after losing class-action lawsuit filed against the company in May of 2014.

Customers who bought MacKeeper before July 8th are eligible to receive a refund for purchasing the security and performance program, as long as they file a claim for reimbursement before November 30th.

Computer engineer wins 1,000 Twitter contests with Python script

By

twitter-bot-contest-winnings
A simple Python script later, Hunter Scott was entered into 165,000 Twitter contests.
Photo: Hunter Scott

Computer engineer Hunter Scott wrote a Python script to enter virtually every Twitter contest started over the span of nine months. The bot ended up entering him in about 165,000 different “RT to win” contests and more importantly, he won close to 1,000. On average, he won four contests per day every day.

How to get iOS 9 public beta on your iPhone right now

By

iOS 9 public beta is just a few taps away
iOS 9 public beta is just a few taps away
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

If you’ve been itching to get your hands on Apple’s latest public beta for iOS 9, you’re in luck. With new proactive features for Siri, public transit directions in Maps, and a supercharged notes app, not to mention new multitasking and keyboard features for newer iPads, iOS 9 is looking pretty great.

Plus, now that we’re getting closer to the actual Fall release, the iOS 9 beta (release 5) is probably more stable than it was when it first released to the public in July. Of course, all beta software can mess up your iPhone, so don’t apply it unless you’re willing to put up with possible glitches and maybe even a bricked iPhone.

If you’re good with that, though, here’s how to get the iOS 9 beta onto your iPhone (or iPad) right now.

Apple’s fitness guru on what makes the Watch revolutionary

By

Apple Watch is the perfect companion for spin class.
Apple Watch is the perfect companion for spin class.
Photo: Apple

Jay Blahnik has been one of Apple’s key hires in getting the Apple Watch and now in one of his first extensive interviews since joining the company, Apple’s fitness guru has revealed how his teams of experts tried to differentiate the Apple Watch in the hugely competitive new wearables market.

When it came down to making Apple Watch, it wasn’t just about making something that looks good that also tracks your steps and calories. Blahnik tells Outside that Apple’s goal was to silence the noise by ignoring the fitness trends and focusing in on the three things that mattered the most.

Here are seven key things we learned from the interview:

Here’s proof Bendgate won’t be back with iPhone 6s

By

Photo: Twitter
Bendgate won't be back again this year.
Photo: Twitter

Apple isn’t going to repeat its Bendgate error for a second year, according to a video posted by Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy, aka the man who famously bent an iPhone 6 Plus with his bare hands.

Hilsenteger got hold of an iPhone 6s backplate, courtesy of renowned Apple leaker Sonny Dickson, and compared it to the original iPhone 6. As he points out, Apple has made key changes to the iPhone design with the aim of learning from its past mistakes.

Check out his video below:

Early bird special for a fully equipped, HD-ready mini drone [Deals]

By

Our pre-order special for the SKEYE is your chance to get a drone of your own.
Our pre-order special for the SKEYE is your chance to get a drone of your own.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Is there a better sign that the future has arrived than meeting with friends at a park to play with flying robots? Another such sign might be that you can now get one of those robots for the price of a dinner date. The SKEYE Mini Drone is about to launch, at a whopping 34% off for anyone who pre-orders — just $64.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Clever sensor tells your iPhone whether your favorite restaurant is full

By

The Density sensor can be mounted to a door frame to track people moving in and out of  a businesses, like a restaurant or your local Department of Motor Vehicles.
The Density sensor can be mounted to a door frame to track people moving in and out of a businesses, like a restaurant or your local Department of Motor Vehicles.
Photo: Density

Your iPhone can help you find a good brunch place, with reviews on Yelp that indicate a restaurant’s best dishes. But there really isn’t any real-time help, except maybe calling or taking your chances and just showing up, to find out if you and your friends can get a table at a local hot spot.

A company called Density has developed a door-frame sensor that monitors the coming and going of people and then reports to an iPhone app whether your favorite place is full. It collects data on people’s movement at various hours of the day and recommends windows of time when you can get right in.

AmEx brings Apple Pay to corporate cards

By

Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Don't leave home without it.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

American Express has announced that it is first major credit card company to allow corporate card holders to pay using Apple Pay.

Describing it as a way to help companies to “streamline their payments systems and simplify their processes,” the announcement means that AmEx card users can now add eligible corporate cards to Apply Pay.

iPhone 6s screen assembly appears to confirm Force Touch

By

iPhone-6s-front-assembly-MacManiack-001
iPhone 6s display has a few notable differences.
Photo: MacManiack

A new video showing what appears to be an assembled display component for the upcoming iPhone 6s once again hints at the arrival of Force Touch for the next-gen handset.

Posted by European repair firm MacManiack, the video shows the iPhone 6s having a front-facing FaceTime camera and proximity sensor in the same place as the current iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. However, a few changes have been made — and MacManiack thinks they may relate to Apple’s next pressure-sensitive iPhone technology.

New Steve Jobs graphic novel is insanely geeky

By

Steve Jobs' life gets sequential in new graphic novel Steve Jobs: Insanely Great.
Steve Jobs' life gets sequential in new graphic novel Steve Jobs: Insanely Great.
Photo: Jessie Hartland

New graphic novel Steve Jobs: Insanely Great recounts the late Apple leader’s life through 225 pages of gorgeously geeky illustrations, taking readers through his work at Apple, Pixar and NeXT as well as his time away from business.

Cult of Mac Magazine: 9 uses for old Apple TVs, new iMacs and more

By

Get news, how-tos and more in the latest issue of Cult of Mac Magazine for iOS.
Get news, how-tos and more in the latest issue of Cult of Mac Magazine for iOS.
Cover: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With the Apple TV ready for a radical refresh, it’s time to start thinking about what you’ll do with your old set-top box once you upgrade to the latest and greatest model.

You’ll find cool projects for your old Apple TV in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine for iPhone and iPad. You’ll also get updates on new iMacs and an opinion piece on why the end of smartphone subsidies is actually good for Apple.

Monster trucks, Apple Watch email, and other awesome apps of the week

By

If you're appy and you know it, check our list!
If you're appy and you know it, check our list!
Photo: Cult of Mac

It’s the weekend, which means (we hope) taking a day off from the usual grind to relax, mow your lawn, have a lie-in, and check out the hottest apps to hit the App Store over the past seven days.

And, man, have we got some good picks this week — from Apple Watch email clients to excellent comedic weather apps!

Check them out below:

From comfort to audio quality, these are the headphones you’re looking for [Deals]

By

MiiKey Rhythm Pro bluetooth on-ear headphones offer wireless, hi-def, 4-channel stereo sound
MiiKey Rhythm Pro bluetooth on-ear headphones offer wireless, hi-def, 4-channel stereo sound
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Too often, we either pay too much for a set of headphones that doesn’t quite meet our needs, or just spring for the cheapo brands sold next to the bubble gum. That’s why we’ve assembled a collection of premium ear-pleasers that’ll meet any preference or budget. Looking for waterproof and workout ready? Wireless and noise canceling? Durable but with studio-quality audio? You’ll find it here, and at a nice discount.

Choose a portable battery pack for any situation [Deals]

By

The ZeroLemon ToughJuice 30000mAh is as tough as it is powerful.
The ZeroLemon ToughJuice 30000mAh is as tough as it is powerful.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For all the ways we use our mobile devices, there are just as many ways for the battery to die and ruin our day. That’s why we’ve gathered the leaders of the battery pack, with options for toughness, multiple devices, even solar power, check below to find a portable energy source for every situation and need.

Could Apple Watch soon track weightlifting as well as cardio?

By

Stainless steel Apple Watch meets pumping iron.
Stainless steel Apple Watch meets pumping iron.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

As a fitness tracker, Apple Watch is currently little more than a fancy pedometer. It only tracks distance and calories — the quantity, not the quality, of your movement. That’s a problem because fitness is about more than burning calories.

However, an interesting patent from Apple — plus a new technology claimed to be “Siri for understanding human movement” — suggests that Apple Watch could soon be adding weightlifting to its repertoire. Which would be good news for gym-goers and CrossFitters everywhere.

Apple to hold iPhone 6s event on September 9th

By

Tim Cook leaves the stage at the end of the 2014 WWDC keynote. Photo: Roberto Baldwin/The Next Web
Tim Cook leaves the stage at the end of the 2014 WWDC keynote.
Photo: Roberto Baldwin/The Next Web

iPhone 6s rumor season is in full swing, but we won’t have to wait much longer until Apple reveals the real deal.

A fall iPhone 6s launch event is being planned for September 9, according to a new report that also reveals other products that will share the stage with Apple’s new smartphone.