Cult of Mac

Tencent’s Honor of Kings raked in royalty levels of cash in the App Store, app analytics platform Sensor Tower reports. The report doesn’t break down exact iOS earnings, but across both the iOS App Store and Android’s Google Play store, the popular gaming title pulled in $264.5 million in player spending — in the month of May alone.

That’s a whole lot of cash, not least for a multiplayer online battle game that’s been around on mobile since 2015. It’s a testament to its longevity, and the fact that App Store success doesn’t rely on the United States these days.

Apple’s upcoming macOS Monterey update will make it easier for users to wipe all data from a Mac. A new “erase all contents and settings” option allows a system to be wiped without removing macOS.

Apple says the process — similar to that available on iPhone and iPad — is instant and secure, destroying all encryption keys.

Android users will enjoy a more seamless experience when switching to iPhone this fall with the improved “Move to iOS” feature in iOS 15.

After several years of no significant changes, the switching tool is finally getting the ability to copy over photo albums, files, folders, and even more from Android devices.

Signing into Apple TV apps will soon be easier than ever, thanks to the ability to use Face ID or Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad with tvOS 15.

The new “Sign in with Apple Device” feature will negate the need to enter usernames and passwords with Apple TV’s Siri Remote, significantly speeding up the sign in process. But there is a small catch.

A new “World Timer” face for Apple Watch has been spilled ahead of its release in a WWDC 2021 developer session.

The face didn’t get a mention during Apple’s watchOS 8 announcement on Monday, and isn’t yet available inside the first developer beta. Fans will be hoping it does appear before watchOS 8 makes its public debut.

Thanks to Substack and its rivals, 2021 has been huge for subscription newsletters. But Casey Newton of Platformer notes that the newsletter boom times could be threatened by Apple’s newly announced Mail Privacy Protection feature for iOS 15. And he’s not alone.

Private Relay is the latest way Apple devices can protect your privacy. The service, a part of iCloud+, makes it much harder for the websites you visit to track you.

Unlike many of Apple’s privacy services, it’s not free. But the new iCloud+ service costs very little and comes bundled with iCloud storage at no additional cost. And it comes with some other privacy benefits, too.

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Jeff Bezos may be the richest person in the world at nearly $190 billion, but there’s still plenty of money to be made using his ubiquitous web marketplace, Amazon.

But like anything else on the internet, it’s not enough to post your items and patiently wait for customers. There are tried-and-true methods that will connect your product with desired customers. If you’re ready to take your Amazon business to the next level, the 2021 Complete Amazon Dropshipping & Private Label Master Class Bundle is the best way to go from just another Amazon seller to an Amazonian millionaire.

Whether you’re computer-savvy and stay up to date on the latest software or not, this is a bundle that every Amazon seller needs in their cart. Available now at 98% off for just $34.99, this bundle will change the way you handle and thrive in your online business.

With iPadOS 15, Apple makes the iPad’s multitasking system much more intuitive. I’ve been testing it with the first beta of this OS update, and I’m quite pleased with the changes.

Here’s how the new iPad side-by-side multitasking system works in real life. And why I think it’ll bring this feature to more users.

Monday’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote was short on tangible details about Apple TV+. But Apple seized upon arguably its biggest week of the year to showcase a new trailer highlighting the great shows and movies available to watch on its subscription video service. And previewing one or two more.

To a remixed version of The Beach Boys’ classic “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” the two-minute Apple TV+ ad shows off the slate of Apple Originals. It casts Apple TV+ productions as mold-breakers, with original vision — and no shortage of big hits. It also offers some nice shots of upcoming productions, including Apple’s Foundation sci-fi series, the CODA movie that swept Sundance, the second season of surprise hit Ted Lasso and more.

Check it out below.

Want to relive Craig Federighi’s daring iPad catch from Monday’s keynote, set to a toe-tapping tune? Of course you do. Fortunately, Jonathan Mann is here to help.

Mann, a prolific musical YouTuber, has been writing songs about Apple dating back to the days of Antennagate and the iPhone 4. None other than Steve Jobs once played one of Mann’s iPhone ditties on stage at an Apple event. Each year after Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, Mann pens a song based on the event.

His song this year won’t leave you any the wiser if you didn’t watch this year’s WWDC keynote. But it will certainly get you nodding your head — and reliving that Federighi catch over and over. Check it out.

Want to make your life easier this summer? Smartwatches are a great way to enhance your daily routine, saving you time and offering convenience right on your wrist. But not everyone has enough room in their budget for a costly Apple Watch.

If you’ve been hoping to simplify things and embrace the ease of having technology just a tap away, the 116plus Smart Wristband gives you all the perks of a smartwatch for a fraction of the price. In fact, it’s available in five cool colors — blue, red, black, green and purple — right now for just $29.99.

Selling your old Apple device to buy a new one can be a high-stakes game. Do it before Apple announces the replacement and you can bank a few extra bucks because a) you’re selling the latest-gen product and b) the market’s not yet saturated with other sellers doing the same thing.

The catch? You’d better be confident that Apple’s going to announce the product you think it will. Because if it doesn’t, you’ll be stuck with no device at all. That appears to have happened to a handful of Apple users who were confident that Monday’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote would include the launch of next-gen MacBook Pros powered by M2 chips.

Apple didn’t unveil new laptops — and now people who sold their computers to gear up for new ones are not too happy about the situation.

iOS and iPadOS 15 give you the ability to specify accessibility settings for individual apps. The change lets you adjust things like text size, increase contrast, invert colors and more only where you need to.

If you’re lucky enough to get strong and speedy 5G coverage where you live, you’ll be pleased that it gets prioritized over Wi-Fi in iOS and iPadOS 15 when your usual network is slow.

The new feature expands your 5G capabilities on iPhone 12 and M1 iPad Pro and could make certain tasks — like downloading high-resolution movies and music or uploading data to iCloud — significantly faster.

Apple appears to have restored the scroll wheel to setting alarms in iOS 15, having replaced it with last year’s iOS 14 update.

While it’s a minor feature, it’s one that was conspicuous in its absence last year, replaced with a far clunkier, counterintuitive replacement. Now it’s back — showing that Apple does indeed listen when people call out certain features that used to be better.

Mophie just took the wraps off an extensive collection of accessories that take advantage of the MagSafe system of magnets in the iPhone 12 series. This includes portable batteries, stands, charging pads and vent mounts.

Apple is making iPhone and iPad upgrades easier by giving users a temporary boost in iCloud storage free of charge.

The change, which comes with iOS and iPadOS 15 this fall, will allow you to backup the entire contents of your device and transfer it all to a new one — even if you’re using the free 5GB storage plan.

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 give users the ability to place the same app on multiple Home screens (or multiple icons for the same app on one screen) for the first time.

Simply drag any app out of the App Library and onto your Home screen as many times as you like.

Apple will launch its head-mounted augmented reality display in the second quarter of 2022, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities.

It will feature lenses built by Genius Electronic Optical, which Kuo says will be the “sole supplier” for the high-end camera lenses in the forthcoming iPhone 13. (Largan Precision supposedly sent Apple samples for the handset’s rear wide lens and rear telephoto lens that failed to live up to Cupertino’s exacting standards. As a result, Apple canceled its Largan orders for iPhone 13 and will give them to Genius instead.)

Itching to get your hands on iOS and iPadOS 15 as soon as possible? The first developer betas are out now, and although we definitely don’t recommend installing them just yet, we’ll still tell you how to do it.

All you need is an Apple Developer account and an iPhone or iPad.

iPadOS 15 brings a big improvement to iPhone apps on a larger screen, finally allowing you to use them in landscape mode. The change even supports app that don’t have their own landscape view, like Instagram.

Cupertino is reportedly in “early stage talks” with two Chinese battery companies, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. and BYD Auto, about supplying batteries for an Apple car.

Apple is said to have developed breakthrough battery technology for its rumored vehicle, although it needs a third-party supplier to build these batteries. It may be one step closer to finding them.

The Apple TV Remote baked into Control Center on iPhone and iPad has been redesigned for iOS and iPadOS 15.

Its new interface better resembles the new Siri Remote that ships with the latest Apple TV 4K, introduced back in April, and offers greater functionality over the old design.

Spatial audio inside Apple Music will get dynamic head tracking later this year, Apple has confirmed. The feature promises an even more immersive experience by adjusting sound based on your movements.

The confirmation comes just as Apple rolls out spatial audio with Dolby Atmos and lossless music for Apple Music subscribers.