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Apple boots secret partying app from the App Store

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Vybe Together
No longer to be found in the App Store.
Photo: Vybe Together

Apple has booted an app from the App Store accused of helping promote secret indoor parties during COVID-19 lockdowns.

The Vybe Together app was connected with a TikTok account (also removed) that promoted New York-area parties. While its creators claim that they weren’t encouraging law-breaking behavior, clearly both Apple and TikTok disagreed.

AirPods Max condensation makes some owners sweat

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AirPods Max users complain of condensation inside headphones: Water collected inside one user’s AirPods Max ear cups after really extended wearing.
Water collected inside these AirPods Max ear cups after extended use.
Photo: Donald Filimon

Apple’s AirPods Max headphones are drawing complaints from some users after drops of water formed inside the earpads after extended use. Condensation is not an uncommon problem with over-the-ear headphones, though the metal ear cups and tight fit of the Apple version might increase the amount.

Track your fat, body mass and hydration levels with this $95 Apple Watch strap

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This Smart Strap is the perfect companion for your Apple Watch
The Aura Smart Strap is the perfect companion for your Apple Watch.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you received a brand-new Apple Watch this holiday season, you’re in luck! There are a ton of third-party accessories on the market, from fashionable watch straps to sleek charging stands.

Some, like this nifty Aura Smart Strap, give your Apple Watch additional functionality that complements its fitness-tracking capabilities. Normally retailing for $118.99, you can get an Aura Smart Strap for just $95.19 using coupon code HOLIDAY20 at checkout.

iPhone utterly dominates Christmas phone activations

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iPhone 12 packaging
Lots of iPhone activations show that Apple handsets were the most popular to gave and receive this Christmas.
Photo: Apple

Nine of the top ten handsets activated on Christmas Day in the U.S. were iPhones, according to a market-analysis firm. Only a single Android slipped onto the list… and in last place.

But it’s not Apple’s newest that dominated holiday sales. Older, more affordable models were the top sellers.

Another company in iPhone supply chain faces accusations of using forced labor

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iPhone 12 box
Lens Technology makes glass used in the iPhone.
Photo: Marco Verch/Flickr CC

Lens Technology, a Chinese company that makes glass for the iPhone, has allegedly made use of Uighur Muslim forced labor, according to a Tuesday report in The Washington Post.

Documents about the use of alleged forced labor were discovered by the Tech Transparency Project. The research organization detailed how “thousands of Uighur workers from the predominantly Muslim region of Xinjiang were sent to work for Lens Technology.”

Keep your AirPods safe and secure with this tracker

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Never lose your AirPods again with Air Fob
Never lose your AirPods again with Air Fob.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

What would you do without your AirPods? They’re perfect for everything from tuning into your favorite learning app or wearing during a sweaty workout. Unfortunately, they can fall out during almost any activity, whether you’re moving around too much while taking a class, or even while you’re in transit from your doorstep to the side street.

Luckily, there’s Air Fob — an AirPods tracker that both protects your precious earbuds from damage and helps you locate them in case they slip out.

Customers spend almost $279 million in the App Store over Christmas

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app-store
Apple had a gold-plated holiday season.
Photo: Apple

It’s been a great, record-busting year for mobile apps — and, unsurprisingly, that translated to a strong Christmas as well.

According to app analytics platform Sensor Tower, customers spent a total of $407.6 million across both the iOS App Store and Google Play over Christmas. This represents a massive 34.5% increase from the $303 million spent this time last year.

Of that, the App Store represented 68.4% of all spending — or $278.6 million in total.

Leaked prototype turns the clock back to early days of Apple Watch

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Apple Watch
The Apple Watch has come a long way since its early days.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

A Twitter user by the name of @AppleDemoYT has posted images online they claim to be an early Apple Watch prototype, built as part of the pre-production process before Apple introduced the device in 2015.

Such prototypes are very rare, with Apple preferring not to show images that shed light on how it develops products. Somehow this one made it out in one piece — provided it’s legitimate, of course.

Netflix could spend a massive $19 billion on shows and movies in 2021

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75% of Netflix users have no plans to jump ship to Apple TV+ (right away)
Netflix spends a whole lot of cash on programming.
Photo: Stock Catalog/Flickr CC

Netflix could spend an estimated $19.03 billion on video content in 2021, data presented by investment bank Bankr suggests.

That would be an increase of 10% from the estimated $17.3 billion it spent this year. It’s also a massive ramp-up from the $2.4 billion Netflix spent in 2013 when it started moving into original productions with shows like House of Cards.

This mobile charger quickly juices up MacBook and iPhone simultaneously [Review]

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Aukey Omnia Mix3 Charger review
The Aukey Omnia Mix3 Charger is smaller than Apple’s MacBook one, but boasts 3x as many ports.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Aukey Omnia Mix3 90W 3-Port PD Charger can juice up your MacBook Pro at nearly full speed. Or it can power your iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch all at the same time.

Since Apple stopped bundling chargers with its iPhones, but they do come with a Lightning to USB-C cable, now is a good time to consider a multi-port USB-C solution like this one.

I put the Aukey wall charger to the test powering up my devices. Read on to see how well it did.

AirPods Pro sale: This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen! [Update: It’s back]

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AirPods Pro sale: This is the lowest price yet
What are you waiting for?
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

How low can they go?!? Once again, Woot is offering the lowest price we’ve ever seen for brand-new AirPods Pro. You can pick up a set of these noise-canceling Apple earbuds for just $189.99.

Woot’s AirPods Pro sale goes for just three days or until they sell out. And, while you’re there, you might as well look at all the open-box iPhones and other electronics that Woot is selling at extremely low prices.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Power through your reading list with this subscription

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This convenient app condenses books and fosters personal development
This convenient app condenses books and fosters personal development
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re smart, you’re always looking for ways to sharpen your cognition and improve your brain’s processing power. After all, being able to consume more information and digest it quickly means you can be more efficient and productive.

You can take speed-reading courses and employ tactics to improve your memory, but there’s also a way you can work smarter (and not harder): Instaread Book Summaries let you tackle your reading list quickly.

With this app, you can consume full books in just minutes. And, for a limited time, you can save an extra 20% on already-discounted subscription prices when you use coupon code HOLIDAY20 at checkout.

Pick up these gold-plated AirPods Max for a mere $108,000

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Caviar takes Apple products and makes them even more expensive.
Caviar saw the complaints about the AirPods Max’s $550 price and said “Hold my beer.”
Photo: Caviar

The $550 price tag for Apple’s AirPods Max raised no few eyebrows, but the Russian luxury brand Caviar blows that out of the water. It just launched a version of these over-the-ear headphones that is 200x more expensive.

Apple Car might not drive off the lot before 2028

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An Apple Car is supposedly in development, though it probably won‘t look anything like this.
A driverless vehicle from Apple might not hit the roads for close to a decade.
Graphic: hatzfeld/Pixabay CC/Cult of Mac

A respected Apple analyst and prognosticator threw cold water on recent reports about a future Apple Car arriving in the next few years. Ming-Chi Kuo says it’s possible a self-driving vehicle from Apple could land in 2025, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the launch doesn’t happen before 2028.

The 10 best Apple ads of 2020

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Damien Chazelle
Apple produced some spectacular ads this year.
Photo: Apple

Apple makes great phones, tablets, computers and smartwatches. It also makes superb commercials — and has done so for years.

What was the cream of this year’s Apple advertising crop? Check out our top 10 picks (in no particular order) below.

Best apps to download now for your new Mac

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Best apps for your new Mac
Your new Mac deserves these amazing apps.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If you were lucky enough to bag a new Mac for the holidays, you’re probably on the hunt for some awesome new apps to use on it. We’ve rounded up five of the best that we think every Mac owner should be using.

These apps will let you play any video, keep a close eye on precious storage space, extract important data from your iPhone and iPad backups, and more!

Binge-watch a lifetime of great documentaries with this streaming service

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The best streaming service for documentaries available on Apple Store
Get a "forever" sub to the best streaming service for documentaries.
Image: CuriosityStream

There are plenty of streaming options out there and, while you might have beefed up your home theater setup for action flicks and your favorite feel-good shows, after a certain point, you’re probably longing for content that’s a little more educational. The CuriosityStream HD Plan: Lifetime Subscription gives you access to thousands of the world’s best documentaries on the award-winning streaming and on-demand viewing service.

Ring in the new year with 20% off this high-tech smartwatch

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The ChronoWatch Will help with workouts of all kind to get your 2021 off to a Great Start
The ChronoWatch will help with workouts of all kinds to get your 2021 off to a great start.
Photo: ChronoWatch

Getting a smartwatch is a smart decision, but it can also be a costly one.

With luxury models like Apple Watch Series 6 running hundreds of dollars, it might make more sense to invest in a high-tech watch that’s on sale for the holidays, like the ChronoWatch Multi-Function Smart Watch. You can snag this impressively intelligent device for just $31.99 with the 20% off code HOLIDAY20.

Totallee clear cases show off the iPhone 12 series like there’s no case at all

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Totallee's clear cases for the iPhone 12 series preserve the device's beauty while they protect it.
Totallee's clear cases for the iPhone 12 series preserve the device's beauty while they protect it.
Photo: Totallee

This iPhone case post is presented by Totallee.

With iPhone prices rising to heights that make the devices more of a serious investment with each new model, those lucky enough to find themselves the proud owner of a new device had better protect it. That means putting it in a case. Some people hate that because it bulks up and obscures their sleek and beautiful new smartphone.

But your new case doesn’t have to look like it’s as protective as blast barriers and barbed wire. You could try the case that is almost like no case at all — the Totallee clear case for iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max. The thin, flexible, transparent case is for anyone who wants to protect their brand-new iPhone while retaining its aesthetic.