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AirPods 3 concept video imagines innovative changes

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An AirPods 3 concept video shows what Apple’s 2021 earbuds might look like.
This might be a foretaste of the 2021 AirPods 3.
Photo: the Hacker 34

An AirPods 3 concept video brings together rumors and hopes for redesigned Apple in-ear headphones that are anticipated for later in 2021. The result is a video showing earbuds that merge aspects of AirPods Pro with the more basic version, and mix in some new features as well.

Watch the video now:

Elago Charging Tray for iPhone 12 makes MagSafe even better

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Elago Charging Tray for iPhone 12 MagSafe
Charging Tray Duo holds iPhone and Apple Watch.
Photo: Elago

Worried that snapping your MagSafe charger onto iPhone 12 will one day damage its glass? Elago’s awesome new Charging Tray solves that problem by being the ultimate MagSafe accessory.

Made entirely from soft and sturdy silicone, the Charging Tray holds your MagSafe charger to give iPhone 12 a place to rest while it’s being topped up. The Charging Tray Duo also makes space for Apple Watch.

Bag yours today from just $29.

Apple plans to slim down the 2021 budget iPad

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The 2021 iPad could look much like the 2020 version. Just thinner.
The 2021 iPad might use the same general design as the iPad 8 (shown here), but slimmer.
Photo: Apple

The 2021 iPad is apparently going on a diet. The 9th generation of Apple’s basic tablet will reportedly be slimmer and lighter than the current version.

But the same unconfirmed report says Apple doesn’t plan to change the size of the 2021 iPad Pro models.

Customers spend $540 million in the App Store on New Year’s Day

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Apple services
Services are big business for Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple customers spent a record $540 million-plus in a single day on digital goods and services on New Year’s Day, Apple said Wednesday.

This followed a monster holiday season in which App Store customers splurged $1.8 billion in the App Store between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Users spent much of this astonishing amount of money on games.

Learn new languages fast with 55% off a lifetime Babbel subscription

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learning a new language has never been this easy
Picking up a new language has never been this easy.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There’s no better time than the new year to start thinking about a new skill to learn. And while you might be considering changing careers by learning how to code, or developing a passion side project in photography, don’t count out learning a new language.

Mastering a second language can open up all kinds of doors, from getting you a new job (possibly even in a new country) or earning you a promotion. This lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning gives you access to 14 different languages and more than 10,000 hours of intuitive lessons.

Devs could resort to workarounds to avoid iOS 14 anti-tracking feature

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privacy WWDC
Privacy is a big theme for Apple.
Photo: Apple

One of the big new features of iOS 14 is a privacy focused one that lets users know which apps are tracking them. But while it’s starting to roll out to beta users, developers are trying to find ways to continue tracking users without them necessarily being clued in.

According to a Wednesday report for the Financial Times, some devs are so concerned about the possible financial impact of Apple’s new feature that they will try and find ways around restrictions — even though being caught could result in them being booted off the App Store.

Apple Glass AR glasses reportedly enter second phase of testing

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Apple Glass
Coming soon to a face near you?
Image: Jon Prosser/Front Page Tech

Prototype “Apple Glass” augmented reality glasses are reportedly set to enter the second phase of testing, Digitimes reported Wednesday.

The paywalled report cites “industry sources” but doesn’t reveal how many phases are involved in Apple’s testing of its AR glasses. However, since Digitimes’ sources are seemingly located predominantly in the supply chain, rather than inside Apple, this suggests that the long-rumored AR specs have moved beyond Cupertino’s initial internal mockups.

TikTok is top-grossing iOS app for December

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U.S. investigations of TikTok gather steam.
TikTok had a very strong 2020.
Photo: Kon Karampelas/Unsplash CC

TikTok, the ultra-popular short-form video app, finished 2020 on a high note as December’s top-grossing non-gaming app. According to app analytics platform Sensor Tower, TikTok pulled in $142 million that month across iOS and Android.

That’s 3.3 times the revenue TikTok produced in December 2019. The overwhelming majority of this money (86%) came from China, where TikTok is known as Douyin. The United States ranked second for TikTok spending, accounting for 7% of revenue.

Tim Cook’s pay package hits $14.8 million in 2020

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CEO Tim Cook photo via Fox Business
Tim Cook had reason to smile last year.
Photo: Fox Business

Apple CEO Tim Cook’s pay rose by a massive 28% in the company’s fiscal 2020, a regulatory filing reveals.

Cook took home the same $3 million basic salary he earned in 2018 and 2019. However, his non-equity incentive plan compensation increased from $7.7 million last year to $10.7 million. That brought his earnings for the year to $14.8 million — on the back of a spectacular year for Apple.

Apple will reveal how well the iPhone 12 is selling on January 27

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Apple will reveal how well the iPhone 12 is selling on January 27
The Apple earnings call in three weeks will reveal much more about the iPhone 12 launch.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple plans to announce on January 27 the financial results from last quarter. This includes the launch of the iPhone 12 series, so it’ll offer the first hard numbers on how well the latest iOS handsets are selling.

The quarter also contains the holiday-shopping season, which traditionally adds enormously to Apple’s bottom line. But 2020 wasn’t a normal year and it’s not yet known how the COVID-19 pandemic affected gifting of Mac, iPad and other products. Apple financial results should clear away the mystery.

Tile prepares to take on AirTags with its own UWB tech

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Tile will speak out against Apple in Congress antitrust hearing
Tile might use UWB tech to improve future item-tracking tags.
Photo: Tile

Tile reportedly will move beyond Bluetooth for its future item-tracking tags, which will add support for ultra-wideband tech. The move could be prompted by a need to compete with Apple AirTags, the long-rumored item trackers that supposedly will employ UWB.

The upgrade also could signal that Tile joined a new Apple program that allows third-party trackers to connect to the Find My‌ network created by iPhones, Macs and other Apple devices.

How to choose which HomePod listens to you when using two or more

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How to choose which HomePod listens to you
It's easier than you think.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Are you constantly being ignored by the HomePod that’s closest to you when asking Siri for assistance? Sadly, Apple doesn’t make it completely obvious how to manually specify which HomePod listens to you when you’re using more than one. But it is possible — and super-simple.

We’ll show you how.

Make great videos on your Mac with this top-rated editing bundle, now 50% off

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This Mac App duo covers all of your video needs
The Mac apps in this bundle should handle all your video needs.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Who said great video editing software had to come with a high price tag? You can easily create videos on your Mac with the two top-rated apps included in The Essential Filmage Mac Bundle. And right now, lifetime subscriptions are on sale for just $19.99 — that’s 50% off the regular price of $39.

Making MacBooks and iPads into wireless chargers is a brilliantly dumb idea

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Adding wireless chargers to the MacBook Pro seems a no-brainer.
A MacBook with wireless charging is a cool idea that also comes with disadvantages.
Photo: Apple

You might someday be able to recharge an iPhone just by putting it down on your laptop. MacBook wireless charging an idea with obvious advantages … but real drawbacks, too.

It’s definitely something Apple has been looking into. On Tuesday, the company received a patent for a scheme to build wireless chargers into notebooks, tablets and handsets so they could charge each other (or an Apple Watch).

Shield your iPhone with great cases, protectors and stands at 20% off

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Laut iPhone 12 cases
Check out Laut's new iPhone 12 lineup today.
Photo: Laut

The Cult of Mac Store’s big January sale is in full swing, offering big discounts of up to 72% on must-have accessories. We’re now expanding it by adding all products from Laut, which are now available at 20% off the usual price.

You’ll find iPhone cases and screen protectors, stands for all your Apple devices, and lots more. Bag yours before the sale ends!

Users spent massive $73.4 billion in the App Store last year

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iPhone 12 Pro parts cost shockingly little
The App Store was quite the money-maker for Apple last year.
Photo: Cult of Mac

What pandemic? According to a new report from app analytics firm Sensor Tower, global spending on mobile apps across both iOS and Android hit an astonishing $111 billion in 2020. That’s a massive 30% growth from 2019.

The overwhelming spend — $72.3 billion — was on iOS, despite the larger number of Android devices. Google Play revenue, meanwhile, came in at $38.6 billion. Both app stores showed approximately the same level of growth over the year.

Pascal’s Wager brings mouse and keyboard gaming to iPad

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Pascal's wager
The best looking game on iPad just got better.
Photo: TipWorks/Giant Network

Want to take iPadOS 14’s keyboard and mouse support for a gaming spin? Pascal’s Wager has you covered.

The dark fantasy action RPG, showcased at Apple’s 2019 iPhone event, is reportedly the first iPad game to benefit from this treatment. Apple said it would bring keyboard and mouse support to iOS devices at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

New lockdown measures close all Apple stores in the UK

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apple.store.regent.street.london.1
It's not clear when Apple Stores in the UK will open again.
Photo: Richard Shrum for Cult of Mac

Apple temporarily closed all its brick-and-mortar stores in the United Kingdom on Tuesday as a result of new COVID-19 lockdown measures imposed by the government.

Twenty of the 38 U.K. Apple stores were already closed due to coronavirus. However, new national lockdown measures that came into place Tuesday shuttered the other 18.

Awesome macOS concept imagines the AR iMac of the future

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AR Mac
Could this be the Mac setup of tomorrow?
Photo: Dominik Hofacker

A designer’s radical new concept shows what future Macs could look like if augmented reality glasses replaced the computers’ physical screens.

Dominik Hofacker, a 24-year-old designer who just landed a job at Facebook, calls his well-thought-out virtual Mac concept “macOS reality.”

“With AR glasses on the verge of release, and eventually replacing our smartphones for almost all tasks, I asked myself, ‘How does productivity look like in the future?'” he told Cult of Mac. “GlassOS that runs on Apple Glasses is one thing, but nobody has ever thought about the next generation of Macs.”