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Keira Knightley will star in The Essex Serpent for Apple TV+

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Keira Knightley
Pirates of the Caribbean and Imitation Game star Keira Knightley was due to star in the show.
Photo: Tony Shek/Wikipedia CC

Keira Knightley will head up a TV adaptation of Sarah Perry’s 2016 novel The Essex Serpent for Apple TV+.

The novel, which is a period piece set in 1893, tells the story of a widow, Cora Seagrave, who moves from London to a small village in Essex after her marriage to an abusive husband comes to an end. There, she becomes interested in a local legend about a creature called the Essex Serpent.

Groove for 35 hours straight with futuristic Bluetooth earbuds

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EarFun
These earbuds have it all: crystal clear audio and calls, easy touch controls, in-ear detection and 35 hours of playtime with the included charging case.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Bluetooth earbuds are great for listening to tunes and shows on the move. Unfortunately, their tiny form factor means tiny batteries, so if you’re on the move for more than a few hours, you’ll have to be judicious with your content consumption. Not so with these sleek earbuds that also manage to pack in over a day of playtime.

Apple Online Store will open in India next month

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Foxconn moving additional iPhone production to India as coronavirus disrupts work
Apple is working hard to boost its customer base in India.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will open its first Apple Online Store for the India market next month, according to a new report by Bloomberg.

The online store will reportedly be up and running for the Dussehra through Diwali holiday season, which kicks off October 25 and runs through November 14. It comes as Apple is upping its focus on the India market.

Tim Cook donates $5 million of his Apple fortune to charity

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Tim Cook goes to Washington
Tim Cook has said he will give his entire fortune away to charity.
Screenshot: Apple

Tim Cook, a freshly minted billionaire thanks to Apple’s continued powerhouse performance, last week gifted more than $5 million worth of Apple shares to charity.

According to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, Cook donated 10,715 shares on Friday. At close of play Friday, Apple was trading at $497.48. This week it has passed $500.

Apple supplier preps factory that could make 2-nm chips for 2024 iPhone

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iPhone11
Forget the current iPhone. TSMC is already planning for the 2024 update.
Photo: Apple

Apple A-series chip manufacturer TSMC has obtained land upon which it plans to build a 2-nanometer fabrication plant, the company’s senior vice president for operations revealed.

In a report published Tuesday, YP Chin said the next-next gen chip fab facility will be located in Hsinchu, a city in northern Taiwan. While there’s no confirmation on when the 2-nm chips will debut, if past patterns are anything to go by, it’s likely they will debut with the 2024 iPhone.

Judge protects Unreal Engine during Epic Games’ battle with Apple [Updated]

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In the legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, which one is Thanos?
In the legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, which one is Thanos?
Image: Whelsko/Flickr CC

In an order issued Monday night, a U.S. district judge blocked Apple from revoking Epic Games’ developer accounts as the legal battle between the two companies moves toward trial.

The move protects Unreal Engine, Epic’s software suite that is widely used by other game developers, from becoming collateral damage in the high-profile legal battle.

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 solidly beats iPhone 11 in drop test

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Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra vs. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max drop test
A new material gave Samsung’s latest handset an advantage over last year’s iPhone in a drop test.
Photo: PhoneBuff

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra survived a series of drop tests better than the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max. And that’s exactly what’s to be expected.

The Note 20 only just started reaching customer’s hands, giving it access to the latest, toughest version of Gorilla Glass. The iPhone 11 debuted almost a year ago, and is about to be replaced.

Live-action Mulan will be available to buy through Apple’s TV app

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Mulan poster
Mulan is Disney's latest live action remake.
Photo: Disney

Upcoming live-action Disney movie Mulan will be available to purchase through Apple’s TV app, Variety reports.

A remake of the 1998 animated movie, the 2020 Mulan will cost $29.99 to purchase on third-party platforms — Apple’s included — starting September 4. If that’s the only Disney content you’re interested in seeing right now, that’s actually cheaper than watching it via Disney+.

Apple won’t have to boot WeChat out of its China App Store

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WeChat logo
WeChat is threatened by Trump's executive order.
Photo: WeChat

Apple won’t be forced to boot messaging app WeChat out of the App Store in China, Bloomberg claims in a weekend report.

According to the publication, the Trump administration is “privately seeking to reassure” American companies like Apple that they can still do business with WeChat in China. Two weeks ago, Trump ordered a U.S. ban on WeChat, although the details were not clarified.

New Singapore store may be Apple’s most spectacular retail venue yet

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Apple Marina Bay Sands Singapore
Apple's third Singapore store sits on the water of Marina Bay.
Photo: Apple

Possibly the most spectacular Apple Store yet is set to open in Singapore, Apple’s third retail store in the country.

Apple Marina Bay Sands has a look like no Apple Store before it. It resembles a geodesic dome or giant lantern sitting on a body of water in the iconic Marina Bay, a luxury venue which first opened its doors in 2010.

$84 million payout could settle Apple antitrust investigation in South Korea

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South Korea1
An interior photo of Apple's spectacular South Korea store.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s South Korea business has said that it will make a 100 billion won ($84 million) payout to support small businesses and help consumers. This is to address antitrust concerns raised in the country.

Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has been investigating Apple Korea for reportedly forcing mobile carriers to pay for advertising and warranty repairs. The payout — which is phrased like a pledge, but also sounds like a fine — will act as a make-good on Apple’s “unfair” terms.

New ways to manage HomeKit cams and settle disputes [Awesome Apps of the Week]

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The best new apps and updates of the week.
From meetings and home automation to dispute resolution, these apps make things easier.
Image: Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

You can get a comprehensive overview of all your HomeKit cams with Eve’s latest app update. And if you spot neighbors doing something fishy on your property, you can use Jury to settle the dispute virtually rather than taking them to court (or throwing fists like a barbarian).

Those are just two of the featured apps in our roundup of the week’s best new apps and updates.

Add an ultrasonic sensor to your car for safer parking

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Light Smart Solar Powered Parking Sensor
Make your car smarter with this smartphone parking sensor.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Newer cars often bring neat tech, like rear–facing cameras and sensors so you don’t back into another vehicle (or a living thing). For anyone driving an older car, it’s not only a matter of envy to lack these features — it’s also less safe.

With this accessory, you can instantly upgrade your car’s safety.

For Apple, $2 trillion might be just the start [Cult of Mac Magazine 363]

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Apple hits $2 trillion market cap and doesn't look back.
How high can AAPL stock go?
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple’s brain-melting march beyond a $2 trillion market cap might be just the start. Find out how high AAPL stock might go (and why all this success might have Apple fans tired of winning).

Plus, we’ve got more Apple rumors, this time concerning a potential cheaper Apple Watch and more! And Epic Games unleashes yet another creative salvo in its battle royale with Apple. (Surprise, surprise — Cupertino fires back in court.)

You can read all these stories, plus plenty of Apple how-tos and product reviews, in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now!

Guard your online anonymity with an easy-to-use VPN

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KeepSolid VPN and DNS bundle: Keep your internet data private with these apps.
Keep your internet data private with lifetime subs to these apps.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Going online is hazardous. Data snoops and identity thieves lurk around every corner. One easy way to avoid them — and beat annoying content restrictions — is by using a virtual private network. With this bundle, you get two forms of VPN protection for an 86% discount.

If you’ve been waiting to make your move on a VPN, this is your opportunity to bag a sweet deal on a lifetime subscription.

Apple makes its case for booting Fortnite from App Store

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Courthouse
Apple and Epic Games could be in court for years to come.
Photo: Brett Sayles/Pexels CC

Apple on Friday asked a judge to deny Epic Games’ request for a court order forcing Apple to return Fortnite to the App Store. In a filing, the iPhone-maker said Epic Games brought the ban on itself by its own actions.

The court’s decision will determine whether this wildly popular game will be available for iPhone and iPad users while a potentially lengthy court battle between Apple and Epic Games goes on.

We talk Epic Games suing Apple (and why they might win), plus Apple’s unstoppable stock price, on The CultCast

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CultCast 442: AirPods with health sensors
The Epic-Apple battle royale is on!
Image: The CultCast

This week on The CultCast: It’s a battle of the titans! Fortnite developer Epic Games takes Apple to court over its App Store policies, and the dev just might get its way. Plus: Apple and its stock hit another astonishing milestone; Jon Prosser was right — Apple has begun rebranding Beats; and Apple TV+ finally makes the move we’ve been waiting for: bundling premium channels for one low price.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Apple Watch snags more than 50% of smartwatch revenue

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Apple Watch Series 5 info graph face with little alien
Apple Watch Series 5 sold especially well in the first half of 2020, raking in plenty of revenue.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The Apple Watch essentially launched the smartwatch category, and continues to dominate it. And rather than competitors catching up, Apple’s share of this market in increasing. It took in 51.4% of the worldwide revenue from shipments of smartwatches during the first half of 2020, a significant rise from the same period last year.

Leaked photos appear to show AirPower’s guts

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AirPower
Get the inner secrets of the AirPower, a wireless charger Apple had to admit it couldn’t develop.
Photo: Apple

Images and a video allegedly showing a teardown of AirPower, Apple’s multi-device wireless charger that was canceled before it launched, came to light Friday.

Get Logitech’s unique (and totally not annoying) wireless charger for just $19.99

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New Logitech Powered wireless charger for iPhone eliminates the heartbreaking nudge.
This is a unbeatable deal on a great iPhone charger.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

This Logitech Powered charger is a fantastic way to top off your iPhone. Its unique design lets you slide your phone in vertically or horizontally, so you can watch videos, take FaceTime calls or do whatever it is you do while you juice up your device.

As Cult of Mac wrote in its review when the product launched, this snow-white stunner does away with one of the most annoying problems associated with wireless charging. And if you act fast, you can get this high-end charger for less than $20.