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Bag a 2019 MacBook Pro for as little as $899.99 today only

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Don't miss out.
Photo: Apple

Woot is hosting another big blowout on 2019 MacBook Pro units. You can pick up a 13-inch model, refurbished by Apple, for as little as $899.99. The sale is good for today only, so if you’re interested, make your move before it’s too late.

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

Apple was the only smartphone maker to grow over the past quarter

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Apple has raised $220 million to fight AIDS-related deaths in Africa
iPhone's about the only smartphone thriving during lockdown.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple has defied the odds by consistently growing its business through the COVID-19. But just how amazing that is isn’t apparent until you compare Apple’s iPhone success in Q2 to other smartphone makers.

According to a new report by research company Canalys, Apple was the only vendor to grow its smartphone shipments during the April through June quarter. Apple shipments increased 25% from the previous year. That made it the only smartphone maker to experience positive growth during the period.

Facebook worries about what iOS 14’s user-tracking alerts will mean for digital ads

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Facebook owns 4 of the top 10 apps of the past decade
iOS 14 could be bad news for companies that rely on digital ads.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Facebook is concerned that one of the big new features in iOS 14 will hurt the social networking giant’s ad-targeting business model.

As reported by CNBC, Facebook CFO David Wehner said Thursday that Apple’s new feature for the upcoming operating system, which allows users to see how activity is being tracked across apps and websites, will make things tough on Facebook ads.

How Apple made money in the middle of a crushing pandemic

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Apple reports another quarter of record revenue for Q3 2020. Can nothing stop the Cupertino juggernaut?
Can nothing stop the Cupertino juggernaut?
Photo: Bill Oxford/Unsplash CC

People around the world turned to Apple products at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. And the result was an 11% increase in Apple revenue during the June quarter. Some products contributed to that growth more than others.

The pandemic sent people buying Mac and iPad in huge numbers. But it hurt handset sales, despite a relatively strong launch for the iPhone SE. And Apple services experienced something of an off quarter, too.

Apple says new iPhones likely won’t land until October this year

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iPhone 12 might mix iPhone 11 and iPad Pro designs
We're going to be waiting a little bit longer than usual for this year's iPhones.
Photo: Ben Geskin

The 2020 iPhones likely won’t arrive until October at the earliest, Apple said during Thursday’s earnings call.

“Last year we started selling new iPhones in late September,” said Apple CFO Luca Maestri. “This year, we project supply to be available a few weeks later.”

How to fix ‘805’ error codes in Mario Kart Tour for iOS

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Fix '805' errors in Mario Kart Tour
There are some simple fixes that should get you back in the game.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Many Mario Kart Tour players continue to experience mysterious “805” error codes almost a year after the game’s release. They typically appear when attempting to download new game data.

If you’re experiencing one of these yourself, you’ll be pleased to know you’re not alone — and that there are some simple workarounds that should allow you to jump back into the action in no time at all.

Try these fixes first.

Apple stock will split 4-to-1

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AAPL
Get ready for another stock split, Apple investors!
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Apple’s board of directors has approved a four-to-one stock split, the company said Thursday. AAPL stock, which closed Thursday at $384.76, should go for around $100 a share when the split occurs in late August.

The news, revealed in Apple’s blowout Q3 2020 earnings report, means investors with one share at close of business on Aug. 24 will be given three additional shares trading at one-fourth the price. It’s basically a psychological move that makes Apple stock seem more affordable.

Even COVID-19 can’t slow Apple’s moneymaking machine

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Apple made it through its financial Apple Q3 2020 with flying colors.
Apple brought in far more money than expected recent during the April-to-June quarter.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple took in $59.7 billion in revenue last quarter, an annual increase of 11%. That solidly beats the estimates of analysts, who predicted a drop in revenue as the iPhone-maker, and the rest of the world, grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Very strong increases in revenue from Mac and iPad significantly pushed up the total.

Multitip cords, power hubs and more of the very best home charging solutions [Deals]

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Home Charging Solution Main (1)
From multi-cords to mushroom hubs, we've rounded up some of the very best charging solutions.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Staying charged is essential to staying connected, so we rounded up some of our favorite charging solutions. From multitip power cords to wireless charging stands, these handy accessories will keep your gear topped up in style.

The Morning Show curse? Apple TV+ show’s second season gets a rewrite.

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The Morning Show
Season one also had to be rewritten at the last moment.
Photo: Apple

For the second time, a season of The Morning Show is having to be completely rewritten to reflect sweeping global changes.

The Apple TV+ show had to be virtually rebooted prior to the filming of Season 1 due to the #MeToo movement and the firing of TV host Matt Lauer as the result of sexual impropriety accusations. Now Deadline reveals that Season 2 is also being rewritten — this time to reflect the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eddy Cue emails confirm Apple’s deal to cut Amazon’s App Store fees

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Eddy Cue
Eddy Cue met with Jeff Bezos to talk about the deal.
Photo: CNBC

Apple agreed to halve its App Store fee for Amazon so the company would bring its Prime Video app to iOS and Apple TV, emails reveal (.pdf).

Apple exec Eddy Cue and Amazon boss Jeff Bezos personally negotiated the deal in 2016, it was revealed during Wednesday’s antitrust hearing looking into tech giants’ business practices. They agreed that Apple would get a 15% revenue cut from day one for customers who signed up through the app. Apple normally gets a 30% cut for the first year of an app’s subscription. It then claims a 15% commission for subsequent years.

Secure messaging app Telegram files antitrust complaint against Apple in EU

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Telegram logo
Telegram adds its voice to the chorus of developers complaining about Apple.
Photo: Telegram

Popular secure messaging app Telegram filed a formal antitrust complaint with the European Union over App Store practices, the Financial Times reports.

In a complaint addressed to EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager, Telegram’s creators argue that Apple must “allow users to have the opportunity of downloading software outside of the App Store.”

Apple once considered increasing App Store commissions to 40%

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app-store
Back in 2011, Eddy Cue suggested charging some developers significantly more than current 30% fee.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s 30% commission on certain apps is one of the main areas Apple CEO Tim Cook was grilled on during Wednesday’s U.S. House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee hearing.

However, according to internal emails revealed as part of the inquiry, Apple previously considered increasing its cut from 30% to 40% in some cases.

Plugable’s very affordable HDMI adapter connects your Mac and TV [Review]

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Plugable USB-C to HDMI Adapter review
Using an external display with a MacBook is a breeze with the Plugable USB-C to HDMI Adapter.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

MacBooks don’t have HDMI ports, but the Plugable USB-C to HDMI Adapter makes it easy to connect your laptop to an external monitor. Even better, this accessory is inexpensive and very portable.

I tested the adapter for work, watching video, and playing games. Here’s how it held up.

Tim Cook mostly avoids grilling during historic congressional antitrust hearing

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Tim Cook answers questions about App Store business practices.
Things didn't get too hot during Tim Cook's virtual visit to Capitol Hill.
Photo: C-SPAN

Apple CEO Tim Cook mostly avoided questioning during Wednesday’s historic congressional antitrust hearing on the business practices of Big Tech.

Cook took only a handful of questions from the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee. Lawmakers directed most of their questioning — which capped a year-long investigation into antitrust issues — at Cook’s fellow CEOs from Facebook, Google and Amazon.

What to expect from Apple’s pandemic-afflicted earnings report

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Apple Q3 2020 earning results come out July 30.
Apple Q3 2020 earnings were almost certainly pushed up by the iPhone SE and weighed down by COVID-19.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

When Apple reports its fiscal third-quarter earnings Thursday, the world will learn how the company is doing in the middle of a global pandemic.

Analysts predict a drop in revenue. But Apple itself previously said it’s seeing an increase in Mac and iPad sales. And investors have pushed the stock up almost 30% this year.

How to disable automatic picture-in-picture on iPhone and iPad

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How to watch YouTube in picture-in-picture
Enjoy complete control of PiP yourself.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Picture-in-picture (PiP) makes it easier to watch videos while you do other things on iPhone (with iOS 14) and iPad. But it can begin to get annoying when every video you close ends up in a PiP window.

Here’s how to disable automatic picture-in-picture so that you have complete control over when it’s used.

States push on with probe into Apple’s iPhone throttling

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iPhone battery
The news of “Batterygate” broke in 2017, but some states are supposedly still investigating.
Photo: iFixit

The Attorney General of Arizona is reportedly looking into Apple’s practice of slowing down the performance of older iPhones to preserve battery life.

Apple admitted it was doing this back in 2017, and gave users control of if and when it happens. But the investigation by the Arizona AG goes on.

Google One offers free online backups to iPhone users

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iPhone and Google One together again for the very first time.
Automatic backups to Google One are coming soon for iPhone users.
Photo: Google

Google on Wednesday committed to a free iOS app that lets iPhone users automatically back up photos, videos, contacts and calendar events. This goes into the 15GB of free storage offered by this company.

This will compete with a service offered by Apple to do the same.

How to fix Wi-Fi and Bluetooth interference on a Mac

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Fix Wi-Fi interference on a Mac
Don't settle for a slow and unstable connection.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If your Mac is struggling to maintain a stable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, it could be because of wireless interference. The good thing is that there are many different things you can do to eliminate this problem.

In this guide, we’ll detail how you can identify wireless interference, and some of steps you can take to prevent it from causing problems in the future. The tips also can prove useful for iOS devices.

Tim Cook says Apple treats devs fairly in ‘street fight for market share’

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Tim Cook answers questions about App Store business practices during the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee hearing.
Tim Cook answers questions about App Store business practices.
Photo: C-SPAN

Apple CEO Tim Cook defended App Store business practices and said his company treats all software developers equally as he faced questioning Wednesday in front of the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee.

Cook said it’s in Apple’s best interest to treat devs fairly. The company wants the best and brightest to write iOS apps, he said, because killer software proves essential for a company engaged in a “street fight for market share in the smartphone business.”

Play classic 1990s games with a fully functional Mac OS 8 emulator

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Mac OS 8 emulator
Return to the thrilling days of yesteryear with a Mac OS 8 emulator loaded with games from the 1990s.
Photo: Felix Rieseberg

Anyone wanting a serious dose of nostalgia should install a just-released emulator of a classic Apple desktop computer running Mac OS 8, first released in 1997. There’s even a bunch of games and productivity applications from the same era.

Spotify hits 138 million paying subscribers

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Spotify iPhone
Spotify continues to go from strength to strength.
Photo: Cezar Sampaio/Unsplash CC

Spotify’s Q2 earnings showed largely positive growth, although the streaming music giant suffered a 21% decline in ad revenue and a 48% rise in operating costs due to deals like its $100 million licensing deal for The Joe Rogan Experience.

Total monthly active users on the platform grew to 299 million, while paid subscribers increased to 138 million. Apple Music, which does not operate a free listening tier (outside of Beats 1 radio), last reported 60 million paid subscribers in June 2019 when it had passed 60 million.