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Apple could face tough questions in this week’s antitrust hearing

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Tim Cook will testify before a congressional antitrust subcommittee this week.
Tim Cook will testify before a congressional antitrust subcommittee this week.
Photo: Mark Mathosian/Flickr CC

When the CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google take questions Wednesday from the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, they likely will face intense scrutiny of their companies’ business practices. But just how tough will the questioning get?

Scott Galloway, a NYU Stern School of Business marketing professor who wrote the best-selling book The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, thinks he knows what Congress will ask the executives. In a new article, Galloway laid out the questions Apple CEO Tim Cook and the others should expect.

New iMac may be on the way, but don’t expect Apple Silicon or redesign just yet

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IMAC-G4_render_04 1
Don't expect a futuristic redesign just yet.
Photo: Xhakomo Doda

Apple could (possibly) debut its iMac refresh as soon as this week. But those hoping for the much-rumored iMac redesign and Apple Silicon integration likely will need to wait a bit longer.

The suggestion that Apple will update the iMac was first mentioned in a tweet by leaker @Soybeys that has since been deleted. Apple leaker Jon Prosser, who also has been known to be pretty accurate in the past, said new iMacs are on the way, but suggested they will debut in August instead.

Prosser also said not to expect a major iMac redesign until the first Apple Silicon Macs arrive further down the line.

Apple TV+ wins pair of Emmys for Ghostwriter and Peanuts in Space

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ghostwriter
Apple TV+ has scored a couple of big Emmy wins.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ picked up two Daytime Emmy awards over the weekend, including “Outstanding Children’s or Family Viewing Program” for Ghostwriter and “Outstanding Single Camera Editing” for Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10.

While two wins is only a fraction of the 17 nominations Apple received, it’s still an impressive achievement. Apple TV+ only launched in November last year. Apple has reportedly made winning awards a big part of its Apple TV+ strategy.

Tim Cook’s antitrust hearing will take place on Wednesday

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Tim Cook WWDC
Cook will be testifying along with the CEOs of Facebook, Amazon, and Google.
Photo: Apple

Update: The hearing will now take place on Wednesday, July 29 at midday ET. It can be live-streamed here.

Tim Cook’s testimony in front of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee antitrust investigation has reportedly been postponed, according to CNBC.

The hearing was originally scheduled for Monday, July 27 at midday EST. However, two people “familiar with the matter” claim that it is being pushed back. This is due to its overlap with a memorial service for the late civil rights leader John Lewis.

Dimpy Bhalotia’s iPhone photos will blow you away [Cult of Mac Magazine 359]

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Award-winning iPhone photographer Dimpy Bhalotia shares some of her secrets for capturing the perfect moment.
The award-winning iPhone photog shares some of her secrets for capturing the perfect moment.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Dimpy Bhalotia’s captivating pictures racked up big wins at this week’s prestigious iPhone Photography Awards. Find out how she does it — and how you can take better pictures with your iPhone — in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. The free iOS mag was built for reading on your iPad or iPhone.

Grab it now and get your weekend reading squared away. We filled it with how-tos for all your Apple gear and reviews of things like new podcast Apple News Today. Plus, you’ll get your fill of Apple news (like Cupertino’s big commitment to go 100% carbon neutral).

Download it now. Or hit the links below to read the stories in your browser.

Werner Herzog’s astronomical documentary Fireball shoots toward Apple TV+

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Werner Herzog is one of the greatest living filmmakers, and he’s co-directing Fireball for Apple TV+.
Acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog is co-directing Fireball for Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple

Apple bought the rights to Fireball, a documentary about meteorites co-directed by Werner Herzog and professor Clive Oppenheimer.

The two filmmakers have worked before. Very successfully. They scored an Oscar nomination for Encounters at the End of the World and an Emmy nomination for Into the Inferno.

Apple TV+ could pivot to place the focus on movies

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“Greyhound” is a hit, which may inspire many more Apple TV+ movies.
“Set course for more movies!” Greyhound may have inspired a new strategy for Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple

Tom Hanks’ WWII flick Greyhound is the biggest hit Apple has enjoyed so far. And it’s reportedly made the company serious about blockbuster Apple TV+ movies for the first time.

The iPhone maker is supposedly considering debuting a movie each month on its streaming service. And several of those are expected to be blockbusters.

macOS Big Sur beta hints at Face ID for Mac

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Face ID on MacBook
Face ID on a MacBook could be a better fit than it is for iPhone or iPad.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

New evidence indicates that Apple will bring its Face ID biometric security system to Macs. The latest beta of macOS Big Sur reportedly contains code related to facial recognition.

We’re not in Kansas anymore: Apple II fest gets geeky online (and you’re invited)

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KansasFest soldering 1
A past KansasFest during less socially distanced times.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

Being a fan of the Apple II is a lonely hobby. While being an Apple lover in 2020 is more mainstream than ever, being an enthusiast for Apple’s first mass market computer — launched way back in 1977 — is significantly less common.

Unless it’s July 24-26, that is. Kicking off today, and running through the weekend, KansasFest is a conference dedicated to all things Apple II. And like every other conference this year, in 2020 it’s gone online only.

SmartDesk 2 lets you sit or stand at a stellar price [Review]

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SmartDesk 2 full setup with monitor and light
The SmartDesk 2 can turn your boring desk into a versatile workspace.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Until very recently, I never spent a lot of mental energy thinking about the desk I worked at. As long as there was enough space for whatever I was doing, and it wasn’t getting in the way, I was pretty flexible.

As I’ve started spending more time working and taking meetings from home, I have started to notice when certain “desks” don’t work as well. Sitting on the couch, standing at the bar in our kitchen, or working from the dining table are all OK from time to time, but none are particularly comfortable long-term. Some of this comes down to having a desk at the proper height, and some of it is the lack of flexibility I get in those situations.

That why, when the folks at Autonomous asked if I wanted to check out their SmartDesk 2 adjustable standing desk, I saw it as an opportunity to see if the hype about standing desks is all it’s cracked up to be.

Apple pushes tech toward green manufacturing, this week on The CultCast

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CultCast 442: AirPods with health sensors
Apple is definitely not neutral on going carbon neutral. (And neither are we.)
Image: The CultCast

This week on The CultCast: Apple — and the company’s entire supply chain — will be 100% carbon neutral by 2030, pushing the world of tech toward big changes. Plus: A powerful iOS 14 privacy feature will be great for consumers, but might kill the billion-dollar online ad industry. We’ll also tell you about some exciting new podcast features coming to Spotify, and wrap up with our favorite new gadgets on an all-new Under Review.

Our thanks to NETGEAR for supporting this episode. The Orbi WiFi 6 router gives you ultra-fast speeds and wider coverage throughout your home — it’s the biggest revolution in Wi-Fi ever. Check it out today at Netgear.com/bestwifi.

For the first time, Apple builds current-gen flagship iPhone in India

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Foxconn moving additional iPhone production to India as coronavirus disrupts work
Apple is gradually scaling up its focus on Indian manufacturing.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

For the first time, Apple is manufacturing its current flagship iPhone in India, a Friday report from the Economic Times claims. The report says Foxconn is building the iPhone 11 at its plant near Chennai.

While many previous iPhones made in India have been manufactured for the local market, the story says Apple might export these devices internationally. Building some of its flagship iPhones in India would help lessen Apple’s reliance on China.

Stay secure, anonymous and free online with a powerful VPN [Deals]

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Disconnect iOS Premium VPN
Get full VPN and tracker protection for your iOS devices, encrypting all traffic, masking your IP and server location with premium security.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Going online amounts to inviting snoops, data thieves and other headaches, whether on mobile devices or your computer. Not so with a virtual private network, or VPN, which keeps your identity and activity anonymous while opening up new possibilities.

Apple Maps warns users to self-isolate if they travel internationally

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Apple is doing its bit to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

With travel picking up again following COVID-19 lockdown, Apple Maps is now alerting users who travel internationally of localized self-isolation guidance.

The feature was pointed out on Twitter by Kyle Seth Gray, who said he received a message after being at the airport. The pop-up notification pointed him to official guidance online. It also included a message that advised Gray to “stay home and watch [his] health for 14 days” in accordance with rules.

PSA: New episode of Little Voice arrives on Apple TV+

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Sean Teale and Brittany O'Grady star in the contrived musical romance Little Voice.
Sean Teale and Brittany O'Grady star in musical romance Little Voice.
Photo: Apple TV+

After an unexplained absence last Friday, Apple today released the latest episode of its series Little Voice.

The series, from producer J.J. Abrams, songwriter Sara Bareilles and writer Jessie Nelson, follows the journey of aspiring singer Bess King as she strives to live out her dreams.

Survey: Apple TV+ has lowest overall experience score of major streaming services

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Appletvpluslogo
Apple TV+ isn't blowing away viewers right now.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ has the lowest overall experience score of major streaming platforms and customers are least likely to want to return, suggests a new report from UserTesting, a platform that connects organizations to their customers.

While the numbers aren’t appalling (Apple TV+ had a satisfaction score of 83% versus Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu’s 90% and HBO Now and Amazon Prime’s 87%), it’s still another indicator that Apple TV+ is not overwhelming customers the way it perhaps should.

Connect Mac and TV over an ultrafast wireless connection with Hyper Mirror [Review]

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LikPok Hyper Mirror review
The tiny Hyper Mirror transmitter sends high-speed video from your Mac to an external display. It can plug into a bulkier USB-C adapter.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The LikPok Hyper Mirror saves you the hassle of stringing wires between your computer and TV. It makes a wireless connection instead, using the extremely fast mmWave technology normally found in 5G networks rather than Wi-Fi.

Read on for the results of my tests with this replacement for HDMI cables.

A Renaissance setup for a Renaissance man [Setups]

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MacBook Pro Setup
This setup can handle any task you throw at it.
Photo: Mark Davis

Mark Davis is somewhat of a Renaissance man. He is an author of four novels, an entrepreneur, an engineer and a scientist. He is between startups right now but recently sold a data analytics platform to Dell. In order to perform all of his duties, he needs a setup that can match his tempo. Naturally, he has a dual-monitor setup.

His main monitor is a Samsung U28E590D 28-inch 4k UHD which has a one-millisecond response time that obliterates latency. He pairs it up with a LG 27-inch IPS Monitor which he mainly runs off of his 2018 iPad Pro. A 13-inch MacBook Pro is the backbone of the setup. It is covertly hidden on a Twelve South BookArc behind the monitors. His MacBook is specced out with 16GB of RAM storage, which is important to him “so I can run multiple virtual machines in parallel when needed,” he said.

New Gorilla Glass could make the toughest iPhone yet

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Corning's Gorilla Glass 6 can survive being dropped over a dozen times. Ape not included.
Gorilla Glass Victus protects phones from drops and scratches better than ever before.
Photo: Corning

Corning unveiled an improved version of Gorilla Glass on Thursday that it promises is much more scratch and shatter resistant than its predecessor. The new iteration, dubbed Victus, could lead to iPhones that survive both being dropped and being stuffed in a pocket with a set of a car keys.