Apple hit a new all-time high in early trading Monday, taking the company tantalizingly close to the $2 trillion mark. AAPL rose to $464.35 on Monday before dropping to close at $458.43 (down $1.20, or 0.26%).

Apple’s current market cap (the share price multiplied by the number of outstanding shares) currently stands at $1.96 trillion. If Apple passes the $2 trillion milestone, it will become the first publicly traded company in history to do so.

Pokémon Café Mix has been downloaded 5 million times worldwide on iOS, Android and Nintendo Switch and, to celebrate, its makers are giving players a special “thank you” bonus.

And it’s all yours so long as you log into the game between now and 10:59 p.m. PST on August 29.

A WeChat ban imposed by President Donald Trump could cost Apple more than $25 billion per year, claims a report published Monday.

Those numbers are based on the idea that 75% of iPhone and iPad sales could dry up in China. Apple would lose money not just from the missing device sales, but also from the resulting decline in its subscription services.

Even before the pandemic, video had become one of the primary ways we communicate with one another. Plenty of people share their thoughts and talents through the camera. But even if you’re just taking conference calls all day, a little bit of production value goes a long way toward making your videos look professional.

Wistron, one of the Apple manufacturers building iPhones in India, is reportedly planning to hire up to 10,000 people for its iPhone plant in Narasapura, claims a report for the New Indian Express.

The report notes that the facility is “expected to start commercial production” of the iPhone at the facility in the coming days. Wistron already operates an iPhone factory in Bengaluru around 70 kilometers away.

The official Tesla app is finally getting two-factor authentication (2FA) — in an update that Tesla CEO Elon Musk himself admits is “embarrassingly late.”

2FA is necessary for the Tesla app because it allows users to remotely control features such as locking and unlocking the vehicle, locating it, flashing its lights, and more. The addition of extra security is therefore something that would be extremely useful.

When Apple Watch Series 6 arrives — early next month, if history and this week’s leak are any indication — what new features will it bring?

As usual, Cupertino’s pretty locked down. But we hope we’ll get some or all of the bells and whistles in this week’s cover story: What do you add to the smartwatch that has everything? It’s our wish list for Apple Watch Series 6.

Read it in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine or get the links below. (There’s plenty of other Apple news, reviews and how-tos in it as well.).

For iOS users, managing the contents of our phones and tablets means using iTunes. Or so we think. iTunes is often tricky, with syncing features that sometimes lead to our content and data misplaced or missing. With this wireless iOS manager, the process is a lot more intuitive.

This week on The CultCast: New Apple hardware is incoming, and thanks to a reliable leaker, we might know the release dates for iPhone 12, Apple Watch Series 6 and more. We’ll tell you what to expect. Plus, it’s Apple stock adventure, part 2! I talk about my massive Apple stock purchase, including how much I spent, why I’m buying in now, and how much my investment is now worth. We talk real numbers!

And if you’ve been thinking about getting a new Mac with the butterfly keyboard, don’t do it until you hear this episode, cause with COVID-19 shutdowns, keyboard repairs are now a total nightmare.

Our thanks to Netgear for supporting this episode. The Netgear Orbi WiFi 6 router gives you ultra-fast speeds and wider coverage throughout your home. Learn why Orbi are so insanely powerful at Netgear.com/bestwifi6.

Idris Elba will star in a spy romance movie for Apple TV+, the company’s streaming video service. There was reportedly a bidding war over the picture, though what the Mac-maker paid for the rights is not known.

Monowear’s newest Apple Watch band makes elegant leather affordable for everyone. The Cocktail strap is beautifully designed with a simple aesthetic, and it’s available in three gorgeous color options.

Orders yours today from the Cult of Mac Store.

Apple launched a redesigned 13-inch MacBook Pro in May, and refurb models are already available. Buying one of these refurbished Mac units from Apple.com saves up to $230.

Go on a road trip through space in Next Stop Nowhere, a sci-fi game that hit Apple Arcade on Friday. Take on the role of a courier who gets in over his head in an adventure he might not survive.

Qi wireless charging makes topping off an iPhone as easy as setting it down on the table. It’s quick and simple, but there are ways to get better use out of your phone while it charges. With this combination case and stand, you can declutter your desk at the same time.

Apple has registered the website AppleOriginalProductions.com, underlining the company’s continuing push into Apple TV+ Originals.

Currently the web address does not go to any website. It could be an example of Apple defensively registering an address to stop others from using it. Alternatively, it could at some point be used to redirect to Apple TV+ or to a dedicated production company making shows for Apple.

Apple Watch is almost due for its annual hardware update, which comes like clockwork every September. First came the addition of GPS, then cellular, a thinner case with a bigger screen, a compass, and even an ECG heart monitor.

With each new model, Cupertino’s wearable creeps closer to perfection, which presents a bit of a problem. What do you add to the smartwatch that has everything?

Here’s my top 10 wish list of features I’m hoping Apple has up its sleeve.

Downloads of encrypted messaging apps Signal and QQ reportedly spiked following President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting Tencent’s WeChat.

WeChat, while not particularly widely used in the United States, is an essential app in China. Many people who use it in the United States do so to keep in touch with friends and family in China, where WhatsApp has been banned since 2017.

Best Buy is today offering some of the biggest discounts we’ve seen on Apple’s newest MacBook Pro models as part of its three-day Anniversary Sale. You can enjoy savings of up to $300.

Prices start at just $1,599.99 (down from $1,799.99) for the newest 13-inch MacBook Pro, while 16-inch models are down to as little as $2,099.99 (from $2,399.99). Get yours before the sale ends!

Shortly after Fortnite was unceremoniously ejected from the App Store Thursday, Epic Games dropped a — no pun intended — epic parody video depicting Apple as the same dystopian Big Brother it had railed against in its famous Nineteen Eighty-Four commercial for the original Macintosh.

But this is far from the first time Apple’s sledgehammer-tossing, Ridley Scott-directed Mac ad has been spoofed. Here are five more times that shows or companies satirized the imagery of what might be Apple’s best-known advert.

Apple TV+ got plenty of fresh content Friday, with new episodes of two existing series, the first three episodes of a new show, and a feature-length documentary. Perfect for a weekend of viewing!

Comedy series Ted Lasso is the biggest launch. The show is about a hapless American football coach who travels to the UK to lead a soccer team. However, there are also new episodes of The Oprah Conversation and Little Voice. Plus the debut of Sundance documentary hit Boys State.

Apple reportedly worked out a deal with ViacomCBS that will get Apple TV+ subscribers CBS All Access and Showtime content for less than half price.

The hugely popular game Fortnite was removed from the iPhone App Store on Thursday. This move came in response to Epic Games instituting a direct payments system for in-app purchases in violation of App Store guidelines.

And Epic Games responded with a civil lawsuit that accuses the App Store of being a monopoly. And a video that harks back to the famous “1984” ad.

Sick of spotty Wi-Fi connectivity around your home? Fix it with the excellent Google Nest Wi-Fi router. It blankets your home with mesh Wi-Fi coverage, ensuring you get the best connection everywhere.

Order a Nest Wi-Fi two-pack on Amazon today and save $60.

Epic Games launched the Fortnite Mega Drop on Thursday. This offers up to 20% discounts on in-app purchases made on iPhone, iPad or Android, as long as these are direct payments — not ones that go through the App Store or Google Play.

And V-Bucks or real-money purchases made on Mac, PC and other platforms are also discounted by up to 20%.

Update: Apple responded by expelling Fortnite from the App Store.

Looking for work is a drag no matter how you slice it. Maybe one of the least-fun parts is putting together a resume that gets attention and hits the right marks.

This tool takes the guesswork out of the process, making it easy to build attractive resumés tuned specifically to the search algorithms used by many hiring firms.