This top-tier VPN is a great way to stay secure and anonymous online. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
It’s really quite simple. Going online is full of risks and headaches, so you should get VPN protection. A virtual private network encrypts your traffic and masks your IP address, which offers essential security and anonymity.
Comparing the iPhone 12 with the iPhone 11. Photo: EverythingApplePro
Want a glimpse at the (possible) new iPhone 12 Pro Max? YouTube channel EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach have posted what they claim is a leaked design for the new handset, based on supposed CAD drawings.
As expected, they suggest that the new iPhone will borrow design cues from the squared-off, boxier iPad Pro redesign. It also looks set to sport a slightly thinner profile, just 7.4mm thick next to the 8.1mm of the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Oh, and notch-haters might be pleased by the smaller notch on the device.
Don't miss out on launch day delivery. Photo: Apple
Apple is now taking preorders for the 2020 iPhone SE ahead of its official debut on April 24. Prices start at just $399 for a 64GB model, making this one of the company’s most affordable smartphones to date.
Go claim yours before those shipping dates slip — and don’t miss some of the preorder deals being offered by some third-party retailers.
TSMC is Apple's A-series chipmaker. Screenshot: Apple
In more evidence that this year’s iPhone 12 will debut on time, Apple chipmaker TSMC says that its 5-nanometer chips are already in volume production and with satisfactory yield rates. TSMC expects a “a very fast and smooth ramp” of these chips in the second half of the year. It is heavily rumored that these will be the chips used in the new iPhone 12.
CEO CC Wei told investors this during an investor meeting held Thursday. Wei also said that TSMC is on track to deliver 3-nanometer chips which could be used in phones as soon as 2022.
Animated short features A-list talent such as Meryl Streep. Photo: Apple
Ahead of Earth Day on April 22, Apple TV+ debuted Friday a new animated short movie titled Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth. Featuring an impressive cast of voice talents including the much celebrated Meryl Streep, Chris O’Dowd, Preacher‘s Ruth Negga, and Room‘s Jacob Tremblay, the half-hour animated short is available to watch for subscribers right now.
Apple TV+ also debuted a new show about spectacular houses around the world.
The web app, found at music.apple.com site (no longer with the “beta” prefix), lets users listen to Apple Music content without using the dedicated app.
NHS wants Google and Apple to give it more access for contact tracing. Photo: MIT
Apple and Google are reportedly in a “standoff” with the UK’s National Health Service over the development of the companies’ joint program to build contact tracing APIs.
According to a report from The Guardian, the two companies are taking a strong stand against the NHS’s insistence to break current Bluetooth privacy protocols. The NHS is hoping Apple and Google will lift their limits on how Bluetooth can be used, but Google says those limits are in place so that they can’t be abused for surveillance efforts.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been working from home during the COVID-19 crisis. He addressed Apple employees in a virtual town hall today. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
In a virtual meeting with employees on Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that COVID-19 makes for an “uncertain and stressful” time, but he’s optimistic about the future.
Cook hosted Apple-wide meeting that let workers pose questions to Apple’s CEO about the effects COVID-19 is having on the company.
Apple’s “iPhone SE — Why Upgrade” page extols the advantages of the A13 processor. Screenshot: Apple
Apple wants users of older iPhone models to know the advantages of a new budget iPhone. Its “iPhone SE — Why Upgrade” page describes the multiple ways this just-announced handset is faster, with a longer battery life, a better camera and other improvements.
iPhone 12 Pro will likely come in a new midnight blue color option. Photo: Technizo Concept
Now that the super-cheap 2020 iPhone SE is finally out Apple fans can turn all their anticipations to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro launch this fall.
There has been no shortage of video concept videos imagining what Apple’s first 5G handset will look like, but the latest mockup created by Technizo Concept might be the most accurate depiction of the iPhone 12 Pro we’ve seen yet.
There's no need to stare at a screen just to listen to YouTube music. Photo: Szabo Viktor/Unsplash
Unlike streaming music, which often keeps playing when you switch away from the app or webpage, YouTube playback stops as soon as you leave mobile Safari. This means that using YouTube as a music player is out of the question. Or is it? Can you make YouTube play just the audio, even when you’re not showing the video? You can, and it’s really, really simple.
iPadOS and iOS 13.4.5 are all about killing bugs. The public can now beta test this upcoming version. Photo: Cult of Mac/Pexels CC
More than developers can test iOS 13.4.5 and the iPad equivalent. Starting Thursday, the general public can download a beta version if they’re brave enough to run pre-release software.
Just be aware, these updates are almost entirely about fixing bugs in the iOS and iPadOS versions released March 24, not new features.
Lots of lens options without the heavy lifting. Photo: ShiftCam
ShiftCam is in its third year of making innovative iPhone cases with a cluster of lenses that shift over Apple’s native glass. To look at a ShiftCam case is probably not much different than having a staring contest with a spider.
Maybe you can’t stand the thought of staring into the many eyes of a spider. With the ShiftCam case, especially it’s new MultiLens case for the iPhone 11 series, you won’t want to look away.
Portable Macs get the most attention in the new Catalina beta. Photo: Apple
Apple seeded the second beta of macOS Catalina 10.15.5 to developers this morning, bringing with it a major change to the way MacBooks charge.
Several tech sites got an explainer from Apple on how the new Battery Health Management feature works. The tool is coming to every MacBook with a Thunderbolt 3 port — and it could be a godsend to your battery.
A screen doesn't have to separate you from your Photoshop toolbar. Photo: 3dDecors
Once you learn the task behind each symbol, the toolbar in Adobe Photoshop becomes a natural extension of a photographer’s creativity. Stylistic flourishes are just clicks away.
Now, the toolbar can be physically at your fingertips.
A designer from Ukraine has transformed the iconic on-screen toolbar into an actual keypad he sells on Etsy.
Tap a switch to use your Mac's trackpad and keyboard with your iPad. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Apple’s new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro — the one with the built-in trackpad — looks amazing. But it costs $350. That’s very pricey for a keyboard. Plus, it’s a keyboard that will only be useful for as long as it can attach to your iPad Pro. That means it might not fit your next tablet if Apple tweaks the iPad Pro design.
Compare that to a USB or Bluetooth keyboard, which will remain compatible with every computer that gets made in the foreseeable future. Toady we’ll see how to share your Mac’s keyboard and mouse or trackpad with your iPad. We’ll also learn how to instantly switch between the two, both with USB and Bluetooth.
No, it’s not as portable as the new Magic Keyboard case, but it’s less messy on your desk. And you will likely have a better keyboard, and a better trackpad.
The LiDAR scanner in the latest iPad makes a 3D map of its area, as demonstrated by Esper from Lux Optics. Photo: Sebastiaan De With/Lux Optics
The 3D scanner built into the 2020 iPad Pro is intended for augmented-reality applications. Tests by the developers of the Halide camera app found that LiDAR built into this new tablet is well-suited for scanning furniture-size objects, but not anything smaller.
Juicy Realm, the action-packed dual-stick shooter that has proven popular on PC and console, is on its way to iOS. You can preorder the game through the App Store today (and enjoy a preorder discount) ahead of its debut on May 4.
This week we talk iPhone SE 2, HomePod and the AirPower charger, resurrected! Photo: @YSR50
This week on The CultCast: iPhone SE 2 is finally here, and the amount of tech packed into this $400 phone is truly remarkable. We’ll tell you everything you need to know. Plus, a new report outlines Apple’s plans for iPhone 12 with 5G, a new mini (and possibly portable) HomePod, and the AirPower mat, resurrected!
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.
Stuck in quarantine? Apple Watch can help you stay active. Photo: Sune Holt
Even people who never realized Apple Watch’s awesome motivational power are standing up and testifying: The device helps get your butt up off the couch during the coronavirus quarantine.
“It’s fantastic that a gadget was the thing I needed to get myself in shape again,” said Sune Holt, an Apple Watch wearer from Denmark. “In November, I feared I wasted my money. Now it’s the best investment in a lifetime.”
Apple was apparently slow to commit to keep the paychecks coming. Photo: Fränz Bous/Flickr CC
Apple’s shuttle bus drivers continue to be paid despite not working during the coronavirus pandemic as the company’s employees switch to telecommuting.
That’s great news that the drivers’ paychecks keep coming. However, a representative of the Teamsters union says Apple didn’t exactly jump at the opportunity to keep the money flowing.
This will be Apple's next-gen iPad Pro. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The iPhone 12 may be proceeding as scheduled, but not every Apple product in development is proceeding in a timely manner. According to a new research note from Hong Kong analyst Jeff Pu, sent Thursday, the forthcoming Mini LED iPad could be pushed back to early 2021.
A previous rumor suggested it would arrive later this year. Pu doesn’t give any explanation for the delay in his note, which was seen by Cult of Mac. However, it could relate to the continued disruption in Apple’s supply chain, which is only now starting to get back on track following the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in China.
Update today to take advantage of Family Pairing. Photo: TikTok
TikTok on Thursday rolled out its new Family Pairing feature that gives parents greater control over kids’ accounts in the U.S. It’s now possible to set screen time limits, disable direct messaging, and more.
Learn the tools, techniques, and concepts you need to make a quality podcast from anywhere. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Even before the pandemic, podcasting showed that great content can come from anywhere, even your living room. So if you’re twiddling your thumbs, use them to press record and get your thoughts out to the world. This massive bundle of lessons will show you how to do it right.
Apple's store in Seoul currently doesn't look quite this busy. Photo: Apple
Apple is reopening its retail store in South Korea, making it the first Apple Store outside Greater China to reopen following the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
The store, Apple’s first and only in South Korea, opened in 2018. It is located in the upmarket Gangnam district, in the city of Seoul. Along with every Apple Store outside China, it closed on March 13 as part of Apple’s COVID-19 response. It will reopen its doors on April 18, a little over a month after closing.