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Gear4 slim cases protect an iPhone 11 from a 13-foot fall [Review]

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Gear4 Hampton, Battersea, Oxford Eco and Crystal Palace Neon
The Gear4 Hampton, Battersea, Oxford Eco and Crystal Palace Neon are just some of the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro series cases this company offers.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Gear4 cases can save an iPhone 11 or 11 Pro series from breaking if dropped quite long distances, but they aren’t as bulky as typical rugged cases. The lineup for all three of Apple’s latest is surprisingly attractive, given how protective they are.

I tried out several of Gear4’s offerings, and find they might be just what your new iPhone needs.

Do this before you upgrade your Mac to Catalina [Cult of Mac Magazine 318]

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Stop! Don't upgrade your Mac to Catalina until you've done this quick check.
Stop! Don't upgrade your Mac to Catalina until you've done this quick check.

Itching to upgrade your Mac to Catalina? Time to hit the brakes, buster. Before installing macOS Catalina, it’s essential that you do a little due diligence. The new operating system brings some pretty deep changes, and you don’t want to descend into chaos. This macOS Catalina upgrade tip will help you assess the situation.

You’ll find that critical information and more in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Get it now from the iOS App Store. Or hit the links below to read this week’s best Apple news, reviews and how-tos in your browser.

Apple begins beta testing macOS Catalina 10.15.1

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The Photos app gets a couple of new features in macOS Catalina 10.15.1.
The Photos app gets a couple of new features in macOS Catalina 10.15.1.
Photo: Apple

Just days after the release of its newest Mac operating system, Apple has started beta testing the first update, macOS Catalina 10.15.1

Currently, this offers just a few minor changes for this company’s laptops and desktops.

How to stop Siri from snooping on you

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Stop siri snooping: LOL look how small Apple made the
LOL look how small Apple made the "Not Now" button.
Photo: Cult of Mac

iOS 13.2 adds controls for Apple’s unpopular Siri data collection program. Now, users can opt in to “Siri and Dictation Analytics,” which translates to letting your iPhone or iPad upload all your Siri interactions so Cupertino can improve the virtual assistant’s accuracy.

Previously, Apple disabled this program because of its unpopularity. Now, it’s back — but under your control.

Apple TV+ could take a big bite out of Netflix

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Apple TV+
Apple CEO Tim Cook shows off some of the shows coming to Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ could have 100 million subscribers in 3 to 4 years, according to an analyst that’s bullish on this streaming service set to launch next month.

Strong demand for a rival is bad news for Netflix.

Apple device management: Do it right with Hexnode MDM

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Manage all your organization's Apple devices the easy way.
There's a simpler way to manage all your organization's Apple devices.
Image: Hexnode

This post is brought to you by Apple MDM service Hexnode.

Apple devices are great mobile computing machines and powerhouses for business productivity. But let’s face it, managing Apple devices is no easy feat. Whether you’re a small business or large enterprise, your IT department still ends up tussling with device configuration issues and app-management woes. Why? Because Apple’s native management tools are great on paper, but fall flat in delivering a cohesive device-management experience.

Apple launches in-house studio with Band of Brothers follow-up

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Bandofbrothers
The best WWII mini-series is getting another sequel.
Photo: HBO

Apple is launching its own in-house studio and teaming up with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks to create the first series that it will own full rights to.

The new limited series, titled Masters of the Air, will be a follow-up to HBO’s successful series Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

How to make Siri announce and read your messages

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Announce Messages with Siri
Siri can now read out your incoming messages, automatically.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

In iOS 13.2, Siri can announce your incoming messages and read them to you. This is the kind of feature that is so useful, and obvious, that it seems like it should have always been there. It’s called Announce Messages with Siri, and it does just that.

Here’s how to set it up and use it

iOS 13.2 finally brings frame rate, resolution settings to Camera app

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iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max
iOS 13.2 will make switching frame rates and resolution for your video shooting much easier.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 11 line hasn’t even been out a month, but Apple continues to improve its camera through iOS updates.

An iOS developer exploring iOS 13.2 beta 2 said the Camera app will allow video shooters to adjust frame rates and resolution without going into the Settings app.

Apple is more valuable than it’s ever been

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Apple has spent 'billions' overhauling its Apple Maps app
Apple's worth $1.058 trillion.
Photo: 401(K) 2012/Flickr CC

Apple has hit a new all-time high valuation as shares rose 1.7% to hit $234.09. That gives Apple a market cap of $1.058 trillion. Talk about valuable!

It comes as investors expected top level trade talks between the US and China to result in a partial deal. At the very least, people are expected planned tariffs on products, including the iPhone, to be delayed.

Apple patches iCloud, iTunes for Windows to plug malware hole

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Apple iCloud for Windows app
Update today!
Photo: Microsoft/Cult ofMac

Apple’s latest patches for iTunes and iCloud for Windows are out to block potential ransomware attacks.

The software previously contained a vulnerability that allowed malware to piggyback on Apple’s digital signatures and go undetected by antivirus software.

And don’t assume you’re safe if you’ve already uninstalled Apple’s apps.

Hong Kong legislator warns Apple against being ‘accomplice’ to China

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Hong Kong police arrest smugglers with $1 million of iPhones and other devices
Apple faces big challenges in China.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Prominent Hong Kong legislator and IT entrepreneur Charles Mok has warned that Apple risks becoming an accomplice for “censorship and oppression” in China.

In an open letter to Tim Cook, Mok referenced Apple’s removal of a recent app which allowed protesters to track the whereabouts of Hong Kong police. Tim Cook has defended the app’s removal, which came after Chinese state media criticized Apple for allowing it in the App Store.

Save 59% on a Nomad Battery Lightning Cable for a limited time [Deals]

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Nomad Battery Cable
This MFi-certified Lightning cable includes a high capacity backup battery built in.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Keeping your iPhone charged on the go usually means carrying at least a Lightning cable and a backup battery. But with the Nomad, you get everything you need in one accessory. And right now, you’ve got a rare chance to snag one at a massive discount.

Apple’s AR Glasses are almost here! Catch the discussion, on The CultCast

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CultCast 409
A reliable analyst says Apple's AR glasses are right around the corner.
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: Apple’s AR glasses are about to be announced! At least according to one very reliable analyst…. we discuss. Plus: Mac OS Catalina is out, but you probably shouldn’t install it—we’ll tell you why. And Final Cut Pro just got massively faster thanks to a new update, and a long awaited iOS 13 feature finally goes live.

Our thanks to Linked In for supporting this episode. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters… head to LinkedIn.com/cultcast and get a $50 credit toward your first job post.

Apple aims to deploy its own 5G modem in iPhones by 2022

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2020 could be Apple's greatest year so far
Source says that this is an extremely aggressive timeline.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly plans to deploy its own 5G modems in iPhones by 2022. This “very aggressive” timeline will require Apple to carry out development, testing and certification.

Until then, Apple will use 5G modems developed by Qualcomm. After years of legal battling, the two companies put aside their differences earlier this year. Apple will likely ship its first 5G iPhone next year.

Mac shipments fall ahead of big refreshes as PC sales grow

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Apple
We're all waiting for brand-new models.
Photo: Apple

Mac shipments fell during the third quarter of 2019 as PC sales continued to grow, according to new estimates from Gartner.

Apple’s market share declined as a result, but the company maintains its fourth spot for now. And shipments will almost certainly be boosted soon by the launch of the all-new Mac Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Brydge plans iPad keyboard case with trackpad, slaps patent lawsuit on rival

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Brydge Pro+ prototypes
Prototype units show the 11- and 12.9-inch versions of the upcoming Brydge Pro+.
Photo: Brydge

Brydge today pre-announced a clip-on iPad Pro keyboard that incorporates a trackpad, something that only became possible with the just-released iPadOS 13. This would create a computer like a MacBook with a removable touchscreen.

It’s not the first such accessory to be unveiled, but Brydge is bringing a patent-infringement lawsuit against a company that last month launched a Kickstarter campaign for a similar iPad keyboard case with trackpad.

Alfonso Cuarón signs multiyear deal with Apple TV+

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Alfonso Cuarón
One of the most creative directors in Hollywood is teaming up with Apple.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Apple reportedly inked a multiyear deal with Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón to develop original content for Apple TV+.

Cuarón’s deal with Apple will see him develop multiple TV series for the streaming service, marking the director and writer’s first foray into television since he created the short-lived NBC show Believe.

Tim Cook explains why Apple pulled controversial Hong Kong app

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Apple revenues
Tim Cook defends Apple's decision to pull HKmap.live from App Store.
Photo: Apple

As Apple draws fire for banning a mapping app that proved useful to Hong Kong protesters, CEO Tim Cook defended the company’s decision. In an email to employees, Cook explained why Apple pulled HKmap.live from the App Store.

Cook said Apple received “credible information” from Hong Kong’s tech crime and cybersecurity unit that the app “was being used to maliciously target individual officers for violence and to victimize individuals and property where no police are present. This use put the app in violation of Hong Kong law. Similarly, widespread abuse clearly violates our App Store guidelines barring personal harm.”

iPhone 11 Pro Max battery whips Galaxy Note 10+

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Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy Note10+ battery life
The iPhone 11 Pro Max still has plenty of power when the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ runs out
Photo: PhoneBuff

A battery test pitting the iPhone 11 Pro Max against its arch-rival, the Samsung Galaxy Note10+, found that Apple’s new flagship handset outlasted its competitor by over two hours.

How to combine Live Photos into a shareable video

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live photo videos
Turn your Live Photos into videos.
Photo: Muhammad Haikal Sjukri/Unsplash

In iOS 13 and iPadOS, you can easily collect a bunch of Live Photos, and combine them into a single video. It’s great for sharing, or just making a cool remix of your clips. And this isn’t another one of those (awesome) posts where we use Shortcuts to do the dirty work. Making Live Photos videos is a new feature built into the Photos app.

Here’s how to use it.

Amazon Music app arrives on Apple TV

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amazon
Amazon is finally embracing Apple TV.
Photo: Amazon

Apple TV users can finally access millions of songs, playlists and radio stations using Amazon Music.

Starting today, anyone with a 4K Apple TV or the regular HD model can go to the Apple TV App Store and download the Amazon Music app, giving Apple Music some more competition on its own platform.