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Nailed it! Why WWDC 2019 was one for the ages [Cult of Mac Magazine No. 300]

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Cult of Mac Magazine No. 300 cover
That was one awesome WWDC!
Cover: Marty Cortinas/Cult of Mac

The warp-speed WWDC 2019 keynote truly delivered the goods. Tim Cook and his lieutenants took the wraps off tons of exciting new features coming in iOS 13, iPadOS, macOS Catalina, watchOS 6 and tvOS 13.

And then, in a hardware shocker, Apple even showed off an insanely powerful new Mac Pro.

Relive Apple’s epic presentation — and get our take on what it all means — in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine for iOS. Or read on to get the rest of the week’s best Apple news, reviews and how-tos in your browser.

Deleting unused apps is even easier in iOS 13

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App delete
There’s a new way to delete apps in iOS 13.
Photo: Cult of Mac

You know how when you go to the updates section in the App Store and you see that it’s taking forever for one app to download even though you never use it?

The days of that happening are finally going to be over once iOS 13. An unmentioned feature in iOS 13 lets users delete apps right from the App Store section so you don’t have to go hunt down the app icon.

Check it out in action:

5 new iOS 13 features you haven’t heard about yet

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iOS 13 has almost too many features to cover -- but that won't stop us trying.
iOS 13 has almost too many features to cover -- but that won't stop us trying.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

iPadOS and iOS 13 have gotten so many new features and tweaks, it’s hard to know where to start. We will continue to cover everything in-depth over the coming weeks and months, but here’s a little glimpse at some of the best new features in the newest version of iOS.

External drive support is iPadOS’ best new feature [Opinion]

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iPad Pro with thumb drive
With the right adapter, an a tablet running iPadOS 13 can access USB-A drives and SD cards.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Mouse support has drawn more attention, but giving iPad Pro full access to external drives is the biggest improvement in iPadOS 13. It will make using a tablet easier and cheaper for professionals and average users alike.

With adapters, it’s now possible to access everything from hard drives to microSD cards. This feature is a real gamechanger.

Catch our reactions to Apple’s legendary WWDC keynote, this week on The CultCast

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cultcast 391
WWDCs don't get more exciting than this.

This week on The CultCast: Our WWDC 2019 reactions! Apple keynotes don’t get more legendary than this one. Plus: Crazy cryptographic tech powers Apple’s new Find My app, and our favorite features of iOS 13, macOS Catalina, tvOS and watchOS.

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..

Why SwiftUI might be the biggest thing to come out of WWDC

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Why SwiftUI is actually a big deal.
SwiftUI is actually a pretty big deal.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2019 bug Apple lavished attention on all its platforms at WWDC this year. We even got a first look at the all-new Mac Pro. But another announcement, which didn’t grab so many headlines, may prove to be the most important thing to come out of this year’s developer conference: SwiftUI.

SwiftUI promises to fundamentally change the way developers create apps for Apple products. And you don’t need to be a techie to appreciate why it’s such a big deal.

Obamas score podcasting deal with Spotify

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Maybe the coolest, most tech savvy president ever.
Maybe the coolest, most tech savvy president ever.
Photo: The White House

The Obamas are heading to Spotify.

President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have scored a deal with Apple’s biggest rival in the music streaming business to create a series of exclusive podcasts.

iOS 13 brings multi-cam capture to latest iPhones and iPads

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iOS-13-multi-cam-capture
You’ll be able to record with front- and rear-facing cameras for the first time.
Photo: Apple

iOS 13 and iPadOS will give recent iPhone and iPad users the ability to capture images and videos with their front- and rear-facing cameras simultaneously.

Apple says it is also possible to take advantage of multiple microphones to “shape” the sound that is captured. It encourages developers to leverage the new capabilities to bring picture-in-picture and spacial audio to their apps.

AT&T’s rival for Apple TV+ might cost just $17 per month

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AT&T's WatchTV combines streaming TV channels with unlimited data.
AT&T has a war chest of great content.
Photo: AT&T

AT&T’s upcoming video streaming service is taking different shape after the company reportedly abandoned plans to create a three-tiered service.

The service allegedly has a launch date slated for later this year and will compete directly with Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+ and others. Instead of selling HBO, Cinemax and the Warner Bros. TV and movie library separately, AT&T’s will package them altogether. And the price point could be the best feature.

Quickly revive 3 devices with one wireless charging hub [Deals]

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AirDock 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station
De-clutter your desk and juice up 3 devices at once with this powerful charging hub.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Our lives are getting crowded with wireless devices, from phones to watches to wireless earbuds. Unfortunately, we’re not getting extra outlets in our walls, and no one wants a desk covered with wireless charging pads. So this 3-in-1 wireless charging station can help keep things convenient and tidy.

Grand Theft Auto 3 picks up iPhone XS, iPad Pro support

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GTA III iPhone XS
One of the best GTA games is now even better.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Grand Theft Auto 3 is 18 years old in October, and yet it remains one of the most iconic games in the series. Revisit it today on iOS and enjoy full support for the larger screens on iPhone XS and iPad Pro.

GTA 3 finally got the update treatment this week and now looks better than ever on Apple’s latest devices.

iPhone will soon protect you from endless spam calls

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Spam call
With iOS 13, calls like these can go straight to voicemail.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Billions of spam calls were made last year, but Apple is doing what it can to save us from the frustration of robocalls. iOS 13 will let users automatically send incoming calls to voicemail if they came from someone unknown. And this system is actually smarter than just checking the user’s phone book.

Craig Federighi predicts macOS Catalina’s Project Catalyst will benefit iPad too

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Craig Federighi Apple SVP of Software Engineering
Apple’s software chief expects those who develop apps for Mac or iPad to start creating software for both.
Photo: Apple

Project Catalyst enables developers to easily port their iPad applications to Mac. It’s an important part of macOS Catalina, and is expected to bring a rush of new software to Apple’s laptops and desktops. But the company’s head of Software Engineering says the iPad will gain as well.

Rather than developers specializing in Mac or iPad, as is typical now, Craig Federighi sees devs using Catalyst to create great new software for both platforms.

iPad Pro case gets medieval on your tablet [Review]

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Twelve South’s BookBook vol. 2
This is an iPad Pro case, believe it or not.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Twelve South’s BookBook vol. 2 goes beyond just protecting your expensive iPad Pro; it adds old-world charm. This case transforms Apple’s tablet into an elegant leather-bound hardcover book.

We tested the updated version of the BookBook with our 2018 iPad Pro, so don’t miss our hands-on review.

Luna Display not giving up in the face of Apple’s Sidecar

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Luna Display easily converts an iPad into a second screen for your MacBook Pro.
Luna Display promises to be better than Apple Sidecar at making an iPad into a Mac’s external display
Photo: Astro HQ

macOS Catalina enables an iPad to function as a second screen for a Mac, but one of the companies that already offers a solution for this job isn’t throwing in the towel. The founders of Astro HQ promise that their Luna Display and Astropad will offer a superior experience to Apple’s Sidecar, especially for creative professionals.

There’s also a new version of their software out today that offers better image quality on a connected iPad.

Viral ad mocks insane price of Apple’s Pro Stand

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Pro Stand
Apple quickly moved on from this slide.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s competitors are quickly taking aim at the outrageous price of the company’s new Pro Stand that was revealed at the WWDC 2019 keynote this morning.

Taiwan-based electronics company MSI tweeted out a funny mock-ad this week comparing the price and specs of the Pro Stand with its latest 34-inch 5K monitor and it’s going viral all over the internet.

Apple has the wrong attitude toward mouse support on iPad [Opinion]

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An iPad trackpad?! Too bad it’s only a dream.
It could be so much better.
Photo: Brydge

Apple will finally bring mouse support to iPad (and iPhone) when it rolls out major software updates this fall — and that’s awesome. Finally, you will gain full control over your device without needing to lift a finger.

But I think Apple takes the wrong attitude when it comes to mouse support on iOS.

Its current approach could hold back development of the feature later on, and could negatively impact people who really need it. It also goes against Apple’s mission to make the iPad a laptop replacement.

iOS 13 safeguards private info stored in Contacts

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Gaia GPS
Giving your mapping app access to your address book shouldn’t also include your child’s SSN.
Photo: Gaia GPS

A change in iOS 13 blocks third-party applications from accessing the Notes field in the Contacts app. This is because many people have the bad habit of storing confidential information in this field, forgetting that they then give mapping, social networking and other types of apps access to all their Contacts data.

The change isn’t Apple fixing a security hole the company itself introduced. Instead, iPhone and iPad are compensating for users storing personal information insecurely.

Apple Watch throws out a lifeline to stranded paddleboarder

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Apple Watch saves life of paddleboarder
Nearly two years after this Apple event, the Apple Watch aids in the rescue of a stranded paddleboarder.
Screenshot: Apple/YouTube

A woman paddle-boarding windy ocean waters near Massachusetts was rescued after using her Apple Watch to call 911.

The breathless woman told a Lynn Fire Department dispatcher that the wind took her “out to sea,” and she was unable to paddle back to the shoreline at Nahant Beach.