It’s a bad day to be in Apple IT. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Update: The problems have apparently been fixed, as all the indicators on Apple’s System Status page are now green, and there are no outstanding issues listed.
If you’re having difficulties with some feature of iCloud, don’t reboot your computer or network because it’s not just you.
Apple’s official System Status page has lit up with a rash of yellow icons indicating problems.
The war between Spotify and Apple Music is heating up. Photo: Spotify
Is Apple using its control of the App Store to squeeze out rivals? That’s the question European competition regulators are looking into.
This news comes after Spotify complained that it is nti-competitive that this company isrequired to give Apple a big share of subscription fees paid through the App Store.
The benefits of being an Apple supplier might be overrated. Photo: Foxconn
Being an Apple supplier can be a curse as much as a blessing for some Chinese companies.
While earning Apple’s business can give a big boost to a company’s stock, a new study found that Apple’s suppliers saw their share prices drop significantly lower than Apple’s stock did during the recent iPhone sales slump.
AirPrint is how printers should always have worked. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
There’s still something kinda magical-feeling about printing documents from your iPhone. Maybe someone sends you a long Word or Pages document that you prefer to read on paper. Or maybe you must sign a hard-copy version of a PDF and send it back via real paper mail.
You may be used to facing a task like this in your iPhone’s email app, and putting it off until you get to your Mac or PC. But chances are, if you own a fairly modern printer, you can just print right from the iPhone. In fact, once you get a taste for it, you’ll prefer printing from iOS. You will never need to deal with drivers, or pick up your 100-page print job only to find every sheet printed too small.
The answer is AirPrint. It’s how printers always should have worked.
Apple Watch charging is finally all in the wrist. Photo: Togvu
There are reasons why we haven’t seen many attempts at an Apple Watch band that discreetly houses a battery for on-the-wrist charging.
For one, Apple discourages them in its “Made for Apple Watch” program guidelines. Chargers can get hot and burn the skin, or worse, cause fire or electric shock if water is present. Such a band could also interfere with the watch’s sensors.
A company called Togvu believes it has solved those problems with a band that debuted on Kickstarter today called the Batfree Power Strap.
Apple admits that Face ID really is susceptible to being tricked by identical twins. Photo: Apple
The Face ID biometric security system is already extremely accurate but Apple wants to make it even more safe. The company has come up with a method for telling the difference between two people who are almost identical because they’re closely related.
The system would also prevent unlocking iPhone and iPad devices with 3D masks.
This could be a game changer. Literally. Photo: Microsoft
Microsoft’s Xbox Live network is officially making its way onto iOS and Android.
The company revealed today that it is launching a new SDK that will allow mobile developers to add Xbox Live functionality to their games, giving gamers the ability to score achievements on the go.
You know you want this sweet new wireless charger. Photo: Just Mobile
What’s better than trying something new? Trying something new and saving money.
Our friends at Just Mobile recently introduced the AluBase Wireless Charger and Gum Slim Hybrid Battery, and in celebration we’re knocking $10 off the price for the next week, through Wednesday. Grab the savings on the Cult of Mac Watch Store, and while you are there be sure to check out all our other power options.
Apple acquisition meant that Shazam turned a profit in 2018 Photo: Apple
The latest Shazam update is out now on iOS, giving users the ability to see exactly when they last searched for a certain song. Simply scroll through your history of Shazams and you’ll find a date and time alongside each entry.
iPhone to iPhone. Dust to dust. Photo: University of Plymouth
Want to see what happens when an iPhone is placed into a high powered blender?
No, it’s not the kind of mindless destruction porn that often pops up on YouTube. Instead, it’s a serious scientific demonstration carried out by the U.K.’s University of Plymouth. The goal? To show exactly which chemical elements make up the pricey handsets we keep in our pockets. Check out the video below.
Add an invaluable layer of security to your laptop, with a loud alarm that goes off if someone tries to steal it. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you use a laptop, you probably bring it to public places like coffee shops or libraries. So when you go to get a refill or use the bathroom, the move is usually to ask your neighbor to make sure no one snatches your computer. That’s…not secure.
It's the steampunk iPhone that threatens to bankrupt you! Photo: Caviar
If you thought the iPhone XS Max was pricey, you probably should shield your eyes to avoid the sheer indulgent offensiveness of Caviar’s new Grand Complications Skeleton Tourbillon.
Most iPhone cases are supposed to protect the phone by taking the brunt of the damage in the event of a fall. Not so here! This $9,820 custom iPhone outer shell will make you even more nervous about whipping out your iPhone to bash out a quick text while walking down the street.
Apple is planning to stop selling its cheapest iPhones in India. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple is trying a new strategy to boost struggling iPhone sales in India, the world’s second largest country by population. Unfortunately, it’s one that’s going to make the base model iPhones even more expensive for the local population.
Are you excited about next-gen AirPods? Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
New AirPods and iPads are coming — and we just got the latest bit of evidence to support that.
According to a new report, four Apple suppliers are gearing up for mass production of both new products. Flexible PCB firm Flexium Interconnect and Zhen Ding Technology will be handling Apple’s next-gen iPad devices. Meanwhile, Compeq Manufacturing and Unitech PCB will supply rigid-flex boards for the sequel to Apple’s wireless AirPods.
Intel muscled in on Qualcomm's previous contract with Apple. Photo: Qualcomm
Apple claims that Qualcomm’s motivation for taking Apple to court is because it was upset that Apple had switched to using Intel chips in iPhones. Prior to 2016, Qualcomm had enjoyed five years of being Apple’s exclusive chip maker.
The suggestion was made by Apple’s counsel in closing remarks Wednesday during the patent infringement trial in San Diego.
Gallium nitride technology allows these chargers to be much smaller than more traditional alternatives. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Chargers are transitioning from silicon transistors to gallium nitride (GaN), enablingthese irritatingly bulky accessories to shrink in size. Anker and RavPower both make power adapters that put out more current than you’d expect for their svelte dimensions thanks to the magic of GaN.
We tested out both chargers that can be used to power up your MacBook, iPad or iPhone. Read on to see how they performed.
Apple is the Goliath of the wearables market. Photo: @SCOTUSPlaces/Twitter
Vincent Van Gogh might have been kinder to his ear if only AirPods were around when he was alive and painting.
Art already gives us so much to ponder. As does Twitter, which a New York City creative agency used to call on followers to Photoshop Apple AirPods into famous works of art.
Enso looks as good as it sounds. Photo: Audio Damage
Enso looper is a big, big deal for iOS musicians. In principle, it works like any other looper app or hardware looper: You play music into it, and then that music is looped over and over, forming a backing track for more playing.
But Enso is hot, hot, hot for two reasons. One is the amount of control you have over the looping. The other is that it is an Audio Unit, which means that it can be used inside other apps, like GarageBand and AudioBus.
Apple is expected to launch a number of new services this spring. Photo: Apple
The first Apple event of 2019 is nearly here. Tim Cook and friends are set to take the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater on March 25 to unveil the company’s newest goodies, only instead of unveiling some shiny new gadgets you can buy, Apple is supposedly going to bust out some services you can subscribe to.
The Apple rumor mill has been working in overdrive leading up the event, so we have a pretty solid idea of what we’ll see.
If you hate Apple keynote spoilers, stop reading now.
Who doesn’t enjoy a well-managed download? Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
One of the biggest shortcomings of mobile Safari is downloading files. It’ll do it just fine, but it loads everything as if it were a web page. PDFs, ZIPs, MP3s: They all get loaded right there into the current page, whereupon you have to use the Open In… feature to save the file.
Perhaps even worse — you don’t have any idea how long the download is going to take. All you have to go on is the loading progress bar up in the URL bar, which creeps along and really only offers two states: “not done yet” and “done.”
Today we will fix that by whipping up a download manager using the Shortcuts app. Let’s go.
An apparent “iPad mini 5” case corroborates rumors that this year’s much-anticipated refresh won’t bring a spectacular new design to Apple’s smallest tablet.
The case also dashes hopes that the new device will pick up an LED camera flash, a Smart Connector, and four stereo speakers. But is it genuine?
Apple’s iPad lineup is about to get more crowded and confusing than ever in 2019.
With the company’s big March 25 event looming on the horizon, a new rumor claims Apple is planning to release not one but two iPads with a 10-inch screen this year that won’t fall under the “iPad Pro” brand.