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Top Apple analyst predicts shrinking iPhone sales in 2019

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iPhone XR test
Apple's stock price decline could continue well into 2019.
Photo: Apple

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is one of the more reliable Apple watchers out there. And he doesn’t have good news for the company.

In his latest note to clients, Kuo slashes his estimate on the number of iPhones Apple is likely to sell in the coming months. Compared to the 50 million iPhones Apple sold in Q1 2018, Kuo thinks the company will sell just 38 to 42 million units.

Struggling iPhone display maker looking for other ways to make money

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iphone XS
Japan Display has lost 80 percent of its value this year.
Photo: Apple

Just a few years back, Japan Display was talking about building a $1.4 billion factory to create iPhone displays for Apple. Jump forward to 2018 and the company is having to reimagine its future for a world in which smartphone growth isn’t guaranteed.

According to a new report, Japan Display has responded by focusing on smart sensors. Compared to one year ago, the firm has shifted one-third of its research staff to sensor development. These would be focused on everything from sleep tracking to assorted healthcare applications.

Catch our favorite gadgets of 2018, this week on The CultCast

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iPhone XS CultCast
It's gadgets galore on this week's CultCast.
Photo: Thanks, @YSR50!

Cult of Mac Year in Review 2018 This week on The CultCast: It’s all our favorite gadgets of 2018! Well, not all, but lots of them. We didn’t have time to get through them all but we tried real hard. Plus: Apple is finally gearing up to overhaul the AMD GPUs in the Mac lineup. And the legit way to purchase a base iMac Pro for just $3,900.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off your first hosting plan or domain.

One of Australia’s biggest banks changes mind on Apple Pay

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Australia money
This is a g'day for Apple Pay users.
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac / Picturesofmoney

One of Australia’s largest banks has said that it has listened to its customers and is about to start offering Apple Pay support. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (abbreviated to CommBank) doesn’t give an exact launch date, but a tweet suggests that it’s coming soon.

This is significant due to the fact that CommBank is part of Australia’s “Big Four” largest banks, which previously struggled to come to terms with Apple over mobile payments.

Apple hopes iOS update will help overturn costly iPhone sales ban in China

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Qualcomm headquarters
Apple says an iPhone ban would force a settlement with Qualcomm.
Photo: Qualcomm

Apple is rushing to release an iOS update in China to resolve potential infringement of Qualcomm patents. The news follows a report stating that a Chinese sales ban of certain iPhone models would cost Apple millions of dollars a day.

“Early next week we will deliver a software update for iPhone users in China addressing the minor functionality of the two patents at issue in the case,” Apple said in a statement.

For $16, turn your Raspberry Pi into a game console, smart home controller and more [Deals]

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Raspberry Pi
Finally start creating your own DIY Raspberry Pi projects this weekend.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When Raspberry Pi rolled out in 2012, people immediately hailed the low-cost, credit card-size microcomputer as a fun new toy for kids and tech tinkerers. Since then, forward-thinking Pi users adapted this “toy” into a surprisingly powerful piece of tech. Users create everything from home media networks to robotics to fully automatic timesavers.

Tumblr back in App Store after banning all porn

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The Tumblr iOS app currently can’t be installed.
Tumblr is back as its NSFW content is in the process of being removed.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Tumblr’s exile from the iOS App Store is over, but the company behind it had to kick all forms of pornography off the platform to be allowed to return.

While that decision is controversial, it did mean that this blogging app can be again be downloaded to iPhone and iPad. 

This app reinvents how lighting works in iPhone photos

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The Apollo app brings immersive illumination to Portrait mode photos.
Before and after. The Apollo app brings immersive illumination to Portrait mode photos.
Photos: Indice

This post is presented by Indice, maker of the Apollo app.

The photos you take are only as good as the lighting. That’s true no matter whether you’re using a top-of-the-line DSLR or an iPhone. The difference is, with an iPhone, you can change the lighting after you’ve taken the picture. That’s thanks to Apollo, an iOS app that uses the iPhone’s depth data to totally reimagine the lighting conditions in your photos.

Proposed privacy legislation outlaws some Google business practices

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Apple takes privacy seriously
A statement on Apple’s stance toward privacy is baked into iOS.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) published a draft privacy bill this morning that proposes making it harder for companies to track people’s location or collect biometric information about them. 

Apple is a top donor to the CDT, and the company has taken a strong stance on protecting user’s privacy.

How I record podcasts on iPad only

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The iPad is more than capable of recording podcasts.
The iPad is more than capable of recording podcasts.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The iPad Pro is pro enough for almost anything, but one thing it still can’t manage is making a Skype (or FaceTime) call and recording it at the same time. This is actually the fault of Skype (and FaceTime), but is nonetheless a pain for anyone who travels and podcasts.

There’s a workaround, however. It requires that you use an iPhone and an iPad together. But seeing as how the alternative is carrying a MacBook, too, it’s a pretty good option. It’s also easy, once you get your head around the setup. And you don’t need to travel to use this setup. After some experimentation, this is now my default podcasting method.

Best gifts for Apple fans [Gift Guide 2018]

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Apple gift guide 2018
Shopping for an Apple fan? Start here!
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Gift guide 2018 bugBuying for an Apple fan who already has the latest products and accessories doesn’t have to be difficult. There are a ton of great gifts out there, like beautiful books showcasing Apple design, cool cushions that carry familiar Apple logos and slogans, and more.

In this gift guide, we’ve hand-picked a bunch of awesome products that would make any Apple fan insanely happy this holiday season. They’re products we’ve used, reviewed, and would recommend ourselves — and there’s something to suit every budget.

Jennifer Garner will star in new J.J. Abrams series for Apple

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jennifer garner
Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow in the show Alias
Photo: ABC

Jennifer Garner and J.J. Abrams are finally getting back together to create an all-new TV show.

The duo rose to stardom in the early 2000s with Abram’s TV show Alias that starred Garner as a double agent for the Central Intelligence Agency. Now they’re set to make a TV show for Apple, only it won’t be quite as action-packed as their last endeavor together.

Create an on-the-go office with this rugged iPad Pro case

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The Urban Armor Gear Metropolis iPad Pro case was created with the modern wanderer in mind.
The Urban Armor Gear Metropolis iPad Pro case was created with the modern wanderer in mind.
Photo: UAG

Urban Armor Gear created its new Metropolis case for people who take the  2018 iPad Pro to more than offices and coffee shops.

This rugged case protects the tablet from drops and impacts, plus it includes a stand and an Apple Pencil holder.

Quick! Trade in your old Apple devices before the holidays

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iPhone SE
Two new iPhone SE models for 2020?
Photo: Sam Mills/Cult of Mac

If you’re going to become the proud owner of a brand new Apple device over the holidays, it’s time to start thinking about what you should do with your old ones. Don’t let them sit around, collecting dust.

Your old iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac could be worth a small fortune — and Cult of Mac wants to buy it! We typically pay more than other trade-in services, and we won’t leave you waiting ages for your cash.

Apple caps off ‘amazing’ year with more advertising honors

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2019 Creative Marketer of the Year
Spike Jonze created Apple's most celebrated ad of 2018.
Photo: Apple

Apple marketing set an even higher bar in the advertising industry this year and is closing out 2018 with three commercials in Adweek’s Top 25 Best Ads of the Year.

Adweek listed “Welcome Home,” Apple’s HomePod ad directed by Spike Jonze, as second-best. Nike’s “Believe in Something. Even If it Means Sacrificing Everything” was the top ad, featuring polarizing quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

PDFelement 6 Pro for Mac: An easy-to-use PDF editor for Mac [Exclusive discount]

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PDFelement is a fast, easy, and powerful PDF editor for Mac.
PDFelement is a fast, easy, and powerful PDF editor for Mac.
Photo: PDFelement

This post is presented by PDFelement.

PDFs are an increasingly common way to share documents of all kinds. From resumes to photo albums or even entire e-books, PDFs are as universally recognized as Word documents are. But unfortunately, unlike standard text documents, they are not easy to edit. To really fine-tune your PDFs, you’ll need to use the right PDF-editing software.

U.S. iPhone ban isn’t out of the question in Qualcomm battle

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Qualcomm headquarters
Apple has been battling Qualcomm since early last year.
Photo: Qualcomm

Certain iPhone models have been barred for sale in China, but a similar ban in the U.S. isn’t totally out of the question. The U.S. International Trade Commission has said that it plans to review a previous ruling stating that a ban on iPhone imports was not in the interests of the general public — even in the event that Apple infringed on a Qualcomm patent.

Apple and Qualcomm have been battling it out for much of the past two years. They are scheduled to meet in court next April.

Tynker Junior teaches kids to code before they can read

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Tynker Junior
Your little ones can start using Tynker from as young as 4.
Photo: Tynker

The ability to code is becoming an increasingly important skill, and the sooner you start learning, the better. That’s why you should introduce your little ones to Tynker Junior, the app that teaches them the fundamentals of coding from as young as four.

Inspired by the award-winning Tynker programming language, which has been used by over 60 million kids worldwide, the new iPad app uses puzzles and games to make learning fun and easy.

Become a certified master of Microsoft Office [Deals]

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Get a comprehensive education in one of the most widely used software platforms, Microsoft Office.
Get a comprehensive education in one of the most widely used software platforms, Microsoft Office.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There aren’t many applications more widely used than Microsoft Office. No matter where you work, you’ll encounter Office, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and the rest. So no matter where you work, it’s worth getting certified in MS Office suite.

Apple’s Services growth could be about to slow down

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Streaming services like Apple Music dominate the US music market
Apple Music is big, but is it big enough?
Photo: Apple

iPhone sales may be slowing down, but investors have held onto promising data points like Apple’s impressively growing Services division. According to some, this burgeoning part of Apple’s business even has the potential to make up 40 percent of the company’s gross profits by fiscal 2020.

Macquarie Research analyst Benjamin Schachter isn’t quite so smitten, however. In a new note to clients, Schachter claims that growth in the Services division is about to start slowing down.

Take the fight to other trainers in Pokémon Go battles

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Pokémon Go trainer battles
Can you be the very best?
Photo: Niantic

Pokémon Go has finally added Trainer Battles, giving players the opportunity to fight against their friends.

Developer Niantic first made battles available to level 40 players, but they are now accessible to those as low as level 10. Here’s everything you need to know about battling your friends.

Apple to open $1 billion campus in Austin, Texas

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Austin campus
Apple's existing campus in Austin.
Photo: Apple

Apple will open a new 133-acre campus in Austin, Texas — approximately 1,500 miles from its Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino.

The $1 billion headquarters will initially house 5,000 employees, although this number will eventually expand to 15,000 people. Apple also plans new sites in Seattle, San Diego, and Culver City, California.

This mini iPhone concept is as cute as a button

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iPhone
Would you like a smaller iPhone?
Photo: Dongjae "Krystofer" Kim

It’s been an unmistakable trend for the past five years: iPhones are getting physically larger. Given the popularity of “phablets,” that makes perfect sense — but it’s not for everyone.

One of those people is designer Dongjae “Krystofer” Kim. Kim recently put together a concept design for what a mini version of the current iPhones might look like. And it’s actually pretty darn neat. Check it out below.

Fortnite was one of America’s top searches in 2018

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fortnite
Fortnite was a major player on iPhone this year.
Photo: Epic Games

It looks like my Cult of Mac colleague Killian’s endless hours spent feverishly Googling the word “Fortnite” like a battle royale-loving version of The Shining‘s Jack Torrance have paid off.

That’s because Google has released its annual “Year in Search” results, and it seems that the ultra popular Fortnite game is one of the year’s most sought-after topics.