What defined your Apple Music listening in 2018? Photo: Apple
Want a summary of your year in Apple Music listening? A new app will help with that — although it’s not one that’s made by Apple.
Mimicking the concept behind Spotify’s yearly “Wrapped” feature, the free “Music Year in Review” app will delve into how many minutes you spent listening to your top artists on Apple Music. It will also tell you your top five songs and artists, along with your most listened genre.
Gene Munster predicts big things for Apple in 2019. Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
Apple got a late Christmas gift on Wednesday, when its AAPL stock experienced the stock’s biggest rise in five years.
While AAPL is still down considerably from the $1 trillion+ high point it hit earlier in 2018, it’s a strong positive move. And one analyst thinks that Apple’s set to be the top-performing FAANG stock in 2019, too.
For many Apple fans, the holidays mean giving or receiving a nice new iPhone. That’s a gift worth protecting, but with the care put into even the smallest design touches, it’s not something you want to cover up in a bulky case.
iPhone XR sales in its first month were as about as strong as those of previous Apple bandsets right after their launches. Photo: Apple
The iPhone XR got off to a fairly strong start. In November, this just-launched model made up 30 percent of Apple’s U.S. sales, slightly higher than the iPhone X in Nov. 2017.
But the standout aspect of the XR’s launch is this new model drew in a higher percentage of Android fans than any Apple device in years.
Nothing feels quite as nice as booting up a brand new device for the first time. But opening up a new iPhone or Mac means reconnecting a lot of sensitive accounts and information. And nothing feels quite as annoying as spending all your time with your new device trying to remember and re-enter all your passwords for every website you visit or app you load.
Make Mac great again with one (or all!) of these top apps. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
The Mac may be way older than the iPhone and iPad, but it still has some tricks. 2018 saw some fine updates to some of our favorite Mac apps, as well as some amazing new apps that migrated across from iOS.
Also, Apple injected so much new life into a tired old macOS staple in Mojave that it’s made our top 5 list this year. Can you guess which one it is?
Learn the hows and whys of getting an engaged audience on YouTube. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
There are few more powerful platforms than YouTube for connecting with an audience and building a brand. It’s basically the new TV, with mind-boggling numbers of daily engagement. That’s a lot of eyeballs that can point at your content, so it’s worth learning how to get them.
Every mobile gamer needs to play these titles. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
The iPhone and iPad have become insanely powerful devices, with new A-series chips delivering even faster performance every year. That means mobile gaming keeps getting better and better, and 2018 had more than its fair share of groundbreaking releases.
Here’s our roundup of the best games from the past year, which features smash hits like Fortnite, as well as some lesser-known titles that every mobile gamer has to try.
New iPhone? You need new apps! Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Got a new iPhone? Then get started with these five amazing apps for your new device. Whether you’re taking photos, listening to podcasts, making notes, or just out taking a walk, we’ve got you covered.
The iPhone XR really is a great phone. Photo: Apple
In recent years, the iPhone setup process has changed as dramatically as the iPhones themselves. Apple just keeps making it easier to do. So easy, in fact, that there are just a few things you need to do to move from your old iPhone to a new one. And setting up a new iPhone XR from scratch isn’t much harder — gone are the days of manually copying passwords just to get to the home screen.
There are still a few tricks, though, that will help things run smoothly. Here’s how to set up your new iPhone XR the right way.
The iPad, home of some of the best apps in existence. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
The iPad can be so may different things. I use mine for reading, writing, making music, watching movies, and if I have any time to waste, I might play a game. The iPad is pretty much the ultimate creative tool, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t sit back and “consume” the odd “content” every once in a while.
Have your iPhone XS up and running ASAP with our setup guide. Photo: FixjeiPhone
In recent years, the iPhone setup process has changed as dramatically as the iPhones themselves. Apple just keeps making it easier to do. So easy, in fact, that there are just a few things you need to do to move from your old iPhone to a new one. And setting up a new iPhone XS from scratch isn’t much harder — gone are the days of manually copying passwords just to get to the home screen.
There are still a few tricks, though, that will help things to run smoothly. Let’s see how to upgrade to the iPhone XS.
Don’t miss out on these awesome iOS apps. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
There are almost 2 million apps available on iOS today, and yet in 2018, 10 years after the App Store opened its doors, developers continue to deliver new and unique titles that blow us away.
We’ve rounded up the very best from the past year right here. We have terrific text editors, fantastic photography apps, amazing utilities, and lots more.
Our 5 favorite apps for making the most of the holiday season. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
The holidays are officially upon us. That means family time, festive celebrations, joyous music and an overabundance of delicious food. To help get you through the holidays, we compiled a list of the best iOS apps to make the most of the season.
Whether you’re looking for a way to provide some entertainment for the kids, hosting friends or family, or just want a way to spread some festive cheer, we’ve got your tree trimmed, so to speak.
"Hey Siri, let's see your best impression!" Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
A Baltimore-based rapper named HAZMATCAZ has taken the internet by storm. No, it’s not her ability to spit sick bars, but rather her astonishingly on-point Siri impression.
Apple's run into more problems in China. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
A number of Chinese companies are reportedly boycotting Apple as a show of support for Huawei Technologies.
The Chinese Huawei brand overtook Apple in smartphone shipments this year. Recently, its chief financial officer was arrested in Canada for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions by doing business in Iran.
Treat yourself to a new iPhone battery this holidays. Photo: iFixit
Amidst all the holiday festivities, don’t forget that Apple’s $29 battery replacement offering is coming to an end one week from now.
The special offer was announced by Apple as an apology this time last year. It followed stories about the company intentionally slowing down older iPhones. One year on, Apple has taken steps to fix the problem. But you’ve only got until next Monday to take advantage of your cheap battery replacement.
Remember the time Apple introduced this somewhat unwieldy product? Screenshot: Bad Lip Reading/Apple
Whether it’s songs or compilations of all the superlatives thrown around, Apple keynotes are frequently the inspiration for some pretty darn hilarious and creative parodies.
Now the folks from the hugely popular “Bad Lip Reading” YouTube channel have stepped into the arena with a video reinterpreting Apple’s recent keynotes. Check it out below:
Apple removed the app after a petition from LGBTQ activists. Photo: Apple
Apple has removed a free religious app from the App Store reportedly promoting so-called conversion therapy.
The app was created by Living Hope Ministries, a religious group based in Arlington, Texas. It offered users a “more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ” with the alleged goal of changing a person’s sexual orientation. Apple gave the app the boot following a petition from LGBTQ nonprofit group Truth Wins Out.
What a festive feast of apps we have for you this week. Photo: Cult of Mac
Oh man, just Darkroom for iPad is enough for this week — it’s that good. If you only use it to browse your photo library it’s worth the download. Also check out Audiobus’ new MIDI learn, Filmic Pro’s crazy, storage-filling new high-Bitrate option, and Agenda’s image and file attachments.
Break out of the loneliness of the creative process with this collaboration-centered screenwriting app. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Just like all writing, penning screenplays can be a lonely and painstaking process. That makes this collaborative screenwriting tool a must for anyone writing for TV or film. And right now, you can get WriterDuet Pro for more than half off the usual price.
Get ready to fix your parents' computer. Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
Christmas time means packing up your daily troubles, forgetting work for a week, and heading home to … troubleshoot your parents’ broken computers and gadgets? Oh man, is it that time of year again already? That’s the problem with being the family’s only geek — you get handed all the geek jobs. However, you can turn this to your advantage, and make it a lot easier, by going in prepared.
Find out how to be the family tech support in the latest free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Get it now on iTunes, or keep reading for the week’s best Apple news, reviews and how-tos.
Never be caught running on 0% with this tough power bank. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If your home is like many homes, Christmas morning will bring a whole heaping mess of gleaming new tech gadgets splayed out under the tree. In fact, there will probably be so much polished chrome everywhere that you’re gonna feel like you live in an Apple store for at least a few days.
Apple Dongle lets you connect with a good joke by Ryan Geraghty. Photo: Ryan Geraghty
Dongles for this, dongles for that, USB-C dongles be damned. Product designer Ryan Geraghty feels your frustration and has created a concept designed to make Apple users laugh about their begrudged move to USB-C.
His idea of an Apple Dongle is “one elegant tapestry of connectivity” featuring 16 adapters into a single USB-C connector.
“This is going to be the best Christmas video ever!” you tell yourself. You have an iPhone XS, it’s set to 4K at 24 frames per second, and you’re framing your shots like a pro. Smart HDR will illuminate the smiles on the faces of your nieces and nephews, and stabilization will take care of your hangover jitters.
“Oh man, I can’t wait until these morons see this in their iMessages, using iOS 12’s great Share Back feature,” you think somewhat uncharitably, while squeezing a handy link into your thoughts.
Then reality grabs you. That 5-minute 4K clip of the angels ripping their way through a forest’s worth of wrapping paper is over 1.5GB. There’s no way you can share that on your parents’ crappy internet connection. Why oh why didn’t you shoot at 720p? Luckily, Shortcuts is here to save the day. Again.