It’s good to have diversity in your personal technology, but the big companies don’t always make it easy. So when you’re using devices made by Apple, Google, Samsung, or other tech giants, you’ll find it’s tough to keep data consistent and synced among all your devices.

Apple is set to make 5 billion dollars less this quarter than it previously expected, and one of the contributing factors is that the company sold fewer iPhone upgrades than it anticipated. People are holding onto their old iPhones for much longer. Why’s that?

Find out the future of your iPhone 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.

Instagram is one of the most powerful platforms for promoting a product, service, or brand. By sharing images that relate to waht you do or sell, you can form powerful connections and make a strong impression. But unless you hire a full-time social media manager, staying on top of it can get overwhelming fast.

Prepare your news feeds for an avalanche of gadget announcements.

CES 2019 — the biggest electronics trade show in the world — is set to kick off in Las Vegas next week where nearly every tech company on the planet (except Apple) will be showing off their latest wares. Even though Apple won’t officially be at the event, dozens of its employees will be roaming the show floor observing how the competition is trying to catch up.

While you won’t see any new Apple products at CES the company’s presence will certainly be felt from smart homes to self-driving car tech. Here’s what we’re looking forward to most at this year’s show.

The new iPad Pro sure is drool-worthy. It’s completely redesigned, with powerful new capabilities that make it a compelling alternative to computers. At more than $1,500, the 12.9-inch version isn’t something everyone can afford. So when you have a chance to win one for free, you’d better jump at it.

UPDATE: Congrats to the winner … Tony R. from Pennsylvania!

The Portrait Mode in the iPhone XR and XS is hands-down amazing. In the time it take to snap a photo, the camera scans the depth of the image in front of it, and uses that data to blur the background, and make the subject pop out, sharp. But it doesn’t always work. The depth detection gets confused by glass, for example, ruining what could have been an amazing image.

Today we’re going to use and app called Focos to fix these depth glitches. Focos is an all-round focusing powerhouse of an app, recently updated to support the iPad, including the new iPads Pro. The area we’ll focus on today (sorry) is the ability to edit the depth map, and paint back in the glass or hair that the iPhone missed.

Apple’s flagship iPhone for 2019 will come with a number of surprising design changes, according to one analyst.

Fans can expect USB-C connectivity and a smaller notch, as well as the return of Touch ID. Those hoping for “lightning-fast charging” and expandable storage will be disappointed, however.

A White House official said today China is stealing Apple technology secrets but did not provide specific details.

National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow made the comment during a wide-ranging interview with Bloomberg that included U.S. trade tensions with China.

Investing in the stock market invariably carries a degree of risk. But one New York-based legal firm isn’t happy with the way Apple conducted itself during the recent stock-plummeting revelations about the company’s missed earnings guidance.

The firm of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims from shareholders that Apple might have violated federal securities laws.

No matter how good the optics on iPhone get, at the end of the day it still feels like a phone. DSLR cameras are build to be durable and easy to hold, so why shouldn’t our iPhones work the same way? With this protective battery case, they can.

Qualcomm has posted a bond of 1.34 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to enforce a German court order halting several iPhone models from selling in the country.

Apple is appealing the court’s December 20, 2018 ruling, although it declined to comment on Qualcomm’s latest move.

Samsung has a number of new monitors lined up for CES 2019, including one that’s perfect for Mac mini owners with small desks. It’s called the Samsung Space Monitor — and it’s a beauty.

Not only does the Space Monitor sport a super-slim design, but it can be clamped to the edge of your desk, negating the need for a large foot that takes up precious space.

Apple shares suffered their worst day since January 2013 yesterday, declining almost 10 percent in a single day. Since its valuation peak of $1.1 trillion in 2018, Apple has lost approximately $450 billion of its market cap.

Having been the world’s most valuable public company, Apple now sits behind Microsoft, Amazon and Google parent company Alphabet among the top-valued tech giants.

Huawei has demoted two employees over a Twitter update sent from an iPhone.

The New Year message, which has since been deleted, was mocked for being published “via Twitter for iPhone.” But Huawei isn’t the only smartphone maker that’s been caught using a rival’s devices.

Apple has unveiled a new “silver wing grey” pair of Beats Solo3 wireless headphones to commemorate the Chinese New Year.

The headphones, which are only available in China, are one of the items highlighted in Apple’s Chinese New Year gift guide. Apple also showcases the iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, Apple Watch and iPad Pro as hot ticket items — along with third-party products like the Lifeprint photo printer and DJI Osmo gimbal video camera.

Search engine optimization remains one of the most important parts of connecting to eyeballs online. Maybe you think you’ve got it down, but there is plenty for anybody to learn about the art and science of SEO. And with this huge bundle of SEO courses, you can, at a fraction the usual price.

The Apple App Store had its best week ever between between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. And New Year’s Day was the best single day of sales ever.

This is just the kind of news the company needs, as Pres. Trump’s trade war with China is hurting iPhone, iPad, and Mac sales in that country.

mophie just unveiled a pair of external batteries designed to supply up to 18W of power. They can give recent iPhone models up to a 50 percent charge in half an hour.

This is possible because the new powerstation PD and PD XL each have a USB-C port, enabling them to transfer more power than older USB-A ports.

Epic Games is gifting Fortnite fans a free glider following confusion over its latest event.

Many players believed they had until January 3 or 4 to complete the recent 14 Days of Fortnite challenges, and when it came to an end on January 1, they missed out on the festive rewards. The best item on offer will now be distributed for free.

Apple is set to make 5 billion dollars less this quarter than it previously expected. That’s a pretty big deal, and it’s down to two major things. One was an “economic weakness in some emerging markets.” The other was that Apple said it sold “fewer iPhone upgrades than we had anticipated.”

That second one is very interesting. Why aren’t people upgrading? There are two possibilities. One is that they’re switching to Android. The other is that people are holding onto their old iPhones for much longer. Why’s that?

A 20-year-old Florida woman discovered the health benefits of owning an Apple Watch when it indirectly saved her life as her flipped car was filling with water.

Amanda Antonio told first responders in Hillsborough County, Fla., that she used her Apple Watch to locate her iPhone to call 9-1-1 after her car rolled in a ditch full of mud and water.

A Goldman Sachs analyst thinks Apple’s revised earnings guidance might be the start of a longer-term story. According to Rod Hall, Apple could slash numbers even further later in the year, due to lowered expectations about iPhone sales.

Hall goes on to liken Apple to Nokia, a fallen giant in the mobile game. The company ruled the market early on, only to run into problems.

Apple’s often baffling App Store ban hammer has fallen again.

Developer Rusty Lake has had all of its games pulled for supposedly being spam and “looking identical” — despite the fact that they are genuine (and popular) games. It has told fans that it hopes this is an automated removal and that its titles will be back soon.

Tim Cook elaborated on some of the reasons for Apple’s declining iPhone sales during an interview with CNBC Fast Money’s Josh Lipton.

Cook said that the shortfall on Apple’s part is entirely related to the iPhone, and primarily its performance (or lack thereof) in Greater China. However, he also touched on several other issues — including the challenges of Apple’s battery replacement program.

Tim Cook is reportedly hosting an all-hands meeting with every Apple employee today about the revelations regarding stalling iPhone sales.

The news caused Apple shares to plummet in after-hours trading, taking some Apple suppliers with it. As part of the meeting, Cook will spell out what the news means, and take questions from employees.