If you’re heading to the store with an Apple Card on Monday, you’d better bring a second form of payment. An ongoing technical glitch means that it might not be possible to make in-store purchases with the credit card.
Get yours for just $149.99 before they're all gone. Photo: Apple
Pick up Beats Solo Pro wireless headphones at half their usual price for a limited time only. Woot is offering brand-new units for just $149.99 — down from $299.95 — while stocks last.
Solo Pro headphones offer active noise cancellation, an Apple H1 chip for fast and stable connectivity, and up to 22 hours of battery life in between charges. And most importantly, they sound terrific!
Japan is weighing up a possible antitrust investigation regarding mobile OS dominance. Photo: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels CC
Japan is the latest country to turn its antitrust attention on Apple. The Japan Times reports that the Japanese government is set to investigate both Apple and Google over their dominance in mobile operating systems.
The report, which cites a Nikkei article, is short on details. It notes that nine out of 10 phones sold in Japan run either Android or iOS. But it does not explain where the problematic aspect of this is. Typically, antitrust involves situations in which a market leader, or collusion between market leaders, results in a monopoly of a particular market. Breaking up these monopolies is intended to give customers more choice.
The Apple Watch Series 7 will boast a faster processor, better wireless connectivity, and a new, improved screen, says a new report from Bloomberg. The screen will have thinner bezels and a “new lamination technique that brings the display closer to the front cover.” This would be the first Apple Watch form factor redesign since 2018.
However, a body temperature sensor that was planned for this year’s update has supposedly been pushed back to the 2022 iPhone. Meanwhile, a rumored blood sugar sensor for monitoring glucose levels is reported as still being several years away.
Wave goodbye to masks at some Apple Stores. Photo: Ivan Samkov/Pexels CC
If you’ve been dreaming of seeing the bottom half of people’s faces in Apple Stores (odd dream, admittedly!), you’ll get your wish starting this week as many Apple Stores in the U.S. begin loosening their mask requirements.
This comes as major retailers are increasingly getting back to normal as the coronavirus pandemic subsides. Apple has been one of the more cautious parties when it comes to in-store mask policies. The likes of Walmart, Trader Joe’s and Costco have already ditched mandatory mask rules. But Apple was said to be holding back.
Magnets in the iPhone 12 series means PopSockets PopGrip for MagSafe doesn’t have to use sticky adhesives. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
PopSockets PopGrips are already wildly popular, and the new MagSafe system in the iPhone 12 series improved on the design. Instead of having to attach with adhesive, the pop-up phone handles cling tightly to magnets built into Apple’s handsets.
I tried the standard PopGrip and the wallet version with an iPhone 12, and they stood up brilliantly to real-world use.
The iPad mini 6 will reportedly be revamped to add features from the iPad Pro and Air series. Photo: RendersbyIan/ Front Page Tech
A significantly redesigned iPad mini 6 could drop its Lightning port in favor of USB-C, according to a new unconfirmed report. And a smaller Apple Pencil could be produced for it.
The tablet already drew quite a bit of attention because it’s expected to offer a nearly edge-to-edge screen, dumping the hefty bezels in the current version.
Boo'ya Moon, the dream world of Lisey's Story. Photo: Apple TV+
The wild Apple TV+ adaptation of Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story gets even richer and more imaginative in this week’s episode. Having introduced Lisey, the troubled widow of a famous writer, the miniseries starts drawing out the details of the other people who populate its real and imaginary worlds.
Director Pablo Larraín continues to flex his artistic muscles as he creates a compelling fantasy world. And one character in particular proves delightfully unnerving.
The App Store might have to become a separate company from Apple. Photo: James Yarema/Unsplash CC
A bipartisan bill expected to be proposed in the U.S. congress would, if passed, have an enormous effect on Big Tech. The legislation, reportedly called the Ending Platform Monopolies Act, might force Apple to make the App Store a completely separate business not under its control.
Go on an epic adventure in Legends of Kingdom Rush on Apple Arcade. Photo: Ironhide
Legends of Kingdom Rush just became the first new game to debut on Apple Arcade since early April. The medieval fantasy RPG is available for iPhone and Mac.
And more games are scheduled to appear on Apple’s subscription gaming service.