Apple Watch - page 50

When the entire mobile phone industry heads to Barcelona next week for Mobile World Congress 2018, there will be one notable absence: Apple.

Cupertino doesn’t do trade shows. Not even really big ones like Mobile World Congress. Yet, despite its absence from the massive Spanish trade show, Apple’s influence will loom large over Barcelona’s beautiful horizons. Cult of Mac shows you five things Apple fans should look out for at MWC next week.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Enter to win a HomePod through Cult of Mac Deals. Learn how to drag and drop text between apps on iPad. Shop Casetify’s Stainless Steel Mesh Bands in two new finishes — Gold and Irisdescent — in our Watch Store. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

Emergency responders in Elk Grove and Sacramento Country have received over 1,600 accidental 911 calls from Apple repair facilities in the past four months.

The calls waste valuable time and resources and potentially slow down the response to genuine emergencies. The problem seems to have been introduced by iOS 11, which added an Emergency SOS shortcut to iPhone and Apple Watch.

Members of Apple’s public beta testing program can already get in on the latest iOS 11.3 beta build that was seeded to developers yesterday.

Apple released iOS 11.3 public beta 3 today that brings a number of new features to the iPhone and iPad as well as a bunch of bug fixes. There’s also a public beta available for macOS 10.13.4 beta 3 available this morning along with the third beta of watchOS 4.3 for developers.

Who said innovation was dead at Apple? Certainly not Fast Company, which just named the iPhone-maker the world’s most innovative company for 2018.

Apple secured the top spot “for delivering the future today.” AirPods, Apple Watch Series 3, ARKit, and iPhone X were recognized as its best products from the past year.

Rivals like Google and Samsung didn’t make the list.

Nike+ Run Club has picked up a new Challenges feature that aims to keep you motivated.

Much like the Activity app on Apple Watch, Challenges gives you weekly and monthly goals and rewards you with achievements when you reach them. You can also see how you stack up against the global community of Run Club users.

Best List: Crocodilus Apple Watch band by Strapa

This crocodile Apple Watch strap is a total crock. But in a good way! Made of Italian calfskin leather but stamped to look like crocodile skin, this beefy Apple Watch band looks exotic but costs a fraction of what a real reptile hide would set you back.

Plus, this President’s Day Weekend only, save 20 percent on the Crocodilus in our Watch Store.

There are boatloads of smart speakers out there, but nothing quite like HomePod. Like many Apple products that came before it, HomePod is here to revolutionize an industry. It’s certainly not first to market, but Cupertino’s plan is to make all HomePod competitors insignificant. The new Apple smart speaker uses cutting-edge technology that delivers outstanding sound quality to do just that.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Learn how ‘Hey Siri’ works with HomePod and other devices. Don’t miss Cult of Mac Watch Store’s big President’s Day Weekend Sale, here you can save up to 20 percent on great bands and accessories for Apple Watch. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

It’s President’s Day weekend — a great reason to offer some huge savings on top-brand Apple Watch bands over the holiday.

In a few clicks, you’ll find incredible savings on Apple Watch bands and accessories during Cult of Mac Watch Store’s biggest sale since Black Friday — three days of massive savings.

We’ve rounded up some amazing brands for this huge sale including: OleksynPrannyk, E3 Supply Co., Rilee & Lo, Strapa, Clessant, Just Mobile and more. These brands are offering up to 20 percent off regular prices!

Rest-assured that bands sold in our Watch Store are high-quality and recommended by Cult of Mac — we’ve touched, worn, reviewed and recommend everything we sell. Sale ends Monday at midnight. Happy shopping!

Apple is pushing Apple Watch owners to get healthier with a new “Close Your Rings” webpage.

It teaches you why it’s important to take advantage of the activity and fitness tracking features on your Watch. “It’s such a simple and fun way to live a healthier day,” Apple says.

There’s no better time than now to get a cheap deal on the Apple Watch Series 3, now that Apple is starting to sell refurbished units.

Apple’s online store stocked up on refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 units this week, giving customers the opportunity to get Cupertino’s best wearable at a discount.

It’s all very well to know how far you ran, cycled and swam. But the whole point of exercise is not just to clock the miles. It’s supposed to make you more fit. So, how do you know if all those sweaty miles are actually doing any good? One way is by measuring your heart rate recovery time.

Fortunately, watchOS 4 provides a reliable way to see this data, and thus monitor changes in your fitness level. Here’s how you can use Apple Watch to keep your workout goals on track.

Note: Buy two nylon Apple Watch bands from Nyloon for $65. Regularly priced at $38.95 each. Sale ends Tuesday, February 13 at midnight. Use code Nyloon65 at checkout. 

Nyloon just introduced six fun new designs to its collection of nylon Apple Watch bands right on time for spring shopping. Best yet, these bands compare in quality to Apple’s nylon offering, and cost ten bucks less.

Check out Watch Store’s full lineup of Nylon bands for Apple Watch, and read on to learn more about these must-have straps. Buy two bands for $65 (an 18 percent saving). Use code Nyloon65 at checkout in Watch Store.

While many Apple Watch bands put fashion front and center, the Nomad Sport Strap embraces the wearable’s exercise potential. This wide, black silicone strap makes the Apple Watch look less like a smartwatch and more like a hard-core fitness tracker.

After months of delays, Apple’s HomePod is finally available in Apple Stores today. Before we get to the reviews, comparisons and tips, with our latest video we give you a tour of what’s in the box, show you how easy it is to set up, show it off in action and my first impressions.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Learn how to set up Apple’s Health app to unlock its awesome fitness potential. Apple is investigating iPhone X’s incoming call bug. Discover how to to see Cult of Mac at the top of your Facebook feed. And, now until Tuesday take advantage of a two-for-$65 promo on Nyloon’s lineup of great nylon Apple Watch bands. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

If you think the Health app is just another pointless junk app that comes preinstalled on your iPhone, think again. Unlike Stocks, Compass or Tips, it is one of the few apps that Apple won’t let you delete. Set up the Apple Health app properly, and it becomes a powerful tool for getting (or staying) fit.

You see, the Health app lies at the heart of Cupertino’s growing health and fitness ambitions. And with its underlying HealthKit API, the Health app provides the framework that Apple Watch uses to gather data on your daily activity, heart rate and workouts.

But the Health app is more than just a place for storing data. With every iOS update, Apple makes major improvements to it. So, if you still think the Health app is a waste of space, it’s probably time you gave it another look. Especially if you own an Apple Watch. You’ll find it contains loads of useful, well-presented data that can help you achieve your fitness goals.

Something hot is brewing in Apple’s hardware department.

Apple has been busy hiring a record number of engineers over the last few months. The move comes after the company also went on a designer hiring spree, indicating a major new product or two could be in the works.

Figuring out if you have diabetes could soon be as easy as strapping on an Apple Watch.

A new study from Cardiogram shows that by using heart rate monitors on wearables like the Apple Watch, neural networks can now detect whether the wearer shows early signs of diabetes with astonishing accuracy.

Apple Watch is absolutely dominating the traditional Swiss watch industry.

The latest reports on Apple Watch sales figures were released today and even though Apple hasn’t put out its own official numbers, it looks like Apple Watch outsold the entire Swiss watch industry combined during the last quarter of 2017.

Ullu offers a taste of the accessibly exotic with its line of handcrafted leather bands for Apple Watch. The Apple-centric accessories brand offers luxurious bands in stingray and ostrich, as well as its signature Italian leather bands.

Peruse the collection of colorful, artisan-made bands in our Watch Store, and step up your style for spring. Ullu’s Stingray bands for Apple Watch are on sale for $99 (regularly priced at $249). Order now in time for Valentine’s Day!

Apple’s new HomePod is flying off shelves with shipping times already slipping, but some Apple fans are already dreaming up what the next generation HomePod will look like.

Concept designer Martin Hajek published a beautiful new set of renders that imagine what HomePod might look like if Apple expands the product category to include larger and smaller versions of the HomePod just like with the iPhone. One of the mockups even brings back the iPod’s iconic click wheel.

Take a look:

Apple could deliver its first new devices of 2018 next month. A new report claims the company is gearing up to launch a new iPhone, iPad and MacBook in March. We’ll have to wait longer for an Apple Watch Series 4, however.

With Valentine’s Day just a little over a week away, finding a unique gift for your favorite female tech-lover just got a bit easier. Gift her with a beautifully made Apple Watch band designed for women by women.

Bezel’s & Bytes transforms Apple Watch into jewelry with its decidedly-female collection of metal-accented bands that’ll go seamlessly from work to a night out.

Bezels & Bytes bands include beautiful packaging, making the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for those female tech-lovers out there. Take a look in our Watch Store.

Apparently, we can forget about big new features for iOS 12, as Apple is reportedly focused on “addressing performance and quality issues” in 2018. But, this is great news! Cult of Mac Magazine shows you five things that should rise to the top of Cupertino’s fix-it list.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Graham Bower explains why it sucks when fitness apps don’t share your workout data with Apple, while Apple confirms HomePod’s supported audio sources. And, discover how to make Mac’s Launchpad useful again. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

Make your Apple Watch your own with a truly distinctive, statement-making strap worthy of a double take.

The Batik Strap from French company Clessant is a refreshing take on an everyday accessory. No two are ever alike. And, you can take a look at it now in Cult of Mac’s Watch Store.

Apple Watch owners who complete February’s Activity challenge will be rewarded with exclusive iMessage stickers. The event, which runs from February 8 to February 14, celebrates American Heart Month.