Donald Trump - page 4

Presidential iPad proves Trump is an Apple fanboy

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The Trump iPad might be how the president starts his day each morning.
The Trump iPad might be how the president starts his day each morning.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Perhaps Pres. Trump is more tech savvy than many people would expect. He fires off his tweetstorms from his phone, and today we learned he uses an tablet.

Specifically, we learned he uses an iPad. That goes with the pair of iPhones he carries around. Obviously, the president is an Apple fan.

Foxconn is already scaling back plans for Wisconsin factory

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Foxconn Wisconsin
Foxconn is coming to Wisconsin.
Photo: Foxconn

State representatives in Wisconsin are worried that Apple supplier Foxconn might be about to pull off “the mother of all bait and switches” with its proposed factory in the state.

Foxconn is allegedly scaling back its plans for the factory which could get $4 billion-worth of subsidies and infrastructure spending. Despite President Trump attending the groundbreaking ceremony this past June, construction still hasn’t begun and the plant could be much smaller than originally planned.

See Turks smash iPhones to protest Trump’s tariffs

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turkey protests
One protester tossed their iPhone X into a box of matches.
Photo: Twitter

iPhone owners in Turkey are taking to the streets to smash their iPhones in protest against the country’s strained relationship with the United States.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Turks to boycott U.S. products — specifically the iPhone made by Apple in California. Multiple videos have been posted online showing iPhone owners using hammers, rocks and even fire to destroy their iPhones.

Watch one of the demonstrators greet some iPhones with a sledgehammer!

US government bans employees from using risky Chinese phones

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Chinese company Huawei wants the media buzz that would come with releasing the world's first foldable phone.
Huawei is the second-largest phone maker globally, but it just became illegal for the US government to buy its products.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr CC

By law, anyone who works for the U.S. government must give up their phone if it was made by Huawei or ZTE. And federal agencies must get rid of routers and other networking equipment made by the two Chinese companies as well. This is a requirement in the Defence Authorization Act just passed by Congress.

The rule came because both Huawei and ZTE are considered to be too closely tied to the Chinese government to be trusted.

5 key details to watch for in Apple’s Q3 2018 earnings report

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quotes on Apple
Tim Cook may wow investors with a better-than-expected Q3 earnings report.
Photo: Apple

When Apple unveils its latest earnings report Tuesday, some analysts think the numbers may be even better than expected.

Q3 is usually Apple’s weakest quarter of the year as the iPhone sales cycle starts to come to an end. However, this week’s call may hold a number of surprises and hints about the 2018 iPhone lineup as Apple gives investors guidance on next quarter. As usual, Cult of Mac will liveblog the entire call with all the pithy analysis we can muster.

We’ll be watching for these key details in the report (and so should you).

Trump praises Apple at groundbreaking for Foxconn’s U.S. plant

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
At a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wisconsin Foxconn plant, President Trump applauded Apple's contribution to the U.S.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

A groundbreaking ceremony today for a huge Foxconn plant was attended by President Trump. Foxconn is best known for assembling the iPhone, but this plant in the Midwest will produce LCD screens.

Although Apple isn’t directly involved with the production facility, the president still used his speech this morning to applaud the iPhone maker.

iPhone might get caught in Trump tariffs after all

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Hong Kong police arrest smugglers with $1 million of iPhones and other devices
Most Apple products are assembled in China, and sell well there too, but U.S. iPhone tariffs could bring up the cost in this country.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

It was widely reported yesterday that iPhones assembled in China are safe from having tariffs placed on them by the Trump administration. Now the White House trade advisor says he’s unaware of any such exemption.

Import taxes placed on the import of iPhone units could significantly raise the cost of these devices, if Apple chooses to pass these costs on to consumers. 

Tim Cook blasts Trump policy of separating immigrant children from parents

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Apple revenues
Apple's CEO calls the Trump administration's policy of separating illegal immigrant children from their parents "heartbreaking and tragic".
Photo: Apple

Apple’s CEO  has joined the chorus opposed to the Trump administration’s policy of separating the children of illegal immigrants from their parents at the U.S. border. He called the practice “inhumane.”

Tim Cook appears to have President Donald Trump’s ear. The two have met face-to-face, and Trump promised Cook there’d be no tariffs on iPhones assembled in China, even though trade barriers are going up on billions of dollars of Chinese products.

Trump can’t use his iPhone to block protesters from his Twitter feed

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This is the Trump iPhone, but not Trump's iPhone.
This isn't really Trump's phone. But he does use an iPhone to tweet, and to violate the Constitution.
Photo: Caviar

All President Donald Trump’s many tweets come from his trusty iPhone, and he’s not shy about blocking people who use this social network platform to respond to his comments.

Today, however, a federal judge ruled that blocking anyone from accessing the president’s Twitter feed is a violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Trump carries an iPhone just for Twitter

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This is the Trump iPhone, but not Trump's iPhone.
The President doesn't actually use Caviar's commemorative Donald Trump iPhone 7.
Photo: Caviar

Possibly everyone on Earth knows that President Donald Trump uses Twitter, but you might not know that his many tweets are coming from an iPhone. The commander in chief actually has at least two: one that’s just for Twitter, and one or more others only for voice calls.

While Apple makes devices that are unusually hard to hack, there are questions about whether the president is hampering White House efforts to keep the Trump iPhone secure.

Tim Cook told Trump tariffs are the wrong way to deal with China

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Tim Cook met with President Trump last month.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Tim Cook has shared some of the details of his recent meeting with President Donald Trump, during which he reportedly criticized the White House’s trade war with China.

“I felt that tariffs were not the right approach there, and I showed him some more analytical kinds of things to demonstrate why,” Cook told Bloomberg Television. Cook is referring to the Trump administration’s 25 percent tariffs on around $50 billion worth of products entering the U.S. from China.

Apple wants official permission to test new drone program

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Apple drone
Who wouldn't want their new iPhone delivered via drone?
Photo: Eric Huisman

Apple is one of a number of big companies seeking permission to be part of a new U.S. drone testing program, launched by President Donald Trump last year.

With the government now opening up applications for the new program, Apple has joined other tech giants including Amazon, Intel and Qualcomm in applying. It’s not yet clear what Apple is interested in achieving with its drone ambitions, although companies such as Amazon have been outspoken about their desire to pursue drone deliveries.

Tim Cook was ‘very helpful’ in Trump meeting at the White House

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Tim Cook met with President Trump earlier this week.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Apple CEO Tim Cook was reportedly “most helpful” during his White House meeting with President Donald Trump earlier this week. Cook was enthusiastic about the Trump administration’s recent tax cuts, and also had some advice about business dealings in China.

“I really enjoyed the meeting,” Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, told CNBC’s Squawk on the Street. “I spent a good amount of time with [Cook], and then we came back and we visited the POTUS.”

Tim Cook will meet with Trump later today

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
We're guessing the pair have quite a bit to discuss.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Tim Cook will have a private meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office later today, according to Trump’s official schedule.

While it’s not clear what they will be discussing, the 1:45 p.m. meeting comes a day after Cook was among the guests present at Trump’s first official state dinner.

Tim Cook attends Trump’s first state dinner

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tariffs
Tim Cook sat down to dinner with Donald Trump, along with dozens of other politicians and CEOs.
Photos: White House/Apple

President Donald Trump held his first White House state dinner tonight since moving into the Oval Office, and Apple CEO Tim Cook was on the guest list.

The left-leaning Cook might have felt very much in the minority. Trump didn’t invite a single Democratic member of Congress to the dinner, but arch-conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch was in attendance.

Apple spared from Trump’s trade war with China – for now

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iPhone X
Trump's tariff list doesn't include smartphones and laptops.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone and other major tech products are safe from Trump’s brewing trade war with China.

On Tuesday, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative revealed that it was slapping 25 percent tariffs on 1,300 products coming from China related to technology, transport and medical products. iPhone components were exempt from the list, but other products like magnetic hard drives and flat-panel television sets were hit hard.

Tim Cook gives Steve Mnuchin an Apple Park tour

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FBD6AF3D-20D4-4E24-AE27-6FD7B2194CA6
Steve Mnuchin and Tim Cook at the new campus.
Photo: Steve Mnuchin

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Steve Mnuchin, paid a visit to Apple’s new spaceship campus in Cupertino today.

Mnuchin got a tour of Apple Park accompanied by Tim Cook. The Ape CEO has a history of both working against and with Donald Trump’s administration, and in the duo’s photo that was tweeted this afternoon, it doesn’t look like Tim is particularily stoked.

Check out the full tweet:

Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose likens Tim Cook to Donald Trump

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Axl
Rose apparently isn't the biggest fan of Tim Cook.
Photo: Raph_PH/Wikipedia CC

Tim Cook is the “Donald Trump of the music industry,” claims outspoken Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose.

There’s no further explanation from Rose, who posted the message on Twitter. It’s probably not meant as a compliment, though. Rose previously criticized Trump for appointing controversial ex-Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions as his attorney general and accusing the president of “whining.”

Trump praises Apple during first State of the Union address

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Trump and Apple seem to be on the same side for once.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

During last night’s State of the Union address, President Donald Trump singled out Apple as a company that benefitted from Republican tax cuts — and is now giving back as a result.

“Since we passed tax cuts, roughly 3 million workers have already gotten tax cut bonuses — many of them thousands of dollars per worker,” Trump said. “Apple has just announced it plans to invest a total of $350 billion in America, and hire another 20,000 workers. This is our new American moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American Dream.”

Apple spent a fortune lobbying Trump administration in 2017

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Apple took exception to Donald Trump throughout last year. And beyond.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Apple ramped up its lobbying spend in 2017, shelling out $7 million to battle many of the regulations and proposed new laws issued by the Trump administration.

Under Tim Cook, amount spent by Apple on lobbying efforts has more than doubled. However, while last year’s figure was a personal record for the company, it is less than many other big tech giants spent. During the same period, Google spent $18 million on lobbying efforts, while Amazon spent $12.8 million, and Facebook spent $11.5 million.

How Apple’s going to spend its massive fortune, this week on The CultCast

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CultCast Tim Cook money
Apple's bringing home its massive fortune.
Photo: Business Insider

This week on a very spicy edition of The CultCast: Tim Cook is thrilled with the new U.S. tax overhaul, and has some exciting plans to spend Apple’s massive fortune. Plus: Forget other smart speakers — we’ll tell you why we’re now even more excited for HomePod. And stick around for our favorite movies, shows and sausages in an all-new, very weird “What We’re Into!”

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

Trump thanks Tim Cook for Apple’s $350 billion bonanza

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Photo: Bloomberg

Tim Cook finally earned some praise from long-time foe Donald Trump today, thanks to Apple’s plan to contribute $350 billion to the U.S. economy over the next five years.

Trump went so far as to call Tim Cook “a great guy” during a speech at a factory in Pennsylvania today while talking about Apple’s investment into the U.S.

Apple and Silicon Valley continue to fight Trump on immigration

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Apple and other tech giants say ending immigration program would be bad for hiring.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Apple’s not giving up on fighting what it considers to be the good fight when it comes to immigration. On Thursday, a coalition of businesses including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and others urged President Trump not to abandon a program that allows the spouses of high-skilled immigrants to work in the U.S. while they are in the process of seeking permanent residence.

The initiative was introduced by President Barack Obama in 2015, but could be abandoned by the Trump administration as part of its crackdown on immigration.

Apple employees get big bonus thanks to Trump

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Apple could be a $2 trillion company by end of 2021
Apple could be a $2 trillion company by end of 2021
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

President Donald Trump’s new tax law is doing great things for Apple employees’ wallets.

Apple told employees today that it plans to give all of them $2,500 worth of restricted stock, thanks to the revised tax law that goes into effect this year.