iPhone X - page 12

Developers must ensure apps are optimized for iPhone X

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Guidelines
The notch isn't going away anytime soon!
Photo: Apple

Apple wants iOS developers to make sure that they are creating their new apps with the iPhone X in mind.

According to the company’s newly updated developer guidelines, all apps submitted to the App Store from April 2018 onwards must be sure to support the iPhone X’s edge-to-edge Super Retina display, as well as accommodating the still-controversial “notch.”

iPhone’s controversial notch could shrink in 2018

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Apple Watch
You’ll want this year’s iPhone for its cameras.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone’s controversial “notch” will get smaller this year, according to one group of investors.

Apple is expected to integrate Face ID into all three handsets it has planned for 2018. A smaller TrueDepth sensor means the cutout at the top of the iPhone’s display won’t need to be quite so big.

Zens brings super-fast wireless charging to your iPhone

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zens wireless stand
Did you ever dream that wireless charging could be up to 50% faster?
Photo: Zens

Ever since the iOS 11.2 update back in November 2017, the iPhones 8 and X have supported “wireless” fast charging. This allows inductive charging mats to pour 7.5 watts of battery-juicing power into Apple’s latest iPhones. Previous to that, Qi charging mats could only supply a pathetic five watts of charging power. To take advantage of this, you’ll need a charger capable of Apple Fast Charging. Zens has a few new gadgets that will do just that. Let’s take a look.

Apple’s latest videos show off iPhone X’s portrait selfies

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Portrait Lighting in selfies. Humankind can now sit back and relax.
Portrait Lighting in selfies. Humankind can now sit back and relax.
Photo: Apple

Apple published a new set of videos today giving iPhone X owners some more tips on how to get the most out Apple’s most advanced camera ever.

The new videos show how to take advantage of the new Portrait mode selfies feature on the iPhone X and the best way to edit them. There’s also a new tutorial for Live Photos that shows you how to create a bounce photo which is a lot like Instagram’s boomerang feature.

Check ’em out:

What you should know about HomePod, before you buy, on The CultCast

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X-ray view of HomePod
Is HomePod nearing its end, or just getting started?
Photo: Apple

The HomePod reviews have been coming out hot and heavy, and they’re surprising. This week on The CultCast, we’ll tell you what people like, love and hate about Apple’s new speaker. If you’re planning on buying one, don’t miss our discussion. Plus: Something strange is happening at Apple HQ … we elaborate; 150 new kickass emojis are coming to your iPhone; and we pitch you the movies, gadgets and food we can’t get enough of in all-new 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.

This simple machine recycles plastic bottles into iPhone cases

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iphone case creator
The mold alongside some of the iPhone cases created.
Photo: PhonBloks

Plastic bottles are one of the biggest sources of polution in the world, but a briliant inventor has created a brilliant solution to get rid of it: turn all the old plastic into iPhone cases.

Phonebloks creator Dave Hakkens recently revealed his latest creation that uses CNC-milled tools to recycle milk bottles, coffee tops and other used plastics to give them a second life rather than wasting away in a landfill.

Check it out:

This cheap iPhone X clone comes with a massive battery

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U18
It looks just like the iPhone X.
Photo: Oukitel

Battery life on the iPhone X got you down? Consider downgrading to an iPhone X knock-off fresh out of China.

The Chinese company Oukitel unveiled its newest iPhone copycat this week that comes with a lot of the same features for a fraction of the cost, including a vertically stacked dual-lens camera and face unlocking.

Samsung Galaxy S9 photos leak online ahead of unveiling

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Samsung galaxy
This is the Samsung Galaxy S9.
Photo: Evan Blass/Twitter

The iPhone X’s biggest competition of 2018 is nearly here and unfortunately for Samsung, the unveiling won’t be much of a surprise.

Photos of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S9 leaked online today revealing some of the new features Samsung has copied from Apple, along with some new colors the iPhone can’t match.

Check it out:

Apple investigates iPhone X’s incoming call bug

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iPhone buggy software
The bugs keep on coming.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is investigating another iPhone X bug that’s causing users to miss incoming calls.

Some report that their device refuses to wake when a call is received, leaving them unable to answer it. It appears the problem surfaced in December but Apple has only just acknowledged the complaints.

Cult of Mac Magazine: 5 things Apple needs to fix in iOS 12, and more!

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cover
In this week's Cult of Mac Magazine, we give you five things that should be at the top of Apple's repair list for iPhone X.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

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.

Apple’s big plans for iOS 12, this week on The CultCast

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CultCast 321
iOS 12 is up for some big changes.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s got big plans for iOS 12, and we’ll tell you all about them this week on The CultCast. Plus: New details tell us more about 2018’s iPhone X Plus; Nintendo says a new Mario Kart is coming to iOS; Apple works to bring iPad apps to Mac; and don’t miss our review of the Elgato Stream Deck, a must-have accessory for you Twitch, Mixer and YouTube streamers.

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.

The biggest takeaways from Apple’s record-breaking Q1 earnings

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European Commission could get even tougher on tech in 2020
European Commission could get even tougher on tech in 2020
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple made more money last quarter than it ever has in the company’s history, but despite bringing home $88.3 billion in revenue, not all investors were impressed.

Wall Street walked away from Apple’s Q1 2018 earnings with mixed reviews. Money and cash is at an all-time high, yet there are some worrying signs that iPhone sales are about to hit another slump and new products like HomePod aren’t doing much to excite the market.

Here are the five biggest takeaways from today’s call:

Apple earnings live blog: iPhone X sales revealed at last

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Apple earnings
Apple's Q1 earnings are going to be huge!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The first Apple earnings report of 2018 is already here. Based on analysts’ expectations, it will probably be Apple’s biggest earnings ever.

Thanks to the high price of the iPhone X and the holiday shopping season, Apple is set to rake in record-setting profits this quarter. Wall Street is eager to know what Apple plans to do with all its cash, especially now that it is bringing more than $200 billion back home from overseas.

Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri are set to get on the phone with investors at 2 p.m. Pacific to talk about all the numbers. Per usual, we’ll be right here live-blogging all the action with up-to-the-minute analysis on all of the juicy new nuggets.

Come join us:

Apple’s record-breaking Q1 earnings fall short of expectations

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Apple waives developer fees for nonprofits, others in 8 additional countries
Apple waives developer fees for nonprofits, others in 8 additional countries
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhone X sales did not come in as strong last holiday season as investors hoped. Apple just posted its Q1 2018 earnings, and iPhone sales declined compared to the same quarter a year ago. Everyone on Wall Street seemed to expect an increase.

Still, there’s a silver lining: Despite the weaker iPhone sales, Apple made a record-setting $88.3 billion in revenue during the quarter. CEO Tim Cook says the iPhone X defied the company’s expectations, leading to Apple’s best quarter in history.

Apple’s new short film will make you cry in Three Minutes

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iphone
Three Minutes is a unique Chinese New Year story shot on iPhone X by director Peter Chan.
Photo: Apple

What would you do if your family reunion only lasted three minutes?

That’s the concept for Apple’s heartwarming new short film, Three Minutes, that celebrates Chinese New Year. The entire film tells the story of a mom who works as a train conductor on one of China’s longest routes. Her entire route takes six days to complete and she only gets to spend three minutes with her son and sister at one of the stops. What they do during that short time will shock you.

Prepare to have your heart strings pulled:

What to expect from Apple’s first earnings call of 2018

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Earnings call
Apple's Q1 2020 earnings report will probably break some records.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The first big Apple earnings report for 2018 is nearly here. And, based on analysts’ expectations, it will likely be Apple’s biggest moneymaking quarter ever.

After weeks of waiting, investors will finally get their first look at how well the iPhone X is selling. Apple’s holiday sales probably hit historic levels. But with recent reports that Apple slashed iPhone X orders in half, there could be quite a few surprises in store.

As usual, Cult of Mac will be here to liveblog all the action as it transpires on Thursday, February 1, at 2 p.m. Pacific. Get ready to watch for these six things during the call:

Easily convert Live Photos into GIFs in iOS 11 [Quick Tips]

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iPhone X Live Photos

Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Live Photos are great. They can capture special moments in a way that some pictures just can’t. The little movie clips that play when you force-touch a Live Photo can show the joy or wonder of the image. But therein lies the problem. They’re basically video clips embedded into photos, which makes sharing them to non-iOS users a nightmare.

A plethora of apps can convert Live Photos into GIFs or a standard video clip, but iOS 11 makes it even easier. Check out our video below to see how to quickly convert a Live Photo into a GIF.

iPhone just hit its highest ever share of the U.S. phone market

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iPhone X standing
iPhone X market share reportedly isn't suffering in the U.S.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple smartphone market share has reportedly risen from 37 percent to 44 percent in the U.S., representing its highest point in history on Apple’s home turf.

According to research from Counterpoint’s Market Pulse program, Apple shipped a record 22 million iPhones in the 2017 holiday quarter, representing the first time the company has ever achieved this. While iPhone X may be weaker than expected worldwide, the report claims that this lower demand is not the case in the U.S.

Is iPhone X demand really weaker than anticipated?

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iPhone X
Ready to ditch your iPhone X already? There's still time to get a great price!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Demand for iPhone X has nosedived since the holidays, according to recent reports, which wiped $46 billion off Apple’s market value in under a week. But is that really true? Was Apple really anticipating sales of 40 million units in the second quarter of 2018?

Let’s take a more realistic look.