iPhone XS - page 8

Pixel 3 camera taps into Google’s AI to top iPhone

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Pixel 3 camera
The Pixel 3 camera has an eye on the competition.
Photo: Google

Google called its new Pixel 3 “the best end-to-end photography experience” Tuesday and has adopted features and marketing strategies that made the iPhone a global success and camera industry game-changer.

But marketing and megapixels will not be where these two smartphone cameras do battle. The competition shifts to artificial intelligence and how it makes each phone camera perform.

Apple seeds iOS 12.1 beta 3 to developers

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Group FaceTime
iOS 12.1 brings back group FaceTime.
Photo: Apple

Developers received a brand new beta for iOS 12.1 this morning, bringing a host of new tweaks and performance improvements to the iPhone and iPad.

iOS 12.1 beta 3 comes one week after Apple seeded the last beta build to developers. The company also released the third beta builds of watchOS 5.1 and tvOS 12.1 to developers today.

Google takes on Apple with Pixel 3, Pixel Slate and Home Hub

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The new Made by Google products.
The new Made by Google products.
Photo: Google

Google unleashed its latest wave of hardware designed to take on Apple and Amazon by combining its powerful software with custom-designed hardware. And it actually looks pretty good.

Three new products were unveiled at Google’s event in New York City this morning: the Pixel 3, Pixel Slate and Google Home Hub. All three pack some interesting new features that some of Apple’s own products can’t match. But there are also glaring weaknesses in the new Google products. Like the horrifically huge notch on the Pixel 3 to start with.

Take a closer look at all the new products:

A12 Bionic chip makes iPhone XS nearly as fast as high-end desktop

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a12 bionic ad
Apple's new processor is a beast!
Photo: Apple

Apple may have seriously undersold the processing power of the iPhone XS.

After deep diving into the new A12 chip, which is the world’s first 7nm manufactured processor, Anandtech found that the CPU features some big improvements that make it perform way better than just the 15% boost Apple is advertising. It’s nearly as good as a desktop CPU.

It killed me to return my iPhone XS Max

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iPhone XS box gold
I knew it couldn't last, but we had a great time together.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

For the first time in 11 years, I did not get Apple’s latest iPhone delivered to my door on launch day. I’ve been using an iPhone X since last November and I was still happy with it; I certainly didn’t see the need to drop another $999 on what seemed like a slightly better device.

But then I got the chance to use an iPhone XS Max.

I had the handset for just over a week, and I loved every second I spent with it. I was wrong to not upgrade this year, and it killed me to return the device to its rightful owner.

Here’s why I’m sorely missing the iPhone XS Max.

Add a device frame to iPhone XS screenshots with Shortcuts

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iPhone frame shortcut
Imagine your screenshot inside this beautiful frame.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Today we’re going to make an iPhone frame shortcut that takes your most-recent iPhone screenshot, and wraps it in a device beautiful frame. The frame will be the body of the iPhone, so it’ll look just like the iPhone pictures Apple uses on its site. This shortcut requires a little bit of setup (you have to copy some images into a folder in iCloud Drive), but after that it runs with a single tap.

iPhone XS first week sales solidly outpace iPhone 8

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iPhone XS box gold
People around the world snapped up the iPhone XS models more quickly than they did the iPhone 8 series last year.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone XS and XS Max debuted last month, and some versions sold out almost immediately. But that doesn’t automatically mean they’re a huge hit. Still there’s new evideance that sales are strong.

Drawing on data compiled from over 1 million mobile apps, an analyst says that, during the first week they were available, Apple’s XS series outsold last year’s iPhone 8 and 8 Plus by 45 percent.

Hundreds of people are dying from selfies

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iPhone X portrait lighting ad
Be careful where you selfie.
Photo: Apple

Think twice before you take your next selfie because it could be your last.

Selfie-related deaths are on the rise, according to a new study that found there were over 250 reported deaths from October 2011 to November 2017 that happened while the person was trying to snap a selfie.

iPhone XS lineup is great, but not as great as Samsung’s Note 9

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Apple wins benchmark and real-world comparisons of the performance of the iPhone XS Max and the Galaxy Note 9.
Two great handsets, but which is better?
Photo: SuperSaf TV

Respected consumer testing publication Consumer Reports has released its full review of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.

While neither Apple handset quite dethrones Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9 as the group’s top-rated smartphone, the testing results do highlight multiple improvements from previous iPhones.

Power up Apple Watch & iPhone with this all-in-one charging stand

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twelve south
It looks good anywhere.
Photo: Twelve South

Instead of waiting for the yet-to-be-determined release date of Apple’s AirPower charging mat to fire up your iPhone and Apple Watch simultaneously, consider the HiRise Duet charging stand.

This luxury charging stand is fully compatible with all versions of Apple Watch (including Series 4) and all of the latest iPhones including XS, XS Max and XR. Best yet, this gorgeous stand is on sale in Cult of Mac’s Watch Store.

See Ullu’s colorful leather cases for iPhone XS and XS Max

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Ullu's Hand-Colored leather Piggyback Case in Tangerine.
Ullu's Hand-Colored leather Piggyback Case in Tangerine.
Photo: Ullu

We know and love Ullu’s leather straps for Apple Watch, so much so that they are best-sellers in Cult of Mac’s Watch Store. The company’s bread and butter, however, is its popular iPhone cases.

Check out any of Ullu’s social media and you’ll witness tons of A-listers toting around their various iPhones in Ullu’s luxurious cases. From wallet and strappy to Ullu’s famous SnapOn and dual-iPhone cases, there’s a chic option for everyone.

Galaxy Note 9’s speedy LTE barely beats iPhone XS

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Open the iPhone XS Max and you'll see just $443 worth of components.
A new Intel modem buried in the iPhone XS Max brings 4G LTE performance that rivals, but doesn't beat, its top competitor's.
Photo: TechInsights

Last year, Samsung’s smartphones offered significantly faster cellular-data speeds than Apple’s, but a new study shows that the iPhone XS LTE performance almost catches up with its rivals’.

Apple’s latest flagship handsets include some long-overdue technologies that give them noticeably quicker LTE connections.

Rugged Product PNK iPhone case battles breast cancer

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The Product PNK iPhone case is designed to be as strong as the cause it represents.
The Product PNK iPhone case is designed to be as strong as the cause it represents.
Photo: UAG

Urban Armor Gear today joined the fight against breast cancer with Product PNK, a case for all recent iPhone models.

Until the end of this month, UAG will donate 100 percent of the profits from sales of this case to charities that support breast cancer awareness.

Beautygate: Top camera developer debunks iPhone XS beauty filter

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Beautygate
Some people get better looking with age and some get better looking with the iPhone XS.
Screenshot: Unboxing Therapy/YouTube

Turns out the entire “Beautygate” controversy has been much ado about nothing.

Corners of the internet have been up in arms over a perceived flaw in the iPhone XS camera that makes people in selfies look better than they should. Apple is supposedly looking to “fix” the undisclosed beauty filter, but developers behind one of the best iOS camera apps revealed today that such a filter does not exist.

Apple goes big in whimsical new iPhone XS Max ad

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iPhone XS Max
Go big with the iPhone XS Max.
Photo: Apple

Everything is big when you own an iPhone XS Max, based on the latest ad Apple put out today about its new phone.

The whimsical new ad called “Growth Spurt” imagines a world where anything viewed through the iPhone XS Max’s 6.5-inch display instantly becomes larger than life. Cats, golf balls, even babies aren’t safe from the iPhone XS Max’s amazing powers.

Brace yourself for the embiggening:

Beautygate: Apple might ‘fix’ iPhone XS selfie camera

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Beautygate
Some people get better looking with age and some get better looking with the iPhone XS.
Screenshot: Unboxing Therapy/YouTube

The selfie camera on the iPhone XS may soon return your sudden good looks back to your old face. Apple is reportedly working to dial back some of the effects from its front-facing camera after several complaints of unnatural skin hue, glow, and smoothness.

Shortly after the iPhone XS and XS Max got into the hands of eager upgraders one week ago, users took to Twitter, Reddit and YouTube about their experiences with the front-facing camera.

Catch our first-week impressions of Apple Watch 4 and iPhone XS Max, this week on The CultCast

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Macbook Pro CultCast
Catch our iPhone XS Max and Apple Watch 4 first week impressions!
Photo: @YSR50

This week on The CultCast: Beautygate — what it is, and why it’s undoubtedly the dumbest “gate” in the history of iPhone! Plus: How have we liked our first week with Apple Watch 4 and iPhone XS? We reveal all. And the shockingly low production price of the iPhone XS Max proves Apple owes us more storage space!

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

iPhone XR gets go-ahead for October launch

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iPhone XR portrait mode
Thinking the iPhone XR would have been worth the wait?
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR has been cleared for takeoff by the FCC.

Apple’s budget-friendly phone received the FCC’s official stamp of approval this morning, allowing the company to go-ahead with its plans to start taking pre-orders for the iPhone XR on October 19.

Every iPhone ranked, from worst to best

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Nicole Arbour 3
What was your favorite iPhone?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The new iPhone XS and XS Max are generating rave reviews. Having marked the iPhone’s 10th anniversary with last year’s awe-inducing iPhone X, Apple has now set the stage for a second decade of smartphone innovation.

But what about all the awesome iPhones that led us to this point? Which models are the classics that will occupy museum shelves long after they’ve stopped working? I decided to dive in at the deep end and rank every phone Apple ever made. Wish me luck!

iPhone XS selfie cam is so beautiful it spawned an ugly conspiracy theory

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iPhone XS beautygate
"Beautygate" – Does the front-facing camera of the iPhone XS smooth too many blemishes?
Photo: chemicalsam/Reddit

The iPhone XS and its front-facing camera are supposed to help its owners make better self-portraits. However, some think their iPhone selfies look better than they should.

Users are taking to internet forums like Reddit to question whether Apple added an undisclosed beauty filter to the front-facing camera on the iPhone XS and XS Max. Some are even posting side-by-side selfies taken with an XS and an older handset to make a case that the newest iPhone has more than deeper pixels and an improved portrait mode going for it.