| Cult of Mac

Scott Forstall told Pandora to jailbreak iPhone to build a native app

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Scott Forstall told Pandora to jailbreak iPhone
Pandora become one of the first third-party iPhone apps.
Photo: Pandora

Scott Forstall, a former senior vice president at Apple, allegedly encouraged Pandora to jailbreak the original iPhone so it could get a head start on building a native music streaming app, according to a new report.

Forstall met with Pandora co-founder and CEO Tim Westergren during iPhone’s early days — before it had an official App Store — and encouraged the company to use “back door toolkits” while “we get our act together at Apple.”

You can now stream Pandora from your Apple Watch without an iPhone

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Apple Watch Series 5 California Face
It could be one of many new faces.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The newest update to Pandora for Apple Watch gives you the ability to stream music without being connected to your iPhone.

The feature takes advantage of changes made in watchOS 6, which rolled out last fall, that allow third-party apps to stream audio on Apple Watch. Of course, you’ll need a device with LTE connectivity to enjoy it.

Nearly 11 million moochers in US stream music illegally

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apple-music
Apple Music is the one major streamer without a free tier.
Photo: Apple

Apple Music and Spotify pushed their paid subscriber numbers to new heights in 2019, but the number of people that share their account passwords is also increasing.

Nearly $1 billion in possible revenue maybe have been lost in 2019 thanks to stream “mooching”, according to a new study that estimates there are 95 million people in the U.S. using a major streaming service.

Fortnite X Borderlands crossover brings Psycho skin, Pandora zone

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Fortnite-X-Borderlands
Think twice about spending 2,000 V-Bucks.
Photo: Epic Games

Fortnite’s newest patch is out, introducing a surprise crossover with popular Gearbox Software franchise Borderlands.

The version 10.20 release brings Psycho and Claptrap cosmetics, a new Rift Zone that resembles the planet Pandora, and themed challenges that unlock free rewards.

And in true Fortnite style, the update also makes a controversial change that many players are already unhappy about.

Apple Music apparently isn’t as ‘intimate’ as Spotify

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Apple Music brand intimacy
How does Apple Music make you feel?
Photo: Apple

We make choices based on emotion and feelings can change on a whim. The best brands understand this as a science and if bonded closely with its customer base, can successfully influence its purchasing choices.

So the marketing team in charge of Apple Music may want to huddle up after a report on brand intimacy released today saw the music streaming service drop from its No. 1 spot from last year to No. 5.

Spotify’s fight against increased rates is good for Apple Music

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Apple Music
The #CancelSpotify movement is a win for Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Spotify’s efforts to avoid paying higher rates is giving Apple Music a big advantage, according to a new report.

Apple is the only major music streaming company that isn’t appealing a decision to increase the rate paid to songwriters. As a result, Apple Music is getting all the love on social media.

The best Christmas apps for iOS

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The Best Christmas Apps for iOS
Our 5 favorite apps for making the most of the holiday season.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The holidays are officially upon us. That means family time, festive celebrations, joyous music and an overabundance of delicious food. To help get you through the holidays, we compiled a list of the best iOS apps to make the most of the season.

Whether you’re looking for a way to provide some entertainment for the kids, hosting friends or family, or just want a way to spread some festive cheer, we’ve got your tree trimmed, so to speak.

These are the 10 highest-grossing iOS apps this year

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Apple removes 17 malware apps which secretly clicked on ads
Netflix leads the pack with $790.2 million raked in during 2018.
Photo: Apple

Netflix was the biggest earner in non-game apps in the App Store this year. According to data from app analytics company Sensor Tower, the streaming-video powerhouse raked in a massive $790.2 million on iOS during 2018 — or, at least, through November 30.

Here are the other companies that carved out spaces in the top 10 non-game app list.

Sirius XM plans to buy Pandora for $3.5 billion

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Pandora is finally catching up.
Pandora is about to become part of Sirius XM.
Photo: Pandora

Two of the biggest companies in the music business are teaming up to try to better take on Spotify and Apple Music.

Sirius XM revealed today that it plans to acquire the music streaming service Pandora in a $3.5 billion all-stock deal. The merger is far from a done deal though and according to a report, Pandora will have the opportunity to find a better deal from another company.