| Cult of Mac

Apple poised to launch wellness-focused journaling app

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iPhone on top of journal with text
Rumors suggest Apple is looking to take a bite out of the third-party journaling app market
Photo: Debby Ledet, Unsplash

Apple’s continued march towards owning your personal wellness is set to continue in iOS 17 according to a new (paywalled) Wall Street Journal report. According to the report, a journaling app to document your thoughts, feelings, and daily activities is likely on the way. The app will purportedly also provide insights into how the people you are around influence your mood.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs flips out over iPad tweet

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The first-gen iPad in all its glory.
Steve Jobs did not like losing control of the iPad narrative.
Photo: Apple

February 8: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs flips out over iPad tweet February 8, 2010: Steve Jobs reportedly flips out over a tweet sent from an iPad by an editor at The Wall Street Journal.

The reason? Apple showed the iPad to top staffers at the news outlet months ahead of its official release. While Jobs already had unveiled the device to the public a couple of weeks before, the suggestion that people outside Apple gained early access to the tablet was apparently enough to upset the CEO.

The tweet quickly disappeared.

Inside Apple’s failed negotiations with NYT and WaPo

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Apple News+ trial
Some aren't happy with Apple's tactics.
Photo: Apple

Apple put a ton of pressure on The New York Times and Washington Post to join Apple News+ before the new service was unveiled at a media event last week.

Details have surfaced of Apple’s negotiations with the two major publishers, revealing Apple media boss Eddy Cue was adamant about getting the two papers on board. Both companies declined Apple’s offer, but the New York Times’ COO hinted that the newspaper of record could possibly join the service in the future.

Wall Street Journal reportedly signs on for Apple News subscription service

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Apple News
The Wall Street Journal would be a great launch partner for the service.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The Wall Street Journal has reportedly agreed to participate in Apple’s paid news subscription service. Apple should offer details on the new service during the “It’s show time” media event.

News of the WSJ’s participation comes shortly after reports that The New York Times and Washington Post both opted out.

Some of your favorite iOS apps are feeding your data to Facebook

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Facebook owns 4 of the top 10 apps of the past decade
Oh look, another Facebook controversy.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Deleting your Facebook account isn’t enough to stop some apps from sending deeply personal information about you to the social network.

The Wall Street Journal found a wide range of apps that send personal information to Facebook even if you don’t have an account. Health apps and real estate apps were discovered sending a lot of information to Facebook and the type of data might surprise you.

Apple in talks with major newspapers for subscription service

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Texture
Texture might add daily news.
Photo: Apple

Apple is trying to get three of the biggest newspapers in the U.S. to join forces for a new subscription service.

The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post have all allegedly been in talks with Apple this summer. Apple is proposing that the newspapers join its digital magazine service, Texture.

HomePod meta review: Superb sound, stupid Siri

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The HomePod was a no-show in 2017.
HomePod is finally here.
Photo: Apple

In the first reviews for Apple’s new HomePod speaker, everyone totally raves about the smart speaker’s pristine sound quality. Siri, on the other hand, doesn’t sound so brilliant.

Apple seeded a few review units to major outlets ahead of this Friday’s HomePod launch. The embargo lifted this morning, and the early reviews reveal a few surprising tidbits about the HomePod.

Here’s what people are saying:

Apple’s cash pile heads for $250 billion milestone

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Apple raked in the cash last quarter.
Apple raked in the cash last quarter.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple’s second quarterly earnings report of 2017 will likely reveal the company now has over a quarter of a trillion dollars of cash stashed in the bank.

The iPhone-maker has so much cash its reserves exceed the foreign-currency reserves of the U.K. and Canada combined. During the last quarter of 2017, Apple’s money-making machine was earning $3.6 million per hour.

Apple yanks The New York Times apps in China

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China iPhone sales
Apple's relationship with China is complicated.
Photo: Apple

iPhone users in China are no longer able to download the app for the most popular newspaper publisher in the U.S.

Chinese government officials reportedly demanded that Apple remove all of The New York Times apps from the App Store in China, blocking access to one of the few channels the paper has to reach readers in mainland China.