Top stories - page 381

In an age when almost every detail of an Apple keynote leaks ahead of time, Tim Cook managed to pull some genuine surprises from the hat Tuesday. Taking the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple HQ, Cook and Co. announced at least three big things we weren’t expecting at all.

This in itself is a surprise. Even though Cook pledged that Apple is “doubling down” on secrecy, most of the big details about new Apple products typically trickle out ahead of time. Most of the main features of the 2019 iPhones already leaked. Every Apple blog and YouTube channel under the sun has been playing with detailed iPhone mockups and models for weeks.

Still, Cook’s surprise trifecta did not consist of insignificant things. All three were fairly big and meaty announcements — and there wasn’t a peep about them ahead of time. Here’s what took us by surprise during the “By Innovation Only” event.

Apple has a long habit of unveiling new macOS versions in June, beta testing them all summer, then releasing them in September. Not this year.

Turns out Mac owners will have to wait until next month.

Cupertino’s marketing department unleashed a slew of fancy new Apple buzzwords to describe iPhone 11 features landing in stores later this month.

It’s no surprise that the Apple A13 Bionic processor in all three iPhone 11 series models is faster than last year’s A12, but what many people might not be expecting is its energy efficiency helps to significantly increase the battery lives of the 2019 iOS handsets.

Apple’s press event today included the iPhone 11 series as well as updated iPad and Apple Watch versions. However, some rumored devices, features and accessories failed to materialize.

Most notably, the company didn’t announce a line of item-tracking tags, and the latest iPhones can’t wirelessly charge other devices. And there are other predictions that didn’t come true.

Apple promises a big performance bump from the square bump housing the multiple cameras on the new iPhone 11 line. But will it be enough to generate a wave of upgrades among users who consider the camera the most important feature?

Given Apple’s artfully crafted presentation, showcasing beautiful work from pro shooters and filmmakers who used prototype iPhones, the response among holdouts could prove seismic.

Are you running the iOS 13.1 beta? Right now, it’s pretty pretty much ready to use, for most people. But with the official release coming up soon, how do you switch from the beta to the official, regular version? The good news is that it’s easy. Here’s how.

Tim Cook promised a “huge” morning full of “big” announcements, and boy was he not kidding.

Apple kicked off its 2019 iPhone keynote by diving straight into Apple Arcade. Cook and his colleagues didn’t let off the gas until they squeezed all the juice possible out of Apple’s product lineup 105 minutes later. After promising attendees that innovation would be on full display, Apple revealed it’s coming for your wrist, your pocket, living room, TV, gaming console, DSLR and much more.

The iPhone upgrade you’ve been waiting all year for has finally landed.

Apple today unleashed iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, with huge camera improvements, an improved Super Retina XDR display, and an even faster A13 Bionic chip. They’re also some of its toughest handsets yet.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2019 iPhone lineup.

The newest iPhone is finally here and it’s more colorful than ever.

Following up on the success of the iPhone XR, Apple unveiled the iPhone 11 this morning that sports a new aluminum and glass body and two amazing rear cameras that could make it the most attractive iPhone to most people. It’s cheaper price tag doesn’t hurt either.

A new type of display allows the just-announced Apple Watch Series 5 to be on all the time. This is also the first version with a compass, and Apple is making its wearable in new materials.

But hardware is only half the story. watchOS 6 brings dramatic improvements, including making Apple’s wrist computer much less tied to an iPhone.

Apple today surprised us with a brand new entry-level iPad. It’s even bigger, with a 10.2-inch screen, and it now boasts a Smart Connector like iPad Pro. But it’s still nicely priced.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new iPad.

The stage of the Steve Jobs Theater is set for the biggest Apple keynote of the year — and we can’t wait to watch the iPhone 11 unveiling with you.

Rather than live-blogging the Apple “By Innovation Only” event, Cult of Mac is hosting a live chat so all our writers and readers of the site alike can nerd out on all the glory Tim Cook and the gang have in store. We know for sure we’re getting new iPhones but there’s still plenty of room for some surprises.

Could we see a new Apple TV set-top box? A Tile-style tracking device called Apple Tags? An Apple TV+ price tag and launch date? The anticipation is killing us. Apple’s iPhone 11 keynote kicks off Tuesday at 10 a.m. Pacific. Of course, we’ll be getting wild in the chat beforehand, so come in and join the fun.

During today’s big iPhone 11 event, Apple will show us its latest hardware and more. And, as always, you can watch the show live. We’re expecting to learn all about the new iPhone 11, or iPhone Pro, or whatever it’ll be called. Also expected is an update on the incredible new iOS 13, and perhaps another peek at — or evan a launch date for — the new Mac Pro.

Whether you’re watching on your Mac, your iPhone or iPad, or your Apple TV, we’ll show you how to tune in. You can even show up at an Apple store and watch it on the big screen!

Note: Cult of Mac will not be live-blogging the action — instead, you can follow along on Twitter, or join us in our IRC chat room for a watch party.

iPhone shipments are expected to slide by a whopping 15% in 2019, thanks in part to a lack of 5G connectivity, researchers say. But it won’t be long before sales are on the up again.

A more significant upgrade to the iPhone lineup in 2020 could allow Apple to enjoy rare growth in an increasingly saturated market.

Apple will almost certainly answer the last burning questions about its upcoming streaming video service at a big press event tomorrow: we’ll finally get the price and the debut date.

But there’s a phrase that probably won‘t be uttered when talking about Apple TV+: binge watching.

Continue reading

On the eve of Apple’s “By Innovation Only” press event, a highly respected analyst just threw cold water on reports that the iPhone 11 will have a pair of exciting features borrowed from competing handsets.

Ming-Chi Kuo says the next iOS devices will have neither reverse wireless charging nor Apple Pencil support.

A whole lot of innovation is in the offing for Apple’s biggest hardware event of the year. CEO Tim Cook recently promised that Apple will unleash its strongest product lineup ever, and next week’s “By Innovation Only” event could be just the tip of the iceberg.

Thanks to a glut of leaked info, we have a pretty solid idea about what new hardware to expect during the event. iPhones obviously will steal the spotlight, but Apple might unleash a few surprises as well.

This is what we think we’ll see during the 2019 iPhone keynote, which starts at 10 a.m. Pacific on September 10. Apple will live-stream it from the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

Apple couldn’t deliver AirPower for reasons we’re still not completely sure of, but others have been able to pull off the seemingly impossible. One of those is Xvida with its terrific do-it-all wireless charging pad.

The Triple Power Magnetic Wireless Charger tops up your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. And it’s available to order today at a surprinsingly sweet price.

The 2019 iPhone models are reportedly not going to cost more than their 2018 equivalents, with some configurations actually going for slightly less. If true, this will break a multi-year trend in ever-increasing prices for iOS handset prices.

Update: Apple just took the wraps off the iPhone 11, which will cost $50 less than the iPhone XR. But all configurations of the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max will cost just the same as the iPhone XS and XS Max.

The Motion coprocessor that helps previous iPhone models track their exact location is reportedly getting such a huge upgrade it’ll have a new name. Code in iOS 13 indicates that the upcoming iPhone 11’s Apple A13 processor includes an “R1” or “Rose” coprocessor that can handle many more sensors.

This is location sensing that goes way beyond GPS, and will be used in augmented reality, finding item-tracking tags and much more.

One unfortunate consequence of the streaming age are the DVD collections gathering dust in our closets. That doesn’t mean they’re not worth watching, but let’s face it: we’re probably not watching them again. So instead of letting them go to waste, why not just convert them for other devices?

Apple’s recently-adjusted App Store algorithm prevents too many of its own apps from dominating search results.

The change, which followed Spotify’s complaint regarding “unfair” App Store practices several months, handicaps Apple titles and has had a huge impact since being introduced.

The Apple logo on the back of this year’s iPhone 11 lineup will shift to make way for a brand new feature, according to a new report.

The logo won’t disappear, but it will be perfectly centered for the first time in the iPhone’s history. The change will allow for a huge upgrade in wireless charging functionality.

Apple plans to stream Tuesday’s big iPhone 11 event on YouTube.

It’s the first time the company has used Google’s platform for a live keynote. It will make it easier than ever for fans to tune into the action on almost any platform.