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EPIX NOW

EPIX launches standalone streaming service ‘NOW’, available on iOS and Apple TV with exclusive original content

9to5 Staff Feb 11 2019 - 11:56 am PT

Have you longed for a television series based on Batman’s butler, Alfred? Perhaps a subscription to the EPIX NOW streaming service might be in order, as the MGM-owned channel announced this weekend the launch of its standalone streaming service. First reported by Deadline, EPIX NOW will join the crowded array of competitors vying for your few bucks per month in exchange for a library of films, four live EPIX channels, and original content.

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Rumor: AirPods 2 coming with specialized grip coating, AirPower launching this spring

9to5 Staff Feb 10 2019 - 11:33 pm PT

A new report this morning — ought to be taken with utmost caution — from MySmartPrice corroborates rumors of a Spring launch for AirPower, and says updated AirPods will feature a “new design” and a grip-inclined coating. The source also calls for improved audio quality from the buds, a black color offering, and an improved design allowing for greater bass response.

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iPhone SE 2 featuring notch and full glass rear demonstrated in latest concept video

9to5 Staff Feb 10 2019 - 2:56 pm PT

iPhone SE might have one of the most ambiguous futures in the Apple product lineup. Its blast-from-the-past design casts it as the final (for now) official iPhone from Apple with a 4-inch display, and although its A9 processor still holds its own today in 2019, it’s no secret an updated revival would do wonders.

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Analyst: Average iPhone upgrade cycle now lasts four years, up from three in 2018

9to5 Staff Feb 8 2019 - 12:42 pm PT

Apple Store iPhone upgrade cycle

It seems fair to say that since the release of iPhone 6, A-series processor updates have been more for future-proofing purposes rather than present necessity for the average user. As a result, biennial upgrades, let alone annual iPhone swaps, became increasingly rare — demonstrated by ever shrinking Apple Store lines proceeding a new launch. Now, the anecdotal findings are being corroborated by industry analyst Toni Sacconaghi from Bernstein, who says that the average iPhone upgrade time has increased to four years, up from three years in fiscal 2018.

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iPhone XS Max Gold

Apple wins pre-suit ruling against Qualcomm as judge rules company isn’t liable

9to5 Staff Feb 5 2019 - 12:28 pm PT

As the legal disputes between Apple and Qualcomm continue, the latest chapter falls in Apple’s favor, as a federal judge has ruled Apple cannot be held liable for patent infringements prior to the lawsuit’s filing date, reports Bloomberg Quint.

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Apple Music billboards go up around LA featuring Memoji Grammy nominees

9to5 Staff Feb 5 2019 - 10:53 am PT

With the Grammy Awards approaching this Sunday, Apple has posted a series of new billboards in Los Angeles featuring nominated artists as Animoji characters alongside the title of their work for which they’re nominated. The billboard reminds us that we can listen to the Grammy nominated albums on Apple Music.

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New renders match rumored iPhone 11 with stealthy iOS 13 Dark Mode

9to5 Staff Feb 5 2019 - 9:26 am PT

iOS 13 Dark Mode WWDC 2019

At this point, nearly every app and software imaginable has received some level of dark mode, even macOS Mojave. As iOS 13 rumors continue to circulate, new renders imagine what the future iPhone 11 might look like paired with a theoretical iOS 13 Dark Mode.

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Apple suppliers continue to report weak revenues as slumping iPhone sales keep on hurting

9to5 Staff Feb 5 2019 - 7:43 am PT

Two Apple suppliers this morning, Lumentum and AMS, are reporting weak revenues ailed by weakening global smartphone sales, particularly hurt by the slowdown within China. The latter of the two, AMS, struggled on an earnings call predicated with a guidance revision, seeing a 58% decline in quarterly profits YoY alongside a dividend suspension.

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Popular email client Newton Mail makes surprise return to App Store following summer shut down

9to5 Staff Feb 5 2019 - 12:10 am PT

On August 7, CloudMagic CEO Rohit Nadhani announced that the company’s popular Newton Mail app would be shutting down come September. Users who paid the annual $99 subscription fee would be refunded, and the app would be no longer. Fortunately though, that doesn’t seem to be the case any longer, as the app has been updated and is back in the iOS App Store with an annual price of $49.

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Investigation launched as to whether 200 Apple supplier employees were forced to ‘voluntarily resign’

9to5 Staff Feb 4 2019 - 11:45 pm PT

Taiwan municipality Taoyuan is launching an investigative probe next week as to whether 200 workers employed at Career Technology, a key Apple parts supplier, were forced to sign “voluntary resignation” papers. The news comes via China Post, who reports that employees were given only three options: resign, retire, or get laid off.

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Report: Apple in advanced talks to secure 60,000 sq. ft NYC Hudson Yards office space

9to5 Staff Feb 4 2019 - 8:43 pm PT

The New York Post reports that Apple is in advanced talks to secure a 60,000 square foot office space in the ultra-premium Hudson Yards area of Manhattan. The rumored office space is set to be housed at a building which is still under construction, and Apple would join other luxury business tenants such as Point72 Asset Management, private equity firm Silver Lake, and various law firms.

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Apple stores some user data on Russian servers in compliance with local law, filings reveal

9to5 Staff Feb 4 2019 - 6:05 pm PT

In accordance with a local Russian law that requires technology companies to store some user data on servers within the state, new filings reveal that Apple stores some iCloud information on local Russian servers. While the information stored is apparently limited to full name, address, email and phone number, Apple says more information is stored locally from their Russian employees.

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Apple climate change

AAPL stock

Apple again became the world’s most valuable company today, but only for a few seconds

9to5 Staff Feb 4 2019 - 4:11 pm PT

It didn’t last long, but Apple (AAPL) was again the most valuable publicly traded company in the US today, bringing its peak market cap to nearly $807 billion. The exact figure, $806.6 billion, was $1.2 billion higher than Amazon (AMZN) at the time and about $200 million higher than Microsoft (MSFT).

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JPMorgan argues Apple should buy Netflix for $200 billion if it wants video service to succeed

9to5 Staff Feb 4 2019 - 9:20 am PT

Netflix instant replay

Despite Apple following the path of what made Netflix so globally popular — creating exclusive original content — analysts from JP Morgan are still advocating for an acquisition to be made. According to the bank, Apple should use its nearly $250 billion in cash to either purchase Netflix, Sonos or Activision Blizzard outright. As for a full takeover of Netflix, the bank estimates it would take at least $189 billion to be completed.

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Survey shows most consumers think Apple and Samsung are leading 5G efforts despite contrary

9to5 Staff Feb 4 2019 - 8:15 am PT

5G is definitely coming soon, that much we know. However, most consumers seem confused as to what exactly the benefits of it are, when it’s coming, and which manufacturers to expect it from first. If you’re a little fuzzy on 5G, read up why you should be excited about 5G right here.

Meanwhile, a new study from PCMag shows that most American consumers are awfully confused about which brands are leading the way for 5G.

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WhatsApp updated with ability to lock app behind Face ID or Touch ID

9to5 Staff Feb 3 2019 - 6:44 pm PT

Popular Facebook-owned chat service WhatsApp has updated its iOS app today with support for biometric authentication, allowing users to ‘lock’ the app with Face ID or Touch ID. Although the feature does not work on a per chat basis, enabling the feature does add an extra layer of security to your private WhatsApp conversations.

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Apple can reach $1 trillion again if it launches a “media bundle” in 2019, says Morgan Stanley

9to5 Staff Feb 3 2019 - 1:50 pm PT

As Apple rebounds from its first earnings call predicated with a guidance revision in 16 years, many analysts remain skeptical of the company’s ability to regain its trillion-dollar status. Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty, however, offers a different take, via CNBC.

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Apple TV

‘Always Sunny’ stars Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney finalize cast for comedy series at Apple

9to5 Staff Feb 1 2019 - 10:09 pm PT

Deadline reports that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia stars Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney have finalized the cast for a straight-to-series half-hour comedy show greenlit by Apple for its upcoming video streaming service. The original straight-to-series deal was reached in August of last year.

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Foxconn will build its Wisconsin factory after all following talk with Trump

9to5 Staff Feb 1 2019 - 4:18 pm PT

Days after reporting that Foxconn will no longer be building its Wisconsin factory, the company is reversing course yet again following new discussions with President Trump. Foxconn now says that it will build the factor following “productive discussions” with the White House.

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iPod touch concept video imagines the overhauled design Apple should deliver, but probably won’t

9to5 Staff Feb 1 2019 - 12:12 pm PT

Although the glory days of iPod are long over, rumors have stirred recently about a new 7th generation iPod touch. While we’ve yet to see any official hardware leaks, a new concept render video from ConceptsiPhone demonstrates the best possible (yet unlikely) scenario should a new iPod touch come to fruition.

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Apple hiring rates show ‘streaming’ careers increasing as launch looms

9to5 Staff Jan 31 2019 - 12:32 pm PT

As Apple seeks a company-wide transition from being known primarily as the iPhone maker to a Services provider, hiring for its IMG (Interactive Media Group) has hit a peak in January, with over 40 openings available. Further, job titles including the word “streaming” have slowly increased.

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Apple ‘intentionally defied’ iPhone sales ban says Qualcomm as chipmaker seeks fines

9to5 Staff Jan 31 2019 - 10:54 am PT

The legal odyssey between Apple and Qualcomm is continuing to escalate as the chipmaker is now accusing Apple of defying the court ordered iPhone 7 & 8 sales ban in Germany.

Now, Qualcomm is seeking fines against Apple, claiming available iPhone units sold throughout early January in Germany “intentionally defy the court order”.

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iPhone

Smartphone shipments in China continue to drop as nearly 15% decrease seen YoY

9to5 Staff Jan 28 2019 - 11:36 am PT

Smartphone shipments in China have fallen to their lowest level since 2013, with under 400 million units shipped total over the course of 2018. While longer consumer upgrade cycles have contributed to the decline, weak economic activity in conjunction with the ongoing trade war between the country and the United States has further ailed sales.

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Samsung buying 25x telephoto camera company that Apple says infringes on its patents [U]

9to5 Staff Jan 28 2019 - 10:08 am PT

According to the Israeli publication Globes (via GSM Arena), sources familiar with the matter confirm that Samsung is seeking the purchase of Corephotonics, a photography company accredited with developing a 25x zoom telephoto mobile camera module.

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