New data from a couple of analytics firms shows that it’s harder now than ever to get an app to the top of App Store rankings, thanks to stiffer competition.
But the data shows that gaming apps have an easier time of it than other types of apps.
On a tight budget and looking to buy a new pair of AirPods? The excellent earbuds are currently down to just $99.99 on Amazon — a whopping 37% discount from its $159 retail price.
We’ve seen a fair number of PC gamers converting to one or more of the new Macs lately, including some who let go of their main gaming machines entirely.
Today’s featured setup fits that bill. It belongs to a UI designer who ditched a gaming PC and got himself a Mac Studio and Studio Display to go with his work-provided MacBook Pro.
But he kept a few gaming devices around, along with a suite of Elgato AV streaming gear and a new Sonos Ray Soundbar used, strangely enough, as a wireless desktop speaker.
Money may be the root of all evil, but sometimes it sprouts plenty of comedy, too. Apple TV+ debuted a new trailer Friday for Loot, a new comedy series starring Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph that may prove that point.
And who doesn’t like to laugh at the ultra-wealthy, anyway? See the trailer below.
Mix the classic Frogger arcade game with Raiders of the Lost Ark and you get Frogger and the Rumbling Ruins. Jump through puzzle-ridden ruins to unravel their mysteries.
The puzzle game from Konami debuted Friday on the Apple Arcade subscription service.
Satechi’s USB-C Slim Dock sits on the stand for the 24-inch iMac and adds six frequently-used ports. It also sports an enclosure for user-installed SSDs.
It launched Friday, and is available now for 20% off the usual price.
Apple showcased three Swift Student Challenge winners Friday — out of 350 total — who solve problems in their communities with their coding skills.
The three teens were all first-time participants in the annual app-coding competition for young developers using Swift Playgrounds. The challenge takes place at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple U.S. retail store employees now get a minimum of 12 hours between shifts, up from 10 hours. And they won’t have to work more than five days in a row. These are just two of the changes Apple is reportedly making to how it schedules workers at its 270+ retail locations.
It’s likely these are intended to reduce employee interest in joining unions.
We’re less than a week away from WWDC22, but it’s not too late to take a look ahead to the unveiling of iOS 16, macOS 13, iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9. As always, these operating system upgrades are expected to be the highlights of Apple’s annual developer conference.
Some details about them already leaked out, though. Here’s a foretaste of WWDC22.
Square, a digital payments platform, said Thursday it opened an early-access program with support for select sellers to use Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone feature. It will work with the Square Point of Sale app.
The program will roll out across the platform for all sellers later this year, the company said.
There are cases for MacBooks. And there are USB-C hubs. And external hard drives, too. Case X is all three of these. It clips to the top of the laptop, adding six extra ports and up to 4TB of additional storage.
Byrdbyte Creations’ product is still at the crowdfunding stage, though.
As COVID-19 lockdowns complicate technology products’ ongoing supply-chain issues and consumers compete to find scarce products, Amazon is trying something new.
The behemoth hopes its new invitation-based ordering option will help keep robot traffic from causing inventory shortages, as well as price gouging, for in-demand items.
The new system launches for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X orders. Then it will expand to other products. If it works well, it could end up helping consumers lay hands on hard-to-get Apple hardware, too.
Looking to buy the fantastic Apple TV 4K? Amazon has a sweet $29 discount that brings its price down to $149.99.
This is the lowest Apple’s streaming box has been available on Amazon in the last 30 days.
Apple TV+ revealed that the psychological thriller Surface from Veronica West will premiere on July 29. It stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, best known for appearing in Apple’s critically acclaimed The Morning Show.
The upcoming series asks, what if you woke up one day and didn’t know your own secrets?
WWDC Bingo is back ahead of next week’s Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. The crew behind the Flighty flight-tracking app put together the contest, which doubles as a survey about what participants expect during Monday’s WWDC22 keynote.
Unlike your granddad’s bingo, where something like five correct numbers in a row constitutes a win, WWDC Bingo serves up 74 possible outcomes to vote on. Contestants strive to achieve the highest percentage of correct answers.
And both the biggest winner and the biggest loser get prizes, sort of.
Grab your sword and your iPad to battle the demonic forces of evil in Diablo Immortal. Blizzard Entertainment created the massively multiplayer online action role-playing game for iPhone, Android and Apple tablets.
It’s also out for PC, and players will be able enjoy the game across platforms.
In addition to promoting the new #WWDC22 hashtag this week, Apple has made a special webpage highlighting community-hosted events set to happen during or after its Worldwide Developers Conference next week.
The events are a good opportunity for “learning, networking, and fun,” Apple said.
Apple distributed a new set of fraud analysis data Wednesday. It indicated the App Store prevented 1.6 million “risky” and “untrustworthy” apps from defrauding users in 2021, stopping “nearly $1.5 billion in fraudulent transactions.”
As with other recent data compilations, Cupertino released the news at a time when the App Store’s strict policies have come under fire.
Sources have begun to doubt Apple will unveil its realityOS and AR/VR headset at next week’s Worldwide Developers Conference, but some folks still believe a colorful new MacBook Air could still be in the offing.
Whether or not Apple rolls out a new version of its slimmest laptop at WWDC22, here’s what you should expect to see soon enough, from the latest rumors to new renders by concept artist Darvik Patel.
These days, more people than ever have more than one computer. That’s because many people work from home or do the “hybrid” work thing, toiling at an office part time but working remotely, too. And that means they probably tap away on both a work laptop and a personal one.
Today’s featured setup follows that trend. And its owner succinctly explained how they go about switching between the two machines on the same external display with the press of a button.
When Apple revamped the Siri Remote along with Apple TV in 2021, many people thought it odd the remote didn’t get Find My support. It is, after all, almost inevitable you’ll lose the sleek little device in the couch cushions.
Fortunately, Nomad just made it easier to find the remote — and to hold onto the slippery thing better when you do. The company’s new leather cover adds a touch of heft while also providing a space to insert an AirTag.
The lockdown in Shanghai and nearby regions, and China’s strict zero-COVID policy, have forced Apple to move some iPad production out of the country and to Vietnam for the first time.
The company already expects to take an $8 billion revenue hit in the ongoing quarter due to supply chain disruptions caused by the Chinese lockdowns.
Global sales of smartwatches grew 13% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to last year, with Apple Watch gobbling the largest slice of the pie by far, new research indicates.
Apple’s wearable led in 2021, but new numbers show its lead continues to grow.
Apple could use ultrasonic sound waves to deliver haptic feedback to wearers of its upcoming AR/VR headset when they interact with virtual objects.
Most consumer AR/VR headsets do not provide haptic feedback like that, but some high-end ones feature a basic vibration motor that does not give the desired effect. However, Apple’s new patent filings suggest it wants to solve this issue on its AR/VR headset by using ultrasonic sound waves.
With its Worldwide Developers Conference coming up, Apple revealed the finalists Tuesday for this year’s Apple Design Awards.
The Apple Design Awards, to be bestowed at WWDC22 next week, showcase apps with outstanding design, innovation, ingenuity and technical achievement, the company said.