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App Tracking Transparency makes Chinese tech giant Alibaba worry

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Alibaba
Alibaba is a giant in the world of e-commerce.
Photo: Markus Winkler/Unsplash CC

It’s not just U.S. tech giants that fear iOS 14.5’s new App Tracking Transparency feature. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, with a market cap of $646.84 billion, is supposedly very worried, just like Facebook.

A report from The Information says Alibaba invited half a dozen marketing execs to its Hangzhou headquarters to discuss how to react to the new feature, which stops apps from tracking users across websites and third-party apps.

Actually, the original Magic Keyboard will work with new iPad Pro

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iPad-Pro-Magic-Keyboard
The Magic Keyboard for iPad looks incredible. And it’ll be usable with more than one generation of iPad Pro.
Photo: Apple

Turns out the 2020 version of Apple Magic Keyboard does fit the slightly thicker iPad Pro set for release in May. Apple said Thursday the accessory is “functionally compatible” with its newest tablet.

The clarification was necessary because previous statements from the company seemed to indicate that only a new, larger version of keyboard case was usable with the 12.9-inch version of the 2021 iPad Pro.

Heavy iPad demand leads to amazing shipment numbers

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iPad Air 4 comes in a range of colors.
Demand for iPad and all tablets remains robust.
Screenshot: Apple

iPad shipments increased a whopping 75% during the first quarter of the year over same period of 2020, according a market analysis firm. It’s the result of people needing computers to work and learn from home as the pandemic drags on.

Other tablet makers saw strong Q1 2021 growth as well, but iPad continues to dominate the market.

Procreate takes painting with iPad to a whole new dimension

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Procreate 5.2 is “coming soon” according to Savage Interactive.
Go from a virtual canvas to painting 3D objects with Procreate 5.2.
Photo: Savage Interactive

Procreate 5.2 will let iPad users paint in 3D and then view their creations with augmented reality. That’s a significant  step beyond traditional 2D creation.

And Savage Interactive says its digital tool will be up to four times faster on the 2021 iPad Pro thanks to the M1 processor.

An OLED MacBook is possible … and probably inevitable

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OLED MacBook is possible… and probably inevitable
While there’s some disagreement among experts about the chances for an OLED MacBook, most think it will happen.
Photo: Cult of Mac

A trusted Apple analyst recently predicted MacBooks would never use OLED displays, shutting macOS laptops out from the best-looking type of screen. But an expert in display technologies disagrees, as do several other analysts.

iPads with OLED screens have been rumored to be on Apple’s drawing board. And iPhones and Apple Watch already use this type of display. It’s possible the tech will spread to all Apple products. There are advantages and drawbacks to OLED, though.

Some iMac colors won’t make it to Apple Store shelves

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M1 iMac color options
You won't be able to say hello to all of them in store, though.
Photo: Apple

The redesigned M1 iMac marks the first time in about 20 years that Apple will sell its desktop Macs in multiple color options. But don’t expect to find all of them on display in your local Apple Store.

According to a press release published Thursday by Apple, only the green, pink, blue and silver iMacs will be available through physical Apple Store locations. To get your hands on the orange, yellow and purple color options, you’ll have to order online.

Samsung beats Apple to claim title of top-selling smartphone maker

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Apple vs Samsung
Samsung came out on top this time. At least, in terms of shipments.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Samsung beat Apple to retain its spot as the world’s no. 1 smartphone manufacturer, new market analysis carried out by Canalys suggests.

In a newly published piece of research, the firm claims that Samsung shipped 76.5 million smartphones in the first three months of 2021. That’s 24.1 million more handsets than Apple’s 52.4 million.

Looks like M1 iMacs, new iPad Pro and updated Apple TV 4K will arrive May 21 [Updated]

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iMac preorders start: Early on, the purple iMac looks like the hardest to come by.
Apple says only that the new iMacs will become available in the "second half of May."
Photo: Apple

According to (generally) reliable Apple tipster Jon Prosser, Apple will release the new iPad Pros with M1 chips and the faster Apple TV 4K with redesigned Siri Remote on May 21. And a leak straight outta Cupertino indicates the new M1-powered iMacs will arrive that day as well.

Apple showed off the new devices during last week’s Spring Loaded event. However, at the time, Apple kept the launch date vague, saying only that they would be available sometime in the second half of May. The devices will be available for preorder starting Friday, April 30.

Today in Apple history: Larry Ellison calls off Apple takeover plans

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Larry Ellison
The takeover didn't happen, but it still changed Apple history.
Photo: Oracle Corporate Communications

April 29: Today in Apple history: Larry Ellison calls off Apple takeover plans April 29, 1997: Steve Jobs’ friend Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle, calls off his bid to take over Apple.

Ellison’s plan is to reinstall Jobs, who is then just an adviser to Apple CEO Gil Amelio, as the company’s chief executive. He also wants to take Apple private again.

Video showcases what it was like buying a Mac in 1994

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Mac 1994
A whole lot has changed since 1994?
Photo: David Hoffman

Apple has changed a lot since 1994 — and so has the way we buy computers. A video posted on YouTube by filmmaker David Hoffman offers a neat time capsule showing customers at a computer store in Palo Alto, California, quizzing a salesman on a then-top-of-the-line Mac.

At the time, Hoffman was working for a startup called General Magic. As part of the team’s research, they went to a local computer store to watch customers buying computers. It makes fascinating — and, depending on your age, very nostalgic — viewing. It’s a great reminder of how much things have changed, too.

In-app purchacus: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery rakes in $300 million

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Harry Potter
No signs of slowing down yet.
Photo: Jam City, Inc.

If you check Amazon, the Harry Potter books remain big sellers, even approaching a decade-and-a-half since the last volume was released. While Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery can’t claim that kind of longevity, the iOS game continues to be a cash machine three years after launching.

According to a new report from Sensor Tower, the game — which launched in 2018 — has reached player spending of $300 million. In Hogwarts Mystery, players create their own characters, and then guide them through daily life at Hogwarts — including attending classes, forming friendships and rivalries, and more.

5 takeaways from Apple’s latest Mac-tastic quarter

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Mac FTW! Apple earnings Q2 2021: Sales of new M1 Macs powered Apple to yet another record-smashing quarter.
Sales of new M1 Macs powered Apple to yet another record-smashing quarter.
Photo: Wes Hicks/Unsplash CC

Apple did it again. It just announced a quarter where it didn’t just beat everyone’s expectations, it blew them away. The Mac had a phenomenal quarter, and so did iPhone and iPad.

But you don’t have to bury yourself in spreadsheets to get the lowdown on what it all means. Just read on.

Apple shines in hugely successful quarter

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Apple earnings call 2Q 2021: Apple racks up another impressive quarter.
Apple racks up another impressive quarter.
Photo: Razvan Chisu/Unsplash CC

The first three months of 2021 brought a flood of revenue for Apple, up 54% from last year. And profits, too. The company had a successful quarter all around, with double-digit growth in iPhone, Mac, iPad, wearables and services revenue.

A shining star in the results was iPhone revenue, which increased by a whopping 65%. But other product categories increased by even higher percentages.

Wait, couples setups aren’t a thing, are they? [Setups]

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Harmonious his-and-hers setups? Aww.
Harmonious his-and-hers setups? Aww.
Photo: thateconomistguy@Reddit

OK, maybe it’s a tad premature to freak out over couples’ setups being some sort of thing now. After all, the sample size here is just one, and we have no intention of carrying out any kind of exhaustive and exhausting survey or study on the matter.

Redditor thateconomistguy presents a “couples study space” where he and his girlfriend pore over economics research side by side under the frames in which they plan to display their upcoming master’s degree diplomas.

Apple investors prepare for another boffo quarter

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Apple’s financial results were all the company could ask for.
Multiple products are expected to contribute to Apple announcing stellar financial results for last quarter.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Wall Street thinks Apple recently finished an amazing quarter. If the analysts are right, the company will reveal on Wednesday the results of a January-through-March period with significant revenue growth in all its products, both hardware and services.

Russia fines Apple $12 million over App Store complaint

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Apple in Russia
Apple is accused of exploiting its market position.
Photo: Caviar

Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has fined Apple $12 million for allegedly abuse its prominent position in the world of mobile apps.

It claims that Apple gives its own products a competitive advantage on iOS. Apple “respectfully [disagrees]” with the decision.

Era of crazy growth for AirPods may be over

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Apple has big plans for the AirPods lineup.
AirPod sales have been growing at crazy speeds... until now.
Photo: Omid Armin/Unsplash CC

AirPods have been on a crazy upward trajectory since Apple introduced them in 2016. However, that unassailable rise may have finally stalled, according to a report from Nikkei Asia published Wednesday.

The publication claims that Apple has cut orders for AirPods by 25-30% after being stuck with excess inventory sitting around in warehouses. This is due to the ever-expanding competition Apple faces from other companies making their own rival wireless earbuds — many at a lower price point than Apple.

Australian antitrust watchdog threatens App Store regulation

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TikTok continues to dominate the App Store in 2020.
App developers should be allowed to sell app purchases outside the App Store.
Photo: Kon Karampelas/Unsplash CC

Australia’s antitrust competition watchdog says that it may have to step in and regulate the App Store if Apple doesn’t do so first.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) wants app store operators — including both Apple and Google — to allow developers to take payments outside of the respective app stores. This would stop both companies taking commission from every app-related purchase in which apps are available through their online stores.

Tiger kings: New Apple podcast tackles the legend of Siegfried & Roy

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Siegfried and Roy
An intriguing subject for Apple's next podcast.
Photo: Carolhi/Wikipedia CC

Netflix has Joe Exotic and Tiger King. Now Apple is making its own move into the, err, big cat showbiz entertainment genre with a podcast on pop culture icons Siegfried & Roy.

The forthcoming Apple podcast will chronicle the career of the famous German-American entertainers, who were known for their Las Vegas shows featuring white lions and tigers. Siegfried Fischbacher died in January. His partner, Roy Horn — who was famously mauled by a tiger in 2003 during the duo’s live show — died last year due to coronavirus.

Twelve South Forté elevates iPhone 12 MagSafe charging

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Twelve South Forté is available now from Apple stores and Apple.com
The Twelve South Forté is a new iPhone 12 magnetic stand that also charges at 15 watts.
Photo: Twelve South

iPhone 12 users can take advantage of the built-in MagSafe charger with the Twelve South Forté. This stand quickly powers up the handset while also raising it up so it’s ready to be used hands free.

Apple likes the design enough to put it on Apple Store.

Apple AR glasses might not arrive as soon as we thought

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Apple AR glasses might not be unwieldy.
Apple AR glasses are reportedly holding in the prototype stage.
Illustration: Apple

Apple’s much-rumored AR glasses reportedly suffered a setback and might not be out as soon thought. The wearable augmented-reality accessory could have gone into production in the first quarter of 2022, but that’s now supposedly unlikely.

Why you won’t see App Tracking Transparency prompts immediately

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App Tracking Transparency will be part of iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5 and tvOS 14.5. It’s already showing up in betas.
Developers get to say when the feature goes live. But there's a catch.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Apple debuted iOS 14.5, with its App Tracking Transparency feature, on Monday. But if you updated your iPhone or iPad, and haven’t seen a flurry of alerts about apps wanting to track you, don’t be concerned. The controversial privacy feature is working as advertised.

That’s because the new privacy tracking prompt, which asks users if they want to allow an app to track them on other companies’ apps and websites, will only show up when a developer agrees for the feature to go live on their specific app. Until they push it live, they’re blocked from tracking users via Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers (aka IDFA).