Report: Apple’s cleanup & stricter review guidelines caused the App Store to shrink in 2017
Over the last year and a half, Apple has increased its efforts to clean up the App Store, removing hundreds of thousands of clone and spam applications. According to a new report from Appfigures, Apple’s crackdown on spam and clone applications led to the App Store shrinking in size for the first time ever in 2017…
HomeKit Weekly: Automating outdoor lights on and off based on sunset/sunrise and time
HomeKit Weekly is a new series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.
As a HomeKit enthusiast, I find myself playing around with a lot of different automations. Some stick because they’re actually useful while others are just neat proofs of concept that prove less practical. There is one set of automations that I absolutely love and recommend every HomeKit user copy: automating outside lights on and off based on time and sunset.
AirPort Express showing up in iOS 11.4 Home app, suggests AirPlay 2 speaker support on the way
With the return of AirPlay 2 in iOS 11.4, it appears that Apple still has some tricks up its sleeve. Readers and Redditors are reporting that the AirPort Express (the ‘latest’ model released in 2012) is showing up as a speaker accessory in the Home app.
This suggests the new AirPort Express will support AirPlay 2 to participate in features like multi-room playback alongside other speakers like the HomePod.
watchOS 5 Wish List: Apple Watch Podcasts, open Siri face, rethought Control Center, more
We’re just two months away from WWDC 2018 where Apple will unveil the next major versions of its operating systems, and watchOS is arguably the platform with the most low hanging fruit left to be picked. Apple Watch Series 3 is the most capable version yet with cellular connectivity and an even faster chip, and watchOS 5 can unlock even more potential with that hardware. Read on for what I’d love to see in watchOS 5:
Amazon adds music automation to Echo products as HomePod lags behind
Verizon Wireless set to offer 50% off iPhone X/8/Plus with trade
From 9to5Toys:
Verizon is taking up to 50% off iPhone X, Pixel 2 and other popular smartphone devices with eligible trade-in starting this week. Those that opt for Google’s flagship device will enjoy a nice bundle that includes two months of YouTube TV, a Google Home mini and Chromecast. Additional discounts are also available on iPhone 8/Plus, Galaxy S9, and more.
There’s a lot to unpack here, so be sure to head below for full details.
Apple’s former retail stores: Where are they now?
Over this past holiday weekend, T-Mobile opened a new Signature Store in the heart of downtown San Francisco. While the shop’s bright magenta signage doesn’t betray the building’s past, Apple fans may remember the site at the corner of Stockton and Ellis streets as the former home of Apple’s flagship San Francisco store.
After nearly 17 years operating their own retail stores, many of Apple’s older locations have been remodeled and expanded as the company outgrows smaller spaces and changing technology commands an ever-evolving store layout. Many stores have relocated altogether, moving to larger and more desirable mall corridors, or across town to livelier shopping districts with greater foot traffic. What happens to these old storefronts after Apple moves out? We’ve tracked down every former Apple store to see what they look like today.
Niantic plans Pokémon GO Earth Day Cleanup events around the world, offers special unlocks as rewards
Pokémon GO developer, Niantic, has today announced that it is working on “host[ing] the most coordinated cleanups in a 48-hour period” for Earth Day. The globally coordinated events will allow players to make the planet a more beautiful place and also receive some special Pokémon GO unlocks.
9to5Toys Lunch Break: 9.7-inch iPad (prev. gen.) $249, Nest E Thermostat $123, MacBook Backpack $10, more
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Back to the Mac 007: State of eGPU [Video]
With last week’s launch of macOS 10.13.4, Apple officially rolled out external GPU support as it promised at WWDC. As we noted last week, Apple has released updated documentation highlighting the details of eGPU implementation.
It also provided updated documentation to better help developers with targeting external GPUs in their applications. On this week’s episode of Back to the Mac, we discuss eGPU support in macOS 10.13.4, including some of the finer details about external vs internal display support, GPU monitoring, and more.