During its annual shareholders meeting today, Starbucks announced that it will soon allow customers to send gifts through Apple’s Messages app and Apple Pay. The new functionality will arrive for customers in April alongside Microsoft Outlook integration that will similarly allow users to gift beverages through the app. In addition, the company announced that […]

As more apps move to a subscription model, Setapp offers a “Netflix for Mac apps” experience that could be the way forward. One subscription with one monthly fee to get access to every app you need and also discover new ones, all curated so you only get the best options for the task at hand. Currently offering 69 apps (normally worth $2,227.29), you can use all of them through Setapp, free for the first month and $9.99/month after.

Even if you use just a few of the included apps often and the others when the need arises, the service makes a whole lot of sense versus subscribing to each individually or buying outright for what might be a one-time use. And you’ll never have to worry about updates as you get the latest and new apps as they’re added. There are also no ads or in-app purchases in Setapp. Here’s how it works:

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Filed under: Apple

IHS Markit released its latest data today comparing shipments of 350 smartphones by model last year, and within finds that iPhone 6s topped the list as the most popular, beating out newer iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models and all the Android devices on the market.

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Filed under: Apple

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Daily Deals: 15-inch 512GB MacBook Pro w/ Touch Bar $2,399 (Tax NY only), Cert. Refurb 4th Gen. Apple TV 64GB $140, more

Take $219 off Apple’s entry-level 13-inch MacBook Air: $780 shipped (Reg. $999)

Apple’s 13-inch 256GB MacBook Air gets a $259 discount, drops to $940 shipped (Reg. $1,199)

Nest Cam Outdoor is a best-seller, buy it now for $160 shipped (Reg. up to $200)

Unlock your door with Siri: August 2nd Gen. HomeKit-enabled Smart Lock for $183 shipped (Reg. $230)

Apple unveiled a slew of new Watch bands today, here are the best third-party alternatives for less money

iTunes $100 Gift Card from PayPal for $85 with email delivery – save 15% on games, apps, subscriptions, and more!

This War of Mine for iOS and its emotional survival simulation gameplay: $2 (Reg. up to $15)

• The artistic photo editor Trigraphy for iOS goes free for the first time in nearly a year (Reg. $4)
• The popular Ticket to Ride is now matching its lowest price on the App Store: $2 (Reg. $7)
• The NES-style throwback platformer Adventures of Pip: $2 (Reg. $6)
• App Store Free App of the Week: Bean’s Quest for iOS is now available for free (Reg. $3)

9to5Rewards: Dive into Sling TV on all your favorite devices with a $75 gift card [Giveaway]

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

The #1 best-selling 4K A/V Receiver at Amazon gets a 33% price drop: Sony 7.2-Ch. w/ HDR + Bluetooth for $198 (Reg. $300)

• Put Twelve South’s HiRise Apple Watch Dock on your nightstand for $25 (Reg. $35)
• Amazon and DirecTV Now are offering a free Fire TV Stick, plans start at $35
• Save on Anker SoundBuds: NB10 Bluetooth $32 or w/ Lightning Cable $30 Prime shipped
• Olala 13000mAh Power Bank with built-in MFi Lightning Cable $31, more
• Games/Apps: Resident Evil 7 $38, Dishonored 2 LE $30, Doom $20, iOS freebies, more
• Stream your favorite content from all over the web: Roku 4 Media Player (refurb.) for $60
• Sony Xperia XZ 32GB 4G Android Smartphone (unlocked) in three colors for $430 (Reg. $550)
• Amazon is offering the 12-Piece Rubbermaid Premier Food Storage Containers $14.50
• Race to the finish line with all the swag: LEGO Speed Champions Porsche set for $25 (Reg. $49)
• Amazon is offering up to 50% off Levi’s jeans, leather belts, hats, shirts and more from $11
• Upgrade your old bakeware with the highly-rated Rachael Ray Oven Lovin’ 5-Piece Set for $24 
• Get Ready for Summer Roundup: Mini Terrain Sound Bluetooth Speaker $17, more

MORE DEALS STILL LIVE:

Save half-off the award-winning PDF Expert 2.2 for Mac: $30 w/ digital download (Reg. $60)

Mophie Juice Pack Wireless iPhone 7 Plus Battery Case: $70 shipped (Reg. up to $100)

Get up to 20% off w/ these discounted gift cards: Best Buy, Domino’s, GameStop, Toys R Us, Airbnb, Sling TV, CVS and many more

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Filed under: Apple

As someone who runs the latest iOS and tvOS betas on all devices, I was able to take advantage of the new rent once, watch anywhere feature included in yesterday’s iTunes 12.6 update to the full. Have a look at our brief video walkthrough inside to see why this comes as a welcomed new addition. more…

Filed under: Apple

Instagram has steadily been introducing new features to its photo and video sharing service, and that appears to be paying off. TechCrunch reports that Instagram has shared it now has 1 million monthly active advertisers, up from half that in September and just 200,000 a year ago.

Instagram’s user base includes 400 million daily active users with 80 percent of all users following a business, the report adds, and Instagram plans to leverage that with new features.

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Filed under: Apple

If anyone had asked you to describe Apple’s pricing strategy in a sentence, this would – until recently – have been extremely easy to do. Apple aims to sell premium products at high margins to upmarket demographics. The company had shown almost no interest in more affordable products pitched to those on tighter budgets.

But Apple has long recognized that you need a way of building your long-term customer base, and one good way to do that is to get them when they’re young. Apple has made considerable efforts over the years to get its computers into schools and colleges, and to make them more affordable to students through its education discount.

The MacBook Air line too has been priced at a level where it is just about affordable for those who would otherwise buy cheaper Windows laptops – again, in no small part because Apple wants to attract younger buyers whose lifetime value to the company will be substantial.

But as one analyst recently observed, there is now evidence that Apple is aiming to offer lower pricing across a broader range of products. Yesterday’s announcement of a low-cost 9.7-inch iPad was a good example of that new approach …

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Filed under: Apple

Pokémon GO developers Niantic today announced the latest upcoming in-game event for the title with the Pokémon GO Water Festival scheduled to kick off today, March 22.

During the event, players will have increased opportunities to catch water-type Pokémon, which the developers note includes “Magikarp, Squirtle, Totodile and their evolutions around the world,” among others:

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Filed under: Apple

Algoriddim’s djay Pro for Mac already touts impressive features like four track support, Spotify integration, and iCloud sync, and now djay Pro for Mac has been officially certified by Pioneer DJ. That means djay Pro now works with Pioneer DJ’s Pro DJ Link technology so you can easily mix with their high-end gear.

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Filed under: Apple

The battle between intelligent voice assistants is moving into hotel rooms, as Marriott International is testing both Siri and Alexa to decide which will control devices in at least some of its hotel rooms.

Bloomberg reports that the chain is putting the two platforms in a head-to-head test in its one of its Aloft-branded properties …

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Filed under: Apple