UK Has Worst 5G Speeds, U.S. Almost as Bad

The UK has the worst 5G speeds, with the U.S not far behind. That’s according to new data from 12 countries in tests conducted by Opensignal, reported 9to5 Mac.

The UK was worst, with average download speeds of 32.6Mbps, with the US almost as bad at 33.4Mbps. For reference, the US speed is only 1.8 times faster than 4G. This contrasts with the fastest 5G speeds, found in Saudi Arabia and Canada. In Saudi, average download speed was 144Mbps, or 14 times faster than 4G. Canada delivered 90Mbps, perhaps not surprising when you consider that its 4G speeds are already twice as fast as in the US. The US did better when it came to how often you’ll find yourself on 5G, at 19.3% of the time, putting it in first place. The UK was last, with a pathetic 4.5% of the time. Saudi Arabia again led the way, delivering a 5G connection 34% of the time.

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer Dramatically Quits After Just Three Months

Kevin Mayer dramatically announced he was leaving video app TikTok after just three months as CEO on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The former top streaming exec at Disney also served as COO of Chinese parent company Bytdance.

Mayer was Walt Disney Co’s (DIS.N) top streaming executive before becoming chief executive officer of TikTok and chief operating officer of parent ByteDance on June 1. “In recent weeks, as the political environment has sharply changed, I have done significant reflection on what the corporate structural changes will require, and what it means for the global role I signed up for,” Mayer said in an letter to employees. “Against this backdrop, and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon, it is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company.” ByteDance founder and CEO Zhang Yiming said in a separate letter reviewed by Reuters that the company was “moving quickly to find resolutions to the issues that we face globally, particularly in the U.S. and India”. He said Mayer had joined just as the company was “entering arguably our most challenging moment.”

Will we see an Apple Search Engine in the Future?

Jon Henshaw of Coywolf speculates that we may see an Apple search engine in the future based on several factors.

Apple is investing heavily in search, as shown in their job postings for search engineers. The job listings reveal they incorporate AI, ML, NLP, and more into all of their services and apps.

In July 2020, Apple published a significant update to its About Applebot support page. The additions are very similar to the details Google provides to webmasters and SEOs.

It’s an interesting idea, for sure. It could be an Apple search engine, or Apple adding improvements to Siri.

Latest Version of Fortnite Not Available on iPhone

The latest version of Fortnite will not be available on the iPhone as the court battle between Epic Games and Apple continues. The games maker decried Apple’s App Store “monopoly” and updates of the game are no longer accessible on iOS.

Players of the popular game “Fortnite” on iPhones will not get updates after Epic Games on Wednesday decried Apple Inc’s App Store “monopoly” and said it will not remove a direct payment feature it recently enabled. A legal battle ensued after Epic rolled out its own method of in-game purchases for “Fortnite” on Apple’s App Store earlier this month, rather than using Apple’s required in-app purchase system that charges commissions of 30%.

 

Twelve South Introduces BookBook iPad Keyboard Case

BookBook Cover is a new product from Twelve South that combines its genuine leather case with a keyboard for iPads. BookBook looks like a vintage book. But the big story is the level of protection it delivers. Inside, soft micro-suede protects the iPad surface. Outside, hardback book covers with reinforced corners and a crush-proof spine protect iPad from drops, dings and other hazards. Dual-zippers let you charge iPad while keeping the case closed. As a bonus, BookBook disguises your iPad, keeping it hidden from from itchy fingers even when it’s in plain sight. You can pick one up for US$69.99.

Pixelmator Pro on Sale After Reaching 10,000 Five Star Reviews

Pixelmator Pro reached a milestone on Tuesday: It has gained over 10,000 five star reviews in the Mac App Store. To celebrate, the team is offering Pixelmator Pro at 30% off for the next several weeks.

So, after all the hard work that has gone into making Pixelmator Pro the app we knew it could be, this moment is extra sweet. And, of course, we have no plans to stop, another major updates is currently in beta and we’re already working on something extra special for Pixelmator Pro 2.0, which is also be a free update. You’ll love it, we promise.

The New Fitbit Sense... Looks a Lot Like an Apple Watch

Fitbit unveiled a new set of products today, including the Sense, as well as the Versa 3. You’d be forgiven for thinking the Sense looks… familiar. The Verge has a rundown of the device’s specs.

The Sense has a few more advanced health tracking features, such as detailed heart rate scans with atrial fibrillation (afib) detection via the electrocardiogram (EKG) app built into the watch (still pending FDA approval). In that way, it’s on par with Apple’s and Samsung’s recent smartwatches (though, Samsung’s EKG capability in the Galaxy Watch 3 isn’t available in the US yet). Where the Sense stands out is with its stress detection features, which it’s pitching as something that’s crucially needed — especially in today’s increasingly stressful world. To take a reading, you hold your palm over the screen and start to breath. The Sense will measure your heart rate, and uniquely, your skin’s temperature will be collected with its electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor. If your skin feels hot, chilled, or clammy, the Sense might be able to make sense of why it’s happening over time. Fitbit’s app will score you on your stress level, with a higher score being better than a lower one.

Protect Your iPhone and Enable Qi Wireless Charging with the Magnetic Desk Stand: $69.99

We have a deal on the XVIDA Wireless Charging Desk Stand kit. It includes both a Qi wireless charging stand and a case for your iPhone with magnets that then stick your iPhone to the stand while charging. That makes for a smaller footprint for the stand and protection for your iPhone, too. You can get the stand and case for iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and iPhone SE for $69.99 through our deal.

New Apple Maps is Undergoing Public Test in the UK

Public tests of the new version of Apple Maps have reached the UK and Ireland. Justine O’Beirne noted the change, the first time the update has been rolled out beyond U.S. shores.

In the past, Apple has spent between 16 and 49 days publicly testing its earlier expansions… and the more populated the area, the longer Apple has typically spent testing. All of this suggests that Expansion #9 will go live for all Apple Maps users sometime between mid September and early October. Given past patterns, iOS 14 is also likely to be released during this same period—so it seems that Expansion #9’s release might coincide with iOS 14’s.

Apple Updates iMovie With Comic, Comic Mono, Ink Filters

Apple released an update for Final Cut Pro X for professional video editors. For the editors that are perhaps more casual, iMovie 2.2.10 was also updated. Give your videos a hand-drawn look with 3 new filters: Comic, Comic Mono and Ink; Choose from 25 new soundtracks — in genres including action, chill, and sentimental — that automatically adjust to match the length of your movie; Addresses an issue that could prevent the viewer from updating after duplicating a photo in the timeline; Improves reliability of Redo when editing a trailer; Includes performance and stability improvements.