Quick Takes: Samsung Pokes Fun at iPhone X, CBS Launches Sports HQ, Xbox One Games on Mac, and More

by

In addition to our more in-depth coverage of the latest Apple news and rumors at MacRumors, Quick Takes is a new column that will provide a bite-sized recap of other Apple-related headlines on weekdays.

galaxy s9 iphone x
February is generally a slower time of the year for Apple, but Monday's news cycle has been slightly busier given it is the first day of Mobile World Congress in Spain, where many Apple rivals unveil new products.

Monday, February 26:

  • Apple CEO Tim Cook will be co-chairman at the annual China Development Forum next month, according to The Wall Street Journal. It will be the second consecutive year that Cook speaks at the forum, and reportedly his fifth appearance at a major event in China in a little over a year.

    Context: Cook has been visiting China more frequently in recent years as he attempts to strengthen Apple's relationship with the Chinese government. Apple is often at the mercy of Chinese laws, such as one requiring iCloud accounts in China to be hosted by a Chinese data center by the end of this month.

  • CBS today launched CBS SPORTS HQ, a 24-hour digital network offering live streaming of sports news, highlights, and analysis, but not actual games. The stream is free to watch in the United States on the CBS Sports website, and through the CBS Sports app for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and other platforms.

    cbs sports hq
    Context: CBS SPORTS HQ should cater to cord-cutters, and the best part is that no cable TV subscription is required. It should be the sports equivalent of CBS's successful CBSN streaming news network.

  • Billionaire investor Warren Buffett told CNBC that his company Berkshire Hathaway has purchased more shares of Apple than any other stock over the past year. Berkshire Hathaway increased its Apple holdings by 23.3 percent, to 165.3 million shares, according to SEC filings published a few weeks ago.

    Context: Berkshire Hathaway has been increasingly bullish on Apple over the past few years. Buffett believes Apple has an "extraordinary consumer franchise" with a very strong ecosystem. AAPL is up over two percent following the positive comments, and up over 15 percent since February 8.

  • Samsung indirectly poked fun at the iPhone X during its Galaxy S9 introduction on Sunday. During the presentation, the company's marketing chief Justin Denison said "and as always, you know, there's no notch," referring to the cutout at the top of the iPhone X for the TrueDepth camera system.

    Skip to the 18:00 mark to listen to Samsung poke fun at the iPhone X

    Context: While some other Android smartphone makers like Huawei and Asus appear to be embracing the notched design, the Galaxy S9 looks virtually identical to the Galaxy S8, with slim top and bottom bezels that uniformly stretch across the device. The device even retains a 3.5mm headphone jack.

  • A new unofficial app called OneCast has launched that claims to bring Xbox One game streaming to the Mac with 1080p video and low input lag. Features include support for multiple profiles, full screen or windowed mode, and playing with an original Xbox One wireless controller on Mac via USB or Bluetooth.

    onecast
    Context: The app allows Xbox One games to be played remotely, whether in another room away from the TV, or even while away from home by streaming over an internet connection. Keep in mind this app isn't sanctioned by Microsoft, which only officially supports Xbox One streaming on Windows 10.

    For more Apple news and rumors coverage, visit our Front Page, Mac Blog, and iOS Blog. Also visit our forums to join in the discussion.

    Tag: Quick Takes

    • Top Rated Comments

    BornAgainMac Avatar
    BornAgainMac
    45 months ago
    After the Notch joke it was quiet for what seemed like forever.
    Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
    Cougarcat Avatar
    Cougarcat
    45 months ago
    I see Samsung up to their usual Xerox-copying... not saying they don't come up with new coolness here and there, but this phone is not that.
    Their animoji ripoff is hilariously bad...like something I'd expect to see in an episode of Silicon Valley.
    Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
    calzon65 Avatar
    calzon65
    45 months ago
    I agree with people saying it's distasteful for Samsung to rub it in. They should've been classy and kept it at listening to customers' desires. When you're ahead you shouldn't make it a fool of yourself by belittling the competition.
    Are you serious ... Apple belittles the competition all the time, they are experts in the art of disrespect.

    Just walk into any Apple store to hear their rants about Samsung, Microsoft Windows and every other company that makes competing products.
    Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
    Ploki Avatar
    Ploki
    45 months ago
    there's no notch because there's giant god damn bar.
    Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
    calzon65 Avatar
    calzon65
    45 months ago
    Headphone jack :)
    Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
    xDKP Avatar
    xDKP
    45 months ago
    That was some serious silence after every “iPhone joke” he had... Keep it classy dude
    Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
    Read All Comments

    Top Stories

    Pro Display XDR Yella

    Apple Working on External Display With Built-In A13 Chip

    Friday July 23, 2021 9:37 am PDT by
    Apple is developing an external display that includes an A13 chip with Neural Engine, according to a new rumor from 9to5Mac. The A13 chip with Neural Engine would presumably serve as an eGPU, though details are light at this time. Having a CPU/GPU built into the external display could help Macs deliver high-resolution graphics without using all the resources of the computer's internal chip....
    Read Full Article • 225 comments
    airpods 3 gizmochina Feature

    AirPods 3 Rumored to Launch Alongside iPhone 13 at Expected September Event

    Friday July 23, 2021 12:54 am PDT by
    The third-generation AirPods will likely launch at the same event revealing Apple's upcoming iPhone 13 lineup, according to a report from DigiTimes, which makes the claim citing sources familiar with the matter. The report as a whole echoes previous reporting that production of the third-generation AirPods will kickstart in August, meaning a launch shortly after can be easily expected. DigiTi...
    Read Full Article • 19 comments
    discount m1 macbook yellow

    Deals: Shop Record Low Prices Across Apple's Full MacBook Pro and MacBook Air Lineup (Up to $499 Off)

    Friday July 23, 2021 8:23 am PDT by
    Apple's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lineup is seeing all-time low discounts across the board today, including the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, 2020 13-inch MacBook Air, and 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. 13-Inch M1...
    Read Full Article • 15 comments
    iPad mini pro feature

    Next iPad Mini Won't Feature Mini-LED Display, Claims Display Analyst

    Friday July 23, 2021 8:07 am PDT by
    Yesterday, DigiTimes claimed that the upcoming iPad mini will feature a mini-LED display, but now, display analyst Ross Young is going at odds with that report, claiming that while the updated iPad mini continues to be on track for a release this year, it won't feature a mini-LED display. Young says he "confirmed" with Radiant Opto-Electronics, who DigiTimes claims would provide Apple with...
    Read Full Article • 68 comments
    idos 2 app ios

    Apple to Pull 'iDOS 2' DOS Emulator From App Store

    Thursday July 22, 2021 3:22 pm PDT by
    iDOS 2, an app designed to allow users to play classic DOS games, will soon be pulled from the App Store, the app's creator said today. According to iDOS developer Chaoji Li, he tried to submit an iDOS update with bug fixes to the App Store, but was told that the update was rejected because it violated the 2.5.2 App Store guideline that says apps cannot install or launch executable code.Durin...
    Read Full Article • 262 comments
    m1 macbook air

    Kuo: Mini-LED MacBook Air Coming in Mid-2022

    Thursday July 22, 2021 7:48 pm PDT by
    Apple will release a new version of the MacBook Air around the middle of 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in note to investors seen by MacRumors. The upcoming MacBook Air will feature a 13.3-inch mini-LED display, which would make it the second Mac to gain mini-LED technology after the 2021 MacBook Pro, which is rumored to include a mini-LED display and is expected to launch later ...
    Read Full Article • 76 comments
    iphone12cameras

    iPhone Helps to Identify Rare Form of Cancer

    Friday July 23, 2021 4:00 am PDT by
    A photo taken on an iPhone has helped to identify a rare form of cancer, according to news reports. A mother of three from Gainesville, Florida took a photo of her three-month-old son using her iPhone and its True Tone flash, which highlighted an abnormality in his right eye. The boy's mother, a labor and delivery nurse, recalled learning about retinoblastoma during her training....
    Read Full Article
    iphone 13 blue with text

    iPhone 13 May Support 25W Fast Charge Power Adapter

    Friday July 23, 2021 2:52 am PDT by
    The iPhone 13 may support faster-charging speeds with a 25W power adapter, compared to the current limitation of the iPhone 12, which only supports fast charging at up to 20W, according to a rumor originating from China. The iPhone 12 supports fast charging with a 20W or higher power adapter; however, even if users use a more powerful wall adapter, the iPhone itself only supports up to 20W....
    Read Full Article • 113 comments
    iPad mini pro feature

    Next-Generation iPad Mini Will Reportedly Feature a Mini-LED Display

    Thursday July 22, 2021 9:03 am PDT by
    Apple is widely rumored to be planning a new iPad mini with a significant redesign, including a larger 8.5-inch to 9-inch display with slimmer bezels, a Touch ID power button instead of a home button, a USB-C port instead of a Lightning connector, and more. According to a paywalled preview of a DigiTimes report today, the sixth-generation iPad mini will also feature a mini-LED display:BLU...
    Read Full Article • 101 comments
    magsafe battery pack iphone 12 mini

    Top Stories: Hands-On With MagSafe Battery Pack, iPhone 13 Always-On Display?

    Saturday July 24, 2021 6:00 am PDT by
    Apple's new MagSafe Battery Pack is now available, and we went hands-on this week for some early impressions of the new accessory to get more battery life out of Apple's iPhone 12 lineup. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. This week also saw a number of rumors about the upcoming redesigned MacBook Pro models, the iPhone 13 lineup, the next-generation iPad mini, a new...
    Read Full Article • 41 comments