Manuel Rocha‚ Former US Ambassador‚ Arrested on Suspicion of Acting As an Agent for Cuba

A few years ago‚ Apple made an important change highlighting the benefits of subscription-based apps by cutting half the taxes charged by the second year of a subscription. In a moment where most apps were free or had a one-time purchase method‚ it became better for developers to charge a monthly subscription than relying on a single purchase. It also helped Apple generate more money from the App Store. But while a few years ago‚ we mostly only paid for Netflix‚ Spotify‚ and iCloud‚ almost all apps available now rely on subscriptions. With that‚ not only does it seem harder as a customer to know where to get the real benefits‚ but I don't think we can keep paying for more and more subscriptions just to get rid of ads or to get a main feature of an app. The most recent case of subscriptions going wrong is Filmic. As reported by PetaPixel‚ Bending Spoons‚ owner of Filmic‚ laid off all the staff. Although it's unclear what happened‚ it's possible that the subscription-based method didn't go well‚ especially due to the Blackmagic Camera app‚ which offers several Filmic features for free. A quick recap of Filmic's rise and fall iPhone 15 Pro Max camera system. Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR Filmic was one of the most interesting iPhone camera apps‚ unlocking non-existent features on the default Camera app for the iPhone. Over the years‚ every time there was a main iPhone camera change‚ the developers were quick to add them. Users were happy with just a one-time purchase and found real benefits with this application. Then‚ by the end of 2022‚ Filmic announced that Bending Spoons had acquired it‚ and its business model would go from a license to a subscription-based version. Those who bought the app before the acquisition would continue to have access to the previous features‚ but for the new ones‚ they would have to pay for a subscription. Long story short‚ tiers were too priced‚ and users became unhappy. After the last major update in 2022‚ the app slowed down new functions‚ with the last one being available this October with Apple LOG compatibility – but no external SSD support. On the other hand‚ with Blackmagic launching in September‚ it quickly became one of the top apps for filmmakers‚ and even Apple started to heavily promote this app by using it to record its last keynote of the year and some of its most recent ads. It's unclear if the rise of one app necessarily means the downfall of the other‚ but news about this layoff makes me think we should change how we approach subscriptions. Should subscriptions die? Image source: Apple Inc. I don't think subscriptions should die. As a matter of fact‚ I think‚ in some cases‚ it is a commitment between the user and the developer‚ as the customer shows their support for the app while the developer keeps improving it. Also‚ I feel like offering the possibility of the user paying for a lifetime license is also pretty beneficial‚ as long as the price is not obscene. Ultimately‚ it all depends on the developer understanding what's their public and the customer deciding if spending money monthly/annually is worth it. For example‚ I love Pixelmator apps. I bought the macOS version of Pixelmator Pro‚ and I was very happy when they offered Photomator for free for the iPhone‚ as I was an existing buyer of their app. For the macOS counterpart‚ which is subscription-based‚ they offered me a discount on the first year‚ but I can test the app for free for ten photos. If I edited that many photos‚ I would definitely – and happily pay – for the subscription. But‚ at this moment‚ I feel like Pixelmator Pro for macOS and Photomator for iPhone offer everything I need. That way‚ I don't feel disrespected as a customer and know I'm still supporting their great work. The same is worth it for Goodnotes‚ for example. I've purchased Goodnotes 5. I could switch to Goodnotes 6 and pay a subscription‚ but I don't think my usage requires their new features. Still‚ they let me keep the existing functions – and it's fine. Wrap up With so many subscriptions available – whether for streaming‚ apps‚ or storage – I think it's time for us‚ as customers‚ to rethink the need for all these subscriptions. And specifically about apps that don't include streaming or storage‚ we should understand that developers don't need to work forever on an app. As the mantra goes‚ don't buy a product for the features it could have but for the functions it does. That said‚ if more features arrive‚ good for us‚ but let's start buying software for what it is – and let developers move to new projects as well. Don't Miss: Is an Apple One subscription worth it in 2023? The post Should we rethink the subscription model for almost all iPhone apps? appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Today’s deals: $78 Chromebook‚ free Echo Pop‚ Grubhub deals‚ 50% off Fire TV Stick 4K‚ ASUS laptops‚ more Apple AirTags are only $20 each in a last-minute holiday sale Trending Right Now: A tiny update just made the Apple TV 100% better Leave the World Behind kicks off December’s Netflix new releases with a bang I really wanted to ditch my iPhone for the Pixel 8 Pro – here’s why I didn’t

During the Q2 earnings call early this year‚ Apple's CEO Tim Cook announced that the company had almost hit its services' 1 billion subscribers mark. In total‚ 975 million users subscribe to iCloud‚ Apple Music‚ Apple TV+‚ Apple Fitness+‚ Apple News+‚ and Apple Arcade. What's more impressive is that Apple had less than 500 million subscribers three years ago when it recently released these services. With more than 2 billion active Apple devices and an ever-growing number of subscribers to its services‚ it might be time to consider the Apple One bundle‚ which combines several Apple services but with a discounted price. Here's what you need to know about the Apple One subscription and if it's worth signing in 2023. What's an Apple One subscription? What are the tiers? Image source: Apple Inc. After releasing several new services in 2019‚ Apple announced its Apple One bundle the following year. So instead of charging for each service independently‚ users can get more benefits while paying less. In addition‚ since some services were lesser known then‚ such as the Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade‚ offering a bundle with Apple Music and iCloud would already be great to drive subscribers to these other platforms. These are the current Apple One subscriptions available‚ their price‚ and what they offer: Apple One Individual subscription: Offers 50GB of iCloud+‚ Apple TV+‚ Apple Music‚ and Apple Arcade for $19.95/mo; Apple One Family subscription: Offers the same services but with 200GB of iCloud+. In addition‚ you can share the subscription with up to five people from your family. It costs $25.95/mo; Apple One Premier subscription: Offers all the benefits from the Family subscription‚ but with 2TB of iCloud storage‚ plus Apple Fitness+ and Apple News+. It costs $37.95/mo. Apple says that if it didn't offer the Apple One bundle‚ subscribing to all of these services in the same conditions would cost $28.96/mo for the Individual plan‚ $36.96 for the Family plan‚ and $66.94/mo for the Premier tier. Here's what each Apple One service offers Image source: Apple Inc. Besides the discount‚ there's a lot to take advantage of when subscribing to Apple One. Here's what you get from each service Apple currently offers: iCloud: Up to 2TB of storage for everything from photos and videos to device backups and home security videos‚ synced across all your devices. It also has features to protect your privacy; Apple Music: Stream or download more than 100 million songs and 30‚000 playlists. Experience Spatial Audio‚ and live Apple Music Radio; Apple Music Classical: A dedicated app with the world's largest classical music catalog – all ad-free; Apple TV+: Home of award-winning series‚ films‚ kids' entertainment‚ and more with an all-original catalog; Apple Arcade: Get unlimited access to over 200 games‚ all with no ads or in‑app purchases. Play online‚ offline‚ and across your favorite Apple devices; Apple Fitness+:  A fitness and wellness experience for everyone. All you need is iPhone to access new workouts and meditations every week. Take it further with personalized metrics from Apple Watch; Apple News+: Access to hundreds of magazines and leading newspapers‚ local news‚ sports coverage‚ and audio stories featuring the week’s best articles. Here's why I think an Apple One subscription is worth it Jason Segel and Jessica Williams in "Shrinking" on Apple TV Plus. Image source: Apple I've been an Apple One subscriber ever since it was made available. Even with the recent price hike‚ there are a few reasons why an Apple One subscription is worth it for me. First‚ owning an entire Apple ecosystem makes everything work as expected – Apple's walled garden‚ as some say. While some people prefer Spotify‚ I think the experience with Apple Music over Apple devices is superior‚ especially when asking the HomePod to play my favorite songs. While I don't use Apple Arcade that often‚ it has over 200 games available – and some of them are true masterpieces. In addition‚ the ever-growing Apple TV+ catalog and treadmill workouts on Apple Fitness+ are worth it. I also can't forget about the 2TB iCloud storage‚ which is currently more than enough for my needs. Lastly‚ I can share all of these benefits with my family members‚ so the price I pay is literally well spent‚ as I know most of them use at least two to three Apple services weekly. If you are paying for at least two Apple subscriptions‚ it's already worth subscribing to Apple One since you get more benefits at a similar price. It can also push you to cancel some subscriptions in favor of what Apple offers. Don't Miss: Apple TV Plus: Price‚ shows‚ sports‚ supported devices‚ more The post Is an Apple One subscription worth it in 2023? appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Today’s deals: $78 Chromebook‚ free Echo Pop‚ Grubhub deals‚ 50% off Fire TV Stick 4K‚ ASUS laptops‚ more Apple AirTags are only $20 each in a last-minute holiday sale Trending Right Now: A tiny update just made the Apple TV 100% better Leave the World Behind kicks off December’s Netflix new releases with a bang I really wanted to ditch my iPhone for the Pixel 8 Pro – here’s why I didn’t

Nestled in a secluded valley surrounded by towering mountains‚ Petra reveals an intriguing narrative of architectural brilliance and cultural depth.  Read moreSection: NewsAncient PlacesAsiaVideosHistoryRead Later 

The saga of the perilous journey of the Carthaginian general Hannibal across the Alps during the Second Punic War was immortalized not only by his military prowess but also by the awe-inspiring presence of Hannibal's elephants.  Read moreSection: NewsUnexplained PhenomenaHistoryImportant EventsFamous PeopleRead Later 

The Chinese military said an American naval ship had "illegally intruded" on Monday into waters near the Second Thomas Shoal‚ the site of a hot territorial dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.

The dates for the 2024 presidential debates may be set but political strategists don't expect to see the two current front-runners square off in front of a live audience on all three occasions.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal‚ D-Wash.‚ twice hedged her condemnations of Hamas terrorists raping Israeli women during an interview on Sunday with Dana Bash on CNN's "State of the Union."

Former President Donald Trump continues to dominate the Republican primary field‚ taking the top spot with 53.5% support‚ according to a new Trafalgar poll.

Israeli authorities are investigating claims by U.S. researchers that some investors might have known in advance of a Hamas plan to attack Israel on Oct. 7 and used that information to profit from Israeli securities.