Apple, like most of the tech giants, collects a lot of data about you. Not as much as everybody else — since it’s not the single search engine you rely on for everything — but you can’t use Apple products and services without leaving some kind of digital footprint.

2019 is set to be the year Android phones finally get exciting again. True edge-to-edge displays, folding form factors and 5G functionality are just a few of the innovations set to appear for the first time.

Now, a report from Korea suggests Apple could be working on something equally groundbreaking: an ultra-light iPhone Max with an integrated touch display.

This week, Epic Games made the decision to pull all of its Infinity Blade games from Apple’s App Store. For fans of the franchise, it was a huge bummer. An even bigger bummer: if you had temporarily removed the app from your phone, now you can’t get it back from the App Store.

When I first started using PCs regularly, back in the early 1990s, systems using Intel processors were priced at a premium. So that meant my first couple of Windows PCs (we had a Commodore 128 at home before that) ran a Cyrix processor - a 486DLC if memory serves.

But through most of the 1990s Intel ruled the roost. Their "Intel Inside" campaign was one of the most successful marketing campaigns of all time. But the world has moved on and we are on the cusp of a new processor era.

There was a time when laptops were filled with compromises. They were slower and had crappier screens than their desktop counterparts. But times have changed with mobile tech now pervasive and laptops sporting powerful performance, high-end specs and some of the best screens you've ever seen. Each year, the bar is raised a little higher. So, what's the best laptop of 2018?

There are reports saying US chip-maker Qualcomm has won an injunction against Apple in China. The injunction bans the import of a number of iPhones ranging from the iPhone 6S to the iPhone X,. Qualcomm says Apple has infringed on its patents in iOS 11 and earlier, with the chip-maker alleging Apple has "borrowed" tech involved in image resizing and how apps are managed on touchscreens.

Sleep tracking seems to be the next area that Apple is pushing into. Now that they've established health and well-being as their version of the "killer app", the company is leveraging its 2016 acquisition of the Beddit sleep tracker. This sensor sits on your bed and can monitor sleep data for up to two people. And while it's an amazing device - when you consider what it can measure without relying on a wearable - I'm left wondering what value sleep tracking really has for most of us.

Apple has steadfastly maintained two separate sets of software for their desktop and mobile devices; iOS on smartphones and tablets, and macOS (formerly known as OS X) for desktops and laptops. But that dichotomy is becoming an increasing source of frustration to many users. It's time for Apple to introduce a touchscreen Mac.

While the likes of Microsoft, Apple and other well known brands get most of the attention in the tech press, there's one company that has been there all the way since the birth of personal computing. Intel's processors and memory chips have been a foundational part of the world we live in for decades. But with many companies now entering the silicon business, Intel's market dominance is reducing.

Apple's Mac mini is a strange beast. For four years, it was seemingly abandoned by Apple who left it there running on older processor, storage and memory tech. But, for those using one, it proved a reliable, compact and quiet workhorse. But it was in dire need of some love and Apple finally updated it. The new model brings the Mac mini into 2018 while retaining much of what made people happy.

Starting December 1, you can learn a bit of code for free at your local Apple Store. The retailer’s annual ‘Hour of Code’ event runs from December 1 to December 14 - and most Aussie stores are participating. Here are the details!

A new era is dawning in the world of smartphones. The standard form factor is evolving with major phone makers leaking plans or announcing new models with foldable displays that offer lots more screen without sacrificing portability. Here's everything we know about the folding phone plans from Samsung, LG, Huawei, Lenovo and Apple.

It's not a stretch to say the App Store changed the way people purchased apps for mobile devices. Back before the iPhone, mobile devices, such as those running Windows Mobile (and its many predecessors) and Palm OS went directly to developer sites to download installers that were then used to load apps onto devices. It was a mess, updates were tricky and there was no real oversight that the apps were safe. The App Store changed that. But it's also a closed environment that Apple has fought to maintain. That control is being debated in the US Supreme Court and Apple seems to have a fight on its hands.

Google Assistant got a bit of an upgrade on iOS this week with the introduction of support for Siri shortcuts. Now you can record a phrase like "OK Google" within Siri, and then have that phrase open the Google Assistant app on your phone.

If you want to buy an iPhone right now, you have seven different options to choose from. From the brand-new, futuristic iPhone XS to the old-but-good iPhone 7, the current iPhone lineup has a range of devices and price points. I've tried all seven - and while the iPhone XS is gorgeous and powerful, it's not the phone I would recommend that most people buy.

Apple's MacBook Air, until a couple of weeks ago, was an underpowered notebook that had been bypassed by almost the entire PC market. The thin profile, that made it special a decade ago when it was released is now common and the specs were not even last generation. Yet, many people held onto those computers for years because they proved reliable and portable. The 2018 model takes what users loved about the old model and give it a thoroughly modern twist.

Apple's latest iPad Pro range has added something extra to every meaningful spec. They're faster, offer more storage, are slightly smaller and cost more. But are they a valuable replacement for a traditional computer and are they are worthwhile upgrade if you've already got an iPad Pro?

Normally, when we review products at Lifehacker, we try to follow a set format that focuses on the main things that matter; purpose, specs, what's good, what's bad and a recommendation. And while we've already reviewed the new Apple Watch, I've had the chance to use it in a situation I didn't really anticipate - as a replacement for an iPhone. This is the first Apple Watch I've had with cellular comms so I decided to use it differently to previous versions.

One of the most frustrating things about being an Apple customer is that it can take the company a long time to admit when there's a systemic issue with a particular device. But when they do, their repair programs are usually very good. The company has launched repair programs to deal with issues faced by iPhone X and MacBook Pro owners.