Apple Watch repairability barely budged this year, according to teardowns of the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4.
Both watches scored just 4 out of 10 on iFixit’s repairability scale, with the Series 12 benefiting from a handy new battery pull tab. However, with both models, you still need to pry off a glued screen to swap out a failing battery.
This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: That didn’t take long! The iPhone 18 Pro faces more than one problem right out of the gate. First there’s a controversial storage choice that seems to hamper performance of the highest-end models (at least in extreme testing). And then there’s a weird Face ID problem.
So far, no names have stuck for these “-gates” — and maybe there’s not that much to them. The storage problem might be mostly theoretical, and a software fix is on the way for the Face ID glitch. Still, there’s plenty to talk about!
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)
Apple on Wednesday released watchOS 27.0.1, an important update for owners of its newest Apple Watch models. It fixes a bug that caused these wearables to repeatedly restart.
Anyone with an Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4 should install it immediately.
A new Apple Watch reboot problem is affecting Series 12 and Ultra 4 owners just days after launch. These watches are restarting without any warning, and currently there’s no way to fix it.
Update: There’s a fix! watchOS 27.0.1 is out to deal with this specific problem. Read more about it: Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 get emergency fix for reboot problem
The reports span multiple online forums and communities, with several users posting matching crash logs. The consistency suggests it could be a hardware or software issue rather than just a handful of unlucky units.
So if your Apple Watch keeps rebooting, it’s not just you.
Apple quietly killed one of the Apple Watch’s oldest tricks. The Digital Crown double-click action no longer switches between apps in watchOS 27, and longtime users already miss it.
The change lands in watchOS 27, and is related to a new feature in the brand-new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, but it is not limited to those models. So the gesture disappears for all those who update, and the feature meant to replace it won’t even work on most people’s devices.
UPDATE: There’s a fix coming in watchOS 27.2… sort of. Learn more about it:
Apple Watch Ultra 4 arrives a year after the Ultra 3, building on its predecessor’s improvements. While the Ultra 4 looks the same, it features massive upgrades, including a new chip and new optical and electrical heart sensors.
There’s also Audio Intelligence, longer battery life and new recovery insights. But are these upgrades enough to justify upgrading from a year-old Ultra 3?
This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s Surprise and Shine event is in the books! The iPhone Duo is real, and it definitely folds. New Apple CEO John Ternus didn’t, though. He acquitted himself admirably as he briefly uncapped Apple’s magic product pipeline.
We discuss how things went down and our reactions to iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video version, embedded below.
Apple began accepting preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this morning. Both phones arrive in stores on Friday, September 18, when the first preorder deliveries also reach customers.
The Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and new AirPods 5 were already available for preorder, with all three launching the same day. However, if you want the folding iPhone Duo, you’ll need to wait until October to place your preorder.
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 will bring two surprisingly futuristic new tricks: Live Rewind and Siri Recap, a pair of Audio Intelligence features that turn the smartwatch into an always-listening AI device.
Apple markets Live Rewind as a way to rewind the world around you. Actually, it can only turn the previous 15 seconds of a conversation into a text snippet. Still, it potentially could help people remember something that’s just been said.
Siri Recap, on the other hand, quietly takes notes during your conversations, then uses Apple Intelligence to create concise summaries you can refer to later. The goal is to help people stay focused on the moment.
The new Audio Intelligence features seem quite useful, but they make privacy advocates nervous. Fortunately, Apple really locked them down, hoping to prevent the Apple Watch features from being abused.
Apple introduced a new fitness feature for Apple Watch called “readiness” during its Surprise and Shine event today. Readiness gives you a score from zero to 10, along with recommendations like “recover,” “pace yourself,” “ready” or “go for it.”
But what exactly is it telling us we’re ready for? According to Apple, your readiness score “tells you when to rest or put yourself to the test.” But can a smartwatch really know that?
What happens when your Apple Watch tells you to “go for it,” but your body tells you otherwise? Most personal trainers will tell you that learning to listen to your body is an important part of training. So what should you do when your body and your Apple Watch disagree?
Apple Watch Series 12 finally gets the upgrade long-time owners have been waiting for. The new model pairs the new, faster chip with a redesigned health sensing system. It also brings Apple Intelligence to your wrist for the first time.
Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 12 and the beefier Apple Watch Ultra 4 on Wednesday during its Surprise and Shine event. Both watches arrive alongside a new watchOS 27 update. They share the same faster Apple silicon processor and advanced health sensors, and together mark one of the most notable hardware refreshes the Apple Watch has seen in years.
Apple kicked off its Surprise and Shine event Wednesday with a cinematic passing of the torch as former CEO Tim Cook introduced his successor, John Ternus.
Ternus then praised the company’s crown jewel — the iPhone, which he called an “intelligent personal hub” superpowered by artificial intelligence — before unveiling a slew of new products, including the first folding iPhone, known as the iPhone Duo.
Other new and upgraded products included the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5. Plus, various Apple execs also showcased new software features coming soon in iOS 27 and the company’s other software platforms.
“iPhone sits at the center of an amazing ecosystem of intelligent features and experiences that work seamlessly across the products you use every day,” Ternus said, before name-checking the new AI-powered Siri and advanced features in the new Apple Watch and AirPods.
“Simply put, iPhone brings powerful AI capabilities together with your personal context on the device you have with you all the time,” Ternus continued. “So today, we’re going to take these experiences even further with the next generation of iPhone.”