Pandora gets a Siri-enhancement on the Apple Watch. Photo: Pandora
Music streaming service Pandora updated its Apple Watch app Wednesday with the addition of Siri support, letting users request music, stations and podcasts verbally.
A silicone sport band that's better than Apple's. Photo: Elkson
Our awesome prices on some of the best Elkson accessories for Apple Watch and AirPods are now even better. You can save up to 40% on bands and cases, but you’ll need to act fast — this sale ends this week!
No excuses! You could be doing one of these workouts right now. Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac
Apple Watch supports a huge selection of workout types, but most of the popular ones, like running and swimming, you probably can’t do right now thanks to the coronavirus lockdown. Fortunately, if you delve a little deeper, you’ll find plenty of Apple Watch home workouts you can choose from that require little or no special equipment.
So why not take the opportunity to master a whole new kind of exercise? Here are 20 Apple Watch indoor workout options you can do at home right now.
Imran Chaudhri drew this Apple Watch concept sketch long before the release of this wearable. Photo: Imran Chaudhri
Imran Chaudhri, who played a pivotal role in the Apple Watch’s creation, offered an inside look into the device’s design process Friday, showing off an early concept drawing of the smartwatch’s home screen.
His sketch, shared on the 5-year anniversary of the Apple Watch launch, looks amazingly close to what is in use now. He also showed off a video of the very first Apple Watch band and talked about the history of some Watch faces.
Apple won't send back your bands anymore. Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac
Apple Watch owners who send their device in for repair must remove bands first or risk losing them for good.
Apple has updated its support documentation to make it clear that it does not return bands and other add-ons. “Please remove them before sending your Apple Watch in for repair,” it states.
Sell today to earn even more! Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Sell your old Apple devices to Cult of Mac now to earn an additional $10 for Earth Day. We typically pay more than other buyback services, and we cough up real cash, fast!
Find out how much your old iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and other Apple devices are really worth — and use our promo code to get even more.
A refurbished Apple Watch Series 5 is up to 15% less than a new one. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
One way to score a deal on the the latest Apple Watch Series 5 is buy a unit that someone purchased then returned to Apple. These get rigorously refurbished, then are offered to the public at up to 15% off the regular price.
Tuesday is the first day Series 5 units have been available refurbished.
Stuck in quarantine? Apple Watch can help you stay active. Photo: Sune Holt
Even people who never realized Apple Watch’s awesome motivational power are standing up and testifying: The device helps get your butt up off the couch during the coronavirus quarantine.
“It’s fantastic that a gadget was the thing I needed to get myself in shape again,” said Sune Holt, an Apple Watch wearer from Denmark. “In November, I feared I wasted my money. Now it’s the best investment in a lifetime.”
They're battered, but they might be worth a fortune. Photo: Giulio Zompetti
New photos of rare Apple Watch prototypes give us a sneak peek at pre-production versions of Apple’s first ever smartwatch.
The prototypes, which date back to early 2014 — a year before Apple Watch made its official debut — were discovered at an unspecified e-waste facility. Their new owner plans to restore them before selling them on.
Our essential guide to building rock-hard abs (with a little help from Apple Watch). Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac
Your fitness doesn’t need to suffer just because you’re stuck indoors during the coronavirus quarantine. In fact, now is the ideal time to start working on your six-pack. The lockdown won’t last forever. If you put in the work now, you’ll be looking like a ripped ex-con by the time we’re all allowed out again.
This post covers everything you need to know to build rock-hard abs. We’ll dispel a couple of myths that stop you from blasting your belly fat. And, in the video, I’ll show you the two essential types of core exercise you need to know.
One of the improvements coming to future Apple Watches could be warning the wearer of upcoming panic attacks. Photo: Matt Birchler
Your Apple Watch could eventually keep an eye on more than your physical health. A future watchOS wearable will reportedly monitor the user’s stress level. This could go all the way to warning the wearer ahead of time that they could be close to a panic attack.
You FaceTime call to friends with old devices should go through now. Photo: Apple
Apple launched a much-needed update to watchOS Wednesday, eliminating bugs and enhancing performance for the FaceTime feature on Apple Watch.
Apple Watch users running watchOS 6.2 were unable to participate in FaceTime audio calls with iPhones running iOS 9.3.6 or Macs running El Capitan 10.11.6 and earlier.
Teens tap Apple Watch and iPhone as top favorites. Photo: Apple
The COVID-19 pandemic has done nothing to damage iPhone’s popularity among teens. A survey of 5,200 ‘Gen Z’ teens shows 85% own an iPhone and 88% expect an iPhone to be their next phone, both new all-time survey highs.
The Piper Sandler survey found those numbers up 3% from a year ago. Apple Watch also nabbed the top spot for wearables in the firm’s study that was conducted from February 17 to March 27 as many of the teenagers questioned were living in quarantine.
The app could help monitor spread of COVID-19. Photo: Robert Koch Institute
Germany is launching a smartwatch app to help monitor the spread of the coronavirus.
The app, created by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), is called Corona Datenspende, which translates as the Corona Data Donation. It allows users with devices like Apple Watch or fitness trackers such as Fitbit to share data about coronavirus symptoms to track the spread of the pandemic in Germany.
Whoop's simple band provides deep insights into your health. Photo: Whoop
Whoop is the latest wearable being enlisted to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical researchers hope the fitness band company’s data could prove an invaluable tool for measuring symptoms caused by the coronavirus.
The Cleveland Clinic and Central Queensland University in Australia are partnering with Whoop to study changes in respiration rates. Whoop’s wearable collects health data 24/7. It could possibly be used to create an early warning system for people infected by COVID-19 but not exhibiting symptoms yet.
If you must dwell on COVID-19, how about a timely how-to? Learn how to make your own DIY mask (thanks to clever instructions from a legendary Apple coder). Get the low-down on that project as well as more Apple news, how-tos and reviews in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.
Download it from the iOS App Store now. Or get the week’s top stories below.
Download the newest update today. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Spotify’s newest update on iOS, out Thursday, lets users control their music using Siri on Apple Watch. Simply add “on Spotify” to the end of your voice commands to play your favorites artists, albums, playlists, and more.
And save $140 on Beats Solo3 wireless headphones. Photos: Apple, EA
Need a new MacBook Pro? You won’t want to miss Woot’s brilliant deal on 13-inch models, refurbished by Apple, which are now available for as little as $679.99. Or pick up the brand-new 2020 Mac mini from $699 — $100 off its usual price tag.
That’s just some of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup that will help you tackle self-isolation and working from home during the COVID-19 crisis. Other highlights include:
Kids will be able to fill their rings to unlock rewards. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Apple is planning to make some big changes to the Activity Rings on Apple Watch so that it’s more kid-friendly.
Leaked code from iOS 14 reveals that Apple plans to tweak how the move ring works when Apple Watch is in Kid Mode, allowing parents to set goals from their own iPhones. Instead of tracking calories burned though, the feature will focus on just movement.
It's time for some trivia. Photo: Malvern Graphics/Cult of Mac
In just a few short years, Apple Watch transformed the smartwatch from pricey novelty to potential lifesaver. But how much do you know about Apple’s breakthrough smartwatch? Is it time (pun intended) to pick up some new Apple Watch trivia? You’ve come to the right place.
Here are 10 things you (probably) don’t know about the Apple Watch.
Bag this brilliant Apple Watch band for under $11! Photo: Elkson
Elkson’s silicone sport band for Apple Watch is a terrific alternative to Apple’s — and ideal for all the home workouts you’ll be doing during the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s attractive, comfortable, and brilliantly rugged.
It’s also a steal at its usual price of $14.99, but until March 31, you can get yours for even less. Order from the Cult of Mac Store today to pay just $10.99.
The next time you get ill, your Apple Watch should help you get better. Photo: Cult of Mac
When you‘ve caught a bad cold, the flu or a global pandemic, it’s no help that your Apple Watch keeps urging you to go for a run. That’s why this wearable needs a sick mode.
When it comes out this autumn, watchOS 7 should include a mode that gives good advice for people ill enough to need bed rest rather than a trip to the gym.