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Apple Watch - page 5

How to stop Siri from randomly activating all the damn time

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An Apple Watch with Siri Activated and the caption:
Siri always interrupts at the wrong time.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

As if Siri’s unhelpful answers were not irritating enough when you actually want them, Siri often interrupts a conversation, meeting or TV show when you haven’t asked for anything at all. The good news is you make it stop — if you know how to deactivate Siri on your Apple devices.

keep reading or watch our video.

Get ready for ‘kid-friendly’ Apple Watch SE

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Get ready for a 'kid-friendly' Apple Watch SE 3
Boring colors might be thing of the past with Apple Watch SE 3.
Concept graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Apple Watch SE 3 will come in a plastic casing, if a noted source of Apple insider info is correct. Skipping the usual aluminum case will allow the wearable to come in a broad array of colors, potentially making it more appealing to younger buyers.

It’ll also likely be cheaper to make, which is important for Apple’s budget wearable.

Samsung shakes up mobile team over ‘Apple design plagiarism’

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Apple Watch Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
One of these was designed by Apple. The other only looks like it was.
Photo: Apple/Samsung

Add Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong to the list of people who think his company’s new smartwatch and wireless earbuds are much too similar to Apple’s. He reportedly got angry at executives of Samsung’s mobile (MX) division for approving such copycat devices.

One company executive allegedly admitted his company’s new wearable products are “Apple design plagiarism.”

This cool case turns your old Apple Watch into a pseudo iPod

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TinyPod is an Apple Watch case that turns the wearable into a pseudo iPod, scroll wheel and all.
TinyPod is an Apple Watch case that turns the wearable into a pseudo iPod, scroll wheel and all.
Photo: TinyPod

An innovative case that turns your Apple Watch into a pseudo iPod is now available to order for $79.99. The tinyPod is a clever case that houses your Apple Watch, turning it into a music player you carry in your pocket rather than strapped to your wrist.

Plus, since it’s an Apple Watch rather than an actual iPod, it comes with some features that Apple’s groundbreaking MP3 player never did.

Bad news for Apple Watch, good news for iPhone/HomePod [The CultCast]

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The CultCast episode 655, with a black-and-white photo of a surprised young girl.
Which Apple rumor are you most surprised by?
Photo: Nathan Bingle/Unsplash License

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We dissect the latest Apple rumors, which go from incredible bummer (Apple Watch) to potential breakthroughs (iPhone and HomePod).

Also on The CultCast:

  • The latest iOS 18 beta brings some welcome new changes.
  • A teaser trailer and a release date get us psyched for season two of Severance.
  • Griffin tells us all about a keyboard with a peculiar name in a new Under Review segment.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast 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 live stream, embedded below.

iPhone and Apple Watch refurbs sale brings great bargains [Updated]

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iPhones and Apple Watches sale - iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini
In addition to iPhone 14 models, both iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are on sale.
Photo: Apple

For all the bargain hunters and late adopters out there, Woot just launched another iPhone and Apple Watch sale on great (but not new) gear. The big sale on Apple refurbs runs through July 31 at 10 p.m. Pacific. It’s your chance to grab refurbished models at great prices.

Woot calls it the “Big Value Little Price iPhones and Apple Watches.” The cheeky Amazon site says “now E.T. can phone home in style!”

Indeed, you can find refurbished iPhones in all shapes and sizes, including the discontinued iPhone mini. Same goes for Apple Watch. Don’t dally, though. One of the deals already sold out!

Apple Ring is the health accessory we need

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Apple Ring is the health accessory we need
An Apple Ring should join Apple Watch as a way to let wearers monitor their health.
Concept: Victor Soto/BluePoly

Apple’s next new product should be a smart ring. No, not so you can scroll through Instagram on a teeny-tiny display. The Apple Ring would be packed with health sensors that allow wearers to track their exercise and fitness goals while carrying no other device.

It wouldn’t even require developing new technology. All that’s needed is for Apple CEO Tim Cook to make the decision to offer a new type of health tracker.

Samsung unveiled Galaxy Ring on Wednesday, showing that this type of wearable is going mainstream. It’s time for Apple to step in and show its rivals how it should be done.

Apple Watch Series 10 could lack advanced new health features

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Apple Watch Series 9 with Mulberry Sport Band on desk
Don't expect blood pressure monitoring on Apple Watch Series 10.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The upcoming Apple Watch Series 10 could sport a thinner design with a bigger display, but it sounds like new health sensors won’t arrive this year. Apple also plans to use a faster processor on its next-gen wearable, possibly laying the groundwork for new AI features.

A weird AirPods rumor and more on the ‘Vision Air’ [The CultCast]

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AirPods Pro product shot with The CultCast podcast logo and
Future AirPods might come with cameras on board.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: AirPods … with cameras?!? The latest AirPods rumor sounds a little nuts, but Apple wowed us with weird features before. Plus, we discuss the latest on the Vision Pro — and how Apple might cut costs to produce a cheaper “Vision Air” headset.

Also on The CultCast:

  • ChatGPT integration on iPhones, Macs and iPads aside, Apple reportedly got something big out of its OpenAI partnership.
  • Griffin shines a light on a little trick everybody with an iPad Magic Keyboard needs to know.
  • A doctor says the Apple Watch can detect one of the leading causes of fatal heart attacks.
  • We discuss some of the weirdest Apple products that never made it to reality. The prototypes look wild!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast 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 live stream, embedded below.

How to customize Apple Watch widgets for easy access to your favorite apps

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Work The Widgets On Your Watch
Make the most out of your Apple Watch widgets.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Customizing the widgets Smart Stack on your Apple Watch is a great way provide easy access to the apps you use most. If you have a Tim Cook-esque Apple Watch face full of complications, you can rely on widgets instead. You just need to edit the widgets in your Apple Watch’s Smart Stack to provide the same quick access to your most-used apps and activities.

Today, I’ll show you how to make the most of your Smart Stack of widgets on Apple Watch.

Apple Watch can detect leading cause of heart attacks, doctor says

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Apple Watch's heart rate monitor
Apple Watch's heart rate monitor can detect heart blockages.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The Apple Watch can detect a leading cause of heart attacks — an unadvertised capability that could have big implications for health monitoring — according to a Dutch doctor.

After using the Apple Watch’s electrocardiogram feature, Dr. Ruud Koster, a cardiologist from Amsterdam, accidentally discovered that he had a potentially fatal heart blockage that caused myocardial ischemia. The doctor wrote a paper about his experience and now recommends that the Apple Watch be studied for its ability to alert wearers about potentially deadly heart blockages.

What’s next for Apple Watch, AirPods Pro and Vision headset [The CultCast]

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A photo of Apple Watch with the words
Sounds like this year's Apple Watch might bring the biggest screen ever.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re excited about a bigger Apple Watch screen, dubious about a cheaper Vision headset tethered to an iPhone or Mac, and excited about new features coming soon to AirPods Pro.

Also on The CultCast:

  • The latest iOS 18 beta brings a few new features, including a couple we haven’t talked much about.
  • iPhone repairs are about to get a little more user-friendly.
  • Sorry, EU. No Apple Intelligence for you! Is Apple actually scared to deploy its AI suite to Europe, or is Tim Cook playing chicken with EU regulators?

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast 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 live stream, embedded below.

Leaked Apple Watch Series 10 renders reveal bigger display

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Apple Watch Series 10 leaked CAD render
Are you ready for a bigger Apple Watch?
Render/Graphics: 91Mobiles/Rajesh Pandey

Supposed CAD renders of the Apple Watch Series 10 leaked online Wednesday, revealing a device with a bigger display than its predecessors. The renders show Apple’s upcoming smartwatch with a 2-inch display.

Despite the bigger screen, the Apple Watch Series 10 will seemingly be smaller than the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

How to ping your lost Apple Watch from your iPhone

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An image of an iPhone with the words
It's not easy to find in a pile of miscellaneous clutter.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can ping a lost Apple Watch from your iPhone, thanks to iOS 17 and watchOS 10. The reverse has always been a cool feature of the Apple Watch, helping you find a lost iPhone you left somewhere nearby.

If you take your Apple Watch off at the end of the day, forgetting to throw it on the charger, you might not remember where you left it the following morning. Now, you can find a lost Apple Watch from your iPhone. Here’s how it works.

Will Apple’s vision for a cheaper headset pay off? [The CultCast]

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Photo of person wearing Apple Vision Pro with dollar signs in her eyes. Plus, The CultCast logo, episode 652.
Will a stripped-down Vision headset, with a radically cheaper price tag, put a ding in the universe?
Photo: Apple

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple seems dead-set on producing a much more affordable version of the Vision Pro. The current $3,499 price tag is definitely a dealbreaker. But will a cheaper version of the Vision Pro headset take off? We discuss the pros and cons — and a possible solution!

Also on The CultCast:

  • Apple’s former obsession with making its products thin and light might make a comeback. Maybe even with Apple Watch Series 10 later this year.
  • We might not have too much longer to wait for MacBook Pros powered by M4 chips.
  • Griffin the risk-taker gives us his hands-on impressions of iOS 18, including 11 “hidden” features that Apple didn’t even mention during the WWDC24 keynote.
  • And finally, the MoviePass saga gets a proper retelling, in the form of an HBO documentary.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast 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 live stream, embedded below.

How to use Apple Watch’s fantastic nightstand mode

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Zzzzzz. The Apple Watch's nightstand mode even has snooze.
Zzzzzz. The Apple Watch's nightstand mode even has snooze.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Have you heard of the Apple Watch’s nightstand mode? I knew about it from digging through the settings in the Watch app on my iPhone, but I never tried it out. I wear my watch while sleeping, mostly so I get a nice haptic alarm in the morning instead of an audible iPhone alarm. But if you charge your watch overnight, you should almost certainly be using nightstand mode, formerly known as bedside mode.

Battery breakthrough might dramatically improve Apple Watch, AirPods

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TDK CeraCharge battery breakthrough
This TDK CeraCharge battery has a very high energy density.
Photo: TDK

TDK Corp. recently developed a material for its next-generation solid-state battery with an energy density about 100 times greater than the current version.

The Japanese company already supplies batteries that go into iPhones and other Apple devices, so there’s hope this breakthrough eventually will benefit Apple Watch and AirPods.

Fit firefighter says Apple Watch saved him after heart attack

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Atrial fibrillation on Apple Watch
An atrial fibrillation warning on Apple Watch can increase the chance a person feeling unwell will seek medical attention.
Photo: Apple

A Canadian firefighter credited Apple Watch for saving his life when he suffered a heart attack, according to a report over the weekend.

Given the wearable probably saved his life, the fit and active 44-year-old man said he’ll never go another day without it.

Apple Watch Series 10 could get larger but thinner

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Apple Watch in black
Apple's smartwatch lineup might get a size bump this year.
Photo: Torsten Dettlaff/Pexels

The Apple Watch Series 10 might adopt a thinner design with a bigger display. Reportedly, Apple will bump the chassis size from 41mm and 45mm to 45mm and 49mm.

Disappointingly, the company apparently does not plan significant upgrades for the Apple Watch Ultra this year. It might get a new black color option, but that’s about it.

watchOS 11 adds long-awaited fitness features

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The fitness app is now customizable and adds a host of powerful new features.
Apple's Fitness app is now customizable and adds a host of powerful new features.
Photo:

Apple Let Loose Event: watchOS 11 will monitor your Training Load, enable you to pause your Activity Rings when you’re sick, and track your pregnancy, Apple said Monday. These features, together with a new Vitals app, represent another major step forward for Apple’s health and fitness wearable.

Your Apple Watch face gets some love, too, with improvements to the photo face and widget stack.

Your bedside table deserves this 3-in-1 charging station [Review] ★★★★

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ESR Qi2 3-in-1 charging station★★★★
ESR's Qi2 3-in-1 charging station can wirelessly fast charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

A multidevice charger like the ESR Qi2 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station is a must-have, especially if you own an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. A 3-in-1 charger removes the hassle of dealing with multiple power bricks and cables, which occupy unwanted desk space and power sockets.

ESR recently launched its Qi2 3-in-1 wireless charging station, which stands out for its Qi2 support and detachable Apple Watch charger. Its small footprint, sturdy design and welcome extras make it a solid contender for a prime spot on your nightstand.

iPhone’s standard warranty no longer covers hairline display cracks

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Apple-Store-logo
Apple wants you to pay for hairline crack repairs now.
Photo: Laurenz Heymann/Unsplash

Apple just made a major change to its standard warranty terms for the iPhone and Apple Watch. Going forward, the company will no longer cover a single hairline crack under its warranty.

Instead, users must pay for the repair or claim accidental damage under their AppleCare plan.

Apple Watch tracks down stolen luggage when airline can’t

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Apple Watch tracks stolen luggage
Yep, another case solved by Apple location apps.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

In a surprising incident at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, an Apple Watch played a pivotal role in helping a determined passenger track down her stolen luggage when Spirit Airlines couldn’t.

You expect this sort of thing from AirTag, a dedicated tracker. But this time, an Apple Watch and the Find My network came to the rescue.

Fight over blood oxygen feature cuts into Apple Watch sales

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Apple Watch Shock
A patent fight over the pulse oximeter inside the Apple Watch hurt sales of the wearable.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch shipments dropped almost 20% year over year in the first quarter of 2024. Market analysts blame some of the decline on Apple being temporarily forced to halt sales of its most recent wearables in a patent dispute over blood oxygen monitoring in units sold in the United States.

AirPods sales also declined in Q1 2024 but for a different reason.