iOS 10.1 brings some tweaks to the iPhone. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Developers received a batch of new beta software updates today bringing a bunch of bug fixes to the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV.
iOS 10.1 beta 2 is the most notable of the new beta builds. The last version added the new Portrait Mode to the iPhone 7 Plus, which has earned rave reviews so far, though some early images have shown it still needs some tweaking.
Will the Nike+ bring in more Apple Watch customers? Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
The new features on the Apple Watch Series 2 will not be enough to boost overall sales of the wearable, claims KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo.
Even though the original Apple Watch was only on sale for eight months in 2015, Kuo’s supply chain sources indicate that sales will decline compared to last year.
The Microsoft Band 2 never caught on. Photo: Microsoft
The Microsoft Band may have just met its demise.
Microsoft’s online store has officially stopped selling the Band 2 which was positioned as a competitor to the Apple Watch. The company also revealed today that it will not release a new Microsoft Band 3 this year.
Apple’s new AirPods may look dork as hell when you wear them, but they’re already proving to be more popular with fans than the new Apple Watch Series 2.
Based on a new survey of US consumers by Bank of America, about 12 percent of of respondents say they definitely will purchase the shiny white AirPods, and it could mean billions for Apple.
Android Wear fans should avoid iPhone 7 for now. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
If you decided to pick up an Android Wear device instead of Apple Watch, you may have trouble using it with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Those who have upgraded to one of Apple’s latest smartphones have found they just don’t play nicely with Google’s wearable platform, despite the fact that their predecessors have no trouble connecting after being upgraded to the same iOS 10 software.
Force quitting apps is different in watchOS 3. Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
Apple Watch apps are faster than ever thanks to watchOS 3, but if you ever run into the rotating dial of death, sometimes quickly force quitting the app can help.
With watchOS 3, Apple has made the force quitting process a bit different. Wearers used to be able to double click the side button to force quit an app. Now the process also involves the Digital Crown.
Your insurance company might subsidize your Apple Watch. Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
Aetna, one of the largest U.S. health insurance providers, revealed today that it will subsidize a major portion of Apple Watch costs for customers as part of a new initiative.
The company will combine its own wellness and care-management programs with the power of iPhone and Apple Watch to create new iOS apps that it says should significantly improve customers’ ability to manage their own health.
Could your Apple Watch be used to diagnose disease? Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac
The Apple Watch Series 2 may have been a big step forward for Apple’s wearable device, but the company has an even bigger shift planned: Cupertino wants to morph Apple Watch from a fitness tracking device to a full-fledged medical diagnostic tool.
Trade-in that old Apple Watch for money off at the Apple Store. Photo: Ste Smith/CultofMac
I finally have a reason to stop cheating on my Apple Watch.
For the past 16 months, Apple’s wearable and I have had an on-again, off-again relationship. The Apple Watch looks great. It helps me stay fit. It tells the time really well. But it hasn’t been the complete wrist solution I need.
With the Apple Watch Series 2, a lot of the compromises of Apple’s first-gen smartwatch have finally been fixed. You can get GPS without carrying your iPhone. The new Apple Watch is water-friendly. And it’s built for speed. But with the new, less-expensive Apple Watch Series 1 getting some of the same features, is the Series 2 seriously worth the upgrade?
While working on this Apple Watch Series 2 review, I’ve been wearing the new device everywhere I go ever since it came out Friday. The short answer is, “hell yes.”
Get in shape with your new Apple Watch. Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac
If you’ve just bought a shiny new Apple Watch Series 2, hoping it will help you get in shape, then here’s some advice: Invest a little time setting it up so your wearable is tailored to your personal fitness level and goals.
These quick and easy setup tips will help you get the most out of your Apple Watch fitness routine.
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from the new Cult of Mac Fitness Handbook. It’s coming soon, loaded with iPhone and Apple Watch fitness tips — and it will be exclusively free for Cult of Mac readers.
Same on the outside. Different inside. Photo: iFixit
The new Apple Watch Series 2 is more repairable than Apple’s original wearable, according to the first teardown to pry open the new device.
Apple Watch Series 2 looks exactly the same as its predecessor on the outside. On the inside it’s an entirely different story, as Apple’s engineers have refined the internals and made it a bit easier to work with.
Swap your iPhone 6 for an iPhone 7. Or snag one of these other great deals on older Apple gear. Photo: Apple, Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
We’ve got even more deals on the iPhone 7 this week, as well as one of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen on the first-generation Apple Watch. These and more are in this week’s roundup of best Apple deals.
The reviews are out — and they're (largely) positive. Photo: Apple
The first Apple Watch Series 2 reviews are out and, like the iPhone 7, they’re largely positive — while also noting that this isn’t an entirely essential device. If you held out on buying an Apple Watch last year, though, or you’re a certified fitness nut, this could be the wearable for you.
"Yes, we got you by the balls." Photo: Good Morning America
Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to reassure Americans that the death of the headphone is a good thing for everyone, during an appearance on Good Morning America tomorrow.
Cook’s exclusive interview with Robin Roberts at a school in Harlem promises to be “wide-ranging,” covering everything from the iPhone 7 that will launch on Friday, as well as how Apple’s new AirPods fit in your ear.
“I have never personally had one fall out since I’ve been using it,” Tim said, revealing he runs on a treadmill with them. “They’re absolutely magical.”
The iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch are getting all the attention today with the public releases of iOS 10 and watchOS 3, but the Apple TV also just got a ton of new features thanks to the official release of tvOS 10.
Apple’s switch to ceramic for Apple Watch Edition could mean big things for iPhone 8. Being four times harder than stainless steel and a darn sight prettier, ceramic would be an ideal material for the next generation of iPhone unibodies.
Recent rumors have promised Apple will deliver a major redesign next year to celebrate the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, and what better way to do that than with a new material that’s better than anything Apple’s used before?
Apple Watch feels all-new thanks to watchOS 3. Photo: Apple
Apple Watch owners just got a big update today in the form of watchOS 3 that completely changes the way you use Apple’s wearable.
The huge new update comes after months of beta testing by developers and public testers, adding new features like a Breathe app, the ability to unlock your Mac, a new Dock for apps, faster performance and more.
watchOS 3 lets you scribble notes to friends. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Responding to text messages on Apple Watch gets a lot easier with watchOS 3, thanks to a new feature that lets you scribble letters instead of just using canned replies.
The new handwriting option has quickly become one of my favorite features on the big update that just landed on Apple Watch by giving wearers the ability to say whatever they want without depending on Siri.
Here’s how to reply with scribbles when you get a text:
There's more to a great running watch than GPS, but it's a good place to start. Photo: Apple
With the addition of GPS, you might imagine Apple Watch is now a credible runner’s watch. Not so fast.
It may have made a big splash with swimmers, but to appeal to runners, there are more issues that Apple needs to address. Like a screen that stays on while you are running, and controls that still work when you get really sweaty.
Apple kicked off preorders for its new Series 1 and Series 2 Apple Watch lineups at 12:01 a.m. this morning and we want to know which models were most popular among Cult of Mac readers.
Take our polls below to let us know which model, size, and color you decided to go for.
Apple now sells two different versions of Apple Watch — Series 1, which starts at $269, and Series 2, which starts at $369. So, what’s the difference between these two models, and is Series 2 worth the additional $100? Find out right here.
The new Breathe app in watchOS 3 turns Apple Watch into a meditation machine. Photo: Apple
Apple Watch wearers will soon find it easier to reach relaxation, thanks to the new Breathe app included in watchOS 3.
Every week, the Breathe app provides Apple Watch wearers with a summary of how well they performed the most essential human task for staying alive. If you suck at breathing, don’t worry. Breathe will turn you into a zen master in no time.
The iPhone 7 looks absolutely amazing. Photo: Apple
Apple has posted the video of today’s surprising iPhone 7 keynote on its website, but if you’d rather just hit the highlights, you can now watch the ten new short videos and ads the company created.
The iPhone 7, AirPods, Apple Watch 2 and Apple Health all get serious screen time in Apple’s latest videos. The company even made a 107-second recap video summing up all the new features:
News of an Apple partnership with Nintendo and Pokémon Go for the Apple Watch seemed to draw the most excitement from Apple fans on Twitter. Photo: Apple
Ten minutes before Apple went live with its big fall product reveal Wednesday, fans on Twitter seemed listless. So much news had already been leaked, especially the specs on the iPhone 7, they were tepid like kids who already knew what was under the Christmas tree.
But when an old mustachioed friend named Mario ran on stage and then was followed by Pokémon, the kids nearly lost their minds.
The iPhone 7 is nearly here. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Welcome to iPhone Day 2016.
Months of rumors and leaked parts finally culminate today at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, where Apple CEO Tim Cook and his merry gang of techno wizards are expected to unveil some new iPhones and Apple Watch.
Cult of Mac is set to liveblog the festivities today. We’ll be mixing real-time details and analysis with all the dull wit and pithy snark we can muster for what is expected to be one of the “most boring iPhone updates” ever. The event starts at 10 a.m. Pacific, but we’ll be getting started well before that.
Today’s event promises to be Apple’s biggest event of the year, so turn on the stream on your Apple TV and join us in the iPhone 7 event liveblog below.