Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
Will it finally happen? Image: Instagram/Cult of Mac
Meta may finally launch an Instagram app for the iPad. Reportedly, the company plans to launch a dedicated iPadOS app to capitalize on the current situation surrounding TikTok.
The move could help further drive Instagram adoption among iPhone and iPad users.
A new YouTube video offers a glimpse at major design changes reportedly coming to iOS 19, with visionOS-inspired user interface elements and rounder “squircle” app icons.
Released Monday by Front Page Tech, the video shows re-created renders of the iPhone operating system based on information provided by an unnamed source within Apple.
The iPhone 17 Pro's design changes may or may not impress you. Concept image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro lineup might not ship with as many design changes as rumors initially suggested. Instead, a new report says the iPhone 17 Pro could look much like the iPhone 16 Pro.
Despite this, Apple reportedly will introduce the biggest design changes to the iPhone lineup this year since the iPhone 12 in 2020.
iOS 18.5 beta 1 packs little new features Screenshot: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac
Apple pushed iOS 18.5 beta 1 to developers within days of iOS 18.4‘s public release. While the latter packed several notable new features, the first iOS 18.5 beta sports relatively few changes.
Below are all the changes we have discovered in iOS 18.5 beta 1 so far.
Trump's tariffs could undo Apple's years of supply-chain diversification work. Photo: Apple TV+
President Donald Trump’s new import tariffs will hit Apple hard. The president slapped all major manufacturing countries that Apple operates in with heavy import tariffs Wednesday in a bid to reshape international trade.
“It’s our declaration of economic independence,” Trump said during a speech at the White House announcing the tariffs. “Today we are standing up for the American worker and we are finally putting America first.”
This move undermines Apple’s efforts in recent years to diversify its supply chain away from China. The White House says the reciprocal tariffs will go into effect on April 9.
Meta's next smart glasses could pack some big upgrades. Photo: Meta/Ray-Ban
Apple’s smart glasses are years from launch. But Meta plans to roll out a more sophisticated version of its popular Ray-Ban Meta glasses later this year.
It will reportedly support hand gestures and feature a screen to display pictures and apps.
This one is the emoji update. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
iOS 18.4, which Apple released Monday, brings several significant new features to iPhones. It is one of the biggest updates to the operating system since the initial public release of iOS 18 in September 2024.
Among other things, the update will also introduce a key Apple Intelligence feature that Apple showcased at WWDC24. Keep reading to learn about all the new features in iOS 18.4 — or watch our video. (Apple also released iPadOS 18.4, macOS Sequoia 15.4 and visionOS 2.4, which include similar upgrades, on Monday.)
M5 iPad Pro may only be a few months away from launch. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple’s M5-equipped iPad Pros reportedly already entered “late testing” stages inside the company and should go into mass production in the second half of 2025.
And, sticking to its regular upgrade cycle, Apple also will refresh the MacBook Pro lineup with the M5 chip later this year.
Google Maps on iPhone can identify locations from your screenshots. Photo: Google
Google Maps on iPhone can now identify locations from your screenshots and add them to a list. This should make your vacation planning easier, as you can take a screenshot and let Google Maps do the rest.
The feature leverages Gemini to identify text and location details in your screenshots, which Google Maps then processes to extract relevant information.
But will you do it? Screenshot: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac
For the first time on an iPhone, you can set WhatsApp as the default calling and messaging app. The feature remains exclusive to the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS, but should soon expand to the public build.
WhatsApp is the first major app to adopt the necessary APIs, enabling you to replace Apple’s Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone.
A 4x jump in video recording resolution. Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro could feature 8K video recording capabilities, bringing a big boost in resolution over Apple’s current models, which max out at 4K 120fps.
8K recording has been a standard feature on flagship Android phones for years, but Apple steered clear of the trend.
HomePod mini is tiny but will impress you with its sound quality. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
If you’ve been looking to buy a HomePod mini for a while, a new deal makes the rarely discounted smart speaker much more affordable. The HomePod mini discount slashes $15 off the price, dropping it to just $84.99.
★★★★☆
The Baseus 5-in-1 charging station will remove the clutter from your desk. Photo: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac
The Baseus Nomos 5-in-1 charging station stands out in a sea of desktop chargers with its sleek design, an adjustable Qi2 charging pad, and retractable USB-C cable, helping minimize cable clutter.
It is also smart enough to automatically allocate more power to devices low on juice so that they can charge faster. So, is the Baseus Nomos 5-in-1 the charging station to buy? Find out in my review.
A new video potentially gives us our first look at the massive iOS 19 redesign that Apple reportedly will unveil this June at WWDC25.
As previous rumors indicated, the next major iOS upgrade supposedly will take inspiration from the Vision Pro’s visionOS, integrating many of its design elements.
It's time to get excited about new features coming soon in iOS 18.4. Logo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac
iOS 18.4 will be one of Apple’s biggest updates to iOS 18 since the operating system’s public release last September. It will pack plenty of changes and improvements, like a Vision Pro app, Apple News+ Food and new emoji.
That all sounds great, but these are the five iOS 18.4 features that I am most excited about.
Apple Watch SE 3 rumors Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple’s third-gen Apple Watch SE may not launch anytime soon, with the device running into “serious jeopardy.” Rumors have indicated Apple will switch to a plastic casing with the next Apple Watch SE refresh.
However, this move might have backfired, with the company’s design and operations team not happy with the outcome.
Are you excited about an Apple Watch with camera? Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Apple reportedly wants to put cameras in future Apple Watch versions. This will enable the wearable to “see the outside world and use AI to deliver relevant information.”
However, Apple needs a few more generations to turn the Apple Watch with cameras into a reality.
YouTube videos looking worse? You are not alone. Photo: YouTube
YouTube videos appearing blurry or excessively buffering on your iPhone? Videos streaming on 144p or 360p resolution despite being on a fast Wi-Fi connection?
You’re not alone in facing these problems. Don’t point fingers at your ISP either — the issue stems from YouTube’s end.
Apple's Studio Display is a great 5K monitor for your Mac. Photo: Apple
Apple’s Studio Display is the perfect monitor for most Apple users, and this deal makes it even better. The high-end monitor packs a gorgeous 27-inch 5K screen and lots of extras.
However, at its retail price of $1,599, the monitor is pretty expensive for what it offers, especially since it is a few years old now. However, a current Apple Studio Display deal on Amazon drops it to just $1,539.95.
Apple's Tap to Pay to iPhone expands to more European countries. Photo: Apple
In a major expansion, Apple’s Tap to Pay to iPhone has launched in several European countries. This includes Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Poland and others.
With Tap to Pay, retailers and small businesses can accept contactless payments directly using their iPhones.
Apple's 2025 iPhones should capture sharper selfies. Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple seemingly plans to use 24MP selfie cameras across its entire iPhone 17 lineup. The higher resolution sensor should lead to a noticeable improvement in image quality.
All current iPhone models sport a 12MP TrueDepth camera.
Apple's C2 modem may debut on the iPhone 18 Pro. Image: Apple
Apple’s 2026 flagship iPhones could use its in-house second-gen modem. The C2 baseband should be a big upgrade over the iPhone 16e’s C1 modem in terms of performance.
More importantly, it will supposedly support mmWave 5G connectivity, fixing a major shortcoming of the current C1 modem.