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.
The next-generation CarPlay is still coming. Photo: Apple
Apple’s next-gen CarPlay was supposed to arrive in 2024. That did not happen. Despite the delay, the company confirms it is working with several automakers on CarPlay 2.
Here's your first official look at Samsung's iPhone 17 Air competitor.
Image: Samsung
After unveiling its Galaxy S25 lineup Wednesday during its Galaxy Unpacked event. Samsung pulled a “one more thing” to tease its iPhone 17 Air competitor: the Galaxy S25 Edge.
Although the company didn’t disclose the phone’s exact thickness, it showcased the S25 Edge’s thinness by putting it alongside its Galaxy siblings.
Your YouTube Premium experience is about to get better. Photo: YouTube
YouTube is improving the experience for its Premium subscribers by adding more perks for them. Going forward, YouTube Premium users can enjoy faster playback speeds on mobile and stream high-quality audio.
On iPhone, you can now play YouTube Shorts in picture-in-picture. Smart Downloads is also expanding to include support for Shorts.
Meta could launch high-end smart glasses this year with a built-in display. Photo: Meta/Ray-Ban
Meta is reportedly exploring the development of AI-powered smartwatches and earbuds with built-in cameras. The social media giant is also working on AR glasses that could launch around 2027.
Before that, Meta will launch high-end smart glasses with a built-in display as soon as this year.
Netflix keeps getting more expensive. Photo: Brad Gibson / Cult of Mac
Netflix is getting more expensive in the US and several neighboring countries again. The streaming service will hike its prices despite a healthy addition of 18.9 million new subscribers in Q4 2024.
The streaming service last hiked its prices in October 2023. However, since the pandemic, Netflix has increased its subscription prices several times.
The iPhone Camera app's long overdue UI refresh could finally arrive with iOS 19. Screenshot: Apple
iOS 19 could revamp the iPhone’s Camera app with a design language similar to visionOS. As part of the redesign, Apple might move most controls to the bottom for easy access — and split the camera interface into Photo and Video modes.
The inaccurate notification summary that sparked the criticism. Photo: BBC News
Following major criticism from major media outlets, Apple is making changes to how its AI-powered notifications summaries work with iOS 18.3 beta 3.
The newest iOS 18.3 beta disables notification summaries for apps in the news and entertainment categories. It also makes several other changes to highlight the feature being in beta and potentially generating summaries with errors.
This is Samsung's super-slim Galaxy that will take on the iPhone 17 Air. Photo: SmartPrix
Apple is not the only company reportedly working on a slim flagship phone for 2025. Samsung is also working on one, and a new leak indicates the company’s iPhone 17 Air rival will have a 6.4mm thick waistline.
Despite the slim profile, Samsung’s super-slim Galaxy reportedly will pack impressive specs, including a 200MP rear camera.
Apple Watch SE 3 will only arrive later in 2025. Concept graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Like Apple’s rumored smart home hub, the refreshed Apple Watch SE might not launch as soon as initially expected. A new report says the Apple Watch SE 3 will debut in the second half of 2025.
Apple supposedly will give its cheapest smartwatch a big redesign this year, launching it with a totally new look.
Apple's smart home display will certainly look better than this render. AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac
Apple’s 7-inch smart home hub may not arrive this quarter as initially rumored. A new report indicates the device will launch later in 2025 due to a key iOS 18 feature not being ready for release. For the latestapple homepod news and updates on Apple’s smart home ecosystem, stay tuned.
iPhone 17 Pro could ditch all its 12MP cameras for good. Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
Apple might not make meaningful camera hardware improvements to its Pro iPhones this year. The iPhone 17 Pro will supposedly stick to the same 48MP primary shooter as the current flagship iPhone.
The only notable camera improvement on this year’s iPhone would be the switch to a 48MP sensor for the 5x tetraprism shooter.
Don't worry about incurring any interest charges for missing the payment. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple Card is notifying customers impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires that they can delay their payments without incurring interest.
Apple is contacting Apple Card users living at an address declared a natural disaster zone. Affected users must enroll in the Disaster Relief Program to be eligible.
False alarm! The Docker app for Mac is not a malware. Photo: Docker
Getting a “Malware Blocked” warning on booting your Mac or when starting Docker? You are not alone. Hundreds of Mac users worldwide report seeing a similar message on their machine over the last few days.
The error is due to an issue with Docker, a popular platform designed to build and run apps using containers.
Apple is highlighting Siri's privacy-first approach to protect its reputation. Photo: Apple
Apple recently agreed to pay $95 million to settle a Siri class action lawsuit alleging privacy violations. The company is now restating the voice assistant’s commitment to user privacy through an article on its newsroom.
Apple reassures users that it never used Siri data to build marketing profiles or sold it to anyone. Instead, it is always developing new ways to make Siri more privacy-friendly.
No, the iPhone SE 4 won't launch in January. Photo: Filipe Alves
Apple is hard at work on iOS 18.3, iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11, but the company won’t launch the new devices alongside the operating system update, which should drop later this month or in early February.
Instead, the new budget iPhone and iPad reportedly will land in April.
Safari is great, but Chrome is my browser of choice on a Mac. Graphics: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
Safari on the Mac feels a lot faster to use than Google Chrome. It is also more battery efficient and takes fewer resources. Yet, I prefer using Google Chrome on my MacBook.
Despite its faults, Google Chrome trumps Safari in many key aspects. There’s a reason why Google’s browser is the most popular choice worldwide.
These five Apple products could make you go wow this year. AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac
Imagine a Siri capable of opening your preferred email client on your iPhone and sending an important email seamlessly. Picture an Apple-branded smart home hub, elegantly wall-mounted in your kitchen, equipped with Apple Intelligence for instant access to smart home controls and a conversational voice assistant. Envision an iPhone just 6mm thin, standing out for its ultra-sleek, stylish design.
All of this could turn into a reality in 2025, with Apple already working on these devices and services for launch next year.
Buy from Apple's online store in China to save on iPhone, iPad and Mac Photo: Apple
In a rare move, Apple is offering discounts of up to RMB 500 ($68.5) on iPhones in China. The promo runs from January 4 through 7 and only applies to selected payment methods.
Apple rarely provides direct discounts on its products, especially on newer models. However, it seems to be making an exception in China.
Apple Watch could have an Ultra-good year in 2025. Image: Cult of Mac
2025 should be an Ultra year for the Apple Watch. In an unusual move, Apple only launched the Apple Watch Series 10 this year. It kept the Ultra 2 around, only releasing a new black titanium colorway. If you’re curious about the latestApple Watch rumors, there’s plenty of speculation about what’s coming next.
But next year won’t be all about Apple’s most expensive smartwatch. For more budget-conscious customers, the third-gen Apple Watch SE should arrive in 2025.
Stick an AirTag in your car in case it's stolen. Photo: Mark Chan/Unsplash
The Apple AirTag is arguably among the company’s most useful product releases in recent years. Once you set up an AirTag, it gives you powerful options for locating it (and whatever you attach it to). Put one of Apple’s tracking tags on an item like a keychain or luggage, and you can easily track its location from your iPhone, Mac, or iPad. If you’re wondering,do AirTags make noise, the answer is yes, but only in specific circumstances.
Since AirTag’s launch, numerous reports have detailed how the tracking tag helped owners find lost items. If you recently acquired an AirTag, here’s how you can set it up the right way and use it properly.
The iPhone 18 Pro may introduce a groundbreaking feature inspired by professional-grade cameras. Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
Apple could adopt a variable aperture system for the iPhone 18 Pro’s main camera that would enable the device to adjust the aperture size and light intake depending on surroundings.
DLSRs typically use a variable aperture lens system. Samsung and some Chinese Android manufacturers have also used the technology on their phones, albeit on a limited scale.