Mobile menu toggle

Rajesh Pandey - page 2

These are my favorite Apple devices of all time

By

A stylized Apple logo with a heart in the middle.
It's easy to fall in love with Apple products. Here are my all-time favorites.
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Over the years, Apple has launched hundreds of products — some iconic, others forgettable. I’ve used a fair share of them, with some earning a permanent spot on my “all-time favorites” Apple devices list.

Each of these devices represented Apple at its best, with a sleek design, impressive performance and an experience that few other brands can match. So, here’s my list of Apple devices that have truly stood the test of time.

M4 vs. M5 iPad Pro comparison: What’s different?

By

M4 vs. M5 iPad Pro
The M5 iPad Pro offers more than just a faster chip upgrade over the M4.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest M5 iPad Pro might look the same as its predecessor, the M4 iPad Pro. But when you compare the two tablets’ internals, you realize a lot has changed. It’s not just a minor processor upgrade.

If you’re on the fence about upgrading or plan to buy a new iPad, here’s how the M5 iPad Pro stacks up against the M4 model.

M5 MacBook Air refresh lands in spring 2026

By

M5 MacBook Air render
M5 MacBook Air is just a few months away from launch.
Photo: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Apple’s M5-powered MacBook Air will launch in spring 2026. The company is also working on refreshed Mac Studio, Mac mini, and new external monitors for next year.

Apple unveiled the first set of M5-powered devices earlier this week, including the 14-inch MacBook Pro, Vision Pro and iPad Pro.

Get an M4 Mac mini for just $499

By

Mac mini deal
M4 Mac mini is tiny and so is the price (especially with this deal).
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s tiny yet powerful M4 Mac mini is an amazing deal at any time, and a sale on the desktop computer makes it an even better value. You can get the latest model with 16GB of unified memory and a 256GB SSD for only $499. That’s 17% off the list price.

Configure the Mac mini with an M4 Pro or more memory and you can get it starting at $1,301, which is $98 below the usual cost.

Yes, the EU banished the MacBook charger from the box

By

M5 MacBook Pro - No power adpater
No, your new M5 MacBook Pro won't come with a charger in the box.
Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Apple’s newest M5 MacBook Pro does not ship with a power brick in the box in Europe and the U.K. But this time, don’t blame Apple for the move.

The change stems from new EU regulations around energy efficiency and electronic waste reduction.

Meta steals top Apple AI exec behind ‘answer engine’ project

By

Image representing Apple's AI knowledge
The brain drain from Apple's AI team is real (and likely to accelerate).
Photo: Apple

Meta continues poaching high-profile executives from Apple’s AI team for its Superintelligence group. The latest hire is Ke Yang, who Apple recently appointed to lead its Answers, Knowledge and Information team.

Apple’s team is making an “answer engine” that will crawl the web to answer simple search queries. 

14-inch MacBook Pro gets M5 power boost

By

14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 chip goes official.
14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 chip goes official.
Photo: Apple

Apple unveiled an upgraded 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the new M5 chip on Wednesday. While the laptop looks the same as its predecessor, it sports a faster new Apple silicon processor to deliver even better performance.

“MacBook Pro continues to be the world’s best pro laptop, and today, the 14-inch MacBook Pro gets even better with the arrival of the M5 chip,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, in a press release.

Apple’s smart home hub will cost $350

By

AI-generated image of wall-mounted screen for home automation with the words
Apple's first smart display could be pricey.
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Apple will build its upcoming smart home products in Vietnam to diversify its manufacturing away from China. This includes indoor security cameras, a smart display and a tabletop robot

A $350 smart display will be the first to launch in spring 2026. 

Apple drops ‘something powerful is coming’ M5 MacBook Pro teaser

By

M5 MacBook Pro rumors
M5 MacBook Pro is almost here.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s SVP of Marketing, Greg Joswiak, teased the imminent launch of the M5 MacBook Pro on X today.

“Mmmmm… something powerful is coming,” Joswiak said on X, with his post accompanied by a short clip giving a quick glimpse at the upcoming MacBook Pro.

Pro Display XDR 2 may borrow a fan-favorite iPad feature

By

A table of desktop Macs. Going clockwise around the table, starting at the front: the Mac Studio with Studio Display (height-adjustable stand and nano texture glass), the iMac, Mac Pro with Pro Display XDR (with Pro Stand) and Mac mini with Studio Display (tilt stand).
Pro Display XDR 2 with a Center Stage camera? Yes, please!
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple’s next Pro Display XDR monitor could take a cue from MacBooks and iPhones and feature a Center Stage camera. Code strings referencing the monitor with the camera were discovered in the latest macOS 26.1 beta.

The Pro Display XDR is long overdue for a refresh, with the current model debuting in late 2019 for $4,999.

Apple’s sleek iPhone Air finally touches down in China

By

iPhone Air finally launches in China
iPhone Air preorders go live in China soon.
Photo/Graphics: D. Griffin Jones/Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

After a month’s delay, Apple will launch the iPhone Air in China on Wednesday, October 22. Preorders for the device will begin this Friday, October 17.

Apple pushed back the iPhone Air’s September launch in China at the last minute due to regulatory hurdles around eSIM support.

Apple reshapes health, fitness and Apple Watch leadership as Jeff Williams nears retirement

By

Jeff Williams at Apple Watch launch 2020
Jeff Williams retires from Apple later this year.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple is preparing for a major internal reorganization ahead of COO Jeff Williams’ retirement later this year. As part of the rejig, Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, will oversee the health and fitness team.

Meanwhile, leadership of the watchOS division will move to Craig Federighi, Apple’s head of software engineering.

iPhone and Apple Watch will soon support Emergency SOS via satellite in Mexico

By

iPhone Emergency SOS in Mexico
Mexican users will soon gain access to this life-saving iPhone feature.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Apple will expand Emergency SOS via satellite on the iPhone and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to Mexico later this year.

The feature will enable iPhone and Apple Watch users in Mexico to contact emergency services outside mobile network coverage.

WhatsApp for iPhone finally adds built-in translation for 21 languages

By

WhatsApp gets a native translate tool.
Translate messages natively in WhatsApp.
Photo: WhatsApp/Rajesh Pandey /CultOfMac

Meta began rolling out in-app translation support Tuesday for WhatsApp on iPhone. In its initial phase, the feature supports 21 languages, making it easier for users to chat with their loved ones without worrying about language barriers.

Keeping security and privacy in mind, the translations happen on-device, ensuring the messages remain private.

M5 MacBook Pro and iPad Pro could launch any day now

By

MacBook Pro with chip on top
MacBook Pro's M5 refresh might land this month.
Photo: David Snow/Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Supplies of iPad Pros and 14-inch MacBook Pros powered by M4 chips are running low across Apple Stores. This indicates the imminent arrival of M5-powered models.

While reports of an M5 iPad Pro refresh surfaced before, this marks the first solid indication that Apple could launch an M5 MacBook Pro this year as well.

iPhone 17 ends Apple dry spell in China

By

iPhone 17 sales in China outpace iPhone 16.
iPhone 17 appears to be a huge hit in China.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup has taken China by storm, with first-day sales reportedly far outpacing the iPhone 16.

In the first week alone, Apple moved an estimated 1.03 million iPhone 17 units — a massive 47% jump over its predecessor.

iPhone Air gets a gorgeous transparent makeover

By

Modified iPhone Air with a transparent back
iPhone Air looks even more stunning with a transparent back.
Photo: brt2412

The iPhone Air already stands out with its sleek, ultra-thin design. A modder has now taken it a step further and added a custom transparent back glass to give the phone an even stunning look.

The result is a retro-mod vibe that shows off the phone’s internals in all its glory.

AirPods Pro 3 users report strange whistling sounds

By

Edited photograph of AirPods Pro 3 to illustrate a story about users hearing a strange whistling sound
Are you hearing a whistling sound on your AirPods Pro 3 with ANC on?
Image: Cult of Mac

Some AirPods Pro 3 owners report hearing an annoying whistling sound from their new earbuds. The noise typically comes when they have the earbuds in, with no music playing and active noise cancellation on.

The problem doesn’t seem widespread, but enough new owners are reporting it to raise eyebrows.

Apple stops calling Apple Watch and M4 Mac mini carbon neutral

By

Apple Watch and M4 Mac mini are no longer carbon neutral.
Apple Watch and M4 Mac mini drop the carbon neutral badge.
Photo: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Apple no longer advertises the M4 Mac mini and its Apple Watch lineup as “carbon neutral.” The company proudly unveiled its first carbon neutral products — the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 — in 2023.

But just two years later, it has removed the claim from all such product pages. And it’s not because Apple suddenly started making its devices differently.

These 6 apps will change how you use your Mac

By

Photo of an M4 MacBook Air sitting on a desk with lights glinting off it, used to illustrate a guide to best Mac utilities.
I can't use my Mac without these utilities.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The best Mac utilities can make a great computer even better. From smarter window management to easier automation and cleaner navigation, a few well-chosen tools can dramatically improve your workflow.

I’m a longtime Mac user, and I can’t do my job without these six essential Mac utilities. In this guide, I’ll show you how they can make everyday tasks faster and simpler.

How are Russian YouTubers getting unreleased Apple products early?

By

Apple products keep leaking in Russia.
A Russian YouTuber has leaked an unreleased Apple product second time in a row.
Photo: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Apple guards its upcoming products with extreme secrecy. However, a major leak in October 2024 saw the Russian YouTuber Wylsacom unboxing the M4 MacBook Pro weeks before its official release.

The same story now unfolds with the upcoming M5 iPad Pro. Wylsacom unboxed and showcased the device a few days ago, again weeks before launch. And another Russian YouTuber did the same the next day. So how do Russian YouTubers manage to grab unreleased Apple products so early?

Apple puts iPhone 11 Pro Max and Watch Series 3 on its vintage list

By

iPhone 11 Pro is now vintage.
iPhone 11 Pro is now vintage.
Photo: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/Cult Of Mac

Apple’s first Pro Max iPhone — the iPhone 11 Pro Max — now falls under the vintage category. The Apple Watch Series 3 lineup joins the list, too.

The smaller iPhone 11 Pro does not join the list yet, as Apple sold it for a longer timeframe than the Pro Max model.

WhatsApp now plays nice with iPhone Live Photos

By

Live Photos WhatsApp
You can now share Live Photos on WhatsApp.
Photo: WhatsApp/Rajesh Pandey/Cult Of Mac

WhatsApp now supports sharing Live Photos. The feature began rolling out a few days ago, and Meta officially confirmed its release in an announcement on September 29.

With this improvement, you can directly share Live Photos with your friends over WhatsApp without converting them into GIFs or videos first.

M5 MacBooks and new Apple monitors inch closer to release

By

M5 MacBook Pro render
M5 MacBooks and new Apple monitors are around the corner.
Photo: ChatGPT

Apple’s new external monitors for Mac inch closer to release, with their mass production set to begin soon. They should debut alongside the M5-powered MacBooks within the next six months.

In addition to the above, Apple will also refresh the Vision Pro and iPad Pro with faster chips.