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.
With RCS support, iOS 18 brings a huge upgrade to the cross-device Android and iPhone messaging experience. It enables users of both devices to share high-quality media and enjoy features like read receipts and typing indicators.
However, RCS chats between Android and iPhone lack end-to-end encryption (E2EE). The GSM Association, which developed the RCS standard, is working to fix this security gap.
JPMorgan Chase could replace Goldman Sachs as the Apple Card banking partner. Apple and JPMorgan have been discussing a potential partnership since early this year.
Despite this, a potential deal between the two companies could take several months to finalize.
The iPhone 16 Pro is Apple’s best iPhone ever. But how does it compare to the company’s previous best iPhone: the iPhone 15 Pro? Our iPhone 16 Pro versus iPhone 15 Pro comparison puts the two models head-to-head.
Apple’s newest iPhone packs a bigger display, a faster chip and other nice-to-have upgrades. Do these changes add up to make the iPhone 16 Pro a compelling upgrade over the iPhone 15 Pro?
Apple released iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11 and macOS Sequoia Monday. After Apple showcased these operating systems in June at WWDC24, it revealed the release date for iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia’s first stable build at the “It’s Glowtime” event.
They are available now for download on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac.
Apple claims the new internal design of the iPhone 16 series makes battery replacement easier. Yet, the company charges more for the battery replacement of its latest iPhones.
After a price hike in March 2023, the Cupertino company charges $99 for an iPhone’s battery replacement. However, replacing the battery of the iPhone 16 Pro lineup costs $119, an increase of 20%.
iPhone 16 preorders might be about 12.7% YoY lower than the first weekend sales of iPhone 15 from 2023. However, a highly regarded analyst says there’s higher demand for the iPhone 16 and its Plus sibling.
The analyst blames the lower-than-expected demand on Apple Intelligence being unavailable at launch.
You can now buy refurbished M2 iPad Pro and M1 iPad Air from Apple’s online store in the US. They are available with up to 20% discounts on their retail price.
Apple unveiled these iPads in 2022, with the M1 iPad Air launching in March 2022 and the M2 iPad Pro in October.
Apple is now accepting preorders for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The devices reach stores starting September 20, the same day preorders begin arriving.
In typical Apple fashion, the company took down its online store for about six hours before accepting preorders.
Apple Watch Series 10 can also be preordered, though Apple initially began taking those on Monday, September 9. The same goes for AirPods 4.
The gap between the “regular” iPhones and the Pro models seems smaller than ever this year, which makes an iPhone 16 Pro versus iPhone 16 comparison tougher than usual.
While the iPhone 16 Pro packs a superior build quality, a bigger display, longer battery life and the predictably better camera, the iPhone 16 stands on its own with some meaningful upgrades.
So, should you save your money and go for the iPhone 16? Or is the iPhone 16 Pro a better buy despite its higher price tag? Find out in this comparison.
Early tests indicate the iPhone 16 Pro delivers up to 26% faster download speeds than the iPhone 15 Pro. This is thanks to its new Snapdragon X75 modem, which supports 5G Advanced and enhanced carrier aggregation.
Besides faster speeds, the new Qualcomm modem consumes less power, boosting battery life.
Apple’s 2024 iPhone 16 lineup supports 45W wired fast charging, according to a Chinese regulatory agency. This is a notable step up from the iPhone 15 series, which could only pull a peak power of just under 30W.
If this is borne out, it raises questions about why the company did not highlight the iPhone 16’s faster wired charging speeds during the “It’s Glowtime” event. Even the specs page only mentions support for 20W fast charging.
The Apple Watch Series 10 packs significant upgrades over its predecessor. However, Apple did not give the same love to the Apple Watch Ultra this year. Instead of a third-gen Ultra, Apple only unveiled a new black titanium finish for the Apple Watch Ultra 2. That makes an unusual comparison — Apple Watch Series 10 versus Apple Watch Ultra 2 — an intriguing proposition.
The “regular” Apple Watch Series 10 comes closer to its rugged Ultra sibling than ever before. But between the two, which is the right pick for you? Read our Apple Watch Series 10 versus Apple Watch Ultra comparison to find out.
iOS 18 will add a button to pause video recordings in your iPhone’s Camera app. Apple introduced the pause option in the Camera app with the iOS 18 Release Candidate build.
While basic, the pause option will ensure you don’t have to record multiple clips.
Apple unveiled the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus on Monday. The new iPhones feature an iPhone X-like rear camera design and upgraded internals for Apple Intelligence support.
“iPhone 16 celebrates color in an unparalleled way. We evolved the process of developing our unique and durable color back glass to create new rich colors,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s VP of iPhone marketing, during the “It’s Glowtime” event.
Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” happens on Monday, September 9. If you want to know what time the Apple event starts in your local time, you’ve come to the right place. The iPhone 16 lineup, featuring upgraded internals and new AI features, will be the star of the show.
As always, Apple will stream the Glowtime event so you can catch the company unveil its newest products live. Here’s what time you need to tune in to watch Apple’s live stream.
Apple’s online store is down ahead of the “It’s Glowtime” event later today. The company should unveil the iPhone 16 lineup and Apple Watch Series X at the scheduled event.
Besides the new hardware, Apple Intelligence should be the star of the show.
Apple might not launch the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at its iPhone 16 event Monday. Instead, the company supposedly will simply refresh the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a new black color option.
The second-gen Apple Watch Ultra packed modest upgrades over its predecessor. But this year, Apple will take an odd approach and not update its Ultra smartwatch at all.
Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 Pro can reportedly shoot slow-motion 120fps videos in 4K resolution. The higher frame rate will also come in handy when capturing a lot of motion.
The report also confirms that Apple will upgrade the Ultra Wide camera on the Pro iPhones to a 48MP sensor.
Apple could use A18 and A18 Pro chips on its upcoming iPhone 16 lineup. TSMC will fabricate both SOCs for the Cupertino company on its latest 3nm (N3B) node, delivering better efficiency and performance.
Since the launch of the iPhone 14, Apple has used a year-old A-series chip on its non-Pro iPhones. However, due to Apple Intelligence, the company will seemingly tweak its strategy this year.
Google is rolling out AI-powered contextual search in Google Photos, its cloud-based photo backup solution. The feature aims to supercharge the search experience in Google Photos using AI.
Google’s Gemini AI models power the new ‘Ask Photos’ search in Google Photos.
A leaked photo supposedly shows Apple’s silicone cases for the iPhone 16 lineup without a cutout for the rumored capacitive Capture button. Instead, they sport an “integrated design,” which seemingly will not affect the new capacitive button’s functionality.
Apple relaxed the App Store rules earlier this year, paving the way for cloud gaming apps on the iPhone. However, Microsoft and Nvidia have not yet listed their cloud gaming services on the App Store. The former argues that Apple’s rules are still too restrictive for this.
Microsoft’s main issue revolves around the 30% commission that Apple wants for IAPs. It says the fee is “neither economically sustainable nor justifiable.”
Like iPhones, Apple regularly updates AirPods with new features. iOS 18 will continue that trend by introducing several enhancements for Apple’s earbuds. They include interacting with Siri using head gestures, lowering audio latency while gaming, and more.
Read on to see what new AirPods features iOS 18 will bring to further improve the best earbuds for Apple fans.
Apple could go all-in on USB-C with its upcoming M4 Mac mini. As a part of the machine’s major design revamp, the company might ditch USB-A ports for good.
The Cupertino company should unveil the M4 Mac mini later this year.
iOS 18 is packed full of great features Cult of Mac has covered at length — but the upcoming iPhone software update packs many more tiny features and small improvements that Apple did not mention or talk about. If you know to look out for these features, they’ll make the everyday interactions with your phone faster and easier.
Here’s a roundup of 18 little changes and useful features in iOS 18. Keep reading or watch our video.