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.
AirPods Pro 2 charging case with USB-C could debut this year. Source: Unsplash
Apple is exploring adding health-focused features to future versions of AirPods Pro, including sensors that measure body temperature. The company also is working on features that would make the earbuds a viable hearing aid replacement, including an advanced hearing test to evaluate the wearer’s capabilities.
Apple also reportedly plans to transition the AirPods Pro’s charging case from Lightning to USB-C this year. This could happen alongside the iPhone 15 series in September.
This 13-inch MacBook Air deal gets you free iCloud+, Apple Music and Apple TV+ subscriptions. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air just dropped to its lowest price of $999. This fantastic Best Buy deal knocks $100 off the laptop’s retail price, making it more affordable than ever.
What makes this offer even better is that you get free iCloud+, Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions for up to three months with your purchase.
Get the M1 Max-powered MacBook Pro with a massive $800 off. Photo: Apple
Looking to buy a powerful new MacBook Pro but cannot stretch your budget for the M2 Max model? Apple’s 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max is down to $2,699 after a whopping $800 discount.
This makes it a great alternative to Apple’s newer 2023 MacBook Pro models. If you were looking to buy the M2 Pro-powered MacBook Pro, consider purchasing the M1 Max variant instead.
Would you buy an iMac with a 30-inch+ display? Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh
Aside from the inevitable iPhone refresh (and the headset everyone’s buzzing about), Apple reportedly has several other major new products lined up for launch in 2023 and the first half of 2024. This includes revamped iPad Pros with OLED displays, new Macs powered by a next-gen M3 processor and an upgrade to the Apple Watch Ultra.
Apple also is supposedly in the early stages of developing an iMac with a display that measures more than 30 inches.
Apple wants to bring Apple Card and Apple Pay to India. Photo: Apple
Apple is reportedly in talks with HDFC Bank to bring Apple Card to India. The latter is among the country’s largest credit card issuers and private banks.
The Cupertino giant also held discussions with NPCI to launch Apple Pay in the country.
Apple's entry-level iPad is available with a BIG discount. Photo: Apple
Apple’s entry-level 10.2-inch iPad is down to its all-time low price of $249.99. That’s a massive $79 off the tablet’s retail price, making it much more affordable.
Amazon is providing a $59.01 discount on the listing page, with an additional $20 off applied at checkout.
Certain new iOS 17 features will not come to all iPhones capable of running the new OS. Photo: Apple
iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma are not big upgrades. However, they will bring plenty of little improvements that add up to a better experience on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Despite that, Apple dropped support for some older iPhones, iPads and Macs with its upcoming OS releases.
That’s only part of the disappointment equation, though. Several new features won’t work on older Apple gear, even though the devices can run the new operating systems.
Many of the new features in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 that won’t make it to older iPhones and iPads will go missing primarily because they are very resource-hungry. As for Macs, several macOS Sonoma features won’t come to Intel-based machines. This is sort of a given, since Apple switched to in-house chips that deliver better performance while maintaining ruthless power efficiency. The list of features not available on Intel Macs will only expand over time until Apple eventually drops support for them altogether.
Now that you the reasons for the omissions, here’s a rundown of new features in iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma that won’t work on older devices.
Your Google Chrome experience on iPhone is about to get a lot better. Photo: Google
Google is making Chrome better on the iPhone and iPad with several new AI-powered features. The browser is gaining deeper Google Maps and Calendar integration as a part of its latest release.
Additionally, Google Chrome can now partially translate text on a page without you having to leave the app.
Spotify is finally coming to HomePod but it relies on using your iPhone. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple finally plans to make playing music from third-party sources easier on HomePods. Starting with iOS 17, you can ask Siri to play music on your HomePod from music apps installed on your iPhone.
Despite Apple providing the necessary apps, only a handful of music streaming services natively support HomePod. This change from Apple in iOS 17 is an excellent workaround to this problem.
Amazon has knocked almost $70 off the Apple Watch Ultra. Photo: Apple
Apple’s big and bulky Apple Watch Ultra is available with massive discounts of up to $69. The latest Amazon deal on the smartwatch knocks its price down to as low as $729.
Amazon offers a $50 discount on the listing page, with an additional $20 off automatically applied at checkout.
Apple has a plan to boost the Vision Pro ecosystem. Photo: Apple
Apple could switch to a more powerful Ultra Wideband chip on the iPhone 15. And for its 2024 iPhones, the company could adopt the newer and faster Wi-Fi 7 standard.
These hardware upgrades will seemingly allow Apple to build a more competitive ecosystem for its upcoming Vision Pro headset.
Replacing the battery of the 15-inch MacBook Air is not going to be easy. Screenshot: Apple
Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air has received the teardown treatment less than a week after going on sale. The internals reveals the laptop is similar to its 13-inch sibling, with two additional speakers and the larger battery being the only significant difference.
Thanks to the larger chassis, Apple has also managed to fit a bigger battery on the 15-inch Air.
Your Apple Watch will also enter Lockdown Mode starting with iOS 17 and watchOS 10. Photo: Apple
Apple is bringing Lockdown Mode to the Apple Watch with watchOS 10. The “extreme” protection security measure debuted on the iPhone and Mac with iOS 16 and macOS Ventura in 2022.
Designed for individuals at high risk of cyberattacks and malware, the mode imposes several restrictions on your Apple Watch’s functionality.
Score an amazing $100 discount on the 15-inch MacBook Air. Photo: Apple
Within days of its launch, the 15-inch MacBook Air is available with a $100 discount on Amazon. This makes the laptop even more amazing and almost a no-brainer.
Get the 2023 MacBook Pro with a massive $300 discount. Photo: Apple
If you are in the market for a powerful new laptop, it is hard to ignore the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. And with Amazon’s latest deal knocking up to $300 off, Apple’s pro laptops are a no-brainer.
Apple's most powerful Macs are now on sale. Photo: Apple
Apple’s 2023 Mac Studio, Mac Pro and 15-inch MacBook Air are now reaching customers. Announced at WWDC23 last week, the new Macs went up for preorder soon after.
Amazon is currently offering a $50 discount on 15-inch MacBook Air preorders. Photo: Apple
If you haven’t yet placed your preorder for the 15-inch MacBook Air, you should jump on Amazon’s latest deal. It knocks $50 off the price of the well-reviewed new laptop.
Apple's M2 Ultra powers the 2023 Mac Studio and Mac Pro. Photo: Apple
Benchmark scores of Apple’s M2 Ultra indicate the new chip runs up to 20% faster than its predecessor, the M1 Ultra. And the comparison between the latest chip and the Intel processor in the 2019 Mac Pro proves even more dramatic.
You can configure the 2023 Mac Studio, which Apple unveiled during the WWDC23 keynote, with the M2 Ultra. And this bruiser of a chip is the only option you get when buying the new 2023 Mac Pro.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinks Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro headset does not pack any significant technological breakthroughs. He claims his company explored all options used by Apple — but ultimately decided against them.
Zuckerberg expressed his thoughts on Vision Pro in a companywide meeting with Meta employees.
Reddit's new API pricing is the reason behind Apollo's shut down. Photo: Reddit
Apollo, a popular third-party Reddit client for iPhone and iPad, will shut down on June 30. This is due to Reddit’s upcoming API policy that goes live on July 1, which makes it untenable for third-party apps to operate.
Apple highlighted Apollo multiple times on-stage at WWDC23 and even showed it as one of the apps for its Vision Pro headset.
Which M2 MacBook Air model is right for you? Image: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
Apple’s redesigned 13-inch MacBook Air from 2022 remains among the best portable laptops you can buy. The 15-inch MacBook Air packs the same benefits in a slightly bigger form factor.
So, which MacBook Air model is right for you — 13-inch or 15-inch? Read our comparison to find out.
Apple Maps can route users to their destinations even without a cell signal. Photo: Apple
Apple is fixing one of the biggest annoyances of Apple Maps on iOS 17. You can finally download maps for offline use, complete with turn-by-turn directions.
Google Maps has long offered the ability to download maps for offline use. This allows you to use the app for navigation even when not in network range.
You can now download OS developer betas for free from Apple. Photo: Apple
Apple has made its OS developer beta builds free to download. You can now enroll in the Apple Developer Program for free.
This will allow you to download the latest iOS, iPadOS, or macOS beta for free. Previously, Apple made the download available for developers who paid the yearly $99 subscription fees.
An Apple Watch Ultra feature is coming to regular Apple Watch models with watchOS 10. Photo: Apple
watchOS 10 will bring Optimized Charge Limit, as seen on the Apple Watch Ultra, to older Apple smartwatches. The feature debuted with watchOS 9 but was only available for the Ultra wearable.
Optimized Charge Limit is different from Optimized Battery Charging. However, both features aim to extend the lifespan of your Apple Watch’s battery.