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Audio experts blind-test 6 premium headphones — you won’t believe which pair wins

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Cheapest pair wins in blind test of 6 premium headphones
When the blindfold goes on, brand perception slips considerably.
Photo: ChatGPT

When stripped of branding, features and design, how do premium headphones actually sound? Wired put this question to the test by having audio pros blind-test six popular over-ear headphones.

The results not only shocked the panelists, they validated one of my favorite pairs of “budget” headphones. They won the test, coming out above top contenders from the likes of Sony, Bose and, yes, Apple. 

Early unboxing video leaks M5 iPad Pro (and blistering benchmarks)

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M5 iPad Pro unboxing
The M5 iPad Pro apparently stars in an unboxing video weeks before its launch.
Screenshot: Wylsacom

We can stop wondering about the details of the M5 iPad Pro — a YouTuber apparently got hold of Apple’s next tablet and revealed nearly everything about it. That includes running benchmark tests on the unreleased processor and finding a huge jump in graphics performance.

His time with the tablet — assuming this is a legitimate leak — shows that Apple must consider the previous M4 iPad Pro to be an excellent device because all that changed seems to be the newer, faster M5 processor.

Digital driver’s license access grows, with North Dakota joining 10 other states

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North Dakota drivers license
Put your North Dakota driver’s license on your iPhone today.
Image: North Dakota DOT

North Dakota became the latest state to let residents add a digital version of their driver’s license to their iPhone and Apple Watch. After recent additions, a total of 12 states or territories now support digital IDs.

Currently, digital IDs are most useful for travelers, as they’re widely accepted at Transportation Security Administration security checkpoints.

Compact new Powerbeats Fit earbuds add comfort and durability

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Beats Powerbeats Fit earbuds
Powerbeats Fit showing in orange.
Photo: Beats

Beats launched Powerbeats Fit earbuds on Tuesday, bringing a new design to the company’s sports-oriented audio devices. The new earbuds are the successors to the popular Beats Fit Pro earbuds.

The redesigned model brings enhanced comfort, improved durability and a more compact design while maintaining its predecessor’s $199.99 price point, Beats said. 

“Reintroducing Beats Fit Pro as Powerbeats Fit — alongside Powerbeats Pro 2 — unifies our lineup under a name synonymous with athletic performance and gives customers a clearer choice between two distinct, fitness-first form factors,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports and Beats. “Powerbeats Fit combines the best of Beats Fit Pro with next-level comfort, durability, and portability — making it a worthy addition to the Powerbeats family.”

New Logitech MX Master 4 mouse brings haptic feedback and Actions Ring

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Logitech MX Master 4 wireless mouse
Haptic feedback is a new feature.
Photo: Logitech

The new Logitech MX Master 4 wireless mouse upgrades what many consider to be the best productivity mouse on the market, the popular Logitech MX Master 3/3S. At $119.99, the latest iteration introduces haptic feedback and an innovative Actions Ring overlay designed to streamline workflows for creative professionals, developers and power users across the Mac ecosystem.

Adobe Premiere video editor launches on iPhone

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Adobe Premiere on iPhone hero image
Precise editing from your phone.
Image: Adobe

Adobe Premiere, the powerful video editing suite used for years on Macs, just arrived on the iPhone. Now you can cut together your next video using Premiere’s professional tools, right from your phone.

The Adobe Premiere iPhone app, released Tuesday, offers precision editing, automatic captions, stock music and more.

It doesn’t come with the big price tag of the desktop Adobe suite — in fact, it’s free. You only have to pay if you want access to its Firefly AI features, like its generative sound effects and Image Expand tool.

Premiere is available today for iPhone and iPad from the App Store.

Why Apple should bring back the iPod

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AI image of a person holding a hypothetical new iPod, with AirPods in their ears.
Everything old could be new again.
Image: ChatGPT

Bring back the iPod! Apple should start manufacturing its dedicated music player again. With iPhones increasingly banned from schools, a simple entertainment device could fill the gap.

That said, creating a new iPod for the streaming era would not be as simple as bringing previous models back to life.

WhatsApp now plays nice with iPhone Live Photos

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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.

Apple goes on nasty bug hunt with fresh iOS and macOS updates

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iOS 26.0.1
iOS 26.0.1 includes multiple bug fixes for iPhone 17 users.
Image: Cult of Mac

iOS 26.0.1 and macOS Tahoe 26.0.1 launched on Monday, bringing a range of bug fixes to the major operating system upgrades introduced earlier this month. That includes taking care of multiple issues in the new iPhone 17 series — some quite serious. 

In addition, iPadOS 26.0.1, watchOS 26.0.2, tvOS 26.0.1 and visionOS 26.0.1 all went to users on Monday.

Apple Foundation Models framework brings on-device AI to third-party apps

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Apple Foundation Models framework
Apple’s Foundation Models framework lets developers of apps like SmartGym, Stoic and VLLO create new intelligence features. They can do it by tapping into the on-device large language model at the core of Apple Intelligence.
Photo: Apple

Apple released its Foundation Models framework to developers with iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS 26. It enables third-party apps to tap into the same on-device large language model that powers Apple Intelligence, the iPhone giant said Monday. 

“We’re excited to see developers around the world already bringing privacy-protected intelligence features into their apps,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “The in-app experiences they’re creating are expansive and creative, showing just how much opportunity the Foundation Models framework opens up.”

FCC leaks confidential iPhone 16e schematics

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FCC leaks iPhone 16e schematics
Thanks to the leaked schematics, competitors can find out a lot about iPhone 16e, right, without reverse engineering.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The Federal Communications Commission appeared to inadvertently expose detailed electrical schematics for Apple’s iPhone 16e, despite the company’s explicit request to keep the documents confidential. The leak, discovered Monday, looks like a breach of the regulatory agency’s confidentiality protocols and could potentially benefit Apple’s competitors.

Bad Bunny will headline Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show

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Bad Bunny will headline Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show
Bad Bunny, Apple Music's 2022 Artist of the Year, will perform at Super Bowl LX.
Photo: Apple Music

Three-time Grammy Award winner Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. The game will air on NBC, bringing the Puerto Rican superstar to one of the world’s biggest entertainment stages.

“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bad Bunny said in a press released issued by the NFL  on Sunday. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown. This is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL.”

The game will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026.

Seth Rogen’s comedy The Studio gets an Emmy-powered comeback

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The Studio season 1 cast
The Studio mocks movie studio executives… like these.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Studio relentlessly mocks Hollywood and the film industry. It stayed popular during its first season, but that wrapped up months ago. This didn’t stop plenty of viewers from tuning back in after the show garnered an amazing 13 Emmy awards earlier this month to once again make it one of the most popular series on streaming, according to a company that track ratings.

Honest reviews of iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air and AirPods Pro 3 [The CultCast]

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The CultCast logo with photo of iPhone 17 Pro in cosmic orange
The iPhone 17 Pro is a bright orange beast.
Photo: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We dish out our reviews of the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air and AirPods Pro 3.

How’s the battery life? How’s the cosmic orange? How badly does the iPhone 17 Pro scratch? How good is AirPods’ new Live Translation feature?

In this extra-long edition, we go deep on our first impressions of Apple’s latest gear.

Also on The CultCast:

  • We know Scratchgate is real. And an expert offers an explanation for the iPhone 17 Pro’s problem.
  • Apple’s new iPhone cases are pretty great — and they’re already on sale.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Siri desperately needs the ChatGPT-like chatbot Apple is now testing

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Siri under construction
With a Siri revamp under way, Apple’s voice assistant needs a chatbot.
Graphic: ChatGPT

Apple is reportedly testing an AI-powered chatbot that can perform many tasks that the promised Siri upgrade will be able to handle. The app supposedly gives Apple employees a way to test future Siri capabilities, but also to explore whether Siri needs a chatbot functionality.

ChatGPT, Google Gemini and others made AI chatbots mainstream, so not having one in the long-promised Siri revamp would be a glaring omission. One that would draw considerable criticism.

iPhone 17 Pro will help shoot Friday’s Red Sox vs. Tigers game

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iPhone 17 Pro camera rig for baseball
Four iPhone 17 Pro handsets will capture all sorts of action.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple’s latest smartphone will step into the major leagues Friday night when the iPhone 17 Pro helps capture live footage during a professional sports broadcast for the first time. The Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park, streaming on Apple TV+ as part of Friday Night Baseball, will feature live game footage shot on four iPhone 17 Pro devices, according to MLB.com

And by the way, the game — part of the two teams’ final series of the regular season — has big playoff implications. Apple TV+ subscribers can watch it at no extra cost. 

EU rejects Apple’s push to scrap Digital Markets Act [Updated]

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Apple compliance with DMA
The EU's Digital Markets Act causes plenty of headaches for Apple.
Photo: European Commission

The European Union pushed back Thursday after Apple said the Digital Markets Act — antitrust legislation aimed at broadening competition among tech companies — is backfiring on consumers and forcing Apple to delay key features for European users.

In a detailed statement submitted during the EU’s review process, Apple claimed the DMA is achieving the opposite of its stated goals. Apple’s statement, issued Wednesday, was the company’s strongest criticism of the law to date, and EU leaders did not care for it. But European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said the lawmakers were “not surprised” by Apple’s stance.

“Apple has simply contested every little bit of the DMA since its entry into application,” said Regnier in a Politico article, adding that Apple has snubbed EU efforts to have positive talks on the matter. “This undermines the company’s narrative of wanting to be fully cooperative with the Commission.”

In addition to the European Commission, some users took issue with Apple’s statement slamming the DMA.

Ted Lasso‘s Roy Kent softens up for love in All of You [Now streaming!]

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All of You movie
Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots star in the new Apple Original romantic drama "All of You."
Photo: Apple TV+

What would happen if gruff ex-footballer Roy Kent from Ted Lasso underwent years of anger-management and sensitivity training? Well, if he managed not to go ballistic and end up in prison, he might look like Brett Goldstein’s new character in the romantic drama All of You. Apple TV+ dropped a new trailer for the Apple Original Film recently (watch below). And it does, indeed, appear to star a touchy-feely Roy Kent-ish guy, along with Imogen Poots.

And now you can see for yourself. Apple TV+ started streaming the new film on Friday. 

Reviews so far are positive, if you like romance. The elements of sci-fi and humor may not be as prominent as I’d hoped. Tom’s Guide called the movie “one of the most pleasant surprises of 2025” and adds “it’ll leave you a sobbing mess.” The New York Times said “This weepy romance succeeds through the undeniable chemistry between Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots.” And Deadline likened it to another “romdram” on Apple TV+, director Christos Nikou’s Fingernails (2023) with Riz Ahmed and Jess Buckley.

Apple blames old MagSafe risers for iPhone 17 scratches

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iPhone 17 scratches
A deep blue iPhone 17 Pro models shows scratches in the store after just a few hours on sale.
Photo: @verdeselvans, X.com

Apple officially addressed the iPhone 17‘s Scratchgate issue. It says the problem isn’t due to the new glass-and-aluminum design, blaming worn-out MagSafe risers and chargers in retail displays instead.

iPhone 17’s Scratchgate controversy surfaced just days after it went on sale, sparking widespread concern among early buyers.

Intel seeks Apple investment to fuel revival

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Intel wants Apple's money
Intel wants Apple's money
Photo: Intel/Apple/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

After locking in a $5 billion investment from Nvidia and another $2 billion from SoftBank, Intel reportedly wants Apple as its next major backer.

Apple was once a long-time customer of Intel. However, it eventually shifted to its own in-house chips after Intel failed to innovate quickly enough.

Bowers & Wilkins’ new flagship wireless headphones aim incredibly high

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Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 wireless headphones
That's a sharp-looking set of cans in the warm stone color.
Photo: Bowers & Wilkins

The new Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 flagship wireless headphones are the best cans the British audio company has ever produced, it said Wednesday. Available now for an eye-watering $799, the premium over-ear headphones feature significant design improvements and enhanced audio capabilities that should make would-be AirPods Max buyers look twice.

 “We are incredibly proud to launch the Px8 S2, the best headphone we have ever created. When we introduced the Px8 in 2022, it redefined what was possible in wireless headphone performance. The Px8 S2 sets the benchmark once again, recalibrating expectations for sound quality, design and craftsmanship,” said Giles Pocock, VP of Brand Marketing at B&W.

“It’s the ultimate expression of our mission: to bring listeners even closer to the artist’s performance — and of course, the beautiful design and finish only adds to that real pride of ownership,” he added.

Apple TV+ pulls domestic terrorism thriller The Savant, and Jessica Chastain isn’t happy [Updated]

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The Savant limited series
Jessica Chastain stars in The Savant on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ has indefinitely postponed the release of thriller series The Savant, which stars Jessica Chastain as a character who infiltrates hate groups online to head off violent acts.

“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant,” an Apple TV+ rep told Deadline on Tuesday. “We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date.”

The streamer originally planned to release the eight-part limited series this Friday. The Apple TV+ app currently lists The Savant as “coming at a later date.”

Jessica Chastain reacts to Apple delaying The Savant release

Update: On Wednesday, Chastain reacted to The Savant’s delayed release on X. Citing a string of politically motivated violent acts that have occurred in recent years, she said she wasn’t happy with Apple’s decision to delay the release of The Savant.

Customize artwork on an iPhone screen protector with Screen Skinz

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Screen Skinz screen protectors
A choice of NFL logos is just the tip of the iceberg.
Photo: Screen Skinz

A new screen protector company offers iPhone users something they’ve never had before — the ability to showcase personalized artwork directly on their device’s Screen Skinz screen protector while maintaining full functionality during use. Thanks to tech magic, the artwork only shows when the handset’s screen is locked.

“Screen Skinz lets users proudly highlight their favorite team or character with the confidence that a premium tempered glass screen protector has them covered,” said RaShaun Brown, co-founder of Screen Skinz. “With Screen Skinz, your phone has protection when you need it and personality when you want it.”