And with Writing Tools, it can reply to your emails for you, too. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
With the new automatic mail categorization in Apple Mail, you can organize your emails and keep your personal inbox less cluttered. It’ll intelligently put all your newsletters, receipts and promotions into separate folders.
If you struggle keeping up with your inbox, this feature is a great way to make your email easier to understand at a glance.
Search for products and get information with Visual Intelligence. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple’s new Visual Intelligence feature provides a quick way to find information just by pointing an iPhone 16’s camera at an object in the real world. Then you can ask ChatGPT to explain what you’re looking at, do a reverse image search to find products and look things up visually, get information on a business as you walk down the street, quickly add events to your calendar and identify plants and animals.
With the release of iOS 18.4, Apple added the capability to use Visual Intelligence on iPhone 15 Pro models. Here’s how it works.
The Camera Control packs in a lot of features, and they’re a little fiddly. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
The new Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 lineup opens the Camera app, takes pictures and adjusts camera settings on the fly. It offers a quick shortcut to using one of the most popular and important iPhone features.
Apple baked a lot of controls and interactivity into this innovative button. But while Cupertino’s designers are usually restrained, some people find this new user interface a little fiddly. The physically clicking button also accepts touch input when you swipe your finger along it. And it utilizes pressure sensitivity and haptic feedback as you maneuver through the iPhone’s camera settings.
Learn how to master the iPhone 16’s new Camera Control button in our guide below.
The revamped Photos app in iOS 18 is a big change. Learn how to use it now. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple’s redesigned Photos app in iOS 18 brings the biggest changes ever to how you browse your pictures, videos and memories on your iPhone. Gone are the separate tabs across the bottom. Now the Photos app delivers a single, scrollable view. Scroll up to see your library; scroll down to sort through albums, people and memories.
It takes some getting used to — and the big changes are driving some people absolutely insane. To get a grip on all the changes, you need to learn where to find your recently saved images, deleted photos and your album of hidden photos.
Add workouts by hand if you’re missing some. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
You can manually add a workout to Apple Fitness+ if you need to log some exercise while you weren’t wearing your Apple Watch. Maybe your watch ran out of battery at the start of your run, or maybe you simply forgot to turn it on. By adding a missing workout, you can give yourself credit for the exercise you did.
This power could be used for evil as well as good. You could, hypothetically, say you ran a three-hour marathon every day last week. But you would only be fooling yourself.
To find out how to add a workout to Apple Fitness+, watch our short video or keep reading below.
What if your iPhone could become a mini Mac? AI concept: ChatGPT
An iPhone running iOS 19 will be able to display applications running in windows on an external screen, according to a Thursday report from a noted tipster.
If true, it’ll enable iOS to act much more Mac-like than ever before. If Apple continues developing in this direction, an iPhone could eventually be someone’s only computer .
The EU wants Apple to make it easier for iPhone users to install applications outside the App Store. AI image: Grok
The system Apple set up to enable EU residents to load apps onto their iPhones outside the App Store violates the Digital Markets Act, according to a decision handed down Wednesday by the European Commission. It cites “overly strict eligibility requirements” and Apple’s new Core Technology Fee as reasons.
It’s a preliminary decision, but if Apple doesn’t make the app sideloading process easier, the DMA gives the European Commission the right to hit the iPhone maker with hefty fines.
Know how to hard-lock your iPhone in a hurry. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
If you find yourself in a situation where a police officer or federal agent — like a TSA person at the airport — requests or demands your iPhone, should you hand it over? Many folks say no, never. But if you do, at least know how to hard-lock it in a hurry before it leaves your hand. That will help protect your data on the device.
Get help from a trusted person when you need it. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
If you ever lose access to your Apple Account or iPhone, you’ll be happy you set up a recovery contact in advance. Once you do, a trusted person can remotely unlock your iPhone for you if you can’t recall your password.
It only takes a few moments to set up — and could be a huge weight off your shoulders if you’re desperate, frustrated and just want to unlock your Apple account. Once you designate a recovery contact (and they accept), you can easily ask them for help.
Folding iPhone concept AI concept: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac
Apple chose Samsung Display as the exclusive supplier of OLED panels for its first foldable iPhone, expected to launch in 2026, according to a new report. The decision marks a departure from Apple’s typical multi-supplier strategy. It could help ensure high quality and reinvigorate the foldable OLED market.
iPhone 16e helped propel Apple to the top of the world smartphone market. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
For the first time ever, Apple has claimed the global smartphone crown in the opening quarter of the year, thanks largely to the success of its iPhone 16e, according to data released Monday by a market analysis firm. With a strategic push into emerging markets and a rare off-cycle product launch, the tech giant surged past Samsung in Q1 2025 — a shift in the high-stakes battle for mobile dominance.
Apple sales grew during the period, while those of its chief rival Samsung dropped.
iPhones and Macs will eventually be slapped with reciprocal tariffs. AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac
After the U.S. government seemed to exempt iPhones, Macs and other electronics from hefty tariffs Friday, a clarification issued Sunday by President Donald Trump revealed that’s not the case.
Trump said on Truth Social that his administration did not announce a tariff exemption Friday. Instead, the “existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs” will still apply to electronics — with higher tariffs possibly coming soon.
The iPhone is free from Trump tariffs. Photo: Google Gemini/Cult of Mac
In a tremendous turnaround, President Donald Trump removed the hefty tariffs he’d imposed on phone, computers and many other electronics being imported into the United States. The change, which came late Friday, should prevent price hikes that Apple, HP, Dell, etc. would likely have had to charge customers to pay for the import taxes.
There will reportedly also be no tariffs on processors, TVs, solar panels, flash drives and removable memory cards — no matter what country they are made in.
Check out its big catalog of dinners, lunches, brunches and everything in-between. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple News+ Food is a great way to find recipes on your iPhone. It gives you personal recommendations and offers dozens of filters to find all kinds of recipes, from easy slow-cooker fare to gluten-free concoctions. Plus, all the recipes are nicely formatted, with easy-to-read instructions. And you can save recipes you like for later to build up a personal catalog of go-to dishes.
It’s a very well-thought-out addition to an Apple News+ subscription, a tasty complement to the service’s news stories, magazine features and daily puzzles. Apple is slowly but surely replicating all the great features of traditional newspapers.
Plane loads of iPhones rushed to the U.S. recently. Image: Cult of Mac/Google Gemini
New details emerged Thursday about Apple’s mad scramble to import millions of iPhones ahead of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The company reportedly rushed 600 tons of iPhones into the United States from India last week. And, while there has been no word of a similar pre-tariff rush of iPhone imports from China, it seems unlikely Apple would overlook such an obvious move.
All this means there are surely even more iPhones, Macs, etc., stockpiled to meet U.S. consumer demand without price hikes — at least in the short term.
It can be difficult getting a picture of teens without an iPhone. Photo: cotton bro studio/pexels
Android just can’t catch a break from U.S. teens. A survey found that 88% of that age group own an iPhone — a figure that’s held fairly steady for years.
What’s not positive news for Apple is how very few teens watch the Apple TV+ streaming service.
Don't mean to burst your bubble, but an American-made iPhone isn't in the cards. AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac
A top goal of President Donald Trump’s hefty tariffs on essentially all imports is to force companies to move their production to the United States. That includes bringing iPhone assembly to America. The problem is, there are huge roadblocks that make that goal virtually impossible.
In broad terms, America doesn’t have anywhere close to the production capacity, or sufficient numbers of workers interested in low-paying factory jobs, to produce an all-American iPhone along with everything else Trump wants made in the U.S. Also missing from the equation: customers thrilled about paying much higher costs for products made in the United States.
The result is shaping up to be years of economic difficulties for Americans.
iPhone shopping picked up over the weekend on fears of tariff-induced price increases. Photo: Apple
Employees at Apple Stores across the country reported throngs of iPhone buyers over the weekend, according to a new report. Larger-than-average crowds look like a response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on goods imported from China and other countries — and the specter of rising iPhone prices. In a happy surprise, the tariffs might actually drive iPhone sales before they potentially jack up prices.
Most iPhones come from China, which is up against a 54% tariff on exports to the United States. Most experts agree that rising costs will be passed on to consumers.
Throw on some background sounds without any fuss. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
If you like working, sleeping, relaxing or meditating to ambient music — and you own an iPhone — you’re in luck. You can now play background tunes from Control Center on your iPhone. The feature is ad-free and doesn’t require a subscription to Apple Music.
If you usually put on a lo-fi music stream on YouTube, you should give this new feature a shot instead. You don’t need to keep the YouTube app open, and annoying ads won’t interrupt you.
Here’s how the iPhone’s ambient music feature works.
Find and delete copies of your photos on your iPhone. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
You could have dozens of copies of the same images in your Photos library, taking up space on your phone and in your iCloud account. Luckily, Apple offers an easy-to-use little tool that lets you find duplicate photos and delete the copies, all right from the Photos app.
These types of duplicate images can accumulate more quickly than you might expect. They arise if you make a copy of a photo to edit, if you screenshot a photo to bump it to the top of your Camera Roll, or if you and your partner both upload the same picture to your Shared iCloud Photo Library. In fact, I found hundreds of duplicates in my own carefully curated library.
It’s a surprisingly sophisticated feature that took Apple engineers a fair amount of smarts to cook up (more on that later). Here’s how to use Apple’s duplicate image remover and get rid of all those unnecessary files. Keep reading or watch our video instructions.
Despite what my hairline would imply, Craig Federighi is not family. Just friend. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
You can quickly tag photos on your iPhone with the names of your friends, family members and pets so you can easily find pictures of them later on. The Photos app will detect pictures of people automatically — you just need to give them a name. I’ll show you how to fine-tune the results as well.
I’ll show you how to find this long-standing feature in the new Photos app and make the most of it. Keep reading or watch our video guide.
With the possibility of big price hikes looming, those looking to upgrade might want to act fast. Photo: Apple
President Donald Trump’s newly announced 54% tariff on Chinese imports sent shock waves through the tech industry, with Apple potentially facing billions in additional costs. This raises an urgent question for consumers: Should you rush to buy that new iPhone or MacBook before prices skyrocket?
You might want to accelerate the timing of that upgrade you had in the back of your mind. But those who aren’t desperate to upgrade might benefit from playing the waiting game. See the ins and outs below.
After much research, I’ve finally discovered some other uses for Siri. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Believe it or not, there are actually quite a few helpful tricks Siri can do — besides setting timers and sending texts. Granted, there’s a lot of things Siri can’t do, especially with the recent news that the smarter, more capable Siri promised with Apple Intelligence and the total LLM-powered overhaul are both significantly delayed.
Nonetheless, after many hours of research, I have come across six neat things you can ask Siri you might find surprising or handy. Keep reading our list or watch our video.
Safari isn't the only options as default iPhone browser. You can change it. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
You can easily change the default browser on your iPhone if you prefer to use Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge or any other alternative. Maybe you use a PC at home and want your bookmarks, history and passwords to sync to your iPhone. Or maybe you simply prefer something other than Apple’s Safari browser.
Whichever browser you set as your iPhone’s default will open when you tap on a link from Messages or Mail, get AirDropped a URL, scan a QR code, search the web with Siri and perform other tasks. This doesn’t mean Safari will be deleted, however. Apple’s stock app will remain installed on your iPhone if case you decide to switch back (which is super-easy).
Here’s how to change the default browser on your iPhone — and transfer your bookmarks and data, too. Keep reading or watch our quick video.
You create space in iCloud by deleting old backups. Here’s how. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
It’s World Backup Day, a good opportunity to learn how to clear iCloud storage of old backup files made by iPhone and iPad. Are you running out of iCloud storage space? Worried about privacy? You might want to delete some old backups from the cloud.
The good news is erasing these files is easy if you know the steps to follow. Here’s how.