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iPhone - page 16

iPhone 2025: One of Apple’s biggest design shakeups ever

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New iPhones in 2025
There’s a lot being cooked up for the iPhone next year.

The 2025 iPhone lineup is going to see one of the biggest design shakeups in the product’s history. Not only will there be an entirely new model — the super-slim iPhone 17 Air — the Pro phones are getting the first all-new design in years, with a radical new camera array that’s sure to polarize opinion. Plus, the entry-level models and the iPhone SE are getting lots of worthy trickle-down upgrades. With these innovations, Apple iPhone 17 is set to redefine smartphone design and functionality. Discover how iPhone 17 Air will mark a new beginning for Apple.

It’s going to be a very exciting year. Here’s what 2025 has in store for the iPhone.

2026 iPhone 18 Pro may feature a game-changing variable aperture camera

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iPhone 15 Pro Max with no case, held aloft defiantly
The iPhone 18 Pro may introduce a groundbreaking feature inspired by professional-grade cameras.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple could adopt a variable aperture system for the iPhone 18 Pro’s main camera that would enable the device to adjust the aperture size and light intake depending on surroundings.

DLSRs typically use a variable aperture lens system. Samsung and some Chinese Android manufacturers have also used the technology on their phones, albeit on a limited scale.

iOS 19 might not cut off any older iPhones

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iOS 19 render logo
iOS 19 will supposedly work with iPhones launched in 2018.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Apple might not drop support for any of its older iPhones with iOS 19. The next big iOS update reportedly will support the same devices as iOS 18.

However, iPadOS 19 supposedly will not be compatible with the seventh-gen iPad.

Is this really what iPhone 17 Pro will look like? [The CultCast]

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The CultCast episode 678, with iPhone 17 Pro renders based on latest Apple rumors
Is this the iPhone you want?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Some new iPhone 17 Pro renders make us ponder whether Apple will (or should) create such a device. We discuss the pros, cons and alternative theories.

Also on The CultCast:

  • An update on when we might see the very first folding iPhone.
  • A ridiculous Apple Intelligence screwup lands Apple in hot water.
  • We wrap up with round two of our picks for best and worst of 2024.

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.

What to do when your iPhone storage is full

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Get Some Wiggle Room
Get some space back on your phone.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

If your iPhone storage is full, you’ll need to quickly clear up space. You don’t need to panic and delete all your pictures, though. There are easy ways to free up iPhone storage without losing any precious data forever.

Apple put a convenient screen in Settings that can walk you through non-destructive ways to clear up space on your phone. Apps that you don’t use frequently can be temporarily uninstalled (and instantly redownloaded when you need them again). If you sync data to iCloud, like photos and music, your phone can automatically offload some of that data. You also can limit the number of podcasts your phone keeps, if you’re falling behind on your listening.

Here are the easiest steps you can take if your iPhone storage gets too full.

Apple kills plan to offer iPhone as a subscription

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iPhone 16 Plus packaging
Buying an iPhone is going to be unchanged so … yay.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly dropped a plan to offer the iPhone to customers as a monthly subscription. It would have allowed customers to pay for handsets as though they were a magazine or software, and upgrade annually.

Those feeling disappointed by the news likely aren‘t aware that Apple already offers a very similar payment plan.

How to get the battery percentage back on iPhone

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Show Me The Numbers
Turn on Battery Percentage to get the exact number.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Being able to see your iPhone battery percentage right in the status bar is incredibly useful. You can keep an eye on it throughout the day if you’re getting low and need to top up.

The standard battery icon gives you a rough idea of where your iPhone stands. But instantly seeing the exact battery percentage number can give you peace of mind. It’s useful seeing the precise number without pulling down Control Center or checking a battery widget, wherever you are.

For those of you with real battery anxiety, you can even add a widget to your Lock Screen and Home Screen. I’ll show you how.

Screenshot a whole page (or an entire email) on iPhone

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Capture The Whole Page
Take a screenshot of the entire page. Any page. Like this one!
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

It’s easy to take a screenshot on your iPhone to keep a copy of something in your photo library for later. You can even screenshot a whole page on an iPhone at once using a somewhat hidden feature.

If you want to take a screenshot of something like an in-depth recipe, a lengthy email or anything else that doesn’t fit on your iPhone screen, you can take an extended screenshot. Instead of filling your library with five separate images, you can use your iPhone to screenshot the entire page (or a large section of it) without using an app to stitch them together after the fact.

Here’s how it’s done. (I’ll show you how to do this on a Mac, too.)

How to figure out if your iPhone charger sucks

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Slow iPhone charger: How to figure out if yours is rubbish
You can do better than these. Quite a bit better, in fact.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

There are plenty of old iPhone wall chargers still out there very slowly powering up handsets. Fortunately, iOS 18.2 made it quick and easy to tell if it’s time to trash your old, slow iPhone charger.

The best iPhone chargers give your handset a big boost in as little as half an hour. Older ones take all sodding day. You don’t have to put up with slow charges if you don’t want to.

First folding iPhone could arrive by 2026

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Concept folding iPhone
Apple's folding iPhone might arrive sooner than you think.
Concept: Ran Avni

Hoping to boost sales, Apple could launch its first folding iPhone as soon as 2026, according to The Wall Street Journal. The foldable phone reportedly will follow a super-thin model — which previous rumors called the “iPhone 17 Air” or the “iPhone 17 Slim” — as Apple shakes up its stagnant smartphone lineup.

“It looks like Apple is looking towards hardware innovation to drive user upgrades,” BayStreet Research analyst Cliff Maldonado told the Journal. “The iPhone 16 will be the last of the boring aesthetic phones.”

10 best ways to actually save iPhone battery life

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Image of an iPhone with a low battery and the words
Save your iPhone battery with these easy tips.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

It can be hard figuring out what advice will actually save your iPhone battery life and what’s basically tech superstition. What settings can you easily change that make the biggest impact without ruining your phone?

Low Power Mode is the obvious setting, a single switch that pulls all kinds of levers behind the scenes. Turning down your brightness as far as you can is another easy trick. But how about quitting apps? Does it make any difference? What about the always-on display? Should you turn it off?

Here are the 10 things you can do to save iPhone battery life — and help your iPhone battery thrive over the long term, too.

Refresh your screens with these vibrant, cubist wallpapers

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best new wallpapers
Never mind the holiday themes, let's have some colorful cubism.
Photo: Basic Apple Guy

Designer Basic Apple Guy started the last month of 2024 by releasing yet another fresh and interesting set of wallpapers for your Apple devices. They’re the “vibrant and minimal cubist-inspired” Liminal Spaces series, released December 2. They might be the best new wallpapers I’ve seen this month.

And they’re certainly an interesting alternative to holiday themes. For me, the light, colors and shapes composed in the wallpapers brought to mind not only cubist art, but abstract expressionist Richard Diebenkorn’s landscape paintings.

Grammy winners test-drive Voice Memos’ new Layered Recordings feature

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Layered Recordings in Voice Memos
An Voice Memos app update lets users layer a vocal on top of an existing instrumental recording on iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Photo: Apple

In an advancement for mobile music production, Apple showed off the Voice Memos app’s new Layered Recordings feature Wednesday, releasing a new holiday single recorded with it. Exclusively available on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, Layered Recordings comes via the newly released iOS 18.2 update.

Everything new in iOS 18.2: Apple Intelligence upgrades and more

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Everything New in iOS 18.2
A bunch of Apple Intelligence features — and, more excitingly, sudoku.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

iOS 18.2 drops a huge number of new features onto the iPhone. The second major iOS 18 update, available now, expands the capabilities of Apple Intelligence — and adds plenty of goodies for everyone else, too.

Keep reading or watch our video on the new features awaiting iPhone owners in iOS 18.2.

Apple outshines Samsung in India with surging iPhone shipments

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Apple Saket opened Thursday in the heart of India’s thriving capital of New Delhi.
Indians are buying more iPhones than ever before.
Photo: Apple

Apple continued its impressive run in its next big growth market, India, shipping more than 9 million iPhones from January to September 2024. This represents 35% year-over-year growth for iPhone shipments in the country.

The company also increased its lead over Samsung, the previous leader in India’s smartphone market.

New smart lock for renters opens with iPhone and Apple Watch

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Alloy Deadbolt+ smart lock for renters
Look, ma, no keys! And both renters and property managers get benefits from the new smart lock.
Photo: SmartRent

Apple Wallet-compatible smart lock Alloy Deadbolt+ will make life easier for renters and landlords alike, SmartRent said Wednesday. Debuting at a Starwood Capital Group property, Alloy Deadbolt+ expands on the security, functionality and convenience of smart locks by integrating with resident keys in Apple Wallet. It easily lets you in, as well as your property manager and designated friends and service providers.

“Alloy Deadbolt+ enhances the way we think about secure access, providing a straightforward and reliable solution for both residents and property managers,” SmartRent Chief Technology Officer Isaiah DeRose-Wilson said.

The best web browsers to try on iPhone

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Best Web Browsers for iPhone
The best web browser for iPhone may not be one you’ve heard of before.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The best web browser for iPhone depends heavily on what you need. Apple’s own Safari comes with a lot out of the box and offers integration with other Apple devices in your life. The top competitors — Chrome, Edge and Firefox — are good choices if you need to sync with a Windows PC.

Other alternatives you may not have heard of can offer diverse benefits, though. Arc is a fast, modern browser built around search, and comes with built-in ad blockers. DuckDuckGo and Onion Browser lead the pack when it comes to privacy features. And if you want a bespoke app just to keep up with your favorite six or seven sites, TicciTabs was made for that exact purpose. There are even web browsers made for Apple Watch and for saving the environment.

Keep reading or watch our video.

5 iPhone tips for international travelers

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A person using an iPhone.
Use these iPhone travel tips every time you hit the road or the skies.
Photo: Unsplash

When traveling internationally with your iPhone, staying connected and avoiding unexpected surprises can be a bit of a balancing act. Whether it’s navigating unfamiliar streets, keeping in touch with family, or ensuring you don’t get hit with outrageous roaming fees, a little preparation goes a long way. Here’s how you can improve your iPhone use while traveling internationally.

Best apps and games: Apple picks 45 App Store Award finalists

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Best apps and games: Apple picks 45 App Store Award finalists
Apple salutes “amazing apps that users love” with the finalists for the App Store Awards.
Image: Apple

Apple named the finalists Monday for its annual App Store Awards. These awards honor “exceptional user experience, design, and innovation,” according to the Mac-maker. App awards come in a range of categories, like iPhone App of the Year, Mac Game of the Year, and many more.

The nominations aren’t just kudos for developers — they’re a great way for users to find high-quality software.

Apple reportedly delays key iOS 19 features until spring 2026

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iOS 19 render logo
iOS 19 might not launch with all big features initially.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly will delay many of iOS 19’s bigger features until spring 2026. They will arrive eventually as part of iOS 19.4 instead of becoming available when the iPhone’s new operating system first drops in September 2025.

Apparently, the delay will affect “a larger-than-usual number of features.”

Latest Apple rumors: Thinner iPhones, better AirTags [The CultCast]

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Photo of a hand holding an iPhone, along with The CultCast logo and episode 674.
Next year might bring an oddball iPhone.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The rumored “iPhone 17 Air” supposedly will delete major features to become Apple’s thinnest smartphone ever — and sell at a premium price. We debate the pros and cons of such a scenario. Plus, Apple reportedly plans to make AirTags even better … and might be reconsidering making an actual TV set.

It’s a rumor-packed podcast!

Also on The CultCast:

  • We discuss the possibility of Apple selling SSD upgrades for Mac mini.
  • Apple slipped a surprise feature into the M4 MacBook Pro.
  • Image Playground produces some truly ridiculous images. See a sampling below. Is this the best Apple Intelligence can do?

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.

UK could force major iPhone changes

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Image of an iPhone with a Union Jack flag, used to illustrate a story about possible U.K. regulations that will affect Apple's Safari web browser.
The U.K. government seems poised to force Apple to fundamentally change the way iPhone browsers work.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The United Kingdom could precipitate a significant iPhone revamp after a government report found that “Apple’s rules restrict other competitors from being able to deliver new, innovative features that could benefit consumers.”

The findings in the report are sure to inform government regulators as they enforce the U.K.’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, which goes into effect in January 2025.

Fix the mess caused by Sign in with Apple and Hide My Email

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Silence the Spam
Apple’s privacy-focused features in Mail are really handy at keeping spam at bay, but you might still need to find that secret email address or delete an account after a while.
Image: Ascánder/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

I always use Apple’s privacy-focused Sign in with Apple and Hide My Email services whenever I get the option.

 The Sign in with Apple feature, which lets you log into third-party accounts using your Apple ID while keeping your personal info private, is so easy to use that I utilize it everywhere. But that also means my disguised logins pile up, accumulating in the digital junk drawer that is iCloud Settings. If you ever need to manage or transfer your Apple purchases history, Apple now offers an option to migrate digital purchases between accounts.

I’ll show you where you can find, manage or delete these accounts. Perhaps you’re jumping ship from iPhone to Android, and you want to make sure you still have another way of signing into your Chipotle account.

The Hide My Email service is similar. It creates a temporary email address that forwards to your real one — handy if you’re signing up for a shady website, or if you need a public contact email. I’ll show you where you can create new ones and delete the old ones.

How to set AirDrop to share iPhone photos with anyone [Pro Tip]

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How to set AirDrop to exchange pictures with anyone's iPhone [Pro Tip]
Here's why you might be having trouble exchanging images with your friend's iPhone over AirDrop, and how to fix it.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4 You’re at a party and your friend takes a great picture. You ask them to AirDrop you a copy and the two iPhones won’t connect. So frustrating … what the %^#* is wrong? Why can’t you share iPhone photos the way you used to? You probably just need to tweak a setting to turn on AirDrop’s capability to work with any iPhone.

You see, Apple changed the way AirDrop works in iOS 16. If you haven’t updated your AirDrop settings, it might not work the way you want. Here’s how to set the easy wireless file-transfer system so you can get that picture from your friend.