The iPhone 15 Pro models might cost noticeably more than the two basic ones. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The top-tier model in Apple’s upcoming 2023 line could be in for a considerable price jump. The iPhone 15 Pro Max could go up by as much as $200, according to an industry analyst.
While the iPhone 15 Pro will allegedly get its own price increase, the two “standard” ones will not.
The amazing iPhone 14 Pro camera could be in the “standard” iPhone 15. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
The 48 megapixel camera that debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro models is making its way to the “standard” iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, according to a trusted analyst.
If true, the change will appreciably improve the quality of the pictures the two lower-cost handsets can take.
iOS 16.6 is here, along with five other Apple OS updates. Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
iPhone and Mac users can now install iOS 16.6 and macOS Ventura 13.5. These are mostly bug-fix updates with only a few tweaks, but are still worth installing.
Apple also launched iPadOS 16.6, watchOS 9.6 and tvOS 16.6.
Longer battery life must be near the top of every iPhone owner's wish list. Photo: Tyler Lastovich/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest rumors point to impressive iPhone upgrades on the horizon. Stacked batteries might deliver the holy grail of longer battery life as early as this year. And in 2024, the iPhone Pro Max camera might graduate to a mind-blowing 12x zoom. Excuse if we’re a little excited!
Also on The CultCast:
A secret project dubbed “Apple GPT” might make Apple’s products better — even Siri!
If you’re not taking advantage of Continuity features, you’re doing Apple wrong.
Sounds like we’ll be waiting quite a while for a truly pro Mac Pro.
How in the world did Goldman Sachs lose so much money on Apple Card?!?
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.
You might want to order your iPhone 15 Pro Max on day one if you don’t want a long wait. Photo: Mockup Cloud
A standout feature of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max is reportedly causing assembly problems. The high-end models Apple will launch in autumn 2023 are expected to have the thinnest screen bezels of any handset, but that’s apparently making the panels harder than usual to produce.
If true, this could lower the supply of the iOS devices when they launch.
Don’t hold your breath for the iPhone SE 4. Image: Rajesh
The on again/off again iPhone SE 4 is reportedly off again. For at least a couple of years, anyway. Apple reportedly no longer intends to make a new budget iOS handset in 2024.
That’s probably not surprising considering the popularity of the company’s more expensive models.
You might not always have to charge six devices at once, but with this charging station, you can. Photo: ESR
ESR just launched a Kickstarter campaign for an unprecedented, Apple-certified 100-watt 6-in-1 charging station with GaN technology to juice up all your devices.
The company called the device — which can charge iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch and AirPods simultaneously — the “world’s first” of its kind. You can preorder it now at a 20% discount. And it may serve all your charging needs.
Pictures like these, with an incredibly long zoom, might be possible on the next next iPhone. Photo: Susanne Nilsson/Creative Commons
A new leak outlines how the 2024 iPhone Pro Max might improve upon the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max’s camera. While this year’s model reportedly will introduce a new periscope lens, the iPhone 16 Pro Max could come with an ultra-long telephoto periscope lens capable of 12× optical zoom.
To clarify, today we’re still on the iPhone 14, which features a 3× optical zoom — and the model releasing this fall is rumored to retain the same 3× zoom level, using periscope technology to reduce the camera’s thickness.
The source of Tuesday’s iPhone 16 rumor, Digital Chat Station, previously leaked the iPhone 12 mini display.
Apple Maps' use of 3D imagery led the way, but in other ways it trailed Google Maps. Photo: Apple
After its launch in 2012, Apple Maps performed so badly that Apple CEO Tim Cook actually apologized for the service and fired the company’s head of software (for the disastrous launch and other reasons). But now, many people actually choose Apple Maps over Google Maps and other services, according to a new report.
iPhone didn’t have a great Q2, but other handset-makers did worse. Photo: Apple
iPhone pulled in its highest-ever Q2 share of the global smartphone market, according to an analysis firm. Apple’s total shipments were down, just not down as much as shipments of Androids from rival handset-makers.
The good news for Apple is that consumers around the world are more interested in premium smartphones than ever before.
A new type of battery could give the iPhone 15 the longest battery life yet. Photo: TechInsights
Apple will put batteries that could last up to 10% longer in the upcoming iPhone 15 series, according to an unconfirmed report. These will be stacked batteries rather than wound ones.
iOS handsets already offer lengthy times between recharges, but surely no one will complain about extending that.
Basic Apple Guy's "Trip Around the Sun" wallpaper puts things in perspective. Photo: Basic Apple Guy
Mac maven Basic Apple Guy seemingly never stops creating gorgeous wallpapers you can download and put on your Apple screens — Mac, iPad and iPhone. Just in the past couple of weeks he’s made three beauties for you to try out.
Check out the images and see descriptions and links below.
iOS 17 hasn’t quite come into focus yet. Photo: Cult of Mac
Apple just gave the general public access to the latest iOS 17 beta, but before you put it on your iPhone, the Cult of Mac staff has some warnings. We’ve used the betas for weeks, and while it’s gone well for some people, it’s been a dumpster fire for others.
Public betas for macOS Sonoma and iPadOS 17 are also available, and we also have comments for anyone thinking of putting those on their Mac or iPad.
Amazon's Prime Day event is a great time to find Apple deals. Here are the best we've tracked down so far. Photo: Brooke Cagle/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac
Looking for the absolute best Amazon Prime Day deals on Apple gear and accessories? Us too. In fact, the only thing we like more than Apple gear is a great deal on Apple gear.
So far we’ve found cheap MacBooks, AirTag competitors that cost less than $15 a pop, rock-bottom pricing on must-have software like Microsoft Office for Mac, and sweet deals that will save you hundreds on power banks and solar generators to keep your gear powered up. We even put together an inexpensive bundle that can add Apple CarPlay to your ride.
We’ll update this post as we continue to search for the best Prime Day deals — on Amazon and beyond.
This guy has all day to listen to his favorite rappers on his iPhone 14 Plus. Screenshot: Apple
Battery for Miles, a just-released advert for Apple, stars an elderly farmer driving a tractor and listening to Ludacris on his iPhone … as one does. He’s many hours from his destination but he doesn’t care — his iPhone 14 Plus has all the battery life he needs.
Apple also premiered Crash Test to advertise the iPhone’s Crash Detection feature.
This charger, which retails for $89.99, can juice up an iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all at once. And it’s perfect for travel, thanks to its light weight and compact size. It tips the scales at just 6.9 ounces, so you can take it anywhere and just pop it in your pocket for extra convenience.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max could cost more than its predecessor. Photo: Cult of Mac
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will cost more than last year’s equivalent version, according to an analyst. If true, this will be the first time the largest and most powerful of Apple’s flagship handsets has seen a price change since 2019.
The analyst also predicts the entire iPhone 15 series will go into production in August. The four new models are expected to launch in September.
There’s a bunch of fun games on iPhone… if you know where to look. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
So many games on the App Store are thinly veiled vessels for sucking away your money through in-app purchases, a problem that Apple is both the cause of and solution to. Today, I’m going to give you my five favorite non-spammy games for iPhone. They’re all highly addictive time-killers.
All of these games are devoid of manipulative game mechanics, pay-to-win schemes and scummy in-app purchases. They’re all free, included in a $4.99-a-month Apple Arcade subscription, or very cheap to buy. I don’t make a lot of time to play video games, so I’m certainly not going to waste time on a game that doesn’t respect me as a player.
Insta360's new Go 3 action camera shoots by itself, but also fits into its Action Pod for charging and use with a flip LED screen. Photo: Insta360
People love shooting video with their iPhones, but action cameras are gaining in popularity as they get smaller and even easier to stick on a ski helmet or bicycle handlebars.
Case in point: Insta360 just released its Go 3 action camera, which is about the size of your thumb when detached from its remote charging pod with flip LED screen.
★★★★☆
Here's the Ezmo, laden with cash and cards, serving as an iPhone stand. You can widen the stand's angle and mount the iPhone in landscape orientation, too. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Whether you carry a wallet bursting at the seams or you’re a two-cards-and-cash-in-a-clip person, Journey has a new product you might want to give a go. It’s the Ezmo Magnetic Wallet and Phone Stand.
It’s a high-quality leather product that fixes to your iPhone. But whether you want it to be your daily carrier for cash and cards depends on how little you feel you can get by carrying around with you. The company sent me one to try out.
We’ll plug a USB-C cable into the iPhone 15 Pro Max right there. Screenshot: Majin Bu
Those eager to get their hands on the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max should check out a short video showing a case supposedly designed for Apple’s next flagship smartphone. This helps confirm a few details that previously leaked out.
Juana Reyes was very happy she’s not an Android user on Saturday. Photo: Mike Leum/Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
A California hiker who broke her leg in the Angelos National Forest was able to get help thanks to the Emergency SOS via satellite service built into the iPhone 14 series.
The feature enables those range of cellular network coverage to call for rescue.
The EU plans to cram more changes down Apple's throat: This time's it's replaceable iPhone batteries. Image: iFixit/Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Those EU technocrats plan to force Apple (and everybody else) to make batteries in their devices easier to replace. The specifics remain vague. But is forcing changes to the iPhone and iPad design a good thing or a bad thing?
Also on The CultCast:
Apple gives us a peek at how the software sausage will be made for the upcoming Vision Pro headset. Looks promising!
Some of the features coming to the Photos app in iOS 17 work wonders. Others not so much.
HomePods are about to get a long-awaited feature — sort of.
The latest Mac sales data seems impossible to believe.
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.
Charge up to three devices at once from the new power bank's big 25,000mAh battery. Photo: Ugreen
Ugreen introduced its latest on-the-go charger for MacBooks and other gear Thursday. The new Ugreen 145W Power Bank offers fast charging and a rather large 25,000mAh battery capacity.
The company said, “the intelligent power bank can charge three devices simultaneously and even charge a 13-inch MacBook Air in just 90 minutes.” If you’re looking for the best GaN charger, check out this great option that provides high-speed charging in a compact design.