Mobile menu toggle

iPhone - page 24

Fixing your iPhone 14 and 2022 MacBook models just got easier

By

Apple Self Service Program for customer repairs
Several recent Apple handsets and notebooks are about to be added to the Self Service Repair program.
Photo: Apple

The Apple Self Service Repair program will soon expand to include the iPhone 14 series as well as MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models released in 2022.

The program provides customers access to parts and tools they need to fix their own devices.

EU forces removable batteries on iPhone and iPad

By

iPhone 14 is easier to repair than any of its predecessors in years.
iPhone 14 is easier to disassemble than its predecessors, but Apple might have to go further.
Photo: iFixit

The European Parliament passed sweeping legislation last week intended to make recycling batteries easier. The new rules will require Apple to redesign iPhone and iPad so their batteries can be replaced by users. (Android devices will face the same mandate.)

This will be the second major hardware change to Apple products to result from EU legislation. iPhones soon will come with a USB-C port in place of Lightning because of a European requirement.

iPhone 15 could use powerful U2 Ultra Wideband chip for deeper Vision Pro integration

By

Two people having a conversation, one wearing the Vision Pro headset with EyeSight.
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.

10 more sweet tweaks and changes in iOS 17

By

Text:
These are smaller features, but they’re no less awesome.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

iOS 17 has a lot of great headlining features — and many more features Apple didn’t have time to mention during the WWDC23 keynote. Today, I’m going one level deeper: Here are 10 more tweaks and smaller changes that could have a big impact on daily life with your iPhone after you update to iOS 17.

Slick new backpack includes Find My locator

By

The straightforward backpack features Find My functionality and is made from recycled bottles.
The straightforward backpack features Find My functionality and is made from recycled bottles.
Photo: Targus

Known for laptop cases and other accessories, Targus recently unveiled its new Cypress Hero Backpack with Find My Locator.

So if it goes missing, you can find the eco-friendly pack and any gear in it using your iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Apple health updates boost mind and body across platforms

By

New health features come to iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and watchOS 10.
New health features come to iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and watchOS 10.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

At WWDC23, Apple said it’s adding a slew of new health features in iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and watchOS 10 that will help you take care of yourself physically and emotionally.

And while new mental health and vision features are coming across platforms, the more-general Health app finally arrives on iPad, as well.

Hands on with iOS 17 Autocorrect and intelligent input improvements

By

iOS 17 Keyboard settings
Entering text gets a bit easier, with fewer typos, in iOS 17.
Graphic: Apple
WWDC23

Apple is souping up the systems for entering text into iPhone with iOS 17. Autocorrect is getting enhanced with AI for fewer typos, as part of multiple improvements to what Apple calls “intelligent input.” And Dictation is getting a boost that promises more-accurate voice recognition, too.

I tested the changes in the first iOS 17 beta. Here’s how well they work … so far.

iOS 17’s NameDrop makes sharing contact info a breeze

By

The new iOS 17 AirPlay feature called NameDrop will help you easily share your contact info and more.
The new iOS 17 AirPlay feature called NameDrop will help you easily share your contact info and more.
Photo: Apple
WWDC23

Sharing your contact information and more with people will get easier with new AirDrop functionality in iOS 17. A new feature called NameDrop makes it about as simple as knocking iPhones together.

“Today, you either hand your phone to them, or one of you dictates your information while the other types it. Now there’s a better way,” said Apple SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi during Monday’s WWDC23 keynote. “Now you can just bring your phones close together.”

Keep all your Apple gear topped up with this 5-in-1 charger [Sold out]

By

Keep all your Apple gear charged with this 5-in-1 charger.
Juice up all your Apple gear wirelessly with this 5-in-1 charger.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Update: Sorry, but this deal quickly sold out.

As more Apple gear becomes available, we all have a problem: How to keep it all charged? This 5-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger has room for just about everything — and more besides.

It even boasts an unusual design that makes it resemble a leafy plant!

Top 5 reasons Android users switch to iPhone

By

If you switched from an Android device to an iPhone, what would be your reason?
If you switched from an Android device to an iPhone, what would be your reason?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A new report Wednesday from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) revisits the group’s recent finding that Android users increasingly switched to iPhone in recent years and gets into the reasons why.

It gave four specific major reasons and a fifth vague but important one, below.

10 tricks to kick your iPhone addiction

By

Here are my tips for spending less time on your phone.
Here are my tips for spending less time on your phone.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

How can you make your iPhone less addictive? Constant iPhone use can literally change the makeup of your brain. Sure, people waved similar panic flags about the television, the radio and even the novel, but those were easily left at home. You carry the internet with you, and it’s constantly blasting a firehose of content, everywhere you go.

If you feel the impulse to unlock your iPhone at every empty moment, or scroll through an app when you feel like you should be getting to bed, here are my tips for making your phone a bit more boring.

iPhone 15 will be part of making Qi2 the global wireless charging standard

By

Apple’s MagSafe fuels new Qi2 wireless charging standard
Qi2 brings the benefits of MagSafe to Android.
Photo: WPC/Cult of Mac

Qi2 is a new wireless charging standard expected to go into widespread use later in 2023. And, according to an unconfirmed report, the upcoming iPhone 15 will be one of the handsets that supports it, including 15W charging.

That’s not surprising, considering Qi2 is heavily based on the MagSafe system built into current iPhones.

iOS 17 might add smart home display mode to iPhone

By

Nest Hub Max
Apple might borrow an idea from Google and let iPhone as a smart home hub.
Photo: Google

The always-on display in recent iPhones will get a new use in iOS 17, according to a tipster. The device will reportedly show upcoming appointments, controls for smart home accessories, and more.

We won’t have long to wait to find out if this is an accurate leak — the official unveiling of iOS 17 at WWDC23 is expected in under two weeks.

iPhone 16 could look a lot like the iPhone 12

By

iPhone 12 mini
Will you be disappointed if the iPhone 16 shipped with a vertical rear camera layout?
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Even though the iPhone 15 has not yet debuted, rumors about the 2024 lineup have already started popping up. A new leak claims iPhone 16 will have an iPhone 12-like rear design.

The entry-level iPhone 16 could have its rear cameras arranged vertically. Apple switched to a diagonal layout for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14’s cameras.

Wistron drops out of iPhone assembly in India

By

Wistron drops out of iPhone assembly in India
Wistron is taking itself off the list of companies that assemble iPhone in China.
Photo: Wistron

The first company to assemble iPhone in India is reportedly getting out of the business. Wistron is selling the plant where it puts together Apple handsets to Tata Group, an Indian multinational based in Mumbai.

At the same time, Foxconn and Pegatron continue to grow their commitments to manufacturing iPhones in India.

ChatGPT iPhone app puts AI ‘at your fingertips’

By

OpenAI ChatGPT for iOS
Get an iPhone version of the real ChatGPT today. No workarounds necessary.
Photo: Cult of Mac

OpenAI introduced ChatGPT for iOS, an application that brings the much-hyped chatbot powered by artificial intelligence to iPhone users.

It is free and has all the features of the web version, which means it is ready to answer questions with generally correct answers. Plus, this iOS version supports OpenAI’s speech recognition system.

More Android users switch to iPhone than you might expect

By

iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks
Even after all these years, there are lots of Android users who jump ship for iPhone.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The percentage of U.S.-based iPhone owners who just dumped their Android has grown in recent years, according to a market-analysis company.

That’s exactly the opposite of what conventional wisdom says should be happening. Nevertheless, the percentage of Android switchers hasn’t been this high since 2018.

Apple’s new Personal Voice tech might make texting more personalized

By

Apple’s new Personal Voice tech might make texting more personal
Imagine getting a text from a friend and your iPhone reads it to you in your friend’s voice.
Photo: Rodolfo Clix/Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s newly announced Personal Voice technology enables an iPhone to read text in the user’s own voice. The same tech could be used to read incoming text messages in the sender’s own voice, making them feel more personal.

This isn’t a theory — Apple submitted a patent for exactly this idea in early 2023.

iMessage comes to Windows via Microsoft Phone Link for iOS [Updated]

By

iMessage comes to Windows via Microsoft Phone Link for iOS
Quick, someone check to see if hell has frozen over.
Photo: Microsoft

Windows users can now send and receive messages and calls via an iPhone. The new capability — which many thought would never happen — comes courtesy of Microsoft’s Phone Link for iOS, which is rolling out now.

This is the latest software release from Microsoft to make it easier for Windows users to own an iPhone.

Microsoft started rolling the feature out in April, and announced on Monday it’s available to all Windows 11 users.

5 hidden features in iMessage

By

Hidden iMessage Features
You probably won’t find these features on your own.
Image: Jonatan Svensson Glad/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

In the United States, iMessage is one of the first features iPhone users mention as a benefit over Android. In the rest of the world, nobody cares, because everyone uses WhatsApp and other cross-platform services.

But there are a lot of cool features inside the Messages app these days — we’ve previously covered how to edit and unsend messages and share your screen. Here are five more hidden features inside Apple’s messaging app. Keep reading or watch the video below.

Why Humane’s screenless AI gadget will not replace your iPhone

By

Imran Chaudhri standing on stage at a TED Talk with the phrase “Screenless Seamless Sensing” written on a slide behind him
People want seamless. They might want sensing. But they absolutely do not want screenless.
Photo: Humane/TED Talks

Humane, the hot Silicon Valley startup that’s been drumming up interest in its secretive product recently, finally showed the world what its A-list talent has been working on. In a TED talk released on Tuesday, Humane co-founder Imran Chaudhri unveiled a small, screenless, badge-like device that the company hopes will replace the smartphone.

Humane is  a buzzy startup that’s raised more than $230 million from investors and has hired a lot of ex-Apple talent. It’s estimated 50% of the company’s 200 employees are from Apple. Chaudhri was one of the lead designers of the original iPhone, and contributed to dozens of Apple’s biggest products (the Mac, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch, AirPods and HomePod). His name is on thousands of patents. He met his wife, Humane co-founder Bethany Bongiorno, at Apple. And they hired Ken Kocienda, who literally wrote the book on Apple’s creative process.

I’m laying out their credentials here at the top because it is remarkable to me how such a team could miss the mark by such an incredible margin. Humane’s badge thing cannot and will not replace your iPhone, no matter how hard Chaudhri wishes that to be the case.

iPhone users want pro camera mode from Final Cut Pro for iPad

By

Pro camera mode from Final Cut Pro for iPad
Final Cut Pro for iPad offers pro camera mode when recording video.
Photo: Apple

The iPad version of Final Cut Pro that Apple recently unveiled includes a “pro camera mode” with a number of manual settings not included in the standard camera application. iPhone users saw this and quickly started calling for these features to be brought over to iOS, too.

Perhaps in iOS 17?

Man stricken with huge blood clot says Apple Watch saved him

By

William Fryer, 83, said Apple Watch saved his life.
William Fryer, 83, said Apple Watch saved his life.
Photo: WCPO ABC-9 Cincinnati

When an Ohio man went for his usual walk along the river recently and felt his knees turn to rubber, he had no idea what he was in for — other than he was “going down.”

But it turned out his Apple Watch and a health app had a few ideas, and they helped save the fallen 83-year-old’s life.

iPhone 14 vs. iPhone 12: Should you upgrade?

By

iPhone 12 to iPhone 14 upgrade: Is the jump worth it, or should you wait for iPhone 15?
iPhone 12 to iPhone 14 upgrade: Is the jump worth it, or should you wait for iPhone 15?
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Six months from now, the iPhone 12 will be 3 years old. If you got the phone on launch day in October 2020, it must already be showing its age, with poor battery life and sub-par camera performance.

Does that mean it’s time to ditch your iPhone 12 and upgrade to the iPhone 14, which starts at $799? Or should you save your money and wait for the upcoming iPhone 15? Find out with our comparison.