A device shown at CES 2022 that made some publications’ “weirdest stuff from the show” lists is the Pozio Cradle. It’s a “listening blocker” that wirelessly charges smartphones. It ensures your gadget and its voice assistant can’t hear or record what you say, according to the company.
iOS and iPadOS 15 introduce a brilliant new feature called Live Text, which not only identifies text in your photos, but also allows you to interact with it. You can use it for all kinds of things, like making a call, sending an email, or looking up directions to an address.
Here’s how to use the feature to copy and paste text from your images on iPhone and iPad.
Google is once again calling on Apple to adopt a more open text messaging standard after accusing Cupertino of benefitting from bullying.
It comes after a report highlighted the struggle some teens face when using an Android device, which results in broken group chats and green bubbles — as opposed to blue ones — when texting peers who own an iPhone.
A former iMessage manager explained the reasoning behind the differences in Apple’s defense. But some might (rightly) say the arguments hold no value today, with text messaging in a better place than it was when iMessage landed.
European are joining forces in a bid to block iCloud Private Relay — a feature Apple introduced in iOS and iPadOS 15 to bolster its privacy protections. It seems some have already begun disabling it on cellular plans.
A group, which include Vodafone and T-Mobile, has signed an open letter that says Private Relay prevents them from obtaining “vital network data,” and will impact their ability to “efficiently manage telecommunication networks.”
![Apple's hardware plans for 2022 sound intoxicating [The CultCast]](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/CC-526-1.jpg "Apple’s hardware plans for 2022 sound positively intoxicating [The CultCast]")
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Even more details surface about Apple’s hardware plans for 2022. If last year was “modest” (LOL), this year looks jam-packed with major updates. We’re talking redesigned AirPods Pro, a new Apple monitor, even-more-impressive MacBook Airs and … an iPhone? You gotta be kidding us.
Also on The CultCast:
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 livestream, embedded below.
iPhone SE could go without a significant design upgrade until 2024, according to one tipster. This year’s refresh is expected to add 5G connectivity and beefier internals, but it probably won’t look any different to the last iPhone SE.
When Apple does finally get around to giving its most affordable smartphone a lick of paint, it is expected to look a lot like iPhone XR or iPhone 11, but with “a slightly smaller screen.”
Work on a folding iPhone reportedly goes on. Apple is secretly testing “multiple prototypes that contain foldable displays,” according to a reliable tipster.
But the company is also watching closely to see if foldable phones will turn out to be a fad without staying power.
Among accessories maker Satechi’s new products showing at CES 2022 is the new 2-in-1 Headphone Stand with Wireless Charger designed for AirPods Max, rolled out Thursday.
While a sleek, stainless steel arm suspends your headphones, the base charges your iPhone or other Qi-enabled device and provides a USB-C port to power up the headphones, too.
Some iPhone and iPad users are being plagued by a Messages bug that causes read receipts to be sent even when they are disabled. The problem seems to affect devices running iOS 15 or later.
There is no permanent fix for the issue yet, but there is one thing you can do that may eliminate the problem for a short time.
A U.S. district judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed against Apple by Cydia creator Jay Freeman . Filed last year, the complaint alleges that Apple maintains an illegal monopoly over app distribution on iOS.
Cydia, which launched in 2008, became the first App Store alternative for iPhone and iPad, providing access to thousands of unauthorized downloads. However, you can only access it if you have a jailbroken device.
iPhone’s built-in Calendar app has an ongoing bug that prevents 2022 holidays from appearing in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom.
The problem first cropped up in mid-2021, but iPhone owners assumed the holidays would appear as the new year drew closer. Almost a week into 2022, a large number of users remain unable to see them.
Google plans to make its latest Pixel and Wear OS devices more compelling alternatives to iPhone and Apple Watch by ripping off some of Cupertino’s most popular software features — including spatial audio and AirDrop.
The Android-maker revealed the long list of improvements, which will span all of Google’s software platforms as well as Windows, this week at the CES trade show in Las Vegas. Here’s what you can expect if you plan to ditch your Apple devices and swap sides.
The holidays are finally over, and if you were lucky enough to receive an Apple Watch, iPhone or AirPods as gifts, this latest giveaway is for you. Journey, a maker of innovative consumer electronics, is giving three lucky winners its 3 in 1 Wireless Charging Station.
This minimalist charger takes up little space and will charge your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch at the same time. If you want to simplify your life by cutting out cords and charging hassles, make sure to enter this Cult of Mac giveaway.
Oral-B is adding three new brushes, previewed this week at CES 2022, to its smart iO lineup that all work alongside your iPhone to give you cleaner, healthier teeth.
With features like real-time feedback, pressure control, multiple brushing modes, and the ability to monitor your brushing habits, the iO4, iO5 and iO10 brushes promise greater plaque removal and improved gum health.
A newly discovered HomeKit bug can render unsuspecting iPhone and iPad users with a completely unresponsive device. All it takes is for a smart home gadget to be given a super-long name.
Once the bug affects an iOS or iPadOS device, the gadget will continually freeze and restart itself. The only way to fix it is to factory reset the iPhone or iPad — and avoid logging into your iCloud account.
For the first computer setup featured in the new year, we look backward. Not to the recently subsided and mostly loathed 2021, but further back to a controversial Apple product launch from nearly a decade ago. And deeper into Apple’s storied history. Cult of Mac reader Michael De Jong shared some interesting older gear and some iconic imagery with us in his setup photographs.
In a festive New Year’s promotion, Elago is offering every accessory in the Cult of Mac Store — hundreds of items, all in one place — at 15% off through January 7. No matter what Apple products you may have received as gifts over the holidays, there’s something for your in the sale. We cover some highlights below.
With the omicron variant fueling lightning-fast spread of COVID-19, it’s a good time for iPhone owners to take advantage of the exposure notifications feature built into iOS. By simply enabling this feature, you will get an alert after being exposed to someone who tests positive for the virus — as long as they also have contact notifications turned on, and they report their test results.
For obvious reasons, this automatic version of contact tracing works more effectively if more people utilize it. If you discover that you’ve been in close contact with an infected person, you can take appropriate steps (getting tested, staying away from vulnerable people, etc.)
We’ll show you how to take control of COVID-19 exposure notifications on your device.
This MagSafe charger post is brought to you by Journey, a brand of Alogic.
You probably have cables to charge your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch. But wouldn’t it be great to charge them all at once, in one place, like on your nightstand or desk? Without a bunch of wires? With the handsome new Journey 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station, you can.
Journey’s newest charger also serves as a stand for your gadgets — and it looks good doing it. And, by the way, if you act fast, you can get the new charging station for 30% off with the coupon X30.
This iPhone 13 cases post is brought to you by Totallee.
With the release of the tough iPhone 13 series handsets, with their Ceramic Shield and Gorilla Glass, more and more people started talking about going without a case altogether. Others, of course, weren’t about to drop a grand on a smartphone and then not protect that pricey gadget. There may actually be a perfect third path, whether you just got an iPhone 13 for Christmas or have had one for a while. You can try Totallee’s extremely thin and light iPhone 13 cases. They help protect and showcase your new smartphone without adding bulk.
2022 might bring some significant swings in Apple’s phone strategy. The “regular” iPhone 14 series reportedly will include a more affordable 6.7-incher in place of the 5.4-inch mini model. And the two upcoming iPhone Pro models could get rid of the notch, replacing it with a smaller alternative.
Plus, there allegedly will be a big improvement to the rear-facing camera, as well as other changes. And an iPhone SE 3.
Having all the Apple gadgets is great for fun and productivity. There’s nothing like the ease of having your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all synced up together. Keeping them all charged and running throughout the day, though, can be a real pain. Apple is doing a better job, but the battery lives are still painfully short.
However, keeping your batteries topped off is a cinch with the MagStack Foldable 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station with Floating Stand. Even better, this MagStack station is available at a deep discount for our second Cyber Week sale! You can get this charging station on sale for only $35.99 (regularly $69) when you use the code CYBER20.
An iPhone and AirPods can be used to listen to conversations without people knowing. Such iPhone spying is really just a tricky use of the Live Listen feature built into iOS.
And, even if you’re not a budding James Bond, knowing about this trick could keep someone from eavesdropping on you. Here’s what to do if you want to use your iPhone to spy on someone. (Or what to watch out for if you don’t want to fall victim to iPhone spying.)
In the three months since iOS 15 launched, 65% of iPhone users have installed it. That’s well below the percentage of users who’d installed iOS 14 the same amount of time after its debut in 2020.
There are several possible reasons why the iOS 15 adoption rate might be slower than that of its predecessor.
If you like epic adventures, you are going to want to enter our latest giveaway. Cult of Mac is giving away six Koala 2.0 iPhone harnesses from Hangtime to three lucky winners. This super-grip harness is the smartphone leash for life on the go.
The Koala 2.0 harness will become your trusty sidekick. Its simple design will keep your iPhone both safe and handy. If you have a taste for adventure, or just a need to keep your iPhone close and safe, be sure to enter this giveaway.