Mobile menu toggle

News - page 23

MacBook Neo sales blast past Apple’s pricier laptops

By •

MacBook Neo in Blush and Indigo showing the desktop on a wood table
MacBook Neo is a huge hit for Apple.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

MacBook Neo outsold every other MacBook in Apple’s lineup in its launch quarter. IDC reports Apple shipped 1.1 million units of its cheapest Mac, higher than the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

What’s impressive is that the Neo achieved this feat despite being on sale for only three weeks during the quarter.

Leaker: Foldable iPhone with liquid metal hinge undergoing carrier testing

By •

Photo of a folding Android device, used to illustrate a story about a rumored liquid metal hinge for the first folding iPhone
The hinge is a critical component of any foldable, and Apple wants the best technology possible for its first folding iPhone.
Photo: Amanz/Unsplash License

Apple is building its long-anticipated folding iPhone around a liquid metal hinge, and the device has now actually reached mobile carriers around the world for compatibility testing, a prominent Apple supply chain leaker said Tuesday.

Congress pressures Apple to keep first unionized US store open

By •

Shuttered US Apple stores include first to unionize
Slated for closure, Apple Towson Town Center store in Maryland was the first one to unionize.
Photo: Apple

With a letter signed by 40 members of Congress sent Monday, Apple faces increased federal pressure over its plan to shut down the Apple Towson Town Center store in Maryland. The location, set to close on June 20, holds the distinction of being the first Apple retail store in the United States to unionize.

The congressional letter pulls no punches. The lawmakers describe the closure as “unacceptable in its impact, and deeply troubling in its national implications for workers’ rights.”

Next-gen OLED Apple Watch displays could lead to longer battery life

By •

Next-gen OLED Apple Watch displays
Apple Watch OLED displays are great now, but more advanced tech could boost power efficiency and, therefore, battery life.
Photo: Apple

The display in your Apple Watch may already seem pretty great, but a new type of screen technology in development could make models in the next year or two even better by running for longer on a single charge, according to a new report.

A free tier for Apple Music might be closer than you think

By •

A photo of the Apple Music app on an iPhone screen, used in a story about Apple Music rumored to get a free tier.
A free Apple Music plan could help the service significantly increase its user base.
Photo: Brett Jordan/Pexels

Just a month after Apple Music’s chief called a free tier a “terrible idea,” code found in a beta version of the streaming service’s Android app suggests Apple might be prepping to do just that.

For years, Apple has avoided offering a free or low-cost subscription tier. But as it races to catch up with Spotify, Apple could be reconsidering its stand.

iOS 26.5.1 update fixes charging problem with Phone 17 and iPhone Air

By •

iOS 26.5.1 update
If you're one of the unlucky few the charging problem vexes, here's your solution.
Image: Cult of Mac

Apple made an update available for its iPhone operating system Monday with iOS 26.5.1. It addresses a wired charging problem some users with iPhone Series 17 or iPhone Air handsets face.

Apple said the problem affects a “small number of users.” But for the few users who face it, the problem probably feels pretty big. The same goes for a Mac glitch fixed by macOS 26.5.1, also released Monday.

Samsung’s new monitors offer features Apple still doesn’t

By •

A photo of the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 used in a story about the same.
Samsung's new OLED monitors are cheaper than Apple's, and have higher refresh rates.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung just launched three new monitors that finally give Mac users a big reason to upgrade, addressing many of the gaps that Apple’s own monitors have left open for quite some time.

The new Samsung monitor lineup includes a 40-inch curved ultrawide and 4K OLED models in two sizes (27-inch and 32-inch). They also come with Thunderbolt 5 ports, built-in KVM switching and faster refresh rates than Apple’s displays.

iOS 27 could make it way easier to split the bill

By •

Bill-splitting tool coming to iOS 27
Soon iOS 27 will make this process a lot smoother.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple WWDC26:Apple prepares to bring one of the most-requested social money features directly into iPhone, with a new bill-splitting tool expected to debut as part of iOS 27 this fall, according to a new report Monday. We expect to hear more about it next week at WWDC26.

Apple reveals ‘All systems glow’ tagline, wallpaper and playlist for WWDC26

By •

WWDC26: All systems glow
Apple wants to get us all ready for its big developer conference, iOS 27 and more.
Photo: Apple

Apple WWDC26:With one week to go until its annual developer showcase, Apple leaned into a luminous theme with the new WWDC26 tagline “All systems glow.”

You can get your devices ready for the WWDC26 keynote, which kicks off the weeklong event on June 8, with new wallpaper and an Apple Music playlist.

Sennheiser Momentum 5 headphones offer something AirPods Max don’t

By •

Sennheiser Momentum 5
Being able to easily swap out the battery could adds years of life to these premium cans.
Photo: Sennheiser

New Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless over-ear headphones bring Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio, upgraded noise cancellation and one killer feature major players like Apple and Bose will have to consider adding — a user-replaceable battery, which can greatly extend the life of the product.

The new Sennheiser cans arrive June 16 for $399.99.

Airline passenger picks the worst possible name for Bluetooth accessory

By •

Airline passenger picks the worst possible name for Bluetooth accessory
Don't choose a stupid name for a Bluetooth accessory you bring on a plane.
Photo: 정규송 Nui Malama/Pexels

Think for a minute. What’s the absolute worst name you could give a Bluetooth accessory you’re going to take on a plane? A teenager on a flight from Spain reportedly chose one so bad that it caused the airliner to turn around halfway and return to New Jersey.

It’s a warning that airlines do not have a sense of humor, and you’re probably not as clever as you think you are.

First Apple smart glasses may not arrive until late 2027

By •

Apple Glasses render
Apple Glasses is over a year away from launch.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple’s first smart glasses will reportedly stand out based on strong brand value, “industrial design and iPhone integration,” according to new information that surfaced Sunday.

The company will seemingly launch its first smart glasses near the end of 2027.

Ferrari Luce is the Apple car we never got [Cult of Mac podcast No. 22]

By •

Photo of a blue Ferrari Luce, along with the words,
That ain't no Apple car, but it's close!
Image: Ferrari/Cult of Mac

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The new Ferrari Luce is a $540,000 electric vehicle that’s the closest thing to an Apple car we’re ever going to see. That’s no surprise, considering the key role ex-Apple design chief Jony Ive played in crafting the EV.

We discuss the good, the bad and the laughable about the car (and fantasize about sliding behind the wheel).

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

  • A last-minute bombshell gives us an awfully good look at what the new AI-powered Siri — and the rest of iOS 27 — will look like. It’s filled with major spoilers for the WWDC26 keynote, which is coming on June 8. Tim Cook must be seething!
  • A long-overdue tweak in iOS 27 should make it easier to use AirPods‘ advanced features. We’re thrilled. But will the changes go far enough?
  • And finally, special guest Christina Warren returns to join in on all the fun. Plus, she gives us an update on what’s going on at GitHub amid the AI frenzy.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

Best look yet at 4 iPhone 18 Pro colors: Can dark cherry top cosmic orange?

By •

iPhone 18 Pro colors may include dark cherry
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could come in a wine-inspired purplish-red color.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro color lineup may have just been revealed, thanks to images of a fresh batch of dummy units shared by a noted Apple leaker.

The good news: there’s a beautiful new dark cherry option. Now the bad: the popular cosmic orange iPhone is apparently going away.

Apple’s next-gen Siri could rely heavily on local AI

By •

Upgrading Siri with Google Gemini will be $1 billion quick fix
Apple is betting big on local AI processing.
Graphic: Apple/Google

Apple will reportedly play up the on-device AI prowess of its devices next month during its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote. The company will supposedly highlight how its A-series and M-series chips allow AI models to run locally for better efficiency and privacy.

With Apple’s competitors aggressively pushing cloud-based AI features, the company will likely position on-device AI as a key advantage of its ecosystem throughout WWDC26.

Detailed iOS 27 renders show Siri’s big makeover

By •

Apple Siri logo under construction
Apple is hard at work creating the new Siri.
AI image: Apple/ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple WWDC26:As Apple prepares what could be its most consequential software release in years with iOS 27 at WWDC26, we get our first real glimpse at what an overhauled Siri and other Apple Intelligence features may look like, courtesy of Bloomberg. It mocked up a bunch of illustrations in a new report Thursday.

iPhone users can now store their Arkansas driver’s license in Apple Wallet [Updated]

By •

Arkansas launches digital driver’s licenses in Apple Wallet
Your Arkansas driver’s license can go into Apple Wallet on your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Image: Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration

Arkansas residents can now add their driver’s licenses and state identification cards directly to Apple Wallet, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch users to present a digital version of their ID at supported locations across the United States.

The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration announced the rollout on Wednesday, expanding the state’s Mobile ID program that first launched in 2025. The move makes Arkansas the fifteenth U.S. state or territory to support Apple’s digital ID program.

Update: In a related note, Virginia is reportedly close to rolling out support for digital driver’s licenses and IDs.

How iPad and Mac help revitalize Cherokee language and culture

By •

iPad and Mac revitalize Cherokee language
Students use iPad to study the Cherokee language. They write out words and phrases in Notes and record themselves speaking them aloud to practice good pronunciation.
Photo: Apple

In the hallways of the Cherokee Immersion School in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, a quiet revolution is underway. Students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade are learning to speak a language that fewer than 1,500 people in the world still speak fluently — and Apple technology is helping make it happen as iPad and Mac revitalize Cherokee language, the iPhone giant reported in a new feature story Thursday.

“The technology that we utilize with Apple has allowed us to take everything that we really are trying to achieve here, which is the perpetuation and the revitalization of Cherokee language and culture, and use that same technology to make it relevant to the young people that are learning here,” said Chuck Hoskin Jr., Cherokee Nation’s principal chief.

WhatsApp will soon make it easy for iPhone users to share documents with Meta AI

By •

A picture of WhatsApp used in a story about Meta AI now supporting document uploads in WhatsApp.
iPhone users will soon be able to summarize documents using Meta AI in WhatsApp.
Photo: WhatsApp/Cult Of Mac

WhatsApp wants to make Meta AI a lot more useful on the iPhone. To that end, Meta is working on a new feature that allows users to upload documents and get AI-powered summaries and answers right in WhatsApp.

For iPhone users, this sounds like a meaningful upgrade. Instead of switching between apps to analyze PDFs, notes, presentations or spreadsheets, users will be able to hand files directly to Meta AI without relying on another chatbot.

Apple’s handy guide explains how to ID Creator Studio apps

By •

An image of Apple Creator Studio app icons
Apple wants users to know how to distinguish Creator Studio apps on the Mac.
Image: Apple

An Apple support document published Tuesday helps Mac users figure out which versions of its Creator Studio apps are running on their computers. It’s something no one expected in 2026, but here we are.

Currently, Apple ships two separate versions of Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, MainStage, Motion, Compressor and Pixelmator Pro. If you happen to be a Mac owner subscribed to Apple’s Creator Studio who also uses the standalone versions of the apps in the bundle, the support document is for you.

iPhone Ultra foldable starts to come into focus

By •

Folding iPhone Ultra with iFun case
When folded, the iPhone Ultra may be smaller than some people expect.
Image: iFun

New images claiming to show Apple’s long-rumored “iPhone Ultra” give Apple fans what may be their best look yet at the company’s first folding iPhone. They come from a company ready with a case for the handset, even though it has yet to be announced.

If the images prove to be accurate, there’s a lot to look forward to this fall.

Add multiple high-res screens to your Mac with these new Thunderbolt 5 docks

By •

Kensington SD5010T5 EQ Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station
Kensington launched a Thunderbolt 5 docking station that supports up to three 4K monitors.
Photo: Kensington

Both Kensington and Plugable just introduced Thunderbolt 5 docks for professionals who need to add multiple high-resolution displays as well as a range of other high-speed ports.

Both the Kensington SD5010T5 EQ Thunderbolt 5 Triple 4K Docking Station and the Plugable TBT-UDH2 offer 80Gbps/120Gbps of data bandwidth. This is the kind of connectivity that consumers don’t really need but pros must have.

Apple brings back After the Whistle podcast for World Cup

By •

After the Whistle podcast returns for World Cup
Brendan Hunt and Rebecca Lowe ride the World Cup roller coaster together.
Photo: Apple

Popular podcast After the Whistle with Brendan Hunt and Rebecca Lowe will return for a third season on June 7, Apple said Wednesday. The show, which stars Ted Lasso alum Hunt and Premier League soccer commentator Lowe, will arrive in time to cover the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“We are thrilled to bring After the Whistle back for a third season,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services and health, in a press release. “Brendan and Rebecca have an incredible ability to capture the energy and passion of the World Cup. Their unique dynamic and deep love for soccer make this show an absolute can’t-miss for fans everywhere.”