The new, highly transmissible COVID-19 variant reportedly forced Apple to shut down around 20 of its retail stores in the United States. Coronavirus cases continue to rise dramatically because of the omicron variant, with the daily national average more than doubling in the past two weeks.
Those planning to return a gift at a brick-and-mortar Apple Store, or use a gift certificate, should check to see if it’s open before heading out.
With 2022 almost on us, it’s time to look forward to the massive MacBook Air refresh expected next year. Tipsters say there’ll be a slim new design, a much better screen and a range of other improvements.
This notebook is also expected to be the debut of the super-speedy Apple M2 processor.
Three months after launch, a lower percentage of iPhone users have adopted iOS 15 than they did its predecessors in previous years. Cult of Mac asked readers to explain their hesitancy.
Turns out there’s not one single reason.
Apple reportedly hired Meta’s AR communications chief recently, a move that fits with Cupertino’s long-rumored plan to launch an augmented reality/virtual reality headset.
Observers expect Apple to unveil its mixed-reality headset sometime in 2022. And, according to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, Apple is forming a team to handle the hardware’s launch and marketing. Part of this appears to be the hiring of Andrea Schubert, chief of communications and public relations for AR at Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook.
![Dual M1 Mac and PS5 gaming rig boasts blazing-fast displays [Setups]: When you've got that need for speed ...](https://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Dual-M1-Mac-and-PS5-gaming-rig-boasts-blazing-fast-displays-Setups-.jpeg "Dual M1 Mac and PS5 gaming rig boasts blazing-fast displays [Setups]")
If you’re an avid gamer, or maybe just an aspiring one, it pays to know which displays and accessories will best serve your needs. Not just any display, input device and headset will keep up with today’s graphically rich games. The dual M1 Mac and Sony PlayStation 5 computer setup we look at today demonstrates some good choices you might consider.
Redditor smhppp uses an M1 Mac mini for personal uses, an M1 MacBook Air for work and a Sony PS5 for gaming. They showed their setup in a post entitled, “Current setup, spec in comments for those interested.” It’s one of those one-vertical-and-one horizontal-display setups so many people are trying lately.
Apple proves that demo videos don’t have to be dry and boring. It premiered a trio of short videos Sunday that show off the capabilities of the iPhone 13 Pro camera — and they’re actually fun to watch.
Plus, if you were just gifted Apple’s latest handset, watch all three and you might be inspired to go make a movie with it.
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.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: New renders give us an even better vision of what Apple’s mixed-reality headset might look like. We’re still not convinced we’ll be wondering around with these things strapped to our heads — especially if they cost $3,000. However, we must admit that the concept art by Ian Zelbo does look pretty cool.
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.
Christmas time is here, and Apple TV+ is ready to help you celebrate. There are some wonderful specials on Apple’s streaming service that can get you in the holiday spirit.
Any and all of them are ready to watch now.
It’s Christmas Eve, and all we want for the holiday is a Porsche 911. It could be a gleaming new one, with a base price of a mere $99,200. It could be super-cool vintage one. Or it could even be a Lego one like the one featured in today’s MacBook Pro and iPad Pro-driven setup.
OK, given our paltry income, who are we kidding — we’d even take a die-cast 911, like the Matchbox cars of our youth.
Ever wondered what today’s most popular Mac apps might have looked like on earlier Macintosh machines? These incredible design concepts imagine the likes of Google Chrome, Spotify and Zoom running on the 22-year-old Mac OS 9.
Graphic designer Michael Feeney created the collection as part of his terrific (mac)OStalgia project. Check it out in the four-minute video below.
It’s unlikely the average AirPods Pro owner would be wearing their buds into a real battle to listen to some banging tunes. But if they were, they would protect them with Elkson’s ultra-rugged Military Bumper case.
With its tough exoskeleton design, made from a mixture of flexible polyurethane and sturdy polycarbonate, the Military Bumper is all you need to keep your favorite wireless headphones in top condition. It’s also surprisingly affordable.
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.
Some Apple Watch owners are experiencing charging problems after installing Apple’s newest watchOS 8.3 update.
The bug mostly appears to affect Apple Watch Series 7 and third-party charging accessories from a range of brands. However, some users have reported similar problems with older Apple Watch models. There is a temporary fix if you need it.
If you’re yet to try out Apple Music, now’s your chance. Shazam is offering five months of free and unlimited access to new subscribers who sign up before January 31, 2022. Some existing subscribers can get two months free.
You’ll need to use your iPhone (or an Android smartphone if that’s what you’re into) to redeem the offer.
Apple Support premiered on Wednesday a video with helpful iPhone tips. Sit back, take a few minutes and learn something new you can do with your handset.
With ten tips — plus bonus ones — there’s sure to be something here you didn’t know.
Searching for a new house with someone who’s not right next to you just got a lot easier. The Zillow app on iPhone or iPad now supports SharePlay, so multiple people can look at the same home listings simultaneously on different devices.
Use it with loved ones or your real estate agent.
Sometimes when you’re trawling the interwebs for cool computer setups, you learn a lot not just from the person bragging about their gear in a social media post, but also from the folks admiring or lambasting it. Such is the case with today’s iPad Pro and Dell widescreen setup.
Its owner and other folks push the importance of adding a good webcam and good lighting for successful videoconferencing. And other folks make a compelling case for adding a subwoofer to paired HomePod minis if you want any bass at all in your music.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has blocked Apple’s attempt to hide non-disclosure agreements and other concealment clauses from its shareholders.
The decision comes after Apple investor Nia Impact Capital filed a proposal in September calling for Apple to publish a report detailing “the potential risks to the company associated with its use of concealment clauses in the context of harassment, discrimination and other unlawful acts.”
Scrambling to get last-minute gifts ahead of the holidays? Apple’s got your back with free two-hour delivery now available on many products — including iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch — in select cities across the U.S.
The promotion, which starts today, is available until December 24. But, as you’ve probably guessed, it’s only available on items that are in stock.
Apple’s upcoming 27-inch iMac refresh could miss out on the mini-LED upgrade that this year graced iPad Pro and MacBook Pro. A new report, citing industry sources, claims the all-in-one computer will stick with more-familiar LCD panels instead.
The same sources also say the new 27-inch iMac will be available in a range of color options, just like the 24-inch model introduced in May.
DuckDuckGo, the search engine that prides itself on protecting your privacy, is building its very own web browser for Mac. It promises to be simple and fast, with robust privacy features enabled by default.
The browser will feature DuckDuckGo’s popular “Fire Button,” which quickly wipes all your private data in just one click. It also will be built to use native browser technologies, rather than relying on third-party engines.
iPhone is the biggest, most profitable 5G smartphone in the world, according to the latest data from one research firm. As 5G adoption skyrockets, Apple continues to hold a lead over Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, and other vendors.
That’s despite an increase in demand for foldable devices and more affordable 5G handsets from brands like Honor.
Australia-based Røde Microphones rolled out a host of free updates to its Røde Central app, making its popular Wireless Go II Dual Channel Wireless Microphone System more capable and easier to use in a variety of ways.