News - page 4

Apple shook up its iPhone lineup with the Awe Dropping event’s iPhone Air introduction. The dramatically thinner device, which drops the “17” series number in its name, replaces the Plus model. The super-slim new handset is Apple’s biggest iPhone design departure in years, packing Pro features and remarkably long battery life into a slight-yet-powerful handset.

“We are thrilled to introduce the impossibly thin iPhone Air at 5.6 millimeters,” said John Ternus, Apple senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “It’s the thinnest iPhone we’ve ever made, and it’s also exceptionally light. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever held before, and it’s packed with our most advanced features.”

The Apple Watch SE 3 boasts a lengthy list of features new to Apple’s most affordable smartwatch, including an always-on display, temperature sensor, 5G and more. But the price didn’t go up.

“Apple Watch SE offers a great way for users to start their Apple Watch journey, delivering outstanding health, fitness, safety, and connectivity features at an incredible value,” said Stan Ng, Apple’s vice president of Apple Watch and Health Product Marketing. “With even more health features, an Always-On display, and fast charging, we’re excited to see the ways Apple Watch SE 3 supports more people around the world to live a healthier and more active life.”

Following months of beta testing since WWDC25, Apple is finally ready to release iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe to the public. These operating systems finally have a release date.

The updates will start rolling out as early as September 15, just a week after Apple’s Awe Dropping event.

Apple’s new line of TechWoven, silicone and clear polycarbonate cases for iPhone 17 series models, showcased at the Awe Dropping even Tuesday, mark a significant departure from the company’s previous materials and design approach.

In addition to the silicon and clear polycarbonate cases with lanyard support for the new Crossbody Strap, the new TechWoven cases feature a synthetic fabric designed to replace the widely criticized FineWoven cases that Apple quickly abandoned after their problematic launch in 2023. Plus plenty of third-party cases are already available.

Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at its Awe Dropping event Tuesday, showcasing a bigger display, a faster chip and satellite connectivity.

“Apple Watch Ultra is our most advanced Apple Watch, designed to take users from sports and adventure to the rest of their life, and help them stay active, healthy, connected, and safe, wherever they are,” said Eugene Kim, Apple’s vice president of Apple Watch hardware engineering.

Apple gave a hearty update to its highest-end wireless earbuds, launching AirPods Pro 3. The new buds improve noise cancellation, battery life and add heart rate monitoring and live translation.

“With breakthrough audio performance and entirely new capabilities, I think AirPods Pro are truly incredible,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “These are my favorite AirPods ever,” said Kate Bergeron, Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering.

This announcement comes at Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event. The new third-generation AirPods Pro cost $249 and will be available starting September 19. Preorders will open today.

Apple TV+ dominated the first night of the 77th Creative Arts Emmy Awards over the weekend, securing a record-breaking 15 wins led by breakout performances from comedy The Studio and psychological drama Severance. Overall, the streamer’s staggering 81 nominations covered 14 original titles.

Apple’s biggest day of the year is almost here! September 9 brings the Awe Dropping event that’ll be jam-packed with product launches. We’re definitely expecting multiple redesigned iPhones and upgraded Apple Watches, plus there could be a few more products on the agenda.

Here’s the full list of Apple products rumored to be coming on Tuesday.

The alleged battery capacity of the iPhone 17 lineup has surfaced online. It points to Apple using significantly bigger batteries on its upcoming iPhone.

And for the first time since adding eSIM support with the 2017 iPhone X, Apple may equip the eSIM-only models with a larger battery.

A new rumor suggests AirPods Pro 3 will debut this year, but won’t bring any breakthrough hardware upgrades. The rumored IR-equipped cameras, which supposedly will enable air gestures for interacting with the earbuds, might not arrive until 2026.

Apple could unveil its new flagship AirPods Pro 3 earbuds at Tuesday’s Awe Dropping event.

However, the earbuds won’t pack any breakthrough hardware upgrades, including IR-equipped cameras for air gesture support. That feature supposedly must wait until 2026.

The just-launched Satechi OntheGo Bluetooth Keyboard with Stand is for those who need a travel keyboard for their iPad and don’t want to limit the accessory to just one tablet.

Plus, Satechi launched a new OntheGo Bluetooth Mouse at the same time.

Apple is reportedly preparing a new HomePod mini version, the first upgrade to the affordable smart speaker in five years. HomePod mini 2 rumors suggest a considerable jump in features, including support for Apple Intelligence.

Here’s what the rumors say about HomePod mini 2, which is supposedly coming soon.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With Apple’s Awe Dropping event bearing down on us, it’s time to once again put our professional reputations (and our personal dignity) on the line with our traditional predictions game!

Who will win this time? And will a CultCast listener steal the glory once again?!?

Also on The CultCast:

• A stripped-down version of the Vision Pro, possibly called the Vision Air, could reduce the strain on users’ necks (and wallets).
• A proposed iMac Lego set is gaining supporters online. Let’s take it over the top!
• Apple wins one in court — and it’s a big one. A judge rules that the $20 billion payments that Google forks over to Apple each year can continue.

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 version on YouTube.

Foundation season 3 is a huge hit for Apple TV+ with the series continuing to draw viewers as the season progresses. Fresh episodes of the sci-fi epic hit streaming  in July, and it’s one of the most popular shows available with the season finale drawing close.

Speaking of sci-fi, the Apple TV+ thriller Invasion also found a large audience last week.

Everyone eager to get their hands on iOS 26 should mark September 15 on their calendar as the launch day. Based on years of previous Apple OS releases, that’s almost certainly when the new Liquid Glass user interface, plus all the other enhancements in the new iPhone operating system, will debut.

The same goes for iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26. All of these should go out on September 15.

But macOS Tahoe 26 might be different. There’s evidence to suggest Apple might wait an additional week or even more for that upgrade.

If you’re planning to get a new iPhone 17 and are already making a list of must-have accessories, an iPhone 17 Ultra Thin Case from Case Luxury should be near the top. They measure just 0.02 inches thin, and they perfectly show off Apple’s renowned industrial design.

There is an Ultra Thin Case that fits each iPhone 17 model like it was built alongside it. There’s no excess bulk, no chunky edges, just a smooth, satin matte finish that keeps fingerprints away and feels grippy enough without being tacky. Plus, the cases come in multiple colors, so you can find one that’s right for you.

Legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low gets a modern music industry twist in Highest 2 Lowest, a new Apple TV+ film from director Spike Lee that started streaming Friday. In the new Highest 2 Lowest trailer, below, we get a taste of Denzel Washington’s portrayal of a powerful New York City record exec whose son is kidnapped.

The new movie hit theaters on August 15, but now you can watch it on Apple TV+. Check out the trailer below to see what Lee and Washington have in store. Reviews so far suggest the tense drama is another great New York City film from Lee, with Washington shining in lead role.

Alogic made waves at IFA 2025 in Berlin Friday, introducing advanced displays specifically designed for Mac users — including the first 6K resolution touchscreen display optimized for Mac. That’s like an Apple Pro Display XDR with a touchscreen. The Australian company’s new lineup also features innovative 4K docking monitors and an expanded ultrawide display series.

“With this launch at IFA Berlin, Alogic is delivering a complete ecosystem of professional displays,” said Ritesh Kumar, CEO of Alogic. “From the brand-new, patented Aspekt 4K docking monitors to our flagship Clarity 6K Touch, we are setting new benchmarks in resolution, connectivity and interaction for modern professionals and enterprises.”

Apple will bump the RAM to 12GB and the base storage to 256GB on at least three iPhone 17 models. Combined with other improvements, TrendForce analysts believe the iPhone 17 Pro will cost $100 more than its predecessor.

Yet, the analysts project the iPhone 17 lineup will see a 3.5% increase in shipments over the 2024 iPhone 16.

Ugreen’s new MagFlow Series magnetic wireless chargers bring Qi2’s enhanced 25-watt charging standard to Apple device users, the company said Friday. The five-product lineup promises significantly faster wireless charging speeds while maintaining the magnetic convenience that iPhone users expect from MagSafe accessories.

Plenty of Apple households consider robot vacuums essential smart home devices, but they’ve always had one major limitation: stairs. If you live in a multi-story home, you’ve either had to carry your robot vacuum between floors or invest in multiple units. What a drag. But the innovative new Eufy MarsWalker for robot vacuums, set to launch in spring 2026, promises to eliminate the problem entirely. The company just introduced it at IFA Berlin.

Anker unveiled its most powerful portable battery yet at IFA Berlin 2025, headlining a refreshed Prime charging ecosystem seeking to seduce power users and mobile professionals. The star of the show is the Anker Prime 300W Power Bank, which delivers unprecedented charging capabilities in an airline-friendly package.

But that’s not all. The lineup also boasts an updated 14-in-1 Prime Docking Station, a 3-in-1 bedside charging station with active cooling and more. They all include AnkerSense View smart displays showing charging speeds and temperatures.

Apple Arcade’s exciting September is well under way with several major game additions going live Thursday. The headliners? The exclusive launch of NFL Retro Bowl ’26 and the arrival of Jeopardy! Daily, the subscription service said recently.

It continues to expand its catalog of ad-free, in-app purchase-free games with these highly anticipated titles, among others.

Apple is bringing real change to the iPad line, with the first folding model reportedly on the drawing board. An analyst with generally reliable sources in Apple’s component supply chain predicts the company’s first foldable tablet will launch in 2028.

The new report contradicts an earlier one that said Apple put the cutting-edge device on hold.

Apple will reportedly take on OpenAI and Perplexity with its own AI-powered web search. Known internally as the World Knowledge Answers, the feature should launch by next year.

The company will integrate it directly into Siri and may eventually bring it to Safari and Spotlight.