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John Ternus plans to accelerate Apple product launches

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New Apple CEO John Ternus plans to launch more products, more often
John Ternus, the new Apple CEO, plans to launch more products, more often.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple’s new CEO John Ternus is reportedly pushing for a leaner organization that can move faster and experiment more aggressively. He plans to focus on engineering and push to release more products, more often.

Ternus also could move the company away from its tradition of a few monumental product launches. Rather than concentrating major product announcements into a few annual events, he supposedly wants Apple to introduce products throughout the year.

The planned changes reportedly come with layoffs and other staff reductions as Ternus shakes up the ranks at Apple.

Google bug causes thousands of iPhone apps to crash overnight

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A picture showing an iPhone used in a story about iPhone apps crashing.
Google’s Firebase bug behind widespread iPhone app crashes has been fixed.
Photo: Photoshoot4You/Pixabay

If your iPhone apps started glitching out last night, don’t blame Apple: A Google bug caused widespread iPhone app crashes Monday before the company rolled out a fix.

The crashes began shortly after Apple released iOS 27.0.1, but the problem stemmed from Google’s servers, not Apple’s update.

Apple finally details all the new tvOS 27 features

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A photo of Apple TV used in a story about new tvOS 27 features.
New tvOS 27 features bring Hi-Res Lossless audio and video podcasts to the Apple TV.
Photo: Apple

Nearly two weeks after tvOS 27 reached compatible Apple TV boxes, Apple finally revealed a detailed list of tvOS 27 features. The tvOS 27 release notes, published Friday, detail changes to music, podcasts and accessibility features on your big screen.

Apple TV rarely gets headline software news of its own, but this detailed feature breakdown finally gives owners a clear reason to update now.

Leak reveals secret iPhone Duo StandBy faces

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More iPhone Duo StandBy faces discovered
iPhone Duo is ready to be useful all the time, thanks to StandBy.
Screenshot: Apple/Cult of Mac

The iPhone Duo will ship with several unannounced StandBy faces that Apple didn’t reveal during the foldable’s unveiling or in its press materials. However, a leaker is spoiling the surprises by revealing at least five more StandBy faces for the Duo.

The foldable will also feature a new face editor similar to the Apple Watch face editor.

iPhone software patch fixes nasty iOS 27 freeze bug and more

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iOS 27.0.1 patches some prominent bugs
Apple just squashed some high-profile bugs in iOS 27.
Image: Cult of Mac/Apple

Apple released iOS 27.0.1 on Monday, a patch that fixes several bugs discovered after the company’s major iOS 27 update arrived earlier this month.

Several of these bugs made headlines, including one that could freeze the screen on any iPhone with merely a couple of finger swipes. So the update is recommended for all users.

Bug patches for macOS, iPadOS and watchOS also arrived Monday.

5 Macs rumored to launch in the coming months

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Mac rumors for 2026 and 2027
These are just some of the new Macs rumored for 2026 and 2027.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Plenty of new Macs are rumored to be waiting in the wings. Mostly, it’s about bringing the speedy new M6 processor to more models, but we can also look forward to the most radically redesigned MacBook in many years. And a better budget notebook, too.

Anyone on the market for a new Mac take note: Here’s every macOS notebook and desktop currently rumored to arrive by mid-2027.

Every 2027 iPhone could ditch Qualcomm for Apple’s own modem

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A picture of a 5G modem with Apple logo used in a story about 2027 iPhones having Apple's in-house modems.
Apple modems are expected to replace Qualcomm’s chips in every iPhone launched next year.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple will reportedly put its own modems in every iPhone released next year, with no Qualcomm hardware left inside.

The move would conclude a years-long push to cut Qualcomm out of the iPhone. But Apple won’t be fully done with its old rival, thanks to a fresh patent deal.

Apple’s next Vision Pro reportedly on ‘life support’ amid design debate

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A photo showing the Apple Vision Pro used in a story about Apple working on four new Vision Pro concepts.
Apple is reportedly weighing four concepts for the next Vision Pro.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The future of the Apple Vision Pro headset is reportedly in flux, with no internal agreement on the design of possible future models. In fact, a successor to the pricey mixed-reality headset might never see the light of day.

Fans have wanted a lighter, more comfortable Vision Pro since launch. But Apple is said to be weighing four very different concepts for the headset’s sequel — and a release isn’t guaranteed.

iPhone 18 Pro’s got some ‘-gates’ [Cult of Mac podcast 34]

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Photo of iPhone 18 Pro lineup with the words
What's an iPhone launch without a weird controversy or two?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: That didn’t take long! The iPhone 18 Pro faces more than one problem right out of the gate. First there’s a controversial storage choice that seems to hamper performance of the highest-end models (at least in extreme testing). And then there’s a weird Face ID problem.

So far, no names have stuck for these “-gates” — and maybe there’s not that much to them. The storage problem might be mostly theoretical, and a software fix is on the way for the Face ID glitch. Still, there’s plenty to talk about!

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

  • Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 face their own reboot problem.
  • Apple reportedly built prototypes of a screenless fitness tracker that would compete with Whoop’s fitness tracker and the Oura Ring. We discuss the pros and cons of the approach as well as Apple’s tweaks to its Health app, which is now available in the iOS 27.2 beta.
  • The latest Mac mini design makes it harder to upgrade internal storage, and we try to coax a repairability rant out of Charlie.
  • And finally, Graham describes the painstaking process of upgrading his strength-training app to get it ready for the iPhone Duo‘s folding screen.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)

High M4 Mac mini trade-in values make M6 upgrade surprisingly cheap

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M4 Mac mini trade-in values
High M4 Mac mini trade-in values could make an M6 upgrade cheaper than expected.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

The new M6 Mac mini costs considerably more than its predecessor. But owners of an M4 model could find that upgrading to the new version cheaper than they expect thanks to the high trade-in value of their current computer.

A post on social media showing Apple offering a customer nearly the full original price for a used Mac mini ought to raise a few eyebrows.

iPhone 18 Pro wait times stretch well into October

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iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in burgundy
Looks like the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are selling well.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max have been on sale for a week, but customers ordering one today can still face a wait that stretches well into October.

The new models debuted last Friday, and even before launch faced criticism for a price hike. There were also questions about whether the new iPhone Duo foldable would lure customers away.

But there’s undeniably enough demand that U.S. customers shopping for one of the two iPhone 18 Pro models online will wait at least two weeks for a shipment to arrive.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 get emergency fix for reboot problem

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watchOS 27.0.1 fixes Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 reboot bug
Does your Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4 keep rebooting? There's a fix!
Photo: Cottonbro Studio/Pexels/Cult of Mac

Apple on Wednesday released watchOS 27.0.1, an important update for owners of its newest Apple Watch models. It fixes a bug that caused these wearables to repeatedly restart.

Anyone with an Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4 should install it immediately.

Apple Card Savings interest rate increases — here’s why

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Apple Card Savings interest rate in September 2026
The money in Apple Card Savings accounts just got more valuable.
Image: Cult of Mac

The interest rate earned by cash stored in Apple Card Savings accounts increased on Tuesday, reversing a trend of declines in previous months. Money in these accounts now earns 3.5% in annual interest.

The bank behind the savings account is responding to changes in the U.S. economy.

Apple reportedly puts its AI pendant on hold

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A picture showing Apple's AI pendant concept used in a story about the same.
The Apple AI pendant was expected to work as an always-on camera and microphone for Siri AI.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple’s AI pendant just hit a wall. The company reportedly postponed development of the rumored wearable, betting on Apple Watch and AirPods to carry its AI ambitions instead.

The pause hints at a shift in Apple’s AI hardware. Apple Watch already handles many of the pendant’s core jobs, and other AI-powered wearables are already on the way.

M6/M5 Pro Mac mini takes a step back on third-party storage upgrades

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Third-party SSD storage for Mac mini
This SSD can't plug into an M6 Mac mini.
Photo: Expand Mac Mini

Apple solders the storage chip on the M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini, making third-party storage upgrades impossible. This is a regression from the M4 Mac mini, which shipped with a removable storage module.

So, if you plan to buy a Mac mini, configure it with enough storage from the start, as future upgrades — even from third-party vendors — will not be possible.

Apple’s screenless fitness tracker might someday replace your Apple Watch

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A screenless fitness tracker might make a good Apple Watch alternative.
A screenless fitness tracker might make a good Apple Watch alternative.
Photo: New Vision Production/Pexels

Anyone who wears an Apple Watch just to track their workouts should be thrilled to hear that Apple is reportedly working on prototypes for a screenless fitness tracker.

It will apparently be a way for Apple to enter the growing market for wearable devices designed to monitor your health around the clock without the extra hassle of a smartwatch display on your wrist.

If Apple Music Hall sounds as good as it looks, it’s gonna be amazing

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Photo of interior of Apple Music Hall in London's Battersea Power Station
Apple Music Hall looks positively gorgeous, as you would expect.
Photo: Apple

Apple Music Hall, a new state‑of‑the‑art live music venue in London, will provide high-end experiences for audiences and performers alike. With a wild array of technology built into the 600-seat performance space, it will let musicians perform in Spatial Audio in an intimate space — and capture their shows with multicamera video and high-end audio.

“We care deeply about music, the artists who make it, and their life stories,” said Zane Lowe, Apple Music’s global creative director, in a press release Tuesday. “We’re always looking for new opportunities to connect the artists and the fans because we are fans. What better way to celebrate this relationship than a new music venue where we get to experience amazing music in an amazing space and share it with the world. Great music and memories will be made at Apple Music Hall.”

The first photos of Apple Music Hall reveal a venue that looks typically gorgeous. And Cupertino said it plans to livestream shows from Apple Music Hall so fans around the world can enjoy them.

Beats 360 puts customizable spin on over-ear headphones

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New Beats 360 headphones offer swappable cushions and better ANC.
Colorful and swappable cushions are a highlight of Beats 350.
Photo: Apple

The new Beats 350 sports a feature the Apple-owned audio brand hasn’t offered before: interchangeable ear and headband cushions to let users change the look and feel of the over-ear headphones.

“Beats didn’t just participate in the rise of over-ear headphones — we helped define the category,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports and Beats. “Beats 360 is the next chapter of that story. We combined our most advanced acoustic performance ever with a perfectly balanced design that moves effortlessly with you. And with our new interchangeable cushions, our customers can express themselves in a way no other over-ear headphone can.”

1TB iPhone 18 Pro Max storage speed craters under sustained heavy workloads

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A picture of the iPhone 18 Pro Max used in a story about the device speed crawling under heavy workload.
iPhone 18 Pro Max storage speed drops sharply once its cache runs out, new testing shows.
Photo: Apple

iPhone 18 Pro Max storage speed can crawl to a near standstill when you push the 1TB model hard enough. New benchmark tests show the drive falling well below typical flagship speeds under extreme, sustained write loads.

The slowdown traces back to a storage swap Apple made to fit more gigabytes on the same chip in its most expensive models.

Apple Watch reboot problem hits Series 12 and Ultra 4 owners

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A photo of the Apple Watch used in a story about Series 12 and Ultra 4 reboot issue.
The Apple Watch Reboot issue is affecting Series 12 and Ultra 4 units.
Photo: Apple

A new Apple Watch reboot problem is affecting Series 12 and Ultra 4 owners just days after launch. These watches are restarting without any warning, and currently there’s no way to fix it.

Update: There’s a fix! watchOS 27.0.1 is out to deal with this specific problem. Read more about it: Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 get emergency fix for reboot problem

The reports span multiple online forums and communities, with several users posting matching crash logs. The consistency suggests it could be a hardware or software issue rather than just a handful of unlucky units.

So if your Apple Watch keeps rebooting, it’s not just you.

Apple’s new Texture and Grain camera controls are locked to iPhone 18 Pro after all

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iPhone 18 Pro Texture control
Sorry, you won't be using the Texture control on your iPhone 17 Pro.
Image: Apple

Apple just walked back a promise it apparently made accidentally: The new Texture and Grain controls in Photographic Styles aren’t coming to your old iPhone, despite what you might have read last week. Apple locked them to the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and the iPhone Duo, full stop.

The mess is of Apple’s own making. The iPhone 18 Pro announcement said the feature would come to more iPhones down the line. But Apple has now quietly rewritten that language, and it isn’t saying why.

Two new Macs finally arrive this week [Update: They’re here!]

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Reminder: Speed-boosted Mac mini and Mac Studio launch this week
Remember these? The Mac mini and Mac Studio versions unveiled in August are almost here.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

    In case it slipped your mind, Apple is about to launch a pair of new Mac desktops. Speed-boosted versions of the Mac mini and Mac Studio were announced weeks ago, but they are just now about to reach customers.

That means Tuesday marks the real-world launch of two significantly upgraded macOS models, with the Mac mini getting Apple’s new M6 processor or the M5 Pro, while the Mac Studio moves to M5 Max or M5 Ultra chips.

UPDATE: The wait is over! These Macs are available now from the Apple Store and other retailers. 

Both machines put a particular emphasis on AI performance, reflecting Apple’s growing push to make its desktop Macs powerful platforms for running AI models locally.