This week we use our iPhones to replace the missing screen on an $8k camera, we sketch on the screen with Linea Go, and we breathe a sigh of relief that we can finally replace that terrifying new Tweetbot 5 app icon.
Compare the battery sizes of the iPhone 8, iPhone XR, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone XS. The one from the XR is thicker than the 8 Plus'. Photo: IFIXIT
The first teardowns of the iPhone XR reveal a surprising fact: it has a larger battery than virtually all previous iOS smartphones, even the iPhone XS.
Reviews of the iPhone XR indicate it lasts a long time between charges, though no one agrees on exactly how long. Apple promises that this device will go 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 8 Plus.
Just how good is the iPhone XR? We're head over heels! Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
The world can’t stop raving about the iPhone XR, Apple’s reasonably priced underdog. Sure, it’s not exactly cheap. And it doesn’t pack all the features of the iPhone XS and XS Max. However, it does check most of the boxes. And in some ways, it’s actually better than Cupertino’s current high-end offerings.
Find out why everybody’s going completely nuts for the iPhone XR in this week’s issue of our magazine. It’s free and it’s fun to read on an iPad or iPhone. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes now.
Bonus: Read on for a chance to win the iPhone XR we showcased in our unboxing video!
Nyloon is offering two NATO-style Apple Watch bands for $65 on the Cult of Mac Apple Watch Store. Photo: Ste Smith / Cult of Mac
Halloween is right around the corner and to celebrate this spooky holiday, Nyloon is offering a limited-time deal through the Cult of Mac Watch Store on their top-notch NATO-style bands.
Starting Saturday October 27th and ending on Wednesday October 31 (Halloween night) you can snag two Nyloon Apple Watch bands for only $65 from our online Watch Store. This is the perfect time to stock up on gifts for friends and family, or to just treat yourself!
Enter to win this gorgeous blue iPhone XR. Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac
After unboxing the brand new iPhone XR, I can confidently say that this is a fantastic phone. Apple cut very few corners. The iPhone XR is beautifully designed, with a great big, edge-to-edge display. It’s incredibly fast, and camera performance is excellent. It looks awesome. The drawbacks are mostly minor.
Basically, it’s a $1,200 phone in a $750 package.
Check out the video to see our first impressions. Then read on to find out how you can enter to win the 128GB blue speed demon showcased in the video. Yep, it’s free to enter our iPhone XR giveaway. (Frankly, it’s going to be hard to part with this beautiful machine.)
More than a year of reporting went into "The Big Hack," an explosive story about Chinese spy chips. Photo: Bloomberg Businessweek
Apple and Amazon are already starting to make retaliatory moves on Bloomberg Businessweek for its claims that the two companies’ servers were hacked by China.
Amazon pulled its Q4 ads from Bloomberg’s website, cutting off significant ad revenue. Meanwhile, Apple has decided to give Bloomberg the old Gizmodo treatment — by banning the company from next week’s “There’s More in the Making” event.
Europeans, you can easily save your wearable from an Apple Watch DST bug causing you problems on Sunday. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Daylight Saving Time comes to an end in Europe early Sunday morning, and this could cause problems for Apple Watch Series 4 owners.
There could be a repeat of what happened in Australia earlier this month. Apple Watch wearers saw their wearable crash over-and-over on the day DST ended because one of the Watch complications couldn’t deal with a 25-hour day.
iPhone XR performance is stellar, far better than many Android devices that cost more. Photo: Apple
The new iPhone XR costs at least $250 less than the iPhone XS models but has the same A12 Bionic processor. That gives Apple’s latest significantly faster performance than any of its Android rivals, even the most expensive.
Benchmarks show the XR is 25 percent quicker than Samsung’s fastest, despite costing far less.
Apple earnings could be about to reach new heights. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple enjoyed an incredible start to 2018 thanks to a record-breaking holiday quarter, but according to one analyst, this year’s will be even better.
Thanks to an impressive new iPhone lineup and the best Apple Watch yet, revenue could reach insane new heights as we see out 2018. iPhone sales alone are predicted to surpass a staggering 81 million units!
For the first time in years, Apple's best iPhone is also its cheapest. Photo: Apple
The iPhone XR is out and, for the first time in years, Apple’s most exciting device isn’t the one that commands the really big bucks. For all the talk of an “Apple tax,” 2018’s coolest iPhone starts at just $749. That’s half the price of a top-of-the-line iPhone XS Max.
The prettiest Apple Watch dock money can buy? Photo: Just Mobile
Keep your precious Apple Watch safe, charged, and scratch-free with Just Mobile’s low-profile and totally sleek HoverDock charging bed, available in the Cult of Mac Watch Store for a modest $34.95.
Visually stunning and truly functional in the same nature, Just Mobile’s charging bed is simple to use and more importantly an absolute steal. With an integrated support for Apple Watch’s Magnetic Charging Cable, HoverDock keeps pesky cables out of sight and your precious timepiece powered up and always ready to double as a bedside alarm clock all for under $40.
We filmed an unboxing video to show you why this is the best, affordable Apple Watch charging stand for you:
This week’s Apple Pay promotion lets you enjoy free track selections inside the TouchTunes app. Simply make a purchase of $10 or more before midnight on October 31 and use Apple Pay at checkout to receive three bonus credits.
It's time to upgrade if you haven't already. Photo: WhatsApp
WhatsApp is one of the biggest messaging platforms on the planet, and it has somehow gone without support for stickers — until now!
Some users now have the ability to send and receive stickers, and the rest will be able to enjoy the same functionality on both Android and iOS in the coming weeks. A selection of sticker packs from WhatsApp own designers are available, and third-party packs are coming soon.
Robbery comes shortly after massive crime spree targeting Apple Stores. Photo: Mike Mozart/Flickr CC
Upwards of $150,000 worth of Macs, iPads, and Apple Watches was stolen this week from a Best Buy stores in Peoria, Illinois. The theft took place overnight on Wednesday.
It was noticed by the manager early the following day, who filed a report with the Peoria Police Department. The theft is described by Lt. Mike Boland, who leads the department’s detective bureau, as one of the largest heists in terms of dollar value in recent memory.
Thinking the iPhone XR would have been worth the wait? Photo: Apple
The early reviews for the camera on the iPhone XR have been impressive – and that has a few who purchased the iPhone XS wishing they had waited a few weeks.
Apple, trying to accommodate more budget-minded consumers, announced the mid-range iPhone XR for $799 at the same time it unveiled the more expensive iPhone XS and XS Max.
The XS line was available on Sept. 21 while the XR, not quite ready for shelves then, went on sale today.
Oracle founder Larry Ellison may have been Steve Jobs’ BFF and even considered buying Apple at one point, but he doesn’t agree with everything the company does. In a recent interview, Ellison criticized Apple’s refusal to help hack an iPhone belonging to a shooter in the 2015 San Bernardino attack.
The case blew up into a massive standoff between Apple, in favor of privacy, and the FBI. Speaking on Fox, Ellison called Apple’s behavior, “bizarre.”
Face ID should work in any orientation on the new iPad Pro. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Code discovered in Apple’s latest iOS 12.1 beta confirms its next-generation iPad Pro lineup will pack Face ID — and it will work in both portrait and landscape mode.
Users will be asked to set up the facial recognition system in portrait mode, but once this process is complete, the new iPad Pro can be unlocked in either orientation.
Tim Cook's magic pipeline is about to deliver! Photo: The CultCast
This week on The CultCast: With iPhone XR finally here, we’ll give you 10 reasons why it’s the best iPhone you can get. Plus: How iOS 12.1 solves “Beautygate”; new Macs leak ahead of Apple’s big October hardware event; Ming-Chi Kuo says new iPad minis, AirPods and the AirPower mat are finally on the way. Finally, we wrap up with our iPhone XS cases and a superb Thunderbolt 3 dock in an all-new Under Review.
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first hosting plan or domain.
Forget disappearing messages; Snapchat is suffering disappearing users. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Snapchat isn’t having a good time right now. The company just released its third quarter results, and once again suffered a decline in daily active users.
That number fell by 2 million to 186 million people, marking the third straight quarter of user declines. However, Snap seems confident it can break the losing streak in 2019.
Apple’s fancy new iPhone XR is available to purchase today. Pop into your local Apple Store and you’ll have an opportunity to play with the device — and if you’re really lucky, they might have a unit left that you can take home with you.
But there’s one thing you won’t find in the Apple Store. Or anywhere else.
The iPhone XR is officially available for sale. Those who pre-ordered the device have began receiving their orders, while Apple Stores are also stocking the new phones.
With the iPhone XS and XS Max out as well, that means that Apple’s complete 2018 iPhone range is now available for you to purchase. Well, provided you can find the handset you want, that is!
Apple's CEO and Spanish singer Rosalía take a selfie with Madrid Apple employees. Photo: Tim Cook
The Apple CEO’s tour of Europe continued today with a visit to sunny Spain. He’s there to promote tomorrow’s launch of the HomePod in the country. He’s also talking up the release of the iPhone XR, which will debut around the world on Friday.
Steve Carell will play a news caster that's becoming irrelevant. Photo: NBC Universal
The full cast of Apple’s morning TV show comedy is starting to take shape after two more actors have signed onto the project.
Billy Crudup and Gugu Mbatha-Raw have joined the cast for the untitled Apple TV series that lists Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston as both executive producers and stars of the show.
One of the biggest Apple copycats finally found a way to bring some innovation of its own to the smartphone game.
Xiaomi unveiled its new Mi Mix 3 phone today that ditches the camera notch Apple popularized in favor of a front camera array that slides out of the display. The end result is a smartphone with a screen-to-body ratio of 93.4 percent and it actually looks pretty cool.