Mobile menu toggle

Apple patent hints at an iPhone that knows when to leave you alone

By

Apple filed an AI interruption patent hoping to improve notifications.
Notifications are great... until they get irritating.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple wants your iPhone to know when to bug you and when to back off. A newly published Apple AI interruption patent describes a system that keeps an eye on what you’re doing and nudges you only when your behavior calls for it.

The filing, published this month, pairs this very idea with another feature. It turns your recent activity into a quick summary that you can check later instead of interrupting whatever you’re doing on your iPhone. Together, the two pieces do read like a blueprint for smarter Reduce Interruptions and notification summaries.

Apple could spend big to give Siri AI better answers

By

A photo of Siri AI on the iPhone iOS 27 developer beta, taken from the WWDC26 keynote, used in a story about redesigned Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro.
Apple wants publisher deals to keep Siri AI up to date.
Photo: Apple

Apple reportedly wants to secure content deals with publishers to give Siri AI access to the latest news and information. It is supposedly proposing multi-year agreements with publishers for this. 

As part of the deal, Apple will pay publishers every time their content is used or displayed in Siri AI. 

Pixel Watch 5 adds a feature Apple Watch desperately needs

By

Image of Google Pixel Watch 5 in olive green color
Let's hope Apple Watch cribs this new Pixel Watch 5 feature.
Photo: Google

People often accuse Google of stealing from Apple, but here’s something Apple should pinch from its rival ASAP.

The new Pixel Watch 5, unveiled Wednesday at the annual Made by Google event, comes with a new feature that can predict insulin resistance, a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. If flagged early, insulin resistance can often be reversed with lifestyle changes.

“A first-of-its-kind feature on Pixel and Fitbit wearables, Insulin Resistance Trends analyzes multi-week physiological data to track shifts in your metabolic health without requiring a single drop of blood,” Google said in a press release Wednesday.

It’s not the sort of full-blown blood sugar monitor Apple has been trying to build into the Apple Watch for years. However, Pixel Watch’s Insulin Resistance Trends feature could spot changes in the health of someone wearing the device in time for them to take action. And that could keep them from a potentially deadly diabetes diagnosis.

7 mind-blowing Continuity features every Apple user should know

By

Image showing iPhone, MacBook and Apple Watch, to describe Continuity Features across the devices
Your Apple devices can work together in more ways than you may expect.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Nothing illustrates the power of Apple’s ecosystem like the Continuity features that help your Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch work seamlessly together.

Thanks to Continuity, your iPhone can serve as your Mac’s webcam — and you can remotely control your iPhone from your Mac. You can start an email on one device and instantly pick it up on another. You can use the same keyboard and mouse with a Mac and iPad, copy and paste across devices and more.

These features flex the power of Apple’s hardware and software — and they would never be possible on a PC.
In this post (and the accompanying video), I will show you some of the time-saving, annoyance-busting Continuity features you can enjoy when you go all-in on the Apple ecosystem.

Apple Watch’s popular Modular face is getting a 9-color makeover

By

A picture of Apple's Modular Apple Watch face used in a story about watchOS 27 bringing new color options.
New options spotted in iOS 27 beta could offer a hint at new Apple Watch band colors coming this fall.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple looks set to refresh one of the most popular Apple Watch faces, with nine new colors reportedly coming to the Modular face this fall.

The colors surfaced in the latest iOS 27 beta code, and they could point to a broader refresh landing alongside new Apple Watch hardware and accessories this fall.

Today in Apple history: Apple’s war with IBM commences

By

Photo of the IBM Personal Computer 5150
This unassuming IBM Personal Computer started the Apple-versus-PC feud.
Photo: Boffy B/Wikipedia CC

August 12: Today in Apple history: Apple's war with IBM commences with IBM Personal Computer launch August 12, 1981: The launch of the IBM Personal Computer ignites a long-running Apple-versus-PC rivalry.

Secure in the Apple II’s technical superiority over the new PC, Apple welcomes International Business Machines to the personal computing party in a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal. Things won’t stay positive for long, though.

2026 iMac rumors: What to expect from Apple’s next all-in-one

By

2026 iMac could arrive this fall with M6 chip
An M6 iMac could arrive soon with a faster chip and fresh colors.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

The first new iMac in two years is right around the corner. This fall, we can look forward to Apple’s updated all-in-one desktop getting a significant improvement in performance thanks to the M6 processor, which is good news for those wanting to use it with Apple’s new AI features. And new colors!

Here’s what to expect from the 2026 iMac.

Apple faces fraud allegation over iCloud Private Relay failures

By

A picture showing iCloud Private Relay used in a story about Apple getting sued.
iCloud Private Relay was supposed to shield your IP address — a new lawsuit says it didn’t.
Photo: Apple

A proposed class-action lawsuit filed Thursday accuses Apple of fraud, alleging that a Private Relay problem means that iCloud+ subscriptions failed to deliver the privacy protection Apple promised.

If you ever paid for iCloud+ to gain the peace of mind Private Relay offered, the privacy shield you paid extra for had a hole in it the whole time. And Apple is now getting sued over it.

Mophie’s new multidevice folding travel charger is ready to go [Review] ★★★★☆

By

Mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger review★★★★☆
The Mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger isn't small, but it offers a lot.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Mophie Roam 3-in-1 Travel Charger pumps power more quickly into an iPhone than almost any other charger I’ve tested that’s designed for use on the go. And it can juice up an Apple Watch and AirPods case at the same time. There’s a trade-off, though.

I put the accessory through a full round of testing with my Apple devices. Here’s what I found.

Today in Apple history: MultiFinder brings multitasking to Mac

By

Screenshot of MultiFinder running on the Macintosh computer
MultiFinder let you switch between running applications from the Apple menu — you could even see two apps side by side on your desktop!
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

August 11: Today in Apple history: MultiFinder brings multitasking to Mac August 11, 1987: The MultiFinder app brings the biggest software update to the Mac since the computer’s launch. Baked into Macintosh System Software 5, MultiFinder allows multitasking with two apps on screen for the first time.

While MultiFinder brings an undeniable boost to the Macintosh’s technical capabilities, it is built on a shaky foundation that soon begins to show its age.

iOS 27 feature could prove an iPhone photo isn’t AI slop

By

How Apple Reference Image will work
Apple Reference Image could give iPhone photos a stamp of authenticity in iOS 27.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple is building a new way to prove your iPhone photos are real. Called Apple Reference Image, it could become a highlight of iOS 27. The tool is designed to verify whether a photo was actually captured by the iPhone’s camera, not an AI generator.

It showed up in a privacy disclosure buried in iOS 27 beta 5.

iPhone 18 Pro Max battery leak points to a massive upgrade

By

iPhone 18 Pro Max battery rumor
iPhone 18 Pro Max may outlast the iPhone 17 Pro Max, thanks to a bigger battery.
Photo: iFixit

Apple could give the iPhone 18 Pro Max a massive battery upgrade this year. A new leak points to a nearly 12% increase in capacity.

An allegedly leaked image of the phone’s battery points to a 5,391mAh capacity. If accurate, that would give the iPhone 18 Pro Max a nearly 12% larger battery than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

iPhone 20 radical all-glass redesign remains on track for 2027

By

iPhone Air held in hand.
The 2027 iPhone may ditch the aluminium back for an all-glass design.
Photo: Unsplash

Contrary to an analyst’s claim, Apple still plans to launch an all-glass iPhone on its 20th anniversary in 2027.

“The company expects to launch iPhone Pro models next year that will make use of a new glassy look,” wrote Mark Gurman in a Bloomberg report on Monday. Apple tested a version with even more glass but scrapped the plan early on due to design and manufacturing problems.

iOS 27 beta 5: All the new features and changes

By

iOS 27 beta 5 is here.
iOS 27 beta 5 is here.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

After almost a month-long gap, Apple rolled out iOS 27 beta 5 to developers on Monday. With September fast approaching, the new beta adds the necessary polish before the OS’s public release this fall.

Below are all the changes spotted in iOS 27 beta 5 so far, including the (possible) name of the first folding iPhone.

Apple reportedly tests Chinese memory chips for iPhone and MacBook

By

A picture of RAM chips used in a story about Apple potentially talking to CXMT about buying memory chips.
Apple is looking for a workaround so it can keep building products despite worldwide memory shortages.
Photo: Pixabay

Apple is reportedly testing Chinese memory chips for possible use in future iPhones and MacBooks. The move comes as the company scrambles to secure memory supply during a global shortage.

The tests, which might span multiple product lineups, follows early talks with Chinese chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies about supplying components. Apple also seems to be seeking approval from the White House before moving forward with deals involving devices sold in China.

Friday Night Baseball gets an immersive upgrade on Apple Vision Pro

By

Apple Immersive Video brings the stadium home for Friday Night Baseball
Apple hopes to make watching baseball from a Vision Pro an amazing experience.
Image: Apple

Apple is bringing Friday Night Baseball to life in a whole new way on the Vision Pro headset. For the first time, baseball fans will be able to watch live games in Apple Immersive Video, putting them closer to the action than a traditional broadcast can.

Apple Immersive Video offers 3D video recorded in 8K with a 180-degree field of view.

The first game in the enhanced format comes on August 28 pitting the Red Sox vs. the Yankees. Going forward in the 2026 season, a game each Friday will be watchable in 3D.

Pay one low price and get 20TB of encrypted cloud storage for life

By

AI-generated artwork of an iMac connected to cloud storage, used to illustrate a Scramble Cloud deal post
Stop forking over so much cash to Apple for cloud storage.
Image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

With this Scramble Cloud deal, you can secure a lifetime subscription with up to 20TB of end-to-end encrypted cloud storage for just $349.95 (regularly $1,440).

In contrast to many other cloud platforms, Scramble Cloud really leans into personal privacy. Encryption happens on your device before anything gets uploaded, so your files never exist in an unencrypted state on someone else’s server. Scramble uses zero-knowledge architecture, which means even their own team can’t read what you’ve stored.

iOS 27 Lock Screen customizations finally put you in control of your iPhone

By

What iOS 27 Lock Screen customization actually changes
iOS 27 Lock Screen customization adds four new ways to personalize your iPhone’s display.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The iPhone’s Lock Screen has always played by Apple’s rules. That changes with iOS 27, which hands far more design choices to iPhone users.

The upcoming update adds four new tools. You can generate AI wallpapers, stretch photos to fit properly, move the clock and hide the Now Playing widget. It’s the most flexible the iPhone Lock Screen has ever been.

Today in Apple history: Dev defends I Am Rich, his totally useless $1,000 app

By

Illustration of an iPhone with the I Am Rich iPhone app, which cost $1,000 and was totally useles, on a pile of money.
The I Am Rich app could be yours for the bargain price of $999.99.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

August 10 Today in Apple history: Dev defends I Am Rich, his totally useless $1,000 app August 10, 2008: The developer of I Am Rich, a pointless iPhone app that sold for a whopping $999.99, defends his notorious creation as “art.”

After Apple removed I Am Rich from the App Store in the wake of controversy over the app’s outrageous price and total lack of usefulness, its creator, German developer Armin Heinrich, says he made it as a sort of joke.

The biggest threat to the iPhone Pro Max isn’t Samsung — it’s Apple’s folding iPhone

By

iPhone 18 Pro versus folding iPhone Ultra concept images
The first folding iPhone looks set to challenge the iPhone 18 Pro Max as Apple's true flagship this fall.
Photo: Majin Bu/Apple/Cult of Mac

If Apple launches the first folding iPhone next to the iPhone 18 Pro Max this fall, it won’t just add a new phone. It will force an awkward question: How many “best iPhones” can Apple sell at once?

For years, the iPhone Pro Max has been the undisputed top of the line. Now rumors point to a foldable model, possibly called the iPhone Ultra or the iPhone Fold, arriving at the same time.

Apple plans to reinvent Apple Watch lineup

By

Apple Watch lying on a desk
A screen-less Apple Watch tracker sounds intriguing.
Photo: Unsplash

Apple plans to overhaul the Apple Watch lineup as new types of wearables start gaining traction among consumers. As part of the revamp, it supposedly wants to reintroduce a ceramic casing for the Apple Watch.

Apple could even use a round display on future Apple Watch models, though nothing is confirmed yet.

Price cut: 1minAI puts ChatGPT and other top AIs all in one place

By

Promo image with the words,
This heavily discounted lifetime subscription gives you access to top AI tools for any task.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Finding good AI tools isn’t the problem. Even the free version of ChatGPT can do a lot. The real frustration is that if you want good results for generating copy, creating images, transcribing text and doing a myriad of other AI tasks, you often need a whole pile of subscriptions, and those costs add up. The alternative is to get an all-in-one tool that brings top AI models together in one interface. Enter 1minAI.

The major benefits of 1minAI are organizational and financial. It gives you access to ChatGPT, Gemini Pro, Llama, Mistral AI and more. So you get all your AI tools in one place, and you don’t need to pay for a subscription to each one separately. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime sub to 1minAI for just $24.97.