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Get to know Bad Bunny before his Super Bowl halftime show

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Get to know Bad Bunny before the Super Bowl
Apple offers plenty of ways to hear, and learn about, the Puerto Rican superstar.
Photo: Apple

Apple Music rolled out the red carpet Monday for Bad Bunny as the Puerto Rican superstar prepares to headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. So here’s your chance to get to know Bad Bunny before the Super Bowl with a variety of special programming.

Today in Apple history: Gil Amelio takes over as CEO

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Bringing on Gil Amelio was viewed as a big coup for the Apple board.
Many viewed new CEO Gil Amelio as the man to save Apple.
Photo: Apple

February 2: Today in Apple history: Gil Amelio takes over as Apple CEO February 2, 1996: Apple reveals that turnaround artist Gil Amelio will take over from Michael “The Diesel” Spindler as CEO of the struggling company.
With disappointing Mac sales, the disastrous “clone Mac” strategy and a failed Sun Microsystems merger to his name, Spindler is asked to resign by the Apple board. Then, Cupertino enlists supposed corporate miracle worker Amelio for the job.
Unfortunately, he turns out to be no more successful than Spindler in the role.

3 reasons to watch suspenseful Apple TV spy thriller Tehran

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Tehran Apple TV series review
Tehran may be the most gripping thriller on Apple TV.
Photo: Apple

In the crowded landscape of spy shows and movies, Apple TV’s Tehran cuts through the noise with a visceral intensity few titles can match. This Israeli thriller, which started airing season three on January 9, doesn’t just tell a spy story. It grabs you by the throat from the first frame and doesn’t let go until the credits roll.
For anyone who’s ever found themselves disappointed by the too-fast or too-slow pacing or predictable plotting of typical spy dramas, Tehran, now streaming season three (with a fourth on the way), offers a masterclass in sustained tension and genuine surprise. That makes it easy to forgive the subtitles, which most people will need for the Farsi (Persian) and Hebrew spoken on the show. 

Apple Intelligence on the edge: How privacy shapes its AI features

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Apple Intelligence privacy
Privacy is a requirement for Apple Intelligence.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

When Apple entered the artificial intelligence race, the company faced a fundamental challenge: how to deliver powerful AI capabilities while maintaining its long-standing commitment to user privacy. The result is Apple Intelligence, a system designed around a simple but revolutionary premise — your personal data should work for you without leaving your control. Basically, that’s how privacy shapes Apple Intelligence features on “the edge,” meaning the furthest reaches of a computer network, where user devices dwell. 

Apple’s foldable plans may not stop at just one iPhone

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AI-generated mockups of folding iPhone and flip iPhone
Do you want a flip iPhone?
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Before Apple even launches its first folding iPhone, the company is reportedly exploring a follow-up model with a clamshell-like form factor, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Motorola Razr.
There’s no guarantee that Apple will launch such a model. But for now, it’s at least under consideration.

Today in Apple history: Stephen Colbert shows off iPad early at Grammys

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Stephen Colbert shows off a prerelease iPad during the Grammy Awards show in 2010
Jay-Z didn't get one of these in his gift bag.
Photo: CBS

February 1: Today in Apple history: Stephen Colbert shows off iPad early at the Grammys February 1, 2010: The tech-loving world goes into meltdown at the sight of comedian Stephen Colbert using a prerelease iPad to read nominations during the televised Grammy Awards show.
“Jay-Z, did you not get one of these in your gift bag?” Colbert quips from the stage. “Am I cooler than you?”
The celebrity sneak peek is all part of Apple’s big (and wildly successful) plan to hype its upcoming tablet.

Why we’re still waiting for new high-end M5 MacBook Pros — blame macOS [Updated]

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AI-generated image of a person typing on a MacBook with
A MacBook Pro upgraded with M5 Pro and M5 Max is not coming any day now. There'll be a wait.
AI image: Apple/ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

There’s tremendous anticipation for a MacBook Pro upgraded with faster M5 Pro or M5 Max processors, but the laptop did not launch this week, despite eager speculation that it would. And we need to be patient because we’re likely to continue waiting well into February and maybe beyond. A critical feature apparently isn’t ready yet: macOS Tahoe 26.3.

Today in Apple history: Mac clone-maker closes shop

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Power Computing clone Macs sounded like a good idea at first.
Mac clones did not pan out for Power Computing.
Photo: Antnik

January 31: Today in Apple history: Mac clone-maker Power Computing closes shop January 31, 1998: Mac clone-maker Power Computing goes out of business, having auctioned off its office supplies and computers.
Apple bought out Power Computing, once the fastest-growing PC company of the decade, the previous year. As a result, Power Computing shareholders receive Apple stock as a replacement. As it turns out, that may not have been a terrible deal.

I thought voice typing on Mac was broken — until I tried Wispr Flow [Awesome Apps]

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AI-generated image of a desk with a mouse and a MacBook, with Wispr Flow voice translation for Mac running on the screen
Wispr Flow turns your Mac into a voice-first writing workspace.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

The way I type on my Mac hasn’t changed in years. But then, I started using Wispr Flow — an AI-powered voice-to-text app for Mac. It has reshaped how I write on my Mac, making me more efficient and faster.
It’s not just about typing faster. Using your voice for typing also feels more natural in many cases. Here’s how Wispr Flow has changed how I write on my Mac, and why I can’t go back. 

Steve Jobs-signed Apple check No. 1 sells for simply insane amount

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Steve Jobs–signed Apple check No. 1 sells for simply insane amount
You probably won't believe how much a collector paid for a check signed by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
AI composite image: RR Auction/ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

How much would you pay for a check signed by both Apple co-founders, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak? Factor in that it is Apple check No. 1. Got a figure in mind? Now double it. Your guess is probably still less than a collector paid for that item in a recent auction.
It went for a stonking $2.4 million — believed to be the highest price ever paid for a signed check at public auction.

We love the new AirTag even more than the original [Cult of Mac podcast No. 5]

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Image of Apple AirTag 2, along with the words
If you're not already on the AirTag bandwagon, it's time to hop on.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The second-gen AirTag finally arrives, and it packs some pretty awesome upgrades — although you’d never know by looking at it!

We discuss all the reasons we love AirTags in general, and Cult of Mac writer Ed Hardy joins us for his review of Apple’s upgraded tracking tag.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

  • A quick teardown of an AirTag 2 shows the massive redesign hiding inside the familiar circular form factor.
  • Griffin explains Apple Music‘s killer feature that lets you easily upload your own tracks and sync them to all your devices. Take that, Spotify!
  • A listener mentions my band, Those Darn Accordions, and that prompts a bit of a rabbit hole run through the band’s history (and surfaces a surprisingly popular ancient YouTube video of me sabering a bottle of Champagne back in the day at Wired.com).

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 live stream, embedded below.

Apple Watch hypertension alerts: How reliable are they?

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How reliable are Apple Watch Hypertension Notifications
Apple Watch Ultra 3 is one of the models featuring Hypertension Notifications.
Photo: Apple

For millions of Apple Watch owners, the Hypertension Notifications Feature available on recent models is a big leap in wearable health monitoring. It promises to alert users to potential high blood pressure before it leads to serious health problems. But how reliable are the alerts, and what should Apple users realistically expect?
I’ve had measurably high blood pressure for years. I wear Apple Watch 10, one of the models with hypertension alerts. And yet I’ve never seen one up close and personal. Apparently my meds are working!

Get lifetime access to 1,000-plus career-building courses for just $19.97

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A photo of a person writing on a tablet with a laptop nearby, used to illustrate a hot deal on a StackSkills Unlimited subscription.
Want to learn coding, marketing, music, investing or something else entirely? Get a lifetime pass to a bigger brain with StackSkills Unlimited.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

StackSkills has a news flash for anyone who got a little too comfortable after high school: It’s not smart to stop learning. That’s especially true in this accelerated stage of the information age, where new tech skills are increasingly in demand.
The good news is that it’s easier than ever to catch up to the needs of today’s job market, thanks to resources like StackSkills. This vast platform for online education can help anyone chart a path to a new career. And lifetime subscriptions cost just $19.97 (regularly $600).

Today in Apple history: Newton MessagePad 120 becomes Apple’s first great mobile device

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The MessagePad 120 perfects Apple's PDA line.
The Newton MessagePad 120 finally fulfilled the promise of Apple's PDA.
Photo: Fzurell/Flickr CC

January 30: Today in Apple history: MessagePad 120 is Apple's first great mobile device January 30, 1995: Apple Computer launches the Newton MessagePad 120, the first truly great device in an unfairly maligned product line.
Coming 18 months after the original Newton MessagePad, the upgraded PDA packs more power — and truly shines once Newton OS 2.0 rolls out.

Apple almost rebuilt Siri around Claude

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Apple almost rebuilt Siri with Claude.
Claude instead of Gemini for Siri? That almost happened.
AI Image: ChatGPT

Apple might be slow to jump on the AI bandwagon, but internally, the company “runs on Anthropic at this point.” Apparently, the company was also ready to rebuild Siri around Claude, but the deal fell through at the last moment. 
“Anthropic is powering a lot of the stuff Apple’s doing internally in terms of product development and a lot of their internal tools,” revealed Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman in the TBPN’s Technology’s daily show. 

Apple by the numbers: Key stats reveal the company’s astonishing scale

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AI-generated image of the Apple logo surrounded by black, as seen through a sci-fi-style tube of numbers
Apple's shocking numbers start with $143.8 billion in gross revenue.
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

“I am proud to say that we just had a quarter for the record books,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said during Thursday’s earnings call, before rattling off numbers that surprised Wall Street analysts — in a good way.
The highly successful quarter was also one for the stat geeks. Apple racked up several all-time highs during the quarter (technically Apple’s Q1 2026). From overall revenue (a new all-time high!) to customer satisfaction ratings (through the roof!), the numbers Apple put up during the 2026 holiday quarter will blow your mind.

Transform your blurry photos with this easy-to-use Mac app

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Close-up photo of a monkey's face, with the words
Aiarty Image Enhancer makes it easy to fix up your older photos so they look great on a modern display.
Image: Aiarty

If you’ve used iPhones and digital cameras for years, chances are older images in your photo library don’t quite hold up anymore — but an image upscaler like Aiarty Image Enhancer can help.
Early iPhone shots, low-light photos, scanned prints and older, low-resolution images often look soft, grainy or blurry on today’s large, high-resolution displays. Aiarty Image Enhancer, available for Mac and PC, is designed to solve exactly those problems.
It’s a focused, AI-powered photo enhancement application that prioritizes speed, simplicity and natural-looking results — without subscriptions or complicated editing tools. And for a limited time, you can get a great deal on it.

Apple CEO commits to ‘personal and private’ AI for users

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Apple CEO commits to 'personal and private' AI for users
Apple's CEO is "very happy with the collaboration with Google" on AI.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke publicly for the first time on Thursday about the collaboration with Google that will upgrade the Siri voice assistant with the Gemini AI. He emphasized that the new Siri will “maintain our industry-leading privacy standards.”
Cook also said the company will continue to develop its own artificial intelligence models, even as it’s using Google’s.

iPhone demand hits new heights as Apple rakes in record revenue

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iPhone demand hits new heights as Apple delivers record revenues
Apple blew past Wall Street predictions on revenue and EPS last quarter.
AI image: Gemini/Cult of Mac

Apple broke all kinds of revenue records during the critical holiday quarter, the company said Thursday, including setting an all-time quarterly high of $143.8 billion. The shockingly good revenues led to sky-high earnings per share that blew past Wall Street’s lofty expectations. And Apple gave the iPhone much of the credit.
“Apple is proud to report a remarkable, record-breaking quarter, with revenue of $143.8 billion, up 16 percent from a year ago and well above our expectations,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a press release. “iPhone had its best-ever quarter driven by unprecedented demand, with all-time records across every geographic segment, and Services also achieved an all-time revenue record, up 14 percent from a year ago.”

AirTag 2 vs AirTag: Same look, smarter tracker

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AirTag 2 looks the same but there's a lot different.
AirTag 1 vs. AirTag 2: same design, important improvements.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

After years of rumors, Apple finally unveiled the second-generation AirTag on Monday. At first glance, it looks identical to the original, but the similarities end there.
From improved tracking precision to a louder speaker, AirTag 2 builds on its predecessor in every way.

Apple acquires Q.ai in $2 billion bet on next-gen AI ‘silent speech’

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Apple acquires Q.ai in $2 billion bet on next-gen AI 'silent speech'
Q.ai technology could make Siri much easier to talk to.
Image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple just paid $2 billion for Q.ai, an AI company with technology that could dramatically enhance the Siri voice assistant. It’s a stealth-mode Israeli artificial intelligence startup that develops advanced technologies to improve human/computer communication beyond basic speech recognition.
It’s the second largest acquisition in Apple history.

Today in Apple history: ‘The Diesel’ becomes Apple COO

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Apple CEO Michael Spindler headed the company during trying times in the 1990s.
Michael Spindler's promotion to Apple COO put him on the path to being named chief executive.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

January 29: Today in Apple history: Michael H. Spindler, aka 'The Diesel,' is named new Apple COO January 29, 1990: Apple CEO John Sculley appoints Michael Spindler as the company’s new chief operating officer.
Nicknamed “The Diesel” on account of his work ethic, Spindler’s new job continues his upward trajectory at Apple. Three years later, he will become CEO.

Get 3 months of Apple Music free in limited-time Super Bowl offer

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get 3 months of Apple Music free
The promotion ties to the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show with Bad Bunny.
Photo: Apple

Apple just gave new subscribers an extended opportunity to try its music streaming service, offering three months of Apple Music completely free. The promotion to get three months of Apple Music free — which runs through February 24 — greatly expands the standard one-month trial period.
The new offer coincides with Apple’s sponsorship of the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show with musical act Bad Bunny.

All the new features of Keynote, Pages and Numbers — and how to get them

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updates to Keynotes Pages and Numbers
If you want the latest updates to the iWork apps, you may need a fresh download and install.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

With the launch of Apple Creator Studio Wednesday, Apple also updated its suite of productivity apps otherwise known as iWork. That’s Keynote, Pages and Numbers, which were always free and are now “freemium.” Some features will only work for Creator Studio subscribers, but others work for anyone using free versions of the productivity apps.

Study reveals iPhone that topped global sales in 2025 (and it’s not the Pro)

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iPhone 16 topped global sales in 2025
And the winner is... iPhone 16!!
Image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Seven out of the ten bestselling smartphones in 2025 were iPhones, reports a market research firm, including all of the top four. But it’s not a Pro model that was the No. 1 seller, nor was it the cheapest. It was the base iPhone 16.
Those strong sales powered iPhone to the top of the global market overall. Apple outsold all rival smartphone makers last year, according to a separate report.