In iOS 18, Apple adds several handy new features to the iPhone’s Notes app. These upgrades will help you create better, easier-to-follow notes while significantly speeding up the overall process of creating said notes.

AI-powered summaries should make it easy to review long notes, while Smart Script will help make handwritten notes legible. For those who want to convert transcript to notes AI seamlessly, these enhancements will make the process even more efficient. Below are the top new features coming to the Notes app this year.

Lots of Mac users pump up their computer setups with pricey, high-powered speaker systems. But it doesn’t have to cost much to provide a bigger, fuller sound than most computers or monitors can provide on their own. Today’s MacBook Air user enjoys Sanyun Bookshelf Speakers, which pump out 60 watts of sound using proprietary technology, and look pretty good doing it. And you can get a pair for less than $70.

Just as your house accumulates dust and trash, your computer gets cluttered with unnecessary, often automatically generated, files known as “system junk.” The files pile up gradually and then start affecting your Mac’s performance. Fortunately, simple tools like JWizard Cleaner quickly and easily clean up your Mac so you don’t need to do it manually.

In a major milestone for Apple TV+, star-studded thriller Wolfs emerged as the most-viewed movie in the streaming platform’s history, according to new report. The achievement highlights the film industry’s ongoing debate over theatrical releases versus straight-to-streaming. With George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s star vehicle, Apple pulled back from a broad theatrical release to a limited one before streaming.

Whether you’re a professional graphic designer, an aspiring photographer or a hobbyist exploring your creative side, it’s worth it to invest in software that really lets your creativity run wild. This Adobe Creative Cloud discount gains you access to more than 20 Adobe apps that professionals love, including Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere Pro.

Normally, this three-month subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud would cost $179. But the price dropped recently to $75 — although that’s not going to last much longer.

If you got a new iPhone 16 series smartphone, you probably want to protect it with a new case. And if you’re into classic materials, you can’t go wrong with a Mujjo Full Leather Case for iPhone, one of  best-looking and best-made leather cases out there. For this Mujjo leather iPhone case review, I tried it out on my new iPhone 16 Pro in three different colors.

Apple’s iPhone production in India hit a major hurdle following a fire at a Tata Electronics plant. The fire, which occurred over the weekend, will seemingly have a 10-15% impact on the production of older iPhone models in the country.

More importantly, Apple will fall back on its suppliers in China to meet the component shortage.

The revamped iPad Air debuted in May, but there’s already word that a replacement is on Apple’s drawing board for early next year.

Apple will apparently improve the performance of the Air, which will make deciding between it and the iPad Pro more challenging for tablet shoppers.

iPhone SE 4 will debut early next year, according to a reliable source, and supposedly will support Apple Intelligence, the AI-powered features coming soon to iOS, macOS, and iPadOS. The previous iPhone SE 2022 model didn’t perform as well as expected, which may have led Apple to rethink its strategy. Learn more about why Apple created the iPhone 16E in response to the SE’s shortcomings here.

Apple’s 2025 budget handset reportedly will receive a significant redesign. And previous rumors suggest the handset will come with an upgraded display, too.

To enhance users’ podcast listening experiences, a suite of new Apple Podcasts features will “elevate and celebrate narrative series,” Apple said Tuesday. Series refers to multi-episode stories. Updates introduce a Top Series chart, a dedicated Series category and a new editorial initiative called Series Essentials.

“Serialized podcasts are some of the most impactful shows in podcasting, featuring captivating voice talent and best-in-class writing and sound design. They are the stories we can’t stop thinking about and are talking about even years later,” said Ben Cave, Apple’s global head of Podcasts.

“We are thrilled to celebrate this incredible catalog with a new Top Series chart, Series category and Series Essentials on Apple Podcasts, making it easier for listeners to discover their next favorite show,” he added.

Attach the Pebblebee Clip to your keys, backpack or purse and you won’t need to worry about misplacing your item or leaving it behind. You can locate the missing item with your iPhone (or Android), or have the tracker tag play an audible alarm.

The item tracker is a rival to Apple’s AirTag, and both use Apple’s Find My network so they can be located almost anywhere on Earth. But Pebblebee has a new advantage: it just launched a Universal version that supports either Apple’s or Google’s similar tracking service.

I tested the new version of Pebblebee’s tracker tag and found a lot to like. It even improves on Apple’s offering, but not in every way.

Most of us store thousands of pictures and videos on our iPhones. If you want to create a bulletproof backup, you need to know how to transfer photos from iPhone to an external hard drive, SSD or flash drive. It’s easy, assuming you have the right software and (and possibly an adapter). 

Mac and iPad users have a lot to look forward to in October: rumors say an Apple event should bring new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models with the M4 chip, with a new iPad mini and budget iPad also on the agenda. To know more about what’s coming, check out the latest insights on Apple’s Mac Studio and Mac Pro updates.

Here’s what to look forward to at an October Apple event, plus the products that’ll likely come even later.

Most new cars come with intuitive displays and smart rearview cams that make driving easier. But you don’t need a new car for that kind of royal treatment. You can install your own 8-inch rotating touchscreen display in your vehicle and enjoy wireless CarPlay or Android Auto.

It’s super-easy to do.  Plus, it’s on sale for just $99.99.

Wifi Porter takes the hassle out of letting friends or guests access your wireless network. Just tap this accessory from Ten One Design with your iPhone or Android device and the login details will be transferred. 

The hardware is attractive, and it’s certainly a unique idea. We went hands on to see how it works in real life.

On Sunday California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 1047, a set of controversial artificial intelligence safety regulations with several mandates for companies, objecting to its approach. So the state’s many AI players, including Apple, won’t have to change how they work or face potential penalties because of that particular legislation.

But despite leaving SB 1047 unsigned, Newswom said he does believe in the need for AI safety regulation.

While the dual display setup has become so commonplace it seems standard, debate still rages over exactly what works best. In today’s MacBook Pro setup, a developer experiments with single- and dual-display configurations before coming to the conclusion, on the way to their one true configuration, that size really does matter more than most other considerations.

A Tata Electronics plant in Chennai, India, that makes components for iPhones reportedly caught fire on Saturday, halting production.

It’s not clear yet how this will affect iPhone assembly in the country. It’s certainly not good news for Apple’s efforts to become less dependent on China.

The iPhone 16 sports a new design, a faster A-series chip, a longer battery life and comes in snazzy new colors. It’s possibly the biggest upgrade to the non-Pro iPhone lineup in the last few years. But are these improvements enough for you to ditch your iPhone 15 and upgrade to iPhone 16? Find out in this iPhone 15 versus iPhone 16 comparison.

Apple might launch a new smart display running a new operating system called homeOS early next year. The device could feature FaceTime integration and act as a smart home controller.

The low-end smart display, code-named J490, seemingly will act as a companion to a long-rumored, more-expensive tabletop iPad on a robotic arm.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After nearly a week with our new iPhone 16 Pros, it’s time for a spirited conversation about the things we love — and several things we don’t. The Camera Control is undeniably interesting, but touchscreen problems and software glitches take a little of the shine off the new iPhone experience.

Also on The CultCast:

• We also discuss what Cult of Mac reviewers had to say about the regular iPhone 16 and Apple Watch Series 10. We can’t help but be a little jealous of those new iPhone colors.
• Why you don’t need to worry about a weird “upgrade to iOS 18” message on your iPhone that’s already running iOS 18.
• And finally, Erfon talks about seeing the new satin black Apple Watch Ultra 2 in person — and why he walked away without one.

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 live stream, embedded below.

Do you love to travel? Whether you’re an avid explorer, a travel blogger or just someone who loves documenting every adventure, the Pin Traveler app can be your go-to travel tool. For only $29.99, you get lifetime access to a travel tracker app that lets you document and share every place you’ve been on a fully interactive map.

Pro tip: Pin Traveler also makes a great gift for the travel enthusiast in your life.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt reunite in darkly madcap comedy-thriller Wolfs, an Apple Original Film that started streaming on Apple TV+ Friday. For those who love to see modern takes on classic Hollywood vehicles where stars pretty much play themselves — and for anyone who just wants a good popcorn flick with lots of gunplay and humor — there’s no shortage of reasons to watch Wolfs. But those same traits may deter others, of course.

Season 4 of Slow Horses stayed at the top of a rating’s company’s popularity chart for the second week. This darkly funny espionage drama starring Gary Oldman follows a team of British intelligence agents who’ve all made career-ending mistakes yet are somehow always in the center of the action. New episodes stream each Wednesday on Apple TV+.

Plus, Apple’s crime comedy Bad Monkey starring Vince Vaughn held onto popularity, too.

Imagine an AI-powered assistant that helps you tackle writing, research, marketing, coding and more — all while streamlining your workload and saving you hours every day. With the DeskSense AI assistant, professionals like marketers, small business owners and content creators can unlock new levels of productivity and creativity.

For just $49, DeskSense brings the power of AI-driven efficiency directly to your fingertips. In addition to words, code and images, it makes your digital life smoother and more organized. With more than 40 AI-powered templates, it helps you create everything from professional emails and blog posts to social media content and even complex Excel formulas.