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Folding iPhone Ultra might not pack the big, beautiful battery we hoped for

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An AI-generated photo showing a concept of the iPhone Ultra.
Apple’s first foldable iPhone — possibly dubbed the iPhone Ultra — might come with a smaller battery than previously leaked.
AI image: Google Gemini/Cult of Mac

The latest leak about the first folding iPhone says Apple might not deliver the extreme battery capacity that most early rumors indicated.

If you were banking on a foldable with all-day battery life, this is worth pausing on.

Regret installing iOS 27 beta? Here’s how to get back to iOS 26.

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An AI-generated picture showing how to downgrade from iOS 27 beta to iOS 26
Here’s how to downgrade from the iOS 27 beta back to stable iOS 26.
AI image: Google Gemini/Cult of Mac

Beta remorse is real. Maybe an app won’t open, maybe things just feel off, or maybe you just want to go back to a stable daily driver while Apple sorts all the issues. Whatever the reason, you can downgrade from iOS 27 beta to iOS 26, and it’s not even that hard.

Here’s what to do.

Apple talks with startup that could cram GPT-class AI onto your iPhone

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A picture of a smartphone used in a story about a company cramming a LLM onto the iPhone.
PrismML claims it has compressed a 27-billion-parameter AI model down to 4GB — small enough to run on an iPhone 17 Pro.
Photo: Unsplash

Apple’s on-device ambitions just got more interesting. The company has reportedly been talking to a startup called PrismML that claims to run a massive, server-grade language model on the iPhone 17 Pro — no cloud required.

If the discussions turn into a deal between Apple and PrismML, it could be a significant upgrade for Apple Intelligence. Here’s why.

Why iPhone 18 Pro Max might cost up to $300 more

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iPhone 18 Pro Max price could jump as Apple's costs soar
The rising cost of memory chips is something Apple can't simply absorb.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

The cost of the components needed to produce the iPhone 18 Pro Max will rise up to 80%, according to a new cost analysis by a market research firm. The sharp increase results from the global shortage in memory chips that’s been in headlines so often recently.

A huge jump in Apple’s bill of materials raises questions about how much of these additional costs Apple will pass on to buyers. It potentially could push up the cost of the iPhone 18 Pro Max by as much as $300.

Apple Translate is getting 9 new languages in iOS 27

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A photo of Apple Translate app used in a story about iOS 27 bringing support for 9 new languages.
Hebrew, Cantonese and regional Spanish variants are among the new additions landing in Apple Translate in iOS 27.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone is about to get a lot more fluent. iOS 27 will bring support for nine new languages and accents to Apple Translate, pushing the app’s total support from 21 up to 30 — the biggest single expansion update Translate has ever received.

Soon, you’ll be ready for, “Dette er den største enkeltstående udvidelsesopdatering, som Apple Translate nogensinde har modtaget.”

Mac shipments grow 10% as PC sales sink

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A picture of the MacBook Neo used in a story about Apple shipments growing despite the PC industry recording low sales figures.
Mac shipments increased by double digits while the rest of the PC market was in decline.
Photo: Apple

The PC industry just posted its worst quarter in two years, but the Mac is having a moment. New shipment data shows Mac sales grew by double digits at a time when every other big computer maker was tanking. Unsurprisingly, the reason comes down to the global chip shortage that’s wrecking the whole industry.

This matters because the same memory crunch dragging down Dell, HP and Lenovo is pushing the price up for your next Mac. Apple seems to be weathering the storm better than anyone else, but it isn’t immune, and the discount window for your next Apple hardware could be closing fast.

Today in Apple history: Apple reclaims top spot in education

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Photo of iMac G3, which fuels a resurgence in the education market for Apple
The easy-to-use iMac spurred Apple's return to dominance in schools.
Photo: Apple

July 9: Today in Apple history: Apple reclaims top spot in education July 9, 2001: Apple earns the title of No. 1 computer manufacturer in the education market, with twice as many machines in schools as runner-up Dell Computer.

It marks a big turnaround from a couple of years earlier, when Dell overtook Apple and people accused Steve Jobs of abandoning this important market.

macOS 28 will end support for your old encrypted hard drive, but there’s a fix

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A picture of hard disk used in a story about macOS 28 ending support for encrypted drives.
macOS 28 won’t mount your encrypted Mac OS Extended (HFS+) drive.
Photo: Unsplash

Got an old encrypted hard drive in a drawer? Apple just put a deadline on it. With the upcoming macOS 28 update, your Mac will flat-out refuse to mount encrypted drives using the old Mac OS Extended file system — so if you’re still holding on to one, now’s the time to deal with it.

This isn’t coming out of nowhere. Apple has been flagging incompatible hard drives by showing warning pop-ups since macOS 26 and has now confirmed a hard cutoff.

So take note: if you still have an old backup or an archive of camera footage stored on an encrypted Mac OS Extended volume in a drawer or cabinet, macOS 28 will lock you out unless you fix it.

Apple TV rakes in Emmy nominations — Widow’s Bay scores 19 and Pluribus lands 18

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Apple TV Emmy nominations: A huge haul thanks to Widow's Bay and Pluribus
Apple TV made a big Emmy splash, with Widow's Bay and Pluribus leading the way.
Graphic: Apple TV/ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple TV delivered one of the biggest stories of Wednesday morning’s 2026 Emmy nominations, with freshman hits Widow’s Bay and Pluribus emerging as two of the most-honored series of the year.

The streamer’s total? A whopping 87 Emmy nominations, up from its previous high of 81 last year.

The new horror-comedy Widow’s Bay earned an impressive 19 Primetime Emmy nominations, while Vince Gilligan’s sci-fi drama Pluribus picked up 18. Those totals put both Apple TV originals among the most-nominated shows across all television, trailing only HBO Max’s The Pitt (25 nominations) and Hacks (24).

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs begins his path back to the top

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Steve Jobs in 2007
This marked the start of Apple's turnaround.
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

July 8: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs begins his journey to Apple CEO July 8, 1997: Steve Jobs begins his path to becoming chief executive officer of Apple, after former CEO Gil Amelio departs the company following a massive quarterly loss. Also leaving Apple is Ellen Hancock, executive vice president of technology.

To run Apple’s day-to-day operations, CFO Fred Anderson takes over until a new CEO can be found. Jobs, meanwhile, moves from strategic adviser to take “a more expanded role with Apple’s board and executive management team,” according to CNN Money.

Cupertino’s turnaround has started!

watchOS 27 finally lets Siri add time to your Apple Watch timer

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A photo of the Apple Watch used in a story about Apple fixing the Siri timer.
Need to add more time to a timer on your Apple Watch? You can with watchOS 27.
Photo: Unsplash

Your Apple Watch’s Siri timer problem just got fixed. With watchOS 27 beta 3, you can finally tell Siri to add two minutes to an already running timer — instead of getting stonewalled with “What do you want to set the timer to?”

If you’ve ever pulled a tray out of the oven a little early just because doing timer math in your head felt easier than fighting Siri, you know exactly why this matters. It’s a teeny tiny fix, but it does away with the everyday friction that made your watch feel less useful.

Fender and Teufel teamed up to make this awesome Bluetooth speaker [Review] ★★★★★

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Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 review★★★★★
The Rockster Go 2 couldn't exist without contributions from both Fender and Teufel.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2 portable Bluetooth speaker looks as good as it sounds. Which isn’t surprising considering it’s a collaboration of two iconic brands.

Two aluminum full-range drivers and one passive bass radiator pump out great stereo sound. Plus, the speaker is waterproof and comes with a carrying strap so it’s ready to go where you go.

I listened to the Rockster Go 2 at home and on a beach vacation. Here’s how it performed . Spoiler alert: I love it.

3 reasons why the iPhone 18 won’t launch this fall

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Why the iPhone 18 release date won't come this fall.
Expect September to bring the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, but not the standard iPhone 18. Here's why.
Image: Apple/ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple could make dramatic changes to its iPhone release strategy. The major shift: the iPhone 18 release date has reportedly been pushed back to 2027.

There will still be plenty to announce in September, including three new high-end handsets. But the mid-range and entry-level versions — including the iPhone 18 — will stay under wraps for months afterward.

Siri AI can now talk to your iPhone apps — starting with your car

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Siri AI's integration with third party apps begins
In iOS 27 beta 3, Siri AI can now pull data from select third-party apps, including Tessie.
Image: Max Weinbach/X/ChatGPT

In the latest iOS 27 developer beta, Siri AI can pull live information from third-party apps on your iPhone. It’s the kind of feature Siri should’ve had years ago — and now, it’s finally here.

Right now, it only appears to work with a couple of electric vehicle apps, letting you ask Siri things like your car’s battery level. But it’s a signal of where Siri AI is headed — an assistant that finally acts as a bridge across your entire phone, not just Apple’s walled garden.

Apple extends Broadcom partnership despite in-house chip push [Updated]

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Apple's Broadcom deal reveals long-term chip strategy
There'll be Broadcom chips in Apple devices for the foreseeable future.
Photo: Broadcom/Cult of Mac

Apple locked in one of its most important chip suppliers for years to come.

Broadcom revealed in a securities filing that it has extended its longstanding technology partnership with Apple through 2031. The companies signed new multi-year agreements under which Broadcom will develop and supply custom chips for use in future generations of Apple products.

The deal is valued at over $30 billion, will lead to the production of more than 15 billion U.S.-made chips.

“Apple and Broadcom have a long history together, and this new phase of our partnership further accelerates our commitment to American manufacturing and innovation,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in a statement.

iPhone 18 Pro Max battery might get bigger battery (but 18 Pro won’t)

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A picture of the iPhone 17 Pro Max used in a story about the iPhone 18 Pro Max's increased battery capacity rumors.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is getting a battery jump — the iPhone 18 Pro, not so much.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is reportedly getting a huge battery upgrade — while the standard Pro model might get almost no bump at all.

That could make this the year the Pro Max truly earns its name with a battery gap wider than anything we’ve seen before.

Apple just added a Google Cloud warning for your iPhone’s AI features

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A picture of Google Cloud logo used in a story about Google Cloud warning on the iPhone.
This Google cloud warning appears when using certain Apple Intelligence features.
Photo: Unsplash

Your iPhone is about to get a lot more transparent about where your data goes. Apple is rolling out a Google Cloud pop-up warning that protects your privacy by letting you know before certain Apple Intelligence features send your prompts off-device, and it’s already live for some users right now.

The heads-up appears when you use certain image- and shape-generation tools. It won’t block you from using these features, though. It simply makes sure you know your data is leaving Apple’s own servers before you hit send.

This Apple Intelligence feature won’t work unless you pay for 2TB iCloud+

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Get ready to pay more for iCloud+ if you want to use Apple Intelligence Home features.
Get ready to pay more for iCloud+ if you want to use Apple Intelligence Home features.
AI image: ChatGPT

Apple Intelligence-powered features in Apple’s Home app will require a 2TB iCloud+ plan, according to a footnote in macOS 27 developer beta 3. As part of the upgrade, the Home app uses AI to generate summaries of motion alerts from compatible HomeKit Secure Video cameras.

In the United States, the required 2TB iCloud+ plan costs $10 per month. Alternatively, it is a part of the Apple One Premier bundle, which costs $37.95 per month.

AirPods Ultra could beat Apple’s smart glasses to market

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A picture of AirPods used in a story about the much rumored AirPods Ultra.
Code buried in iOS 27 beta points to AirPods Ultra, not smart glasses, as Apple's next camera-equipped wearable.
Photo: Unsplash

Apple’s smart glasses may be waiting, but AirPods Ultra may just be confirmed. Buried in iOS 27’s beta code is a mystery wearable that reads images from two cameras, located on each side of your head. And Apple’s own sample data has it identifying the Eiffel Tower and a coffee mug.

If you’ve ever wanted Siri to actually see what you’re looking at instead of just hearing you describe it, this could be it. Apple is reportedly working on just that, and the newly spotted code hints at how close it might be, and which product, AirPods or glasses, is likely to land first.

Today in Apple history: After a horrible quarter, Gil Amelio gets the boot

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Bringing on Gil Amelio was viewed as a big coup for the Apple board.
This was the end of Amelio's 500 days running Apple.
Photo: Apple

July 6: Today in Apple history: After a horrible quarter, Apple CEO Gil Amelio is fired July 6, 1997: Following a massive quarterly loss for Apple, board member Edgar S. Woolard Jr. calls CEO Gil Amelio and informs him that he needs to step down. “You’ve done a lot to help the company, but the sales haven’t rebounded,” Woolard says.

Steve Jobs, who recently returned to the company he co-founded, denies being responsible for Amelio’s ouster. However, the move results in Jobs becoming Apple CEO for the first time. Now it’s time for a real turnaround!

This USB-C dock powers your Mac, iPhone and more from one hub [Review] ★★★★☆

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The Spacemate RD1 Pro’s compact vertical design packs 15 ports, a front display, and a built-in Qi2 wireless charger.★★★★☆
The Spacemate RD1 Pro packs 15 ports and a Qi2.2 wireless charger.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

My desk setup revolves around a Thunderbolt dock connected to my MacBook Pro, a few accessories and a separate charging station for quickly topping up my phone and iPad. While many Thunderbolt docks include front-facing USB-C ports that can deliver up to 60W of power, they can’t fast-charge Chinese Android phones and other power-hungry devices.

The Baseus Spacemate RD1 Pro aims to combine both products into one. It’s a 15-in-1 USB-C dock with a built-in Qi2.2 wireless charger, promising to reduce desk clutter without sacrificing functionality. But can a single device really do it all?

PamStealer malware poses as a Mac clipboard app — and verifies your password before stealing it

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PamStealer macOS malware isn't Maccy
PamStealer disguises itself as Maccy, a popular Mac clipboard manager to trick users into handing over a verified password.
Photo: JAMF Threat Labs/Cult of Mac

The “free” clipboard manager you just downloaded could be doing more than just copying and pasting text. Researchers recently found a new malware called PamStealer disguised as Maccy, a popular clipboard tool, that does something most Mac malware doesn’t bother with — checking your Mac password before sending it off.

The malware hides itself in a lookalike download for Maccy. It doesn’t just grab your password and run — but it checks the password against the same system Apple uses to log you in.

Apple may pull an iPhone X with its first foldable iPhone

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Foldable iPhone may not go on sale for a few weeks.
Foldable iPhone may not go on sale for a few weeks after launch.
AI image: ChatGPT

For the first foldable iPhone, Apple might follow the same launch strategy it used for the iPhone X in 2017. While the company will reportedly unveil the device alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup this fall, it may not open preorders or begin sales until later.

That’s according to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who shared the latest details about the foldable iPhone’s launch timeline in an X post over the weekend.