After meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook in Brussels Tuesday, European Union head of industry Thierry Breton called on the tech company to open its ecosystem of hardware and software to competitors.
★★★★☆
Clip the Turtle Beach Atom Controller for iOS on either side of an iPhone to add the physical buttons and sticks that make high-end gaming much more fun. It mimics the brilliant design of the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con with the controls set on either side of the display.
It’s ready for Apple Arcade games and cloud-gaming services, too. And don’t forget the console games Apple has promised to port to the iPhone 15 Pro.
I spent hours testing the controller (it’s a hard job I have) and I really like it. Here’s why.
Now you can listen to more than 100 new podcasts from various apps and services in Apple Podcasts, the company said Tuesday.
“Subscribers to Apple Music, Apple News+ and participating apps like Calm and Lingokids can connect their subscriptions to access new shows and more,” Apple noted.
If you’ve ever been the victim of unsolicited dick pics, or “cyberflashing,” you can now automatically hide obscene images in iOS 17. Censoring NSFW sexts can give you an extra line of defense against unwanted, creepy texts. This feature, new in iOS 17, puts suspected nude images and videos behind a blurred gray background.
Unsolicited dick pics are a widespread problem. Among adults who reported receiving nude images, 91% of respondents say they were sent without their consent, according to Indiana University research. And one shocking study published in the Journal of Sex Research found 50% of heterosexual men admitted to sending them!
This new Sensitive Content Warning feature in iOS 17 isn’t just for protecting children. A lot of people likely will find it useful.
Lots of people wish for a dog’s life, but longtime pet owners know that pups get anxious, too. When humans get stressed, we can binge a few of our favorite shows to relax — and now dogs have that option too.
DogTV is exactly what you think it is — and more. Yes, it’s a streaming channel where all the content is geared to get your dog’s attention. But it also can help them shake those doggie blues. A lifetime subscription is on sale for just $149.99 (regularly $838).
Apple reportedly plans to introduce a new capacitive button on next year’s iPhone 16 lineup. Known as the “Capture Button” internally, the button is currently in the testing phase.
With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple replaced the mute switch with the Action button. It enables additional functionality that was previously not possible.
The long wait for a new iPad mini is reportedly finally nearing the end. An updated version will supposedly launch in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The last update to the diminutive tablet was a major one, but it was also two years ago.
Learning to code can be intimidating, especially if you’re working on your first programming language. Python — a language that’s versatile yet remarkably straightforward — is an accessible place to start. And once you learn Python, there’s a ton you can do with it.
Getting started is easy. Just enroll in the 2023 Complete Python Certification Boot Camp Bundle to gain unlimited access to 130 hours of instruction. This great intro to coding costs only $9.97 through September 30.
Designer and Apple fan Basic Apple Guy put out four pretty new wallpapers for Apple devices Monday, his Autumn Gradients lineup.
“It’s been a minute, but I wanted to reappear from my hideyhole and share four colourful, Autumn-inspired gradient wallpapers for your Apple devices,” he wrote.
One piece of software I consider indispensable for keeping my Mac running clean, quick and clear is CleanMyMac X by MacPaw.
CleanMyMac X packs more than 30 tools for keeping your Mac in tip-top condition, but is especially useful for clearing disc space, freeing up RAM, and deleting malware and adware. The latest version has a new, unlimited seven-day free trial, and Cult of Mac readers can get an exclusive 10% discount.
Amazon bargain site Woot! offers a blowout sale on Apple accessories — 40 items! — through September 30 at 10 p.m. PT.
The discounts on official Apple gear extend to up to 91% off in some cases! (And those are literally iPhone cases, btw).
You can get Apple’s most powerful MacBook Pro with M2 Max chip for up to $250 off. Amazon has discounted the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Max to $3,249 from $3,499.
If the 16-inch model is too big, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the same Max chip is available for $200 less.
macOS Sonoma is ready for its public release. The new Mac operating system will drop on Tuesday, just over a week after iOS 17, watchOS 10 and iPadOS 17 launched.
If you can’t wait to try out the next major macOS build, you might want to know its exact release time on September 26 so you can update your Mac as soon as possible. If that’s the case, find the exact macOS Sonoma release time in your area below.
Apple designed the internal iPhone 15 Pro series to be much easier to work on than previous models, but iFixit did a teardown and found that replacing several broken components is a hassle.
In the end, the latest iOS handset got a fairly low repairablity score from iFixit.
Quite a few excellent alternatives to Apple’s pricey Pro Display XDR and Studio Display exist for those in need a good external monitor to go with their Mac. Today’s featured Mac mini setup brings up another one — the 34-inch Samsung Odyssey G8 series curved gaming display.
If you like curves and especially if you like gaming, read on the see if the display might be a good choice for you.
Ready to learn to invest in real estate? Historically one of the most lucrative and sought-after sectors, mastering real estate investment can be a lifelong journey. But you can quickly improve your approach to investing, renting, managing and owning real estate with Mashvisor.
Mashvisor gives you access to real estate investment data analytics, and lifetime subscriptions are on sale now. A Mashvisor Lite Plan is now only $39.99 (regularly $899), while a Professional Plan is only $199.99 (regularly $3,599).
Those who were jealous of the Dynamic Island and 48MP camera in the iPhone 14 Pro can relax — the just-launched iPhone 15 and 15 Plus include the best features of last year’s Pro models. This makes them significant upgrades for anyone with an older handset … even one from 2022.
And dumping the old Lightning port in favor of USB-C is icing on the cake.
If you love movies, TV, music, beer or international travel, the apps in this week’s Awesome Apps roundup will knock your socks off. If you happen to love all those things … well, first off, congratulations on being a person of many and varied interests.
Secondly, you’d better get downloading so you don’t spend another precious moment without these apps.
Ready to land a high-paying cybersecurity job? For a limited time, you can get this thorough cybersecurity and IT skills boot camp for only $39.97 (regularly $69.99).
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The first reviews of iPhone 15 Pro rave about everything from the phenomenal titanium finish to the fantastic 5x zoom. Sounds like Tim Cook has another winner on his hands.
Also on The CultCast:
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.
The much-anticipated iPhone 15 is here! If you’re one of the lucky owners, you’ll want to ensure it’s fully protected. In collaboration with Zagg, Cult of Mac is thrilled to present this week’s giveaway, offering three fortunate individuals the opportunity to keep their screens immaculate with the new Glass XTR3 Screen Protector.
It’s Zagg’s toughest screen protector yet!
The drama/horror series The Changeling is a hit for Apple TV+. For two weeks it’s been in a list of the top 10 most popular series or films on any streaming service.
The Morning Show season 3 is also pulling in plenty of viewers.
Junkworld TD players deploy towers, use special units and gadgets, and train amazing heroes to survive the mayhem of post-apocalyptic tactical battles.
The quirky action title is the latest addition to the Apple Arcade subscription gaming service.
The holidays will be here before you know it, and now, there’s a great way to get a jump on that wish list, whether it’s yours or that of a tech-loving relative. If you’re a drone lover, or know a novice pilot who’d like to take one for a spin, this Dual Camera Drone Bundle is an excellent gift idea.
It gives you two of the internet’s most popular commercial drones for only $109.97.
macOS Sonoma may not have the same buzz as iOS, but there are loads of new features this year to try out on your Mac. You can get beautiful Apple TV-style aerial screensavers, widgets on your desktop, powerful enhancements to Safari and more.
macOS Sonoma will be released at about 10 AM Pacific on Tuesday, September 26. Here are the 36 best features you can look for after you update.