Apple today released iOS 16 and watchOS 9 for all compatible iPhones and Apple Watch. The public release of these operating systems comes after months of beta testing.
iOS 16 introduces a customizable new Lock Screen, Mail and Messages app enhancements, an improved Focus mode, and more.
Today is the 10th anniversary of the Lightning connector. It was once the best option but has since outlived its usefulness. This obsolete port needs to go.
Apple knows what the replacement needs to be. It should stop dragging its feet and make the change.
Displays aren’t just going up from 4K to 5K and beyond, they’re also taking new forms. Today’s featured setup is the first we’ve seen with the recently released LG DualUp monitor in real-world use. It features an unusual 16:18 aspect ratio. Here it’s paired with an older LG display and a Mac Studio.
And this setup also includes Steve Jobs. Play some “Where’s Steve?” (not Waldo) and see if you can spot him.
Sometimes a flash drive is the easiest way to transfer files between devices. This 4-in-1 Smart Flash Drive — with Lightning, USB-C, USB 3.0 and micro USB connections — is a handy gadget to add to your toolkit.
Alleged battery capacities of the iPhone 14 series leaked Sunday, seemingly confirming that Apple is using bigger batteries on all models except for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The Cupertino giant does not officially detail the capacities of iPhone batteries. Various Federal Communications Commission and regulatory filings usually reveal this data.
Apple isn’t ready to relax just because the September iPhone event is done. An Apple October event is almost certainly planned with new MacBooks and iPads. And maybe more.
Here’s everything we’re expecting to be on the agenda.
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max support dual-frequency GPS for greater location accuracy. This is the first time Apple has added this feature to its products.
Dual-frequency GPS is not a new technology. Select Android phones launched as far back as 2018 have had it, though it has not exactly gone mainstream yet.
Many Apple devices work splendidly right out of the box. Unfortunately, that’s not necessarily true for the Apple TV’s Siri Remote, which has a notoriously finicky learning curve, even after the company updated the controller for the Apple TV 4K.
Thankfully, as with all Apple devices, third-party accessories can help you get the most out of your streaming experience. For example, you can purchase this Function101 Button Remote for only $24.95 with code BUTTON5 for a limited time.
iOS 16 is finally ready for its public release. After months of beta testing, iOS 16 and watchOS 9 will drop on September 12 for all compatible devices.
But when exactly will the update show up on your iPhone? Find out iOS 16’s release time in your time zone here.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We can’t figure out which is more exciting, the brawny new Apple Watch Ultra or the brainy new Dynamic Island. Will the rugged new smartwatch prove too big for Erfon’s skinny wrists? Or does its bold size and styling elevate it to “big enough” status?
Also on The CultCast:
Brace yourself for our breathless reactions to Apple’s Far Out event — which was actually pretty far out!
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.
Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.
AHave your TV-watching habits grown stale? Stop settling for rewatches or ad-plagued streaming platforms and start exploring the world (and universe) around you without even leaving the couch. Curiosity Stream is your ticket to expanded possibilities that can keep you both entertained and enlightened.
This streaming service is packed with thousands of documentaries you can watch on-demand, and a lifetime subscription costs just $179 for a limited time (regularly $250).
★★★★☆
It’s Bibi Garvey’s time to shine this week on Bad Sisters, Apple TV+’s dark, depraved and hilarious comedy. She deals with the insurance investigators and hatches a new plan to kill the Garvey sisters’ brutish brother-in-law John Paul. But is she the crack shot she remembers?
Bibi and Eva both must overcome personal trauma to make it to their next appointment with death, while Grace starts to crumble as nothing in her life goes even remotely well. This week’s fine episode flirts with hitting risky subtextual bull’s-eyes.
It turns out that digital photography is more than just pointing a camera and pressing a button. Photography is one of those skills that seems simple, but it’s a lot harder once you get into it. So if you want to take better pictures with your iPhone (or your iPad — who are we to judge?), give this Digital Photography Insiders Course a try.
It’s on sale for just $60 (regularly $299) for a limited time. Dive into the courses in this bundle, and you’ll soon be snapping pro-level pictures of beautiful landscapes, gorgeous portraits and more.
Maybe you’re planning on a new iPhone 14 and wondering if you can still use your iPhone 13 case with it. Unfortunately, for most models the answer is a hard “no,” thanks to a bunch of subtle differences.
But you might get away with it on one model. For everyone else, buy a new case or try going without one (go ahead, put that Ceramic Shield to the test).
Race around the world in a custom car in Horizon Chase 2, the latest addition to Apple Arcade. The retro racer offers beautiful visuals and online multiplayer for all game modes.
The title is available to download now for Apple computers big and small.
★★★★☆
Apple TV+ drama Five Days at Memorial, about the terrifying conditions inside a hospital after Hurricane Katrina, furthers its investigation into the actions taken by medical professionals in the wake of the disaster.
Investigators Rider and Schafer finally get inside Memorial Medical Center to survey the horrors waiting for them. And beleaguered doctor Anna Pou strengthens her defenses in preparation for a landslide. Bryant and Kristy get to tell their sides of the story, and the cuffs finally come out.
It’s a very fine episode of this miniseries as the show winds down.
Should AirPods Pro owners upgrade to AirPods Pro 2?
The new set boasts a host of upgrades that could easily be worth it for many people — especially because the price hasn’t increased — and may even tempt owners of the relatively new and well-reviewed AirPods (3rd generation).
★★☆☆☆
This week’s See finds everyone taking stock of their miserable situations before the inevitable next course of action. The Apple TV+ dystopian sci-fi epic about a world where most people lost their sight generations ago is getting ready for war.
Sibeth is missing, Baba is back, Maghra finally sees the light, Tamacti Jun is at his wit’s end, and Kofun steps up.
★☆☆☆☆
Central Park returns to Apple TV+ on Friday with more singing, dancing, rapid-fire jokes that aren’t funny and plots that go nowhere.
The third season of the cartoon from Bob’s Burgers creator Loren Bouchard, star Josh Gad and writer Nora Smith does the usual spinning in extravagant circles without gaining any momentum. And unfortunately, the songs don’t forward the plot, such as it is.
If you procrastinated on ordering one of the new iPhone 14 Pro models, there’s a good chance you’re looking at a lengthy wait for it to be delivered.
But Apple still has plenty of stock of the “standard” 6.1-inch iPhone 14 ready for delivery on launch day. The same is true for the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus.
Today’s featured computer setup displays an innovation we’ve seen from time to time, but not as often as we’d expect. It’s a custom keyboard wrist rest built to fit a Magic Trackpad or other trackpad in its middle section.
This one’s on the tall side, suitable for a mechanical keyboard. The developer who had it made to his specifications finds it — and the Magic Trackpad 2 — more than adequate for his needs.
This discount software activation keys post is presented by CDKeylord.com.
The Autumn Sale at CDKeylord.com lets you nab big savings on software, games and gaming accessories. The software activation key provider extends major discounts on genuine products from Microsoft and other developers.
And you what’s even better? Cult of Mac readers can get 30% off the regular price of a Windows 10 Pro key. And when you buy a Windows 10 key, you can get a free upgrade to Windows 11! Just enter the special discount code CULT when you check out. See the deals below.
Apple will reportedly use RAM chips made by Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. in the iPhone 14 series. This set off a firestorm of complaints from U.S. politicians, including suggestions the chips will somehow be used to surveil Americans.
YMTC is partially owned by the Chinese government and has ties to the Chinese military. There have been calls for it to be added to the U.S. Entity List of companies that face import restrictions.
Not everyone has access to the same learning resources. For example, an Ivy League student can tap into vastly different assets than someone paying their way through community college.
Online library Perlego can help level the playing field. By offering unlimited access to more than 900,000 academic and nonfiction books, it allows anyone to study and research thousands of topics. One-year, two-year and three-year subscriptions to Perlego are on sale for $99, $159 and $199 for a limited time.
☆☆☆☆☆
Apple TV+’s Gutsy, a deeply cynical PR stunt from former first lady Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea, attempts to preach to a very specific choir while celebrating everything human about someone who at this point couldn’t be less relatable to the American public.
Gutsy is an expensive, self-aggrandizing road trip shared by women who were never really like the rest of us and now never will be. The series, which premiered Friday on Apple TV+, is replete with jaw-dropping guest stars, rehearsed banter, and about as much “fun” as an orientation day skit at college.
Basically, Gutsy is the unappealing answer to the question, “What do you give the woman who has everything?”