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Best Prime Day deals on Apple gear and more [Updated]

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We search out the best Amazon Prime Day 2018 deals so you don't have to.
We search out the best Amazon Prime Day deals so you don't have to.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Amazon Prime Day 2022 is here, and Cult of Mac is showcasing the best Prime Day deals for Apple fans. The annual two-day sale runs July 12 and July 13, and there are lots of solid deals to be had, including the lowest-ever price on Apple TV 4K ($109), $279 Series 7 Apple Watch, AirPods Pro for $170, $299 iPad and much more.

Here are the best ones we’ve found so far.

Proposed new emoji list shows we already have all the emoji we need

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Proposed new emoji list shows we already have all the emoji we need
These are some of the emoji that might be added to Apple devices in 2023.
Image: Emojipedia

The collection of emoji will grow in the coming months, with the 31 proposed new entries including a shaking face, a donkey, a jellyfish and hearts in a range of colors. The proposal also includes an array of left- and right-facing hands, which likely will be used to indicate high fives.

This is by far the shortest list of new emoji proposed in years. It seems the Unicode Consortium thinks the already available collection is close to complete.

Play virtual golf and perfect your swing with TruGolf Mini

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It's the last call for a Golf Simulator with 97 famous courses for Deal Days Discounts.
Play golf on your TV with this last-chance deal on a TruGolf Mini golf simulator.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Golf simulators don’t need to cost as much as a country club membership. If you want to perfect your swing from home, or just have fun playing practice games or virtual courses, check out TruGolf Mini.

This home golf simulator gives you access to 97 courses and games. And this is your last chance to get it for our Deal Days price of just $189 (regularly $229). The sale ends Thursday!

Jony Ive slips Apple’s golden handcuffs

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Former Apple design chief Jony Ive talks up big ideas in his virtual commencement speech.
Jony Ive has ended his partnership with Apple, ending a very productive 30-year relationship.
Photo: Nick Knight

Jony Ive’s 30-year partnership with Apple is over.

Ive and Apple have reportedly severed ties completely, ending a relationship that spanned more than three decades and resulted in some of Apple’s biggest products, including the iPhone, iMac, Apple Watch, spaceship campus, numerous retail stores and much more.

Mophie dual-port MacBook charger launches at Apple stores

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Mophie dual-port MacBook charger launches at Apple stores
The Mophie Speedport 45 can juice up a MacBook and and iPhone at the same time.
Photo: Zagg/Mophie

Apple likes the Mophie Speedport 45 enough to put the dual USB-C port wall charger on its online store.

This not surprising: Mophie’s new product offers more power than Apple’s recently launched equivalents, and it costs less.

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max could employ powerful next-gen Bluetooth

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AirPods Pro 2 could be among Apple's earphones that take advantage of the new Bluetooth standard.
AirPods Pro 2 could be among Apple's earphones that take advantage of the new Bluetooth standard.
Photo: Killian Bell / Cult of Mac

The standards body behind Bluetooth technology said Tuesday the next-gen version first promoted two years ago is finally here. With Bluetooth LE Audio now complete, new headphones like the upcoming AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max can incorporate an array of improvements.

Just to name a few, we can expect better sound, improved power efficiency and connectivity to an “unlimited” number of devices if Apple fully integrates the new standard.

We got the exclusive: Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus+ at its lowest price ever

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Become a Dollar Flight Club member for a price that's never been lower.
Pack a bag and hit the road because it's cheap flights for life with Dollar Flight Club.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

That dream vacation isn’t going to book itself. Arranging flights is one of the most stressful parts of vacation planning. Between high (and wildly fluctuating) airfares and weird flight availabilities (made worse by the pandemic), there’s just so much data to juggle. And usually, dealing with it all falls on you.

But not if you use Dollar Flight Club. This service sends flight deals from your home airport to anywhere in the world straight to your inbox. Right now, DFC Premium Plus+ subscriptions are at the lowest price they have ever been during our Deal Days Sale — just $69.99 for life (regularly $1,690). No coupon code is needed to get this great deal — and you won’t find this discount anywhere else.

iOS 15.6, macOS 12.5 take penultimate step toward release

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iOS 15.6, macOS 12.5 take penultimate step toward release
Devs got the iPadOS 15.6 release candidate along with iOS 15.6 RC and macOS 12.5 RC on Tuesday.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Remember iOS 15.6 and macOS Monterey 12.5? While these have been overshadowed by iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, Apple hasn’t forgotten about them. They are nearing the end of beta testing, with release candidates going out to developers on Tuesday.

That means iOS 15.6 and macOS Monterey 12.5 are likely to debut July 19 or before. They’ll be joined by iPadOS 15.6, watchOS 8.7 and tvOS 15.6.

Apple TV+ bags 51 Primetime Emmy nominations

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Apple TV+
With 51 nominations, Apple TV+ stands to do well at the primetime Emmy Awards.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Television Academy said Tuesday Apple TV+ received 51 Primetime Emmy nominations, including 20 for the hit comedy Ted Lasso.

That matches the show’s record-breaking number of Emmy nominations in 2021. And the psychological thriller Severance received 14 nominations this year, second most among the streaming service’s titles.

YouTube picture-in-picture finally rolls out for all iPhone users

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YouTube picture-in-picture finally rolls out for all iPhone users
The wait is over. YouTube picture-in-picture is now available for all iPhone and iPad users.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

YouTube has brought picture-in-picture support to all U.S. users of its iOS and iPadOS apps. The feature is rolling out now, and will allow users to watch videos in a mini player while also using other applications.

The convenient feature has been in beta testing for many months

This 3-in-1 wireless charging dock won’t leave your Apple gear hanging (by a cable)

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Wireless charging is the way to go.
Wireless charging is the way to go.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Using three whole outlets whenever you want to charge three devices seems silly. Why not trim the waste and consolidate some of those chargers into one charging station? Specifically, this 3-in-1 Fast Wireless USB Charging Dock.

It’s compatible with your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, allowing you to charge them all simultaneously. And during our Deal Days Sale, it costs only $49.99 (regularly $114). You may want to hurry, though. This deal ends Thursday.

Listen to these AirPods Pro alternatives and try to hear a difference

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These JBL Earbuds are a great AirPods alternative.
Finally, a viable AirPods Pro alternative. JBL's Live Free NC+ earbuds are on sale during Deal Days.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Wireless earbud technology improves year by year, even as prices get lower and standards justifiably get higher. If you’re looking for an affordable AirPods Pro alternative, these JBL Live Free NC+ wireless earbuds may be just the thing.

Especially now, because they’re on sale for just $65.99 (regularly $149) during our Deal Days Sale. No coupon is needed, but this sales ends Thursday.

Apple car won’t need a steering wheel

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Apple Car: Hyundai Ioniq Electric x Apple Mouse
The Apple car might never need a driver, just passengers.
Concept: LeaseFetcher

You’ll never get behind the wheel of an Apple car. That’s because the Mac-maker’s plan is a fully autonomous vehicle, according to a trove of information about the upcoming car that came to light Monday. That means no steering wheel and no brake pedal.

But Apple does not yet have a car that’s capable of reliably driving itself. And at least one high-level exec sounds skeptical that it ever will.

First public betas for iOS 16, macOS Ventura arrive

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First public betas for iOS 16, macOS Ventura arrive
Just can't wait to try the new iOS 16 Lock screen or Stage Manger in macOS Ventura? Now is your chance.
Photo: Apple

Anyone who wants to can now install a beta of iOS 16, macOS Ventura, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9 or tvOS 16. Until now, these have been reserved for developers.

Those who are interested should take care: these are still fairly early betas. They have bugs and are not recommended for devices that will be used daily.

Apple TV 4K hits lowest price ever

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The current Siri Remote was an improvement on its predecessor.
Apple TV 4K at 32GB and 64GB are both at best-ever prices right now.
Photo: Apple

Amazon Prime Day runs officially on Tuesday and Wednesday, but many deals, including bargains on Apple gear, tend to creep in early.

Earlier today it was Apple Watch 7 hitting a new low price, and now it’s Apple TV 4K — now at its lowest price ever on Amazon.

Production woes result in severe drop in Mac shipments

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Apple Final Cut Pro updated for latest M1 processors
Shipments fell far short of demand for the Mac Studio this spring.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s struggle to get computers assembled in China during COVID lockdowns this spring had the expected result: Mac shipments dropped 22.5% in the spring quarter of 2022, according to a market-research firm.

At least company execs can take solace from the fact that this is not a demand problem. Consumers want to buy Macs but Apple can’t supply them.

New Jya Fjord purifier for HomeKit lets you clear the air with Nordic flair

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The new Jya Fjord and Fjord Pro air purifiers support HomeKit.
The new Jya Fjord and Fjord Pro air purifiers support HomeKit.
Photo: Jya

If you’re looking for a HomeKit-enabled air purifier that can handle large rooms, you have a new option: SmartMi launched its new brand Jya and its Fjord air purifier.

It joins SmartMi’s two existing HomeKit air purifiers, but it features more of a “Nordic” aesthetic and is designed for larger rooms, the company said.

New Studio Display gives LG 4K monitor the boot [Setups]

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Another satisfied customer: New Studio Display pairs with an M1 MacBook Air and a homemade keyboard.
Another satisfied customer: New Studio Display pairs with an M1 MacBook Air (not shown) and a homemade keyboard.
Photo: Asleep_Painting6103

Another week, another bunch of new Studio Displays shipped. They’re cropping up in Setups far and wide as replacements for until-recently-good-enough 4K monitors by the likes of LG and Dell.

Today’s featured M1 MacBook Air setup runs a new Studio Display in place of a 4K LG screen. And for input devices, the user opts for a Magic Trackpad over a mouse, using it with a pretty nifty homemade mechanical keyboard.

M2 MacBook Air benchmarks show it’s plenty fast

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WWDC22: The new M2 MacBook Air gets a MagSafe charger.
The M2 MacBook was unveiled in June at WWDC22.
Photo: Apple

The first benchmark scores for the upcoming MacBook Air with an Apple M2 processor confirm that the device offers a considerable speed boost over the M1-powered version.

However, performance comes in well behind MacBook Pros with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

Take stunning selfies without touching your iPhone using this little drone

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This drone is great for pictures.
During Deal Days, you can get a drone that snaps selfies of you as it flies.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are only so many ways you can hold your iPhone and smile. If your selfie game is starting to feel dull, there might be a fly-by solution that can capture candid photos from angles your elbows couldn’t dream of.

The Air Neo Selfie Camera Drone can snap pictures of you automatically while it zooms around. And during Deal Days, it’s on sale for only $129.99 (regularly $159) — no coupon code required.

Why Twitterrific is the best Twitter client for iOS and iPadOS [Awesome Apps]

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Sleek design, power features, no promoted tweets ... what more could you want?
Sleek design, power features, no promoted tweets ... what more could you want?
Image: Joe White/Cult of Mac

Twitter might be going through a turbulent time, but for many of us in the tech community, it remains our de facto town square — a place where we can meet to share our views, opinions and hopes.

Like most of us here at Cult of Mac, I’ve been using Twitter for years. And although I’ve switched between clients more than a handful of times, my favorite Twitter app is Twitterrific.

In fact, I’d even say that Twitterrific is the best Twitter client for iPhone and iPad. Stick around to find out why.

Apple’s cheaper AR/MR headset might arrive in 2025

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Apple VR/AR headset takes big step toward production
Wait until 2025 if you want don't want to spend a bomb on Apple's AR headset.
Concept: Martin Hajek/Computer Bild

Apple’s second-generation AR/MR headset could debut in 2025 with a more affordable price tag than the original. The company seemingly plans to launch two different variants of the headset to target consumers with different budgets.

Apple’s first-generation mixed reality headset is currently expected to launch in the first half of 2023.