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This app turns ordinary photos into pro headshots

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Four professional headshots of four different people, produced using Magic Studio AI headshot generator
Give yourself a makeover with Magic Studio's professional headshots.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

AI headshot generator Magic Studio can turn 10 average-looking photos into 50 eye-catching images that make you look like a million bucks — no photographer, studio appointment or trip across town required.

And it doesn’t cost a million bucks — or even take very long. Simply upload those 10 pix, and Magic Studio will generate dozens of 4K headshots in about 15 minutes. You get all this, plus 50 edit credits, for a one-time purchase of just $59.99 (regularly $200).

Everything to expect at the Apple ‘Surprise and Shine’ product launch event

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Composite image of new Apple CEO John Ternus in front of Apple's Rise and Shine event logo
John Ternus is ready to say "Hello" at Apple's Surprise and Shine event.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s September product launch event kicks off on Wednesday, and there is so much to look forward to. It’ll be a milestone for the company in multiple ways.

First off, the “Surprise and Shine” event be the first with John Ternus welcoming everyone, not Tim Cook. He became Apple CEO just days ago, and will surely be acting as ringmaster for all the announcments.

That will keep him busy, with plenty of new products on the agenda. The first folding iPhone is expected to be the star of the show, joined by the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, with potentially even more products in store.

Here’s everything expected to take the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park on September 9.

The smart home gets smarter before Apple’s big push begins [First look]

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Ugreen HomeAgent
The Ugreen HomeAgent is a unique concept.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

BERLIN — Ugreen is best known for chargers, cables and other accessories. But at its IFA 2026 launch event here, the company showed something far more ambitious: a smart home hub called HomeAgent that uses local AI as its brain.

The HomeAgent series is expensive and unproven. But it rethinks what a smart-home hub can be. It also raises the question: By the time Apple enters the smart home market, will local AI already be the norm?

Price cut: Host unlimited websites for life for just $119.97

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Illustration of a person working at a web host, used to illustrate a deal on Hostdeal Unlimited Plan web hosting
Host as many websites as you like — forever! — for one low price with this unlimited deal.
Image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

When it comes to affordable website hosting, how much is enough? This discounted Hostdeal Unlimited Plan lets you host unlimited websites, with unlimited NVMe SSD storage and 54 free domains for life. And for a limited time, you can score this killer website hosting deal for just $119.97 (regularly $1,800).

Supersize MacBook with foldable screen may have gotten the ax

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MacBook with large folding screen is apparently dead
The folding display in a rumored MacBook would have dwarfed the one in any current macOS notebook.
AI concept: ChatGPT

Apple stopped development on a cutting-edge MacBook with a foldable screen, according to a market-analysts firm. The computer would have been larger than any current notebook offered by the company, and apparently take advantage of the support for touchscreens coming to macOS.

Rumors about the device circulated for years, but some of these mentioned that Apple was struggling with the design. It supposedly has now given up.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs flip-flops on Newton spinoff

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Photo of the Newton MessagePad 2000 with stylus on a white background
The Newton MessagePad went from hero to zero overnight.
Photo: iFixit

September 4: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs flip-flops on the Apple Newton PDA September 4, 1997: The writing is on the wall for Apple’s Newton product line as the recently returned Steve Jobs effectively kills the Newton Inc. spinoff.

He tells executives at the recently created subsidiary company not to bother moving into their new offices. The flip-flop on the Newton spinoff by Apple’s new interim CEO takes employees by surprise.

It’s quite the turnaround for the Newton division. Only months earlier, Apple portrayed it as large (and successful) enough to become its own company.

Nvidia PAIR turns your gaming PC into backup AI power for your Mac

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A picture showing connected computers using in a story about Nvidia PAIR software for Mac, Windows, and Linux PCs.
Nvidia PAIR lets an M4 Mac lean on a gaming PC’s GPU for local AI tasks.
Photo: Nvidia

Got an M4 or newer Mac and a gaming PC? Nvidia’s new PAIR just gave them a reason to talk. The free, open-source tool pairs Apple Silicon Macs with RTX-equipped PCs into a private AI cluster.

It’s a quick fix for a problem Mac users relying on local AI are starting to hit. AI agents currently split a task into smaller ones, but all of them compete for the same GPU. Nvidia PAIR fixes that by spreading those requests across paired machines instead of your Mac choking on the pileup.

HomePods might soon support four-speaker surround sound

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A picture of HomePod and HomePod mini used in a story about HomePod four speaker setup.
A four-speaker HomePod surround sound system may be in Apple’s pipeline.
Photo: Apple

Apple seems to be laying the groundwork for real HomePod surround sound. Hidden code spotted in the latest audioOS 27 beta points to a four-speaker setup that splits audio across front and rear channels.

HomePod owners have waited years for more than just a basic stereo pair. If this ships, it could finally give Apple’s smart speakers a true home theater option. That would put HomePod in more direct competition with dedicated surround setups.

Pexar’s 22-port Thunderbolt 5 dock puts a control screen on your desk

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Pexarbolt Ultra Thunderbolt 5 dock
This Thunderbolt 5 dock comes with a 5-inch touchscreen!
Photo: Pexar

Chargers with displays have become increasingly common, displaying real-time information like the power output and temperature. Pexar is bringing the same concept to its PexarBolt Ultra Thunderbolt 5 dock.

It pairs a 5-inch touchscreen with 22 ports, up to 140W laptop charging and an integrated NVMe SSD slot.

Ugreen’s MagFlow power bank uses liquid cooling to beat the heat

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Ugreen MagFlow series
Ugreen unveiled its MagFlow charging lineup at IFA 2026.
Photo: Ugreen

Ugreen’s latest MagFlow lineup promises to solve two of the biggest problems with fast wireless charging and power banks: excess heat and thermal throttling. Its new charging accessories feature an advanced cooling system designed to keep your iPhone cool while delivering fast wired or wireless charging.

The lineup includes the world’s first Qi2 25W magnetic power bank with a micro-pump liquid cooling system.

Baseus unveils juicy Dark Cherry charging lineup for iPhone 18

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Baseus Dark Cherry collection consists of a 100W wall charger, a magnetic power bank, open-ear earbuds and a USB-C cable.
Baseus' Dark Cherry collection consists of a 100W wall charger, magnetic power banks, open-ear earbuds and a USB-C cable.
Photo: Baseus

Ahead of the iPhone 18 Pro’s rumored launch in a dark cherry color, Baseus unveiled its new Apple-friendly accessories at IFA 2026 in the same shade.

Its new Dark Cherry lineup includes a compact 100W wall charger, a magnetic power bank, open-ear earbuds and a USB-C cable.

When will your state let you add your ID to Apple Wallet?

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Graphic showing an Ohio digital ID over a map of the United States
Does your state support digital IDs?
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

When will you be able to add your driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet on your iPhone? In the United States, it varies by where you live. It’s not up to Apple: Each state and territory maintains a completely independent registry of drivers and identification cards, so each one must independently pass legislation and implement digital IDs.

If you live in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico or West Virginia, you can do it today. (Our guide will show you how to add your driver’s license to Apple Wallet.) Otherwise, check our map and lists below to see how likely your state is to let you add your ID to Apple Wallet, and when it might happen.

How to add your ID to Apple Wallet

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Get a gorgeous ID in Apple Wallet.
Get a gorgeous ID in Apple Wallet.
Image:

In several states, Apple’s state ID initiative enables iPhones and Apple Watches to hold a digital copy of the user’s driver’s license, in the same way these devices store credit cards and airline tickets. And across the United States, you can create an Apple Digital ID based on your passport that can get you through some airport security checks. 

The day when an iPhone can completely take the place of an old-fashioned wallet remains years away, but it’s a goal Apple is working toward. Apple Pay is making progress on replacing credit cards, you can put airline tickets in the Wallet app, and the same goes for loyalty cards.

But no wallet is complete unless it can hold an ID. And that’s where Apple’s digital ID initiative comes in. Here’s what you need to know to add your driver’s license, state ID or federal passport to your Apple Wallet.

Apple just told developers it’s OK to finally let Intel Macs go

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Intel Mac support is slowly going away6
Intel Mac support took another blow this week.
Photo: Cottonbro Studio/Pexls

Apple just made it easier to be a Mac developer: This week, the company told Mac App Store developers that they can build applications for Apple silicon only — they can drop Intel Mac support in their software. The change applies to all macOS apps that require macOS 13 or later.

If you’re still running an Intel Mac, that’s the clearest signal from Apple that your machine is in the final stretch. Developers can now flip a single build setting and stop updating Intel-compatible versions. This means fewer updates reaching Intel hardware from now on.

Today in Apple history: Woz stages an epic concert

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Promotional image for the US Festival (short for Unite US in Song), a music festival spearheaded by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak
The Us Festival was Steve Wozniak's first venture outside Apple.
Photo: Glenn Aveni/Kickstarter

September 3: Today in Apple history: Steve Wozniak stages athe first US Festival, an epic music and tech event September 3, 1982: The US Festival, an extravagant music and technology event staged by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, kicks off in California. The festival costs $8 million to stage, and boasts appearances from some of the biggest musical acts of the day.

It’s a wild venture for Woz, who is on hiatus from Apple after surviving a serious plane crash in 1981.

Apple Maps caves to White House, changes Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’

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Apple Maps follows Trump’s order on ‘Lake America’
Apple Maps nixed Lake Ontario for U.S. users.
Image: Cult of Mac

Apple Maps renamed Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for users in the United States, giving in to pressure from President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order changing the name of the Great Lake last week.

The change puts Apple alongside Google Maps, which made the same switch several days earlier.

This 32-inch BenQ display is a bigger, smoother Studio Display alternative [Review] ★★★★

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The BenQ MA320UG brings a spacious 32-inch canvas and buttery-smooth 120Hz visuals to your Mac setup.★★★★
The BenQ MA320UG gives your Mac a bigger, glossier and noticeably smoother canvas.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Finding a great Mac monitor usually means choosing between Retina sharpness, a high refresh rate and reasonable pricing. The BenQ MA320UG tries to strike a better balance with its large 31.5-inch 4K panel, glossy finish and 120Hz refresh rate.

After using it as my primary display for several weeks, I found plenty to like. However, there are also a few compromises that keep it from being the complete Studio Display alternative.

Stash your most critical files with 500GB of encrypted cloud storage, just $40 for life

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A man accessing Vault cloud storage on a laptop
Get this secure cloud space for your files while it's on sale!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Your devices hold plenty of everyday files, but contracts, tax records, financial documents, IDs and other important paperwork deserve a super-secure storage place — preferably one that doesn’t come with yet another recurring bill.

For just $39.99 (regularly $499), you can lock in lifetime access to 500GB of Vault cloud storage. It’s specifically designed for long-term document storage with an emphasis on keeping your files as secure as possible.

iOS 27’s iPhone Handoff lets two phones share one number

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iPhone Handoff in iOS 27
iOS 27’s iPhone Handoff feature could let you move your phone number between a main and companion iPhone.
Screenshot: pdfu

iOS 27 will let one phone number work across two iPhones. A new iPhone Handoff feature will soon allow you to swap your cellular line between a main and a companion device, with no SIM swap required.

The feature got the barest mention at WWDC 2026 in June, with zero explanation from Apple. Now, a leaked demo video finally shows how the setup could actually work.

Anker’s new chargers fight heat with brains and fans

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Anker Power MagGO series
Anker's new pwoer banks will keep your iPhone cool while fast charging.
Photo: Anker

Anker is bringing three unusually smart charging accessories to IFA 2026. Its new lineup combines active cooling, displays and device-specific charging profiles designed to protect battery health. The products cover everything from powering an iPhone on the move to charging a MacBook at home.

Anker takes a cue from Apple: Standalone stores, simplified branding

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Artist conception of first Anker store in Berlin, Germany
An artist's conception of the first Anker store, set to open in Berlin this week.
Image: Anker

Popular Apple accessories maker Anker Innovations will open its first standalone store this week and pull its five category-based sub-brands under a single banner: Anker.

The idea is to simplify Anker’s product branding and take control of the company’s in-store marketing. It reminds me of what Apple did after Steve Jobs returned to the company in 1997.

“Category brands made sense when categories were separate. They no longer are,” said Steven Yang, founder and CEO of Anker Innovations, in a press release Thursday. Instead, Anker will simply things into “one brand, one promise — Ultimate Innovation, now unified across everything we make.”

The first Anker store will open this week in Berlin, not coincidentally the city that hosts the annual IFA tech conference where Anker and others will showcase their latest wares.

Believe it or not, M6 Mac mini deals already cut the price of Apple’s latest

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M6 Mac mini deal delivers big power in a small package
The M6 Mac mini debuted last week but you can get already find it at below the regular cost.
Photo: Apple

Surprise! You can get deal prices on an M6 Mac mini even though Apple only unveiled it last week, and the tiny desktop won’t launch until near the end of this month. Admittedly, the deals aren’t amazing, dropping the base model to $879.99, but there’s no reason to pay more than you have to.

Or you can save on the new M5 Pro Mac mini with faster performance. An Amazon deal drops the base configuration for this variant to $1,669.99.

Easy Apple Watch hack will keep you on time, even if you’re always late [Pro Tip]

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Never Run Late Again after you change your Apple Watch time
Cult of Mac is not legally responsible if you are still late after turning on this feature.
Image: Crew/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Pro tip bug Set your Apple Watch time a few minutes ahead of the actual time and you might trick yourself out of running late every day. This is an officially supported feature, not a hack that will produce cascading, annoying side effects. And it doesn’t require you to set your smartwatch out of sync with internet time, which can also cause problems.

What will you gain? By running your Apple Watch a few minutes fast, you might nudge yourself to rush out the door a little earlier. And that might be enough to get you somewhere on time rather than late. If tardiness is a frequent problem for you, this little anti-procrastination tweak could save your skin.

iPhone Ultra reportedly won’t ditch MagSafe after all

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A concept image of the iPhone Ultra used in a story about MagSafe support in the first folding iPhone
The first folding iPhone apparently won't skip the popular MagSafe feature.
Image: Majin Bu

The first folding iPhone will support MagSafe, according to a new report that may finally settle one of the last open questions about the rumored device.

Apple reportedly found some space for MagSafe’s magnetic array despite the thin design of the foldable, likely called the iPhone Ultra. New details also surfaced about pricing, launch timing and where Apple’s folding phone is expected to excel.