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Apple Maps update lets you explore cities in 3D

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The iOS 15 updates to Apple Maps include 3D imagery and much more.
The iOS 15 updates to Apple Maps include 3D imagery and much more.
Photo: Apple

With iOS 15’s biggest-ever update to Apple Maps, the Cupertino tech giant said users in several major cities can experience a 3D view with rich detail, enhanced navigation, immersive walking directions and more.

Spotify acknowledges battery drain complaints on iOS 15 and iOS 14.8

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Spotify iPhone
A fix should be on its way.
Photo: Cezar Sampaio/Unsplash CC

Spotify says it is looking into complaints regarding increased battery usage under iOS 15 and iOS 14.8. A growing list of users are reporting that the Spotify app has been draining their battery life since they updated their devices.

“We’ve passed your info on to the relevant team and we can confirm they are currently looking into it,” the music streaming giant told one customer.

Mysterious ‘jelly scrolling’ problem plagues new iPad mini owners

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2021 iPad mini packs 5G
Well, that's not good.
Photo: Apple

iPad mini’s glorious upgrade for 2021 isn’t without its faults for some early adopters, who are being plagued by a mysterious “jelly scrolling” issue on its new 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display.

The problem, which causes one side of iPad mini’s screen to scroll ever so slightly faster than the other, only seems to surface when using the tiny tablet in portrait mode. Some may not notice it until seeing the effect in slow motion.

Third-party display repairs kill Face ID in iPhone 13

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iPhone 13 display repairs break Face ID
If you want to keep using Face ID, you'll have to pay Apple to repair your screen.
Photo: Phone Repair Guru

If you happen to break the dazzling Super Retina XDR display packed into your iPhone 13, you might want to avoid seeking out a more affordable replacement from a third-party repairer. It seems third-party replacements kill Face ID in Apple’s newest smartphone lineup — even when genuine Apple parts are used.

“Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple display,” reads the message that greets iPhone 13 owners after their display is replaced by anyone other than Apple.

iOS 15 doesn’t turn older iPhones into slugs

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iPhone 8 Wireless Charging
Put iOS 15 on your iPhone 8 and you could improve the performance and battery life. And get lots of new features.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Some users of older iPhones refuse to install iOS upgrades because they mistakenly think these will reduce the performance of their handset. But tests comparing iOS 15 with various previous versions found no sign of Apple’s latest turning any model into a slug. Some of the devices actually ran faster with newer software.

And the same goes for battery life, in general. Most older iPhones have a longer battery life with iOS 15, though some do see a reduction.

iPhone 13 series increases battery sizes by up to 18%

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iPhone 13 series increases battery sizes by up to 18%
Pull the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 batteries out to find their exact storage capacities.
Photo: iFixit

Apple beefed up the batteries in all four models in the new iPhone 13 series. There are significant increases in capacity in all of them, especially the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Teardowns of the iPhone 13 models are starting to appear, including ones from iFixit, revealing these battery sizes.

7 reasons the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 makes a worthy upgrade for iPhone 11 or XR [Review]

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6.1-inch iPhone 13 review
Still carrying an iPhone XS or even an iPhone 8? The iPhone 13 is better in virtually every way.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Those looking for an upgrade for the iPhone 11, XS or 8 need search no further than the 6.1-inch iPhone 13. Apple’s latest midsize handset offers far better performance than those older models, a noticeably longer battery life and a better camera. Plus there are some other nice additions, like a smaller notch.

This $99 app combo lets you stream millions of TV shows and movies — for life!

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Stream any TV shows, restriction-free, for life
For less than $100, this award-winning app combo lets you stream without restrictions.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The secret to never running out of awesome content to watch is the combination of a killer VPN and a streaming mega-app. If you never want to be without shows to watch, The SelectTV + KeepSolid VPN Unlimited Lifetime Subscription Bundle is the ultimate way to do it.

And for a limited time, you can get both of these top-rated apps on sale for just $99. (That’s a $677 value.)

Totallee’s thin cases protect and show off your iPhone 13

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Totallee's iPhone 13 cases are thin and light.
Totallee's iPhone 13 cases are thin and light.
Photo: Totallee

This iPhone 13 cases post is brought to you by Totallee.

Totallee makes some of the thinnest and lightest iPhone 13 cases you can get, so you can protect and show off your new smartphone without adding bulk. The company has been making slim and sleek cases for iPhones since 2013, developing a reputation for protecting the devices without distracting too much from their beauty.

Wolfboy and the Everything Factory will charm kids who love cartoons [Apple TV+ review]

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Wolfboy and the Everything Factory
Wolfboy and the Everything Factory is the newest Apple TV+ children's show
Photo: Apple TV+

The latest Apple TV+ children’s show, the joyously analog Wolfboy and the Everything Factory, is a celebration of creativity. Will it be the first of the Apple TV+ kids shows to make a splash outside of its subscriber base? Time will tell, but its heart is in the right place.

iPhone 13 and iPad mini: The good, the bad, the ugly! [The CultCast]

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The CultCast 511: Early iPhone 13 and iPad mini reviews leave us asking,
Early iPhone 13 and iPad mini reviews leave us asking, "That all ya got, Apple?"
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The early reviews are in — let’s talk about the best and worst parts of iPhone 13, 13 Pro and the iPad mini. Plus: Apple is prepping yet another great feature coming soon to your HomePod — it ain’t dead yet, baby!

iPadOS 15 review: Nice improvements, but where’s the ambition?

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iPadOS 15 review
Improvements are nice, but just not enough.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple somehow created the world’s greatest and most disappointing tablet operating system. iPadOS is by far the best you’ll find for larger touchscreens, and yet, it leaves us wanting so much more.

This year’s iPadOS 15 release is an incremental upgrade over its predecessor. It improves upon the split-screen multitasking system, adds some new features like Focus mode, and finally allows us to put widgets anywhere.

But it’s still iPadOS as we know it, and it’s still holding back iPad Pro. We could be doing so much more with the hardware, especially now that the newest models pack even-speedier M1 chips. But Apple won’t let us.

Here’s our full iPadOS 15 review. It lays out what’s good about the new operating system — and explains why we think it’s time for a little more ambition.

Hurricane Alex is about to hit The Morning Show [Apple TV+ review]

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The Morning Show review season 2: Alex Levy (played by Jennifer Aniston) gets ready for her big comeback.
Alex Levy (played by Jennifer Aniston) gets ready for her big comeback.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Morning Show gets ready for the triumphant return of Alex Levy, even as current events spiral and everyone sweats bullets. Can Cory keep the newscast together long enough for it to return?

As the Apple TV+ drama grapples with COVID-19 in its second season, the intra-office drama intensifies.

Flash sale: Get a genuine lifetime Windows 10 Pro activation key fast for just $14

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Now you can get 35% off genuine lifetime software activation keys at CDKeylord.com.
Now you can get 35% off genuine lifetime software activation keys at CDKeylord.com.
Image: CDKeylord

This software activation key sale post is presented by CDKeylord.com.

Cult of Mac readers can now grab a special 35% discount on Genuine Lifetime Windows 10 Pro and a lot of other software product-activation keys available at CDKeylord.com. The savings keep rolling. The previous 20% off discounts have now increased to a super discount of 35% off!

Super-clean rig relies on Magic Trackpad and mouse combo [Setups]

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It seems more and more people swear by the Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse combo.
It seems more and more people swear by the Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse combo.
Photo: [email protected]

When you travel the online highways and byways in search of cool computer setups, you start to notice certain patterns. One is that lots of people seem to love Apple’s Magic Trackpad. Another is that plenty of folks hate the Magic Mouse. And a third seems to see a growing number of people absolutely love using a Magic Trackpad + mouse combo — which some onlookers find mystifying.

iPhone 13 mini doesn’t come with faster MagSafe charging

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iPhone 13 mini MagSafe Charger
12W is still the max.
Photo: Apple

Those hoping that iPhone 13 mini might ship with faster MagSafe charging will be disappointed to learn that it’s no quicker than its predecessor. Top-ups are restricted to a maximum of 12W when using a 20W charging adapter.

iPhone 13 and 13 Pro models, like last year’s larger iPhone models, can charge at up to 15W.

Truth Be Told uncorks another stellar showstopper [Apple TV+ review]

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Ron Cephas Jones & Haneefah Wood in Truth Be Told
Ron Cephas Jones and Haneefah Wood deliver the goods in this solid drama.
Photo: Apple TV+

Truth Be Told hurtles headlong toward a crash this week as true-crime podcaster Poppy Parnell and her childhood friend Micah Keith realize they both could represent their mutual destruction.

And once again, a stellar outburst by a supporting character steals the spotlight on this rock-solid Apple TV+ drama.

Restoring iPhone 13 or a new iPad from backup can break Apple Music

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Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio are coming to Apple Music subscribers beginning June 2021.
A day-one update fixes the problem.
Photo: Apple

Apple warned owners of iPhone 13 and its newest iPad models on Friday that restoring their device from an earlier backup can cause problems in Apple Music. A bug prevents some users from accessing the Apple Music catalog and settings, and from using Sync Library on their new device.

The problem affects only iPhone 13, the 2021 iPad mini and the new ninth-generation iPad. Installing a software update fixes the problem.