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Samsung’s ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge takes aim at upcoming iPhone 17 Air

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge side view
The Galaxy S25 Edge is seriously thin, but the iPhone 17 Air might be thinner.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung jumps on the super-slim phone bandwagon ahead of Apple with the Galaxy S25 Edge, arriving months before its rival’s release. It’s the company’s slimmest Galaxy phone yet, with a waistline of 5.8mm.

Despite its slim profile, the phone packs high-end flagship internals. The Galaxy S25 Edge will take on the iPhone 17 Air when Apple’s slim model launches in fall 2025.

Apple turns to AI to extend iPhone battery life

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iPhone AI battery
Apple is reportedly looking to increase iPhone battery life the smart way.
Image: Cult of Mac

Rather than building a bigger battery into the iPhone 17 to extend battery life, Apple reportedly plans to use a smarter power source to achieve the desired result. The company reported is creating an AI system for iOS 19 to “analyze how a person uses their device and make adjustments to conserve energy,” according to a report published Monday.

It could be one of many AI-powered features in the version of the iPhone’s operating system expected to launch this autumn.

macOS Sequoia 15.5 brings only a few tweaks

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macOS Sequoia 15.5
macOS Sequoia 15.5 is really more of a patch.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Mac users can now install macOS Sequoia 15.5… but there’s really no hurry. This new version is especially light on new features.

It seems clear that much of Apple’s attention is on upcoming AI features, macOS 16, and other enhancements coming later in the year.

Everything new in iOS 18.5

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iOS 18.5
iOS 18.5 is high, but somewhat light on changes.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

After over a month of beta testing, iOS 18.5 is now available for all compatible iPhones. Unlike previous point iOS 18 releases, the new build does not pack any significant new features.

The update mainly includes minor changes, but older iPhones will receive one major new feature. Keep reading to know about everything new in iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5.

5-computer workstation boasts gargantuan 57-inch display [Setups]

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huge computer monitor
Three Macs and two PCs work with that 57-inch Samsung curved ultra-wide monitor.
Photo: [email protected]

Believe it or not, today’s magnificent featured setup includes five computers — each with a job to do, even the ol’ trash-can Mac Pro — and one absolutely huge computer monitor. It’s a 57-inch curved ultra-wide Samsung. What, 49 inches wasn’t big enough for ya?

And the workstation includes other great features. Those include a Rode PodMic, the same great open-back Sennheiser headphones I own, and powerful Klipsch bookshelf speakers paired with a subwoofer that I wish I owned.

Today in Apple history: Bill Gates predicts doom for Apple’s biggest product

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Bill Gates on iPod: Smartphone sales will doom music players.
Unfortunately for Gates, Steve Jobs was one step ahead.
Photo: 60 Minutes

May 12: Today in Apple history: Bill Gates predicts doom for iPod, Apple's biggest product May 12, 2005: Longtime Apple frenemy Bill Gates tells a German newspaper that Apple may have hit it big with the iPod, but that its success isn’t going to last forever.

The reason for his take on the iPod’s future? Mobile phones are going to steal the music player’s market share.

The good news for Gates is that he was right on the money. The bad news for Microsoft is that Apple cannibalized itself by making the iPhone. And Apple’s smartphone became even more successful than the iPod.

Apple Intelligence is cool and all, but this app can do your homework

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Two students getting help from AI homework helper app SpeedTutorAI.
Hook up with a lifetime AI study buddy for less than $30!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

SpeedTutorAI is an AI homework helper app for iPhone and iPad that takes the possibilities of Siri and ChatGPT to new heights. You’ll get help with math problems, answers to your questions, and concise summaries of class lectures, all as if you were working with a real-life tutor.

But you won’t pay real-world tutor fees. You can secure lifetime access to SpeedTutorAI with unlimited use for only $29.97.

Lower Trump tariffs could still force iPhone 17 price increases

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iPhone 17 could cost more than its predecessors.
iPhone 17 could cost more than its predecessors.
Graphics: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Tariffs might force Apple to increase the prices of the iPhone 17 lineup. The company reportedly will highlight the new designs and features of this year’s models to justify the price increase.

Without raising prices, Apple can’t offset the increased tariffs on Chinese-imported products sold in the United States.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs lays out a new strategy for Mac OS

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Why Salesforce chief gave up AppStore.com for Apple
Steve Jobs introduced the world to OS X.
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

May 11: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs spells out a new strategy for Mac OS May 11, 1998: As part of his mission to turn Apple around, CEO Steve Jobs spells out the company’s strategy for the Mac operating system going forward. The big news is that Apple is hard at work creating a major new operating system called OS X, he says at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California.

However, first the company will ship Mac OS 8.5 and the first customer release of an OS called Rhapsody that fall.

iOS 19 might take the pain out of hotel Wi-Fi logins

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iOS 19 render logo
This will be a nice tweak.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

A new feature in iOS 19 reportedly will sync public Wi-Fi login and captive portal details across your Apple devices.

iPhones already sync Wi-Fi network details across all devices connected to the same Apple ID. However, with public networks, a captive portal introduces additional steps. While small, the feature should make logging into hotel Wi-Fi networks more convenient.

This clever PopSocket-style grip also works with MagSafe [Review] ★★★★★

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Black iPhone 16 Pro with the Ohsnap Snap 4 Luxe on the back, sitting on a gray microfiber cloth.★★★★★
It’s thinner than the lower level of the camera plateau.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

If you want both a grip on the back of your phone for ergonomics and MagSafe charging for convenience, you might think there are no good options. Well, finally, there is — the Snap Grip Luxe combines both in an incredibly slim and clever design.

It’s truly the best of both worlds — you have a better grasp on your phone, so you won’t drop it; you have a built-in stand for watching videos anywhere you go; and you can still use your MagSafe chargers or even battery packs. You can freely detach it and put it on a different phone case if you want.

Cleverest of all, it’s only 2.5mm thin, so it doesn’t add any more bulk to the back than the camera bump your phone already has.

Keep reading below for the full review.

Today in Apple history: PowerBook G3 gets thinner, lighter and bronze-er

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The PowerBook G3 Lombard brought a
The PowerBook G3 Lombard brought a "bronze" keyboard and some real enhancements.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

May 10: Today in Apple history: PowerBook G3 gets thinner, lighter and bronze-er May 10, 1999: The third-generation PowerBook G3 comes in 20% slimmer and 2 pounds lighter than its predecessor, but most people remember the laptop for its “bronze” keyboard. Although it doesn’t get a new name to distinguish it from previous laptops in the lineup, fans call it “Lombard” after Apple’s internal code name (or simply the “PowerBook G3 Bronze Keyboard”).

Epic submits Fortnite to US App Store [Updated]

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Epic submits Fortnite to US App Store
“Fortnite” could soon return to the U.S. App Store.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Epic Games recently promised to resubmit the hugely popular game Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and it carried through with the promise Friday. It’s now up to Apple whether the application will be approved.

The move came after a U.S. judge blasted Apple for willfully violating the court’s 2021 order, and ordered Apple to comply with earlier App Store changes effective immediately. These are changes that Epic fought for, and relate to Apple policies that got Fortnite banned in the first place.

My, that’s a loud lamp you have, Sonos [Update: Ikea partnership ends]

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The lamp is playing NPR again.
The lamp is playing NPR again.
Photo: Sonos

Sonos and Ikea loved to make speakers that look like other things. They launched the Symfonisk table lamp speaker, bookshelf speakers and a picture frame, among other products. But now the Sonos-Ikea partnership ends, according to reports.

The Symfonisk line of speakers, which also includes a bookshelf speaker that can hold books and a picture frame speaker that looks like wall art, is designed to blend in with your home decor.

Update: Sonos and Ikea just ended their lengthy partnership on the popular Symfonisk speakers, which included a table lamp and a picture frame, according to various reports.

“Over the past eight years, we’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Ikea and are proud of what we’ve achieved,” Sonos told The Verge. “Although our work together has largely wound down and we won’t be releasing new products as partners, we’ll continue to support every existing Symfonisk product so customers can keep enjoying great sound in their homes for many years to come.”

How to choose the right iPad for you

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iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad and iPad mini
With a variety of models to choose from, what the best iPad for you?
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

You want the best iPad, but shopping for one can be overwhelming. Apple sells six iPad models in a wide range of sizes, prices and capabilities. Our iPad comparison explains the strengths and weaknesses of each model. You don’t want to get one that doesn’t have all the features you want, but you also don’t want to pay too much for features you won’t use.

Here’s some straightforward advice on picking the best iPad for you.

Samsung buys legendary audio brands, cranking up battle with Apple

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Samsung purchases legendary audio brands
Did Samsung just stack the odds in a war with Apple for audio supremacy?
Photo: Pixlr AI

In a big move reshaping the premium audio landscape, Samsung subsidiary Harman International acquired Masimo Corporation’s Sound United consumer audio business for $350 million in cash, the companies said this week — including some of the industry’s most storied brands.

The deal brings renowned audio brands like Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz and Polk Audio under Samsung’s expanding audio empire — potentially creating new challenges for Apple in both the consumer audio, automotive and smart home markets.

And the seller happens to be Apple legal rival Masimo, whose lawsuit against the iPhone giant put a stop to blood oxygen sensing in Apple Watch. Ouch.

Snap a pic of your meal for an instant tabulation of macros and calories

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Man using MacroSnap macro tracker app on an iPhone
Save 80% on a AI-powered app that lets you count calories and macronutrients via food photos.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

MacroSnap is a macro tracker app that uses your phone’s camera to record the nutritional content of your meals. Just snap a photo of food, and the AI-powered app identifies the calories and key macronutrients — protein, carbohydrates and fats — in it.

If you already snap photos of your food before diving in, you’re halfway to tracking your macros. Grab a lifetime subscription to MacroSnap AI for just $39.99 (regularly $209.97) and get a handle on your nutrition.

Today in Apple history: iTunes experiments with video downloads

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Morcheeba's
Morcheeba's "The Antidote" was one of the first music videos available on iTunes.
Photo: Morcheeba

May 9: Today in Apple history: iTunes experiments with video downloads May 9, 2005: Apple quietly begins selling music videos in the iTunes Music Store.

The feature arrives with iTunes 4.8, initially offering bonus content for people purchasing albums through the store. It will take several months for Apple to start selling individual music videos, along with Pixar short films and a selection of TV shows, for $1.99 a pop.

Apple looks into smart glasses

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Apple Smart Glasses concept
Apple smart glasses will probably be more stylish than this concept.
AI Concept: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple could get into a new product category: smart glasses. A report surfaced on Thursday indicating that Apple is working on a chip to power glasses with built-in AI and cameras that could launch in the next couple of years.

With the company’s Visual Intelligence AI tool, a pair of smart glasses could identify objects for the wearer, get info on businesses, and explain to the user what it is they’re looking at.

Server chips in development will power Apple Intelligence

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new AI server chips
Incredibly powerful new chips are on the way to help with Apple Intelligence.
Photo: Apple

Among various chips Apple currently develops for products like smart glasses and Macs, new AI server chips will help power the Apple Intelligence platform, according to a report Thursday. And the new, immensely powerful AI server chips will be the first of their kind for Apple.

These Swift Student Challenge winners hope to change the world through code

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meet Swift Student Challenge winners
From left, Marina Lee, Taiki Hamamoto, Luciana Ortiz Nolasco and Nahom Worku are four of this year’s Swift Student Challenge winners.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s annual Swift Student Challenge coding competition showcases young talent whose apps never cease to inspire. This year is no different, as Apple profiles four coders working to preserve cultural heritage, improve disaster preparedness, connect astronomy enthusiasts and expand educational access. Meet Swift Student Challenge winners and their inspiring coding projects below.

These four are part of a group of 50 winners who will attend WWDC25 in person at Apple Park in Cupertino for a three-day program.

“We’re always inspired by the talent and perspective young developers bring to the Swift Student Challenge,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “This year’s winners show exceptional skill in transforming meaningful ideas into app playgrounds that are innovative, impactful, and thoughtfully built — and we’re excited to support their journey as they continue building apps that will help shape the future.”

Netflix CEO gets cameo on The Studio despite Apple’s objection

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Netlix CEO cameo on The Studio
In episode 8 of "The Studio," Seth Rogen's studio-head character attends the Golden Globe awards, where Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos lets him in on a little secret about how to get stars to thank you in their acceptance speeches.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ subscribers get an inside look at Hollywood’s streaming wars through Seth Rogen’s hit comedy series The Studio — complete with a surprising guest appearance Wednesday night from rival streaming executive Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. Apple tried to prevent the Netflix CEO cameo with a Tim Cook substitution, according to a new report Wednesday.

This brilliant portable foldable monitor is like nothing you’ve ever seen [Review] ★★★★★

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Arovia Splay★★★★★
The Arovia Splay puts a beautiful 25-inch screen anywhere you need one.
Photo: Arovia

The Arovia Splay Portable Foldable Monitor and Projector is a truly remarkable piece of kit. Not only does it promise a 25-inch, 1080p screen that can fold down to the size of a book, it actually delivers… with a surprisingly bright, clear image that doesn’t need a darkened room.

As the name indicates, it can also be used as a small portable projector.

I watched hours of TV shows on the Splay, and used it for work, too. I’m truly impressed with the performance. I’m less pleased about the price, though.

Today in Apple history: 1997’s ‘MacBook Air’ weighed 4.4 pounds

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The PowerBook 2400c was Apple's ultra-thin laptop of the late '90s.
The PowerBook 2400c was Apple's ultra-thin laptop of the late '90s.
Photo: Apple

May 8: Today in Apple history: PowerBook 2400c launch May 8, 1997: Apple launches the PowerBook 2400c laptop, a 4.4-pound “subnotebook” that’s the MacBook Air of its day.

The PowerBook 2400c predicts the rise of speedy, lightweight notebooks, while also paying tribute to Apple’s past. Its design echoes the original PowerBook 100. Even years later, it remains a cult favorite among many Mac users.

Silence the world, amp the beats and save 55% on Sony Ult Wear headphones

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Photo of a man wearing Sony Ult Wear headphones
Grab these high-end Sony headphones at a massive discount.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Finding a great pair of headphones usually means picking two out of three—good sound, good comfort or a good price. But once in a while, something comes along that checks every box. Case in point? The Sony Ult Wear over-ear noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones, now available as a grade-A refurbished deal for just $89.99 (regularly $199.99).