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.

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.

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.

You don’t have to deal with a thousand spam calls and texts anymore. With RoboKiller Spam Call and Text Blocker, you can cut out 99% of unwanted calls and messages. And for a limited time, you can get it for one, two or three years for $19.99, $39.99 or $59.99.

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.

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.)

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.

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.

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!

Accessories brand Moment has launched three new case styles in its iPhone 13 collection. They’re all MagSafe compatible to go with the magnetic technology in your new handset.

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.

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.

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!

Accessories maker Mujjo greets the arrival of iPhone 13 series handsets with some classy new offerings, now available in the Cult of Mac Store. Behold the Mujjo Full Leather Case and the Mujjo Full Leather Wallet Case for iPhone 13 Series.

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.

Three new offerings now join Satechi’s formidable charger lineup for iPhone 12 and 13 series handsets and other portable devices: a MagSafe-compatible car mount charger, a high-output car charger and a USB-C PD wall charger.

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 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.

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.

You don’t need to battle a tangled mess of cords just to charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad. The 3-in-1 Apple Watch and Lightning Charger Cable gives you a wireless Apple Watch charger and two Lightning connectors. And you can get it on sale for $16.99 in gray, pink, blue, white, red or purple.

Apple Watch Series 7 comes with a brand-new “communications transmitter” for wireless data transfer, regulatory documents reveal. The 60.5GHz module works with a “Wireless Serial Dock” that could enable faster transfer speeds.

It seems, however, that the new connectivity option is likely going to be reserved for internal use.

The newest addition to Apple Arcade really puts the “war” in Star Wars. Look for a mix of one-on-one real-time combat and tower defense with classic characters in Lego Star Wars Battles.

The game debuted Friday, and is playable on a wide variety of Apple devices.

iPhone 13, the 2021 iPad mini and the ninth-generation iPad hit the Apple Store on Friday morning. Cupertino showed off photos of customers getting their hands on its newest devices in Beijing to celebrate the occasion.

Those who preordered online last week also started receiving their new devices today. Twitter and other online platforms have become flooded with images from excited Apple customers with new products to unpack.

Apple TV+’s big, expensive sci-fi gamble is finally ready to cash in its bets. After years of production, Foundation — a series based on the work of Isaac Asimov and shepherded by the man who helped turn American culture into a superhero factory — is now streaming.

This very impressive sci-fi show will now have to compete in the attention economy. Can it live up to the hype?

You won’t have to wait until Friday for the much-anticipated debut of Foundation on Apple TV+. The first episode of this adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s sci-fi classic will premiere2 on Apple’s streaming service three hours early, so Americans can watch it Thursday night.

The same goes for everything debuting on Apple TV+, including the latest episode of Ted Lasso.