Cult of Mac

After throwing in the towel on the original HomePod after just three years, Apple should stop releasing pricey, niche products.

They don’t sell well — at least not well enough to keep Apple interested, apparently — and it’s not fair to consumers who shell out big bucks, then get stuck with a product that vanishes after just one generation.

Yes, Apple says it will continue to support the full-size HomePod with software updates, even as it refocuses on the $99 HomePod mini. But the old-school HomePod is a dead-end product.

You can read the HomePod debacle as an admission of failure regarding Apple’s framing of the device as a smart speaker rather than high-end audio gear. But it’s more than that. It’s an illustration of Apple’s faltering strategy of creating premium products for niche corners of the market.

Apple users are more likely than ever to buy a new iPhone, according to survey results released Tuesday. Nearly 92% of current iOS users intend to stick with the platform.

But the situation isn’t so rosy for archrival Samsung, as 26% of Galaxy smartphone users plan to switch to another platform. And most of these switchers have their eye on an iPhone.

Bucardo’s brilliant Pocket Watch accessory for Apple Watch could be coming to the latest models — with your help. The company just kicked off a new Kickstarter campaign that will support the development and production of the Pocket Watch for Apple Watch Series 4 and later.

Pledge your support today to help get the project off the ground.

Multiple FaceTime users have reported being overwhelmed with spam or prank group FaceTime calls, in which individuals are called by large numbers of spammers. When a person hangs up, a different number immediately calls them back.

Some users report this behavior being repeated over and over.

Need a super-speedy charger for your new iPhone 12? Look no further than the excellent Aukey Minima.

Its ultra-compact design with foldable plug means you can take it anywhere, while its 20W of power delivery will have your favorite devices topped up in no time. Get yours on Amazon today for under $8.

End-to-end-encrypted messaging app Signal is secure. So secure, in fact, that it’s the European Union’s encrypted messaging app of choice.

Unfortunately, it’s also secure enough that it’s gotten on the wrong side of the Chinese government. China has reportedly banned the app in mainland China as of March 16, TechCrunch reports. This is one day after its website was blocked in the country.

China’s state-backed China Advertising Association is already looking for ways to get around Apple’s upcoming App Tracking Transparency feature, the Financial Times reported Tuesday.

The organization’s approach reportedly involves something called a “CAID.” This can supposedly act as an alternative means of tracking users to the iPhone’s ad identifier, or IDFA. TikTok parent company ByteDance issued a guide for app developers that describes how marketers “can use CAID as a substitute if the user’s IDFA is unavailable.”

Imagine an iMac with an iPad for its screen and you’ve got the Kensington StudioDock. Slip your tablet into the docking station and it’s elevated to eye level, plus you have access to an extensive collection of built-in ports. The stand can even wirelessly charge your other Apple devices.

Read on to explore all the reasons why this is the best iPad desktop stand ever made.

Apple devices sold in Russia will come preinstalled with Russian-made software approved by the government starting next month, a report published Tuesday suggests.

This is in response to a law, coming into force April 1, designed to promote the domestic tech sector. It affects all smartphone manufacturers, not just Apple.

Apple is apparently preparing to release iPhone security updates separately from iOS updates with feature changes. The just-released fourth beta of iOS 14.5 gives users a new, separate toggle to choose whether to automatically install security updates.

However, at this point this feature doesn’t work quite as many might expect.

Take your iPhone back to Apple’s roots with a set of replacement iOS icons inspired by early Macintosh computers. Keep the links to your 2021 applications on your iPhone, but sub in icons that have the look of the first Mac’s 72 dpi screen thanks to the iOS (Old School) collection from designer Ben Vessey.

If you have an ear for music, and want to start writing and producing your own songs, you need to learn the appropriate techniques and tools to get started. The Complete Ableton Live 11 Music Production Essentials Bundle will fast-track your understanding of music production.

It offers 11 of hours of training that will get you up and running on popular music-production software Ableton Live. It also includes instruction on fundamentals like music theory, songwriting and more.

Woot’s crazy deal on AirPods Pro is back, offering $59.01 off brand-new AirPods Pro. Bag yours for just $189.99 — one of the lowest prices we’ve seen on new units — before the sale ends later today.

Redditor brazzy2010 has a super-simple setup with a tremendous asset to go along with an M1-powered MacBook Air. It’s a 30-inch Apple Cinema Display from more than a decade ago. Its exact age is unknown, but it could be up to 16 years old.

Not only does the elderly display still work — with the right connectors, it still dazzles.

Apple TV+ has picked up its first ever Oscar nominations — although it still looks like a bit of an underachievement for the Cupertino tech company.

With Academy Award noms now announced, Apple has picked up two: Best Animated Feature Film for Wolfwalkers and Sound Design for Greyhound. The results will be announced April 25.

We don’t know anything about iOS 15 yet. And I’m totally OK with that. By comparison, this time last year we already knew plenty about iOS 14. This year, Apple’s somehow managed to keep leaks to virtually zero — despite the fact that many Apple engineers are working from home right now.

Here’s why I’m not shedding any tears over the lack of leaks. And why, frankly, I’d be happy if that same secrecy extended to other Apple products, too.

Apple shows off the untethered joyfulness and Active Noise Cancellation/Transparency features of its AirPods Pro in a new ad, titled “Jump,” which Apple debuted over the weekend.

The ad depicts an AirPods Pro user breaking social distancing rules as he moves through a vibrant city, playing jump-rope and otherwise pulling off some impressive acrobatic moves. It’s a fun two-minute ad set to the 2020 song “Fallin’ Apart” by Young Franco.

Your MacBook probably contains all your most important files, from critical work documents to photos from significant moments in your life. Unfortunately, all it takes is one glass of water or unstable perch to destroy your computer — and all your data and files, too. While it’s hard to fix a damaged computer, it’s easy to ensure you always have a backup copy of your most important files on hand.

These storage and backup solutions are just what you need to keep your data safe in case of a disaster. Many come with lifetime subscriptions that lock in deep discounts forever.

The massive growth days of the AirPods may already be over, according to renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a new note to clients seen by Cult of Mac, Kuo said he anticipates a year-over-year decline in AirPods shipments in 2021. If true, this would be the first year in AirPods history that sales didn’t experience explosive growth.

If you’re an audio enthusiast, you know that some headphones don’t fare well with age. When you factor in hours of listening time and the advent of the latest and greatest features on newer models, your tried-and-true pair might not have the same allure they did before.

That’s not the case with Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones. These award-winning headphones have stood the test of time well, with fast charging, exceptionally long battery life and Apple’s proprietary W1 chip.

The iMac Pro was sleek and fast and capable and ultimately … uninspired.

That’s Cult of Mac writer Luke Dormehl’s take on Apple’s recently expired pro all-in-one. He serves up a compelling “Dear John” letter to a weird period in Mac history. And it doubles as a lovingly hopeful look at what the future holds.

If you want to peer even deeper into the Cupertino crystal ball, we’ve got a hot mess of new rumors and leaks this week as we speed toward a probable Apple event on March 23. Catch up with this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it to enjoy on iPhone or iPad, or get the stories below in your browser.

The $299 version of Apple’s HomePod smart speaker has been discontinued. The company is already selling out of its remaining supply.

But that doesn’t mean Apple is getting out of the smart speaker business — it’s pleased with the launch of the more affordable HomePod mini.

You might want to put the HBO Max app on your iPhone after all. WarnerMedia said Friday there’ll be a more affordable version of the streaming service starting in June. But it’ll require watching ads.

And don’t expect to watch movies the same day as they appear in the theaters on the ad-supported version.

The team that created McMillion$ is making a new documentary series for Apple TV+ about an outrageous Pepsi ad from the 1990s that seemingly promised a Harrier combat jet as the ultimate grand prize in a contest. The Jet will cover someone’s attempt to collect enough points in the “Drink Pepsi, Get Stuff” contest to win the aircraft.

Which workout type do you fancy today? Running, swimming, cycling, yoga…? There are so many different Apple Watch workouts, it can be hard to choose. The good news is, you don’t have to.

Thanks to a hidden feature in the Workout app, you can log multiple activity types in a single session. Want to log a triathlon? No problem. Like to do a cooldown at the end of an intense HIIT session? It supports that too.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to use this little-known Apple Watch feature — and why you definitely should.