Mobile menu toggle

Stop slaving over invoices with lifetime access to AI Invoice Maker (just $20)

By

Comic book-style image of a stressed-out woman pulling her hair out as she struggles to create invoices on a MacBook without AI Invoice Maker
Turn invoicing from a nightmare to a breeze with AI Invoice Maker.
Image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Why struggle with manual billing when AI Invoice Maker lets you create professional invoices in seconds?

This polished app also lets you export polished PDFs and manage billing across your Apple devices. And right now, you can lock down a lifetime license to AI Invoice Maker for just $19.99 (regularly $39.99).

iPad mini and 3 more iPads getting upgrades: What to expect

By

iPad rumors reveal Apple's big plans
There's so much for iPad fans to look forward to.
Image: Cult of Mac/Apple/ChatGPT

Want to know which iPad models will get revamps in the next year? The answer is easy: all of them. Every single one.

An iPad mini upgraded with an OLED is reportedly at the top of the list, and we can look forward it being followed by new versions of the basic iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro… each before the end of spring 2027.

Here’s what is coming down the line.

Weird story links World Emoji Day to Apple

By

The roots of World Emoji Day go deep into Apple history.
The roots of World Emoji Day go deep into Apple history.
Image: Cult of Mac

World Emoji Day happens on July 17 every year — but why? The holiday’s story takes a circuitous path through Apple history, tying together Mac OS X Jaguar, calendar software, Japanese cellphone carriers, Macworld Expo and Emojipedia creator Jeremy Burge.

Apple Maps ads will ban plumbers, crypto ATMs and bail bonds

By

Three iPhone screenshots of Apple Maps used in a story about restrictions on ads in the navigation app.
Apple Maps ads will shut out several business categories when they roll out this summer.
Image: Apple

Apple is going to be quite picky about the types of ads it shows in Apple Maps. New advertising rules say plumbers, electricians, locksmiths and roofers can’t buy ads on the navigation app — even though Google happily sells them in its mapping app.

That’s a deliberate distinction from Google’s model, in which home services ads make up one of the biggest categories. And that’s just the start of Apple’s restrictions on ads in Apple Maps and its other services.

As it turns out, Apple wants Maps to feel more like a curated storefront than a search engine.

You’ll never need a USB-C cable with this brilliant 200W power bank [Review] ★★★★★

By

ReelCharge ReelPro 200W Power Bank review★★★★★
The ReelCharge ReelPro 200W is one of the best power banks I've tested.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The ReelCharge ReelPro 200W Power Bank holds 27,000 mAh and can pump out up to 200W. But perhaps its standout feature is an integrated USB-C cable that acts as a carrying handle.

The accessory also includes a status screen so you always know how much power is flowing, plus it includes USB-C and USB-A ports.

I put the external battery through weeks of testing, including taking it on a beach vacation. Here’s how it stood up.

Apple closes unlocked iPhone loophole for T-Mobile and Verizon buyers

By

A picture of the iPhone 17 Pro max used in a story about Apple closing the unocked iPhone loophole.
The unlocked iPhone loophole for T-Mobile and Verizon financing just got shut down.
Photo: Apple

Apple closed the unlocked iPhone loophole for T-Mobile and Verizon buyers. If you’ve financed an iPhone through any of these carriers, it used to stay unlocked. Not anymore.

Every iPhone financed through T-Mobile or Verizon will now stay locked to that carrier until you fully pay it off. This is exactly how AT&T’s financing has always worked. It means no more SIM swapping, joining an MVNO or popping in a travel eSIM on the go.

Today in Apple history: Apple pays $450 million to settle e-books suit

By

Image of Apple's iBooks Store on two iPads and an iPhone.
The United States accused Apple of trying to hurt rival e-book sellers.
Photo: Apple

July 16: Today in Apple history: Apple settles e-books lawsuit for $450 million July 16, 2014: Apple agrees to pay $450 million to resolve the Department of Justice’s antitrust case against the company over e-book pricing in the iBooks Store. In the e-books lawsuit, Apple stands accused of conspiring with five major book publishers to fix prices on digital books.

After all five publishers settle their claims outside of court, Apple becomes the only one to go to trial. The e-books lawsuit settlement closes the book on a bad chapter in Apple’s history.

AppleCare+ price increase lands for new Mac and iPad buyers

By

A picture showing AppleCare used in a story about AppleCare+ price hike.
New Mac and iPad buyers are facing an AppleCare+ price increase starting this week.
Photo: Apple

Apple is pushing an AppleCare+ price increase, with Mac and iPad owners footing the bill. Sign up for coverage on a new Mac or iPad today, and you’ll pay 50 cents more per month than you would have last week.

The change just went into effect and only affects new AppleCare+ enrollments. If you’re already subscribed, you’ll keep your current rate for now. But Apple hasn’t clarified how long that will last. It’s a small bump, but lands just weeks after Apple hiked hardware prices.

EU won’t force Apple to redesign AirPods

By

No AirPods redesign is a lifesaver for Apple's tiny earbuds
Future AirPods get to keep the trademark slim design.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s AirPods appear to have dodged a costly redesign after the European Commission carved out new exemptions to its upcoming replaceable battery rules for portable electronics.

The requirement could have also required changes to the design of the Apple Watch.

These iPad minis just dropped to less than $295

By

A purple Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen
Grab a refurbished sixth-gen iPad mini at a great price.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With this refurbished iPad mini 6 deal, you can pick up a tiny Apple tablet for less than 300 bucks. That’s less than half the price of the latest model, the seventh-generation iPad mini, which now starts at $599 after Apple’s recent price hikes.

This sixth-gen iPad mini is slightly older, and it’s used. But if you want a solid slate for less, this is a great buy. Grab a refurbished iPad mini 6 for just $294.99 before they sell out.

Apple’s Back to School 2026 deal offers up to a $150 gift card

By

AI-generated image showing a MacBook, an iPad, AirPods, AIrTags and Apple Pencil (plus books and backpack) used to illustrate a story about the Apple Back to School 2026 deal
Get a free AirTag or AirPods with your new Mac or iPad.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Update: Apple’s Back to School 2026 offer is now available in the United States and Canada. We updated this article with the latest details.

After a slight delay, Apple’s Back to School 2026 offer is now live across most major markets. It first launched in select Asian countries before expanding to the United States and Canada.

The Back to School promo comes weeks after Apple steeply hiked prices of its Mac and iPad lineup due to rising DRAM and NAND costs.

Colorful Lego iMac G3 moves closer to becoming reality

By

Lego iMac G3 advances in race to become an official set
Hope remains alive that a fan-designed iMac G3 will become an official Lego Ideas set.
Photo: The Lego Group

The colorful Lego iMac G3 for nostalgic Apple fans just cleared another important milestone on its long journey from fan concept to store shelves.

A Lego version of Apple’s iconic iMac G3 desktop has been working its way through the approval process for almost a year, and the Lego company confirmed on Tuesday that the possibility remains very much alive.

iOS 26.6 will flag malicious iMessages with a warning before you tap

By

An AI-generated picture of an iPhone with iMessages open used in a story about Apple adding new malicious message warnings.
The iOS 2.6.6 malicious message warning tells you when Apple thinks an iMessage is trying to harm your iPhone.
AI image: Google Gemini/Cult of Mac

Your iPhone will soon speak up before a booby-trapped text message can do damage. The iOS 26.6 malicious message warning is a new pop-up that tells you when Apple thinks an iMessage is trying to harm your device or steal your data. And it gives you a quick way to send that message straight to Apple for investigation.

The alert hasn’t gone live for anyone yet. It was spotted buried in iOS 26.6 beta 5 code, which means it’s still in the testing phase. But its presence indicates iPhone users will soon get a much more visible security layer that makes it harder to ignore message-based attacks.

World Cup get you hooked on soccer? Apple TV has your fix.

By

An image of soccer players on an orange background with the words,
Major League Soccer returns this Thursday, ready to capitalize on World Cup buzz.
Image: Apple TV

Major League Soccer returns to Apple TV on Thursday with the resumption of regular-season play after a break for FIFA World Cup insanity. That’s great news for soccer fans new and old.

If you got hooked on the sport after watching World Cup matches during Major League Soccer’s monthlong break, tune into Apple TV for your fix. You should see some familiar faces on the field.

Today in Apple history: Apple debuts its thinnest-ever iPod touch

By

Promotional image showing six images of the sixth-generation iPod touch, used by Apple at the product's launch
The sixth-gen iPod touch packed big improvements into its incredibly slender case.
Photo: Apple

July 15: Today in Apple history: Apple debuts sixth-gen iPod touch, its thinnest ever July 15, 2015: Apple introduces the sixth-generation iPod touch, attempting to prove that there’s still a place for the humble music player in the crazy, crazy world of iPhones and Apple Watches.

Apple calls the device “the best iPod touch yet” in a press release, and touts “a new lineup of colors for all iPod models, including space gray, silver, gold, pink and blue.”

Judge dismisses $32.8 billion iCloud CSAM lawsuit against Apple

By

A photo of the iCloud logo used in a story about a dismissed CSAM detection lawsuit filed against Apple.
The iCloud CSAM lawsuit against Apple is history.
Image: Apple

Apple just got a proposed class-action lawsuit wiped off its plate — and it’s a big one. A federal judge on Monday dismissed a case that accused the company of failing to stop child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from spreading through iCloud, a lawsuit that sought as much as $32.8 billion in damages.

U.S. District Judge Noël Wise ruled that Apple would be shielded from the claims by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the 1996 law that protects online platforms from being sued over content their users upload. The judge tossed the case with prejudice, so it’s gone for good.

OpenAI’s first device sounds more like an Alexa beater than an iPhone killer

By

AI-generated illustration of a smart speaker, used to illustrate a story about OpenAI's rumored first hardware device.
What will OpenAI's super-smart speaker look like? Ask Jony Ive.
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

OpenAI’s probable first device will likely be a portable smart speaker with a winning personality and features that make it seem like a living creature. The company envisions a screenless device that will “serve as a humanlike AI companion that lives in the home,” according to a new report citing anonymous sources.

While previous rumors indicated OpenAI wants to build a device to challenge the iPhone, this sounds like more of a threat to Apple’s HomePod, Amazon’s Alexa devices and other smart speakers.

Oh, and the thing might actually move to make it seem more lifelike. (Let’s hope it doesn’t give off an Existenz game pod vibe.)

New ProDock vertical MacBook docking stations add ports while saving desk space

By

Brydge ProDock docking stations take MacBooks in a different direction
The Brydge ProDock Trio features vertical MacBook docking for workspace optimization.
Image: Brydge

Brydge added three new models to its ProDock line of vertical MacBook docking stations on Tuesday. These bring fresh features, including Thunderbolt 5 support, to products that let users slide their Mac into a vertical cradle that takes a minimal amount of space.

Each of the three new models is intended for a different kind of user, with a range of features to match.

iPhone 20’s glass design just got a lot more real

By

An AI generated image of the iPhone 20 concept used in a story about the same.
Rumors suggest Apple is chasing a “slab of glass” design for the 20th-anniversary phone.
AI image: Google Gemini/Cult of Mac

Word on the street is that the iPhone 20’s all-glass revamp recently moved from “maybe” to “the factories are literally getting ready for it.”

Seems like anyone ready for Apple to shake up iPhone design can look forward to 2027.

Apple left Jony Ive out of its OpenAI lawsuit, but things might get messy

By

An AI-generated image depicting Apple and OpenAI resolving dispute in the court of law.
The legal battle between Apple and OpenAI could get messy.
AI image: Google Gemini/Cult of Mac

Apple seems to have gone to unusual lengths to keep one man out of its trade-secret lawsuit against OpenAI: Jony Ive.

However, the legal battle could end up with Apple’s former design chief taking the stand. And that could rattle Apple’s cordial relationship with Ive, who’s helping OpenAI build AI-powered gadgets that threaten the iPhone’s dominance.

Today in Apple history: Revolutionary MP3 file format gets its name

By

Photograph of a black iPod with a black cord trailing out of it
The MP3 made the iPod possible.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

July 14: Today in Apple history: Revolutionary MP3 format gets its name July 14, 1995: The MP3 file format receives its official name as the new .bit file extension gets changed to .mp3. The technology allows the compression of a standard CD audio file to one-tenth its original size, courtesy of some smart algorithms. The format will revolutionize the music industry — and put Apple on the road to world dominance with the iPod.

The MP3 enables easy sharing of music tracks online and makes music more portable than ever. Within a few years, Apple’s iPod will become the world’s best-known MP3 player, quickly capitalizing on the new file format.

CrashStealer malware masquerades as Apple’s crash report tool to raid your Mac

By

A screenshot of the Werkbit app CrashStealer malware running on macOS.
CrashStealer malware mimics Apple’s real crash-reporting tool, right down to the icon and name.
Image: Jamf Threat Labs

If you see a file called CrashReporter.dmg in your Mac’s Downloads folder, don’t open it. It’s not from Apple — it’s a new strain of malware called CrashStealer. It’s wearing Apple’s own clothing, right down to the icon, name and a fake password box designed to look like standard macOS.

The malware slips past Apple’s security checks and tricks victims into typing their Mac password before draining everything of value on the machine. Anyone who’s opened an unfamiliar app in the past few weeks should pay close attention.