The only thing wrong with Apple’s product-release events is that there aren’t enough of them. The company supposedly will put on three of them this autumn — and while that’s a good start, there needs to be many more.

Apple held a product-release event in September, and will announce more new products at a second event on Tuesday. Unconfirmed reports point to a third event in November. But there’s no reason to stop there. Apple should keep holding them every month. They get us excited about new products, which is good for Apple — and for Apple fans, too.

Shipments of Macs grew an astonishing 39% during the third quarter of 2020, reports a market-research firm. That’s a far faster growth rate than any of Apple’s rivals.

Still, the entire market for traditional computers — laptops, desktops and workstations — grew 14.6% in the July-through-September period. The reason is, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic forcing people to work or attend school from home.

Apple Watch got an update Monday that fixes a couple of bugs, including one that’s a real doozie. The bug could drain the smartwatch’s battery rapidly, so anyone experiencing that problem should quickly install watchOS 7.0.2.

One of the first Apple TV+ shows for a younger audience, Ghostwriter was both a reboot of a ’90s cult hit and a shoo-in to get renewed. With precious little to choose from, the streaming service’s execs had little choice but to put their muscle behind a show with cheap production costs and limitless potential for story ideas.

Like Apple TV+’s initial batch of Ghostwriter episodes, the second season is in no hurry to go anywhere or say much. However, it’s agreeable company — and its heart is in the right place.

The tyranny of the squircle, a cross between a square and a circle, has been a part of iOS icons since the very beginning. But thanks to iOS 14 — and the enterprising efforts of 24-year-old, London-based designer Tobias Whetton — you can finally change up your Home screen icons and go with another shape of your choice.

(So long as it’s a rectangle, that is.)

Backpacks are great for getting from point A to point B, but they’re basically the same simple cloth bags they’ve been for decades. Today, backpacks are where we carry all our digital gear, so it makes sense that they evolve to meet the digital age.

Keira Knightley has pulled out of Apple TV+ adaptation The Essex Serpent. The Pirates of the Caribbean star was set to play the lead role in an adaptation of Sarah Perry’s 2016 novel of the same name. Shooting would have started in around six weeks.

However, as a result of “family reasons,” involving coronavirus lockdown and childcare, Knightley will no longer star in the series.

The European Union has Apple in its sights as one of the big tech companies on its regulatory “hit list,” The Financial Times reports.

The list singles out companies “subject to new and far more stringent rules aimed at curbing” their market power. Apple has been battling with the European Union for several years, including over an enormous $16 billion tax fine — the largest in history.

Apple’s upcoming HomePod mini smart speaker and sixth-gen Apple TV will both function as ultra wideband base stations, according to Apple tipster Jon Prosser.

This means they will be able to track your location as you move inside your house, if you are carrying another device boasting an Apple U1 chip (like an iPhone 11 or Apple Watch Series 6).

Apple orders could potentially find their way into customers’ hands more rapidly, due to a shakeup in how Apple ships them out, Bloomberg reports.

According to the publication, Apple is beginning to use its retail store network as distribution centers for stock. Previously, it shipped out items from warehouses or even directly from China.

While this won’t mean faster shipping times for all customers, it could do if you live closer to one of Apple’s hundreds of retail stores.

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 is going to be the big hit of this year’s Apple lineup.

Apple is rumored to be releasing four iPhone 12 handsets, which will be announced at Tuesday’s “Hi, Speed” event. These will include a 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini, two 6.1-inch handsets (in both regular and Pro variations), and a 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max models.

Whether for birdwatching, sports or simply exploring the world around you, few things are quite as cool as a set of binoculars. But binoculars can be quite bulky. This small yet powerful monocular telescope lets you zoom in on whatever you want — and it’s so small you can take it anywhere.

The High Definition Monocular Telescope from Mesay is a perfect travel companion. It’s totally portable: It measures just 6.69 inches by 2.56 inches by 3.54 inches, and weighs less than a pound. Plus, with the included clip, you can attach it to your iPhone to capture incredible photos and videos.

The latest leaks and reporting give us a pretty convincing picture of what to expect – and what not to expect – at Apple’s big “Hi, Speed” event next Tuesday.

Plus, now we’re getting word of yet another Apple event possibly coming in November. Let’s hope the hardware hits just keep coming!

Catch up on all the latest Apple news and rumors in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. It’s free, and it’s made to shine on your iOS device. Download it now!

Staying in and away from others is part of many people’s daily lives at this point. We rounded up three great lifetime subscriptions that’ll help to make the most of the new normal, from language learning to speed reading and staying secure and anonymous online.

Microsoft is reportedly using a workaround to get Xbox Game Pass on iPhone and iPad. Rather than going into the App Store, this cloud-gaming service will be available as a web application.

This is the same strategy Amazon took to get its own streaming game service on Apple handsets and tablets.

The privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo added directions to its mapping features. Users can get step-by-step routing info without giving up their privacy.

The mapping data offered by the site comes from Apple’s MapKit JS.

The first Mac running an Apple processor reportedly won’t take the stage at Apple’s big product event next Tuesday. Instead, the initial macOS computer with Apple Silicon supposedly won‘t see the light of day until November.

Treat your 12-inch MacBook to Apple’s fine Leather Sleeve and enjoy a whopping $81.57 off the usual price for a limited time. This is the biggest discount we’ve seen on this accessory, and it won’t last long!

The Survivalists, which debuted Friday on Apple Arcade, shows that being shipwrecked on a deserted island doesn’t have to be a disaster. Players can train monkeys to make life comfortable. And there’s plenty of adventure to be found in this game for 1 to 4 players.

Devialet, an audio firm backed by superstar rapper Jay-Z, debuted its Gemini wireless earbuds, a rival to Apple’s mega-successful AirPods Pro, on Friday.

The premium $299 earbuds (making them $50 more than the $249 AirPods Pro) aim to appeal to the same high end of the market wowed by Devialet’s speakers, which can cost up to $3,000.

It’s been a hot minute since Microsoft and Apple were the big tech rivalry. But Microsoft is ready to renew cold war hostilities for old time’s sake. At least, if a new blog post is to be believed, that is.

In a new blog post promoting the Microsoft Store on Windows 10, Microsoft takes a few thinly veiled shots at Apple, cashing in on the current rough time Apple is having regarding its allegedly monopolistic running of the App Store.

In the Star Trek future, everyone understands one another without any effort thanks to universal translators. We’re not quite there yet, but technology is advancing fast. Today, it’s already easy to convert text, speech and even images instantaneously.

Apple’s eagerly anticipated AirTags are going to be eagerly anticipated for a while longer, according to Apple tipster Jon Prosser. In a tweet Friday, he said Apple pushed back the launch of its location-tracking tags to March 2021.

He also shared some new information about Apple’s rumored AirPods Studio headphones.

It’s Friday, which means new content on Apple TV+, ready and waiting for the weekend. This week, Apple dropped new episodes of Tehran, Long Way Up and The Oprah Conversation.

Here’s what to expect.

New info from reliable Apple leaker Kang could provide the best look yet at what to expect during Apple’s October 13 event showcasing the iPhone 12 and HomePod mini.

Kang — a leaker with a 97.8% accuracy rate, according to AppleTrack — published the iPhone 12 details on Chinese social media platform Weibo. Here’s what Apple is set to announce, according to Yang.