Mobile menu toggle

Apple TV adds more classic films — here’s what to watch next

By

New collection of classic films to choose from on Apple TV
All of these popular films are ready to watch now on Apple TV, no extra charge.
Image: Apple TV/Cult of Mac

Apple TV is giving subscribers another reason to stay in and watch a movie this month. The service just added 15 more popular Hollywood movies to its catalog, and they’re included with an Apple TV subscription at no additional charge.

This seems to be a new habit by the streamer: it offered a bunch of big-name Hollywood hits in August, too. Subscribers surely welcome Apple TV expanding beyond its usual lineup of original shows and movies.

This isn’t just any bike bell — it’s like a sneaky AirTag for your ride

By

A person locating a bicycle that has a Find My-based bike tracker hidden in its bell, using a mobile app.
Keep tabs on your bike with this stealthy antitheft device.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

This clever bike tracker adds extra security to your bike while being incredibly discreet. It’s a bike bell with a built-in tracker that integrates with Apple’s Find My app. Think of it as an AirTag for your ride!

Give yourself some peace of mind and get this stealthy bike bell with built-in tracker while it’s on sale for only $19.99 (regularly $29.99) at Cult of Mac Deals.

AirPods 5 could launch very soon — what we know

By

AirPods 5 rumors: Coming soon? Already?
Expect AirPods 5 to look much like AirPods 4, but sound better.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Update: This article is now moot because Apple introduced AirPods 5 at its Rise and Shine product launch event on September 12. Get the official details:


AirPods 4 could give way to AirPods 5 in the coming weeks, likely ushering in improved audio quality.

It’s a somewhat surprising development — a new version wasn’t really anticipated for another year — but there’s solid evidence that Apple is preparing to give its entry-level wireless earbuds a refresh. Perhaps as soon as this month.

Here’s what we can look forward to.

Today in Apple history: Ping social network fails to strike a chord

By

Photo of Steve Jobs demoing Apple music social network Ping onstage
Apple's music social network starts strong but fails fast.
Photo: Apple

September 1: Today in Apple history: Apple's Ping social network fails to strike a chord September 1, 2010: Apple’s new music-focused social network, Ping, ships as part of iTunes 10. Apple says the service will let users discover new music and more easily follow their favorite artists.

“In iTunes 10, we’re announcing something really cool, and we call it Ping,” says Apple CEO Steve Jobs during his demo of the new service. “And what Ping is, is it’s a social network for music. It’s sort of like Facebook and Twitter meet iTunes. You know, it’s not Facebook, it’s not Twitter. It’s something else that we’ve come up with.”

Ping racks up 1 million signups in the first 48 hours. Nevertheless, Apple’s social network is doomed from the start.

Apple marks three more MacBook models as obsolete

By

A photo of the MacBook Pro used in a story about the product now officially labeled as obsolete by Apple.
The 2018 Retina MacBook Air is one of the three newly obsolete MacBook models, ending its run of standard Apple repairs.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple added three more MacBook models to its official obsolete device list. That means the laptops no longer qualify for standard hardware service, so owners hoping for an easy trip to the Genius Bar will mostly be out of luck.

The three laptops had spent the last few years on Apple’s vintage list, and now they’ve crossed into obsolete territory for good. Apple confirmed the change in an updated support document published on Monday.

I gave my Mac five drive bays without building a NAS [Review] ★★★★☆

By

ORICO 5-bay MacData Vault★★★★☆
This Orico five-bay DAS gets a lot right.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

The Orico MacData Vault puts five SATA drives and hardware RAID into a compact aluminum enclosure that looks right at home beside a Mac. It feels solid and runs quietly.

However, its screw-mounted drive trays and hardware-only RAID controls make the setup feel more dated than I expected from a premium direct-attached storage, aka DAS, device in 2026. There is also an important catch for Mac users. Find out more in my review.

Longtime Apple exec Phil Schiller relinquishes all major roles

By

Phil Schiller helped shape Apple's biggest products
Phil Schiller has been critical to the success of Apple for decades.
Photo: Apple

Tim Cook isn’t the only high-level Apple executive changing roles: Phil Schiller, one of the most recognizable faces in Apple’s modern history, is reportedly stepping away from his remaining major responsibilities at the company.

The 66-year-old Apple veteran is giving up oversight of the App Store and Apple’s product events, according to a report published Monday.

But Schiller isn’t completely walking away from Apple. He will supposedly remain an Apple Fellow and work on unspecified projects.

Today in Apple history: iMac G5 takes a page out of the iPod’s playbook

By

Photo of the iMac G5, which borrowed its design from the iPod
The iMac G5 looked like the world's biggest iPod.
Photo: Matthew Pearce/Flickr CC

August 31: Today in Apple history: iMac G5 takes a page out of the iPod's playbook August 31, 2004: Apple launches the iMac G5, a distinctive, white plastic computer that looks a little like the world’s biggest iPod.

Housed in a 2-inch-thick enclosure reminiscent of Apple’s Cinema Displays, the new all-in-one machine bridges the gap between the pleasing plasticity of the iconic original iMac and the minimalist form factor of the ultra-slim aluminum Macs that will follow.

“Just like the iPod redefined portable digital music players, the new iMac G5 redefines what users expect from a consumer desktop,” says Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, in a press release. “With the entire system, including a gorgeous 17- or 20-inch display, just two inches thin, a lot of people will be wondering ‘where did the computer go?’”

Apple faces pressure to change name of Lake Ontario in Apple Maps

By

Apple Maps and Google Maps pulled into the Lake America dispute
Apple Maps shows Lake Ontario (above), but Google Maps made the change to Lake America (below).
Screenshots: Apple/Google/Cult of Mac

Apple Maps still calls it Lake Ontario, but perhaps not for much longer. President Donald Trump is trying to rename it “Lake America,” and reportedly asked Apple directly to make the change in Apple Maps.

The push to rename the lake is part of Trump’s pressure campaign against Canada as the two countries remain locked in a trade war.

Finally, your car can see the storm coming — just not from Apple Weather

By

The Weather Channel’s Storm Radar app is now on CarPlay.
The Weather Channel’s Storm Radar app isn't just for iPhone and iPad any more.
Image: The Weather Channel

Your iPhone has known for years that it’s about to rain. Your car’s dashboard, running Apple’s own CarPlay software, has had no idea — because Apple Weather never made the jump to CarPlay. But starting today, you won’t have to wait on Apple to fix that.

The Weather Channel’s Storm Radar app version 4.0.19 just rolled out. The centerpiece is a dedicated CarPlay experience that finally puts live weather where you’re already looking while driving. If your commute was ever ambushed by a storm your map app couldn’t see coming, this is the update you’ve wanted.

OLED iPad mini: Everything we know so far

By

OLED iPad mini rumors: Coming soon
The long-anticipated OLED iPad mini is almost here!
Concept: Cult of Mac

Apple’s OLED iPad mini is closing in on release. A fresh report says the redesigned tablet would reach store shelves by the end of October.

Expect a sharper, brighter screen as well as a faster chip built for Apple Intelligence. Apple is also said to be reworking the tablet’s shell for better water resistance.

Read on for everything to expect in the OLED iPad mini.

Blame AI companies for Mac mini and Mac Studio shortage

By

AI labs can’t get enough of Apple's Mac Mini and Mac Studio desktops
Can’t find a Mac mini or Mac Studio? Blame the AI boom
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

The Mac mini and Mac Studio are apparently a huge hit among AI companies. OpenAI reportedly purchased tens of thousands of Macs from Apple for reinforcement learning and “computer-use” AI agents.

Anthropic, which offers Claude AI, is renting Mac minis through Amazon Web Services (AWS) for similar reasons.

This heavy demand helps explain why Apple launched new versions of the Mac mini and Mac Studio last week, months before the usual fall release window.

Apple Watch Series 12 may finally catch up to Whoop and Fitbit

By

Photo of back side of an Apple Watch, showing sensors that power heart rate monitor and more
Apple Watch's heart rate monitor is ready for an upgrade.
Photo: Torsten Dettlaff/Pexels CC

The upcoming Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 might feature continuous heart rate monitoring for better health tracking. The two watches should also come with a speedy new S-series chip for better performance and longer battery life.

Unfortunately, Apple does not plan to introduce any design changes this year. But the Apple Watch Series 12 could come with a premium ceramic casing option, which Apple last offered on Series 5 models.

Why the folding iPhone won’t support Apple Pencil

By

An Apple Pencil for folding iPhone got tested, but there are significant drawbacks
An Apple Pencil for the folding iPhone supposedly went through testing .
AI image: ChatGPT/Sonny Dickson/Cult of Mac

The folding iPhone expected in September will open to become what is essentially a small iPad. But that doesn’t mean that it will support Apple Pencil, the stylus designed for Apple tablets.

Apple tested a version of the stylus for its upcoming foldable phone, but nixed the idea for multiple reasons, according to an unconfirmed report published Sunday. The most notable reason for cancellation: danger that the stylus might damage the iPhone’s folding screen.

Price cut: Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for less than $8

By

Upgrade your PC for less with this Windows 11 Pro sale.
See what Windows 11 can do for you with this limited-time price drop.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Not every Cult of Mac reader is all Mac, all the time. We know many of you use PCs for various reasons — and here’s the big Windows 11 sale you’ve been waiting for.

For a limited time, you can get a lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro for just $7.97 from Cult of Mac Deals.

What’s Apple’s big surprise? [Cult of Mac podcast 30]

By

Apple's Surprise and Shine event logo with the words Cult of Mac podcast #30
Apple's September 9 event is coming up fast, but is there anything we don't already know?
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple sent out invites for its Surprise and Shine event this week, and the big question is, will there actually be any surprises on September 9?

The invite itself doesn’t reveal much, naturally. And a crazy deluge of rumors and leaks already painted a pretty thorough picture of what to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro, the first folding iPhone and more.

Still, it’ll be incoming Apple CEO John Ternus‘ first time running an event, and surely he’ll want to make it special. We discuss how he might make the event shine.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

  • This week’s rollout of new Mac mini and Mac Studio models gets us wondering if it’s time to upgrade.
  • Apple’s new M6 chip sounds pretty amazing, but what about the M5 Pro?
  • And finally, Leander shares a tip that will make charging your AirPods easier.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video version, embedded below.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs gets embroiled in stock-backdating scandal

By

Steve Jobs-inspired art
Steve Jobs' stock demands changed some people's view of the tech innovator.
Photo: Jason Mercier/ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

August 29: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs gets embroiled in Apple stock-backdating scandal August 29, 2001: During a meeting, Apple’s board of directors awards CEO Steve Jobs new stock options that will become part of a stock-backdating scandal several years later.

When the matter eventually ends up in court, Apple’s former general counsel pays $2.2 million to settle charges that she backdated stock options for Jobs, herself and others and created fake paperwork to hide this fact.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro: The biggest rumored changes

By

AI-generated images of iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro, in a post about rumored changes
iPhone 18 Pro hardware upgrades will come with a big sticker shock.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 17 Pro is barely a year old, but its successor could bring some meaningful upgrades. Rumors point to camera, display and performance improvements for the iPhone 18 Pro, along with a potentially unwelcome price hike.

Here’s how Apple’s next flagship could compare with the iPhone 17 Pro.

After latest Apple TV price increase, here’s how much you’ll save with Apple One bundles [Updated]

By

Image with logos of iCloud, Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+ and Apple News, used to illustrate a post on Apple One subscription tier pricing
Save on Apple services by bundling them together.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

While the price of Apple TV just keeps rising, Apple One bundles let users save money on the subscription offerings they have come to depend on and love.

The company offers three Apple One configurations, all of which offer discounts on Apple Music, Apple TV and iCloud+ storage. Check pricing on Apple One’s three tiers — Individual, Family and Premier — and find out what you get for your money (and, most importantly, how much you can save).

Apple raised the price of an Apple TV subscription to $12.99 a month in 2025, and hiked it again to $14.99 on Friday. That follows last month’s Apple Music price hikes due to rising licensing costs. The latest increases make Apple One bundles an even better value.

How to protect yourself from identity theft: A complete safety guide

By

Top five online heists: A shady cybercrime hacker.
You can protect yourself from identity theft by taking some simple precautions.
Photo: Richard Patterson/Flickr CC

One data breach could be all it takes for someone to steal your identity. If you want to know how to protect yourself from identity theft, a handful of habits go a long way.

Identity theft strikes when someone steals your personal details to commit fraud in your name. Think Social Security numbers, credit card details, that kind of thing. The fallout can drain your bank accounts and wreck your credit. And you could spend months untangling the mess. 

This guide breaks down the practical steps that actually reduce your risk of identity theft.

You won’t believe what someone paid for Steve Jobs’ eighth-grade science project

By

Steve Jobs science project sold for big bucks
How much would you pay for “What is the Silicon-Controlled Rectifier?”
Photo: RR Auction

Parents, convinced your child is a budding genius? Then be sure to save everything they make because maybe someday you’ll be able to auction it off for big bucks. As proof, a science project Apple co-founder Steve Jobs built as an eighth grader recently sold at auction for $34,375.

It was part of an auction with other Apple memorabilia, like an Apple-1 computer and an Apple Computer business card signed by Jobs.

M6 Mac mini vs. M4 Mac mini: Everything that changed

By

M4 Mac mini replaced by more powerful M6 model
The M4 Mac mini just got replaced by a more powerful M6 model.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s just-launched Mac mini looks exactly the same on the outside as the previous model. But an M6 Mac mini versus M4 Mac mini comparison reveals a very different machine inside.

The all-new M6 chip is one option for the tiny desktop, and it’s the one designed for students and casual users. The Mac can also be configured with an M5 Pro processor, but that is for professionals and was discussed in a separate article. This one focuses on the benefits the M6 brings to consumers. 

Cancel Adobe Acrobat and get this Mac-compatible PDF editor — just $40 for life

By

Person editing a PDF on a laptop using Systweak PDF Editor Pro
Edit PDFs without getting locked out of advanced features with Systweak PDF Editor Pro.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We love a good PDF editor that works on Mac, and Systweak PDF Editor Pro handles editing, converting, signing and locking down PDFs without touching the cloud.

It also works on iOS, Android and Windows. And right now, you can grab a lifetime subscription at a steep discount — just $39.99 (regularly $99.99).

Today in Apple history: Mac sends first email from space

By

A crew aboard the Atlantis space shuttle sent the world's first email from space.
This space shuttle crew sent the world's first email from space.
Photo: NASA

August 28: Today in Apple history: Mac sends first email from space August 28, 1991: Astronauts send the first email from space using a Macintosh Portable and AppleLink software.

Sent by the crew of the Atlantis space shuttle, the message reads, “Hello Earth! Greetings from the STS-43 Crew. This is the first AppleLink from space. Having a GREAT time, wish you were here,…send cryo and RCS! Hasta la vista, baby,…we’ll be back!”