Mobile menu toggle

Murderbot still beats almost every streaming series

By

Alexander Skarsgård stars in Murderbot on Apple TV+
Alexander Skarsgård plays the eponymous Murderbot in the Apple TV+ series.
Photo: Apple TV+

The sci-fi action comedy Murderbot exploded onto the ratings charts after it reached streaming in May, and continues to be popular even as the season finale approaches. Many weeks after a launch, the series from Apple TV+ still appears on the top 10 lists of a company that tracks ratings.

Plus, Owen Wilson‘s sport comedy Stick also pulls in plenty of viewers.

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to expect

By

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Rumors
You don’t have to wait until autumn to find out what the Apple Watch Ultra 3 has to offer.
Photo: Apple

After a very modest refresh last year, rumors indicate the Apple Watch Ultra 3 — set to launch this September alongside the iPhone 17 series — will mark Apple’s most ambitious wearable update yet.

Here’s what we’re expecting in 2025’s major overhaul of Apple’s rugged smartwatch. Keep reading or check out our latest video

This is how Apple torture tests its devices

By

It only took roughly 6-foot drops and a bit higher to badly crack iPhone 15 Pro's front and back.
Before they ship, Apple products survive tough durability tests.
Photo: AppleTrack

Despite their sleek designs, Apple products boast impressive durability. And now, for the first time, the company has provided a look into one of its 200 durability labs, where it rigorously torture tests its products.

Apple conducts several types of trials on its devices, including environmental, liquid, drop and vibration stress tests.

Apple’s cheapest laptop ever?!? [The CultCast]

By

The CultCast episode 706: Cheapest MacBook ever?
Apple wants a low-end MacBook that's colorful and more affordable than ever.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple reportedly plans to release its cheapest MacBook ever next year. This low-cost laptop might run on an iPhone chip and help Apple convince more people to switch from Windows machines.

Could playful colors — and possibly a plastic case — make this low-end Apple laptop a hit?

Also on The CultCast:

  • Apple might lean on Anthropic’s Claude or OpenAI’s ChatGPT to power the long-delayed smarter Siri.
  • A new timeline lays out what to expect from the next three years of Apple Vision headsets and smart glasses.
  • In the how-to segment, we discuss our picks for the best Apple Watch faces. We also talk about why you might want to change things up.
  • In the new listener question segment, we explain what to do when you’re low on iCloud storage.
  • And in an all-new Under Review, Leander describes the benefits of three inexpensive aftermarket CarPlay screens.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast 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, embedded below.

iPhone 17 Pro Max could pack a seriously big battery

By

iPhone 17 Pro Max rumors
Hopefully, a larger iPhone 15 Pro Max battery will boost the overall runtime significantly.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max might pack the biggest battery ever in an iPhone. A leaker indicates the phone could sport a 5,000mAh cell.

If accurate, that would be noticeably bigger than the iPhone 16 Pro and rival the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

My go-to Apple Watch Ultra band is a steal at less than $10

By

Photo of an Apple Watch Ultra with an army green American flag Apple Watch band attached, hung over a piece of a tree.
Flex your patriotism with this rugged Apple Watch Ultra band with an American flag on it.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

My go-to Apple Watch Ultra band sports an American flag and a Velcro-style fastener that makes it easy to take on and off. And thanks to a sizzlin’ summertime deal on Amazon, you can grab one for less than $10.

The manufacturer’s name is Hehighti. (Never heard of ’em before buying on Amazon.) And the product’s ridiculous full name is “Rugged Nylon Band for Apple Watch Ultra Band 49mm 45mm 44mm 42mm,Soft Sport Loop Adjustable Wristbands Replacement Strap for Apple Watch Band iWatch Ultra Series 9/8/7/SE/6/5/4/3/2/1,USA Flag Army Green.”

But don’t let that Amazon SEO garbage, or the fact that the band’s not made in America, keep you from jumping on this patriotic deal.

Qwerkywriter retro typewriter is the coolest-looking iPad keyboard ever

By

Qwerkywriter retro typewriter is the coolest-looking iPad keyboard ever
Give your setup a retro look with Qwerkywriter.
Photo: Qwerkytoys

Suppose you want your office to have a retro look, but you can’t give up your modern computers (of course). You need the Qwerkywriter — it has the look of a classic typewriter, but includes an integrated iPad stand. Or it can wirelessly connect to your Mac.

Add a vintage-looking keyboard to your setup, without giving up functionality.

These are the best and coolest Apple Watch faces

By

All The Best Apple Watch Faces
There are so many options — and several good ones.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Out of the many dozens of options, which is the coolest Apple Watch face? Every time I see someone wearing an Apple Watch, I try to scope out which watch face they use. Nine times out of 10, they use either the Modular face or the Photo face (with a Sport band).

This is despite the Apple Watch offering dozens of watch faces, allowing for all kinds of customizability.

If you want to spice up and individualize your Apple Watch, here are the best and coolest faces. And in our video, I rank every watch face on a tier list.

Last chance to claim settlement from Siri class-action lawsuit [Updated]

By

Submit Your Apple Siri class action lawsuit claim
Here's how to submit your Apple Siri class-action lawsuit claim.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Thanks to a settlement in a class-action lawsuit related to Siri and data privacy, most U.S. Apple users can receive up to $100. You just need to fill out an online form by July 2, 2025. (Spoiler alert: That’s today.)

You’re eligible for a settlement if you live in the United States and used Siri between September 17, 2014, (when Apple released “Hey Siri” in iOS 8) and December 31, 2024. You can receive up to $20 per device, for up to five devices, if you’ve ever accidentally triggered Siri in the middle of a private conversation or meeting.

Here’s how Apple got in this mess, how to find out if you’re eligible, and how to submit your claim.

Apple delays launch of folding iPad

By

Folding iPad rumors: Now on hold
Patience is required for those eager to get a folding iPad.
Photo: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple just hit the pause button on the large folding iPad supposedly on the drawing board in Cupertino, according to a published report from Wednesday. Development work had allegedly been going on for years.

At the same time, the company is reportedly moving ahead with a folding iPhone.

How to turn off autocorrect on your iPhone

By

how to turn off autocrorect
if you dont like being forced into capitalization, heres how to turn it off
image: d griffin jones/cult of mac

you can turn off autocorrect on your iphone if you want your texts to come across as casual and laid back. psychologically, lowercase writing that isnt punctuated with apostrophes or periods read as more informal and friendly

turning off autocorrect is super-easy. you can even turn off capitalization but leave on corrections for spelling and grammar. see how awesome it is? heres how to do it!!! :)

Apple sues ex-employee for allegedly stealing Vision Pro trade secrets

By

Tim Cook uses Vision Pro every day
Yet another case of an Apple insider stealing trade secrets.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple accused a former Vision Pro engineer of stealing confidential documents related to the headset. In a lawsuit filed on June 24, Apple alleges Di Liu, a senior design engineer at the company, stole a “massive volume” of trade secrets.

Liu joined Snap soon after leaving Apple in a similar role.

Portable monitor has one job in rig with curved ultrawide display [Setups]

By

portable monitor for Mac
Why keep a portable monitor in a setup with an ultra-wide curved display? It's nice to have a separate hub for chats and such.
Photo: [email protected]

Seems like smallish portable monitors are cropping up more often lately as fixtures in computer setups featuring other display options. Today’s dual-Mac setup sports a massive curved external display with an 18-inch portable just below, front and center.

And those aren’t the only two screens. A tablet mounted on an arm comes into play too, but it’s not an iPad.

Clever Cleaner iPhone storage cleanup app: Free to use and free of ads, forever!

By

Clever Cleaner for iPhone storage
It's truly free to use and doesn't even have ads.
Photo: Clever Files

Clever Cleaner is a new, completely free iPhone storage cleanup app that helps you reclaim valuable space, organize photo libraries and speed up your phone’s performance.

Developed by Clever Files, maker of popular data-recovery tool Disk Drill, it stands out in a crowded market for one simple reason: It actually delivers on its promises of fast iPhone cleaner app that’s completely free to use — and free of advertising.

“We believe everyone should have access to a high-quality, reliable and safe cleaning tool for your iPhone,” Clever Files says. “Clever Cleaner is our way of giving back to the community, ensuring people don’t have to sacrifice privacy or pay monthly subscriptions just to keep their devices organized.”

Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows for just $40

By

Man use an app from Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows on his laptop
Windows users can score an excellent deal on Microsoft Office Professional 2021, and it comes with full training so you can master all the apps.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

This deal on a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows comes with all the apps you need, plus training that will show you how to use them. You get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, Access and even the free version of Teams.

The whole bundle is on sale now for just $39.97, but that price won’t last much longer.

All the CarPlay upgrades coming in iOS 26

By

Liquid Glass design in CarPlay
iOS 26 will make CarPlay even better.
Photo: Apple

In addition to a Liquid Glass design overhaul, iOS 26 will improve the CarPlay experience by bringing several iPhone features to cars’ infotainment displays.

If you’re a fan of Apple’s in-car software, check out how iOS 26 will upgrade your experience later this year.

Hardware-encrypted portable SSD unlocks with its own touchscreen

By

OWC Guardian
The OWC Guardian encrypted portable SSD unlocks with its own color touchscreen.
Photo: OWC

The OWC Guardian stands out from the pack of SSDs with built-in hardware encryption unlocked with its own touchscreen. No special software is needed.

The USB-C drive works with a variety of computers, offers fast data transfers and is available in up to 4 TB of capacity.

Powerful electric scooter is fun to ride, plays well with iPhone [Review] ★★★★★

By

Navee ST3 Pro Electric Scooter★★★★★
Navee ST3 Pro Electric Scooter: So much fun in a (relatively) small package.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

While Apple doesn’t make an e-scooter, the Navee ST3 Pro Electric Scooter pairs well with an iPhone. More importantly, it’s both fun and useful, with lots of pickup and range. It comes with plenty of bonus features … all accessible via an iPhone. It even has Bluetooth and Find My support.

I put more than 200 miles on the e-scooter while testing it, driving it on errands and just for fun on streets and sidewalks. I’m genuinely thrilled with it. Here’s why.

Best travel gadgets to improve your vacation or business trip

By

Travel gadgets that improve vacation or business trip
Here are the chargers, hubs, power banks and other travel gadgets that I like so much I take them with me on holiday.
Graphic: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

The right travel gadgets make your vacation easier. Whether you’re heading out on a weekend getaway or a long-haul flight across the globe, the correct gear can make all the difference. From keeping your devices charged and connected to ensuring entertainment on the go, today’s travel tech is designed to streamline every leg of the journey.

As a frequent traveler, I’ve built up a collection of accessories: chargers, hubs, portable monitors and more. In this guide, I’ll share my must-have gadgets, hoping they’ll upgrade your travel experience, too — whether you’re a frequent flyer, a digital nomad or just someone who likes to stay plugged in wherever the road leads.

Apple might rely on AI rivals to make Siri smarter

By

Apple may rely on rivals to make Siri smarter
Siri might be powered by Anthropic Claude or OpenAI ChatGPT.
Image: Cult of Mac

Apple’s struggle to develop artificial intelligence might reach the point where the iPhone-maker will need to outsource one of its core technologies: Siri. A promised AI upgrade for the voice assistant may be powered by large language models created by Anthropic or OpenAI, not Apple itself, according to an unconfirmed report published Monday.

But this is only a possibility — no decision has been made.

Apple Music’s new Replay All Time expands on annual faves list

By

Apple Music Replay All Time
Apple Music launches Replay All Time, a special version of the annual Replay experience that allows listeners to see and stream the songs they’ve played the most since joining Apple Music.
Photo: Apple Music

Apple Music Replay All Time launched Monday, letting listeners see which tracks they’ve played over their history with the service.

It comes as part of a broader 10th-anniversary celebration for the music-streaming service. Other upgrades include an upcoming top-500 Apple Music tracks countdown, special programming on Apple Music Radio and a new Apple Music studio planned to open in Los Angeles this summer.