Developers received a fresh batch of new beta updates this morning, just in time for the holidays.

iOS 12.1.2 beta 1 was made available today, bringing a host of new fixes and improvements to the iPhone and iPad. Apple also came out with the first betas of macOS Mojave 10.14.3, watchOS 5.1.3 and tvOS 12.1.2.

If you bought the new iPad Pro for making music, then you probably already discovered that it’s almost useless for the purpose. I just hope you didn’t sell your old iPad yet. The problem, which is so widespread that it probably affects all of the new 2018 iPad Pro models, causes the CPU to spike, and sound to crackle whenever you use more than a couple of music apps together.

Fortunately, a fix is apparently on the way.

The iPhone XS Max is still the fastest new smartphone on the market, based on the latest speed test that pits Huawei’s flagship Mate 20 Pro against Apple’s most expensive iPhone.

PhoneBuff pitted the Mate 20 Pro against the iPhone XS Max in its speed test which measures which phone can open a select number of apps the fastest and then open them again a second time. So far the iPhone XS Max has stomped its Android competitors in every test. While the Mate 20 Pro puts up a good fight, it ultimately lost, making the iPhone XS Max the undisputed speed king of smartphones in 2018.

Watch the two phones battle it out:

Apple Pay will finally make its debut in Germany this week, according to a new report.

Tim Cook previously promised that the mobile payments service would be available in Germany by the end of the year, while local webpages were recently updated to confirm it is “coming soon.”

Google’s popular Chrome browser is getting a new dark mode for macOS Mojave.

We’ll have to wait until next year for the alternate look to make its way into a stable Chrome update, but you can test drive it early by downloading the open source Chromium browser.

A court in China has granted Qualcomm an injunction against Apple. The ruling bars Apple from importing and selling multiple iPhone models in China.

The order specifically bars Apple from selling the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X. However, the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR should be good to go.

Apple has done a whole lot in 2018 but, from a stock price perspective, none of it matters. That’s because Apple’s declining stock price means that the company has now officially lost money this year.

AAPL finished 2017 at $169.23. At time of writing, it is trading at $164.48. Overall, it’s now down around 1 percent year-on-year. In the process, it’s fallen behind some major rivals.

No matter how many times you proofread, typos and bad phrasings have a nasty habit of slipping by unnoticed. That can mean a lot of embarrassment over the smallest mistakes, especially in professional emails. So it’s good to know there’s a tool that can catch them before you hit send.

If you wish it could be Christmas every day, treat yourself to one of the new festive skins in Fortnite Battle Royale.

Both the Nog Ops and Yuletide Ranger outfits are available now, alongside a Cozy Coaster glider. They will be on sale for a limited time only — and you’ll be pleased to know they’re reasonably priced.

Apple’s Bordeaux retail store in France was raided over the weekend as continued anti-government protests raged.

In a clip widely shared on Twitter, looters entered the Apple Sainte-Catherine store on Saturday night. They proceeded to pull MacBooks, iPhones and other items off the shelves and tables. Some of those involved with the incident were wearing the yellow vests associated with the riots.

You’d think Tim Cook would be too busy running Apple to be tweeting about surfing, but you’d be wrong. Well, kind of.

In fact, Cook tweeted over this weekend in praise of the cover of the year end issue of Surfer’s Journal magazine. The front of the mag features a dazzling bit of water-based sports photography which, you guessed it, was shot on an iPhone.

You may think you’re a power user, but not unless you’re using keyboard macros. Macros are like keyboard shortcuts, but customized so you can tailor them to your workflow.

The holiday shopping season has rudely crept up on us, which means it’s time to start buying for friends and loved ones who have been good this year. Fortunately for you, Cult of Mac is here to help.

Our gift guides are full of great products Apple fans are sure to love. We’ve hand-picked awesome accessories and glorious gadgets that we all use and recommend, so you know your money is being well-spent.

This guide focuses on the iPad lovers in your life, and there’s something to suit every budget.

Take a deep breath and learn how to get the most out of your Apple Watch with a pair of handy how-tos. Every Apple Watch owner can take advantage of Apple’s stress-busting Breathe app. However, you’ll need a Series 4 (and this week’s watchOS update) to get in on the ECG action.

Get those how-tos and the week’s best Apple news and reviews — including an expose on Apple’s biologically bogus squid emoji — in your free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now on iTunes. Or keep reading for the week’s best Apple news, reviews and how-tos. (Plus, enter to win a set of rugged iPhone XS Max cases.)

Just like every year, the holidays hit us before we know it. So to make sure you aren’t caught without anything to offer the Apple fans and other tech types in your life, we’ve rounded up five great deals on stocking stuffers that are sure to please.

We’ve got ultra-tough charging cables, adapters to make any headphones wireless, high-end power bricks, and plenty more. Everything is discounted by a third or more!

If you’re in the market for an iPad Pro, but working on a budget, B&H Photo Video is currently offering the 2017 12.9-inch iPad Pro at an amazing discount. With savings ranging from $220 to $330 off, you can pick up last year’s biggest tablets for hundreds less than their 2018 counterparts.

With B&H’s current offering, you can get a 2nd Generation (2017) 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 64GB of storage and Wi-Fi for $579 (a $230 savings). Or get the fully loaded Wi-Fi + Cellular model with 512GB for a cool $999 (a $280 savings).

The best deal of the bunch, coming in at $330 off, is the 256GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model for $749.

Apple has made another high-profile hire that could help the company gain a stronger foothold in the healthcare space.

Former Mango Health CEO Jason Oberfest left his highly-regarded startup last month. At the time, Mango Health only named a replacement but didn’t say where Oberfest was headed to. Now we have news that he has joined Apple as a member of its health team.

The only concrete advantage of USB-C over Lightning in the new iPad — so far — is that you can pick up pretty much any USB-C hub and use it with the iPad. Previously, you had one choice if you wanted to plug USB devices into your iPad — Apple’s Lightning-to-USBC camera connector.

The choice is way wider for 2018 iPad Pro owners. And while plugging in a USB-C hub is easy, there are a few things to watch out for. Let’s take a look at those, and see what you can use the hub for.

A new version of the Beddit sleep monitor launched today. This is the first version since Apple acquired the company making this accessory last year, and the result is better  hardware and software, though few new features.

The iPhone XR received the highest rating ever for a single-cam smartphone tested by image lab DxOMark.

Apple’s budget option for 2018 held its own against the more-expensive iPhone XS Max in a number of categories. Its score of 101 comes in just four points below that of the iPhone XS Max. And it’s three points better than the Google Pixel 2.

Richard Gere could be the next actor to participate in one of Apple’s original TV shows. According to a new report, Apple is in the process of signing a series starring the Pretty Woman actor, written by Homeland scribe Howard Gordon.

The eight-episode series would follow two elderly friends and Vietnam veterans, whose life is thrown into disarray when a woman they both loved 50 years earlier is killed in a car accident.

The last time I tried to use touchscreen gloves, I had made the decision to just never use my phone outdoors in the dead of winter. The damn things just weren’t warm.

I’m recalling this from my home in Minnesota, where this week’s lows are forecast to dip below zero for the first time this winter and I am wearing touchscreen gloves.

The holidays are finally upon us, and while that can lead to a great deal of stress, it also inevitably leads to a huge number of great deals on all of your favorite tech products. Here are four great everyday carry gadgets that are available at a significant discount for a limited time.

Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon says that, one way or another, the battle between his company and Apple is coming to an end soon.

“We feel like we are probably near the end of this game — we have a lot of legal milestones approaching,” Cristiano Amon told Yahoo Finance. “We see 2019 as having events that will drive resolution one way or another.” Unless an agreement is reached, the two companies are currently set to face off in court in April.

Apple has reportedly acquired U.K.-based music creative services and artist development company Platoon.

The company has history with Apple, being co-founded by former Apple live events and artist relations exec Denzyl Feigelson. Described as “a platform for fearless creatives,” Platoon has helped develop a number of early stage artists in the U.S. and UK since launching in 2016.