After teasing the upcoming release of fitness-oriented Powerbeats Pro 2 wireless earbuds in September 2024, Apple and subsidiary Beats just made new filings with regulatory agencies that all but confirm the new buds will come out soon, according to a Wednesday report. The new earbuds likely will go on sale within weeks (or a couple of months at the latest). Apple continues to integrate its ecosystem, and users can take advantage of features through the Beats app for iPhone to optimize their listening experience.

In a world dominated by screens, where the average person spends more than seven hours a day glued to digital devices, the question arises: Is there a better way to integrate technology into our lives? Swiss company Natura Umana believes there is. Taking inspiration from Spike Jonze’s iconic film Her, the company is developing a revolutionary AI ecosystem that replaces screen dependency with natural, voice-first interaction.

At the heart of Natura Umana’s vision are two pioneering products: HumanPods, the first AI earbuds designed for all-day wear, and NatureOS, a software platform that introduces “AI People” — intelligent agents that feel more like companions than tools. Together, these innovations aim to reduce screen addiction, enhance productivity and foster real-world human connections, all while maintaining a steadfast commitment to privacy.

Only about 0.1% of Kickstarter campaigns bring in over $1 million. The latest to pass that lofty mark is the OhSnap Mcon mobile gaming controller, which magnetically attaches to an iPhone to add joysticks, buttons and a D-pad.

A prototype of the accessory was on display at CES 2025 where it earned loads of compliments. It “may set a new standard for mobile gaming,” said Engadget, for example.

Ever see those ads for renting a full movie theater for a game or movie night? It looks fun, but it’s not cheap. However, that’s not the only way to create a real cinema vibe for the whole gang. Instead, you can make movie night at home and elevate game time with a 2-in-1 HD projector for video games and video.

This portable projector runs Android 11, so you can stream directly from it. And gamers will get a kick out of the 36,000 classic games that come preloaded. The whole thing is on sale for just $99.99 (regularly $149.99).

iPhone and Mac get all the attention — and the annual upgrades — but you can expect a trio of Apple products that haven’t been improved in years to get some love from Cupertino in 2025.

Fans of some of Apple’s secondary devices rejoice: Rumors point to new versions of Apple TV, AirTag and HomePod in the coming months. If you’re an AirTag user, it’s important to stay updated with the latest AirTag firmware update to ensure optimal performance.

The Focais Meet One is an AI-powered device that elevates note-taking and voice recording to a new level. Designed for convenience and accuracy, the AI voice recorder combines voice recognition with advanced AI features to streamline capturing and organizing essential details from conversations.

Its AI transcription feature supports more than 120 languages. This makes it an ideal tool for multilingual environments and anyone dealing with diverse clients or partners. Whether it’s a meeting, lecture or phone call, the Focais Meet One transcribes conversations accurately.

It’s a perfect companion for busy professionals, students or anyone who regularly handles meetings and calls. And for a limited time, this advanced AI voice recorder is on sale for just $99.99.

Traveling is a lot easier if you can keep track of your stuff with AirTags in your luggage. It’s been in the news lately: Airlines have lost flyers’ bags and people have recovered them because they had the foresight to put an AirTag in the luggage. You can make sure it’s with you all the way along your journey and quickly find it among the baggage claim at your final destination.

Read on for my tips on traveling with AirTags.

While Apple CarPlay 2’s expected 2024 release still hasn’t happened, newly leaked images Tuesday show a familiar widget-based interface that mirrors experiences across iOS, iPadOS and macOS devices.

The leaker is considered reliable. If the images prove genuine, they suggest a sensible drive by the iPhone giant to provide a seamless experience across the Apple ecosystem, even on the road.

The ruggedly handsome new Shield Case brings true portability to the small-but-mighty M4 Mac mini and its accessories, WaterField Designs said Tuesday. It’s the latest in the company’s long line of cool cases for Apple gear.

“We designed the Shield Case for professionals who take advantage of the portability of Apple’s most compact desktop computer yet,” said Gary Waterfield, the San Francisco-based company’s owner. “The M4 Mac mini’s reduced size makes it an ideal candidate for mobile use, but its unique dimensions require thoughtful protection.”

Apple’s efforts to move iPhone assembly to India and Vietnam are reportedly being hampered by the Chinese government.

The iPhone-maker wants to increase the number of countries in which its products are assembled amidst a worsening U.S./China trade war.

 You can convert a PDF to JPG on your iPhone instantly and for free — without downloading any sketchy apps or using any slow and confusing websites. This feature works using Shortcuts, a versatile automation system built into your iPhone. To learn more, check out this guide on making PDFs on iPhone and iPad.

After you download the shortcut, you can convert any PDF into a JPG straight from the share sheet on your iPhone. Watch the video or keep reading below to see how it works.

A massive breach revealed last week exposed location data from apps on millions of iPhones and Android phones. But at least iPhone users have better protection against exposure through a simple action they can take against app tracking, a new report noted Monday.

Gravy Analytics, one of the world’s largest location data brokers, disclosed the big data breach last week. Leaked data points came from smartphone apps ranging from popular mobile games like Candy Crush to dating apps and pregnancy-tracking applications. While investigations into the breach continue, experts point out that iPhones and iPads have a pretty simple way of avoiding exposure in the first place.

 In an online world filled with identity thieves, robocallers, “smishers” (SMS phishing scammers), and all sorts of marketers hassling you for your personal information whenever you sign up for anything, wouldn’t it be great if you could protect your personal information by becoming someone else with a different phone number? With Surfshark’s Alternative ID service, you can now access a new Alternative Number feature that does just that. If you’re looking for the best Surfshark VPN deals, you can take advantage of great offers while enhancing your online privacy.

Alternative Number is incredibly easy to use — and highly effective at keeping your real phone number safe from spammers and scammers. All you need to do is sign up for a Surfshark bundle that includes Alternative Number. You can pay monthly, but Surfshark also offers 24-month plans that give you four extra months of service for free.

No matter how delightfully small and incredibly powerful the new M4 Pro Mac mini may be, it’s helpless without an external display of some sort. Today’s Mac mini setup pairs the tiny beast with a gigantic pal — a curved ultra-wide display from Dell spanning 40 inches. And the mini shares the monitor and Logitech input devices with a Windows laptop.

iPhone sales dropped in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to separate reports released Monday by a pair of market research firms. Still, Apple shipped more handsets last year than any other company, including arch-rival Samsung.

And 2024 brought strong sales growth in Apple’s non-core markets. Premium iPhone models are selling well in China, too.

In a big shake-up at smart speaker maker Sonos — whose high-end audio products are popular with Apple users — CEO Patrick Spence resigned effective immediately and a board member will step in as interim CEO, the company said Monday. Spence’s departure comes after a turbulent 2024 that saw the company struggle with a controversial app redesign, disappointing product launches and declining customer satisfaction.

Like Apple’s rumored smart home hub, the refreshed Apple Watch SE might not launch as soon as initially expected. A new report says the Apple Watch SE 3 will debut in the second half of 2025.

Apple supposedly will give its cheapest smartwatch a big redesign this year, launching it with a totally new look.

If you’ve been holding out on buying AirPods because the price tag felt too steep, you aren’t alone. The good news? Your waiting paid off because this pair of wireless earbuds isn’t just more affordable. These AirPods alternatives come with a touchscreen case.

While the cheapest pair of AirPods will run you $129, the Twin Sound Ultra Bluetooth earbuds cost just $29.99. Sure, they have their own limitations, but they’re a solid option for anyone looking to save some cash.

I’m not a fan of the Camera Control on all the iPhone 16 models. It’s too hard to use, it’s in the way, and it’s mostly unnecessary. But I stumbled across an alternative way to use it that’s preferable.

Even so, I can honestly see the Camera Control going the way of the infamous MacBook Pro Touch Bar in a few years.

Apple’s 7-inch smart home hub may not arrive this quarter as initially rumored. A new report indicates the device will launch later in 2025 due to a key iOS 18 feature not being ready for release. For the latest apple homepod news and updates on Apple’s smart home ecosystem, stay tuned.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: First, Erfon recounts his recent, extremely lengthy trip to the Apple Store to check out the latest MacBook Pros. He put the nano-texture screen to the test — and came back with a surprising verdict. Then, we discuss some of the coolest — and some of the weirdest — new gear shown off at CES this week.

Also on The CultCast:

• The iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11 won’t arrive as soon as some Apple rumormongers suspected.
• Dell “borrows” Apple’s iPhone naming convention to simplify to its product lineup … and then blows it!
• Griffin wraps up with a pro tip that you almost need to see to believe.

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 live stream, embedded below.

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air might be slimmer than initially rumored. All reports suggested the phone could have a 6mm thin waistline.

However, a reputed Apple analyst believes the iPhone 17 Air will measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point.

Say you want to send someone a YouTube link with a timestamp, to show them a specific part halfway through. Doing this is really easy from both the YouTube website or the app.

Let me show you how to share a YouTube video that starts at a specific time.

In Skate City: New York, you take your skateboarding game to the iconic streets of the Big Apple, where you can master hundreds of tricks in real-world locations. The game hit Apple Arcade on Friday, and is playable on iPhone, Mac and more.

Several other titles also joined Apple’s gaming service, including a remodeled version of the original Final Fantasy.

From time to time in computer setups coverage I come across a first-time Mac user, and their delight at having switched from Windows to Mac is often obvious. And that’s true of today’s M4 Pro Mac mini user, but they still need to work on a Windows laptop regularly. So they installed a Mac-Windows KVM switch in their setup to easily use the same peripherals with either machine with just the click of a button, as described and shown below.