Apple continued its impressive run in its next big growth market, India, shipping more than 9 million iPhones from January to September 2024. This represents 35% year-over-year growth for iPhone shipments in the country.
The company also increased its lead over Samsung, the previous leader in India’s smartphone market.
Apple Wallet-compatible smart lock Alloy Deadbolt+ will make life easier for renters and landlords alike, SmartRent said Wednesday. Debuting at a Starwood Capital Group property, Alloy Deadbolt+ expands on the security, functionality and convenience of smart locks by integrating with resident keys in Apple Wallet. It easily lets you in, as well as your property manager and designated friends and service providers.
“Alloy Deadbolt+ enhances the way we think about secure access, providing a straightforward and reliable solution for both residents and property managers,” SmartRent Chief Technology Officer Isaiah DeRose-Wilson said.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The rumored “iPhone 17 Air” supposedly will delete major features to become Apple’s thinnest smartphone ever — and sell at a premium price. We debate the pros and cons of such a scenario. Plus, Apple reportedly plans to make AirTags even better … and might be reconsidering making an actual TV set.
It’s a rumor-packed podcast!
Also on The CultCast:
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.
Getting a bit bored with the podcasts you subscribe to? One of the best ways to discover new ones is by finding out what other people are listening to. Apple made that easy on Tuesday by tabulating the most popular podcasts of 2024.
There are charts localized for listeners in nearly 100 countries and regions.
The rumored iPhone 17 Air might measure just 6mm thick, making it the slimmest iPhone ever. The device reportedly will use an A19 chip fabricated on TSMC’s newer 3nm node.
The new process node should allow for higher transistor density, leading to better performance and efficiency.
Apple might soon discontinue its Lightning to 3.5mm headphone adapter. The company’s online store in the United States and several other countries already lists the item as “sold out.”
The adapter remains available for sale in some countries. However, once existing stocks run out, Apple is unlikely to replenish it.
★★★☆☆
The Magic Mouse has been updated with USB-C, and … well, that’s about it. You can ditch the Lightning cable on your desk, but that’s where the changes end.
It still has a design that’s uncomfortably thin for my hands and lacks modern niceties like Force Touch and multi-device pairing.
The Magic Mouse is, however, still the best (and maybe only) mouse that uses trackpad-style swiping and scrolling gestures in place of a traditional scroll wheel. If you can set all else aside, it’s a great experience.
Keep reading or watch our latest video.
Apple could further expand its iPhone manufacturing efforts in India over the next two years. This shift would likely occur if newly-elected US President Donald Trump implements heavy tariffs on Chinese imports.
India is already the second major iPhone production hub for Apple outside China.
Carrying out repairs on your new iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro is now easier than before. You can purchase the repair parts and tools for the latest iPhones from Apple’s Self Service Repair store.
The replacement components and tools are available to customers in the US and parts of Europe.
Songs disappear from Apple Music all the time due to licensing problems or artists doing controversial things. Spotify found itself caught up in similar situation in 2022, losing Neil Young’s discography in a protest of the streaming service’s association with podcaster Joe Rogan. Luckily, there’s a way you can find out if any songs in your library have been removed from Apple Music behind your back.
If you own a Mac, you can quickly find out by building a special Smart Playlist. I’ll show you how.