The original AirPods are now on Apple's "vintage" list, along with the original HomePod and iPhone X. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Apple officially designated some classic products “vintage” Monday, as it put iPhone X plus original AirPods and HomePod on the “vintage” list. That’s a classification that the iPhone giant includes prior to the products becoming “obsolete” and no longer serviced.
A new tech from Apple could make iPhone battery replacement easier. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple could use electrically induced adhesive debonding to make battery removal easier on future iPhones. The company reportedly might use this technology in at least one iPhone 16 model this year.
The move could help Apple make iPhones more repair-friendly — and help Apple comply with upcoming EU laws.
Fixing your MacBook is easier if you know what's broken. Photo: Apple
The Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair software tool launched on Europe on Wednesday. It lets those who want to fix their own iPhone or Mac identify which parts may need repair.
In addition, Apple announced that MacBook Air models with the M3 processor that launched in March 2024 are now part of the Self Service Repair program.
When Apple Intelligence was unveiled at WWDC24, Craig Federighi didn't answer a burning question. Photo: Apple
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will be able to run Apple Intelligence features, but no other current phone can handle the upcoming AI-powered features. Apple’s reasons for the limitation seem somewhat vague, at least so far. They don’t fully explain why a 2-year-old iPhone chip isn’t up to the job but a 4-year-old Mac chip is.
As it stands, some people harbor suspicions that it’s an attempt to force iPhone users to upgrade to the latest models this fall. And some iPhone 15 owners are angry that their relatively new devices won’t be able to take advantage of Apple Intelligence.
Cult of Mac asked Apple to explain the decision but we didn’t hear back. So, I’ll do what Apple hasn’t: Go through a range of hardware features and explore what role they might play in keeping Apple AI off so many iPhones.
Don't expect the Vision Pro 2 to launch anytime soon. Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple reportedly wants to launch a cheaper AR/VR Vision headset, codenamed N107, as soon as late 2025. While the company set this plan even before the Vision Pro‘s launch, it might fail to meet the deadline.
The company’s engineers are struggling to reduce costs without affecting the headset’s key features.
★★★★★
Twelve South ButterFly is ready to charge your devices wherever you go. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Twelve South ButterFly is a 2-in-1 MagSafe iPhone and and Apple Watch travel charger that folds into a tiny package. It offers fast-charging and can serve as a kickstand for your handset.
It’s a bit pricy, but an innovative design makes it very portable. I put the gadget to the test.
The Reply button in Apple Mail on iPhone does way, way more than you might expect. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Reply button in the iPhone version of Apple Mail does a whole lot more than let you reply to messages. For some reason, Apple packed it with unrelated options.
Here’s everything lying hidden behind that simple button.
Future Apple Watch models could get slimmer. Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple reportedly plans to launch a super-slim iPhone 17 model in 2025. The company is also working on slimming down MacBook Pro and Apple Watch in future revisions.
The company will seemingly focus on making its devices thinner without sacrificing performance or battery life.
Don't try to make a Genmoji with the first iOS 18 beta. Image: Apple
The AI capabilities Apple announced at WWDC24 are nowhere to be seen in the first round of betas for iOS 18, macOS Sequoia and iPadOS 18. This despite the new Apple Intelligence features, like the ability to summarize documents or create new emoji on the fly, are the highlights of the upcoming operating system upgrades.
So those eager to try Apple AI can hold off installing these buggy prerelease versions. It’ll only be a disappointment.