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Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Apple News:

Apple gives old HomeKit architecture a few more months to live

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iOS 16.2 bring in a new Home architecture upgrade option.
Have you upgraded to the new HomeKit architecture?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The older Apple Home architecture will live for a few more months. Apple previously planned on phasing out the architecture in late 2025. 

Instead, the HomeKit architecture will stop functioning on February 10, 2026.

Yes, the EU banished the MacBook charger from the box

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M5 MacBook Pro - No power adpater
No, your new M5 MacBook Pro won't come with a charger in the box.
Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Apple’s newest M5 MacBook Pro does not ship with a power brick in the box in Europe and the U.K. But this time, don’t blame Apple for the move.

The change stems from new EU regulations around energy efficiency and electronic waste reduction.

14-inch MacBook Pro gets M5 power boost

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14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 chip goes official.
14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 chip goes official.
Photo: Apple

Apple unveiled an upgraded 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the new M5 chip on Wednesday. While the laptop looks the same as its predecessor, it sports a faster new Apple silicon processor to deliver even better performance.

“MacBook Pro continues to be the world’s best pro laptop, and today, the 14-inch MacBook Pro gets even better with the arrival of the M5 chip,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, in a press release.

Apple blames old MagSafe risers for iPhone 17 scratches

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iPhone 17 scratches
A deep blue iPhone 17 Pro models shows scratches in the store after just a few hours on sale.
Photo: @verdeselvans, X.com

Apple officially addressed the iPhone 17‘s Scratchgate issue. It says the problem isn’t due to the new glass-and-aluminum design, blaming worn-out MagSafe risers and chargers in retail displays instead.

iPhone 17’s Scratchgate controversy surfaced just days after it went on sale, sparking widespread concern among early buyers.

iPhone Air, iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro preorders now open [Updated]

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iPhone Air, iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro preorders are now open!
Preorder your iPhone Air or iPhone 17 today!
Photo: Apple/Rajesh PandeyCultOfMac

Apple is now accepting preorders for the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The devices will hit store shelves next Friday, on September 19 — the same day preorders get delivered.

Update: An hour after the pre-orders started, demand for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is already starting to exceed supply. An order placed now in the U.S. for most configurations of this top-of-line model won’t ship until late September, and others won’t arrive before October.        

Apple is already taking preorders for the AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. All three will be available at retail starting September 19.

Apple drops USB-C cable from AirPods Pro 3 packaging

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AirPods Pro 3 bento box
You get everything with the AirPods Pro 3 except a charging cable.
Image: Apple

Apple no longer bundles a USB-C charging cable with the AirPods Pro 3. Since the earbuds include a USB-C port and support wireless charging, you are unlikely to rue its absence.

This marks another accessory Apple has dropped after the power brick.

iPhone 17 picks up the pace with 50% faster wired charging

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iPhone 17 Pro colors
Your iPhone 17, 17 Pro or 17 Pro Max will spend less time on the charger.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s iPhone 17 family supports significantly faster wired charging speeds. They can top up to 50% in just 20 minutes — 10 minutes faster than previous iPhones.

However, the speed improvements only apply to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. The iPhone Air only supports 20W charging speeds.

iPhone 14 and 15 users get another year of free satellite access

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Satellite messaging
Apple still isn’t charging for a life-saving iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 feature.
Image: Apple

iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 owners will get another year of free satellite connectivity. The company did not announce this extension on stage but mentioned it in the footnote of the iPhone 17 Pro press release.

This is the second extension for iPhone 14 since its launch in September 2023.

This is when iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS Tahoe arrive

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iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 naming scheme
Liquid Glass is coming to your iPhone, iPad and Mac next week.
Image: Apple

Apple Awe Dropping Event: Following months of beta testing since WWDC25, Apple is finally ready to release iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe to the public. These operating systems finally have a release date.

The updates will start rolling out as early as September 15, just a week after Apple’s Awe Dropping event.

How to play Quartiles, the daily word-building game in Apple News+

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iPhone screenshot show the Apple News+ game
Note: Spoilers in this article for the Tuesday, May 14, 2024, game of Quartiles.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Quartiles is a daily word-building game for Apple News+ subscribers. It’s fun, with a clean interface and no ads. If you want to score maximum points each day, you’ll need to know how to play Quartiles and all the tips and tricks you need to succeed.

Here’s how to play Quartiles — keep reading below or watch our instructional video.

Japan takes aim at Apple’s browser lockdown on iPhones

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Safari app shortcut on iOS 18 dock
Japan followed Europe’s lead in a requiring a fundamental change to the Safari web browser.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

A new act in Japan will force Apple to open the iPhone’s App Store to non-WebKit browsers later this year. Apple currently only allows non-WebKit browsers in the EU App Store, all due to the Digital Markets Act.

Yet, all major iPhone browsers, including Chrome and Firefox, use the same WebKit engine as Safari on iOS. This is despite them using a different engine on desktop.

Apple teams up with Samsung for next-gen chip manufacturing in US

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Samsung foundry will make chips for Apple in the US.
Apple turns to rival Samsung for making chips in the US.
Image: Apple/Samsung/Cult of Mac

As part of its additional $100 billion investment in US domestic manufacturing, Apple is entering into a chip manufacturing partnership with Samsung. The Korean company will fabricate next-gen chips for Apple at its Texas foundry.

The companies will work together to “launch an innovative new technology for making chips, which has never been used before anywhere in the world.”

New Apple retail stores coming to India and UAE in 2025

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Apple Saket opened Thursday in the heart of India’s thriving capital of New Delhi.
India will soon get another Apple Store.
Photo: Apple

Apple will expand its retail footprint in India and open new stores in the country this year. It will also open its fifth retail store in the United Arab Emirates before the end of 2025.

The company recently launched its online store in Saudi Arabia, marking a major expansion of its presence in the Middle East.

Catch US vs. Mexico Leagues Cup soccer action via MLS Season Pass

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Leagues Cup on MLS Season Pass
Fans in more than 100 countries and regions can watch every match of the Leagues Cup 2025 tournament via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass will once again serve as the exclusive global streaming destination for the Leagues Cup, North America’s premier cross-league soccer tournament that kicked off Tuesday and runs through August.

The monthlong competition brings together clubs from Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX in what organizers call the first in-season club tournament across all men’s professional sports in North America.

New AppleCare One makes protecting your Apple devices simpler than ever

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AppleCare One streamlines AppleCare+ coverage for all your devices.
Pay $19.99 per month to protect three Apple devices.
Photo: Apple

Like Apple One, Apple on Wednesday introduced a new AppleCare bundle for protecting multiple Apple devices. Dubbed AppleCare One, it extends the warranty and provides accidental damage protection to three Apple devices.

Pricing starts from $19.99 per month, with an option to add more devices by paying an additional $5.99 per device every month.

2013 Mac Pro enters Apple’s vintage hall of fame

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The 2013 trash can Mac Pro is now marked as vintage.
Two years from now, the trash can Mac Pro will become "obsolete."
Photo: Apple

The iconic 2013 “trash can” Mac Pro took its first step towards official retirement, as Apple added it to its vintage product list.

Apple also added several iPads launched in 2018 and the 2019 13-inch MacBook Air to its vintage products list.

Meta poaches one of Apple’s top AI brains

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new AI server chips
Apple's struggles with AI continue.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s AI ambitions take a hit as a key executive leading its AI model efforts departs the company. Meta has successfully managed to poach Ruoming Pang, who managed Apple’s foundation models team.

Meta is forming a new superintelligence team and reportedly offering pay packages of up to $100 million to attract top AI talent.

How to play Apple’s daily crosswords on iPad and iPhone

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Daily Puzzles in Apple News
Get a crossword every day in the Apple News app.
Image: Wil540 art/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple has a daily crossword and crossword mini that you can play on your iPad and iPhone inside the News app. This feature is available to anyone with an Apple News+ subscription or the Apple One Premier bundle.

I absolutely love playing the crossword puzzles every day. I’m not very good at them, but it’s a fun challenge and it’s a well-designed app.

Here’s how it works.

Apple’s Back to School sale brings free AirPods with Mac or iPad

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Apple 2025 Back to School Promo
Apple's 2025 Back to School promo will get you a free AirPods.
Screenshot: Apple Store

Apple’s yearly Back to School sale is now live in the United States, India and other countries. As part of the deal, eligible students and teachers can get Macs and iPads on education pricing, along with an accessory worth up to $179.

Unlike the last few years, Apple will not bundle a gift card with your purchase. Instead, it will bundle a free accessory, ranging from the Magic Keyboard to AirPods 4 with ANC.

Apple will service M2 Mac mini hit by rare power failure issue

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Mac mini with external hard drive, keyboard, trackpad and display sitting on the floor (isometric perspective)
Your M2 Mac mini might need a repair.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple has issued a No Power Issue service program affecting a “very small percentage” of M2 Mac minis. The affected units may unexpectedly fail to power on without warning.

The issue only appears to affect the 2023 M2 Mac mini and no other generation.

Apple retail stores could soon ease carrier promo rules

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Apple Store in Atlanta
Apple's Back to School promo goes live soon, too.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s yearly Back to School promo will supposedly go live in the US later this month. Like every year, the company will bundle gift cards with selected devices as part of the promo.

Additionally, Apple will double the carrier promos in its retail stores from late June to boost iPhone sales.

Apple Music wants to make switching from other music services easier

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Spotify to Apple Music migration.
A new tool from Apple makes migrating from Apple Music to Spotify easier.
Photo: Apple/Spotify/Rajesh Pandey

A new tool from Apple will make it easier to import your playlists and library from Spotify to Apple Music. As part of a limited rollout, the company currently offers this feature in Australia and New Zealand.

Apple joined forces with SongShift, a popular playlist transfer tool, to bring this feature to life.

macOS 16 to clamp down on clipboard snooping by Mac apps

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macOS 16 clipboard
macOS 16 will change how your Mac's pasteboard works.
Photo: ChatGPT

Apple informed developers of a major pasteboard change coming with macOS 16. It will alert users when apps read the pasteboard without direct user interaction.

The move will ensure apps cannot silently read the pasteboard in the background without you knowing about it.

Epic submits Fortnite to US App Store [Updated]

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Epic submits Fortnite to US App Store
“Fortnite” could soon return to the U.S. App Store.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Epic Games recently promised to resubmit the hugely popular game Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and it carried through with the promise Friday. It’s now up to Apple whether the application will be approved.

The move came after a U.S. judge blasted Apple for willfully violating the court’s 2021 order, and ordered Apple to comply with earlier App Store changes effective immediately. These are changes that Epic fought for, and relate to Apple policies that got Fortnite banned in the first place.