| Cult of Mac

iOS 16.5, iPadOS 16.5 and macOS Ventura 13.4 arrive

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iOS 16.5
Time to check for updates on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Following a beta period spanning over a month, Apple has released the stable build of iOS 16.5, iPadOS 16.5, and macOS Ventura 13.4 to the public. Your Apple Watch and Apple TV are also getting a new update.

Unlike iOS 16.4, the latest iOS release is not packing a ton of new features. There are a few improvements and enhancements, but otherwise, this is mostly a bug-fixing release.

Soccer, anyone? Apple TV+ launches MLS Season Pass soon.

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Are you ready for some football? And by that we mean soccer, natch.
Are you ready for some football? And by that we mean soccer, natch.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ and the top pro soccer league in the United States, Major League Soccer (MLS), said Wednesday the MLS Season Pass subscription service showing all matches with no blackouts launches February 1, 2023.

The launch, which includes features on multiple Apple services, kicks off a 10-year partnership between Apple and MLS.

Ted Lasso’s Coach Beard covers the World Cup in new Apple podcast

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The new After the Whistle podcast covering the World Cup kicks off November 17.
The new After the Whistle podcast covering the World Cup kicks off November 17.
Photo: Apple News

An amusing audio teaser from Apple News on Monday introduced the limited podcast After the Whistle, in which Coach Beard from the Apple TV+ hit Ted Lasso — aka actor Brendan Hunt — and veteran English sportscaster Rebecca Lowe will explain everything about the world’s biggest sporting event, the World Cup, as it happens.

As you may know, the World Cup is a massive football tournament (to use the world’s sensible term for soccer). It kicks off Sunday in Qatar and will be broadcast globally. Apple News boots up the podcast on Thursday in anticipation of it.

How to follow your favorite sports teams with My Sports in Apple News

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Follow the team in Apple News
Follow teams to get scores, schedules and news, all in Apple News.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

New in iOS 16 is the ability to follow your favorite sporting pastime with My Sports. It allows you to get the latest scores, read coverage from newspapers and magazines, see scheduled games and watch highlights.

It works across multiple apps, including Apple News, Apple TV and others. You can follow teams from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NWSL, WNBA and MLS. It also includes college football and basketball. Here’s how to set it up.

Apple wants to make more money from streaming and advertising

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An Apple One bundle might be announced in September. Or October.
Eddy Cue wants Apple to make more money from its streaming and advertising businesses.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Eddy Cue, Apple’s SVP of Services, is reportedly looking to restructure the company’s offerings to make a more significant push in streaming and advertising.

Apple’s services business has been growing rapidly over the last few years. It currently boasts more than 825 million paid subscribers.

Apple News expands local coverage to two cities in Canada

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Apple News local coverage
Montreal and Toronto are the first Canadian cities to see support.
Image: Apple

Apple News’ local coverage feature this week expanded its reach to Canada. Users in Montreal and Toronto can now enjoy local news from a number of different sources, including CTV News and Toronto Star.

Local coverage was first added to Apple News in July 2020, but growth has been slow since then. Although it has made its way to additional U.S. cities since it debuted, this is the first time the feature has landed in another country.

Apple News expands local coverage to select cities

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Apple News expands its local coverage to Charlotte, Miami and Washington, D.C.
Apple News expands its local coverage to Charlotte, Miami and Washington, D.C.
Photo: Apple

Apple News will now offer its “local news experience” in three additional U.S. cities: Charlotte, N.C., Miami and Washington, D.C. The service’s editors curate local news, selecting coverage of topics important to communities, Apple said.