Install iOS 12.5.5 on your older iPhone to protect it from the Pegasus spyware. Photo: Андрей Сидоренко/Pixabay/Cult of Mac
iPhone models that can’t install iOS 14 or iOS 15 can still get protection from the infamous Pegasus spyware thanks to iOS 12.5.5. Apple released this update Thursday for devices as old as the iPhone 5s to close a security hole in active use by hackers.
The same update can also be installed on older iPad and iPod touch models.
The iPhone XR uses a Wi-Fi chip that's affected by the vulnerability. Photo: Apple
Security researchers discovered a critical flaw in Wi-Fi chips made by Broadcom and Cypress Semiconductor that were used in Apple devices.
The discovery was presented at the RSA security conference in San Francisco this morning, revealing that billions of devices could have been affected. Attackers could use the vulnerability to decrypt private data sent over the air. Most manufacturers have already released a patch to fix the issue, but it’s unclear how many of the devices have been updated.
You can save hundreds this week buying used and open-box Apple devices, including a refurb Mac mini directly from Cupertino itself. This and more are in this week’s best Apple deals.
And they’re off! Less than 24 hours into the life of the iPhone 7, we’ve seen our first deal on it (sort of). You’ll find this surprising buy — plus the iPhone 6s, Apple Music and more — in this week’s best Apple deals.
Snap up Apple gear and accessories on the cheap! Photos: Apple, Ste Smith/Cult of Mac, Belkin
We’ve got huge discounts on the full range of Apple devices this week, plus an Apple Watch charging dock that’s worthy of the sleek wearable. All these are in this week’s roundup of the best Apple deals.
The iPad lineup has seen a ton of changes since Apple introduced its first tablet in 2010. Not only have the form factors evolved ever so slightly, but the internal components have pushed the product line from a cool reading/gaming device into a powerhouse machine that can replace your laptop.
To see just how much iPad has progressed, EverythingApplePro created a speed test using every iPad ever made. It’s no surprise that the iPad Pro comes out on top, but the original iPad off a shocker by beating some of its successors.
Portable, gorgeous, and super-useful. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Best List: iPad mini keyboard by Brydge
We all like to carry our gadgets around with us, but there are definitely times when you’ll want to be ultra portable and just take along, say, your iPad mini on vacation. Or, perhaps you want to get some writing done on the airplane:we all know the seat-back tray is way too small for a full laptop.
This ultra-portable Brydge keyboard is a fantastic match for the iPad mini, letting you be a bit more productive than you would without an actual keyboard. It’s designed to match whichever iPad mini you own, turning the whole thing into an adorably small Macbook-like laptop-style tablet.
Despite a slight speed bump, the iPad mini 4 just isn't worth the money. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
The new iPad mini 4, just announced last week, is good but probably not as good as it should be. In recent benchmark tests, it performs only slightly better than the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus of 2014. It’s still nowhere near as fast as the current-generation iPad Air 2 and it’s only a tad faster than the iPad mini 2, which Apple is still selling for $269. Believe it or not, you’re still probably better off getting the two-year-old iPad mini instead.