| Cult of Mac

iPhone 13 might offer emergency satellite communication, too

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iPhone 13 might offer emergency satellite communication, too
It won't be just the iPhone 14 communicating with satellites.
Photo: Cult of Mac

It might not be necessary to trade in an iPhone 13 for the iPhone 14 to get the upcoming model’s satellite communication capabilities. Apple’s 2021 handset reportedly already has this feature – it’s just not activated.

It’s possible Apple will announce at a September 7 event that both the iPhone 13 and 14 will be able to send emergency texts via satellite.

iPhone 13 dominates US smartphone shipments

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6.1-inch iPhone 13 review
Guess what's the best selling smartphone in America?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhones made up more than half of all smartphones shipped in North America during the second quarter of 2022, according to a market research firm. This marks the third quarter in a row that more than 50% of the handsets shipped in the region came from Apple.

Samsung, the next nearest rival, had less than half as many shipments in Canada, Unites States and Mexico.

Apple will offer hefty discounts on iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and AirPods in China

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6.1-inch iPhone 13 review
Apple will discounts its selected products in China for a limited time.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

In a rare move, Apple will run a four-day promotion in China and offer hefty discounts of up to RMB 600 ($90). The discount will be applicable for iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone SE, Apple Watch SE and AirPods.

The promotion will run from July 29 through August 1.

Last chance: Protect your iPhone 13 with SwitchEasy accessories — at 20% off!

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Protect those all-important camera lenses.
Protect those all-important camera lenses.
Photo: SwitchEasy

When you spend a pretty penny on an iPhone 13 — OK, more like a thousand bucks, probably — you realize you better protect the dearly expensive gadget. Good thing SwitchEasy features all the accessories you need. You have your choice of cases, plus screen protectors and more.

And best of all, you can get 20% off all SwitchEasy iPhone 13 accessories in the Cult of Mac Store. But you need to act fast: This sale ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on July 21.

Apple ads highlight iPhone 13’s splash resistance and durability

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6.1-inch iPhone 13 review
Your iPhone 13 is more durable than you think.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple has dropped a couple of new ads highlighting iPhone 13’s splash resistance and the durability of the Ceramic Shield front.

The entire iPhone 13 series carries an IP68 certification, making them dust and water-resistant. However, Apple is only highlighting the phone’s splash resistance capabilities in the ad.

Chris Evans, aka Captain America, finally bids farewell to his iPhone 6s

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Looks like the
Looks like the "Defending Jacob" star is switching to an iPhone 13.
Photo: chrisevans@Instagram

Chris Evans, star of Marvel Studios’ Captain America movie series, gave the internet a bit of a thrill when he finally said goodbye to his trusty iPhone 6s with a lovely little eulogy Thursday.

The iPhone 6s came out in 2015 and ceased new sales in 2018. Now it’s 2022, and it looks like Cap has, at long last, woken up to the iPhone 13.

iPhone dominates sales of $400-and-up phones

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iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks
Android makes up most cheap smartphone sales, but anyone able to pay more usually gets an iPhone.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

High-end Android models sell in much smaller numbers than iPhones, according to a market research firm. Apple handsets that cost over $400 outsold all Androids in that price range almost two-to-one.

The data shows that while Androids with cutting-edge features like folding screens and very high-res camaras draw a lot of attention, they don’t attract many buyers. But pricier iPhone models do sell well.

Your repaired iPhone 12 will return in more eco-friendly packaging

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iPhone 12 mini
Don't be surprised if your repaired iPhone 12 comes in a brown box
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple will start shipping repaired iPhone 12 units in environment-friendly packaging starting this week. Made from bleach-free paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the new brown box will replace the white boxes used so far.

Apple promises to eliminate the use of plastic in its packaging by 2025.

iOS 16 will improve the iPhone 13 camera

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Apple makes a multitude of changes with iOS 16.
You'll be able to record more realistic looking Cinematic videos from iPhone 13 in iOS 16.
Photo: Apple

iOS 16 will improve photos and videos shot with iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro via computational photography tweaks.

The software update will add foreground blur in Portrait photos and improve videos shot in Cinematic mode. However, these enhancements will be exclusive to Apple’s 2021 iPhone lineup due to hardware limitations.