iPhone 5s

Today in Apple history: Macintosh 512K, aka the ‘Fat Mac,’ quadruples the memory

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Apple Mac
The "Fat Mac" solved one of the original Mac's biggest problems.
Photo: Apple

September 10: Today in Apple history: Macintosh 512K, aka the 'Fat Mac,' quadruples the memory September 10, 1984: Apple ships the Macintosh 512K, the first upgrade to the first-gen Macintosh 128K.

Coming less than eight months after the original Macintosh, the 512K Mac makes no sweeping changes to the computer’s form factor. Instead, the big upgrade is quadrupling the RAM. This leads Apple fans to refer to the computer as the “Fat Mac.”

Today in Apple history: ‘Misunderstood’ iPhone ad wins Emmy

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The heartwarming
"Misunderstood" earns Apple its second Emmy.
Photo: Apple

Aug 18: Today in Apple history: Apple's Christmas-themed 'Misunderstood' iPhone ad wins Emmy August 18, 2014: A Christmas-themed iPhone ad lands Apple an Emmy for “Most Outstanding Commercial of the Year.”

The prize-winning spot is Apple’s “Misunderstood” iPhone 5s ad. It depicts a silent teenager who won’t spend time with his family at Christmas because he’s too busy with his iPhone. At the end of the ad, he reveals that he’s not actually being a misanthrope. He used his iPhone and iMovie to shoot and edit a heartwarming family montage!

iOS 12.5.5 update blocks Pegasus spyware from older iPhones

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iOS update blocks Pegasus spyware from iPhones
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.

Insane iPhone sale offers refurbs for as little as $39.99 today only

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iPhone 6s
Quick! They won't last long.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Woot’s insane deals on iPhone refurbs keep on coming, and today’s might just be its best yet. With prices starting at a mere $39.99, there’s never been a better time to pick up a backup — or treat your kid to their first phone.

The only downside to this sale is that it’s good for one day only, and stock is selling quickly. Act fast or miss out!

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Ranking every iPhone by 4G data speeds

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iPhone XS
Gigabit LTE on the iPhone XS is screamin fast.
Photo: Apple

Holding onto your old iPhone could be causing you to lose out on some serious 4G LTE speed gains made by carriers over the last few years.

A new study on the average iPhone 4G download and upload speeds in the United States found that iPhone 6 owners and earlier see seeds that are nearly 10Mbps slower than the latest iPhone models.

Every iPhone ranked, from worst to best

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Nicole Arbour 3
What was your favorite iPhone?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The new iPhone XS and XS Max are generating rave reviews. Having marked the iPhone’s 10th anniversary with last year’s awe-inducing iPhone X, Apple has now set the stage for a second decade of smartphone innovation.

But what about all the awesome iPhones that led us to this point? Which models are the classics that will occupy museum shelves long after they’ve stopped working? I decided to dive in at the deep end and rank every phone Apple ever made. Wish me luck!

Apple may owe you $50 for iPhone battery replacement

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These are the 4 main parts you need.
You may be eligible for a $50 Apple credit.
Photo: Strange Parts

iPhone customers who paid for an out-of-warranty battery replacement last year are getting hooked up with a refund from Apple.

The company revealed today that it will start offering a $50 credit to all customers who purchased a battery replacement for the iPhone 6 and later.

Tweet-sized iPhone X review will have you ready to upgrade

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iPhone X notch
You're used to the notch. It's likely going to be around for a while.
Photo: Apple

One of the first iPhone X reviews is in — only it’s not from a news source most Apple fans will recognize.

Official reviews of the iPhone X will be released by news outlets later this week, but one lucky ex-Apple employee named Ryan Jones is gushing about the device a little early. Jones says he wasn’t hyped about the iPhone X at all, but now that he’s got some quality time with it, he thinks its a game=changer.

No, Apple is not slowing down your iPhone to force upgrades

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5 tips to fix an unresponsive iPhone screen
Is your iPhone slower with iOS 11? It's all in your head.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Every major iOS update slows down older devices to force users to upgrade. At least that’s what recent reports have suggested.

The truth is, Apple is doing no such thing. Benchmark data proves that iPhone performance drops over time are just a myth. The 4-year-old iPhone 5s is about as fast with iOS 11 today as it was with iOS 7 when it made its debut in 2013.

America’s favorite iPhone will surprise you

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iPhone SE
Two new iPhone SE models for 2020?
Photo: Sam Mills/Cult of Mac

Despite the demand for larger, sharper smartphone displays, iPhone SE has beaten out all other smartphones to top the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

Just two of Apple’s devices placed in the top five, and with a score of 87 out of 100, iPhone SE took the number one spot ahead of iPhone 7 Plus and the Galaxy S7 series.

Russia finds Apple guilty of iPhone price-fixing

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money
Apple may face stiff fines in Russia.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

A federal agency in Russia has ruled that Apple is guilty of fixing the price of the iPhone with third-party resellers and could face huge fines.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service revealed today that its investigation into Apple found that the company’s local subsidiary illegally coordinated the cost of iPhones and prevented sellers from offering discounts.

Week’s best Apple deals: First-ever AirPods discount!

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Act fast to get a hot deal on AirPods!
Act fast to get a hot deal on AirPods!
Photos: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac, Insignia, Apple

AirPods are the hottest item in tech right now, but you can already bag a discount on Apple’s wireless headphones. Plus, we’ve got iPhones both current- and past-gen to suit every taste and budget, all in this week’s best Apple deals.

Watch what happens when an iPhone drowns in molten aluminum

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This isn't your normal stress test.
This isn't your normal stress test.
Photo: The Backyard Scientist

Apple’s iPhone empire has been made possible thanks to the magic of aluminum. But under certain circumstances, Jony Ive’s favorite metal can be the iPhone’s worst enemy.

The folks behind the YouTube channel Backyard Scientists decided to see what happens when you dunk the iPhone in molten aluminum. Seeing the iPhone get a Terminator 2 type of death is oddly beautiful.

Check it out:

iPhone sales expected to explode in 2017

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iPhone-7
The 2017 iPhone will be a game changer.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 7 probably won’t be enough to reverse Apple’s declining sales slump when it reports earnings tomorrow. But analysts say Apple is sitting on a “powder keg of dramatically aging” iPhones that could lead to a super-cycle of upgrades in 2017.

Week’s best Apple deals: More refurb and open-box MacBooks and iPads

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refurb and open-box apple deals
Embrace "new to me" and you'll save big with refurbished and open-box Apple gear.
Photos: Apple, Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Discounts on not-new laptops and tablets continue to shine this week, with Apple itself offering its legendary factory-refurbished MacBook Pros, and eBay offering an open-box 10-inch iPad Pro. You’ll find these deals and more in this week’s roundup of best Apple deals.

Week’s best Apple deals: Big discounts on Apple TV, MacBook Air and more

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Apple deals
If you don't need the absolute latest models, you can get some great deals on Apple gear this week.
Photos: Apple

Staples is offering the chance to stream high-def content at an unbeatable price, while Groupon cuts huge discounts off a wide range of Apple gear and accessories. You’ll find all these and more in this roundup of the week’s best Apple deals.

What is Apple’s most underrated product? [Friday Night Fights]

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FNF Apple's most underrated
Which Apple product do you think deserves more respect?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Not every Apple product has been a runaway success, but that doesn’t mean those that weren’t were complete failures. Products like the Newton MessagePad, the G4 Cube, the Macintosh TV and even the iPhone 5c — which were all considered flops — brought great features and innovations that weren’t appreciated.

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we butt heads over Apple’s most underrated product to date.

The guy who named iMac says Apple’s names are too confusing

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The next iPhone will have a huge battery.
Is it time for Apple to change the way it names iPhones?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Former Apple marketing guru Ken Segall helped launched Apple’s string of i-devices, but now he says that the company has lost its way from simplicity lately and there’s no clearer sign than the confusing naming scheme of the iPhone.

In a recent op-ed claiming Apple’s days of simplicity may have died with his buddy Steve Jobs, Segall takes Apple’s product names to tasks for being far too complex for customers to keep track, saying Tim Cook has created products that he finds bewildering.

LAPD hacked iPhone 5s as part of murder investigation

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iphone_gun
Investigators have managed to unlock the iPhone 5s.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

After the FBI successfully hacked the iPhone 5c as part of the San Bernardino shooting case, newly-released court papers show that Los Angeles police investigators have obtained a method of unlocking its higher-end sibling, the iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 5s belonged to the dead wife of former The Shield actor Michael Jace, who was killed at the couple’s South L.A. home in 2014. The keycode security bypass took place last month, and was achieved with the help of an unnamed “forensic cellphone expert.”

iPhone enjoys massive growth in India in 2016

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Apple supplier is increasing its ability to build masses of iPhones in India
The iPhone is big in India!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Right now, Apple has less than 2 percent of the fast-growing Indian market. However, the company is unlikely to remain a bit-player for too long, with a new report stating that Apple shipments in the country grew 56 percent in the first three months of 2016 — making it one of the country’s fastest-growing vendors.