Future iPhone displays could all be made by LG. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Just an hour after I finished installing the third iOS 10.3.2 beta on my iPhone, Apple has dropped a fourth. Alongside it comes new betas for macOS 10.12.5, tvOS 10.2.1, and watchOS 3.2.2 — all of which are available to download now if you’re a developer.
Thanks to recent leaks, we thought we had a good idea what the iPhone 8 might look like. But forget what you thought you knew about Apple’s next-generation smartphone.
This apparent dummy unit blows all our previous conceptions right out of the water and leaves us with a lot of unanswered questions.
Add a layer of armor to your iPhone's lifeline, with these extra tough Lightning cables. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Part of owning an iPhone or iPad is replacing the Lightning cable that keeps them charged and synced. After all, the standard Apple Lightning cable is a short and fragile affair, made with thin plastic and wrapped in soft white rubber that’s prone to tearing and fraying. That’s why it’s good to have a backup, but why not also get one that’s built to last? That’s what the Fuse Chicken offers: an extra long, extra strong Lightning cable that’ll probably outlive the devices you connect to them. Right now you can get a Fuse Chicken Titan Plus for just $29.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.
You’ll need a new iPhone if you can’t update to iOS 8 or later. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
The latest WhatsApp update adds the ability to have Siri read aloud your WhatsApp messages.
You can also use the virtual assistant to compose and send replies, so urgent conversations can continue while you’re busy or driving, and you don’t even need to touch your iPhone.
YouTube's hidden Dark Mode is perfect for late-night video consumption.
Screenshot: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
YouTube is testing a Dark Mode design, which can be toggled on and off once you activate it.
If you’re watching videos late at night, Dark Mode is super-useful to help avoid straining your eyes — plus, it just looks cool. Find out how to enable YouTube Dark Mode it in the video below.
'Appy weekend everyone! Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Want to find out which apps were gracing our Apple devices this week? Check our list below.
From a great piratical RPG to an… erm, naked selfie sharing app, here are the apps that occupied our time over the past seven days. There’s simply no better way to spend the remainder of your weekend.
A home monitoring camera and a subwoofer you wear on your wrist are just two of this week's newest deals. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Spring is in the air, which means you’re either enjoying the new blooms or fighting a fresh round of allergies. However the weather has you feeling, the newest deals at the Cult of Mac Store are sure to please. This week, we’ve got a decked-out Wi-Fi camera for home monitoring, a powerful business planning platform, a stylus that doubles as a working pen, and a powerful subwoofer you wear on your wrist (talk about personal audio). Read on for more details:
Protect your online life with a VPN, guard your privacy with a second phone number, and lots more. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Welcome to the new week, same as the last week. Except of course for the great deals in the Cult of Mac Store. This go around, our very best deals include a lifetime of VPN protection, comprehensive training in Microsoft Excel, a powerful alternative to Search and Spotlight, and an anonymous second phone line perfect for first dates or Craigslist deals. Everything is discounted by more than half, read on for more details:
The 2015 Lexus RX450h is Apple's vehicle of choice. Photo: Lexus
Getting behind the wheel of one of Apple’s self-driving cars requires drivers to pass a series of tests, based on new information about the secretive project that leaked out today.
Details of Apple’s self-driving car program have been revealed by documents filed with the California DMV that shed light on the “Apple Automated System” currently under development.
A sacrifice worth making? Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Recently “leaked” schematics for Apple’s next-generation iPhone reveal the company could be returning to a sharper, squarer form factor similar to that of the iPhone 5. They also hinted at a big change for Touch ID.
With Apple expected to eliminate the Home button from this year’s iPhone, its fingerprint scanner could be relocated to its back — like on many Androids. This would free up space on the front of the phone for a larger display, while maintaining the secure and super-fast biometric sensor we all love.
But is a rear-facing fingerprint scanner a smart move, or should it remain on the front of the iPhone? Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over the iPhone 8’s Touch ID button.
Save the earth and get paid! Trade-in your old Apple gear this week for cash, and take advantage of our Earth Day bonus: an extra $10 on every trade-in. Photo: Pexels
Last chance! We’ve extended our special Earth Day buyback bonus until Monday.
Americans throw away 9.4 million tons of electronics each year, according to Earth 911. That’s roughly equivalent to the weight of 1.88 million elephants — way more elephants than are even alive today.
Fight that e-waste nightmare by trading in your old Apple gear, and you can take advantage of our Earth Day bonus: You’ll get an extra $10 on every trade-in — just use the coupon code “earthday”!
Apple may make the surprising move of relocating the Touch ID button to the back of the iPhone this year, but based on renderings of a leaked schematic, it wouldn’t look that bad.
Several renders, based on the supposed iPhone 8 schematic that hit the internet this week, show what the device’s rear shell might look like during production. It’s not a photo of the real iPhone shell, but for now this is as close to the real deal as we’re going to get.
Same size as the iPhone 7, but with a bigger screen. Photo: Martin Hajek
Thanks to a bevy of leaks that flooded the internet this week, we know more about the iPhone 8 than ever before. Even if only half the rumors turn out to be true, this year’s iPhone is set to be the most innovative device Apple has made in years.
Get the flexibility of having a second phone number without the hassle of opening up a new line. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Whether for dating, work or just buying something on Craigslist, giving out your phone number can be stressful. It’s basically a form of personal ID, a surefire way to be reached whether you want to be or not.
We have secondary email addresses, so why not phone lines? Hushed is offering just that — a private and secure second phone line. It’s a great way to get a layer of peace of mind and privacy when it comes to your digits. And right now you can get a lifetime of Hushed Private Phone Line for just $25 at Cult of Mac Deals.
Add grip, extended vision, extra life, and other powers to your smartphone with this bundle of accessories. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Your iPhone comes out of the box full of possibilities. But with the right accessory, you can vastly expand the powers of your phone. This bundle of upgrades will allow your iPhone to cling to walls, see into your house no matter where you are, throw its voice, and add up to 10 extra lifespans.
Here's how watchOS 4 could improve Apple Watch for fitness buffs. Image: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac
Apple puts fitness front and center in its advertising for Apple Watch Series 2, even going so far as to claim the device is a “superior sports watch.” But in reality, it is not a sports watch at all. It’s a smartwatch. And that’s a massively important distinction.
Sports watches, like the TomTom Runner or Garmin Forerunner, are cheaper and more reliable at logging workouts, while smartwatches are jacks of all trades, which usually means they are masters of none. Or at least, not masters of fitness.
The sad fact is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Right now, it’s mostly the software that is letting Apple Watch down. That’s why I’m hoping that with its next major software update, Apple will finally get its smartwatch into shape for fitness fans. Here’s what I want to see in watchOS 4, which Apple will likely unveil at its Worldwide Developers Conference this June.
Future iPhones will be made from 100 percent recycled and renewable materials. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple has pledged to end its reliance on mining, and to make its devices from only renewable or recycled materials — although it’s not announced any timeline to do so.
The Wearhaus Arc headphones are the first 'social' headphones that allow music sharing between headsets. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
Best List: Wearhaus’ Arc ‘social’ headphones
Wearing headphones tends to cut you off from the world, but Wearhaus’ Arc headphones are more sociable.
The wireless Arc headphones allow multiple headsets to stream audio from the same source. Think silent disco, watching a movie together, or sharing tunes with your BFF.
Samsung has a winner in the Galaxy S8. Photo: Samsung
The first reviews of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have dropped a day ahead of their official launch in many markets, and there’s one thing to take away from them: Samsung just knocked it out of the park with its best smartphones to date.
Despite the problems the company encountered with the Galaxy Note 7 last fall, it has managed to produce two new devices that don’t disappoint. From gorgeous design and impressive cameras to the best display on the market, the Galaxy S8 series has it all.
It might not perfect, but the changes and improvements Samsung has made show Apple what a smartphone should be in 2017, and make it even more difficult for the iPhone to catch up.
With this lesson bundle, you can up your Excel chops and make yourself even more marketable. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
OK, let’s face it: Excel is anything but sexy. But the spreadsheet software is essential to any digital workplace, so it’s well worth knowing how to use it. If you’re looking to boost your skill level with this essential app, take a look at this bundle of lessons from eLearnExcel.
iPhone 5's straight edges could be making a comeback. Photo: Sonny Dickson
A new photo of what is believed to be iPhone 8 schematics reveals a surprising new design direction.
Apple appears to have done away with the smooth curves we’ve come to expect from its smartphones in recent years, opting instead for sharper edges and flat sides. This image suggests the next iPhone will be much like the iPhone 5, only bigger.
Apple isn't the only one suffering in China. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Samsung isn’t giving up on its Galaxy Note lineup following last year’s exploding battery fiasco. According to one reliable analyst, a Galaxy Note 8 is coming with a dual-lens camera that will be “much better than that of the iPhone 7 Plus.”
This bundle of 12 apps and 3 lessons will upgrade your and your Mac's productivity potential. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Your Mac is a creative powerhouse — if it’s loaded with the right apps. With the Supersized Creative Mac Bundle, you’ll supercharge your computer with a dozen top-notch creative apps, like Storyist and Aurora HDR.
Plus, the bundle comes with more than 25 hours of coursework covering the essentials of digital photography, video and web design. This is the shot of productive and creative energy you’ve been looking for. And right now, you can get the Supersized Creative Mac Bundle for just $29 at Cult of Mac Deals.
Technical challenges could put the kibosh on some of iPhone 8's possible features. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple’s next iPhone refresh will be the device’s biggest in years, but some of the more dramatic upgrades could be curtailed by technical challenges.
In its report on the new iPhone 8, Bloomberg corroborates many previous rumors about the next-gen iPhone, but suggests that more “ambitious” features may be scaled back or ditched due to manufacturing problems.