| Cult of Mac

The average iPhone has been active for 18 months

By

iPhone XS box gold
People are holding onto their smartphones for longer than ever.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The average iPhone has been active for 18 months, a new report from Strategy Analytics suggests. That compares to 16.5 months for Samsung handsets.

Overall, it seems that people are upgrading their phones at a slower rate. That’s reportedly as a result of “diminishing innovation,” which provides less of a reason to do so. It also likely has a whole lot to do with increased prices.

PSA: Resist the urge to install iOS 13, iPadOS betas for now

By

iPadOS gets a new home screen design.
They’re just not ready for everyone.
Photo: Apple

Apple just dropped its first public beta builds of iOS 13 and iPadOS, making it easy for anyone to try them out months ahead of their official launch. But you should really resist the urge to install them right now.

Don’t assume these betas are ready for everyone just because they’re available to the public now. If you upgrade your primary iPhone and iPad early, you’re almost certainly going to run into frustrating problems.

I’ve suffered all kinds of issues since upgrading — and I’m not the only one.

Got an Apple Watch 3 in need of repair? You could get a free upgrade

By

Save big on the Apple Watch Series 3
Get your Apple Watch for under $200.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you have an Apple Watch Series 3 in need of repair, there’s a chance Apple will upgrade it to a Series 4 model at no extra cost.

Apple has given retail staff and Authorized Service Providers permission to give out newer units in some cases because Series 3 devices are in short supply. It’s not yet clear if this is a permanent or temporary move.

iMac Pro now available with Vega 64X graphics and 256GB RAM

By

iMac Pro
It's going to cost you.
Photo: Apple

The pricey iMac Pro didn’t quite get a refresh like the standard iMac today, but Apple has added some new upgrade options.

Those with a need for speed can now equip the all-in-one with AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X graphics and up to 256GB of RAM for the first time. But be prepared to break the bank (or maybe rob a bank?) for the most impressive model.

Apple wildly underestimates demand for cheap iPhone batteries

By

Right to Repair
Apple's first 5nm chips are expected to ship in iPhone and iPad this year.
Photo: iFixit

Apple reportedly replaced a whopping 11 million iPhone batteries last year — 10 times as many as anticipated.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has already cited this as one of the reasons why new iPhone sales are slowing. It is believed the company expected to perform between 1 and 2 million replacements under its heavily-discounted $29 program.

Sell your iPad now in time for a big upgrade

By

iPad-Pro
Grab yours before it’s too late!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac