Rajesh has been closely following and writing about the latest happenings in the world of mobile for nearly a decade now. While he prefers Android, he does not deny the superiority of Apple's products and ecosystem.
Apple might partner with both Google and OpenAI for iOS 18's AI features. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple has reportedly resumed talks with OpenAI about using its technology to power iOS 18’s AI features. The company will use OpenAI’s LLM model to seemingly power an AI-based chatbot.
OpenAI and Apple are also discussing how they can integrate OpenAI features into iOS 18.
Passkey support finally comes to WhatsApp for iPhone. Image: WhatsApp
WhatsApp is making it easier to log into your account on your iPhone with passkey support. The feature will allow you to verify your identity through Face ID, Touch ID, or device PIN.
Once you have set up a passkey for your WhatsApp account, you can set up the app on a new iPhone through biometric authentication, skipping the SMS code entirely.
iPhone sales tanked in the US, but that doesn't mean buyers are switching to Android. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple saw iPhone activations decline to 33% of new smartphone activations in the US in Q1 2024, the lowest number in the country since 2017, according to a market-research firm. In the year-ago quarter, iPhones accounted for 40% of new smartphone activations in the US. In just 12 months, the company has seen its share fall by 7%.
The decline doesn’t necessarily stem from a lack of interest in Apple’s products — iPhone’s share of the installed smartphone base has actually increased. Partly it’s because iOS handsets last so long.
Which earbuds work better with your iPhone? Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh
If you want new wireless earbuds for your iPhone, the second-generation AirPods Pro are likely your top choice. But Apple offers another pair of earbuds you might consider: Beats Fit Pro. In this Beats Fit Pro vs. AirPods Pro 2 buying guide, we’ll compare the features of these two premium noise-canceling earbuds from Apple.
Do these earbuds provide the same features and sound quality as Apple’s flagship earbuds? Find out in this comparison.
Time to say goodbye to Apple's FineWoven iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands? Photo: Apple
Apple reportedly ceased the production of its FineWoven iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands. Announced alongside the iPhone 15 series in September 2023, the woven material replaced leather in Apple’s accessories lineup.
However, users criticized the FineWoven material for its poor durability and in-hand feel. Its shortcomings became especially evident after a few weeks of use.
Apple could run iOS 18's AI features on-device on the iPhone. Concept: Kevin Kall
Apple’s large language model that will power iOS 18’s AI features could run entirely locally. This would prioritize user privacy and offer faster response times.
However, running AI features on-device will have downsides, as they might not be as powerful as on some Android phones.
WhatsApp and Threads are no longer available for download in China's App Store. Photo: Unsplash
Following a request from the Chinese government, Apple has reportedly pulled WhatsApp and Threads from China’s App Store. Other Meta apps, like Facebook and Instagram, are still available for download in the country.
The Cyberspace Administration of China asked Apple to take down the two Meta apps, citing national security concerns.
The iPhone 17 Plus could be smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The 2025 iPhone 17 Plus could sport a smaller screen than previous Plus models. This could make the phone more compact and fit better in Apple’s lineup.
Apple currently uses a 6.7-inch OLED panel on the iPhone 15 Plus. This is the same display size as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, albeit the latter uses a superior 120Hz panel.
Chat Filters will make managing your WhatsApp inbox a lot easier. Photo: WhatsApp
WhatsApp is rolling out Chat Filters to make it easier to follow up on unread conversations. These filters allow you to swiftly go through your inbox based on unread messages or group conversations.
As WhatsApp has grown in popularity, so has the number of people and brands reaching out to you on the service. This means you’re more likely to miss out on an important message, which Chat Filters can help avoid.
Could Apple finally solve the flaring issue on iPhone photos and videos? Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
Apple could finally eliminate lens flare, a longtime problem with the iPhone camera, with a new lens coating technology on the iPhone 16 Pro.
It’s common for lens flares to show up in photos or videos taken with an iPhone’s camera, but Apple has made little improvement in this area over generations.
Change these settings on your Mac now Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh
Setting up a new Mac is an experience in itself. But once you finish your initial setup, you should change these Mac system settings for a better experience. These five easy tweaks to default Mac system preferences will speed up your workflow and save you time.
Irrespective of whether you are a new or long-time Mac user, below are five settings to change on your Mac. Keep reading or watch our latest video.
Apple Watch ghost touch issues are more widespread than initially believed. Photo: D. Griffith Jones/Cult of Mac
Experiencing “ghost touch” problems on your Apple Watch, where the device responds to finger taps that never happened? You are not alone. Although the bug was initially limited to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, it appears to affect some older models, too.
Apple informed its service providers not to replace Apple Watch models plagued by the ghost touch bug. Instead, it has provided a temporary solution while the company works on a permanent software fix.
The OLED iPad Pro should ship with slimmer bezels. Photo: Cult of Mac
Apple’s new iPad Pro could launch in early May with updated internals and a refreshed design. All rumors surrounding Apple’s next premium tablet indicate it will feature OLED displays.
The first iPadOS 17.5 beta seems to confirm this, as it contains four new display firmware for unreleased iPad models.
It's the battle of the 15-inch laptops. Photo/Graphics: Dell/Apple/Rajesh
If you are in the market for a slim laptop, there are few options better than the 15-inch MacBook Air. But if you look beyond Apple’s ecosystem, there’s the Dell XPS 15. It packs a slim and lightweight design and offers more value for money than the MacBook. So, which 15-inch laptop wins the MacBook Air vs. Dell XPS 15 smackdown?
Find out in this buying guide, which compares the two laptops on their designs, displays, performance, ports, battery lives and prices.
Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X Elite CPU might be faster than Apple's M3 chip. Photo: Apple
Microsoft’s upcoming “AI PCs” might finally rival the performance of Apple’s latest MacBook Air. The new Arm-based Windows laptops, due for unveiling at a special event on May 20, will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processors.
Reportedly, the new Qualcomm CPU is faster than the M3 MacBook Air in CPU tasks, AI acceleration and app emulation.
New iPads could finally debut next month. Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple’s long-rumored (and apparently delayed) OLED iPad Pro with M3 chip could launch in early May. Alongside the Pro iPads, Apple reportedly will unveil a new iPad Air, a third-gen Apple Pencil and a redesigned Magic Keyboard.
To prepare for the impending launch of the new iPads, Apple’s retail stores will receive new product marketing materials soon, according to the latest report.
Apple has paid Shutterstock millions of dollars for access to its copyrighted photos and videos. Photo: Josh Davidson/Cult of Mac
Apple reportedly struck a deal with Shutterstock to license its massive library of images and videos to train its AI models. The precise deal value remains unclear, but estimates suggest a range of $25 million-$50 million.
As a part of the licensing, Apple will gain access to millions of images and videos in Shutterstock’s library.
The App Store will soon list game emulators for download. Photo: Apple
Apple is opening its walled garden to game emulators. The company has updated the App Store guidelines to reflect that developers can now list retro game emulators for download worldwide.
Additionally, the updated guidelines make it easier for music streaming apps to redirect users to an external website. However, this change is only applicable to the EU.
Some Apple employees who worked on Apple Car and micro LED projects are being laid off. Photo: Laurenz Heymann/Unsplash
Following the shutdown of the Apple Car project, the Cupertino giant is laying off more than 600 employees. Many other affected employees worked on developing micro LED displays for the Apple Watch and future products.
The laid-off employees worked in and around Santa Clara, near Apple’s California headquarters.
iOS 17.5 beta 1 is light on changes. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Following a lull of a few weeks, Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 17.5 to developers Tuesday. While iOS 17.4 was a big release, iOS 17.5 beta 1 packs relatively minor (albeit important) changes.
Below are all the changes we have spotted in the first iOS 17.5 beta.
Save $100 on Apple's newest 13-inch MacBook Air. Photo: Apple
Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip has got a whopping $100 discount within weeks of its launch. Thanks to the deal, you can get Apple’s latest 13-inch Air for just $999.
A $50-$100 discount is also available on other configurations of the machine.
Save $50 on various configurations of 15-inch MacBook Air, or $100 on some 13-inch models. Photo: Apple
Within weeks of going on sale, Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air is available with a sweet $50 discount. The deal knocks the price of the entry-level configuration down to $1,249.
You can score a similar $50 discount on the 15-inch Air with M3 chip in 512GB and 16GB configurations. And, if you don’t need that massive 15-inch screen, you can get the 13-inch MacBook Air at an even bigger discount.
It's easy to customize your iPhone's look by adding widgets and removing app icons you don’t want to see. Image: Kristin Hardwick/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Your iPhone doesn’t need to look like it came from 2012. You can easily swap out wallpapers and/or customize iPhone Home Screen layouts by adding widgets and folders (and by hiding unwanted apps from your view).
This guide will help set up your iPhone screen so it looks exactly how you want it to.
iOS 18 could finally let you create a blank Home Screen row. Concept: Kevin Kall
Apple will allow for greater iPhone Home Screen customization in iOS 18, including the ability to place app icons anywhere on the screen, according to a new report.
iPhone owners also supposedly will gain the flexibility to create blank rows and columns, though the icons will still snap to a grid.