I’m not a fan of the Camera Control on all the iPhone 16 models. It’s too hard to use, it’s in the way, and it’s mostly unnecessary. But I stumbled across an alternative way to use it that’s preferable.
Even so, I can honestly see the Camera Control going the way of the infamous MacBook Pro Touch Bar in a few years.
The Apple TV+ sci-fi series Silo remains one of the most watched shows on streaming, just as it has since season two debuted in November. It’s once again on the most recent lists of the top 10 most popular streaming series maintained by two ratings companies.
And the feel-good comedy Shrinking season two drew an audience last week, too. As did Severance.
In Skate City: New York, you take your skateboarding game to the iconic streets of the Big Apple, where you can master hundreds of tricks in real-world locations. The game hit Apple Arcade on Friday, and is playable on iPhone, Mac and more.
Several other titles also joined Apple’s gaming service, including a remodeled version of the original Final Fantasy.
★★★★★
The espresso Display 15 doubles down on appearance. Not only does it have a great-looking LCD, its aluminum-and-glass exterior makes the screen match a MacBook or iPad perfectly.
Even better, it comes with a clever magnetic stand that can hold the display above your notebook, or beside it if you prefer.
espresso’s 17-inch Pro version from 2023 is the best portable monitor I’ve used, so I went into my review of the smaller version with high expectations.
Mac shipments in the last three months of 2024 rose sharply, hitting 17.3% in year-over-year growth according to a market research firm. Apple enjoyed a better growth rate than any of its top rivals, some of which saw their shipments decline.
The company also experienced growth in Mac shipments for the entire year compared to 2023.
January 9, 2007: Apple CEO Steve Jobs gives the world its first look at the iPhone onstage during the Macworld conference in San Francisco. The initial reaction to that first iPhone demo is mixed. But Jobs is confident that Apple has created a product that people want — even if they don’t know it yet.
The palm-size device combines an iPod, a phone and a PDA. The iPhone unveiling excites many Apple fans but critics remain skeptical.
You’re in the gym sticking with your New Year’s resolution, and want to connect your AirPods to your treadmill’s TV to make running less of a drudge. AirFly is exactly what you need. Plug the gizmo into any audio port to connect it to your wireless headphones.
And you can pick up the Twelve South AirFly SE at 14% off thanks to a deal available from multiple retailers.
The chip fabrication plant TSMC opened in Arizona reportedly began producing a second Apple processor, a win for those eager to see more chips produced in the United States.
The fab now reportedly makes Apple Watch processors. It began manufacturing iPhone chips in 2024.
Dell rebranded all its PCs with names that should sound very familiar to Apple users. Going forward, the company’s computers will either be part of the Dell, Dell Pro or Dell Pro Max product lines.
That is, of course, exactly how Apple divides up the various iPhone versions. And the PC-maker immediately faced mockery for its new product names.
The Geo Digital Pencil from ESR costs a quarter of what Apple Pencil Pro does, but both iPad styli support Find My so they can be easily located. And they cling magnetically to an iPad, and can be used for writing or sketching.
In addition, ESR also unveiled a mouse that magnetically attaches to a MacBook for easy portability.
ShiftCam calls the Planck “the world’s smallest portable SSD,” and it’s certainly very small. That and the unusual placement of its USB-C connector allow the drive to fit neatly on the bottom of an iPhone Pro and hold up to 2 TB of high-resolution ProRes video as it’s being recorded.
The accessory hits the market soon and is being shown off at CES 2025 this week.
The espresso 15 Pro checks all the boxes for Apple users looking for a high-end portable monitor. 4K? Check. Touchscreen? Check. USB-C? Check.
The 15-inch screen — a smaller version of the espresso 17 Pro — is on display at CES 2025. It even scored espresso Displays a CES Innovation Award.
★★★★☆
The mophie Powerstation Plus Ultra plugs directly into a wall, and built-in cables let it plug straight into your iPhone or Mac. But it’s no simple wall adapter — it’s also a 10,000mAh power bank.
I put the all-in-one device to the test. It’s a bit of a brick, but delivers when it counts.
The SanDisk Creator Phone SSD sets itself apart from rival portable drives with MagSafe. This means the drive magnetically clings to an iPhone where it’s available to hold up to 2 TB of ProRes video as it’s recorded.
SanDisk unveiled the SSD at CES 2025, along with other new storage options.
Samsung committed itself on Monday to integrating Qi2 wireless charging into its Galaxy line of Android-based smartphones. It’s been dragging its feet for years, while the last four generations of iPhone models all support the standard.
Samsung’s just-announced adoption of Qi2 should benefit iPhone users, who until now have been the only ones able to take advantage of the new standard. More handsets using the magnetically enhanced wireless charging capability should lead to more accessories that employ it. More cross-platform accessories are a win for everyone.
The Satechi Mac mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure expands the capabilities of Apple’s tiny new desktop with additional front-facing ports and more storage. It even makes pressing the computer’s hidden power button easier.
Satechi gave a sneak peek of the product in November, but on Monday revealed the full specifications, including a price and release date.
iOS 18.2.1 went out Monday with the intent of removing bugs that snuck into the earlier version of the iPhone operating system. Apple also released an iPadOS equivalent.
Apple recommends both to anyone who installed the previous versions.
The OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub includes three ports that move data up to twice as fast as Thunderbolt 4 and USB4. That’s professional-level connectivity, opening the possibility of portable SSDs running at 6000MBps or up to three 8K displays at 60Hz .
After an announcement in autumn 2024, the hub is now ready to buy.
The Belkin Stage PowerGrip adds the grip DSLR camera users are familiar with to an iPhone. Built into the grip is a battery which sends power to the handset via the MagSafe magnetic charging mat integrated into the device.
And his is just one of multiple new accessories Belkin unveiled in time for CES 2025.
Apple AirTag sale alert! A four-pack of these essential Bluetooth trackers are at their all-time lowest price on Amazon and Best Buy right now. This record-low price means you can currently pick up a four-pack for $69.99 — less than $18 apiece.
There are so many Apple TV+ shows to look forward to in 2025! There are new seasons of some of the streamer’s best shows coming, along with new series and even a cool-looking film or two. Get ready for dramas, comedies and lots of sci-fi.
Cult of Mac writers picked the Apple TV+ shows we’re most excited about in the coming year. Keep reading or watch our video to fill out your Up Next queue early.
It’s a new year, and it’s a fine time to clear out some of the mistakes of the past. That includes no longer paying for apps or services you don’t use anymore. Luckily, it’s easy — if you know how to cancel subscriptions on your Apple devices.
Here’s how to find everything you’ve signed up for through the App Store, see what it’s costing you, and cancel it if you’ve lost interest. Or perhaps save a bit of money by changing how often you’re billed.
It’s a brand-new year, and that’s a good opportunity to do something you’ve probably been procrastinating on: Replace your website passwords that hackers stole because of some company’s lax security. Fortunately, Apple’s new Passwords app makes it easy to find out which of your passwords leaked so you can change them.
Start the year off right by fixing a potentially serious problem now, before something bad happens.
A Samsung SSD can help you reach your New Year’s resolution to get organized. The T9 offers up to 4 terabytes of capacity, is blazing fast, so you can easily gather the files you have scattered all over the place onto a single drive. And you can grab the SSD now at up to $200 below the usual cost.
For an even more affordable option, the older Samsung T7 is available for as much as 41% off.
It’s time for Apple to get into smart glasses. This is an emerging product category that combines AI, cameras and audio… three components that the iPhone-maker is either already expert at or is working hard to improve.
Apple Glasses could be critical for the company long term because it would be an important step toward someday making the Vision Pro AR headset into a viable product.