Rajesh Pandey

Apple Watch SE 3 revamp will reportedly arrive in H2 2025

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Apple Watch SE 3 might sport a kid-friendly design.
Apple Watch SE 3 will only arrive later in 2025.
Concept graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Like the rumored smart home hub, the refreshed Apple Watch SE might not launch as soon as initially expected. A new report claims the Apple Watch SE will only debut in the second half of the year.

Apple will supposedly give its cheapest smartwatch a big redesign this year, launching it with a new look.

iPhone 17 Air may be nearly as slim as M4 iPad Pro

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All 2025 iPhone 17 models might have ProMotion, always-on screens
iPhone 17 Air may rival the iPad Pro's slimness.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air might be slimmer than initially rumored. All reports suggested the phone could have a 6mm thin waistline.

However, a reputed Apple analyst believes the iPhone 17 Air will measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point.

iPhone 17 Pro could go all-in with 48MP rear cameras

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iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 17 Pro could ditch all its 12MP cameras for good.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Apple might not make meaningful camera hardware improvements to its Pro iPhones this year. The iPhone 17 Pro will supposedly stick to the same 48MP primary shooter as the current flagship iPhone.

The only notable camera improvement on this year’s iPhone would be the switch to a 48MP sensor for the 5x tetraprism shooter.

Apple Card lets users affected by LA wildfires delay payments

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Apple Card after five years
Don't worry about incurring any interest charges for missing the payment.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple Card is notifying customers impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires that they can delay their payments without incurring interest.

Apple is contacting Apple Card users living at an address declared a natural disaster zone. Affected users must enroll in the Disaster Relief Program to be eligible.

Your Mac is mistakenly flagging Docker as malware

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Docker logo
False alarm! The Docker app for Mac is not a malware.
Photo: Docker

Getting a “Malware Blocked” warning on booting your Mac or when starting Docker? You are not alone. Hundreds of Mac users worldwide report seeing a similar message on their machine over the last few days.

The error is due to an issue with Docker, a popular platform designed to build and run apps using containers.

Apple emphasizes Siri’s privacy-first approach after settling lawsuit

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Siri
Apple is highlighting Siri's privacy-first approach to protect its reputation.
Photo: Apple

Apple recently agreed to pay $95 million to settle a Siri class action lawsuit alleging privacy violations. The company is now restating the voice assistant’s commitment to user privacy through an article on its newsroom.

Apple reassures users that it never used Siri data to build marketing profiles or sold it to anyone. Instead, it is always developing new ways to make Siri more privacy-friendly.

Chrome vs. Safari on Mac: Why Google’s browser wins for me

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Chrome vs Safari on Mac
Safari is great, but Chrome is my browser of choice on a Mac.
Graphics: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Safari on the Mac feels a lot faster to use than Google Chrome. It is also more battery efficient and takes fewer resources. Yet, I prefer using Google Chrome on my MacBook.

Despite its faults, Google Chrome trumps Safari in many key aspects. There’s a reason why Google’s browser is the most popular choice worldwide.

Apple adds new warning labels to AirTag

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How do I stop AirTag from making noise?
AirTag units now comply with the Reese's Law.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple silently changed the AirTag‘s retail box to comply with Reese’s Law’s warning label requirements.

The law requires devices with coin-cell batteries to show a warning label about keeping them out of reach of children.

Apple Watch Series 10 drops below Black Friday price

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Apple Watch Series 10 lineup
Save $70 on Apple Watch Series 10.
Image: Apple

The Apple Watch Series 10 just dropped back to its lowest Black Friday price on Amazon. This fantastic deal reduces the 46mm Apple Watch Series 10’s price to just $359 from $429. The 42mm Apple Watch Series 10 is now going for just $329 (down from $399).

Those are Amazon’s lowest prices in 30 days — and Best Buy is matching them.

Apple in 2025: 5 things that could wow us

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Cartoon image of happy shopper in front of a wall of new Apple products. Copy overlay says,
These five Apple products could make you go wow this year.
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Imagine a Siri capable of opening your preferred email client on your iPhone and sending an important email seamlessly. Picture an Apple-branded smart home hub, elegantly wall-mounted in your kitchen, equipped with Apple Intelligence for instant access to smart home controls and a conversational voice assistant. Envision an iPhone just 6mm thin, standing out for its ultra-sleek, stylish design.

All of this could turn into a reality in 2025, with Apple already working on these devices and services for launch next year.

Apple discounts iPhone in China amid intense competition

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Apple discounting iPhone in China from Jan 4-7
Buy from Apple's online store in China to save on iPhone, iPad and Mac
Photo: Apple

In a rare move, Apple is offering discounts of up to RMB 500 ($68.5) on iPhones in China. The promo runs from January 4 through 7 and only applies to selected payment methods.

Apple rarely provides direct discounts on its products, especially on newer models. However, it seems to be making an exception in China.

What to expect from Apple Watch in 2025

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Product shot of Apple Watch Ultra 2 with blue background and the words
Apple Watch could have an Ultra-good year in 2025.
Image: Cult of Mac

2025 should be an Ultra year for the Apple Watch. In an unusual move, Apple only launched the Apple Watch Series 10 this year. It kept the Ultra 2 around, only releasing a new black titanium colorway.

But next year won’t be all about Apple’s most expensive smartwatch. For more budget-conscious customers, the third-gen Apple Watch SE should arrive in 2025.

How to set up your new AirTag the right way

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AirTag
Here's everything you need to know about setting up your new AirTag.
Photo: Mark Chan/Unsplash

The Apple AirTag is arguably among the company’s most useful product releases in recent years. Once you set up an AirTag, it gives you powerful options for locating it (and whatever you attach it to). Put one of Apple’s tracking tags on an item like a keychain or luggage, and you can easily track its location from your iPhone, Mac or iPad.

Since AirTag’s launch, numerous reports have detailed how the tracking tag helped owners find lost items. If you recently acquired an AirTag, here’s how you can set it up the right way and use it properly.

2026 iPhone 18 Pro may feature a game-changing variable aperture camera

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iPhone 15 Pro Max with no case, held aloft defiantly
The iPhone 18 Pro may introduce a groundbreaking feature inspired by professional-grade cameras.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple could adopt a variable aperture system for the iPhone 18 Pro’s main camera that would enable the device to adjust the aperture size and light intake depending on surroundings.

DLSRs typically use a variable aperture lens system. Samsung and some Chinese Android manufacturers have also used the technology on their phones, albeit on a limited scale.

Apple’s next big smart home move could bring Face ID to your doorbell

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Apple security lock logo
A smart home doorbell from Apple with Face ID could become a reality.
Photo: Apple

Apple is reportedly working on a smart doorbell with Face ID-like facial recognition.

The device, still in its early development stages, seems unlikely to reach the market before late 2025 at the earliest. This timeline presumes Apple encounters no significant obstacles during development.

iOS 19 might not cut off any older iPhones

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iOS 19 render logo
iOS 19 will supposedly work with iPhones launched in 2018.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Apple might not drop support for any of its older iPhones with iOS 19. The next big iOS update reportedly will support the same devices as iOS 18.

However, iPadOS 19 supposedly will not be compatible with the seventh-gen iPad.

First folding iPhone could arrive by 2026

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Concept folding iPhone
Apple's folding iPhone might arrive sooner than you think.
Concept: Ran Avni

Hoping to boost sales, Apple could launch its first folding iPhone as soon as 2026, according to The Wall Street Journal. The foldable phone reportedly will follow a super-thin model — which previous rumors called the “iPhone 17 Air” or the “iPhone 17 Slim” — as Apple shakes up its stagnant smartphone lineup.

“It looks like Apple is looking towards hardware innovation to drive user upgrades,” BayStreet Research analyst Cliff Maldonado told the Journal. “The iPhone 16 will be the last of the boring aesthetic phones.”

iPhone 17 Air could deliver premium design at affordable price

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iPhone 17 Air concept image
iPhone 17 Air might not cost a bomb.
Image: Apple Hub/X

The iPhone 17 Air price could come in lower than previously rumored. A new report sheds additional light on Apple’s slimmer-than-usual iPhone, which is expected to launch in September 2025.

The device apparently will help Apple revive growth, impressing potential customers with its sleek design.

Apple Magic Mouse could get a modern makeover

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Black Magic Mouse box
Magic Mouse might finally get a refresh.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple is planning to revamp the Magic Mouse with hand gestures, voice commands and more. And it may even move the controversial bottom charging port. The current design is over 15 years old, introduced back in 2009.

Since then, the Magic Mouse received minor upgrades, including the switch to an oddly-located Lightning port and, eventually, USB-C.

Apple to start making AirPods in India from 2025

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AirPods 4 charging case
'Make in India' AirPods are coming soon.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

After ramping up iPhone manufacturing in India in recent years, Apple will begin producing AirPods next year.

Apple’s supplier, Foxconn, will start assembling the wireless earbuds at a new factory near Hyderabad, Telangana, in Q1 2025. Trial production is already underway at the facility.