The Apple Holiday Gift Guide 2021 is out with suggestions for phones, computers, audio accessories and exercise gear for a variety of people on your shopping list.
As a bonus, Apple is offering downloadable templates to make personalized holiday cards.
If you sweat a lot when you work out — and if your Apple Watch bands barely stand up to the torrent — rejoice. Twelve South rolled out its new ActionBand Thursday. The company designed the soft, absorbent, wide band to keep up with the hardest workouts and resulting perspiration.
The Zens Magnetic + Watch Wireless Charger stands in the ranks of MagSafe-compatible chargers designed to be your go-to device for juicing up multiple pieces of Apple gear — and the sleek and compact 4-in-1 device does it in style. But not with a huge amount of charging power.
The Zens Magnetic + Watch Wireless Charger tops up four devices — all at once, if you like.
A puck on a dark metallic stem holds a MagSafe iPhone (12 or 13 series) firmly in place, horizontally or vertically. The surface underneath charges an AirPods case or any Qi-enabled device. A USB-A charging stick lets you top off an Apple Watch in Sleep mode. And a USB-A port on the side powers up something else, like an iPad.
Apple reportedly plans to bring “crash detection” to iPhone and Apple Watch next year, with the ability for both devices to automatically dial 911.
The feature is said to use existing sensors like the accelerometer and gyroscope, already baked into both devices, to measure sudden spikes in movement or force that will allow them to “detect car accidents as they occur.”
Anker expanded its lineup of iPhone 13 accessories Friday with a new version of the PowerWave Magnetic Stand. Now with a 3-in-1 form factor, Anker’s new MagSafe-compatible stand will juice up your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch — all at once, if necessary.
Apple Fitness+ added group workouts and meditation sessions Monday, letting users communicate in real time with up to 32 other people. The new capability taps FaceTime’s new SharePlay feature, which works on iOS devices now and comes to macOS Monterey later this fall.
“It’s a really fun way to connect with friends and family, even trade some words of encouragement or friendly smack talk, while also making progress toward closing their rings,” said Jay Blahnik, Apple’s vice president of fitness technologies, in a press release.
Rumors that Apple Watch 7 would include be able to sense the wearer’s blood glucose didn’t pan out. But Apple is reportedly collaborating with a pair of Asian companies to add non-invasive blood sugar monitoring to the 2022 model.
This would add to the already lengthy list of health-monitoring features available in Apple’s current wearable.
People around the world are receiving their new Apple Watch Series 7, and every single one of them includes a band whether the buyer wants it or not. Over successive versions, many Watch wearers have built a collection of bands and don’t need another. But Apple doesn’t give them a choice when it comes to buying a new Watch.
At a time when Apple says it’s trying to fight waste, it really should offer the Apple Watch without requiring a new band.
Many Floridians will soon be able to leave home with just their iPhone… no wallet necessary. Florida is working with Apple to display its residents’ digital driver’s licenses in the Wallet app.
When the feature becomes available, residents of the Sunshine State plus eight other states will be able to store and display digital versions of their driver’s licenses on their iPhone and Apple Watch.
The larger screen in the Apple Watch Series 7 is the highlight of the upcoming wearable, according to the first reviews out today. And reviewers praise faster charging, too.
Even so, the consensus is that the new model will be a welcome upgrade for those with an older Watch but not a significant jump for those with Series 6.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We reminisce about Steve Jobs and his lasting impact on Apple, a decade after his death. Plus, M1X MacBook Pros might be coming soon. And the Apple Watch Series 7 launch looks quite weird indeed.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.
Shipping dates for some Apple Watch Series 7 models slipped into November less than an hour after the device went up for preorder.
While some seemingly less-popular configurations remain available for launch day delivery on October 15, many will have customers waiting several weeks.
Apple Watch Series 7 launches Friday but pricing information for most configurations remains a mystery less than a day from the debut. All Apple has revealed so far is that the base model is $399.
If buyers don’t have this information until preorders begin, those who spend extra time deciding on a configuration might have to wait additional weeks to get their device.
The time when you can preorder the next generation of Apple Watch is drawing close. Apple will start taking people’s money at exactly 5 a.m. PDT this Friday, Oct. 8.
If demand is as heavy (and supply is as light) as expected, the company might quickly run short of Apple Watch Series 7 available on launch day. That means that if you delay your order, you might have to wait extra days or even weeks to get your new device.
If you want in on day one, there’s more you should do to get ready than simply setting an alarm. Here’s how to get completely ready to put in an Apple Watch Series 7 preorder.
Apple confirmed on Monday that Apple Watch Series 7 will finally be available to preorder on Friday, October 8. Desperately want to bag your own? Sell your old Apple Watch to Cult of Mac today to raise some quick upgrade cash.
Cult of Mac’s buyback program makes it easy to sell your old Apple devices, and we typically pay more than other buyback services. What’s more, we cough up real cash. Get a quote for your old Apple Watch today.
Get yourself an Apple Watch charger that you can forget about right up until you really need it. Apple Watch Wireless Charger Keychains are on sale for $16.99 for one, $33.14 for two and $65.44 for four if you use the code VIP15 during our VIP Sale.
Apple on Friday released an update for iOS 15 that takes care of a bug that disabled Unlock with Apple Watch on the iPhone 13 series. This patch — dubbed iOS 15.0.1 — has other bug fixes too, including one that incorrectly told users their storage was nearly full.
The new version is accompanied by iPadOS 15.0.1 with its own bug fixes.
Apple Watch Series 7 will finally be available to preorder on October 8, according to one of Cupertino’s official partners. Hermès is telling customers via email that’s the date they’ll be able to secure their new smartwatches.
Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech, who has a decent track record when it comes to Apple rumors, also claims that Apple Watch Series 7 will be available to preorder “as early as next week,” with shipping to begin in mid-October.
The first Apple Watch released back in 2015 has been classified by Apple as vintage. That might sound like a compliment, but it really means that getting the wearable repaired is a bit more difficult than it used to be.
Note that this is not Apple Watch Series 1. That’s a different model.
Security researchers have discovered a major flaw in Express Transit on iPhone that allows hackers to steal money from a user’s Visa card. They say the problem can be easily fixed, but neither Apple or Visa seem interested.
The flaw makes it possible for iPhone’s contactless payment system, designed to make it easier and faster to pay for public transport, to be charged arbitrary transactions by a device that imitates a transport terminal.
UPDATE: The brilliant Elago Quattro bumper is now available in new color options, including shark gray and light pink, and it now supports 40mm Apple Watch models. Get yours today for just $11.99 from the Cult of Mac Store.
Don’t let your precious (and pricey) Apple Watch fend for itself in harsh environments. Pick up this tough Quattro Bumper Case from Elkson for essential protection against scuffs and shattered screens.
It protects the sides of your Apple Watch that are prone to scratching when you’re hard at work. It also has a lip that helps prevent its screen from rubbing up against anything rough.
You can get yours for Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, and Series 6 for just $11.99.
Apple has promised to fix an iPhone 13 bug that prevents owners from using Unlock with Apple Watch. In the meantime, users can disable the feature to prevent an “Unable to Communicate with Apple Watch” error from appearing.
Unlock with Apple Watch was first introduced last April with iOS 14.5, giving iPhone users with Face ID the ability to easily unlock their devices while wearing a mask, which prevents facial recognition from working.
Update Sept. 28: iOS 15.1 beta 2 includes a fix for this problem. However, it’s not known when iOS 15.1 will be released to the public.
Do you find your Apple Watch is uncomfortable on your wrist during intense workouts? Wear it on your arm where it’s out of your way with the superb ActionSleeve 2 from Twelve South — now available from the Cult of Mac Store.
Made from a soft and lightweight fabric, ActionSleeve 2 feels good even when you’re hot and sweaty. It doesn’t prevent Apple Watch from tracking your heart rate and other statistics, and it’s machine washable so you can keep it clean.
Apple is developing new iPhone and Apple Watch software tracking user health data to try to detect signs of depression and cognitive decline in users. The work is a joint effort with partners, The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets reported Tuesday.
It’s about time Cupertino gave Apple Watch Series 3 the boot instead of allowing more customers to suffer. The nearly 4-year-old smartwatch isn’t just showing its age on the outside. It’s also painfully slow. And with just 8GB of internal storage, it’s more trouble than it’s worth.
Priced at $199, Apple Watch 3 offers iPhone users a slightly more affordable gateway into Apple’s smartwatch ecosystem — but it’s one everybody should avoid walking through.