Mobile menu toggle

iOS 26.1 will fix one of iPhone’s biggest photo upload pains

By

Close-up photo of iPhone 17 Pro's camera array
Reliable photo uploads to third-party apps is finally coming to the iPhone.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

With iOS 26.1, Apple will finally address one of the most annoying issues iPhone users face when uploading photos to third-party apps. They will no longer need to keep the app open for the upload process to complete.

Right now, only Apple’s Photos app can reliably back up your pictures to the cloud even if the app is not in the foreground.

Discount code: Get a versatile iPhone scanning app for $24.99 (works with iPad, too)

By

Scan documents with your iPhone or iPad with iScanner, now only $35.
This iPhone and iPad-compatible scanning app works wonders.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With the right scanning app, your iPhone or iPad can scan documents with vivid clarity. There’s no need for a printer-size scanner — you just need your Apple gear. A great example of such an app, iScanner is now on sale for only $24.99 with code SCAN (regularly $199.90).

How to hide apps on your iPhone and iPad

By

Hide Your Secrets
There’s an easy way to keep your apps hidden.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can hide apps on your iPhone so they’re completely invisible, and you can lock all kinds of apps so they require Face ID to open.

Why would you want to? Maybe you have sensitive content you don’t want anyone to see, or you don’t want anyone to know you’re using dating or hookup apps. Hiding apps is also good for staying off social media or away from addictive games. Plus, it’s a great way to declutter your iPhone’s Home Screen. You can really clean things up without deleting apps you might want to keep.

There are, however, a few essential apps on your phone that can’t be hidden. Here’s how it all works.

Get Apple’s sleek and stunning M4 iMac with a sweet discount

By

M4 iMac
If you are looking to buy an iMac, there’s no need to pay full price.
Photo: Apple

A new M4 iMac deal knocks 9% off the price of Apple’s 24-inch computer, dropping it to just $1,182.10. The all-in-one desktop machine is right for both families and businesses.

Besides its stellar performance, the machine stands out for its beautiful 4.5K Retina display and sleek design.

Ben Stiller’s touching new documentary tells his famous parents’ tale

By

Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost documentary
Anne Meara Stiller, Jerry Stiller, Ben Stiller and Amy Stiller back in the day.
Photo: Apple TV

Ben Stiller, a driving force behind Apple TV hit workplace psychodrama Severance, now turns to a much more personal subject as a director: his famous comedian parents. His new documentary, Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, begins streaming Friday on Apple TV. And it looks like it might prompt laughs as well as tears.

Today in Apple history: The world prepares for the NeXT Computer

By

People couldn't wait to discover Steve Jobs' next move at NeXT Computer.
People couldn't wait to discover Steve Jobs' next move.
Image: Newsweek

October 24 Today in Apple history: World prepares for the NeXT Computer October 24, 1988: Three years after leaving Apple, Steve Jobs prepares to launch the NeXT Computer, a machine he hopes will cement his reputation as a tech genius and blow away the machines produced by Cupertino.

The new NeXT Computer receives a wave of positive publicity. Fawning stories show exactly what the 33-year-old Jobs has been working on — and what’s coming next.

Don’t call it boring. M5 MacBook Pro gets a lot right. [Review] ★★★★

By

M5 MacBook Pro review★★★★
It's a lot like M4 MacBook Pro -- but under-the-hood upgrades make it much better.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

After spending some time with Apple’s new base-model 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro, I’ve come to a clear conclusion: It’s an excellent laptop that represents the absolute best iteration of a formula Apple perfected years ago. But whether you should buy one depends entirely on what you’re upgrading from and what you actually do with your computer.

OpenAI acquires ex-Apple Shortcuts team to supercharge ChatGPT for Mac

By

OpenAI acquires the team behind Sky
The team behind Shortcuts will now work on the ChatGPT app.
Photo: OpenAI

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has acquired Software Applications Inc., a company founded by former Apple employees who worked on Workflow, the software Apple acquired in 2017 and renamed “Shortcuts.”

At Software Applications, the team has been hard at work on Sky, an AI-powered assistant that can perform actions across any app on your Mac. The acquisition should give OpenAI a leg up when it comes to integrating ChatGPT into Macs.

Price drop: Use OpenAI to find hot stocks to invest in

By

Photo of a person using AI investing app Sterling Stock Picker
Maximize your stock portfolio with this AI investing app.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Without an AI investing app, trading in today’s unpredictable market can feel like throwing darts blindfolded. (Pro tip: Don’t try that unless you’re Mike Tyson.) One day, stocks are up; the next, they’re crashing. Not to mention, every so-called expert has a different opinion.

Sterling Stock Picker changes the game. This AI-driven platform taps OpenAI to take the guesswork out of investing, using advanced technology to guide you toward smarter financial decisions.

Whether you’re looking for long-term growth, dividend stocks or high-risk/high-reward opportunities, this AI investing app helps you navigate the stock market with clarity. And speaking of good investments, you can lock in a lifetime subscription to Sterling Stock Picker for just $55.20 with code SAVE20. That’s a massive, limited-time discount off the original price of $486.

iPhone Air flop proves Apple should make fewer phone models

By

iPhone Air flop
As beautiful as the iPhone Air is, the super-slim handset simply is not selling well.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The iPhone Air is Apple’s latest attempt to make a fourth iPhone variant. It’s bombing, just like previous similar efforts. It’s clear that the vast majority of customers are happy with the other versions and have no interest in another type of iPhone, no matter what design it uses.

Apple should drop the whole idea. Too many options are as bad as too few.

When will your state let you add your ID to Apple Wallet?

By

Georgia becomes latest state to support driver’s license in Apple Wallet
Eleven states or territories, including Georgia, are fully on board.
Image: Georgia Department of Driver Services

When will you be able to add your driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet on your iPhone? In the United States, it varies by where you live. It’s not up to Apple: Each state and territory maintains a completely independent registry of drivers and identification cards, so each one must independently pass legislation and implement digital IDs.

If you live in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Puerto Rico or West Virginia, you can do it today. (Our guide will show you how to add your driver’s license to Apple Wallet.) Otherwise, check our map and lists below to see how likely your state is to let you add your ID to Apple Wallet, and when it might happen.

How to add your ID to Apple Wallet

By

State IDs in Apple Wallet
Get a gorgeous state ID in Apple Wallet.
Image: Apple

In several states, Apple’s digital ID initiative enables iPhones and Apple Watch to hold a digital copy of the user’s driver’s license, in the same way these devices store credit cards and airline tickets.

The day when an iPhone can completely take the place of an old-fashioned wallet is still years away, but it’s a goal Apple is working toward. Apple Pay is making progress on replacing credit cards, you can put airline tickets in the Wallet app, and the same goes for loyalty cards.

But no wallet is complete unless it can hold a driver’s license. And that’s where Apple’s digital ID initiative comes in.

Here’s what you need to know to add your driver’s license and ID to your Apple Wallet.

Today in Apple history: Apple puts 1,000 songs in your pocket with first-gen iPod

By

Today in Apple history: Apple puts 1,000 songs in your pocket with first-gen iPod
Introduced on this day in 2001, the iPod quickly became a cultural phenomenon.
Photo: Newsweek

October 23: Today in Apple history: Apple puts 1,000 songs in your pocket with first-gen iPod launch October 23, 2001: Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduces the first iPod, a device capable of storing an entire music library in a highly portable package.

The first-generation device boasts a 5GB hard drive capable of putting “1,000 songs in your pocket.” That may not sound too dazzling in a world in which people can stream the massive Apple Music library from their iPhones, but it was a game-changer at the time!

Apple TV might try to buy massive Warner Bros. Discovery content library

By

New Apple TV logo for 2025
Apple TV+ is now simply Apple TV with a more colorful logo.
Screenshot: Apple

It seems Apple might buy Warner Bros. Discovery, the media and entertainment company that owns HBO, CNN and other high-profile properties. Apple reportedly expressed interest in acquiring parts of the company, particularly its extensive film and television library, as the media giant explores a potential sale, according to a report Thursday.

Such a deal would be a massive boost for Apple TV, adding depth to the streaming service’s catalog.

Why Apple might kick the iPhone 19 to the curb

By

iPhone 20 concept
The iPhone 20 might step on the iPhone 19.
AI concept: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 20 is reportedly coming sooner than you might think. Apple is so eager to release the 20th anniversary model that it might skip a number and introduce the iPhone 20 months before the usual schedule.

Why rent cloud storage? Own 2TB for life for just $70.

By

Product photo of the FileJump 2TB Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription.
Make the smart investment today with FileJump’s 2TB lifetime subscription for $89 and enjoy secure, hassle-free storage for life.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We all know subscription fees multiply like rascally rabbits. Wouldn’t it be nice to have cloud storage that doesn’t add to the misery? FileJump offers a refreshing alternative. Why rent your cloud storage month after month when you can score 2TB of cloud space for just $69.97 for life?

No more recurring payments or surprise fees. Just a one-time investment for a lifetime of secure, accessible cloud storage.

Idris Elba switches from plane to train in moody Hijack season 2 trailer

By

Promo still shows Idris Elba aboard a train in
We can stop wondering -- Hijack season two is on!
Photo: Apple TV

Critically acclaimed thriller series Hijack returns to Apple TV for a second season on January 14, 2026, Apple said Tuesday as it released a moody teaser trailer for the show.

The second edge-of-your-seat hijacking once again puts Emmy-nominated actor Idris Elba at the center of the action. He sure gets into some trouble, doesn’t he? 

Get lifetime access to 1,000-plus career-building courses for just $19.97

By

A photo of a person writing on a tablet with a laptop nearby, used to illustrate a hot deal on a StackSkills Unlimited subscription.
Want to learn coding, marketing, music, investing or something else entirely? Get a lifetime pass to a bigger brain with StackSkills Unlimited.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

StackSkills has a news flash for anyone who got a little too comfortable after high school: It’s not smart to stop learning. That’s especially true in this accelerated stage of the information age, where new tech skills are increasingly in demand.

The good news is that it’s easier than ever to catch up to the needs of today’s job market, thanks to resources like StackSkills. This vast platform for online education can help anyone chart a path to a new career. And lifetime subscriptions cost just $19.97 (regularly $600).

Apple A20 chip could bring a wicked speed boost, but at a cost

By

Apple A20 chip
The A20 chip will arrive in 2026 with the iPhone 18 generation.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The Apple A20 chip in next year’s iPhone will be made using a new 2nm process that will increase the performance while boosting battery life. But the new chip won’t come cheap, according to a Wednesday report. A considerable jump in price is expected … though perhaps not enough to force Apple to raise the cost of its handsets.

The same goes for the M6 processor headed for future Macs.

Today in Apple history: The App Store hits 200 million downloads

By

App Store
The App Store racked up 200 million downloads in less than five months.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

October 22: Today in Apple history: The App Store hits 200 million downloads October 22, 2008: During a conference call, Apple CEO Steve Jobs reveals that a user downloaded the 200 millionth app from the App Store that very day.

The news comes less than five months after the launch of the App Store, and only a month after Apple surpassed 100 million app downloads.

New Apple TV trailer sucks you deeper into freaky, funny world of Pluribus

By

Pluribus season 1
Pluribus debuts November 7 on Apple TV.
Photo: Apple TV

How would it feel to be the last unhappy person on Earth, and the world’s resources are trained on making you happy? The new Apple TV trailer for Pluribus, from Breaking Bad and X-Files creator Vince Gilligan, brings you deeper into that world.

For my money, the rampant happiness the world’s population apparently feels — aside from the story’s main character — is actually some sort of contagion with dire consequences. And she has immunity. 

The unsettling new series debuts November 7 on Apple TV. Read more and watch the latest trailer, plus two previous teasers, below. 

This brilliant Bluetooth travel keyboard/stand works with any iPad [Review] ★★★★

By

Satechi OntheGo Bluetooth Keyboard with Stand★★★★
The Satechi OntheGo Bluetooth Keyboard with Stand works with any current or future iPad.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Satechi OntheGo Bluetooth Keyboard with Stand is an ideal option for those who need to add a travel keyboard to their iPad and don’t want to limit the accessory to only one tablet. Or want to add a portable keyboard to their iPad without giving up the case they like.

It can switch between computers with a simple push of a button. Plus, it’s not limited to tablets.

I’ve tested the multi-device input device with my iPad and iPhone, and came away quite pleased.

Apple dramatically cuts production of iPhone Air due to weak demand

By

iPhone Air rear sitting on a speckled gray carpet.
iPhone Air sales figure are as slim as its profile.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Low demand for the super-slim iPhone Air in markets outside China led Apple to drastically cut its production orders, according to a new report. But the company is increasing assembly for other iPhone 17 models due to high demand.

The report comes after the iPhone Air sold out within minutes of preorders opening in China last week. After the initial buzz faded, demand appears to have dropped off