Change it up!

How to swap the default web browser on iPhone or iPad.

Leander Kahney
August 28, 2024

Opera’s new mobile browser offers several compelling features absent from Safari.

Opera One for iOS boats artificial intelligence features like image generation and voice input, a free VPN for private browsing, and even a built-in ad blocker (just don’t use it when reading Cult of Mac!).

It also has better tab management than Safari and a better UI (according to some).

Plus, it’s free! Wow. Sounds great.

So, let’s say you load up Opera One, play around, and start to like the new browser a lot. But the next time you click a link in an email, it opens in Safari — when you wanted to use Opera One instead.

Don’t worry: Setting Opera One (or maybe DuckDuckGo’s browser for extra privacy) is actually very easy. However, Apple cunningly hid the setting.

Here’s how to set up a different default browser on iPhone or iPad.

Also in today’s newsletter:

This is hard to believe: China is set to ban a host of wireless chargers — including possibly MagSafe — for a rather weird reason.
I’m lusting after the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air, but the last thing I need is another Mac right now. If you’re in the market for one, Amazon’s got a great deal.
Talking of lusting … Anker’s new portable power stations look great and seem like a lot of fun for days out at the beach, camping or tailgating. And if you spend more time flying than exploring the great outdoors, this premium under-seat bag from WaterField Designs will hold all your Apple gear in style.
Apple is on track to make a mind-blowing $400 billion this year, but thrifty Tim Cook is laying off a small number of staffers. It’s the fourth round of Apple layoffs in 2024.
An old friend was always chronically late until he set his watch 10 minutes fast. Comically, it fooled him every time. You can do the same thing with your Apple Watch.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

How to change the default web browser on iPhone or iPad

You can ditch Safari when tapping links on your device. Here's how to change the default iPhone or iPad browser to Chrome, DuckDuckGo, etc.

iPhone 17 could ship with 50% more RAM than iPhone 16

Apple might bump the RAM on its 2025 iPhone 17 lineup by 50% to 12GB for on-device processing of Apple Intelligence tasks.

China cites weird reason for banning wireless chargers

The expected China ban on wireless chargers, including Apple's, comes as regulators say they want to "maintain the order of airwaves."

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Chop $250 off the price of any 15-inch M3 MacBook Air

Amazon invites you to select from various models and take $250 off 15-inch M3 MacBook. That's a great deal.

Apple revenues could top record $400 billion in 2024

A new market analysis says we should expect record-breaking Apple revenue this year.

Apple lays off 100 employees across its services division

With Apple Books becoming less of a priority, Apple reportedly lays off 100 employees from its services division.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Hey, Mac fans: Score a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for just $80

Get lifetime access to Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac (Home and Business edition), with essential productivity apps Word, Excel and more.

Anker Solix's new portable power stations land in the Goldilocks zone

The new Anker Solix C300 DC and Anker Solix C300 portable power stations offer plenty of connections for all your gear.

This little pill-shaped AI 'memory capsule' records your life

Got enough AI in your life yet? The tiny new Plaud NotePin wearable can record and summarize every meeting or conversation you have.

Pro Tip: Set your Apple Watch time a few minutes ahead

Always running late? Set your Apple Watch time a few minutes ahead of the actual time and you might trick yourself into punctuality.

mophie powerstation plus ultra packs everything needed to power iPhone or Mac

mophie powerstation plus ultra plugs directly into a wall and into your iPhone or Mac, but it's no simple wall adapter.

The ultimate under-seat bag for gear-toting frequent flyers [Review] ★★★★★

Small yet incredibly well-designed, WaterField Designs' X-Air Duffel carry-on bag is the perfect under-seat luggage for Apple fans.

‘Acapulco’ season 4 gets thumbs up from Apple TV+

Apple TV+ greenlit season four of its comedy "Acapulco" and calls the feel-good series a hit.

Today in Apple history: Mac sends first email from space

On August 28, 1991, the first email from space came down to Earth thanks to a Macintosh Portable and AppleLink software.

In our dreams: Studio Displays flank Pro Display XDR in M2 Ultra Mac Pro rig [Setups]

A computer setup flaunting not only M2 Ultra Mac Pro with Pro Display XDR, but a pair of Studio Displays? Pinch us, we must be dreaming.

Tweets of the day

So apparently the act of sending loved ones little videos and cute pictures and funny things throughout the day is called “Pebbling” because there’s a species of penguin that likes to leave pebbles in their partners’ nests to show they care, and this is my happy thing for today
— Jonathan Edward Durham (@thisone0verhere)
3:18 PM • Aug 27, 2024

This is Jean-Michel Jarre, a DJ who put on a 3D concert for the launch of the new iMac!! 🎶🎧😎
Apple Expo Paris - September 18, 1998
— Mr. Macintosh (@ClassicII_MrMac)
1:40 PM • Aug 27, 2024

Wallpaper of the day

Fresh from One4Wall
— Vuk Andric (@vukandric)
5:46 PM • Aug 27, 2024

One more thing ...

❝

We wanted to more richly experience why we were alive, not just make a better life, and so people went in search of things. The great thing that came from those times was to realize that there was definitely more to life than the materialism of the late ’50s and early ’60s. We were going in search of something deeper.

— Steve Jobs, 2011, on his generation.

Today’s poll

What's the default browser on your iPhone or iPad?

Results from yesterday’s poll: What iPhone 16 feature will make you upgrade?

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