Apple's AirTag trackers are a fantastic accessory that have saved my bacon a couple of times.

So I'm worried about the media narrative surrounding them about stalking. I'm concerned that Apple might discontinue AirTags thanks to their reputation as a stalking tool.

Nonetheless, the stalking fears are real -- as attested by creeps on eBay selling "silent AirTags" with the trackers' built-in speakers disabled.

Let's hope these sickos and other like them don't ruin AirTags for the rest of us.

-- Leander Kahney, EIC.

Creeps sell ‘silent AirTags’ with disabled speakers that are harder to spot — www.cultofmac.com

One such device was selling for $77.50 on Etsy before the “star seller” had a change of heart and removed it. Apple designed AirTag to emit a sound after it has been away from its paired device for a certain period of time. Without a speaker, AirTag is much more difficult to detect.

Facebook warns it will lose $10 billion to iOS privacy protections in 2022 — www.cultofmac.com

The company has been whinging about the improvements, which include App Tracking Transparency, since they were introduced in iOS 14.

Judge throws out lawsuit against iPhone’s water resistance — www.cultofmac.com

The plaintiffs claimed that advertisements showing the iPhone exposed to water were “false and misleading,” and allowed Apple to charge higher prices. However, they failed to prove their iPhones were actually damaged by water.

Get AirPods Pro with a MagSafe Case at one of their lowest prices yet — www.cultofmac.com

Woot is offering brand-new units for just $179.99, saving you $69.01.

Save 20% on this outstanding Steel Mesh band for Apple Watch — www.cultofmac.com

Why cough up $99 on Apple’s Milanese Loop when outstanding third-party alternatives are available at a fraction of the cost? SwitchEasy’s stunning Steel Mesh is just as pretty and incredibly solid. What’s more, it’s now available for less than $28 after a 20% discount. Bag yours from the Cult of Mac Store today.

Apple tells lawmakers that sideloading apps ‘would allow malware, scams’ — www.cultofmac.com

Apple issued a letter to U.S. lawmakers Wednesday urging them not to allow the distribution of iPhone and iPad apps outside the App Store. The company insists doing so “would allow malware, scams and data-exploitation to proliferate.”

This gorgeous 27-inch 4K monitor is right for work or play [Review] — www.cultofmac.com

If you want a monitor for your Mac, let me suggest the 27-inch one that Innocn just launched. It has a 4K resolution, offers high contrast and boasts 1.07 billion colors. The screen is suited for Photoshop, gaming or watching TV and film.

Tweet o' the day

One more thing ...

"I think the world’s a better place because Bill realized that his goal isn’t to be the richest guy in the cemetery, right?" -- Steve Jobs on Bill Gates