Wow, the new Face ID with a mask is great. It unlocks instantly when wearing a mask, even with glasses on.

It took about a minute to set up, but setup can be a bit tricky because it's a two-step process. See our how-to for instructions.

In other news:

• Apple is now selling official refurbs of the iPhone 12, but alas, no mini yet (one of my favorite form factors).

• An unlikely company has developed a super-speedy chip for Android phones that beats the pants off everything else out there.

• Check out the limited-edition Cult of Mac Apple Watch band developed in conjunction with our French partners Clessant. It's a really nice leather band.

-- Leander Kahney, EIC.

How to set up Face ID with a mask (and glasses) in iOS 15.4 — www.cultofmac.com

New in iOS 15.4, Apple is extending Face ID to authenticate your face while wearing a mask. In my testing, it has increased the reliability and the number of situations in which Face ID works. Here's how to set up Face ID with a mask on your iPhone.

Apple now sells iPhone 12 and 12 Pro refurbs in the US from $619 — www.cultofmac.com

You can now buy official iPhone 12 and 12 Pro refurbs through the Apple Store online in the United States. Prices start at $619 for a regular 6.1-inch model with 64GB of storage.

A15 Bionic finally gets real competition from an unlikely source — www.cultofmac.com

MediaTek looks set to become the first mobile chipmaker to finally give iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chip a run for its money in processing performance. The Taiwanese company’s new Dimensity 9000 chipset, announced late last year, is yet to make its way into an Android device. But early benchmarks suggest it will easily outpace rivals from Google, Samsung and Qualcomm.

Limited-edition Cult of Mac band is the ultimate Apple Watch upgrade — www.cultofmac.com

The limited-edition Executive Leather Apple Watch Band by Cult of Mac is everything you could want in a luxury Apple Watch upgrade. The gorgeous leather strap is meticulously handmade from start to finish by Clessant’s master craftsmen, using only the finest calfskin leather, robust metal buckles and adapters, and precise stitching for the finest finish. Only a small number are available, so bag yours today from the Cult of Mac Store before they’re all gone.

Apple Car team was ‘dissolved’ but vehicle still coming in 2025 — www.cultofmac.com

The group at Apple developing a self-driving electric car has been “dissolved for some time,” according to a reliable source of insider information. But the project supposedly hasn’t been cancelled — it’s undergoing a reorganization. This is likely a reflection of the many difficulties Apple has run into with this very complex project.

iOS 15.4 lets you restore Apple Watch from iPhone for the first time — www.cultofmac.com

If you encounter firmware issues on Apple Watch, you can now wirelessly restore its software yourself using an iPhone — provided you’ve updated to iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.5, which made their official debuts on Monday. Is it the first time Cupertino has given Apple Watch owners this functionality.

Xbox Cloud Gaming gets ‘major’ improvements on iPhone and iPad — www.cultofmac.com

Microsoft this week rolled out a big Xbox Cloud Gaming update that promises “major performance improvements” on iPhone and iPad. They should allow for smoother and more responsive gameplay, the company said. The changes have already been well-received by Cloud Gaming users, with Microsoft seeing a “significant increase” in positive feedback from players.

Tweet o' the day

One more thing ...

"You go to your TV when you want to turn your brain off. You go to your computer when you want to turn your brain on. Those are not the same." -- Steve Jobs.