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I’ve become a huge fan of Apple’s entry-level products, which I think offer great value.
Yeah, they may not come with the best cameras or the fastest chips, but for lots of people, they deliver on what matters.
After many years of using Pro iPhones, I’m considering downgrading this year to a regular iPhone 17 handset.
I like the size of the regular phones, and I don’t really need the fancy cameras, which I barely make use of. I’m just a simple point-and-shoot snapper.
The iPhone 17 launch is now less than a month away, and our roundup of all the rumors about the basic handset only confirms my desire to get one.
It’s getting a bigger, better screen and a zippier processor. Plus, the color options look way better than those on tap for its Pro siblings. Check it out.
Also in today’s newsletter:
The AirPods Pro 3 may drop this year after all — and possibly as soon as next month, although the rumor mill is still split about timing. These new AirPods are rumored to bring built-in heart-rate monitoring. If so, I hope Apple finds a workaround for the biggest problem with HRM-equipped earbuds: Thanks to limitations of Bluetooth, you can’t pair them with external gym equipment and stream music at the same time — a major problem, IMHO.
The upcoming launch of the AirPods Pro 3 may be why AirPods are on sale right now, including the already low-priced AirPods 4, which are now just $90.
If you own an iPhone 16, you will get a hardware upgrade thanks to iOS 26. Your handset will get 25W charging with compatible Qi2 chargers.
Despite its many shortcomings, I’m addicted to X, and I’m often super-impressed by Grok’s responses to posts. The AI can be uncannily smart, succinct and knowledgeable. I guess Elon Musk’s impressed with it, too: He thinks Grok’s standalone app should be riding higher on the App Store charts.
This inexpensive keychain looks handy for emergencies. Only $20, it’ll recharge your iPhone, Apple Watch and other accessories when the juice runs low.
— Leander Kahney, EIC.
A message from Pacaso
Big investors are buying this “unlisted” stock
When the founder who sold his last company to Zillow for $120M starts a new venture, people notice. That’s why the same VCs who backed Uber, Venmo, and eBay also invested in Pacaso.
Disrupting the real estate industry once again, Pacaso’s streamlined platform offers co-ownership of premier properties, revamping the $1.3T vacation home market.
And it works. By handing keys to 2,000+ happy homeowners, Pacaso has already made $110M+ in gross profits in their operating history.
Now, after 41% YoY gross profit growth last year alone, they recently reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.
Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.
A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team
A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team
Tweets of the day
macOS Location Stamps
— ldt (@madeby_ldt)
7:23 PM • Aug 24, 2025
who's gonna tell them 😭
— Holly - I like tech (@AnxiousHolly)
7:51 PM • Aug 24, 2025
The bigger deal for AirPods are the future models with cameras. Apple sees this as their core AI wearable, especially for those who won’t want to wear glasses.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman)
4:07 PM • Aug 25, 2025
Wallpaper of the day
Empire State of mind wallpaper 4k
— Abram 𝕏 (@abram_ars)
11:51 AM • Aug 24, 2025
One more thing ...
The whole premise for Apple's existence is to come up with better products — highly differentiated, better products — that then the third-party software developers can develop new and exciting and different applications on that they can't develop on other types of personal computers.
Today’s poll
Any interest in the basic iPhone 17? |
Results from yesterday’s poll: Do you play games on Apple Arcade?
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