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I wasn’t expecting much, but there are some worthy changes in the second developer beta of iOS 27.

In years past, Apple has tended to save some of the biggest changes for the public beta, so more is yet to come.

But for now, there’s some nice updates. The HomeKit camera upgrades are pretty clever.

One thing’s clear: Siri Ai is front and center in the new OS.

I just got approved to use the new Siri AI this morning. I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet, but I’m very much looking forward to it.

I’m also hoping the new beta is a bit more stable than the first. This year has been particularly glitchy for me. In years past, it seemed that subsequent betas got less stable, rather than more. At least, that was my experience. Hopefully this year that trend will change.

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • Bad news, good news: The bad news is the Mac hack to jump the Siri AI waitlist no longer works. The good news is there may be a better way. If you get this to work, please let us know. See the post for details.

  • Amazon’s big Prime Day sale just kicked off, and we’ve rounded up some the best deals on Apple gear we actually use. The savings are a mixed bag, tbh, with AirPods, Apple Watch, and select Beats headphones offering the best deals so far. Note: Tim Cook warned that Apple will be raising prices soon to offset chip costs, so now might a good time to snag a new MacBook before Tim marks it up.

  • Here’s a new way you might be exposed to scams and spam: AI chatbots are now giving out real people’s phone numbers. Incogni hunts down your data and deletes it. Save 55% today with code CULTOFMAC.

  • This is surprising: Eddie Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services and health, got a prestigious gong at Cannes. It marks the increasing cultural impact of Apple TV.

  • 🔥 DEAL OF THE DAY: I used the percentage discount slider on Amazon to find a deal with the maximum markdown, and this Blink Mini 2 security camera stood out — it’s just $12!

  • I doubt this will happen to the folding iPhone, but other foldables depreciate faster than the Cybertruck.

  • Hey, Stephen King’s a fan — what greater recommendation could you need to watch Apple TV’s Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

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A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

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One more thing ...

In the annals of innovation, new ideas are only part of the equation. Execution is just as important.

— Steve Jobs, 2011.

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