No, Apple isn’t spying on your Mac

A security researcher recently noticed that every time he clicked an image file in the Finder, his Mac sent some data to Apple's servers.

Angry that he hadn't consented to this, he wrote a blog post that went viral and created a bit of a bruhaha.

And while it's true Apple is sending data about photos on your Mac, it's for a benign purpose and handled in a privacy-respecting way. Hit our top post for the nitty-gritty details.

Also in today's newsletter: Apple dropped its trade-in prices again, how to get the latest HomePod firmware, and we review a pair of cheap-and-cheerful ANC earbuds. 

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

Claims that Apple is phoning home to analyze every image on your Mac have been proven false. It’s all due to a bug that’s already been fixed. 

Apple says your used iPhone is now worth less

Apple dropped its trade-in values for many older iPhone models. The decrease is as much as $80 for some.

iPhone 15 could feature faster Wi-Fi connectivity

Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 could feature faster Wi-Fi 6E support, like the company's 2023 Mac mini and MacBook Pro.

A message from Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you do any kind of work on a Mac or PC, chances are you need at least one of the tools in the Microsoft Office suite. If you’ve been holding off on buying these essential apps, the time to buy them is now. Cult of Mac readers can get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for just $29.99.

Make or Break season 2 trailer shows pro surfers desperate to win

Apple TV+ brought back surfing competition documentary Make or Break for a second season that starts February 17. The trailer pumps up the surfers'

Put a BackPack on your iMac with this unique accessory

Attach the Twelve South BackPack to an iMac and you can use it to hide accessories behind the desktop computer's screen, saving on visible clutter.

Your HomePod is a lot more than a simple speaker — it’s a whole computer. And like any computer it has an operating system that needs occasional updates. Here’s how to make sure your Apple smart speaker has the software version released this week.

Today in Apple history: iPhone sales hit first speed bump

January 26, 2016: After nine years of spectacular growth, iPhone sales flatline for the first time. Numbers posted by Apple show that during the final

Calling them “the world’s 1st LE-Audio ANC true wireless earbuds,” EarFun just launched its new flagship Air Pro 3 active noise-canceling (ANC) wireless earbuds. They recently sent me a pair to try out. True to form, EarFun brings good value for the price with these buds, as it has with others. They’re not perfect, but for a discounted pre-launch price of $55.99, you can’t really go wrong. See the post for more details about the buds, including LE Audio.

Tweetz 'o the day

One more thing...

"Even though some people have come out with neat products, if their company is perceived as a sweatshop or a revolving door, it's not considered much of a success. Remember, the role models were Hewlett and Packard. Their main achievement was that they built a company. Nobody remembers their first frequency-counter, their first audio oscillator, their first this or that. And they sell so many products now that no one person really symbolizes the company... And they built a company and they lived that philosophy for 35 or 40 years and that's why they're heroes. Hewlett and Packard started what became the Valley."

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