Samsung's screwing us all

Why iPhone users should care about Samsung's new Galaxy line.

Author

Leander Kahney
January 24, 2025

In partnership with

Back in the day, USB-A was an obscure new port invented by Intel that PC makers largely ignored until Apple made it standard on the Mac. Within a few years, USB took off and now most computer peripherals and tech gadgets use it.

Same for Wi-Fi, FireWire, Thunderbolt, MPEG-4, ProRes and a bunch of other technologies that Apple helped make standard by adopting them and sticking with them.

Standards in the tech industry benefit consumers by making products from different manufacturers interoperable. Without them, it’d be madness.

But now Samsung is screwing iPhone users by ignoring an important, emerging standard.

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • I love CarPlay. It’s a great way to keep you connected and entertained on the road. Apple showed off CarPlay 2 at WWDC in 2022, and it looked amazing. The big upgrade was promised by the end of 2024, but that deadline sailed by like one of Douglas Adams’ due dates. (Remember his famous quote? “I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”) Apple just confirmed CarPlay is still on track, but punted on ship dates.

  • Our friends at CdkeySales extended their New Year Sale through the end of January with big savings on Microsoft Windows 11 Pro and more.

  • Apple promoted a veteran staffer to fix Siri and Apple Intelligence. She has a good track record — and a big job ahead of her.

  • This week’s episode of Severance answered some questions about what the hell is going on at Lumon Industries — but it also raised plenty more. Read our Severance recap, then see Tim Cook play a severed Lumon worker in the latest Apple TV+ PR stunt.

  • I’ve never seen a Mac setup like this: I’m intrigued.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

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Samsung blows another chance to adopt the MagSafe-like Qi2 standard

Samsung hurt its customers, iPhone users, accessory makers … just about everyone … by not putting Qi2 in the Galaxy S25 series.

Apple confirms CarPlay 2 is still coming — but when?

Despite delays, Apple reaffirms its commitment to next-gen CarPlay and confirms it is working with several automakers on it.

Apple pulls out the big guns to fix Siri and Apple Intelligence

In a new move to catch up with AI competitors, Apple taps software veteran to fix Siri and Apple Intelligence. She has a good track record.

A message from CdkeySales

Find deals on Windows 11 Pro ($22) and more in CdkeySales New Year Sale

With the big CdkeySales New Year Sale lasting through January, deals on Microsoft Windows 11 Pro and more are extended!

Apple TV+ might salvage ‘Dick Turpin’ despite star Noel Fielding’s illness

Maybe the Apple TV+ historical comedy “The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin” isn’t completely over after all.

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

Get a smartphone the size of a credit card for just $95

This little phone is about the size of a credit card, but it's still packed with everything you may expect from a smartphone.

Innie Tim Cook reports for work at Lumon Industries

Now you know the "Severance" season 2 promos have reached a fever pitch.

Prepare for emergencies by setting up Medical ID on your iPhone

It’s very important you set up your iPhone Medical ID to give first responders crucial info in case of an emergency situation.

Lumon deals with ‘Severance’ outies in Overtime Contingency's aftermath [Apple TV+ recap]

Our "Severance" season 2 episode 2 recap shows the lengths Lumon Industries went to in getting the MDR team back to work after the Overtime Contingency.

Today in Apple history: Apple ships the first Mac

On January 24, 1984, computing changed forever. The first Mac, the mighty Macintosh 128K, brought a mouse and GUI to the masses.

Genius MacBook rig makes space with clever wall mounts [Setups]

Today's MacBook setup with wall-mounted display -- a giant smart TV, no less -- makes great use of space in a bedroom.

Tweets of the day

Wallpaper of the day

One more thing ...

❝

I’ve read something that Bill Gates said about six months ago. He said, “I worked really, really hard in my 20s.” And I know what he means, because I worked really, really hard in my 20s, too. Literally, you know, seven days a week, a lot of hours every day. And it actually is a wonderful thing to do, because you can get a lot done. But you can't do it forever, and you don't want to do it forever, and you have to come up with ways of figuring out what the most important things are and working with other people even more.

— Steve Jobs, 1999.

Today’s poll

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