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Telephoto shootout: Apple vs. Google

Telephoto shootout: Apple vs. Google

Which boasts the better 5x zoom, iPhone 15 Pro Max or Pixel 8 Pro?

Leander Kahney
November 07, 2023

The 5x telephoto lens is one of the marquee features of the new iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The new camera has been getting great reviews: See this tweet from the CEO of Halide, a pro camera app, for example.

But Google’s new phones also come with a 5x telephoto lens, which likewise is garnering praise.

So, which is better — Google’s Pixel 8 Pro or Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max? We have a great breakdown with a ton of comparison photos. Our writer, Rajesh Pandey, really went to town on this, but you’re probably not going to like the conclusion.

Also in today’s newsletter:

It appears the new MacBook Pros have been sitting in warehouses for months and are shipping with an old, outdated version of macOS, which inexplicably can’t be updated using Software Update. Luckily, there’s a workaround.
A few years ago, Apple hired a battery expert from Samsung, who appears to have successfully developed radically better batteries.
I very much enjoyed the first two seasons of Apple TV+ comedy spy thriller Slow Horses. Season three looks just as great in the new trailer that just dropped.
The new M3 MacBook Pros are spectacular — and they just became available in stores — but if you don’t need the raw horsepower, the extremely capable MacBook Air is seeing a great discount that makes it pretty affordable.
And if you’re looking for a tough EDC band for your Apple Watch, read our hands-on review of Mifa’s offering, which we like very much.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro: 5x telephoto shootout

The Google Pixel 8 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max both feature 5x optical zooms. But which phone comes with a better telephoto camera?

Apple’s new M3 iMac and MacBook Pros hit store shelves

You can now get Apple's newest all-in-one computers and laptops from your nearest Apple Store.

How to fix software updates on your brand-new MacBook Pro

Some lucky owners of the new MacBook Pro boot up to find a broken version of macOS that can’t install software updates. Here’s how to fix the rare problem.

A high-quality, EDC band for your Apple Watch [Reviews] ★★★★☆

Mifa makes a hardy EDC watch band for every model of Apple Watch. The nylon is sturdy, the Velcro is strong and the stitched leather is high-quality.

Cat-based cyberpunk adventure ‘Stray’ is about to pounce onto Mac

In the popular (and award-winning) game, players become a cat wandering through a cybercity.

Apple makes editing video easier with Final Cut Pro update

The upcoming Final Cut Pro version 10.7 brings improvements to timeline navigation and organization. The iPad version gets an update, too.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Amazing pre-Black Friday deal knocks 15-inch MacBook Air down by $250

A surprise price cut drops the laptop to its all-time low of just $1,049.

Belkin goes for elegance with new iPhone and Apple Watch charging stand

Belkin designed its new BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Dock for iPhone and Apple Watch to blend into its environment.

This solid metal boom arm mounts your microphone and more [Review] ★★★☆☆

The Kuxiu X36 Boom Mic Arm is a solid metal piece of gear for mounting a microphone to your desk. But after some months of testing, I was surprised to find a much better use for it.

Commandos kidnap one of Gary Oldman's ‘Slow Horses’ in season 3 trailer

Get ready for more espionage thrills served up with plenty of dark humor when the show returns to Apple TV+ on November 29.

Today in Apple history: Newton MessagePad makes its last stand

On November 7, 1997, Apple released the Newton MessagePad 2100, a PDA that became the final iteration in the company’s doomed line of early handheld devices.

Tweetz o’ the day

There’s a word in modern German slang, Knäckebrottelefonierer, which describes a person who talks into their phone while holding it in front of their mouth like a cracker. It literally means “crispbread phoner”
— Adam Sharp (@AdamCSharp)
5:17 PM • Nov 6, 2023

Xiaomi has copied the iPhone Lock Screen 🥱
— Apple Intro (@appleintro)
7:41 AM • Nov 7, 2023

It used to be that you bought a car and (maybe) it had Apple Car Play.
Today, it seems like consumers are buying Apple Car Play and it so happens to come with 4-wheels and an engine.
— CarDealershipGuy (@GuyDealership)
3:03 AM • Nov 6, 2023

One more thing ...

❝

Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do. That’s true for companies, and it’s true for products.

— Steve Jobs, 2011.

Today’s poll

Would you buy a new car without Apple's CarPlay?

Results from yesterday’s poll: Have you had battery problems after upgrading to watchOS 10?

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