TikTok's BIG upgrade

Addictive video app becomes even more addictive 😳

One of my kids, who is in their mid-20s, is addicted to TikTok.

They watch it all day, every day, and get not just all their entertainment from the app, but all their news, too.

Even my mom, who is in her late 70s, is a TikTok fan.

The app regularly tops the App Store charts and is the source of some anxiety in Congress because of its Chinese ownership. Parents and mental health professionals also are concerned about its addictive nature.

So, depending on your view of TikTok, it’s good news/bad news that the app is finally optimized for iPad. There are several changes for the bigger screen, primarily making it better for watching in landscape mode.

Personally, I’m more addicted to Twitter than TikTok. And I’m not too concerned about my TikTok junkie kid. They see a lot of fun and interesting stuff, and they’re surprisingly well-informed about what’s going on, given the source!

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • Apple is trying to fix the Apple Watch patent dispute with a software update ahead of the December 21 sales pause. But it’s not clear if that will resolve the issue or not.

  • Woot!’s great deal on the refurbished Apple Watch Ultra is still live, but it ends tonight (or when the watches sell out). Order one today, and it’ll arrive by Christmas, according to the retailer. If you’re OK paying a little more for the second-gen Apple Watch Ultra, Best Buy offers the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $749.99. However, Amazon currently beats that, dropping the price of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to just $729 if you clip a coupon code. (Yes, those are affiliate links, but we love Apple Watch Ultra and we think you will, too.)

  • Eve Energy just announced the first Matter-over-Thread smart outlet, which means it’s HomeKit-compatible plus plays well with tons of other smart-home gear.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

Tweetz o’ the day

One more thing ...

When you open the box of an iPhone or iPad, we want that tactile experience to set the tone for how you perceive the product.

— Steve Jobs, 2011.

Today’s poll

Are you addicted to TikTok?

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Results from yesterday’s poll: Will Apple Watch sales really halt?

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