I snapped up an Apple Watch Ultra 3 when it went on sale last year. While I loved the black titanium color, I ultimately returned the smartwatch.
There just wasn’t enough difference between the new model and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 that I had strapped on my wrist.
When I returned the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at Apple Union Square in downtown San Francisco, the staffer who helped me asked me why I wasn’t keeping it. I told him I loved it, but couldn’t justify paying $799 just for the different case color.
Oddly enough, he said he did the exact same thing.
So it’s not just me.
In recent years, the new Apple Watch models have been only marginally better than their predecessors.
The hardware looks quite similar, with modest improvements that barely register even when placed side by side with an older model. And sometimes, even the new device’s marquee feature trickles down to previous models.
That could change this year. As new Cult of Mac writer Anurag Chawake writes, Apple Watch Series 12 could make upgrading almost irresistible.
Also in today’s newsletter:
iOS 26.5 brings end-to-end encryption to text messages between iPhones and Android devices — if you have the right carrier.
Who doesn’t love a good mobile Safari tip? We’ve got five of ‘em for you.
🔥 DEAL OF THE DAY: Logitech's Lift vertical mouse puts your hand in a more natural posture. It comes with four buttons and works with Macs, iPads and Windows machines, giving you a convenient way to switch things up if you've got a death grip on your current mouse. The graphite version is currently 25% off (off-white and rose models cost a little more).
If you wanted one of those weird-looking Steve Jobs collectible coins, I hope you didn’t miss your chance.
Desktop chargers just keep getting more sophisticated. If you don’t know why anybody would want a charger with a built-in display, read Cult of Mac writer Ed Hardy’s review of the Satechi ChargeView 140W Desktop Charger.
Bill Gates was right when he predicted doom for the iPod on this day in 2005, but he missed the bigger picture.
— Lewis Wallace, managing editor
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A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team
A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team
Cult of Mac’s buyback program
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One more thing ...
There’s lots of ways to be, as a person. And some people express their deep appreciation in different ways. But one of the ways that I believe people express their appreciation to the rest of humanity is to make something wonderful and put it out there.
Today’s poll
Do you plan to buy an Apple Watch this year?
Results from yesterday’s poll: How is the iPhone's autocorrect working for you?
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