9to5Mac

Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.

Farwave takes an interesting new approach to audio player apps, by placing them around the globe. You can explore the world and find radio stations across the planet, with a nice 3D visual in the app. For podcasts and music you want to listen to, you can also explore them in the app with separate visuals.

Apple this week unveiled its new iPhone lineup, including the first ever foldable iPhone – the iPhone Duo. While the Duo itself is a fantastic device, it does leave me wishing that Apple did better for the iPad.

A new iPhone announcement always means a mad rush for accessories that will arrive when your new device arrives, and this year that includes an entirely new category with the iPhone Duo. ESR is a well-respected name in Apple accessories, and its iPhone 18 lineup covers the new iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro models, and everything that goes with them: charging, AirPods, Apple Watch, and MagSafe wallets. Here’s a look at what’s coming from ESR for Apple’s new iPhone lineup.

Blogger Nicolas Lellouche went digging in the iPhone Duo settings during his hands on time with the device. He found a curious new option in the display settings called ‘Shift Left Edge’.

When enabled, this setting adds a bit of a black border to the left side, essentially adding fake bezel on the outside screen, pushing content away from the folding edge.

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For my entire IT career, software updates have operated on a predictable schedule. IT administrators have been conditioned to build workflows around quarterly point releases or monthly patching cycles (Patch Tuesday). However, as AI tools become very proficient at automatically discovering software vulnerabilities, threat actors are moving faster than ever before. With that being said, I very much miss 18th-month macOS/OS X releases.

We are rapidly entering an era in which software updates will look less like traditional operating system updates and more like continuous cloud updates. To survive this shift, IT teams must understand the three prongs of modern patch management.

It’s time for your 9to5Toys Lunch Break weekend edition to scope out all of this week’s best Apple deals. The all-new AirPods 5, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and Apple Watch Series 12 pre-orders are live, and we are already tracking some deals on them.

We also also have a $50 price drop on AirPods Pro 3 as well as a return all-time lows on AirTag 2. Just be sure to scope out the ongoing M6 Mac mini pre-order deals before delivery this month, as well as a new all-time low on the most affordable Studio Display model, and this giant $500 price drop on the 2TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro. All of that and more awaits below.

It is time to take a look at the best new iPhone 18 Pro cases. Pre-orders for Apple’s latest just went live this morning and many of the best brands are now ready. Apple has a new slate of Silicone and TechWoven models in color-matched treatments, joined by loads of our favorite third-party solutions we have been using for years. From built-in stands in new burgundy colorways, ultra grippy customizable models, and some of the best leather options in the game from brands like Nomad and Burton Goods. We have some super affordable models starting from $14 from budget-friendly brands like Spigen and more. 

The new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are now available to pre-order. Apple announced the new phones on Wednesday, highlighting a variable aperture camera system, a smaller Dynamic Island, four new color options, and more.

• Pre-order iPhone 18 Pro from Apple
• Pre-order iPhone 18 Pro Max from Apple
• Pre-order iPhone 18 Pro from Walmart
• Pre-order iPhone 18 Pro Max from Walmart

In a new study, Apple researchers detail SimpleDesign, a streamlined AI model that can jointly generate protein sequences and structures. Here are the details.

Following a few months of Liquid Glass beta testing, WhatsApp is expanding access to a redesigned interface for its iPad app, including a new Mac-like sidebar. Here are the details.

While memory costs are expected to comfortably lead the iPhone 18 Pro’s bill of materials, the same may not be true for the iPhone Duo. Here are the details.

Jeff and Fernando discuss their initial thoughts and impressions of the iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable smartphone.

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In an investor note seen by 9to5Mac, analyst Jeff Pu noted that while this week’s iPhone price hike was better than feared, the iPhone Duo is still likely to drive demand for the cycle, as early consumer interest appears strong. Here are the details.

TIME’s “The World’s Best Companies 2026” list is out, with Apple returning at No. 3 after dropping off the ranking last year. Here are the details.

Counterpoint Research has released a new report examining the impact of the iPhone Duo on the foldable smartphone market, display suppliers, and the segment’s growth through 2030. Here are the details.

Apple Watch Series 12 is a major upgrade to the core health and fitness tracking wearable. That’s because of the new Health Sensing System that includes an even more capable heart rate monitor.

The new hardware doesn’t just extend to more accurate health data. There’s a big change to a small complication that I’m seeing in Apple’s marketing material. It’s just one thing I’m excited about with the new Series 12 and Ultra 4 models.

This week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released to everyone on Monday, September 14.

Along with that, the company now says two features included in the iOS 27 betas have been removed and will be released in a “future software update” for iPhone: suggestions in Messages and automatic password changes.

Apple Watch Series 12 improves many of the core components that power watchOS and the device’s health and fitness features, plus unlocks new AI capabilities. Here’s everything new in Apple Watch Series 12 vs Series 11.

Apple’s new iPhone 18 Pro cases and other accessories are now available in Apple Stores. Pre-orders for the new phones start tomorrow ahead of the launch in one week.

Water damage is one of those problems where a single sensor can save you a major repair bill on your floors, cabinets, etc. Leak sensors have been among the best values in the smart home for years, and Shelly’s new Flood S Gen4 makes it even easier to get started. It’s under $30, Matter-certified, and works with Apple Home out of the box.

iOS 27 launches for all users next week, and will be followed not long after by the first iOS 27.1 beta and public launch. Here’s when to expect iOS 27.1’s arrival.

Many have complained that Apple design has been sapped of some of its trademark whimsy in recent years. Well, here’s the latest example of how the tides seem to be changing.

Buried in the Settings app on iOS 27, Apple has hidden an easter egg that hails back from classic Mac OS; Clarus the Dogcow. Here’s how to trigger it …

iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders start tomorrow, and you can “Get Ready” by making your selections in advance via the online Apple Store. Here’s the deadline for when those decisions need to be locked in ahead of pre-orders opening.

The variable aperture lens of the shiny new iPhone 18 Pro goes almost one stop wider than the fixed aperture lens in its predecessor: up from f/1.78 in the iPhone 17 Pro to f/1.48 (a smaller number is wider).

In principle, this will allow for slightly shallower depth of field, enabling greater separation between your subject and the background – although it’s a relatively small difference. But there are four ways to achieve shallow depth of field (DOF) with much older iPhones …