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9to5Mac Daily: December 31, 2025 – What’s next for Apple Fitness+? 

9to5mac daily podcast

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts appStitcherTuneInGoogle Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by Roborock: Save on Roborock’s flagship vacuums — but hurry, these deals won’t last long!

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This accessory solves the biggest problem with Philips Hue smart bulbs

Philips Hue bulbs are one of the easiest ways to give your existing light fixtures smart home capabilities, including through Apple’s HomeKit platform. The problem with Philips Hue bulbs, however, is that whenever a wall light switch is flipped off, the smart lights become unresponsive.

The Lutron Aurora dimmer is a simple yet ingenious way to solve this problem, and it should be at the top of every smart home fan’s holiday wish list.

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Apple Health is more powerful than you think, here are my top tips

Apple Health features graphic

The Apple Health app on iPhone is a powerful way to track all facets of your health. Whether it’s recording data from your Apple Watch, importing records straight from your doctor, or integration with third-party apps, there’s something for everyone.

Here’s how to get the most out of the Apple Health app, especially if you’re really trying to live healthier in 2026.

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Just unwrap a new Apple Watch? Here’s how to charge it as fast as possible

fast charge Apple Watch

One of the more useful changes to recent Apple Watch models is support for fast charging. This allows you to quickly top off your Apple Watch battery at much faster speeds than before. This includes the latest Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, as well as several previous models.

There are a few things to remember, and you don’t get everything you need in the box…

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Security Bite: How to quickly password protect image files on Mac

password protect image file security lock locked pdf securitybite

9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple devices work-ready and enterprise-safe is all we do. Our unique integrated approach to management and security combines state-of-the-art Apple-specific security solutions for fully automated Hardening & Compliance, Next Generation EDR, AI-powered Zero Trust, and exclusive Privilege Management with the most powerful and modern Apple MDM on the market. The result is a totally automated Apple Unified Platform currently trusted by over 45,000 organizations to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple.


Let’s say you have screenshots of sensitive information sitting on your desktop that you’d like to password protect. You know that images of tax, banking, wire transfer forms, etc. in the clear can easily be viewed by anyone with physical or remote access to your machine, but you’re unsure how to secure them. Unfortunately, macOS Preview doesn’t support file-level password protection, but there are quick workarounds that don’t require third-party software or downloading anything not already on your Mac.

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Apple Watch Series 11 vs Apple Watch SE 3: Which should you buy for your New Year’s resolutions?

Apple updated its entire lineup of Apple Watch models this year, introducing the Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and Apple Ultra 3. Here’s what you need to know about Apple Watch SE 3 vs Apple Watch Series 11.

Plus, you can currently save $100 on the Apple Watch Series 11.

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9to5Mac Daily: December 30, 2025 – CarPlay and car key news

9to5mac daily podcast

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts appStitcherTuneInGoogle Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by Roborock: Save on Roborock’s flagship vacuums — but hurry, these deals won’t last long!

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Holiday tech support, Hold Assist, Ask9to5Mac

Benjamin and Chance return from the holiday break with some classic stories of tech support from the trenches. Also, iOS 26 Hold Assist proves better in theory than in reality based on listener feedback, and we do some Ask9to5Mac to close out 2025. 

And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin and Chance debate what should be 9to5Mac’s Product of the Year. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join

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