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Zac Hall

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Zac Hall is 9to5Mac Editor-at-Large with a focus on technology news, product reviews, and analysis. Zac previously served as 9to5Mac Editor-in-Chief, hosted over 400 weekly episodes of the 9to5Mac Happy Hour podcast, and has been a member of the 9to5Mac family since 2013. Zac has over a decade of experience in technology journalism, including as a tech columnist for the Clarion-Ledger newspaper, part of the USA Today network.

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Connect with Zac Hall

Weather Up 3 packs a whole lot of app into a single super widget, now with iOS 18 features

While interactive widgets were a headlining feature of iOS 17, you might not realize just how interactive new widgets can be. Weather Up 3 is here to change that. The latest version is also optimized for Home screen personalization with iOS 18 theming features.

The all-new version packs weather data for days – plus all the weather info you need to know right now – into a single super widget.

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iOS 18 bug in Messages causes repeated app crash, fix can require data loss [Update: Fixed]

Update: iOS 18.0.1 for iPhone resolves the issue as mentioned in the release notes.


There’s an unfortunate bug in Apple’s latest software update that you should know about. The bug occurs in the Messages app on iOS 18. For now, the fix could require data loss. However, you can avoid potential data loss before a fix is in place if you know how to avoid it.

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Apple Watch Series 10 review: Ultra inspired, mainstream desired, equilibrium acquired

For the last week, I’ve been testing the new Apple Watch — mostly by sleeping. That’s because Apple Watch Series 10 is capable of detecting signs of sleep apnea.

I’ll need a few more weeks of sleep before possible sleep apnea can be flagged. In the meantime, there’s plenty to admire in the waking hours of the day.

Apple Watch Series 10 has a larger screen and a thinner design. It also gains new tricks like always displaying seconds and speaker media playback.

Of course, the new hardware includes all the Apple Watch features introduced in recent years. These include Crash Detection, the double tap gesture, and better performance just to name a few.

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AirPods 4 review: big deal, small package

I’ve been an AirPods user since 2016, and an AirPods Pro user since 2019. In-ear tips are a better fit for my ears, and Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes define the modern AirPods experience for me.

For some, however, in-ear tips are a non-starter. For others, the $249 retail price is a tall order for a pair of earbuds. Apple addresses both cost and design with the all-new AirPods 4.

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Apple details how Apple Watch accelerometer-based sleep apnea feature works

Apple Watch sleep apnea

Apple has published a new clinical validation summary document that explains how its new sleep apnea detection feature works on Apple Watch. Sleep apnea monitoring is part of Apple Watch Series 10 and comes to Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 with watchOS 11. The new watch hardware launches on Friday, and watchOS 11 is available now.

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Apple Pay now integrates with Affirm on iOS 18 following ‘Apple Pay Later’ discontinuation

Remember Apple Pay Later? The buy-now-pay-later service from Apple barely launched before the company decided to nerf it. Replacing Apple’s BNPL option is integration with more widely available options. As of today, the popular BNPL service from Affirm is available as an option for qualified iOS 18 users when checking out with Apple Pay.

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iPhone 17 Pro Max to have more RAM and better cooling system than iPhone 17 Pro and other models

iPhone 16 season is just around the corner, but supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo already has his eyes on the iPhone 17 cycle. The researcher’s latest details how the iPhone 17 Pro Max next fall will outperform the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, including the iPhone 17 Pro, when next year’s models debut. AI, of course, is the reason behind the extra punch behind the late 2025 Pro Max model.

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These are the best CarPlay apps for iPhone

Next-gen CarPlay (shown) not coming to first hybrid Porsche 911

CarPlay is Apple’s feature that brings communication and entertainment functions to the built-in screen in your car using iPhone apps. The feature appears on a lot of aftermarket displays and new cars that you can buy today.

As CarPlay support is now available from most manufacturers, we’re also seeing more CarPlay apps. Once you install these apps on your iPhone, they appear on your CarPlay-enabled display when you connect your iPhone. Read on for the growing list of iPhone apps that support CarPlay.

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watchOS 11 unlocks a new level of usefulness for double tap on Apple Watch

Apple Watch watchos 11

Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 introduce the double tap gesture, and I’ve found that the upcoming watchOS 11 update makes the hands-free input method more useful.

Double tap lets you interact with the Apple Watch by doing a two-tap gesture with your thumb and finger with your watch-wearing hand. This gives you the ability to do things like reply to messages and scroll through lists without touching your watch.

While the gesture provides a practical way to interact with the Apple Watch when you’re carrying something in your other hand, double tap is also natural and reliable enough to mindlessly do it when checking your watch for updates, even if both hands are free.

A new feature coming in watchOS 11 has turned my Apple Watch double tap usage way up — don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t … to eleven.

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Apple Music needs a ‘Gratitude’ feature, or I need a radio show

It’s August, the boss is away, and I’m mowing my lawn listening to The Cure. Reason? See August. But also because I came across an old Apple Music Radio (formerly Beats 1 Radio) show called Gratitude. I found it in the Podcasts app of all places, only to learn that the series ended seven years ago. I have a thing for artist-hosted music shows on Apple’s radio station. This show format is so good and likely only stopped because of lack of discovery.

“Artists sharing albums” is the tagline for the series. When it popped up in my Podcasts app, the premise caught my attention. The series has a host and a guest artist who talks about their chosen album of influence. Interlaced between each track of the album is commentary from the artist about what the album and song mean to them.

There’s something contagious about listening to people talk about things that they’re passionate about, even if it’s not something that you’ve ever thought about. If you happen to already like the speaker and appreciate their subject, it’s like vibing with a friend over something you both enjoy.

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