We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Last month, Apple released two new smartwatches: the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Apple Watch Ultra 4. These wearables offer brand-new features like a heart rate monitor that takes your pulse every five seconds; "Audio Intelligence," that can display a transcript of the last 15 seconds of an in-person conversation; and Apple's new S11 chip, its fastest wearable processor yet.

Despite all these perks, neither the Series 12 nor the Ultra 4 is the best Apple Watch for most people. That title goes to the Apple Watch SE 3, which is currently as cheap as $199 for October Prime Day.

Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm)

$199.00 at Walmart

$249.00 Save $50.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$199.00 at Walmart

$249.00 Save $50.00

The Apple Watch SE 3 doesn't have Apple's latest and greatest features, nor does it have its biggest and best display. It doesn't have to: The SE 3 comes with all the features and options most people expect from an Apple Watch. It is available in two sizes, 44mm or 40mm, both with Always-On OLED displays and brightness up to 1,000 nits. The SE 3 has a heart rate monitor and can track both workouts and your sleep. It supports the Vitals app, which can report on heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, and sleep duration. It can track menstruation cycles and predict both period windows and ovulation estimates.

While it doesn't support Audio Intelligence, it does support Apple Intelligence—including the company's new Siri AI assistant. If the AI-powered Siri is important to you, you'll be able to use it with the SE 3 and your AI-capable iPhone. This watch also supports Emergency SOS, as well as fall and crash detection. That means your watch can call emergency services on your behalf if you become unresponsive after a fall or a collision. If you take the SE 3 swimming, you can dive as deep as 50m before you should worry about water resistance.

This watch doesn't have Apple's newest S11 chip, but it does come with last year's S10 chip, which should be plenty powerful for running watchOS for the foreseeable future. It gets up to 18 hours of screen-on time, and up to 32 hours when in Low Power Mode. You can fast charge the watch up to 80% in 45 minutes with the right charger, or get eight hours of use in as little as 15 minutes of charging.

Really, some of the bigger misses here won't matter to most people. The SE 3 doesn't have an ECG monitor, nor can it detect your blood oxygen levels or send you hypertension alerts. Its screen isn't as bright as the one on the Series 12 (2,000 nits) or Ultra 4 (3,000 nits), nor does it have Emergency SOS via satellite. It doesn't support Precision Finding for iPhone, nor does it have as long a battery life as Apple's other watches (24 hours on the Series 12, and 50 hours on the Ultra 4). But for everything save battery life, most users likely aren't going to be swayed, especially when you consider the price difference

Speaking of which, the SE 3 starts at $199 right now for the 40mm option. If you want the 44m option, you'll spend an extra $30, or $229. This watch also comes in a cellular option, which can connect to 5G speeds when available. The 40mm cellular option is currently $279 on Amazon, while the 44mm model is $279.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

AirPods Pro are Apple's "premium" earbuds, but that definition isn't as clear-cut as it used to be. Active Noise Cancellation used to be a "Pro" feature, but now, Apple's standard AirPods come with it, too. So why spend $249 on the Pros when you can get AirPods with ANC for about half that? Tough question, but during October Prime Day, Amazon is making it a bit easier to answer, as right now, you can take $70 off the AirPods Pro 3, bringing the price down to $179. That's $10 more than the all-time low of $169 they hit back in June.

AirPods Pro 3

$179.00 at Amazon

$249.00 Save $70.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$179.00 at Amazon

$249.00 Save $70.00

The new AirPods 5 may come with Active Noise Cancellation, but it's not quite as good as that on the AirPods Pro 3. According to Apple, the Pros can cancel sound up to three times more effectively than AirPods 5, which makes them the better choice for noisy environments like airplanes. Part of that may be due to the seal created by the Pros' silicone ear tips. While some prefer the one-size-fits-all approach of the AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 3 come with different-sized tips, so you can choose the size that fits your ears best.

Another "Pro" feature is the built-in heart rate sensor. If you don't have a fitness tracker, or just want to leave it at home, you can use your AirPods to keep tabs on your heart rate during workouts. While you shouldn't go swimming with them, the Pros are IP57 rated against dust and water, so working out in the rain shouldn't be a problem.

The Pros are also the only AirPods in Apple's lineup that are FDA-certified hearing aids. As part of that feature, you can take a hearing test with the AirPods Pro to learn more about your personal hearing health. In addition, the Pros come with hearing protection features, which can help block out loud sounds that might otherwise damage your hearing. AirPods Pro 3 also come with Adaptive Audio, which automatically blends Transparency and Active Noise Cancellation based on how loud or quiet your environment is. There's also Conversation Awareness, which automatically lowers the volume of your audio when you start speaking. A few seconds after you stop speaking, your AirPods will bring your audio back up again.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

I love my AirPods Max, but I have a hard time recommending them. They sound great, pair seamlessly with my other Apple devices, and offer excellent Active Noise Cancellation, so they're my go-to for long flights and travel days. And yet, I can't in good conscience advise most people to buy them, because of the price. $549 is way too much for any pair of headphones, even if they are my favorite pair I've ever used.

I have good news, however. For October Prime Day, Amazon has discounted the latest model of the priciest AirPods. The AirPods Max 2 are now $429, down 22%, or $120, from the $549 list price. According to Keepa, that's the best price since August. While the headphones are still wildly expensive, it's much easier to recommend them at this price point than at their normal MSRP.

Apple AirPods Max 2 Active Noise Cancellation Wireless Headphones (Midnight)

$429.00 at Amazon

$549.00 Save $120.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$429.00 at Amazon

$549.00 Save $120.00

The AirPods Max 2 aren't expensive for nothing. They come jam-packed with features that make them Apple's best over-the-ear headphones yet. Apple says these AirPods support up to 1.5 times more Active Noise Cancellation than the original AirPods Max, though the benefits also extend to Transparency mode. These are Apple's first AirPods Max to come with Adaptive Audio, which automatically adjusts the loudness of sounds coming in through Transparency mode, as well as Conversation Awareness, which lowers audio when your AirPods detect that you're speaking. (The audio levels rise once the headphones note you've stopped speaking for a length of time.)

While these headphones sound great when used wirelessly, they're worth using with a USB-C cable, too. With it, you can listen to lossless music through a service like Apple Music, which offers more detail than lossy music over a Bluetooth. Apple says you can expect 20 hours of battery life on one charge when using Active Noise Cancellation, and although the company doesn't specify, you can presumably extend that usage with ANC or Transparency mode turned off. You can also get 90 minutes of playback on just five minutes of charging.

Like all AirPods, these headphones work best when you already have other Apple products. That's personally my favorite thing about AirPods in general: You can use your AirPods Max with your iPhone, then play a video on your Mac, and your AirPods will automatically switch to the new audio source. They're also easy to pair with an Apple TV, which makes for a great way to watch movies and shows without bothering others around you.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

There's a reason the MacBook Pro is so expensive. Apple saves its most premium features for this product line—mini-LED displays, built-in fans, HDMI and SD ports, and, depending on the model, the most powerful chips. None of these comes cheap, and, after recent RAM-related price hikes, the MacBook Pro now starts at a steep $1,999. That's not the case during October Prime Day, however: Right now, you can take a decent chunk off many MacBook Pro models, and even more if you opt for one of Apple's M5 Pro or M5 Pro Max devices.

You can save $160 on the M5 MacBook Pro

Let's start with the standard M5 MacBook Pro. This uses a similar M5 chip to the one found in the MacBook Air, though the Pro does come with 10 GPU cores (that costs extra on the Air). Other than that, these are the same processors, running the same 16GB of RAM—though the M5 MacBook Pro comes with 1TB of storage standard. You also get most of the hardware perks of the other MacBook Pro devices, without venturing into $2,499 and up territory, including three USB-C ports, the HDMI and SD card ports, a 14.2-inch mini-LED display, and a 12MP FaceTime camera. Typically, that'd cost you $1,999. But on Amazon, you can pick this machine up today for $1,869.

M5 MacBook Pro (14-inch)

$1,599.00 at Best Buy

Get Deal

Get Deal

$1,599.00 at Best Buy

Save $155 on the 14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro

This is a great price for this MacBook, but it's not the only savings you'll find on MacBook Pros this October Prime Day. If you upgrade to the M5 Pro MacBook Pro, you can save $155 off its retail price, bringing the machine down to $2,345 from $2,499. With this laptop, you get all the perks of the M5 MacBook Pro, but with the M5 Pro chip, which is much more powerful. This chip comes with a 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, along with 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. It also supports Wi-Fi 7, while the M5 MacBook Pro only supports Wi-Fi 6E.

M5 Pro MacBook Pro

$2,345.00 at Amazon

$2,499.00 Save $154.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$2,345.00 at Amazon

$2,499.00 Save $154.00

Amazon also has the M5 Pro MacBook Pro with an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU $150 off. But the biggest discounts are on Apple's most expensive 14-inch MacBook Pros. If you're in the market for a souped-up M5 Pro model, or one of Apple's M5 Max configurations, Amazon has huge discounts:

• 14-inch M5 Pro with 48GB of RAM and 1TB SSD: $3,299.99 at Amazon (was $3,599)

• 14-inch M5 Max with 36GB of RAM and 2TB SSD: $3,899 at Amazon (was $4,399)

• 14-inch M5 Max with 48GB of RAM and 2TB SSD: $4,499 at Amazon (was $4,999)

Save $150 on the 16-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro

Similarly, Amazon has big discounts on the 16-inch version of these MacBook Pros. The best option for most people in this category is going to be the base model 16-inch, which comes with the M5 Pro with an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, as well as 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2024, M4 Pro)

$2,749.00 at Amazon

$2,999.00 Save $250.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$2,749.00 at Amazon

$2,999.00 Save $250.00

But as with the 14-inch MacBook Pros, the biggest deals are on the most expensive 16-inch Pros. Here's how much you can save:

• 16-inch M5 Pro with 48GB of RAM and 1TB SSD: $3,299.99 at Amazon (was $3,599)

• 16-inch M5 Max with 36GB of RAM and 2TB SSD: $3,899 at Amazon (was $4,399)

• 16-inch M5 Max with 48GB of RAM and 2TB SSD: $4,499 at Amazon (was $4,999)

October Prime Day FAQ

When is Prime Day in October?

Amazon Prime Day is an annual event held in June or July. Amazon's October Prime Day event, known as Prime Big Deal Days, is a two-day sale that starts Oct. 6 and ends on Oct. 7.

What goes on sale during October Prime Day?

Since Prime Big Deal Days happens in the fall, you're likely to see more deals on gaming and indoor gym equipment. Amazon has already announced some of the 35 categories that will be on sale, including beauty, tech, kitchen, fashion, and home. Some brands Amazon has already mentioned are: Shark, Princess Polly, Soundcore by Anker, UGG, Nest New York, Sony, Tarte, Adidas, and Barefoot Dreams.

Is Prime Day once a year?

Prime Day happens every summer. Prime Big Deal Days (or October Prime Day) happens every October. Amazon's Big Spring Sale happens every spring.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Amazon has taken $100 off the 256GB Apple iPad mini (Wi-Fi + Cellular) for October Prime Day 2026, bringing the compact tablet down to $749 from $849. This is the A17 Pro model Apple introduced in 2024, and while the design will look familiar, the newer chip gives the mini enough power to handle more demanding apps and games, along with support for Apple Intelligence. PCMag gave it an "excellent" rating for its performance and portability, and those remain the strongest reasons to consider it, since you're getting much of what a larger iPad can do in a device that weighs about 10.5 ounces and is far easier to carry around.

LTE Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro)

$749.00 at Amazon

$849.00 Save $100.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$749.00 at Amazon

$849.00 Save $100.00

That portability comes largely down to the 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, which is easy to hold for reading, watching something on a flight, or taking notes without balancing a full-size tablet on your lap, though the smaller screen can feel cramped for multitasking or for anyone hoping to replace a laptop. As for storage, the 256GB leaves plenty of room for downloaded movies, photos, and larger apps, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro (sold separately) makes the mini a handy portable notebook or sketchpad. 

The 12MP front and rear cameras cover the basics, with Center Stage on the front keeping you in frame during video calls, but what really sets this configuration apart from the cheaper Wi-Fi models is 5G cellular connectivity. Once you add a cellular plan, you can get online while commuting or traveling without relying on public wifi or your phone's hotspot, and Wi-Fi 6E is there for compatible networks at home or in the office. Staying connected does cost a little battery life, since Apple rates the mini at up to 10 hours of web browsing or video playback over wifi and nine hours on cellular data, though your actual results will vary with screen brightness and what you're running.

October Prime Day FAQs

When is Prime Day?

October Prime Day begins Oct. 6 and runs through Oct. 7. It happens every year during October.

When does Prime Day end?

October Prime Day ends on Oct. 7, 2026. It’s a two-day online sale.

What is Amazon Prime Day?

October Prime Day is the fall version of Prime Day, which is the biggest sale Amazon hosts during the spring, summer, and fall. You can find deals on many categories during the sale, including tech, tools, appliances, apparel, and more.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

You don't expect to see Apple's latest and greatest products on sale, especially not weeks after their initial release. While there are plenty of discounts on Apple products this October Prime Day, including on some Apple Watches, I certainly wouldn't have predicted that Apple's latest flagship would get a price cut. And yet, here we are. The Apple Watch Series 12 starts at $399. But during October Prime Day, Apple has the watch $50 off. With the discount, it now starts at $349, a fantastic price for a watch with all of Apple's latest wearable perks.

Apple Watch Series 12

Buy One Apple Watch, and Get a Second Apple Watch $300 off at T-Mobile

Get Deal

Get Deal

Buy One Apple Watch, and Get a Second Apple Watch $300 off at T-Mobile

The Apple Watch Series 12 comes with Apple's newest wearable processor, the S11 chip. This processor is what powers things like Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, as well as the new "Audio Intelligence," which can give you a text recap of the last 15 seconds of an in-person conversation—a feature that has generated a bit of controversy. It also comes with a new heart rate sensor, which can notably check your pulse every five seconds, or 20 times a minute. This model supports up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge, and its Ceramic Shield 2 display should prevent more scratches and cracks than past Apple Watches in this category. Lifehacker Senior Health Editor Beth Skwarecki thinks the Series 12 is worth the upgrade at its original MSRP, so this is a bit of a no-brainer if you were already interested.

The only caveat here is that the Series 12 isn't the only Apple Watch discount worth considering this October Prime Day. While the Apple Watch Ultra 4 isn't on sale, the Apple Watch SE 3 is. This isn't a "new" watch, per se, but it is Apple's best watch for most people. You don't get any of the above perks of the Series 12, but you do get the capable S10 chip, Apple's standard heart rate monitor, sleep and exercise tracking, and the ability to send and receive texts. There's a host of fitness and health crossover here, and if you opt for the cellular model, you'll connect to the same 5G network as the cellular Series 12. While $349 is a great starting price for the Series 12, the SE 3 currently starts at $199 for October Prime Day. That's a tough price to beat.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

If you bought one of Apple's M5 MacBook Airs at launch, it would have cost you $1,099 for the base model. Then, the memory crisis took its toll, and all of a sudden, that same machine shot up in price by $200 without any new features or changes. The MacBook Air, which for years has started at $999 and jumped to $1,099 with the M5 (while also giving you more storage, at least), now starts at $1,299. If you want more storage, or to upgrade to the 15-inch model, it'll only cost you more.

These prices only push customers towards Apple's less expensive MacBook Neo. That's not necessarily a bad thing: the Neo comes with most of the features that people are looking for in an Apple laptop, at about half the cost of the MacBook Air. But these are not identical machines. Users choosing the Neo over the Air lose out on a bigger, higher-quality display; a processor made for macOS; a backlit keyboard; and MagSafe charging, just to name a few perks. These are all excellent features, but it's tough to justify the additional $600. But what if you could save $200? That makes those perks a bit more worth the upgrade.

M5 MacBook Air (13-inch)

$1,099.00 at Amazon

$1,299.00 Save $200.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$1,099.00 at Amazon

$1,299.00 Save $200.00

For October Prime Day, Amazon has an excellent deal on the 13-inch M5 MacBook Air, taking $200 off Apple's new and beefier MSRP, bringing the cost down to...well, the M5's launch price. If you've been kicking yourself for not buying one of these machines between March and June, now's your chance to turn back the clock.

This MacBook Air comes with a 13.6-inch display (Apple calls it the "13-inch" for marketing purposes), with a resolution of 2560 by 1664 and a maximum brightness of 500 nits. You get the M5 chip, which, according to Geekbench, outperforms the MacBook Neo's A18 Pro by nearly 22% in single-core tasks and 134% in multi-core tasks. That extra $400 isn't just going towards an "Apple tax," as you'll notice real-world performance increases for your money. You'll also get a 12MP Center Stage camera for video conferencing and FaceTime calls, Touch ID built into the keyboard, and support for MagSafe charging—though you can also charge using either of the two USB 4 ports.

Importantly, this model comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. That should be plenty for most users, but Amazon is also hosting discounts on both the 1TB model ($1,399 instead of $1,599), as well as the 1TB model with 24GB of RAM ($1,599 instead of $1,799). But again, most people will make do just fine with the base configuration. And for $1,099, it's a fantastic deal.

Your iPhone 18 Pro Max can do a lot. It has a variable aperture that lets you control the amount of light that hits the camera sensor; it can charge up to 50% of its battery in 15 minutes (with the right adapter, of course); and it can run all of Apple's latest AI features, thanks to the new A20 processor. But the 18 Pro Max is still, above all, a phone. If it can't connect to the cellular network, you no longer have an iPhone, but a glorified iPod touch.

Unfortunately, that's the situation some iPhone 18 Pro Max users find themselves in. Despite being "the best" iPhone Apple has ever made, Apple confirmed that a "small number" of 18 Pro Max units—specifically on the AT&T carrier network—can no longer connect to cellular service, with the devices only displaying an "SOS" icon at the top of their screens. That's a pretty glaring issue: Without cellular service, you'll need a wifi connection to use any apps or features that require the internet and you'll lose the ability to make calls over cellular entirely. It's so bad that some users may not even be able to call 911.

What if my iPhone 18 Pro Max can connect to cellular service right now?

If your iPhone 18 Pro Max has the ability to connect to cellular service, that doesn't mean you're in the clear. Just because there's nothing wrong with your unit yet, you can still be affected by the glitch, and you'll need to install the latest update, iOS 27.0.1, as well as the latest carrier update from AT&T, to ensure your 18 Pro Max won't be affected by these mysterious cellular issues in the future. That's what Apple told 9to5Mac in the following statement: “We have identified an issue affecting a small number of iPhone 18 Pro Max users on the AT&T network that may cause a device to lose service and be unable to make calls. We released iOS 27.0.1 earlier this week and strongly encourage all iPhone 18 Pro Max users to update now, and are also issuing a carrier settings update today. These updates together are meant to help prevent this issue from occurring.”

While you can always install iOS 27.0.1 from Settings > General> Software Update, Apple says that the carrier update will install on its own at some point over the next 14 days. However, I'd advise manually installing it by heading to Settings > General > About. There won't be any confirmation that the carrier update installs, but rest assured, this process will ensure that it has.

What if my iPhone 18 Pro Max cannot connect to cellular?

Unfortunately, if your iPhone is already experiencing issues connecting to cellular service, there is no fix. The updates above only help with prevention; they cannot patch an iPhone 18 Pro Max that already can't reach the network. Unfortunately, the only solution is to swap out the unit with either Apple or AT&T. The good news is your store will make the trade for you free of charge, as it is a hardware defect covered under warranty.

It's not clear why this issue is only affecting iPhone 18 Pro Maxes and not the standard iPhone 18 Pro, nor is it evident why only AT&T devices appear to be experiencing it. A possible point of failure: The iPhone 18 Pro Max uses a Qualcomm modem, while the iPhone 18 Pro uses Apple's proprietary C2 modem. Perhaps there's some flaw with Qualcomm's hardware specifically on the AT&T network.

That's not to say the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro has been otherwise drama-free—far from it. As it happens, the 18 Pro (along with the 18 Pro Max) has also experienced three other public-facing issues since Apple launched the devices last month. First, there was an issue with phones randomly rebooting following a failed Face ID attempt; next, some users noticed their devices emitting a cracking or popping sound through the speakers. Finally, some units also appear to be losing their exterior color. If you've upgraded, I hope your fancy new iPhone is doing well.

If you've updated your iPhone to iOS 27, you might have already put Siri AI to the test or tried out some of Apple's AI-powered photo editing features. But you may have also noticed something else: Your iPhone's battery isn't lasting as long between charges. While I can't say this is a universal experience (I'm don't believe my iPhone is dying faster on iOS 27 than it did on iOS 26), some users are adamant the update has had a detrimental effect on their battery life. And while there are many possible factors here, some think they have found the culprit: a feature called Connectivity Assist.

What is Connectivity Assist?

Connectivity Assist's mission is noble. The feature is designed to tap into cellular data any time your wifi connection grows too weak. In theory, it should be particularly useful when you're leaving an area with wifi; rather than deal with the slow loading times a weak wifi connection forces you to endure before it disconnects outright, your cellular network would kick in to maintain your speed. (Once you've left wifi range, you'd be back on cellular completely either way, of course.)

Technically, this feature isn't new. Before iOS 27, Apple called it "Wi-Fi Assist," but it worked a bit differently. In iOS 26, Wi-Fi Assist simply switches over to cellular when your wifi signal is too weak. With iOS 27's Connectivity Assist, it seems your iPhone can tap into both networks at the same time. If so, that may play some role in why this rejiggered feature seems to be dragging down people's batteries more than it used to.

There's another new addition with Connectivity Assist that could also be part of the problem: Unlike Wi-Fi Assist, Connectivity Assist sends DNS requests over cellular data, which can bypass the rules that ad blockers put in place to stop pop-ups from making their way into your iPhone. As such, even Apple recommends that you disable Connectivity Assist if you use an ad blocker. So, if your iPhone is constantly sending out DNS requests while on cellular data, bypassing your active ad blockers, that could be putting extra strain on your battery, too.

How to disable Connectivity Assist in iOS 27

Reddit user ZoteTheMitey shared their experience on the r/iPhone subreddit, claiming that their iPhone 15 Pro Max, with 89% battery health, was only lasting for three to four hours following the switch to iOS 27. Once they disabled Connectivity Assistant, they claim their battery usage time jumped to seven hours. Some users in the thread shared similar experiences, and one even claimed disabling the feature fixed an issue with their device overheating.

If you want to try the potential solution yourself, here are two ways to disable Connectivity Assist: First, you can disable it on a per-network basis. To do so, head to Settings > Wi-Fi, then tap the (i) next to your network name. Here, scroll down, and make sure the toggle next to "Use Connectivity Assist" is turned off. That was, you can make sure your battery isn't experiencing faster drain when you're away from a charger—say, at a cafe you frequent.

If you'd rather disable the feature globally for your iPhone, head back to the Wi-Fi settings page and ensure the toggle next to "Connectivity Assist" is set to off. Note: if this feature was previously enabled, you'll be able to see the amount of cellular data the feature has used to date, which will give you an idea of how often it has been active on your device. More data could mean more potential battery drain.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

When Apple releases a new watch, it’s not always worth upgrading. Last year’s Series 11 only had a few barely noticeable features to recommend it over the 10, and we said it’s probably one to skip if you’re happy with your current watch. But the Series 12 is different, and this one is worth the upgrade no matter which Apple Watch you’re coming from.

Apple Watch Series 12 (GPS, 42mm)

$349.99 at Amazon

$399.00 Save $49.01

Learn More

Learn More

$349.99 at Amazon

$399.00 Save $49.01

One of the biggest reasons to upgrade is that the Series 12's new processor (called, confusingly, the S11 chip) can support some features older Apple Watches can't. That's why only the new models are getting step counts, for example; Apple chose to implement those in a way that only the new hardware can calculate. Whenever there's a break in software compatibility, it makes sense to get the newer model. I'd expect more features are coming in future years that will be back-compatible with the 12 but not earlier models.

The heart rate sensor is a big upgrade

Apple upgraded the hardware on the back of the watch that optically reads your heartbeats. (This new sensor is in both the Series 12 and the Ultra 4.) I’ve tested its accuracy, and found it’s substantially better than the sensors in previous Apple Watches like the Series 10 and 11. If you train by heart rate during workous, or if you use heart rate data after the fact to evaluate and plan your training, the upgrade is worth it.

Apple claims it provides the most accurate heart rate of any wearable. I tested that claim and can partially agree: It’s as good as Garmin’s top-of-the-line sensor. I wouldn’t say it’s better than Garmin’s, but the two are tied in my book for the best wrist-worn sensor. (Chest straps are better than any wrist-based system, of course.) 

Steps on the watch face are a nice plus

I wouldn’t buy a new Apple Watch just for the step count, but it’s a nice upgrade and one I deeply appreciate. I can add a step count complication to my watch face (I have it in a corner of the Modular face right now) and I have step count pinned to my Smart Stack. 

If you don’t upgrade, you use use a third-party step counter to provide a complication for your watch face. But it’s nice that Apple finally has this feature built in. Apple says its step counts are the most accurate; I’ll be testing that claim soon.

Readiness and recovery HRV are another nice extra

The Apple Watch was always capable of measuring HRV, but until the Series 12 (and Ultra 4), it didn’t use the RMSSD version, which is most useful for gauging how stressed or recovered you are. (Instead, it used the SDNN version that can provide some information about cardiac health; the newer Apple Watches can do both.)

This means you can now get an overnight HRV reading that matches the kind of data you can get from the Oura ring or Whoop. I find HRV useful in monitoring how stressed or fatigued I am, so if you already wear an Apple Watch, it’s nice to be able to get that data from the watch instead of needing a second device. Apple has added a readiness score that uses HRV to tell you how “ready” you are for the day. 

What I’m less excited about in the Series 12

Besides the features above, Apple has announced a few things that it’s using as selling points for the Series 12, but I wouldn’t put too much weight on these. Some are software features, like a small upgrade to Workout Buddy and a big upgrade to the Health app on the phone; you don’t need a new watch for these. Others are actually tied to the watch, but they wouldn’t be a reason to upgrade, at least for me personally. They include: 

Siri AI

There’s a new AI-based version of Siri, and it’s available on the watch. It can do a few things better than the old Siri, like searching your messages and emails, but it seems to have gotten worse in some respects. I wrote about my experience trying Siri AI on the watch; I got plenty of delays and errors that negated any small benefit of the new algorithm. I suppose it will get better over time, but right now, it's not very good.

Rewind and recaps

Apple touted two features on the new watches that feel a little more creepy than useful to me: Live Rewind, which gives you a text transcription of whatever audio it heard in the last 15 seconds; and Siri Recaps, which summarize meetings. Despite Apple’s assurances about privacy, it’s still a feature that's always listening to you and to bystanders who didn’t consent to be rewound or recapped. This feature isn’t live yet on my watch, so I can’t comment on what it’s like to use—but I’m not exactly thrilled about the idea.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

On paper, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are Apple's best smartphones yet. They run the new A20 chip, feature cameras that use a revolutionary variable aperture, and, according to Apple, have the longest battery life of any iPhone ever. And yet, the iPhone 18 Pro's launch has been a rocky one, beset by glitches and hardware issues that range in severity. Some have been fixed by simple software updates, while others remain unresolved.

None of this is to encourage you to return your iPhone 18 Pro or discourage you from buying one if you have your sights set on Apple's newest Pro phones. However, it's important to note that this has hardly been a drama-free rollout. As of this article, these are the four major problems I've seen with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pros were randomly rebooting

The first iPhone 18 Pro issue that I saw was random reboots. Users complained that, after a failed Face ID attempt, their iPhones would freeze up and, after a short period of time, reboot. Curiously, Apple's newest Apple Watches, the Series 12 and Ultra 4, had similar reboot issues. While annoying, this was clearly just a glitch with Apple's newest iPhones running iOS 27 and Apple Watches running watchOS 27. The company quickly released patches for all devices in iOS 27.0.1 and watchOS 27.0.1, each of which only mentioned this singular patch in the release notes.

iPhone 18 Pro Max might not be able to dial 911

While Apple says iOS 27.0.1 only patches this reboot glitch, AT&T says otherwise. The company sent alerts to iPhone 18 Pro Max users last week urging them to update to this latest version of iOS, warning that iPhone 18 Pro Max users might not be able to text, call, or connect to data at times, including when dialing 911. The full message reads: "Hi, it's AT&T. Action needed: An important Apple software update for your iPhone 18 Pro Max is available. Some phones may be unable to complete calls/text/data, including to 911. Update to iOS 27.0.1 immediately — Settings > General > Software Update. Please contact AT&T or Apple if you have questions."

As it happens, iPhone 18 Pro users are not included in this alert. As MacRumors speculates, it might have something to do with the iPhone 18 Pro Max's modem. This is the only new iPhone this year to ship with a Qualcomm modem rather than Apple's own C2 modem. As MacRumors notes, affected iPhone 18 Pro Max users can lose service, forcing their phones to drop into SOS mode.

What's more, this update may only be effective at preventing the issue, not solving it. In a statement to 9to5Mac, Apple said: "We have identified an issue affecting a small number of iPhone 18 Pro Max users on the AT&T network that may cause a device to lose service and be unable to make calls. We released iOS 27.0.1 earlier this week and strongly encourage all iPhone 18 Pro Max users to update now, and are also issuing a carrier settings update today. These updates together are meant to help prevent this issue from occurring.” If your iPhone 18 Pro Max has already lost the ability to connect to cellular, however, 9to5Mac says you will need to swap it out for an entirely new phone with either Apple or AT&T.

Some iPhone 18 Pros have a cracking or popping noise

Some iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max users are reporting strange "cracking" or "popping" noises coming from their new smartphones' speakers. This Redditor shared that the sound comes intermittently from the upper speaker, and sounds like someone pulling an aux cable out of a headphone jack. Users in the thread concurred: One user complained of a light buzzing when the volume is set to 100%, while another said their iPhone has a crackling sound when on calls with "mono speaker." According to one Redditor, updating to iOS 27.0.1 didn't fix the issue.

While the thread is full of users complaining of similar issues, not everyone has the same experience. Some Redditors say they haven't heard the sounds on their iPhone 18 Pros, including multiple Mashable reporters. Another user noted that they're experiencing the issue on their iPhone 16 Pro Max since they updated to iOS 27.

Some iPhone 18 Pros are already losing their color

As Mashable highlights, some iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max users are noticing that the finish on their devices is starting to wear away, particularly around the camera lens. It seems the majority of the complaints, if not all of them, are from users with burgundy and black iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max devices, and it's not clear how widespread the issue is. Some users have claimed that cleaning the affected area with a Q-tip is enough to fix the issue, while others say the finish itself has worn away.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Apple's Photos app is more than a simple camera roll that eats up all your iCloud storage space. Contrary to popular belief, you can customize the app to make it easier to find the pictures and videos you're looking for, while hidden features help you clean up your storage and keep your media collection organized. If you have an iPhone, these 10 hacks are a must.

iPhone 18 Pro

$1,199.00 at Apple

Shop Now

Shop Now

$1,199.00 at Apple

iPhone 18 Pro Max

$1,299.00 at Apple

Shop Now

Shop Now

$1,299.00 at Apple

iPhone Duo

$1,999.00 at Apple

Pre-order Here

Pre-order Here

$1,999.00 at Apple

SEE 0 MORE

Use Reorder to customize what’s shown in the Collections screen

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

The Collections tab in the Photos app arranges itself automatically, showing you suggested photos, memories, and highlight reels at the top. Unfortunately, the way Apple orders things is a bit of a mess. The thing is, Photos has plenty of useful categories and shortcuts for accessing media quickly, such as for screenshots, custom albums, and utilities like Hidden Folder. As such, you should reorder the Collections tab to make it work better for you. Tap the Menu button at the top of the Collections tab and choose Reorder. My advice is to bring the Utilities and Media Types collections to the top, as they serve as useful shortcuts.

Use "Captured By Me" to hide screenshots and saved photos

If you're like me, your camera roll is filled with too many screenshots, saved photos, memes, GIFs, and videos. They all have their place, but the clutter gets in the way when you want to see or show photos you’ve actually clicked with your iPhone’s camera. As it happens, iOS 27 adds a new feature called "Captured By Me" that only filters photos and videos you’ve shot yourself. If you go to the Collections tab, you’ll find a new Captured By Me section in Utilities. You can also activate this when browsing photos in Library using the Filter button.

Hide photos of an ex from showing up in Memories

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Apple’s Photos suggestions are so good, I let the app handle the images that show up on my iPhone and Apple Watch's wallpaper, along with a widget on my iPhone's Home Screen. But suggestions are only as good as your curation. The last thing you want is to see a photo of your ex (or an ex-friend) when you’re trying to get through emails in the morning. If you don’t want to see a person too often, open their photo, tap the Menu button and choose Don’t Feature a Person. You have two choices here. You can either choose Feature This Person Less or Never Feature This Person. The latter option, of course, is best for exes, while the former works better for anyone you don't want to cut out entirely, but would like to see a little bit less of.

Hide the Hidden folder to truly protect your sensitive photos

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

The Photos app's Hidden folder is an excellent tool for locking away pictures and videos from your main library. The issue is, the folder might still be accessable by anyone who gets their hands on your iPhone. As such, make sure to lock the Hidden folder behind a Face ID lock to truly protect your sensitive pics. To do so, go to Settings > Apps > Photos > Albums and enable Face ID to automatically enable the hidden folder lock.

Make sure to completely delete photos from the Trash

Deleted photos aren’t actually deleted—at least, not right away. Apple actually stores deleted photos for 30 days, helpful when you accidentally delete a photo or have second-thoughts, but it’s a double-edged sword. Someone in the know could snoop through your deleted album and retrieve images you assumed were gone forever. These photos and videos are also taking up storage you likely assumed you got back by "deleting" them. As such, make sure to empty the Trash as well. Go to Photos > Utilities > Recently Deleted and tap the Delete All button.

Use the Identity Documents collection to quickly find photos of your IDs

While it’s not the most secure option, keeping some identification documents, passes, or tickets as photos can help in a pinch. It seems like Apple knows that this is a common use case. In iOS 27, if you go to the Collections tab, you’ll find a new Identity Documents section under the Utilities dropdown. When you open it, you’ll find an automatically curated grid of all the photos that contain IDs. If you like this feature, I highly recommend using the first hack in this list to reorder the Collections screen, putting the Identity Documents section right at the top.

Use this hidden feature to force Photos to sync immediately to iCloud

iCloud can be a huge help for managing your ever-growing Photos library. As long as you have available cloud storage, photos and videos are uploaded in the background automatically, and if you’re low on storage on your iPhone, "Optimize Storage" automatically offloads the files to the cloud.

Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn’t work when you really want to. Perhaps you want to add photos in a shared album, or you want to see photos on your Mac. But your iPhone is low on battery, or on a spotty connection, so the photos never seem to sync. Now, if you’re running iOS 27, you can use a hidden setting to force iCloud sync. Go to Settings > Photos > Sync Immediately and enable For Today.

Use Clean Up's "High-Quality" mode to remove objects from your photos

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

When it launched, Apple’s Clean Up tool left something to be desired. It would remove objects, but leave weird shadows or blobs behind. With the release of Apple’s new Siri AI, Clean Up gets a big upgrade—but only if you use Apple’s iCloud servers. (Apple says its service, Private Cloud Compute, secures your data.) As such, Clean Up is now a reliable option to quickly remove objects from your photos. Open an image, tap on Edit, choose the Tools option, and select the Clean Up tool. From the top, make sure to switch to the High-Quality option to use Apple’s servers. Highlight parts to remove, and tap Clean Up. If it’s a heavier edit, you might need to wait for a minute or two. In my experience, the result will be worth it.

Use "Paste Edits" to copy and paste edits from one photo to multiple photos

Credit: Khamosh Pathak

It can get tedious to apply the same edits across multiple photos. Luckily, you don't need to waste time fiddling with the same sliders on each image: Photos lets you copy all edits from one image and paste them to multiple photos. To do so, choose your edited photo or video, tap the Menu button, and choose Copy Edits. Then, review and disable any edits you don’t want, and choose Copy. Now, go back to your Library, tap Select, and choose all the photos or videos where you want to apply the same edit. Tap the Menu button and choose Paste Edits to add the same edit settings to all images.

Use Live Text to pull text from images

Credit: Apple

Apple’s Live Text feature turns any text digital. Snap a photo of a menu, and you can copy it. Scan a page, and you can paste it in Notes. But it’s not just limited to the camera or screenshots: It’s integrated directly into the Photos app as well, and arguably, it’s the easiest place to use this feature. When you are viewing an image with text in it, you will see the Live Text icon in the bottom right. Tap on it, and iOS will highlight the text in the image. You can tap and hold to take action on text, and you can easily copy things from here as well.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Apple products are infamously expensive, but that doesn't mean those prices never come down. While Apple doesn't typically offers discounts of its own, retailers frequently cut prices MacBooks, AirPods, and iPads, and such is the case with Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale.

M5 MacBook Air (13-inch)

The MacBook Air has long been the best choice for most people. While many would likely benefit from the simpler, budget MacBook Neo, there are plenty of perks for those who upgrade to the M5 MacBook Air: a bigger, better display; the M5 chip, which is much more powerful than the Neo's A18 Pro chip; Touch ID by default; and MagSafe charging, to name a few. Right now, Amazon has the 13-inch MacBook Air at $1,099, $200 below its newly inflated list price of $1,299.

M5 MacBook Air (13-inch)

$1,099.00 at Amazon

$1,299.00 Save $200.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$1,099.00 at Amazon

$1,299.00 Save $200.00

M5 MacBook Air (15-inch)

Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air is a good option for users who want more screen real estate without having to pay "Pro" prices. Following recent price hikes, Apple's 512GB model retails for $1,499, but ahead of October Prime Day, you can save $200 on the laptop when buying through Amazon. According to Keepa, this is the 15-inch MacBook Air's best price since early August. With this MacBook Air, you get a 15.3-inch display, Apple's M5 chip with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 512GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and up to 18 hours of battery life (according to Apple).

M5 MacBook Air (15-inch)

$1,299.00 at Amazon

$1,499.00 Save $200.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$1,299.00 at Amazon

$1,499.00 Save $200.00

M5 Pro MacBook Pro (14-inch)

Apple's "Pro" MacBook Pro line used to start at $1,999. No longer: Apple's MSRP for the M5 Pro MacBook Pro is now $2,499. Expensive, but for many, worth it, since you get a powerful Mac chip with Apple's most feature-filled MacBook design. If you've been eyeing this model, good news: Best Buy is currently taking $150 off. For $2,349, you can get a 14.2-inch MacBook Pro with a mini-LED display, the M5 Pro chip with 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. If you're looking for even more power, Best Buy has a number of M5 Pro configurations discounted, including the 18-core CPU/20-core GPU model with a 2TB SSD ($2,699, down from $3,199).

M5 Pro MacBook Pro (14-inch)

$2,349.00 at Best Buy

$2,499.00 Save $150.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$2,349.00 at Best Buy

$2,499.00 Save $150.00

M5 Max MacBook Pro (14-inch)

While the M5 chip in the MacBook Air is more than enough to handle most computing tasks, Apple's M5 Max is on a whole other level. For users who do intense graphics work or AI processing, there are few chips better than the one found in this 14-inch MacBook Pro. Of course, all that power comes at a cost: Apple's MSRP for this particular configuration is $4,099. But right now, Best Buy has it discounted by $600. For $3,499, you get a 14.2-inch mini-LED display, the M5 Max chip with an 18-core CPU and 32-core GPU, 36GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD.

M5 Max MacBook Pro (14-inch)

$3,499.00 at Best Buy

$4,099.00 Save $600.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$3,499.00 at Best Buy

$4,099.00 Save $600.00

AirPods Max (USB-C)

As much as I love my AirPods Max, I have a hard time recommending them because of the price—$549 is expensive for wireless headphones, and it's tough to ignore other excellent options that cost hundreds of dollars less than Apple's. However, they become easier to recommend when they're on sale. Right now, you can pick up Apple's AirPods Max 2 for $429—still expensive, but a bit more reasonable. These are Apple's latest AirPods Max, with "new" features like Live Translation and Adaptive Audio.

AirPods Max 2

$429.00 at Amazon

$549.00 Save $120.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$429.00 at Amazon

$549.00 Save $120.00

AirPods Pro 3

Apple's third-generation AirPods Pro are excellent, but they're also pricey. For $249, you get Apple's best earbuds, with Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Transparency, a built-in heart rate monitor, and interchangeable tips to fit the buds to your ears. While these earbuds are arguably worth their MSRP, they're especially worth it on sale: Right now, you can take $70 off the price of the AirPods Pro 3, as Amazon is currently selling them for $179. Apple also offers cheaper AirPods with similar features, so unless you need the Pros' exclusive perks, you can save even more with the new, full-featured AirPods 5 ($149 for the version with the wireless charging case).

AirPods Pro 3

$179.00 at Amazon

$249.00 Save $70.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$179.00 at Amazon

$249.00 Save $70.00

AirPods 4

If you're looking for a pair of AirPods at the lowest possible price, look at this deal from Best Buy. The retailer has the Apple AirPods 4 for just $79, down from their original list price of $129.99. These are one generation old at this point, and this model doesn't have Active Noise Cancellation, but for the price, this deal is an excellent way to get the AirPods experience.

Apple AirPods 4

$79.00 at Walmart

$200.29 Save $121.29

Get Deal

Get Deal

$79.00 at Walmart

$200.29 Save $121.29

iPad (A16)

Apple's basic iPad—sometimes called iPad (A16)—is the best iPad for most people. Most of us only need an 11-inch tablet with a chip capable of running iPadOS, with 12MP cameras on the front and back of the tablet. While there are iPads with bigger displays, including some with OLEDs, as well as more powerful chips and better cameras, this iPad will generally be more than enough. Right now, Amazon has the 128GB model discounted by 11%, bringing the price from $449 to $399. If you think you might need more storage, Amazon has smaller discounts on the 256GB and 512GB options, as well as on the 128GB and 256GB cellular models.

iPad (A16)

$399.00 at Amazon

$449.00 Save $50.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$399.00 at Amazon

$449.00 Save $50.00

iPad mini (A17 Pro)

If you've been waiting for a good time to buy Apple's smallest iPad, now might be it. Apple's latest iPad mini is currently 17% off on Amazon, bringing the price from $599 to $499. This iPad mini comes with Apple's A17 Pro chip, an 8.3-inch display, 128GB of storage, and 12MP cameras on the front and back of the tablet. 128GB isn't much, though it can go a long way if you mostly keep your files in the cloud. If you think you need more storage, Amazon is taking $100 off all models, so you can still save on the 256GB and 512GB models—not to mention the cellular iPad minis, too.

iPad mini (A17 Pro)

$499.00 at Amazon

$599.00 Save $100.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$499.00 at Amazon

$599.00 Save $100.00

M5 iPad Pro (11-inch)

Apple's 11-inch iPad Pro is powered by the same M5 chip as the MacBook Air—though it still runs iPadOS. Despite missing perks you get with a laptop, like a built-in keyboard, trackpad, and macOS support, this iPad Pro isn't too far off from the MacBook Air's price tag. Typically, this unit retails for $1,199, but Amazon has it listed at $60 off. Not a big discount, but you could apply those savings towards an Apple Pencil Pro—currently 23% off—or take a chunk off of Apple's Magic Keyboard. This model comes with an 11-inch OLED display, the M5 chip, and two 12MP cameras—one on the front and one on the back.

M5 iPad Pro (11-inch)

$1,139.00 at Amazon

$1,199.00 Save $60.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$1,139.00 at Amazon

$1,199.00 Save $60.00

Apple Watch SE 3

The Apple Watch SE 3 is the best Apple Watch for most people. Despite the existence of bigger and "better" Apple Watches, the SE 3 does everything most people want their Apple Watches to do. It tracks your workouts, lets you send and receive texts, keeps tabs on your sleep habits, and checks your heart rate. It may be missing perks like an ECG reader, the latest S11 chip, and Apple's new persistent heart rate monitor, but most of us don't need these extra features. What's more, the SE 3 is currently 20% off on Amazon. You can pick up a new SE 3 for as little as $199 for the 40mm model, or $229 for the 44mm option. The cellular models start at $249 for the 40mm, or $279 for the 44mm option, both down $50.

Apple Watch SE 3

$199.00 at Amazon

$249.00 Save $50.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$199.00 at Amazon

$249.00 Save $50.00

Apple Watch Ultra 3

Apple just launched the Apple Watch Ultra 4, so big discounts aren't likely this fall. Instead, you can save $200 by opting for Apple's last-gen Ultra wearable. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is still a capable watch, with the S10 chip, 5G support, up to 42 hours of battery life, and water resistance up to 100m. You'll be missing out on the S11 chip, "Audio Intelligence," and Apple's new persistent heart rate monitor, but the savings may be worth the small sacrifice.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

$699.97 at Amazon

$899.00 Save $199.03

Get Deal

Get Deal

$699.97 at Amazon

$899.00 Save $199.03

Apple Watch Series 12

While the Ultra 4 might not be on sale yet, the equally new Series 12 already has a discount. For October Prime Day, Amazon is taking $50 off Apple's latest flagship Apple Watch. That means the Series 12 now starts at $349 on Amazon instead of $399, or $399 for the 46mm instead of $449—though it does seem the sales are only for some colors. The Series 12 comes with Apple's latest S12 chip, as well as the new heart rate sensor that takes a reading once every five seconds, or 20 times a minute.

Apple Watch Series 12

Buy One Apple Watch, and Get a Second Apple Watch $300 off at T-Mobile

Get Deal

Get Deal

Buy One Apple Watch, and Get a Second Apple Watch $300 off at T-Mobile

AirTags

Apple's AirTags are excellent trackers for anyone in the Apple ecosystem. Once set up, you can place AirTags on or in any of your possessions (bags, bikes, keys, etc.) and track those items through Find My. While AirTags cannot connect to the internet themselves, they communicate with other Find My-enabled devices out and about. Those devices then securely and privately update your AirTags' locations. Right now, Amazon is taking $10 off a pack of four, or $5 off an individual AirTag.

AirTag (Four-pack)

$89.00 at Amazon

$99.00 Save $10.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$89.00 at Amazon

$99.00 Save $10.00

Magic Mouse

People often make fun of Apple's Magic Mouse for its odd charging port location (since it's on the bottom, you can't use the mouse while it's charging) as well as its less-than-ergonomic design. But despite this, it's often the best mouse choice for Mac users, if for no other reason than its easy pairing and compatibility with macOS gestures. If you're looking for a new mouse for your Mac—or even your iPad—you can save 24% on the Magic Mouse at Amazon, bringing the price to $59.99 from $79.

Apple Magic Mouse

$59.99 at Amazon

$79.00 Save $19.01

Get Deal

Get Deal

$59.99 at Amazon

$79.00 Save $19.01

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Spotlight is the gateway to everything on my iPhone. From looking up contacts to toggling obscure features, I use Spotlight every day to get things done. But while many of us use it, I don't think most use Spotlight to its fullest potential. Yes, it's a way to search for things on your iPhone, but it's also a "launcher" for automations, a calculator, a currency converter, and a way to run tasks inside your favorite apps. If you have an iPhone, these are 10 Spotlight search hacks you should know.

iPhone 18 Pro

$1,199.00 at Apple

Shop Now

Shop Now

$1,199.00 at Apple

iPhone 18 Pro Max

$1,299.00 at Apple

Shop Now

Shop Now

$1,299.00 at Apple

iPhone Duo

$1,999.00 at Apple

Pre-order Here

Pre-order Here

$1,999.00 at Apple

SEE 0 MORE

Bypass the Clock app to set timers, alarms, or to use the stopwatch

The Clock app lets you set timers, alarms, and set a stopwatch, too. Normally, you'd launch the Clock app to access all those features on your iPhone, but Spotlight lets you bypass that. Open Spotlight on your iPhone, and search for "Clock." The top results will be: Clock, Set Timer, Add Alarm, and Stopwatch. Tap any of the last three buttons to run those features from your iPhone's Dynamic Island.

Tapping "Set Timer" shows a slider to choose the timer's length. Similarly, "Add Alarm" lets you set an alarm without opening Clock, and "Stopwatch" immediately starts the count, and even lets you pause or set a lap time without opening the app.

Locate text in photos and screenshots via Spotlight search

Your iPhone has built-in OCR (optical character recognition), which means that it can identify, select, and copy text in photos and screenshots. Spotlight lets you search for text in images without opening the Photos app. Just fire up Spotlight and search for a word or a phrase. The "Photos" section of results will show you all images containing your search term.

Convert units and currencies without opening websites or apps

Credit: Pranay Parab

I grew up in a country that follows the metric system, and I just can't wrap my head around Imperial units used in the U.S. and U.K. Every time I read something that mentions gallons, fluid ounces, miles, stones, or other units that should've been retired in the 19th century, I use Spotlight to convert them quickly. Try searching for "1 inch to cm," or similar terms with different units, and the result will display at the top.

For currency conversions, type the currency symbol followed by the amount, and Spotlight will convert it to your local currency by default. Try searching for "£120" or "$240," and the converted currency will show up in the results. You can also try a more specific query such as "£360 to USD" to convert to a currency of your choice.

Perform calculations in Spotlight's search box

I rarely open the calculator on my iPhone. When I need to perform basic math, I fire up Spotlight and type the calculation. It works with addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, and even percentages. The syntax for calculations is straightforward in Spotlight, but to get percentages, you'll want to try something like "20% x 180." This is great for calculating tips or splitting bills.

Type any date to create a calendar entry or to find photos

You can use Spotlight to quickly add calendar entries. Activate Spotlight on your iPhone, type a future date, and tap the Add button in the Event widget. This will open a Calendar entry page, and allow you to add the event without opening the Calendar app. You can also search for specific months from the past, such as "October 2024" to look for photos, messages, and emails from that month. The results show up in neatly organized sections under each app's name, and tapping a result takes you to specific photos, messages, or emails.

Type "Record" to start a voice recording

Credit: Pranay Parab

Spotlight also allows you to start a voice recording quickly. Type "Record" to reveal results related to the Voice Memos app on your iPhone. Tap the Record button to record a voice note, and it'll show a timer and a stop recording button in your iPhone's Dynamic Island.

Download videos from Instagram, Threads, or YouTube directly from Spotlight

If you use iPhone automations to download videos from Instagram, Threads, or YouTube, you can run these directly from Spotlight. Just search "Download" in Spotlight, and the shortcuts named "Download Instagram," "Download Threads," and "YouTube Download" will appear in the results. As long as you have a video URL from one of those sites copied to the clipboard, tapping the respective shortcuts will instantly begin downloading the video. This is perfect for times when you receive a social media link in a messaging app. You can copy it, then run the automation via Spotlight.

Use Spotlight to enable greyscale mode when you want to eliminate distractions

I use this automation every day to reduce my smartphone usage. Searching for "Color Filters" lets me toggle that setting directly from Spotlight, and enables greyscale mode when I need to focus on work. Disabling this feature is just as easy. If you use any other feature that is buried deep in iOS settings, you can use Spotlight to search for it, and toggle it as needed.

Type "Focus" to toggle various DND modes on your iPhone

The search bar is not the most obvious place for switching between different Focus modes on your iPhone, but it works quite well. Just type "Focus" in Spotlight search, and it'll list multiple DND modes, allowing you to toggle the one you need. These results appear in the "Settings" section in Spotlight's search results.

Check iOS Settings to hide apps and content from Spotlight

You can also hide apps and search results from Spotlight. This is a good way to keep dating apps or sensitive data away from results. To set this up, go to Settings > Search on your iPhone. Under "Before Searching," tap the drop-down menu next to "Suggest Apps." Choose "Don't suggest" if you want to hide all app suggestions from Spotlight. Instead, you can use your iPhone's App Library to find and launch apps faster.

If that feels a bit extreme, scroll down to find individual apps you want to hide from Spotlight. Tap the app's name, and disable "Show App in Search." To hide results from that app in Spotlight, disable "Show Content in Search" on the same page. You'll have to do this once per app.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Apple released a bunch of new devices this month. The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 support new health-tracking features and Siri AI, while the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max introduce the A20 chip and variable aperture for the first time on Apple's smartphones. But while all these new products are objective upgrades over their predecessors, they all have one issue in common: They keep randomly rebooting.

iPhone 18 Pro

$1,199.00 at Apple

Shop Now

Shop Now

$1,199.00 at Apple

What is Apple's rebooting problem?

As reported by 9to5Mac, some iPhone 18 Pro users are noticing that their smartphones are freezing up after a failed Face ID scan. When this happens, you won't be able to interact with your iPhone, even if the "Try Face ID Again" button appears onscreen. Instead, after a few moments, the iPhone will reboot. It's not a catastrophic issue, but it is annoying, and it's affecting a number of users, as this Reddit thread shows.

It's a similar story with the latest Apple Watches. While the Series 12 and Ultra 4 obviously don't use Face ID, users are still experiencing random reboots—emphasis on "random." Unlike the iPhone 18 Pro users, affected Apple Watch users aren't doing anything in particular when their watches reboot. They could be in the middle of a workout, chatting with Siri AI, or using the Maps app, when all of a sudden, the Apple logo appears. Some analyses showed that the Neural Engine was at fault, but Apple never confirmed the exact issue.

Apple just released a fix for iPhone 18 Pro users

Apple did find solutions to the reboot issues on all of these devices. Apple released watchOS 27.0.1 exclusively for Series 12 and Ultra 4 users on Wednesday, Sept. 23, which it says should fix random reboots going forward. Then, on Monday, Apple released iOS 27.0.1 for iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max. This update doesn't only fix rebooting issues, either. Apple also patched a bug that could add a color artifact on photos shoot at 2x at f/1.48 aperture, as well as a glitch that would freeze the display when opening Notification Center and Control Center at the same time. Here are the full release notes:

• iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max may unexpectedly restart when Face ID fails to authenticate.

• A color artifact may appear on photos captured at 2x under certain lighting conditions at f/1.48 on a small number of iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max devices.

• Opening Notification Center and Control Center simultaneously may cause the touchscreen to become unresponsive.

As such, don't feel the need to take your new iPhone 18 Pro to the Apple Store if your only issue is covered by one, two, or three of the above. While some Apple Store employees have swapped out affected units, this software update should be enough to take care of the issue. To update, head to Settings > General > Software Update.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

One of the big features Apple announced alongside the new Apple Watches is Siri AI—now available on your wrist! You need to join a waitlist to try Apple's new and improved chatbot, and since my turn just came up, I put the new on-wrist Siri through its paces. Here's how it went, and why I don't think the experience lives up to Apple's promises (yet, anyway).

Apple Watch Series 12 (GPS, 42mm)

$389.99 at Amazon

Get Deal

Get Deal

$389.99 at Amazon

What devices have Siri AI? 

Since Siri AI requires Apple Intelligence, you’ll need a device that supports it. Those include iPhones 15 Pro and newer, and an Apple Watch that is Series 9 or newer. If you want to use Siri AI on the Apple Watch, you need both a supported watch and a supported phone—a new watch and old phone won’t do the trick. With my phone and watch both on iOS 27 (the iOS 27.2 developer beta on the phone; watchOS 27.0 on the Apple Watch Series 12), I enabled Siri AI in my phone’s Settings app, which put me on a waiting list. A few days later, I got a notification that I was in. 

Siri AI on the Apple Watch is occasionally useful, but mostly disappointing

Once I'd upgraded to Siri AI on my watch, I went about asking it plenty of questions and watched it struggle to answer many of them. The first thing I tried was to ask where I could find the nearest yoga studio; it responded with a list of yoga studios, none of them particularly close to my home. After rewording my question a few times, it finally listed one about a mile away. This is one of those examples where using AI is less efficient than a Google search—or even plain old regular Siri: When I asked this same question of the old Siri model last week, it quickly found the closest studio. 

With my phone in another room, I next decided to try some of the questions that Apple provides as examples on the WatchOS 27 page. Here’s how that went. 

• “What’s a good warm-up for deadlifts?” Siri gave me paragraphs of text about the purpose of warmups in general. When I tapped "Show More," I was sent to the bottom of a long bulleted list of exercises. I’m not reading all that.

• “Read my upcoming events.” Siri needed a good five seconds to think about this one, but then correctly rattled off my next few calendar appointments. 

• “Set a new move ring goal.” Actually, I first started by asking what my Move ring goal was, and Siri could not tell me. So I blindly set a new goal, and later saw it updated to the new value in the Fitness app...sort of. When I asked for a goal of burning 350 calories, it gave me a goal of 350. When I asked for a goal of 325, Siri responded that it has changed my goal to 325, but when I checked the Fitness app, it showed that my goal had been set to 320 calories.

Siri AI sometimes performed well on the Apple Watch, but seemed to do better on my iPhone

I then put Siri AI to the test with a few requests that other Apple Watch users have reported give the chatbot some trouble. The first involved setting a timer; perhaps that function is buggy for some users, but it worked quickly for me. “Siri, set a timer for five minutes” did exactly that, with only a few seconds of waiting. Likewise, “Siri, what’s the weather for today?” brought up the weather forecast instantly. 

One of the purported new features of Siri AI is its ability to search your emails and messages for information that is relavent to a conversation you're having with it. On the Apple Watch, this doesn’t work for me as well as I would like. First, I asked Siri what my daughter had recently asked me to buy for her. (She is constantly texting me to ask for things.) Siri responded that my daughter had sent me a wish list of LEGO sets on Sept. 12. This is true. But it wasn’t until I specified, “wasn’t there a makeup kit?” that Siri was also able to find that request, which was from Sept. 13. 

Meanwhile, the iPhone version of Siri AI was able to find the wishlist and makeup kit requests and tell me about them in the same initial response, without the additional prompting. In another test of its search capabilities, I asked who I had sent “Ramona’s dad’s phone number” to. The Watch version of Siri AI found that text message, but was only able to tell me the phone number of the person I had sent it to. Siri AI on the phone, on the other hand, was able to figure out that the person requesting the number had introduced themselves by name earlier in that conversation, and it told me exactly who that person was (even though I had not entered the name into my contacts). 

Where Siri AI struggles on the Apple Watch

Still, plenty of requests don’t work even that well, or don’t work at all. The watch’s Siri app routinely crashes, taking me back to the home screen. Sometimes Siri’s voice breaks up, and it interrupts itself to start its message over again. Good save, but weird to listen to. Sometimes Siri “thinks” for a long time. Many requests take five to 10 seconds, during which time I certainly could grab my phone and look up the answer myself. Whenever Siri is stumped, it searches the web and gives me a sea of unhelpful text. 

For example, I tried to see if Siri could explain a mysterious icon on my watch screen. I asked, “Why is this icon gray?” (in a variety of phrasings to clarify I meant one that I was looking at right now). Instead of telling me anything useful, or explaining that it can't see my watch screen, it read me some text from the Internet about what gray icons mean, in general, as a concept. Another time, I asked it to resume playing my podcast. Instead of starting up my usual podcast app, it told me that Episode 550 of My Favorite Murder had just come out. I don’t like murder podcasts, have never listened to My Favorite Murder in my life, and episode 550 was—now that I check—the third-most-recent episode, not the one that just came out. (The iPhone’s version of Siri AI, on the other hand, happily started my podcast app.)

At least one thing worked better on the watch: Both versions of Siri AI said they had no information on my sleep data, but the version on the watch was at least able to tell me what time I had gone to bed and what time I had woken up. That's something.

The promised Conversations app likewise did not work as expected. When you press the digital crown on the watch, a mini app picker pops up with Siri in the center, surrounded by a few of your most recent apps. If you scroll down, you get the full list (or grid) as before. Tapping that center button is supposed to show you a list of recent conversations, but mine kept showing me “No conversations.” Later, exactly one conversation showed up there: the one where I asked what a gray icon meant. That was the only question in that conversation, even though I had been conversing with Siri all day. 

Still a work in progress

I like the idea of the new Siri AI, and being able to ask follow-up questions is nice, especially now that I can interrupt the chatbot to clarify my questions. (“Give me two specific warm-up exercises I can do before snatches” got it to stop lecturing me about warm-ups in general.) But the long waits for answers, the frequent crashes, and the bot's inability to access data that is right there on the device are frustrating. Here’s hoping it gets better with the next update.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Apple's latest Apple Watches, the Series 12 and the Ultra 4, should be the "best" smartwatches the company has to offer. While they're minor upgrades over the Series 11 and Ultra 3, there are some key improvements, including the new S11 chip and a heart rate monitor that checks your pulse every five seconds. If you picked up one of these watches, you might have put these new upgrades to the test—that is, if your watch didn't restart on you.

As reported by MacRumors, Apple's latest smartwatches appear prone to unexpected restarts. That's according to numerous posts on the site's forums, with users saying their watches abruptly show a blank screen with the Apple logo. There doesn't appear to be any particular action that triggers it: Users say their watches rebooted when recording a workout, using Siri AI, editing watch faces, or using the Maps app. Many users on this Reddit thread share similar experiences with their new watches. Some users dug deeper, pulling their Apple Watches' diagnostics at the time of rebooting. Rather than a specific function, the culprit appears to be a timeout with the Neural Engine, the hardware that processes Apple's AI features.

Users tried multiple workarounds themselves: One Redditor simply turned the watch off and on themself, and the issue never returned; others tried resetting the watch as new, but experienced rebooting again. MacRumors highlighted one case where a user received a replacement from Apple, and it, too, rebooted unexpectedly. It does appear to be an issue with the Series 12 and Ultra 4, and, luckily, Apple figured it out.

watchOS 27.0.1 fixes unexpected reboots with Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4

On Wednesday, Apple unexpectedly released watchOS 27.0.1. The update has a brief changelog, with only one new addition: "This update provides bug fixes for your Apple Watch, including fixing an issue where Apple Watch may restart unexpectedly." Apple didn't clarify exactly what it changed to fix the issue, but at least the reboots should be over.

This update is only for Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 users, so don't expect to see it unless you have one of Apple's newest wearables. If you do, make sure to install it as soon as possible to avoid dealing with these unexpected restarts. To install watchOS 27.0.1, head to the Apple Watch app, then tap My Watch and go to General > Software Update.

Apple's latest updates are all about AI—Apple Intelligence, that is. When you update to iOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple will invite you to try Siri AI and other new Apple Intelligence features. (Assuming your iPhone supports Apple's AI features.) But whether you use the new AI-powered Siri all the time or find yourself frequently scrolling past the AI additions, Apple Intelligence is taking up space on your device—perhaps requiring more storage than you bargained for.

I'll admit, I didn't think much of it when I updated my iPhone and Mac to the latest versions. I gave Siri AI a shot, adjusted Liquid Glass, and went back to doing pretty much the same things I was doing before I made the update. But once I saw headlines about how much storage Apple Intelligence actually takes up on these new updates, I had to see for myself. And, wow, were the headlines right: On my iPhone 17 Pro, Apple Intelligence alone takes up 20.65GB. On my M3 MacBook Pro, it takes up a solid 30GB.

These numbers will vary by device: My M1 iMac, for example, only has 13.88GB allocated to Apple Intelligence. But still, these are large slices of my overall storage. Anyone with a small SSD knows how valuable each gigabyte really is, and upwards of 30GB for Apple Intelligence is a lot. Not only that, it's often more space than Apple's own metrics suggest: As MacRumors highlights, Apple says that Apple Intelligence should only take up to 14GB of storage at most, and even less for certain devices. So why is my MacBook Pro allocating more than double that space for Apple's AI?

Why does Apple Intelligence take up so much storage on iPhone and Mac?

I can't answer why Apple Intelligence is taking up so much more storage space than Apple says it should. But I can explain why Apple says its AI is supposed to occupy as much as 14GB on certain devices: Apple Intelligence is designed to run on-device whenever possible. While Apple does push certain tasks to its Private Cloud Compute platform, the company wants its AI models to run on your iPhone or Mac whenever possible. This safeguards your privacy, as none of your data has to leave your device to achieve the task—though Apple says Private Cloud Compute also protects your privacy throughout the entire process.

Regardless, for this reason, your iPhone or Mac will download Apple Intelligence models directly onto your device, so it can run processes on-device when it makes sense to do so. If you have a newer or more powerful device that supports Apple's more demanding AI features, like personalized Siri voices, you may need to store more Apple Intelligence data on-device to run those processes—up to 14GB for certain devices—yet it's not clear why Apple Intelligence takes up more than double that storage limit on some devices, like my MacBook Pro.

Check how much storage Apple Intelligence takes up on your devices

It's easy to check how much storage Apple Intelligence is taking up on your device, though Apple doesn't make it obvious. To start, head to System Settings > General > Storage (macOS) or Settings > General > iPhone Storage (iOS). Scroll down and choose either "macOS (i)" or "iOS," respectively. Here, you'll see your system storage breakdown, including a figure for "Apple Intelligence."

There's no solution at this point

Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a way to tell iOS or macOS to remove some Apple Intelligence models while leaving others intact, or to run all processes through Private Cloud Compute. In fact, it doesn't seem like there is any reliable way to disable Apple Intelligence on a device running iOS 27 or macOS 27 at all. The closest option I can find is to disable Siri (Settings or System Settings > Siri > Turn Off Siri), but while this disables a host of Apple Intelligence options, I still see the models taking up storage on my device, even after a restart. This might be one for Apple to fix in a future software update—hopefully as part of iOS 27.2.

Apple is no stranger to class action lawsuits. The company had to pay customers $50 million over its infamous "butterfly keyboards," and $250 million over the AI features it promised to ship with certain iPhones but didn't. (Many of those features, by the way, are now coming out this year.) But in all my time covering Apple lawsuits, I'm not sure I've ever seen a potential payout this huge. As reported by The Times, Apple is facing a $32.5 billion class action lawsuit, though the actual suit might be even more notable than the sum.

Why is Apple being sued?

As The Times reports, the basis for the lawsuit surrounds Apple's collection of biometric data, specifically the data it collected from Illinois citizens. The suit claims Apple violated Illinois law by collecting these users' biometric data through facial recognition without properly notifying them. The state passed the "Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act" in 2008 to protect users from companies that collect data like retina or "iris scans, fingerprints, voiceprints or faceprints." The law says companies can collect this information, but only after getting written consent from each user.

The lawsuit claims Apple's Photos app automatically uses facial recognition to scan faces in a user's library and develop a "faceprint" for each person it finds. According to the suit, Apple's Photos app then uses an algorithm to single out the iPhone user. Once it does, it creates and stores biometric data on the device to categorize that user in the app. One hitch for Apple is that not all of this data is stored on the users' device, at least as the lawsuit sees it. As users can sync Photos data across devices, plaintiffs say that Apple stores their biometric data on its servers, which would violate the law.

The lawsuit is divided into three classes: "Local Device Class," which impacts Illinois citizens whose Apple devices put a picture of them into a People album any time between Sept. 13, 2016 and today; "iCloud Subclass," which impacts Illinois citizens who had a People album tagged with their name or another identifier, and had an iCloud account enabled for photo storage, at any time between Sept. 13, 2016 and today; and "iCloud Faceprint Subclass," which impacts Illinois citizens who had a device running iOS 17.6, iPadOS 17.6, or macOS Sonoma 14.6 or later, with a device that put their photo into a People album, and who had 5,000 or more photos and videos in their iCloud Photo library, any time between March 25, 2025 and today.

Apple, on the other hand, has been seeking to throw out the case. The company argues that the privacy safeguards it develops for Photos are in compliance with the Illinois law, including the fact that the raw biometric data cannot be used to recreate a face or be linked to someone's identity, and that Apple itself cannot access your Photos data. Crucially, Apple claims that all facial recognition processes happen on each device individually. What syncs across devices are labels: If you choose to identify a friend or family member in the Photos app on your iPhone, that gets synced with, say, your Mac, but your Mac then has to go through the task of identifying photos with that person in them—it won't simply carry over that data from your iPhone.

This case is not new. According to 9to5Mac, it was first filed back in March of 2020. Though it has changed much in the six years since, this week marked a significant milestone, as an Illinois judge ruled the plaintiffs had met the requirements for a class action lawsuit.

Meta faced a similar lawsuit

Apple is not the first company to face such a class action lawsuit in violation of the 2008 Illinois law. Meta, or Facebook as it was known at the time, had to pay in a similar case back in 2021. That lawsuit also started years earlier, back in 2015, and claimed that the company did not get user consent before using facial tagging features. Unlike Apple, there was no ambiguity as to whether or not Meta stored user data on its servers.

Under the law, users were entitled to $345, and three were given $5,000 each. In total, Meta had to spend $650 million to settle the suit, accounting for roughly 6.9 million Facebook users in Illinois. By comparison, the Apple lawsuit impacts approximately 6.5 million users.

How much will Apple have to pay individual users?

While Meta had to pay most users $345, Apple could be facing much steeper payouts in this case. Each victim may be entitled to up to $5,000. Assuming each of the 6.5 million is paid that amount, Apple will have shelled out $32.5 billion. It marks about 0.7% of the company's $4.5 trillion market valuation, which might not sound like much percentage-wise, but it's far greater than the typical "speeding ticket" companies like Apple are used to paying.

It's too early to know whether you'll be entitled to a cut of this suit. Apple could still have it tossed, after all. But it's a remarkable development in class-action lawsuits against big tech companies, particularly after what we saw from Meta's lawsuit five years ago.