An indie developer with a dream just won the ultimate trophy: an Apple Design Award. Find out how the co-creator of StaffPad, a music-notation app for iPad, achieved this astonishing feat.

Plus, get the latest on Apple's plans for iPhone and Mac (and don't miss out on big savings in our Fourth of July sales).

News and opinion

iPad music app’s overnight success took 10 years of hard work — www.cultofmac.com

David William Hearn is not a trained programmer. He has no university education when it comes to making software. And yet his musical notation app for iPad, StaffPad, just won a coveted Apple Design Award.

Possibly delayed iPhone 12 will boast ‘high-end’ camera array — www.cultofmac.com

It might land late, but it should pack even more photographic firepower.

Plus, more iPhone 12 rumors:

• iPhone 12 Pro could support 4K video shooting at 240fps

• Apple aggressively tries to reduce delay

• Why people are already mad about iPhone 12, this week on The CultCast

An iPhone running macOS apps could be all the computer you need — www.cultofmac.com

An unconfirmed report indicates Apple is exploring ways to let iPhones run Mac apps on an external display. Here's why that would be a great thing.

Plus, more on the benefits of Apple Silicon:

• See how amazing macOS would look on iPad

• Mac mini developer test kit shows the promise of Apple Silicon

macOS Big Sur’s Digital Color Meter icon is a little off and it’s driving people crazy — www.cultofmac.com

Apple fans are shocked by this design slipup. Can you see what’s wrong?

Plus: Fantastic to fugly: All the new app icons in macOS Big Sur

Apple Glass concept video makes you want them right now — www.cultofmac.com

This eye-opening video shows the cutting-edge features we expect from Apple's rumored AR glasses.

Plus: How iOS 14 could pave the way for ‘glassOS’

How-tos

How to get a 10% bonus when adding funds to your Apple ID — www.cultofmac.com

Apple is once again offering shoppers free money when they top up their Apple ID. But you better do it now. This promo ends July 10.

Plus, check out the latest Apple Card news and deals:

• New customers get $50 if they use card to pay for Apple services

• Get 3% in daily cash at Exxon and Mobil

• Cardholders can finally pay off Apple Card from web

• Declined? Here's your second chance at Apple Card

How to sort podcast episodes so they play in the right order — www.cultofmac.com

If you’re starting a new podcast and want to listen chronologically, you’ll need to change this setting to ensure that the Podcasts app doesn’t automatically play the latest episode first.

Found a lost iPhone? Ask Siri who it belongs to — www.cultofmac.com

If you ever stumble across a lost iPhone or iPad, you’ll want to return it to its owner as quickly as possible. But how do you find out who it belongs to? Just ask Siri!

How to enable and customize Sound Recognition in iOS 14 — www.cultofmac.com

Find out all about this upcoming feature in our handy guide. (Obviously, you'll need to be running the beta version of iOS 14 -- see the first tip below.)

Plus, more iOS 14 tips:

• How to sign up for the iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7 public betas

• Hide your Home controls for a cleaner Control Center

Deals

Save 20% on these luxury, handmade leather bands for Apple Watch — www.cultofmac.com

Treat yourself to one of the best Apple Watch upgrades money can buy: A luxury leather band made just for you by the fine folks at Form Function Form. You can now get 20% off the entire lineup in the Cult of Mac Store. This limited-time sale must end Sunday!

Plus: Enjoy sweet savings on Apple Watch accessories in our Fourth of July sale

Supercharge your Mac with 8 powerful apps — www.cultofmac.com

Get the Limited Edition Mac Bundle to unlock your computer's full potential. Act now, and you'll save a whopping 93% on these eight killer apps.

Plus, more software deals:

• Effortlessly enhance your photos

• Get fit faster with personalized routines and meal plans on your iPhone

• Engage your kids in STEM studies

• Master Microsoft Excel

Declutter your digital life with one of these clever storage boxes — www.cultofmac.com

Drawing inspiration from Japanese lunchboxes, BentoStack can keep all your accessories neat, tidy — and charged.

Our Fourth of July sale includes a VPN, cloud storage and more — www.cultofmac.com

All the sizzling deals in our Independence Day sale are discounted by 80% or more.

Reviews

Dear… is a timely reminder that we can do better — www.cultofmac.com

Oprah Winfrey's spirit, to say nothing of her face, is all over the inspiring series Dear… Each episode of the Apple TV+ series focuses on a specific celebrity and the incredibly moving fan letters they receive.

Plus, more on Apple TV+:

• New Greatness Code trailer dives into great athletes’ minds

• Will Smith action film about escaping slavery heads for Apple TV+

• Boys State trailer somehow makes politics look like summertime fun

This $27 tool helped me ID the Ethernet cables in my wall — www.cultofmac.com

The Elegiant Wire Tracker looks unassuming, but it can solve a frustrating problem: identifying the Ethernet cables buried in your walls.

Samsung's credit-card size SSD holds up to 2TB — www.cultofmac.com

The T7 holds an amazing amount of data considering its svelte design. And you can use it with multiple devices, including Mac and iPad Pro.

Plus, more on gadgets and accessories:

• Connect your Mac and TV at 5G speeds with Hyper Mirror

• Banish boredom with these incredibly fun Apple Watch bands

• Belkin Thunderbolt 3 dock is ready for a professional office on the go