iPhone Home screens gone wild! 🤪

September 26, 2020

Customizing iPhone Home screens is all the rage right now, thanks to a cool new feature in iOS 14 (and a hacky workaround using the Shortcuts app). See what this new craze is all about, and find out how you can do it yourself, in our top stories this week.

Plus, we might know when to expect next month's big iPhone event. And don't miss our Apple Watch Series 6 review.

Enjoy your weekend. And if you end up spending a couple hours customizing your own iPhone Home screen, send us screenshots!

News and opinion

People everywhere are taking advantage of iOS 14’s new Home screen widgets (and a Shortcuts workaround) to give their iPhones radical makeovers. Some of them look fantastic. Others seem a little ... MySpace-y.

Plus, more on the hot new trend:

The release date will likely come shortly after the big event.

Plus, more iPhone leaks and rumors:

The new subscription service will enter a crowded market when it launches later this year. Established players already have a significant head start, but Apple is in great shape to give them a run for their money.

They should basically call this Bug Fix Week. Apple updated almost everything!

Plus, more updates:

How-tos

We finally got handwriting recognition on Apple tablets! The new feature is called Scribble, and it’s easy to use, fast and flexible. Here's how to make the most of it.

Epic Games warns iPhone and iPad owners that they could lose access to its hit battle royale game when updating to iOS 14. But there is a way to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Apple just removed one of the biggest restrictions from the iPhone and iPad. Swapping out the Mail app is easy, but there are some things you need to know.

Deals

It’s always smart to shield your smartphone with a protective case when you step outside. But nowadays, it’s not just our phones that need protection. Phones are major vectors for germs and viruses, so it makes sense to get a case that guards against those, too.

If you want your video to shine, you need some extra gear. These four great accessories will help you get more from your iPhone or Mac camera.

Plus, more hardware deals:

If you already burned through everything you wanted to watch on your current streaming service, there are other options — and they’re more affordable, too!

Plus, more software and services deals:

We serve up a lot of great deals on gear and apps at Cult of Mac. In fact, we do it every day, so it’s likely some good stuff got by you. Just in case, we rounded up some of our best recent deals for your weekend shopping pleasure

Reviews

Almost all the reviews of the new Apple Watch Series 6 say the same thing: Yeah, it’s great, but it’s an incremental upgrade, and if you already have a Series 5, skip it. We beg to differ.

In order for any streaming service to survive, it must serve up serialized shows that people can’t wait to finish. Until now, Apple TV+ did not offer one of those. Enter Tehran ...

Minix Neo Storage Plus handles two jobs. First, it’s a multiport adapter, adding USB-A, HDMI and Ethernet to Mac or iPad. Second, it packs 480GB of storage.

Apple TV+ invites you to take a look at the things beneath your feet in its upcoming documentary series. Narrated by Paul Rudd, Tiny World is charming (if at times too cute for its own good).