September is in the books, so let’s take a look at some of the top new games that arrived on the App Store.

Our top choice is the twisted take on poker and solitaire, Balatro.

See the entire list here.

Commercial music radio stations are trapped between the past and the future.

For many, no algorithm will ever replace the human touch of a DJ or producer. Hand-picked recommendations by passionate experts will beat robots every time.

But listening to most commercial music radio plunges you back to the bad old days of jarring, boring, unavoidable ads. You can pay to turn these off on Spotify or YouTube premium, but there’s no such luxury on your local jazz station.

That’s why faidr exists.

Put simply, faidr lets you listen to traditional radio without having to put up with traditional adverts. At a stroke, it applies the life-enhancing technology of choice to a medium that can sometimes seem stranded in the past.

Here’s how it works.

faidr cuts ads from AM/FM radio stations by 97% by automatically detecting ad breaks and streaming custom music in their place, folding your own music seamlessly into DJ-created playlists.

Right now faidr works for 10,000 different stations and 3,000 other ad-supported channels, covering music, news, talk, sport, and more. Plus, the app offers its own podcasts, hour-long DJ-curated Music Casts, and hosted shows.

In fact, faidr takes the fight to Spotify with its own music genre-specific channels and playlists, as well as cutting edge features like Forward+, which allows you to skip entire podcast segments with a touch.

Chapter Visualization, meanwhile, locates ad breaks in the progress bar, letting you navigate easily around them.

And the entire service is available for just $5.99 a month—a significant saving over rival apps.

The first month is free, too, so you don’t have to part with any cash before you’ve seen how well the app works. To check it out, head to the App Store or Google Play and download faidr right now.

With the introduction of iOS 18 and watchOS 11, September was a banner month for new apps.

Our top choice is the great new to-do app Karo.

Make sure to see our entire list here.

Today’s social media landscape is fractured with audiences preferring different networks. If you’re looking to make posting on social media easier, try out the new app Croissant.

With just a click, you can post to Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads all at once.

Using the app is quick and easy. First, you’ll need to set up your social media accounts from the different networks.

Then, you’ll us ether app’s composer to attach images, hashtags, and motions. You can also create threads by chaining multiple posts together.

The app will automatically save drafts so you can come back and finish a post laster.

It also supports Content Warnings on Mastodon. You can also control the viability out when can reply as supported to each social media network.

Another big plus with the app is that you don’t have to worry about wasting time scrolling your different feeds as Croissant is only about posting.

For the iPhone, Croissant is a free download now on the App Store.

You’ll need a subscription to unlock most features including the ability to use multiple accounts and custom app icons. A subscription is $2.99 per month or $19.99 yearly. You can also pay $59,99 for a lifetime unlock of those features.

The Camera Control on the iPhone 16 lineup can be used for more than just Apple’s stock Camera app. One of the best third-party options available on the App Store, Halide, has just been updated to take full advantage of the hardware button.

Along with being able to open the app with a single touch of the Camera Control button, you can now access additional control options with the button.

With a few taps you can change the focus or exposure. As a nice touch, you can lock all of the settings in place.

The app also takes advantage of a new feature with iOS 18 so you can add quick access to the app by placing the icon on the lock screen.

Back in August, the app was updated with the unique Process Zero feature. Instead of using Apple’s built-in processing, the results can provide better control over lighting and exposure.

Halide Mark II is designed for the iPhone and all iPad models. It’s a free download on the App Store.

You will need a subscription to use the app. There are two options available, $2.99 per month or $11.99 yearly, There is a seven-day free trial available to try out the app.

A lifetime license to the app for $59.99.

The Halide team has had a busy 2024. In late May, the developers also released Kino, a professional-grade video app with a number of great features and an easy-to-use UI.

You don’t need to search for ads online. They find you.

In some ways that’s a good thing. The fact is, ads are what funds most of the sites that you visit—and sometimes, thanks to all those trackers and cookies, they can even make you aware of products you actually want.

But, most of the time, ads are a straight up nuisance. They interrupt your videos, slow down your browser, pollute your peripheral vision with distracting drivel, and even put your data at risk.

It’s no surprise that ad blockers have become increasingly popular over the years. By intercepting ads before they can reach your browser, these lifesaving tools can make being online an infinitely more enjoyable experience.

But which one should you choose? Should you go for wealth of features, ease of use, security, effectiveness, or value for money?

Only you can answer that, but here are our top five ad blocker picks for a variety of uses.

Overall: Surfshark Cleanweb

Surfshark CleanWeb is a powerful ad-blocking tool that offers comprehensive protection against ads, trackers, and malicious content. Available across Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS, it blocks pop-ups, banners, and phishing attempts, and includes features like a cookie pop-up blocker, data breach alerts, and a private search engine for unbiased results.

CleanWeb performs well on platforms like Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Spotify, though some ads may slip through on Twitch. The CleanWeb 2.0 Chrome extension excels in ad-blocking tests, removing YouTube and Facebook ads, and offers customizable whitelisting for specific sites.

With Surfshark subscription starting at just $2.19/month for unlimited devices, CleanWeb enhances your browsing experience while offering a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For Apple Users: Wipr

Most of the ad blockers on this list are available on PC and Mac, but if you’re an Apple loyalist then Wipr might just be the one for you.

Available exclusively on iOS and macOS, Wipr is a highly effective ad blocker for everything from YouTube ads to pop ups, including those pesky GDPR notices. It even resizes pages to account for the gaps left by the display ads it has eliminated.

Best of all, Wipr is only $1.99 to download and keep.

Free: uBlock Origin

Wipr may only cost $1,99, but you know what’s even cheaper? $0.00.

That’s exactly how much uBlock Origin costs. Available exclusively as a browser extension (sorry, not desktop or mobile app), uBlock Origin works with pretty much every browser you can name in 36 different languages.

Not bad for a freebie.

Social Media: AdLock

Get ready to be shocked. Social media buttons on websites contain trackers that allow social media companies to monitor your online activity, even if you don’t interact with them directly.

Ever feel like the dice are loaded against your online privacy? They are, but AdLock is a pretty good equalizer. While it blocks ads like any other ad blocker, it specializes in those tricky social media trackers.

YouTube: Total AdBlock

Most of us can tune out the ads that litter almost every page of the internet. It’s much harder to ignore the ones that make you wait to watch a YouTube video, or the ones that keep breaking the flow by barging in mid-stream.

For those, Total AdBlock is your friend. While there are plenty of ad blockers that can handle pesky pop-ups, Total AdBlock is just about the most effective for simulating the YouTube Premium experience.

Meditation has been proven to help both your mind and body. While there are a wide variety of guided meditation apps with spoken narration, I’ve always enjoyed Zenitizer.

Instead of guiding you through the process, the app is for unguided meditation. If you’re new to meditation, the unguided option in the app provides different bells to tell you when a new timer stages has started and recurring bells to remind you to return your focus if thoughts drift off.

The app can also help integrate meditation into your life. You can set a daily meditation goal and reach a goal to grow your streak. Progress toward a goal is available at a quick glance on your lock screen, home screen, or even as an Apple Watch complication.

And the app is ready for the newest Apple software with new additions on iOS 18 and watchOS 11.

For iPhone users, you can now add the app controls on both the Control Center or Lock Screen. That gives you one-touch access to start a meditation without opening up the app.

Even more features have been added to the app with watchOS 11. With interactive widgets, you can start or stop a routine on the Apple Watch screen.

The app also supports the Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and 10 and Ultra 2. You can Double Tap to quickly start or stop a meditation without touching the screen.

You can also Double Tap to bring up the log meditation sheet.

Zenitizer is for the iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro and can be downloaded now on the App Store for free.

There is an optional Zenitizer+ subscription available for $2.99 per month or $19.99 per year. Both of those options have a free, seven-day trial.

You can also purchase a lifetime subscription for $49.99.

With a subscription, you can unlock a number of additional features including routines, advance timer customizations, access to a curated selection of background sounds, a full selection of bell sounds to choose from, and the ability to manually log mindful minutes.

Acclaimed anime-style 3D RPG Punishing: Gray Raven is joining forces with another anime blockbuster this month with the massive Blazing Simulacrum patch.

It’s a match made in neon heaven.

BLACK★ROCK SHOOTER is a A-Rank Attacker Omniframe, which makes her obtainable within 10 pulls. Even you are a new player, it’s quite easy for you to get this character. The battle design highlights the coolness of “BLACK★ROCK SHOOTER,” staying true to the original character’s image. With a cold expression and a blue flame blazing in his left eye, She wields the powerful “Bladed Cannon” with her right arm. Her left arm bears a “Black Blade” that extends to a sharp point, concealing a deadly threat. This combination creates a vibrant “black” appearance, showcasing the allure of a real attacker.

With the release of this new character comes her exclusive weapon, ★Rock Cannon. She will also feature an exclusive coating called Elder Flame, which perfectly aligns with her style and expresses her ambition to battle and win. The new patch story will take place in a limited-time world where BLACK★ROCK SHOOTER will meet her fateful enemy, “Dead Master,” and continue their destined battle.

What Else is In This Patch?

Four SFX coatings to collect, including two that nobody has seen before: Nightbreaker for Lucia: Crimson Weave and Snowbreak Bloom for Liv: Luminance. While Solitary Dream for Bianca: Stigmata and Vox Solaris for Selene Capriccio will have a rerun.

There’s a new Chessboard Realms mode, too, allowing you to see what happens when you let a deadly killer loose on a chessboard.

What’s Punishing: Gray Raven?

The game takes place in a world in which an army of deranged cyborgs, infected with a biomechanical virus called The Punishing, have driven human beings to the point of extinction and ousted them from planet earth.

The survivors are eking out a miserable existence aboard the space station Babylonia while you, the commandant, assemble a crack army in preparation for a make-or-break counterattack.

Download Punishing: Gray Raven to get started.

The new app Napkin doesn’t want to be you’re next note-taking app. Instead, it’s all about collecting good ideas you don’t want to lose and mindfulness.

Along with typing in ideas, you can also easily use your iPhone camera to snap a picture. Those are converted into text in the app.

Using AI, the app will sort your thoughts into different categories to easily view. Those will grow and change as you add more ideas into the app.

With an existing idea, you can easily edit it, put it in an archive, or share it with others. A single tap will also show related ideas.

The team behind Napkin wanted to help bring short moments of reflection into a natural part of your life to feel more focused and calm.

The app is built around improving your Sense of Coherence. That has a strong effect on mental wellbeing.

Keeping with the simple premise, there’s no notifications or other nags. Just use the app when you want.

Only for the iPhone, Napkin is a free download on the App Store now. You’ll need a subscription to use the app. There are two options available—$6 per month or $50 per year. Both option have a free, seven-day trial.

Miraibo GO is coming on October 10th, with cross-progression between mobile and PC.

That’s the big headline for those of you who have already pre-registered for this highly anticipated multiplayer monster catch-em-up.

For everybody else, here’s the lowdown.

Developed by Dreamcube, Miraibo GO is a gorgeous, hugely ambitious, Palworld-esque open-world multiplayer survival game that sees you exploring a vast fantasy landscape, catching monsters and constructing a stronghold.

Once you’ve created a unique character and joined one of the game’s worlds—VIP, Free, or Guild—you’ll be free to go after more than 100 different species of creature, adding them to your team one by one.

These creatures do all manner of tasks for you, including fighting, gathering resources, assisting with base construction, producing goods, and even farming. In return, you have to keep them fed, watered, rested, and stimulated.

Weapons in Miraibo GO range from basic, relatively harmless sticks to completely deadly automatic rifles. Needless to say, your range of targets is even larger and more diverse.

So far, the Miraibo GO pre-registration campaign has recruited more than 400,000 players, which means two of its reward tiers have already been reached. The next is at 700,000, and then finally a million.

If the game manages to reach seven figures in the next couple of weeks, everybody gets a special avatar frame and a 3-Day VIP Gift Pack.

Plus, Dreamcube has revealed that a Guild Assembly event will run during Miraibo GO’s first week in the wild. It will see a range of popular content creators competing to recruit as many players to their guilds as possible.

Entries are still open, but so far NeddyTheNoodle, Nizar GG, and several others are onboard.

If you happen to be in one of the top 20 guilds by the time the event ends, you’ll receive your reward in loot and gloating opportunities. Head to the Miraibo GO Facebook and Discord pages for more details.

You can pre-register for Miraibo GO right now on the Google Play Store, the App Store, and PC – just click here.

Jokers are much more than wild in Balatro. The hit game has arrived today for the iPhone and iPad.

Combining poker with solitaire and more in a rouge like deckbuilder, you’ll combine various poker hands with unique Joker cards to create different builds and synergies. The game features 150 jokers each with their own abilities. And to make it even more interesting, there are five potential variants of each joker that add abilities.

You’ll try to to earn enough chips to beat some devious blinds while also finding bonus hands and decks. With enough luck, you’ll try to reach the boss blind and beat the final ante to secure victory.

Unpredictability is one of the game’s hallmarks. Each pick-up, discard, and Joker game drastically change your run. The in-depth campaign mode offers eight difficulty level along with challenge and seeded runs.

There are more than just Jokers to help. There are 15 decks, each with distinct modifiers you can select from during a run. Other tools you can tap include Tarot, Planet, and Voucher cards.

After a few runs, you can study the detailed stats to see information like your best hands, most used Jokers, and more.

Along with the unique gameplay, go back in time with CRT fuzz and pile art.

Balatro is free to download starting today if you have an Apple Arcade membership. Alternatively, if you’re not a subscriber, you can purchase the game for $9.99 on the App Store.

Just in the time for the start of the Halloween season in October, the spooky shooter El Paso, Elsewhere has landed on the App Store. 

You’ll take on the role of a drug-addicted vampire hunter who needs to stop his ex-girlfriend, who just happens to be a vampire herself. 

To exact revenge on Draculae, you’ll head to a reality-shifting hotel in El Paso, Texas. 

The fully-voice Neo-noir shooter pays homage to early 2000s classic games like Max Payne and Quake.

Be prepared for all the slow-motion shooting you can imagine while blowing away werewolves, fallen angels, and other damned creatures. 

To accommodate for a touch screen, there are a number of tweaks compared to the console version including auto-aim, auto-shoot, auto-reload, and more. 

El Paso, Elsewhere is a free download now on the App Store for the iPhone and all iPad models. You can try out the beginning of the game for free. To unlock the entire game, you’ll need to make a $4.99 in-app purchase. 

One of the headlining features of the iPhone 16 lineup is the Camera Control hardware button. A single press opens the stock Camera app, and you can also adjust different settings like zoom with the touch-sensitive button.

The popular third-party camera app Obscura has just been updated to take advantage of the same button. 

You can choose to open Obscura with a single tap of the button. And when using the app, double-tap the button choose from a number of settings including control of exposure, zoom, filter, focus, and image format. 

Anyone with iOS 18 can now also switch out one-touch access on the lock screen to Apple’s camera app with Obscura, thanks to the updated app. The app can now also QR codes as well. 

The app offers a number of pro-level features. Obsucra’s sharing interface will appear when exporting images in multiple formats. That will allow you to choose whether to export the original file or edited version, making it perfect for RAW users.

There is also a number of interface changes to make the app easy to use. The Exposure Dial now adjusts in 1/3 stop increments, just like a traditional camera. A haptic can also help you feel when you’re changing the stop.

Obscura is available on the iPhone and iPad and is a free download. There is also a companion Apple Watch app that allows you to see the viewfinder, trigger the shutter remotely, and adjust exposure remotely.

To unlock all of the app’s features, you’ll need a subscription. That’s $3.99 monthly or $19.99 yearly. 

Which areas of your brain would you like to sharpen?

Whether you want to improve your memory, boost your concentration, become a better problem solver, or enhance your language skills, these are the apps for you. With games, statistics, reminders, and comparisons, your tools for a razor-sharp mind are just a few taps away.

Elevate - Brain Training

To train your brain, you need personalized mental workouts that adapt to your progress. This app provides adaptable games to keep your brain in shape.

Elevate – Brain Training has the tools and games you need to train your brain just a few times a week. With a convenient calendar for activity tracking and motivation, detailed performance tracking, and over 30 games plus mini games, your mind will stay sharp as a tack. Improve your memory, focus, speaking, math skills, and more with an app that adapts to you.

With mobile device and Apple Watch support, Elevate is a great way to train your brain on the go. The app is free with a subscription available for most of the app’s features.

Peak - Brain Training

Peak – Brain Training offers over 30 games to keep your mind sharp and expand your cognitive skills. With short workouts each day, a brain map to compare game performance, and advanced training options, you will learn where you excel and where you need improvement.

The easy-to-use app is perfect for keeping your brain in shape and helping you improve. With games that challenge everything from problem solving and mental agility to creativity and emotion control, the app gives you what you need to excel, expand, and progress further each day.

For daily workouts, features to monitor progress, and games that sharpen your mind, Peak – Brain Training is a terrific tool.

It’s a free download for the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. A subscription is needed for most features.

Luminosity: Brain Training

With a mission to advance research and understanding of cognition, Luminosity Mobile puts brain training at your fingertips. The app has more than 40 games and daily workouts to test your memory, attention, and more.

Luminosity Mobile challenges you with games to test your five core cognitive skills such as speed, memory, and train of thought. You begin with a Fit Test of three games to obtain your baseline and then complete daily workouts and track your performance. Seeing where you need improvement helps you to progress where it is needed most.

A broad team of university researchers and scientists have had a hand in on one of the most popular brain trainers, Luminosity Mobile. For complete training and tracking, this app has it all. For the iPhone and iPad, the app is free to download with a premium subscription available.

Wunderbrain

For a completely free way to train your brain, try out Wunderbrain. The app features 15 games. That target cognitive fundamentals based on neuroscience. Some of the different games are designed to train attention, memory, speed, accuracy, and more.

You can also read guidelines for brain health and performance, As a nice touch, the app works without any Internet connection and there’s no need to worry about signing up for an account.

The app is for the iPhone and iPad.

One of the more controversial changes with iOS 18 is in the Photos app. While making it easier to customize some parts of the app, it adds a layer of complexity that many upgraders haven’t enjoyed.

If you’re looking for a simpler way to browse photos, give the new app Photon Library a try.

The app’s developer is known for a wide variety of photography-related titles like Photon Camera. And the new app brings a simpler way to browse your library.

Instead of complexity, everything you need is at your fingertips. The app has four major sections—Recents, Albums, Calendar, and Favorites.

On each individual photo or video page, you can quickly favorite it, find out more information, or quickly share with others.

Photon Library is a $4.99 download now on the App Store for the iPhone and all iPad models. There are no subscriptions. Just buy it once and enjoy.

While I don’t mind the changes with the iOS 18 Photos app, Photon Library provides a great alternative who wants to keep their library browsing simple and easy.

The new app Glint is a different kind of journal.

Instead of providing a way for you to jot down thoughts after a specific day, think of Glint more like a personal time capsule add memories from the year.

It’s easy to get started with the app. You’ll see the current year represented as a circle with each month represented by a flowing dot. The bigger the dots, the more memorable moments you’ve added. To see how you’ve grown, you can swipe between years.

You can add both a highlight or keeping a running total of anything you’re counting this year like books you’ve read. To better organize everything you add, you can customize categories and tag specific people.

To help you write down memories, the app offers a suggestions features with prompts to help inspire entries.

With Shortcuts, you can also ask Siri about your memories.

Glint is a free download now on the App Store for the iPhone and all iPad models.

There is also an optional subscription—Glint Extra. That’s $9.99 yearly with a free, three-day trial. You can also unlock the Extra tier with a lifetime purchase of $19.99.

With that, you can add photos, locations, and URLs to any highlights, create unlimited categories and people, and not view ads.

One of the best new additions in iOS/iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia is the new, standalone Passwords app. It provides a great way to store all of your important passwords available across multiple platforms.

But the app doesn’t allow you to securely store other private information like credit card number, bank account information, and more.

The updated Access 2 app provides a great companion to help store that important information on all of your Apple devices.

All of the information is stored in iCloud and remains inaccessible to anyone but the user themselves.

For more protection, you can also Face ID or Touch ID to authenticate the app each time you open it up.

The app is simple to use. Just start by entering the information you want. You can better organize everything with folders. You can also store secure notes.

When you need to find something, there is also a search function.

Access is a free download on the App Store. It’s for the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch. Mac, and Apple Vision Pro. You don’t need to sign up for an account to use the app.

In the free version, you can add up to five items. To add more, you’ll need a subscription. Two options are available—$3.99 monthly or $9.99 yearly.

You can also unlock the Access+ version for the lifetime of the app for $24.99.

After a summer of beta testing, Apple dropped a wealth of new software yesterday, including iOS 18. Here are five great apps ready to go with new features available in the updates.

Carrot Weather

The snarky and powerful Carrot Weather is ready to add to the Control Center with a variety of ways to launch the app directly to the weather or maps tab.

You can also make a home screen your as the app now sports dark and tinted options of the more than 50 alternate apps icons.

In the new history section you can view temperature and precipitation data for the last 30 days.

Finally, on the Apple Watch, the app supports Live Activities. So in the Smart Stack you can see when rain will start or stop.

CardPointers

CardPointers helps you make the most of all your great credit card perk like cash back, points, and miles. It can help you show the best card for everything you purchase in store and even online.

With new Control Center icons, you can toggle the app’s Lie Activity, Open the Best Card, and Show the Best Card.

For the iPad app, there is a new floating and customizable tab bar experience.

On the Apple Watch, you can see the app’s Live Activity on the Smart Stack. The app is also integrated with the Double Tap gesture.

Other additions include a CarPlay app and dark and tinted variants for all icons and widgets.

Halide Mark II

Along with being able to add third-party apps to Control Center, you can also switch out the usual Flashlight and Camera quick toggle buttons on your home screen with iOS 18.

That’s great news for users of the powerful third-party camera app Halide. With just a few taps, you can have one-tap access to the app, even when your phone is locked.

Things 3

The to-do app Things is another great way to try out Control Center icons. You can select from two controls—create a new to-do or jump to any list.

The app is also ready for Apple Intelligence rollout in the coming months. It will support Writing Tools and better conversations with Siri.

Focus

Focus can help you be more productive each day with time management and a Pomodoro timer. It help you organize work into small chunks with a short break after.

There are five different Control Center widgets you can use, including the ability to start/pause a session, reset a sessions, and more.

You can choose from a set of new alternative app icons with tinted and dark appearances.

On the Apple Watch, the app features Live Activities, including interactive widgets on the Smart Stack and the Double Tap gesture.

It’s go time. New Apple software has just arrived. Here’s everything you need to know.

iOS/iPadOS 18

iOS 18 is all about personalization.

You’ll be able to arrange apps and widgets in any space on the home screen and also customize the buttons at the bottom of the Lock Screen. You can also more quickly access controls in Control Center.

The Photos app is sporting a big redesign with a single view and familiar gird. New collections allow you to browse themes without having to organize content into albums. Collections can also be pinned for quick access.

Another popular app, Messages, has a host of new features. iMessage is sporting new text effects to amplify a word, letter, phrase, or more. You can also add bold, underline, italics, and strikethrough.

iPhone users can also take advantage of a separate Passwords app also on the Mac and iPad.

iOS 18 is compatible with modern iPhones starting with the second-generation iPhone SE. You can download the update by going to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone.

There is also a slate of new features for the iPad. For the first time ever, you can now use a stock Calculator app on the iPad with iPadOS 18.

Smart Script allows you to make handwritten notes easier to read and flexible.

The Notes app offers enhancements for typed text allowing you to organize content collapsing sections under headings or subheadings.

You can upgrade to iPadOS 18 with the iPad Pro (M4), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later), iPad Air (M2), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), iPad (7th generation and later), and iPad mini (5th generation and later).

Download iPadOS 18 by going to to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPad.

watchOS 11

Apple Watch users will be able to enjoy a number of additions in watchOS 11.

To track intensity, the Apple Watch will features a new training load measurement. Its algorithm takes into account heart rate, altitude, age, weight, and more to give a calculation of your effort.

A long awaited addition, you will be able to pause activity rings for a rest day. They can also be adjusted by the day of the week.

The new Vitals app will help provide a deeper understanding of your health. You can see where you are today and compare those stats to what’s happened in the past.

Smart Stack is getting, well, smarter. New widgets will automatically be added depending on the situation. For example, a weather app will appear when its about to rain.

Live Activities will also be available to view on the watch.

An improved Photos watch face can automatically crop photos.

You’ll need an Apple Watch 6 or later, any Apple Watch Ultra, or the second-generation Apple Watch SE to upgrade. The update can be downloaded now through the companion Watch app on your iPhone by heading to General > Software Update in the My Watch portion of the app. You can also go to Settings > General > Software Update on an Apple Watch.

Your watch needs to have more than 50 percent power and connected to a charger. Like most Apple Watch updates, it could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to complete, so be patient.

tvOS 18

tvOS 18 is available for the Apple TV HD and all Apple TV 4K models

A new Enhanced Dialog feature will support TV speakers and receivers along with AirPods and other Bluetooth devices. That will use machine learning to provide better clarity to voices.

The software will also add 21:9 support for projectors.

You’ll be able to enjoy a new Portraits category for screen savers along with a category for TV shows and Movies from Apple TV shows. There will also be a new Snoopy screensaver.

FaceTime on the Apple TV will also feature live captions.

An update should automatically be downloaded.

If you haven’t already enabled automatic updates, you can download the software by heading to Settings > System > Software Updates > Update Software. Right next to the button to update software is the toggle switch to turn on automatic updates.

macOS Sequoia

macOS Sequoia features a number of new Continuity features.

iPhone Mirroring will allow full interaction and control of an iPhone from your Mac.

Safari will feature Highlights, a quick way to see information on the web

Other features include a presenter view for video conferencing and an updated Calculator app.

You can download the software on your Mac by selecting the Apple Menu and then About This Mac. Select Software Update to start the process. The download is large, so expect the entire process to take more than an hour.

The software is compatible with the following Macs:
iMac: Late 2019 and later

iMac Pro: 2017

MacBook Air: 2018 and later

MacBook Pro: 2018 and later

Mac Pro: 2019 and later

Mac mini: 2018 and later
Mac Studio: 2022 and later

What About Apple Intelligence?

You’ll need to be a bit more patient to use Apple Intelligence. The suite of AI tools for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia will arrive in an update starting sometime in October.

The first update will include a number of features starting with Writing Tools. will allow you to choose different versions of what you wrote better adjust the tone for the audience. Proofread will check grammar and more. Summarize will allow you to select text and have it recapped.

For your email deluge, Priority Messages will show the most urgent emails. You can also see Priority Notifications.

In Photos, natural language search will allow you to better locate an image. A Clean Up Tool can also find and remove objects in the background.

ChatGPT will also be integrated in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS later this year.

Siri will add the ability to add better and more personalized responses in 2025.

Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPhone 16, any iPad with an M1 or later chip, and any Mac with an M1 chip or later.

The App Store might not be as popular as it is today without the introduction of these games. Here are some of the earliest and most popular games ever.

Tiny Wings

Tap to dive and release your finger from the screen to soar into the sky. Tiny Wings is a great example of how smart physics can create super-simple (but nevertheless hugely entertaining) gameplay.

Your aim in Tiny Wings is simple: keep on flying, for as long (and as far) as you can. As a bird, you can hold your finger on the screen to nose-dive down and towards one of countless slopes which are scattered across the landscape. Provided you time it just right, this can result in a boost of speed as your tiny winged bird slides and soars of its target slope.

Tiny Wings is simply one of the most addictive iOS games we’ve ever played. It offers a heck of a lot of satisfaction (there’s nothing better than timing your descent just right in order to slide off a slope and into the air), and it features nice graphics and sound effects. If you’ve yet to take Tiny Wings for a spin, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Canabalt

Canabalt is a classic endless runner where you will race across rooftops and avoid obstacles. With a single button control, eight game mode options, and different runners to choose from, you can run for a high score or just for survival.

As one of the originals in this genre, Canabalt has you running to survive the destruction around you. You can escape alone or bring another runner along for the journey. Controls are simple allowing you jump across rooftops with a tap. Obstacles and distractions are everywhere, so keep your eyes peeled as you race for safety.

Canabalt is an endless runner that is easy to pick up and play. With understated, but attractive retro-style graphics and fast-paced background music, the energy will keep you moving, jumping, and running to escape.

Fruit Ninja Classic

Halfbrick’s often imitated but never duplicated original fruit slicing game is a great piece of software for iOS. Your goal is to slide virtual fruit as it appears on-screen. This might sound simple, but it’s nevertheless a therapeutic and exciting game (thanks to the presence of several different game modes).

So, you slice as many different types of fruit as possible. Great. But Fruit Ninja offers so much more: fruit chains, a Zen Mode, and multiplayer make it a title we keep on coming back to, time and time again.

This is definitely a title iOS developers have imitated (ahem, “taken inspiration from”) in the years following Fruit Ninja’s original release. Because of this, it’s a genre-defying App Store classic, and is definitely a title all iOS gamers should take for a spin.

Angry Birds

Angry Birds is a class act: it’s spawned sequels on the App Store (and elsewhere), a TV show, a movie, and a whole load of merchandise. But at the core of this phenomenon is an iOS game that’s a heck of a lot of fun to play. Once you start, it’ll be difficult for you to put Angry Birds down.

The aim of the game is simple. Evil Pigs abound, and it’s up to you (and your team of Angry Birds) to destroy their various defenses as efficiently as possible through slingshotting bird after bird. Aim carefully, add just the right amount of tension to the sling, and your shot should prove successful.

This game is the real deal: it’s fun, addictive, features great graphics, and cute characters. It’s also part of a huge Angry Birds game series which you can work through.

Sneezies

Sneezies provides an overload of cuteness. To play, you will touch the screen to drop a burst of sneezing powder into the field of floating Sneezies and then way as they sneeze themselves out of their bubblers. You’ll try to start of chain reaction to rescue as many of the cute features as possible.

There are 45 modes in the classic mode or 15 more challenge modes for a more difficult game. This family friendly game is a perfect way to relax and smile. Achooo!

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? The new game Unforeseen Incidents is full of twists and turns, features more than 60 hand-painted scenes, and will keep you busy with a hosts of puzzles.

In the adventure, small-town handyman Harper Pendrell find a dying woman on the street, stumbling onto a mystery that only he can solve. As an unknown disease is spreading across the country, and a reporter, scientist, and reclusive artist hold the key to stopping int.

As Harper travels around the country, he must avoid a cabal of dangerous fanatics and fight with only a multitool.

There is a number of locations to explore, each peaked with challenging puzzles. Along with a soundtrack specifically for the game, there is also English or German voice acting.

Unforeseen Incidents Mobile is designed for the iPhone and all iPad models. It’s a $4.99 download on the App Store now.

I always love unique mystery games, and I’ve enjoyed exploring everything Unforeseen Incidents. I’m interested to see how the story unfolds.

The world is yours in the new game The Elder Scrolls: Castles.

In the game from the Skyrim and Fallout Shelter developer, you’ll take the reigns as the ruler of a kingdom who can control their own castle and dynasty.

And you’ll be able to explore generations of the kingdom. Each real-life day covers a full year in the game.

Be prepared to work to keep the kingdom happy. You will need to train subjects, name heirs, and maintain order to keep your subjects happy and you alive. If they grow discontent, your loyal subjects may turn and plot your assassination.

Being a ruler also means making tough decisions like risking a limited supply of food to aid a neighboring kingdom. Those choices will determine how the game plays out.

Your home is a castle, literally. So you can customize it from the ground up to add and expand rooms, add lavish decorations, and even assign subjects jobs to keep the castle up and running.

To help keep the kingdom growing, you can also create heroes and give the gear. They will battle classic Elder Scrolls foes to collect important items.

Designed for the iPhone and all iPad models, The Elder Scrolls: Castles is a free download on the App Store now. There are in-app purchase available.

We all know that walking is a great way to exercise and stay healthy. But sometimes the biggest reason we don’t do it is simple—motivation.

The new Catzumi wants to help you get motivated and help make walking fun and rewarding.

As you might have guessed the premises of the app is simple. To begin, you’ll select your own furry digital kitten.

The more you walk, the more you will be able to feed your kitty and watch them grow and transform.

And yes, if you don’t walk enough, your kitty can pass away. So make sure to put on your sneakers and get going.

Only for the iPhone, Catzumi is a free download on the App Store now. There are in-app purchases available to unlock custom cat types and different colors of the interface.

If you’re looking fun a cute and fun way to bring some motivation for a daily walking routine, it’s hard to go wrong with a fuzzy, digital kitty.

At today’s special media event, Apple introduced a wide variety of new products. Here’s what you need to know.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are here with larger displays and much more.

The screen of the Pro is now 6.3 inches and the Pro Max clocks in at 6.9 inches.

Joining the Action Button introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro series is a new Camera Control button. The tactile switch, force sensor, and capacitive sensors allow you to quickly launch the Camera app, take a photo, and start a video. Third-party developers will also be able to make use of the control.

Both models now features the 5x Telephoto camera and you can now records 4K 120fps video in Dolby Vision. The models will also record videos with Spatial Audio.

Each Pro option sues the A18 Pro chip with a faster 6-core GPU and 6-core CPU.

Both of the pro models will be available in black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and desert titanium. The smaller models starts at $999 while the larger version beings at $1,199.

You can pre-order starting on Friday, Sept. 13 with order arriving on week later on Sept. 20.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are getting better with both the Camera Control and Action button from the Pro lineup.

Thanks to a 48MP Fusion camera, both models enable a 2x optical-quality Telephoto option. The Ultra Wide Camera can now be used for macro photography. You can can also capture spatial videos and photos.

Each models use the A18 chip.

Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will one available in black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine. Pre-orders start Friday with availability one week later. Prices start at $799.

Apple Watch Series 10

Apple Watch Series 10 is here with a new design and more.

The display is the largest ever on an Apple Watch and is significantly larger than previous models. That allows more space to type a message and more.

A wide-angle OLED display is up to 40 percent brighter than the Series 9 when viewed at an angle. The display is also more power efficient when in Always-On mode, refreshing every second compared to every minutes in previous models.

With a larger and more efficient charging coil, the watch can be charge from 0 to 80 percent in around 30 minutes.

Taking a page from the Apple Watch Ultra, the new model also features a depth gauge and water temperature sensor.

The new model can also diagnose sleep apnea.

You can choose from an aluminum or titanium version of the Series 10. Prices start at $399. Pre-orders start today and order arrive on Sept. 20

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is also gaining a new black finish. That version will also be available to pre-order starting today with orders landing on Sept. 20. The watch is $799.

AirPods 4

Get rocking with the new AirPods 4. Apple also introduced the latest version of the wireless earbuds.

The earbuds are sporting a new design to better fit your ear. Thanks to an H2 chip, the headphones offers features including Voice Isolation for a clearer phone call no matter the conditions.

Along with USB-C charging, the case is 10 percent smaller than the previous generation with the same better life. You can also charge the case with an Apple Watch charger or any Qi-certified charger.

There are two versions available to pre-order starting today and officially landing on Sept. 20. A version with active noise cancellation is $179 while you can also purchase a version without that feature for $129.

With ANC, the headphones feature both the Adaptive Audio and Transparency mode from the AirPods Pro 2.

Apple also introduced an updated AirPods Max with a number of new colors and USB-C charging. Those new options are still $549.