Contact Me By Email

Wednesday, October 09, 2024

Conversations and insights about the moment. - The New York Times

Republicans Hate Tech’s Influence on Politics. Unless It Comes From Elon Musk.

A photograph of Donald Trump at a lectern. Behind him, Elon Musk jumps and throws his hands into the air.
Evan Vucci/Associated Press

"Elon Musk has not been at all subtle in his efforts to help Donald Trump win the presidency. Musk hasn’t just endorsed him or donated tens of millions of dollars to pro-Trump PACs or appeared at Trump rallies to jump up and down with joy. Musk is also using the full power of his ownership of X to to portray Kamala Harris as an existential threat to America while spreading many falsehoods.

The Republicans’ silence about Musk’s blatant politicking via his social media platform demonstrates their party’s deep hypocrisy when it comes to Big Tech’s power over politics.

A rule to push Musk’s posts to more people was apparently hard-coded into the platform’s software after Musk got upset that President Biden’s posts about the Super Bowl received more views than his. Musk reportedly threatened to fire his own engineers unless they made sure his posts were super amplified. Sure enough, Musk’s posts now get tens of millions of views.

Musk has posted on X, for example, that “if Trump is NOT elected, this will be the last election” (103 million views). He has described Kamala Harris as “just a puppet” (20 million views) or “the Kamala puppet” (28 million views). He also regularly claims what he describes as the “the Kamala Dem machine” or “the Dems” are out to ensure a “permanent one-party rule in America” (33 million views).

Musk also routinely makes false claims about mass electoral fraud committed to help Democrats. For example Musk posted that Arizona is “refusing to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls” and shared a post claiming that hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants had registered to vote there — both of which prompted a correction attempt from the county recorder based in Phoenix, who is a Republican.

But Musk goes on, undeterred.

It’s not hard to imagine what many Republicans would be saying if a Silicon Valley C.E.O. had come out as hard for Kamala Harris as Musk has for Trump. Years ago, Republican legislators raised concerns that tech companies were secretly putting their thumbs on the algorithmic scales in favor of the Democrats. In response, Republican lawmakers held hearings in which they claimed that tech platforms were biased against conservatives, which they suggested was antithetical to free speech.

Where are they now?

If Republican legislators were actually serious about Big Tech’s influence on politics, they’d be dragging Musk to Congress to hold him accountable for shameless partisan favoritism. Instead, they’re reaping the spoils of Musk’s influence while saying nothing.

Who says Kamala Harris’s unconventional media tour won’t reveal anything of note? On Tuesday, she did an hourlong sit-down with Howard Stern, the satellite radio host, and among the juicy bits we learned is that the V.P. isn’t a napper; that she digs Doritos and jigsaw puzzles; that her favorite F1 driver is Lewis Hamilton; that she went to see U2 at the Sphere; and that a rare area of musical agreement between her and Doug, her husband, is their love of Prince.

Yes, folks hoping to find serious policy talk on the Stern show were out of luck. But honestly, any voters still undecided at this late date are unlikely to be making their decision based on the nitty-gritty of the candidates’ tax plans.

The goal of these chats is to help voters feel as if they know Harris, so the personal tidbits serve a purpose. And in terms of reaching a range of listeners, I’m guessing Stern’s audience doesn’t overlap excessively with fans of Oprah and “The View.” (I mean, when I tuned into the show a little early, it was just in time to hear Stern make an obscene crack about an octopus.)

Also, who could resist the opportunity to outsource some Trump bashing to a professional trash-talker like Stern, who famously disdains the MAGA king?

Stern got the political talk rolling by noting that he doesn’t even like to watch “Saturday Night Live” make fun of Harris because there’s just too much at stake this election. From there, the softballs he lobbed fell into a couple of big categories:

  • Talking up her biography, especially her early work as a prosecutor. “Were you a wreck?” he asked about her first cases. “What was that like?” He had her talk about how her decision to become a prosecutor stemmed partly from having had a high school friend who was sexually abused by her stepfather. And he invited her to revisit some of the more brutal cases she dealt with. “To me you’re the law-and-order candidate,” he said, “and yet they try to paint you as a leftist who wants people running through the streets committing crimes.”

  • Marveling at how horrible Donald Trump is, in so many different ways: Did you ever think you would see a Republican not embracing NATO? What about the revelation in Bob Woodward’s new book that Trump was secretly sending Covid test kits to Vladimir Putin when they were in short supply at the height of the pandemic?

The Stern stop wasn’t the stretch some people might think. For all his shock-jock nastiness, Stern has become a regular political stop, hosting heavy hitters including Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton.

I’ve talked to campaign people about this media strategy, and they make the point that Harris needs to reach people where they are. Fair enough.

In general, Stern was a little too openly butt-smoochy for my taste, but I like a little more spice in my political interviews. So my vote for Harris’s next stop? “Hot Ones.

In the latest New York Times/Siena College poll, Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump by three points. She’s made strategic appearances on the podcasts “Call Her Daddy” and “All the Smoke.” Her new direct-to-camera ad is strong.

But she hasn’t made her closing argument yet. And the best way for her to do that is in another debate. To persuade Donald Trump to join her, she should offer to hold that debate on Fox News.

Yes, time is running out, but the final 2020 debate was on Oct. 22 of that year. Yes, Trump would have to agree to do it — and based on his recent approach he probably wouldn’t — but Harris already knows that there’s no way he’ll accept her challenge to debate on CNN on Oct. 23. There’s only one network where Harris would have another opportunity to speak to 67 million people at once, so why not?

The argument against is basically that Fox would be hostile territory, but the upside could outweigh the downside and the degree of difficulty might not be much higher than a debate on another network.

By any objective measure, Harris beat Trump in their Sept. 10 debate. If there were another debate he’d almost certainly be better prepared, but Harris was effective in answering questions the way she wants to and not the way a moderator might expect. You can pretty much guess in advance what topics the candidates would be asked about: the Middle East, immigration, transgender rights, reproductive rights, grocery prices, tariffs.

Would Fox News moderators fact-check Harris more than she was fact-checked in the first debate? Probably. But if the fact-checking were anywhere close to being evenly applied, it would be a net benefit for her. And if her campaign thinks that CNN’s moderators would go a lot easier than Fox News’s, it’s hard to see why. In the June debate, President Biden was asked, among other things, “why should voters trust you” to solve the border crisis? And “what do you say to Black voters who are disappointed that you haven’t made more progress” addressing the racial health and wealth gaps? Whether you think the framing of those questions is useful or fair, the framing of the questions in a Fox News debate would be similar.

And Harris doesn’t need to throw Trump to the proverbial mat. Another solid debate would bolster the impression that she — running in her first, truncated general election — can go toe-to-toe with a former president running in his third election. Plus, there’s a narrow slice of voters who would probably give her credit for going on an unfriendly network.

Harris might prevail in November without another debate, and she might lose if there is one. But if it makes sense to debate on another network, it also makes sense to go on Fox News.

There’s an old joke about papal pronouncements on premarital sex: If you don’t play the game, you don’t make the rules. Something similar might be said about France’s foreign policy.

Last week, President Emmanuel Macron told a radio show that “countries should stop shipping weapons to Israel for use in Gaza.” Though he insists he’s committed to ensuring Israel’s security, what he’s really asking for is an arms embargo: You can’t deny Israel weapons for potential use in one conflict while not also denying it those weapons for use in the others.

There was a time when such a call would have mattered. In the Jewish state’s early years, France supplied it with some of its most significant weaponry, including advanced jets and, according to many accounts, vital support for its nascent nuclear weapons program.

That changed on the eve of the Arab-Israeli War of 1967, when President Charles de Gaulle imposed an arms embargo on the Middle East that mainly hit Israel. He also accused “the Jews” of being “at all times, an elite people, sure of itself and dominating.”

Since then, France’s contribution to Israel’s security has essentially been zero. France reportedly still sells Israel about $20 million worth of components of weapons systems, an insignificant fraction of the country’s overall military procurement budget. But the French government did supply the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein with a nuclear reactor, which the Israeli Air Force destroyed in 1981. France has also been notably remiss in trying to enforce the terms of the U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, which was supposed to disarm Hezbollah and keep it away from Lebanon’s border with Israel.

One result of that nonfeasance is the war now raging in Lebanon. Another is that pronouncements on the Middle East conflict by the president of France just don’t matter, other than as feckless virtue-signaling toward segments of the French public and the Francophone world. As for Paris’s once-considerable influence on public opinion in Israel, consider that Macron’s comments came days after Iran tried to hit it with a barrage of nearly 200 ballistic missiles and on the eve of the anniversary of the Oct. 7 pogrom.

Whatever else one thinks about Israel, it remains an example of how a small country can make a big difference in world affairs, not least by confronting the threat Iran poses to the entire free world. Under Macron, France has become the opposite: a big country that makes no difference.

Over the past week, many Americans have turned their gazes toward North Carolina to behold gutting scenes of the damage and despair wrought by Hurricane Helene. They should keep looking, but for an additional reason: My state is a cautionary tale of what happens when no corner of our lives is cordoned off from partisan exploitation and we lose our tether to the truth.

I’ve seen politicking off human tragedy before, but seldom on this scale or with this stench. Donald Trump and many of his MAGA minions have used the historic flooding to drown their followers in self-serving lies:

About a profoundly incompetent and wholly uncaring federal government that used up all its disaster-relief money on migrants who entered the country illegally. About emergency vehicles left idling and emergency supplies blocked by Democratic politicians who don’t want to help Republican voters. About unidentified bureaucrats who somehow control the weather and wield it as a weapon.

That last fantasy? Its purveyors include a Republican member of Congress, one Marjorie Taylor Greene. But it’s not just the likes of Trump and Greene peddling such paranoia. As the fake claims and faked pictures spreading across social media make clear, many thousands if not millions of Americans have chosen fiction over fact — because it serves their political goals, profits them financially or validates their tribal fury.

They seem not to realize or care that they’re complicating honest-to-goodness efforts to assist actual victims, as government officials’ duties expand from assisting people devastated by the storm to battling opportunists whose accusations invite distrust and meddling.

The website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a section devoted to “Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response,” and “Hurricane Helene: Fact vs. Rumor” is the title of a similar page on the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s site.

Those agencies are run by Democrats, but a North Carolina Republican, State Senator Kevin Corbin, beseeched his Facebook followers to “help STOP this conspiracy theory junk” about government inaction. He assured them that both federal and state officials were on the scene and on the job. “PLEASE help stop this junk,” he repeated. He seemed desperate.

Aptly so. The need in North Carolina is real. Gaudy falsehoods aren’t going to meet it. And none of our problems will be solved if we forgive or reward merchants of grievance for whom nothing — not even suffering like my state’s — is off-limits.

Every Monday morning on The Point, we start the week with a tipsheet on the latest in the presidential campaign. Here’s what we’re looking at this week:

  • With four weeks until Election Day, a vivid contrast in the presidential race is how Kamala Harris is trying to grow her vote while Donald Trump is trying to shrink his. Well, if not purposely shrinking it, Trump is going narrow by saying the same kinds of things at the same sorts of rallies with the same types of voters (i.e., his MAGA base), while ceding broader audiences to Harris on “The Howard Stern Show,” “The View,” Stephen Colbert’s late-night show, the podcast “Call Her Daddy” and “60 Minutes.”

  • Harris is appearing on all five this week, and these shows have reach: “Call Her Daddy” is one of the most popular podcasts on Spotify, drawing millions of listeners — many of them young women who don’t live and breathe politics.

  • In the podcast episode released Sunday, Harris was relaxed and engaging, introducing herself as a former prosecutor who fought for women, girls and others who faced injustice, and as a champion of abortion rights. She was by turns tough — calling Trump a liar several times and urging the audience to never accept “no” — and reflective about the challenge ahead. “I’m feeling great, and I’m feeling nervous,” she said about the presidential race. I’ve rarely heard a candidate admit to feeling nervous; it was refreshing.

  • Harris is mixing these appearances with campaign events later in the week in Arizona and Nevada, two swing states that some Democrats see as less fertile than the other five, including Pennsylvania and North Carolina. But I still think Harris is wise to play out west: Union members, younger voters, Latinas and other women and registered Democrats are helping make the race a dead heat in Nevada and tight in Arizona, according to polls, and abortion rights measures and competitive Senate races are on the ballot in both states in November.

  • Trump is zeroing in on Pennsylvania: He returned this past weekend to Butler, where the July assassination attempt occurred, and he is scheduled to campaign on Thursday in Scranton, President Biden’s birthplace, and Reading. (Trump lost the Scranton area in 2020 but won Berks County, which includes Reading.) I see Pennsylvania as a must-win state for Harris, but the polls there are tight, and the Trump campaign is surely seeing something in its internals to devote this much time there.

  • To win, Trump is betting that energizing and turning out his base in the swing states is more important than growing his vote. His base isn’t the “60 Minutes” crowd, but some of them listen to Stern and “The View” — as do some of the undecided and late-breaking voters who are just getting around to sizing up Harris and giving Trump another look. Is Trump trying to blow it? All I can tell you is that Trump said at a Wisconsin rally Sunday that he wants to win a “mandate” from voters in November. A “mandate” usually implies a landslide victory, and I don’t see that happening with just his MAGA base."

Conversations and insights about the moment. - The New York Times

Saturday, October 05, 2024

Astrophysicists Discuss New Evidence for Dark Matter Stars

Buttigieg counters Musk claim of Fema blocking Starlink from hurricane relief

Buttigieg counters Musk claim of Fema blocking Starlink from hurricane relief

The billionaire’s accusations about his satellite internet company are false, Fema and transportation secretary say

An image of Elon Musk sitting with his fingers interlocked
Elon Musk’s claims were amplified by Donald Trump on his app Truth Social. Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, shot down criticism by Elon Musk on the government’s handling of Hurricane Helene relief efforts, accusing the SpaceX CEO of spreading misinformation.

Musk accused the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) of blocking his satellite internet company, Starlink, from delivering to parts of North Carolina decimated by the hurricane, a claim both Fema and Buttigieg said was false.

“No one is shutting down the airspace and FAA doesn’t block legitimate rescue and recovery flights. If you’re encountering a problem give me a call,” Buttigieg wrote. Musk replied that he had seen hundreds of such reports and would phone.

SpaceX engineers are trying to deliver Starlink terminals & supplies to devastated areas in North Carolina right now and @FEMA is both failing to help AND won’t let others help. This is unconscionable!!

They just took this video a few hours ago, where you can see the level of… pic.twitter.com/abpOsfNenF

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 4, 2024

Musk had spent several hours on Friday raging on X against Fema over what he called “belligerent government incompetence”. Posting texts allegedly received from “a SpaceX engineer on the ground”, he accused the federal agency of blockading the disaster area and preventing private helicopters from delivering Starlink terminals, which connect to satellite internet service, and other supplies.

Musk wrote, “SpaceX engineers are trying to deliver Starlink terminals & supplies to devastated areas in North Carolina right now and @FEMA is both failing to help AND won’t let others help. This is unconscionable!!”

When reached for comment on Musk’s allegations, Fema issued a statement similar to Buttigieg’s: “The claims about FEMA confiscating or taking commodities, supplies or resources in North Carolina, Tennessee, or any state impacted by Helene are false.

“FEMA has helped provide Starlink terminals to the state of North Carolina, including to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Nation and critical lifeline locations as determined by the state. These units are supporting state and local municipalities, Urban Search and Rescue and disaster coordination. Starlink units have been sent to multiple states in support of Hurricane Helene response efforts,” said Jaclyn Rothenberg, Fema director of public affairs.

Still, Donald Trump amplified Musk’s claims on his app Truth Social. Musk said he would join the former president at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

False information has swirled in the communications blackout that has followed Hurricane Helene’s devastation. Phone and power lines were down across the south. Trump falsely accused Joe Biden of failing to call Georgia’s governor after the storm, when Biden had phoned Brian Kemp.

Musk has a history of inserting himself into rescue operations. In 2018, he offered to deliver a small submersible to Thailand to assist with the rescue of a boys’ soccer team, which divers on the scene called a “PR stunt”. In response, Musk called the head rescuer a “pedo guy”, eliciting a defamation suit that Musk later won.

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Canon EOS R5 II updates: bug fixes, and 24p videos with an older battery

Canon EOS R5 II updates: bug fixes, and 24p videos with an older battery

Photo: Richard Butler

“Canon has released a new firmware update for the EOS R5 II, and says it's currently working on removing a limitation that shows up when using the new camera with an older LP-E6NH battery.

Firmware version 1.0.1, which should soon be available on Canon's site, is mostly about bug fixes and improvements. According to Canon, the update will:

  • Fix an issue in which movies captured in RAW format may not play back properly on applications due to the attached lens and camera not communicating properly.
  • Improve the stability of the touch operation control when the Touch Control is set to Sensitive.
  • Fix an issue in which the camera LCD display may become abnormal after the camera resumes operations from the viewfinder off state.
  • Fix an issue in which the camera may stop working properly when the shutter button is operated while the BUSY message is being displayed on the screen.
  • Fix an issue in which Err70 may be displayed when the display mode is switched between the LCD screen and viewfinder while the BUSY message is being displayed on the screen.
  • Fix an issue in which the camera LCD display may become abnormal after using EOS Utility to capture and import movies.
  • Fix an issue in which movies captured using EOS Utility may not be played back on the camera.
  • Optimize the auto white balance for specific environments when the Custom Picture function is set to ON.

The company also told DPReview that it'll release a firmware update 'later this year' to let the EOS R5 II record 23.98/24p video, even with an older LP-E6NH battery installed. There will still be limitations when using the LP-E6NH battery instead of the LP-E6P that comes with the camera; according to Canon's manual, using the older battery will disable:

  • Recording in 8K DCI/8K UHD/RAW/SRAW, Fine image quality, and 239.76/200.00/119.88/100.00/59.94/50.00 fps frame rates
  • HDMI RAW output
  • Still photo shooting during movie recording
  • High Frame Rate movies
  • Pre-continuous shooting
  • Using Wi-Fi / Ethernet

While the 24p frame rates aren't officially included on the no-go list, Petapixelhas reported that people weren't able to use them with the LP-E6NH battery installed and confirmed the omission with its own tests.

Canon says it hasn't finalized when the update enabling 24p will be available, but we'll be sure to update you as soon as it's available.“

Canon R5 II Review: Maybe DON'T Upgrade!

Best cases for iPhone 16 to buy for your preordered handset | Cult of Mac

Best cases you can buy right now for iPhone 16 handsets [Updated]

best iPhone 16 cases
Ordering an iPhone 16? Be ready to protect it with a great case. 
Photo: Cult of Mac

"If you snatched up an iPhone 16 or 16 Pro — congrats! Now it’s time to consider how you’ll protect it. New iPhones aren’t fragile, and plenty of people go caseless to show off their handset’s sleek lines and cool color. But imagine how bummed you’ll be if you drop it and break it. Fortunately, there are already plenty of protective new cases to choose from.

After all, case-makers anticipate the new iPhone every year, and they bring the variety. You could go minimal with a thin case that works well with iPhone 16’s sleek design. You might seek extreme impact resistance for the most damaging drops. Or maybe you’d pick a luxurious leather that only looks better with age.

We rounded up the best options you can buy right now — in addition to cases by Apple and its subsidiary Beats — with prices starting at less than $20, below.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Best iPhone 16 cases you can buy right now

The best iPhone 16 case for you comes down to how you use your phone and what type of person you are. Those who treat their gadgets with great care and trust Apple’s sleek design and tough glass to handle most (rare) mishaps can go with ultra-slim or affordable options without much fear. But the mistake-prone might opt for a tougher case to help ensure their device lasts until they want to upgrade.

And you should also consider MagSafe. Apple’s magnetic system will hold your new iPhone in place on compatible power banks, charging stands, car mounts and more. If you plan to utilize any MagSafe or Qi2 wireless accessories, you should look for a MagSafe-compatible case that includes its own magnets. That ensures the case won’t block iPhone’s magnetic pull.

And, while this roundup focuses on third-party cases, we spotted deals on Apple’s official iPhone 16 cases with some pretty sweet discounts.

Table of contents: Best iPhone 16 cases available now

  • Best iPhone 16 thin case for people who don’t like cases
  • Best iPhone 16 rugged case for ultimate protection
  • Best iPhone 16 folio or wallet case for carrying cash and cards
  • Best iPhone 16 leather cases for a touch of luxury
  • Best Mac-inspired retro-cool iPhone 16 case
  • Best iPhone 16 cases for dazzling design
  • Best stylish cross-body iPhone 16 case
  • Best iPhone 16 case with a built-in stand
  • Best iPhone 16 case for photographers and filmmakers
  • Best budget case for iPhone 16
  • Best iPhone 16 case that takes ‘It’s Glowtime’ literally

Best iPhone 16 thin case for people who don’t like cases

If you want to keep your iPhone 16 protected without spoiling its slim and attractive design, you’ll need a case that’s thin, lightweight and minimalistic. Tottallee’s Super Thin Case is exactly that. Measuring in at a mere 0.02 inches thick and weighing just 0.1 ounces, it gives your new smartphone the protection it needs without sacrificing its looks.

The Super Thin Case is free of logos, slogans and other ugly branding. And it comes in six different colors — including a crystal-clear option that lets your iPhone’s style shine through. You can also get a version with MagSafe built-in if you don’t mind spending a little extra. This is the case for people who hate cases.

As an alternative, Totallee’s Clear Grip Case is slightly thicker, at 0.04 inches, but also quite minimal and transparent.

Totallee case prices start at $35.

Buy from: Super Thin Case or Clear Grip Case at Totallee (coming soon to Amazon)

Best iPhone 16 rugged case for ultimate protection

OtterBox is the king of rugged cases, so you can be confident its revamped Defender Series Pro or colorful Symmetry Series with CrossBody Straps for iPhone 16 will keep your device safe no matter how much you neglect it. But our top pick for ruggedness would be the Fre Series.

The chunky plastic Fre Series, coming soon for iPhone 16, is waterproof, MagSafe-enabled and certified to withstand the most devastating drops. And the Fre Series’ 360-degree design features an integrated screen protector. Combined with rubber gaskets that protect your iPhone’s ports, it makes handset even more resistant to dust and water damage. You can also add a lanyard.

Otterbox case prices are $49.95 and up.

Buy from: Defender Series Pro, Symmetry Series or Fre Series at Otterbox.com

Best iPhone 16 folio or wallet case for carrying cash and cards

Apple Pay lets us leave many of our cards behind, but what about those you need to carry with you? Who really wants a wallet in their pocket these days? Let your iPhone 16 do the heavy lifting with the Nomad Modern Leather Folio. It’s protective and it carries your cash and cards. And because it’s built with full-grain, sustainably sourced leather, it will patina with time to develop a finish unique to you.

The folio case featuring anodized aluminum buttons and a removable magnetic clasp, the folio case includes three card slots and one cash slot. Not only that, but it’s good against drops of up to 8 feet. It also has dual lanyard attachment points and MagSafe and wireless charging compatibility.

You can buy the Modern Leather Folio case for $70.

Buy from: Nomad

Best iPhone 16 leather cases for a touch of luxury

Apple scrapped its upmarket leather case options for iPhone 15 and later dropped its replacement, the much-maligned FineWoven. But a great grain can still be gained elsewhere. For leather lovers, Mujjo’s cases offer a superb alternative. We’ve been reviewing them for years on Cult of Mac, and we firmly believe they’re as good as Apple’s were in many ways — and even better in others.

Made from sustainable leather that’s tanned without the use of harsh chemicals, Mujjo’s cases fit the iPhone beautifully, adding a touch of class you just can’t get from scratchy plastics and cheap silicone. They’re available in a number of color options, with or without a built-in wallet or MagSafe compatibility. All of them will age gracefully like all good leather products. Or you can choose the sustainable MaizCase, a vegan leather option made from corn.

Mujjo’s leather case prices start at $59 (20% off coupon currently available from Amazon).

Buy from: Mujjo or Amazon

Woolnut’s pebbled leather iPhone 16 cases

Another classy leather case option comes from Woolnut. The Swedish company produces elegant pebbled leather cases that look and feel remarkable in your hand. Cult of Mac’s review of a Woolnut case said “the pebbled leather finish made the iPhone easier to grip: It was simultaneously slightly cushioned and less slippery.”

These slim leather cases come with CNC-machined aluminum buttons and a cutout for the iPhone 16 lineup’s innovative Camera Control. Color options include black, gray, green and a gorgeous cognac. An embedded neodymium magnetic array makes Woolnut cases MagSafe-compatible, so you can use all your favorite accessories. (See our roundup of the best MagSafe chargers and accessories for iPhone 16.)

Buy from: Woolnut

Best Mac-inspired retro-cool iPhone 16 case

With the Spigen Classic C1 (MagFit) for iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max, you can pay homage to the colorful and iconic iMac G3 desktop computer. “The remastered Classic C1 makes sure your iPhone 16 is always making a comeback,” says Spigen. The case combines a retro translucent design with modern MagSafe tech. Two-piece PC and TPU construction lined with impact foam makes for great durability. An open cutout works with the Camera Control button and raised edges beef up screen and camera protection. The Classic C1 comes in those iconic G3 colors — tangerine, Bondi blue, ruby and graphite. You can buy it from Spigen at $59, but it’s only $29 at Amazon.

Spigen also offers Ultra Hybrid T MagFit cases ($29.99 retail), which come with a “touch-sensitive and capacitive T cover for seamless Camera Control Button functionality.” Be sure to clip the on-page coupon when shopping on Amazon to save an additional 5% to 10% off your purchase price.

Buy from: Amazon

Best iPhone 16 cases for dazzling design

All iPhones look pretty much alike. But you can give yours a makeover that’s almost sure to turn heads with one of Casetify’s terrific iPhone 16 cases. The company offers loads of brilliant designs to choose from — almost too many, really. It’s hard to choose. You’ll find pretty floral patterns, cute characters, wood finishes and customizable name cases among many other options. And Casetify said it upgraded its Ultra Bounce Case and refreshed its Bounce case for iPhone 16.

There’s also the Co-Lab collection, which includes cases adorned with the likes of Hello Kitty, The Powerpuff Girls, Barbie and every Major League Baseball team logo. Casetify cases also offer plenty of protection and great build quality. Many are also available with MagSafe, and all feature Casetify’s signature camera surround for lens protection.

Casetify case prices start at $62.

Buy from: Casetify

Best stylish cross-body iPhone 16 case

Made of genuine leather, the Hailey cross-body iPhone 16 case comes with an adjustable (46 inches to 54 inches) and detachable strap that’s 0.75 inches wide. A soft microfiber lining and raised bezel protect the iPhone while keeping it super-handy for festivals or a night on the town. A card holder on the back of the case snaps closed with up to five cards inside. Bandolier, which holds patents on its cross-body design, makes a wide variety of cross-body iPhone 16 cases with varying degrees of bling. The Hailey goes for $138.

You can buy these models at prices from $98.

Buy from: Bandolier

Best iPhone 16 case with a built-in stand

Torras 360° Spin Stand cases integrate magnets, a 360-degree spin kickstand that also functions as a ring holder or grip, and extreme protection for your handset. The Spin Stand’s kickstand allows flexible positioning angles from vertical to horizontal. And it’s actually a 3-in-1 kickstand, working as a stand, charger and grip. Whether you prefer a vertical setup for making video calls or a horizontal orientation for watching TV shows, this kickstand case seals the deal.

It doubles as a handy ring holder for you to hook onto when your hands are full, allowing effortless one-finger handling. The highly conductive zinc alloy kickstand enables fast charging without the need for removal.

Another Torras option to consider would be the similar 360° Spin Fusion. And another great choice — for a bit less money — would be the solid Anker FlexStand Magnetic Phone Case, just $29.99 (with a 15% off coupon you can click on, as well).

Nab Torras’ spin cases for $39.99 (5% off coupon available).

Buy from: Amazon

Best iPhone 16 case for photographers and filmmakers

Moment calls its Camera Case for iPhone 16 “the only case that prioritizes your camera phone.” That’s because it includes Moment’s drop-in mount to securely connect Moment Lenses and Quick-Lock filters.

That case boasts machined aluminum buttons for a premium touch, a contoured Camera Capture button opening and Moment’s proprietary MagSafe magnet array for a secure connection to rigs, chargers and mounts.

Camera Case also protects your phone from unexpected drops with a reinforced polycarbonate core and impact-resistant TPU outer shell, fortified with an array of air pockets. It’s compatible with Qi and Qi2 wireless chargers and optimized for 5G with dielectric constant material in its body material.

Buy Moment’s camera case for $49.99.

Buy from: Moment

Best budget case for iPhone 16

There’s no need to break the bank for great protection. The Spigen Liquid Air for iPhone 16 can be yours for $16 (less if you use the available coupon). And it does more than enough to keep your smartphone in great shape. Featuring military-grade protection, its Air Cushion Technology effectively absorbs impact to prevent shattered screens. And its antislip matte finish helps your device stay securely in your palm.

The textured rear of the Liquid Air does just enough to make it look more appealing than you might expect at this price. And because it’s made by Spigen, you know you’re getting a case you can trust. It’s basic — no MagSafe, though the company says it’s compatible with wireless charging — but brilliant.

Spigen’s case goes for just $15.99 — or even less with the available 5% off coupon.

Buy from: Amazon

Best iPhone 16 case that takes ‘It’s Glowtime’ literally

Pitaka’s new Tactile Woven Cases include Aries models with special glow-in-the-dark tech that seems to take Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event name quite literally. They all incorporate Fusion Weaving Technology and high-tech aramid fiber construction. The iPhone 16 cases offer an unusual 3D grip while remaining ultra-thin and lightweight. They’re MagSafe-compatible and feature built-in NFC chips that offer exclusive services.

As mentioned, the Aries series brings “glowtime.” It incorporates Pitaka’s Lumitex technology, allowing the case to glow in the dark after absorbing light energy for a visually striking look. The Aries Model comes in three designs — Alien, Credit Card and NoProblemo — priced at $69.99. Regular Tactile Woven Cases costt $59.99.

Buy from: Pitaka

Lewis Wallace and Killian Bell contributed to this report. We originally published this post on the best iPhone 16 cases on September 10, 2024. We updated the information."

Best cases for iPhone 16 to buy for your preordered handset | Cult of Mac