The CultCast (America's favorite Apple Podcast)

Greetings comrades!  This time on CultCast: for first time, Apple brings iTunes Festival to United States, but why not mother Russia?  Facebook buys WhatApp for cool 19 billion Ruples… but why?  Then, like enemy of Putin, Jony Ive vanishes from Apple website; Apple and Tesla make secret talks, could this mean iCar?  Only the KGB knows for sure.  And don’t miss all new Faves N Raves where men pitch favorite tech and apps then supreme leader chooses with one is best!

Thanks to Fresbooks for sponsoring this episode! FreshBooks, the simple online accounting solution built for small business owners – just like you – who want to skip the headache of tax time. For a limited time, try FreshBooks free 60 days. To get started, visit getfreshbooks.com now and enter CultCast in the “How Did You Hear About Us” section .

And thanks to macupdate.com - You know what we love?  Getting big discounts on Mac apps.  Be sure to check out deals.macupdate.com regularly for significant discounts and daily deals on all kinds of popular Mac software.

This week: we decipher Apple’s “Wonderlust” event invitation and talk iPhone 15 colors and expectations! 🧙‍♂️🔥

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CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 14, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

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This week's stories

ERFON: Apple sets ‘Wonderlust’ iPhone 15 event for September 12

• Apple sent out invites Tuesday to its annual September product launch event, which will happen September 12. The tagline is “Wonderlust,” so Apple is apparently hoping we’ll all be feeling both wonder and lust when it unveils the iPhone 15 series.

Here's the Apple invitation animation

GRIFFIN: What could the ‘Wonderlust’ event invite mean?

• Apple’s “Wonderlust” event invite features the Apple logo in a windswept, sandy visage. How could the artwork relate to the expected announcements of the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9 coming during the Apple event on September 12?

LEWIS: Take an early look at the likely iPhone 15 color options

• Apple reportedly will produce the iPhone 15 in an array of mostly muted colors. Yes, unfortunately, it sounds like the regular iPhone might be coming down with a case of the iPhone Pro blues -- boring colors!

LEWIS: Giveaway - Package deal: Apple Watch Carbon Fiber Case and Carbon Fiber Band with Magnetic Clasp for Apple Watch from Lululook

GRIFFIN: Apple tests 3D printing that could revolutionize manufacturing

• Apple is testing a 3D-printer-based manufacturing process for some of its upcoming Apple Watches that could radically change how it manufactures products generally, a new Bloomberg report by Mark Gurman.

ERFON: AirPods with USB-C might launch at Apple’s September event

• After nearly a decade of dragging its feet, Apple is finally switching iPhone to USB-C. The transition away from Lightning is being forced by the European Union, and this fall’s iPhone 15 series will almost certainly be the first with USB-C.

• Blurry images that popped up online supposedly show the testing of an Apple OLED television set of around 60 inches in size. The photos were shared on Chinese social media before being circulated by mobile leaker Benjamin Geskin on Twitter.
• images depict what looks like an Apple-branded standalone display in some kind of lab testing environment. They show a metal frame design, while accompanying notes on Weibo suggest that the set also includes a camera.
• And, just like that, longstanding rumors of an Apple TV set reignite!
• The rumors gained momentum with the publishing of Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs biography in 2011. “I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,” Jobs was quoted as saying. “It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine.”

• According to the WSJ, Apple is reportedly preparing a $1 billion “war chest” which it will spend on acquiring or producing original content over the next year.
• That sum is around half of what HBO spent on production last year.
• Apple SVP Eddy Cue is reportedly aiming for Apple to offer up to ten new shows, which could rival Game of Thrones in scope.
• Apple has been ramping up its hirings to try and establish itself as a force to be reckoned with. The company’s recent hirings include a pair of former Sony execs, who previously helped bring to the screen shows including AMC’s Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and Netflix’s The Crown
• WSJ: "Mr. Van Amburg and Mr. Erlicht have begun meeting with Hollywood agents and holding discussions about shows Apple could acquire, the people familiar said. Mr. Matt Cherniss has movie experience, having worked as a production executive at Warner Bros."

• According to trusted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. There will be no “obvious change” to the design of the device, which will leave LTE connectivity as its main selling point.
• Apple will offer non-LTE versions at more affordable prices, however. It’s unclear whether those models will be Series 3 devices, or whether Apple will continue to offer Series 2 alongside its successor for those who do not require LTE.
• Watch will also likely be waterproof, like series 2, and faster.

It’s all happening!  WWDC 2014 is right around the corner, and if recent rumors are true, Apple’s about to make major moves into your home with iOS 8—we’ll fill you in.  Plus, the Apple/Beats deal is a reality, and the news hits right as we’re recording.  

And don't miss an all new CultCast 2nd Hour.  We'll be speaking to popular Youtuber Jonathan Mann, who, for the last five years, has written one song every. single. day.  We talk to Jonathan about the inspiration, perspiration, and agony of making art, and what it was like to have his songs unexpectedly featured by Steve Jobs at one of Apple's most infamous press conferences.

Our thanks to Slingbox for supporting this episode!

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Ashton describes becoming Steve Jobs and ends up crying; Will.i.am imagines a future of weird gadgets; our favorite Apple tech from the show; and wrapping up, JJ Abrams, Stars Wars director?  

Don't miss the debate and our coverage live from Moscone West here at Macworld 2013.

Thanks to DigiDNA, crafters of DiskAid 6, for making this episode possible.  

DiskAid 6 is the best way to transfer videos, documents, and other information on and off your iDevices with ease.  Download your voicemails, call logs, photos, videos, or anything else right to your computer—all via WiFi, all without long iTunes syncing—with the new DiskAid 6.

Download it today and use its basic features for free at http://www.digidna.net/products/diskaid

• According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple has reduced its orders for both the iPhone XS and iPhone XR.
• Apple’s stock is not at $177 as of this writing, down from an October high of $232!  That’s a drop of almost 25%
• But it’s not just Apple stock that’s dropping, the DOW is also way down.
• Amazon is down 25% too.  $1500 down from $2000.

• In Max Yuryev’s tests, the new Vega 20 GPU was 25-35% faster than the 560X GPU in various benchmarks.
• We’re waiting for Final Cut Pro tests, but I get they’ll be even faster there.
• In Dave 2D’s premier render tests, the Vega 20 is almost twice as fast as the 560X

This week, a wave of M4 Macs is on the way — including the miniest Mac mini ever! Also, the latest on iOS 18, a plastic Apple Watch, the tragic tale of Erfon’s iPhone, and an all-new Under Review!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! Check out CultCloth.co — but only if you want the best cleaning cloths money can buy.

This week’s stories:

MacBook Pro and Mac mini’s M4 upgrade coming later this year

• Apple will reportedly launch M4-powered MacBooks and iMacs later this year. But the company will wait until 2025 to refresh its entire Mac lineup with its latest M-series chip.

Here comes the incredible shrinking Mac mini

• Apple is going to shrink the next Mac mini when it adds an M4 processor, according to an often-reliable source of insider information. The desktop could be the size of an Apple TV.

iOS 18 beta 5: All the new features and changes

• The fifth beta of iOS 18 is here, with Apple following its two-week release cycle for beta releases. While the last few betas were light on changes, that’s not the case with iOS 18 beta 5.
• The iOS 18 Photos app needs some major tweaks

Get ready for ‘kid-friendly’ Apple Watch SE

• The Apple Watch SE 3 reportedly will come in a plastic casing. Skipping the usual aluminum case will allow the wearable to come in a broad array of colors, potentially making it more appealing to younger buyers.

Samsung shakes up mobile team over ‘Apple design plagiarism’

• You can add Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong to the list of people who think his company’s new smartwatch and wireless earbuds are much too similar to Apple’s products.

Under Review: Zike 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand

• The Zike 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Stand is a finely made desktop charger for your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods.

This week: will it be a car, glasses, or a full frame camera? iPhones aren’t selling like they used to, and Apple’s looking for their next huge hit! We discuss... Plus: even with iPhone sales way down, Apple managed to have another MASSIVE quarter, and you won’t believe how they pulled it off. And stay tuned for our favorite shows and games in an all-new What We’re Into 🔥

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Dashlane is the official password manager of Cult of Mac. It's so good, even El Kahney's mummy uses it! Use it for free for one device at Dashlane.com/CultofMac.

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CultCloth will keep your iPhone X, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Order Leander's new book, signed!

Apple’s wearables is now the size of a Fortune 200 company

• Sales of the Apple Watch grew 50% compared to the same quarter last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook said on Apple’s Q2 2019 quarterly analyst call on Tuesday.
• If Apple’s wearables business — which includes the Apple Watch and the popular AirPod earbuds — were a stand-alone company, it would be in the Fortune 200, Cook said.
• Apple’s wearables business also includes its home and accessories category. Together, sales in the March quarter hit a record $5.1 billion in revenue, up from $3.94 billion in the year-ago quarter.
• Wearables now almost as big as the Mac business (5.5B last quarter).
• Services business is now more than twice as big as the Mac business!

Apple Shipped an Estimated 36.4 Million iPhones Worldwide in Q1 2019, a 30% Year-Over-Year Decline

• Apple shipped an estimated 36.4 million iPhones worldwide during the first calendar quarter of 2019, which corresponds to Apple's second fiscal quarter, according to new estimates shared today by IDC.
• Apple's worldwide smartphone shipments were down 30.2 percent from 52.2 million iPhones shipped in the first quarter of 2018. The decline in sales led to Apple losing the number two worldwide smartphone vendor spot to Huawei. In Q1 2019, Huawei shipped an estimated 59.1 million smartphones.

Our Under Review picks!

The Man in the High Castle

Borderlands 3 official gameplay trailer

This week, our predictions for the “Let Loose” iPad keynote on Tuesday! Also, some last-minute rumors of an M4 chip, alternate app stores are officially coming to iPad too, and new iOS 18 features!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com .

Backblaze offers unlimited cloud backups for Macs, PCs and businesses for just $99 a year. Access your data from anywhere in the world. Get a fully-featured no-risk free trial at Backblaze.com/CultCast .

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co

This week’s stories:

Upcoming OLED iPad Pro might feature next-gen M4 chip

• Apple’s upcoming OLED iPad Pro reportedly will begin the company’s shift into AI hardware. The new tablets could sport the next-gen M4 chip to power all the AI features.

EU labeling iPad a ‘gatekeeper’ will bring major changes to iPadOS

• The iPad joined the European Union’s list of “gatekeeper” platforms Monday. The designation requires Apple to make the same sorts of sweeping changes to iPadOS that the company already made to iPhone, including allowing sideloading of applications.

iOS 18 might revamp many built-in iPhone apps

• Apple could upgrade many of iPhone’s built-in apps with iOS 18 later this year. Reportedly, this includes Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness.
• AppleInsider: Apple's iOS 18 to streamline task management with unified events and reminders

iPhone charger with built-in battery pack looks totally sci-fi

• How many times have you rushed out the door with a battery pack for your iPhone, only to discover the battery is dead as a doornail? SwitchEasy’s 2-in-1 Portal solves that.
• This stylish MagSafe battery pack stand includes a portable power pack that is always charged and ready to go.

The CultCast ‘Let Loose’ Predictions

• For the first time in 2024, The CultCast prediction game is here as we lay down our judgements on next week’s “Let Loose” iPad event.
• Listener score sheet

• Apple has been running a reduced cost battery replacement program in response to customer complaints about battery gate, but this offer ends on December 31, 2018. After that, replacing an iPhone battery will cost you $49 for the iPhone 8 and older, or $69 for the iPhone X, iPhone XS family, and iPhone XR
• The price until Dec. 31st is just $29.

• Apple’s legal team could soon be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court to face an anti-trust case being levied against the company.
• U.S. Supreme Court justices heard an hour of arguments for an anti-trust lawsuit against Appletoday. The nine justices appeared to be open to letting the lawsuit move up to the highest court in the U.S. and it could bring huge changes to the App Store if Apple loses.
• Apple is being accused of breaking federal antitrust laws by monopolizing the way applications are installed on the iPhone. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that Apple’s 30% cut on all sales in the App Store are causing consumers to overpay.
• Lead plaintiff Robert Pepper of Chicago argued that Apple’s App Store monopoly leads to inflated prices because developers have to account for Apple’s 30% fee. The plaintiffs want Apple to open up iOS so apps can be installed from sources other than the App Store.

• Pres. Trump  told the Wall Street Journal, that he’s prepared to put tariffs on all products being shipped from China that don’t already have them. And he’s also ready to raise the import fees on items already taxed from 10 percent to 25 percent.
• When the WSJ asked if that includes handsets like the iPhone as well as notebook computers, he said “Depends on what the rate is, I can make it 10%, and people could stand that very easily.”

• A company VP says the iPhone XR has outsold the iPhone XS series since the cheaper device came out last month.
• Greg Joswiak, Apple VP of iOS, iPad and iPhone Product Marketing, told CNET that the XR has “been our most popular iPhone each and every day since the day it became available.”
• The situation is quite similar to what happened a year ago, when analysts mistakenly believedthe iPhone X was a flop when it was actually Apple’s best selling handset.

This week, is it gold or bronze? The latest iPhone rumors have us worried… also, what you can expect from AirPods 4, the exciting new Mac mini, and OUR PREDICTIONS for the September event!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

This week’s stories:

Mockup reveals iPhone 16 Pro gold titanium color

• A new render shows the iPhone 16 Pro in a gold titanium finish, rather than the bronze that was rumored previously.

AirPods 4 rumors: Dramatic change coming next week

• Here’s what to look forward to in new AirPods variants when they’re unveiled at the “It’s Glowtime” event on September 9.

M4 Mac mini might give up on USB-A entirely

• Reports suggest the Mac mini could finally get a new design this year. The revamp will make the overall machine much smaller, about the same size as an Apple TV.

More affordable iPad Magic Keyboard is in development

• iPad users can look forward to a less expensive version of Apple’s Magic Keyboard, according to information leaking out of Apple.

The CultCast “It’s Glowtime” Predictions

• Submit your own guesses

This week:

We roundup the features coming iPhone 15 Pro and Max! Plus: a new 15.5-inch MacBook is INCOMING, and don’t forget to update the software on your MagSafe cable!

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 14, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

The Lectric XP 3.0 is a compact but powerful folding eBike you can take anywhere! At just $999, with its 45 mile range and speeds up to 28 MPH, the XP 3.0 is one of the best eBike values on the market. Visit lectricebikes.com to learn more!

This week's stories

What to expect from the redesigned, faster iPhone 15 in 2023

• Apple has used the same basic iPhone chassis design for three years, and the company’s previous practices indicate it’s time for a change. A tipster says we can expect rounded edges in place of the current square ones. But no images or CAD drawings showing the exact changes have emerged yet.

Apple supposedly will use titanium in at least one of the Pro models. 15.5-inch MacBook Air could arrive in April

• A super-size MacBook Air is supposedly right around the corner. An analyst who’s built a solid reputation for accurately predicting Apple products says the next macOS notebook will be out in six weeks or so.

We're giving away five 360 Rotating Universal Tablet Stand from Lululook.

• Made of aluminum with a heavy-duty base, this stable tablet stand can hold everything from an iPad Pro to a iPhone (plus Android devices -- boo!).

Don’t forget to update the software on your MagSafe cable

• Apple issued an important software update recently — and we’re not talking for iPhone, Mac, iPad or Apple Watch. It’s 2023, so it’s for something way more esoteric: a power cable.
• Yes, the USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable comes with a tiny computer inside of it that needs software updates, for some inscrutable reason.

King Charles coronation logo created by iPhone designer

• The official logo for King Charles III's coronation, which will show up at street parties and on social media and souvenirs, has been revealed by Buckingham Palace.
• It has been created by Sir Jony Ive, known for his innovative designs of Apple gadgets, including the iPhone.

Rumor review: are iPad Minis and Retina iMacs right around the corner?  Then, Buster describes what it's like switching to Android.  And don't leave that one-star App review just yet, your crashing apps are probably Apple's fault.  Plus, don't miss our favorite new apps and gear on our Faves 'N Raves segment.

All that and a *very* special guest introduction on this tasty new ep. of The CultCast NOM NOM. 

This episode supported by

Apple Vowed to Revolutionize Television. An Inside Look at Why It Hasn’t

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-16/apple-vowed-to-revolutionize-television-an-inside-look-at-why-it-hasn-t

• The new Apple TV will be capable of streaming 4K content and more vivid colors.

 

AAPL shares close at new all-time high

http://www.cultofmac.com/467231/aapl-shares-close-new-time-high/

• Thanks to an improved rating from Wall Street investment firm Goldman Sachs, Apple shares have been on the rise this week. Today shares were trading above the previous intra-day record high of $134.54 set on April 28, 2015.
• IPO December 12, 1980 at $22 a share.
• 100 shares would have cost you $2200
• Since the IPO, the stock has split four times, including three 2-for-1 splits and one 7-for-1 split
• Your 100 shares would have multiples to  5600 shares.
• You initial $2200 investment would now be worth 759,136.
• By comparison, a $2,200 investment in the S&P 500 in the same time would have netted you about $79,000
• If you had invested 10k, you’d now how have $3,446,477.44

 

Smaller iPhone set to get big battery upgrade in 2017

http://www.cultofmac.com/466699/smaller-iphones-set-to-get-big-battery-upgrade-in-2017/

• Apple reportedly plans to pack a much bigger battery inside the new 4.7-inch iPhone set to be revealed later this year.

 

iPhone 8 to Feature 5.8-Inch OLED Display With 5.15-Inch Main Screen and Virtual Buttons Below

https://www.macrumors.com/2017/02/15/2017-iphone-edge-to-edge-display-virtual-buttons/

• The 2017 iPhone will feature a 5.8-inch display OLED display panel with 5.15 inches of usable screen space according to new predictions shared by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo believes the iPhone 8 will use a, but that some space will be reserved for virtual buttons.
• The display will reportedly take up the entire front of the iPhone, eliminating the bezels.
• Kuo says the OLED iPhone will have measurements similar to the 4.7-inch iPhone.
• Apple expected to introduce a stacked logic board design to support bigger batteries, and will feature a battery capacity similar to the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus.
• Kuo expects the OLED iPhone to cost in excess of $1,000
• The OLED iPhone will be "the only bright spot" in the 2017 iPhone lineup, which may mean that the other phones will receive only minor improvements.
• Mac Otakara recently reported that the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models will retain an aluminum design like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, with only internal changes

 

This week: iOS 16's best features + our hardware predictions for Apple's definitely-gonna-happen October event!

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 13, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

This week's stories

16 Hidden iOS 16 Features You Didn't Know About

• Other than the headlining features, there are a number of quality-of-life changes, improvements, and new capabilities baked into iOS 16 that help improve the iPhone experience.

Enter to win a shiny new elago iPhone 14 case of your choice [Cult of Mac giveaway]

• This week’s giveaway is to ensure your glossy new iPhone 14 is protected the best way possible. elago, one of our favorite Apple accessory-makers, just launched its new iPhone 14 cases, and we are giving three lucky readers a chance get their hands on one of them.
• The best bit is, if you win, the case choice is yours.

Apple Releases New HomePod 16 Software

• Alongside iOS 16, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16, Apple today released new software that's designed for the HomePod and the HomePod mini.

iPhone 14 Pro wait times already stretch into October

• If you procrastinated on ordering one of the new iPhone 14 Pro models, there’s a good chance you’re looking at a lengthy wait for it to be delivered.

Kuo: iPhone 14 Plus Pre-Orders Worse Than iPhone 13 Mini, Product Strategy 'Fails'

• The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus have seen "bad" pre-order results, indicating that Apple's positioning of the two new standard models may have failed, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Steve Jobs' Daughter Shares Then Deletes Meme Mocking iPhone 14's Modest Upgrades

• After Apple's iPhone 14 launch event, Steve Jobs' daughter Eve Jobs shared a meme on Instagram that mocked the new iPhones as basically unchanged compared to last year's iPhone 13.

Elon says Apple's in talks with StarLink...

• His tweet: We’ve had some promising conversations with Apple about Starlink connectivity. iPhone team is obv super smart.

This week: we're reacting and deep-diving into everything Apple announced at this week's Wonderlust event, including iPhone 15 Pro and Max, Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 9, AirPods Pro 2 and more!

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co.

iPhone Life Tip of the Day Newsletter Ad Read for BackBeat Media URL: https://www.iphonelife.com/dailytips

This week's stories

GRIFFIN: iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max pack new features, but only 1 higher price tag

• Predictions that both iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max would see price increases turned out to be partly true. iPhone 15 Pro remains at $999, like like iPhone 14 Pro. But iPhone 15 Max, with its major camera upgrades, goes up from to $1,099 to $1,199.

LEWIS: Apple Watch Series 9 gets big power boost and new double tap gesture

• Apple Watch Series 9 brings a faster S9 chip that the company says will boost performance, make Siri more usable, and enable an entirely new “double tap” gesture.

Erfon: Apple Watch Ultra 2 is here with a brighter display, faster S9 SiP

• The front is dominated by a 1.92-inch LTPO OLED panel that now gets brighter than before. It can now reach a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, an increase of 1,000 nits from the first-gen Ultra.

LEWIS: Enter to win a carbon fiber case and band for Apple Watch [Cult of Mac giveaway]

Erfon: iPhone 15 adds Dynamic Island and 48MP camera, dumps Lightning port

• Gets some features trickled down from last year’s iPhone 14 Pro

GRIFFIN: Apple updates AirPods Pro 2 and EarPods with USB-C

• Small tweaks to the AirPods Pro 2 include USB C, an improved IP54 rating for improved dust resistance and lossless audio if you pair the earbuds to an Apple Vision Pro (which Apple confirmed is shipping early next year).

Lewis: iPhone 15's USB-C Port Can Charge Your Apple Watch and AirPods

• You'll need an appropriate cable to charge with an iPhone, such as a USB-C to USB-C cable for the new AirPods Pro 2 USB-C Charging Case, or a USB-C Apple Watch charging puck (which will probably come in the box with those products)

Erfon: All iPhone 15 Models Support DisplayPort for Up to 4K HDR Video Output

• The new iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max all support DisplayPort for up to 4K HDR video mirroring and video output to an external display or TV, according to Apple's tech specs for the devices.

Erfon: Apple’s new FineWoven material for watch bands and iPhone cases makes leather obsolete

• To make its products more eco-friendly, Apple introduced a new material it calls “FineWoven” today. This material, which Apple says has a “suedelike” feel, will replace the company’s existing leather accessories for the iPhone and Apple Watch.

Erfon: iCloud+ storage capacities expand to 12TB

• Previously, the storage options were 50GB, 200GB and 2TB. The monthly cost for these is $0.99, $2.99 and $10.99, respectively.

GRIFFIN: “Wonderlust” prediction results

This week: the next generation of AirPods are incoming! We’ll tell you what we know. Plus: Final Cut Pro and Logic are coming to iPad, along with microLED and TouchID… UNDER the screen... This could be the new TouchID tech we’ve been waiting for. And we’ll tell you how to listen to YouTube music in the background, WITHOUT paying for YouTube Red. It’s a hot tip, and it’s coming your way.

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The NETGEAR Orbi WiFi 6 router gives you ultra-fast speeds and wider coverage throughout your home – it’s the biggest revolution in WiFi ever. Check it out today at your local Best Buy and at Netgear.com/bestwifi6.

Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 11, Apple Watch, Mac Pro and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Kuo: 5G iPhone delayed until October; iPhone SE Plus pushed back until late 2021

• The first iPhone with 5G reportedly won’t debut alongside the other new iOS handsets early this autumn. Trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts Apple will begin producing a pair of 4G handsets in September, but won’t start making the 5G model until October.

Leaker: Apple Planning iPad Air With Under-Screen Touch ID, ARM MacBook, Game Controller, and More

• An anonymous Twitter account with a fairly accurate track record has shared details about several Apple products that are supposedly under development.

Devs might be able to write software on iPad and iPhone with Xcode for iOS

• macOS and iOS software developers will soon be able to code on an iPad or even iPhone, if an unconfirmed report is correct. iPadOS 14 and the iPhone equivalent will reportedly include support for Xcode, Apple’s software development environment.

New AirPods could be on the way as soon as next month

• New AirPods, which Apple reportedly planned to unveil at its canceled-before-it-was-announced March event, are ready to go, claims regular Apple leaker Jon Prosser.

How to listen to YouTube music in the background on iPhone

• Can you make YouTube play just the audio, even when you’re not showing the video? You can, and it’s really, really simple.

This week: forget the A12Z and LIDAR camera, it’s iPadOS and the new Magic Keyboard that just super charged the iPad Pro—we discuss!

Plus, we’ll tell you the best new features in iOS 13.4. And the Cookie uses Apple’s massive supply chain prowess to deliver hugely-needed supplies for medical workers—we got the story for ya right here!

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. And check out CoM's handsome new Bay Blue leather strap collar with Clessant.

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

2020 iPad Pro review roundup: Still stellar, but little reason to upgrade

• Apple’s newest iPad Pro will begin landing on customers’ doorsteps today, Wednesday, March 25. Will it be worth their hard-earned cash? Let’s find out from reviewers who already have their hands on one. And from LK!

iPadOS and iOS 13.4 finally arrive, bringing tons of big changes [Updated]

• iPad and iPhone both just received important software updates, with iPadOS 13.4 and iOS 13.4 bringing a range of new features. Apple’s tablets now enjoy robust mouse/trackpad support. iPhones and iPads both gain iCloud Drive folder sharing.

Apple donating 9 million N95 masks for coronavirus fight

• U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced Tuesday that Apple has donated nine million N95 respirator masks to help hospitals and medical workers deal with the growing coronavirus pandemic.

Apple TV+ misses out on big COVID-19 surge in streaming demand

• It’s a surprise to no one that video streaming services are seeing big surges in demand while everyone is stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. But it seems Apple TV+ is missing out.

Hallelujah, iOS has come to the car! On this week’s CultCast, we’ll tell you all we love and don’t about Apple’s new CarPlay-enabled automobiles.  

Plus: why Apple’s best years are still to come; why iOS 7.1 could drop at any moment; why new iPhones might drop every six months; and we pitch our favorite tech and apps on an all new Faves 'N Raves.

Thanks to Backblaze online backup for supporting this episode!  Founded by ex-Apple engineers, Blackblaze was built to work seemlessly with all the Macs in your life.  Get simple, easy-to-use, unlimited backup for your Macs and external hard drives.  Try it for free at  http://Backblaze.com/cultofmac.

And thanks to Squarespace for making this episode a reality. Treat yourself to a brand new website with the help of Squarespace - a drag-and-drop, do-it-yourself site builder with everything you need to create an exceptional website. Head to http://Squarespace.com/ to start a free trial and use the offer code “cultcast” to save 10% off any order.

This week's stories

Oscars Host Ellen DeGeneres Ditched Her Galaxy Note For An iPhone 

Apple To Finally Discontinue The Non-Retina MacBook Pro This Year [Rumor]

Apple CFO Joins Goldman Sachs Board of Directors

Apple Poaches HTC Engineers To Speed Up Product Development

iOS 7.1 Rumored To Launch By Next Week

CarPlay: iOS Comes to the Car (discussion)

This week: September 7th Apple event, here we go! Let's talk hardware expectations.

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

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This week's stories

September 7 might bring iPhone 14 unveiling

Some iPhone 14 models jumping in price, but not all

Enter to win Bucardo’s unique Apple Watch accessories [Cult of Mac giveaway]

Beats Fit Pro gets a Kim Kardashian makeover — and sells out fast [Updated]

Berkshire Hathaway added 3.9M more Apple shares in Q2 2022

Does Mark Zuckerberg Not Understand How Bad His Metaverse Looks?

Cult of Mac's shiny new podcast, CultCast, is the best 30 minute conversation about Apple you'll hear all week. 

This week on The CultCast: The new 16-inch MacBook Pro just leaked, but its "new design" has a lot people disappointed. Plus, we'll tell you why 2020 could deliver Apple's impressive hardware in years. And stick around for our favorite new router, mouse, keyboard, and iPhone 11 case in an all-new Under Review!

This episode supported by

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your iPhone XS, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

Here’s your first glimpse of that 16-inch MacBook Pro. Or not.

• Behold, we have appeared to have images of the rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro. All pulled form a macOS Catalina beta.
• A French blog this week published what it called a rendering for a new Mac laptop that was discovered hidden in a macOS Catalina beta.
• Skeptics, from Twitter to tech news sites, quickly tamped down any excitement by pointing out the icon’s similarities to the current 15-inch model.

2020 will deliver Apple’s ‘most impressive hardware’ in years

• 2020 will be the year Apple unveils its “most impressive hardware in some time,” according to a new report.
• Alongside big upgrades for iPhone, Apple Watch and Mac, Cupertino also is expected to deliver its first augmented reality glasses.
• It’s been two years since Apple introduced a major iPhone redesign. The Apple Watch hasn’t changed significantly since its debut.
• But 2020 could change all that. Bloomberg expects Apple to blow everyone away next year with huge upgrades and brand-new product lines.

Under Review!

TP-Link M9 Plus mesh routers

Logitech MX Master 3 Advanced Wireless Mouse

Logitech Keys

Grovemade iPhone cases

This week: popular Apple leaker Jon Prosser says new Apple hardware is coming next week! But what? We'll discuss.

Plus: what we know about the next gen iPad Air, Apple Watch Series 6, Apple TV, and the killer tracking features coming to Apple’s AirTags.  

And the next iPhone 12 color, revealed!

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

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On the show this week

Sources affirm plans for new iPad Air, 2 Apple Watch models this fall

• Sources familiar with Apple’s plans have confirmed to Bloomberg that a new iPad Air and Apple Watch refresh are on their way this fall, along with a new Apple TV with a new remote.

Faster Apple TV could get ‘upgraded’ remote with Find My feature

• Apple’s next-generation Apple TV could debut with an “upgraded” remote and a Find My remote feature, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

iPhone 12 to Come in 'Dark Blue' Color Option

• Apple will offer a new "dark blue" model in its upcoming iPhone 12 lineup, according to a new report today.

Apple Delays Ad Anti-Tracking Features Planned for iOS 14 [Updated]

• Apple told some developers that it will delay the enforcement of an anti-tracking feature that's being implemented in iOS 14, reports The Information.

• Apple’s secret Siri speaker may be announced at WWDC—we’ll tell you everything (we think) we know about it.  
• Why AirPods are the best product Apple’s made in years
• Why Microsoft’s MacBook clone is actually great for Apple fans
• We deconstruct and decode Tim Cook’s mysterious and quickly deleted accidental tweet, and you’ll be shocked at the truth!

• Earlier this week, we heard the company is currently in the process of finalizing the design of its first standalone Siri device, which is expected to take on the Amazon Echo. Now we have an idea what it might look like and when it could be revealed.
• Apple's Siri-based smart speaker and home hub has an "over 50 percent chance" of being announced at WWDC, according to our homeboy Ming Chi Kuo.
• Kuo said Apple's smart home product will likely launch in the second half of 2017 and cost more than the Amazon Echo, $179. The device will supposedly support AirPlay with "excellent acoustics performance" from one woofer and seven tweeters. Kuo said its performance will be similar to the iPhone 6/6s.
• Last week, leaker Sonny Dickson likewise said Apple's smart speaker could be announced as early as WWDC. He said the device will run a variation of iOS with unspecified Beats technology, in addition to a Mac Pro-like concave top with built-in controls and speaker meshing covering the majority of its surface.
• A report from The Information said Apple's smart home speaker would be able to control appliances, locks, lights, and curtains through Siri voice commands. It added that some of the prototypes in testing have facial recognition sensors

• Digitimes is reporting that Inventec, the Taiwan company that makes Apple’s popular AirPods, received Apple’s order for the the Siri Smart speaker,

• Apple is busy working on innovative tech like the ability for Siri to recognize individual users’ voices, according to a recently-published patent application from Apple.

• AirPods are the most beloved product Apple has launched in years, based on a new survey that found an astonishing percentage of AirPod owners are extremely satisfied.
• In a newly published study conducted by Creative Strategies and Experian, a total of 98 percent of AirPod owners said they are either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with Apple’s new wireless buds. Over 80 percent of customers said they are very satisfied.

• Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop, with its sleek design and a super-sharp display, might look like a worthy competitor to the MacBook
• Starting at $999, the Surface Laptop ships with an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a battery that lasts up to 14.5 hours in between charges.
• Windows 10 S only runs apps downloaded from the Windows Store!  But uou can upgrade to Windows Pro for $50.

• Apple CEO Tim Cook set Twitter ablaze with speculation today — and all it took was a simple smiley face emoji.
• Cook sent out a tweet with just a smiley face emoji this morning. No other context was provided, and the tweet got deleted shortly later, leading Apple fans on Twitter to wonder what the most powerful man in tech was really trying to say.

• the magic of HomePod!  We’ll tell you about the built-in audio tech that's getting even the most ardent audiophiles hyped about Apple’s new smart speaker.  
• Plus: why iPhone 8’s biggest features may be disabled at launch
• Why you can grab free Beats in Apple's new back to school promo without being in college
• The fascinating story behind Steve Jobs' iconic turtleneck
• More of iOS 11’s best unknown features
• And we wrap with the heart warming story of why Steve Jobs insisted on always buying Scott Forstall's lunch.

• Some of the iPhone 8’s biggest new features could be disabled when the handset makes its debut this September.
• According to Fast Company, there is “a sense of panic in the air” at Apple as engineers scramble to iron out software bugs that are affecting wireless charging and 3D facial recognition.
• For both features, the hardware is ready — but the software that controls the features is “not ready for prime time.”
• If Apple cannot fix the issues, wireless charging could be disabled when the iPhone 8 goes on sale this September. Users would then have to wait for a future iOS update for it to be enabled — just like Portrait Mode on iPhone 7 Plus, which wasn’t ready for launch last fall.
• Same goes for facial recognition, but this report says Apple will indeed include a touch ID sensor under the screen, so at least you’ll have that.

• Those who purchase a new iPad Pro — either the 10.5- or 12.9-inch models — will receive a free set of BeatsX wireless earphones worth $149.95. If you don’t want those, you can upgrade to the Powerbeats3 earphones for $50, or to the Solo3 headphones for $150.
• Those ballers purchasing a qualifying Mac will receive a free pair of Solo3 wireless headphones worth $299.95. Eligible machines include the MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Pro — but not the more affordable Mac mini, which hasn’t been updated in 1001 days.

• As was revealed in Walter Isaacson’s 2011 biography of Jobs, the Apple CEO was first inspired to wear his mock turtleneck uniform following an early 1980s trip to Japan. While there, he asked Sony chairman Akio Morita why everyone in the company’s factories wore uniforms. Jobs learned that this was a way of creating camaraderie between co-workers.
• Miyake created Sony’s uniforms, which Jobs loved. However, the Jobs could not persuade his colleagues that an Apple uniform was a good idea.
• As Jobs recalled, “I came back with some samples and told everyone it would be great if we would all wear these vests. Oh man, did I get booed off the stage. Everybody hated the idea.”
• However, the process led to Jobs becoming good friends with Miyake. When the Apple chief asked the designer to create a one-off uniform he could wear, Miyake created 100 black mock turtlenecks for him. Jobs adopted the unofficial uniform when he returned to Apple in the late 1990s, and was rarely spotted without it from that point on.
• Fashion designer Issey Miyake, creator of Steve Jobs’ iconic mock turtleneck, is launching a very similar shirt that will go on sale next month for $270.
• Although not exactly the same, the new creation — referred to as the Semi-Dull T — looks close enough to the now-discontinued original design

• According to Apple, its upcoming HomePod smart speaker will “reinvent the way we enjoy music” thanks to its seven-tweeter array, 4-inch woofer, and smart “spatial awareness” technology that lets it “read” its environment.
• HomePod  sets out to solve the problem of sound variability caused by a speaker’s physical location in a room. For instance, placing a speaker in the corner can cause a significant increase in radiated acoustic power at low frequencies. That results in muddy, bass-heavy sound.
• It utilizes a variety of microphones both inside and outside a sealed speaker enclosure. Onboard processing establishes the correct equalization filter, based on internal pressure levels, speaker displacement, external pressure and other data gathered by the microphone array.
• Comparing readings from its internal and external microphones allows the speaker Apple describes to dynamically alter its own calibration according to match the environment.
• Apple says its smart speaker will boast an impressive A8 processor and six external microphones

• Rather than painstakingly dragging individual app icons across the pages of your Home screen, iOS 11 lets you move multiple icons simultaneously
• You can also touch an app icon, then use your other hand to swipe to a different page to move the app

• If you wanted to capture iOS gameplay, or make a funny or informative GIF of on-screen action, you needed to download a third-party app or connect your device to a computer.
• With iOS 11, Apple baked in sweet functionality that lets you record your iPhone screen effortlessly.

• Developers coding for iOS 11 will be able to create apps that can read NFC tags!
• The NFC chip in the iPhone is currently only used to handle contactless Apple Pay transactions and Passbook check-ins, but a new framework called Core NFC allows developers to build apps that can read and write NFC tags (in iPhone 7 and 7 Plus).

• Rumors point to a big iPhone 8 price hike.  What’s the max you would pay? 
• Intel makes a huge move to push Thunderbolt into the mainstream
• Ikea about to drop tons of great HomeKit gadgets on us
• DJI’s Spark selfie drone is a compact powerhouse
• And we’ll tell you about the weird and whacky gadgets we’re reviewing in an all-new Under Review!

• Rumors that the iPhone 8 may come with a $1,000 price tag are seemingly backed-up by a new report claiming that components for the next-gen handset will be considerably higher than those for its predecessor.
• According to China’s Economic Daily News, the 3D Touch module alone for the iPhone 8 will cost 150 percent more than the comparable module for the current LCD iPhone.
• As per a recent report from Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski, the 128GB iPhone 8 will sell for $999, while the 256GB version will set users back a whopping $1,099. This means that the iPhone 8 could represent a significant 25 percent price jump from the iPhone 7.
• Include AirPods?

• Every manufacturer that uses it has to pay royalties to Intel, which means you typically find it exclusively in expensive, high-end machines.
• Intel has confirmed plans to drop Thunderbolt royalties in an effort to boost adoption. The chip-maker also plans to integrate Thunderbolt 3 into its own processors starting next year, eliminating the need for a dedicated controller.
• Thunderbolt has become the ultimate standard for connecting peripherals to your computer, thanks to its incredibly high bandwidth and versatility. Thunderbolt 3’s 40Gbps speeds let you transfer a full 4K movie in just 30 seconds.
• USB 3 is only 10GBPS!

• During the summer and early fall, IKEA will be adding functionality to its smart lighting range by enabling people to voice control their lighting with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and to set up and adjust lighting using Apple’s Home app and Siri voice commands. This takes IKEA one step closer to making smart home technology accessible for the many.

• DJI unveiled the new Spark drone at an event in NYC this morning where the tiny flying camera impressed watchers with some innovative new features like the ability to be controlled without using a remote.
• The Spark packs a 1/2.3” CMOS sensor that captures 12 megapixel photos and shoots stabilized HD 1080p videos so you can get super smooth shots. It also comes with new shooting modes you won’t find yet on the Mavic or Phantom 4: Pano and ShallowFocus.
• Flight time on the Spark is around 16 minutes per battery with a range of 1.2 miles. Pricing for the basic kit starts at $499, or you can get the Fly More bundle with two batteries, extra propellers and prop guards and a carrying case for $699.
• QuickShot Intelligent Flight Modes for taking cool selfie vids
• QuickShot automatically captures a 10-second clip intended for social media sharing

This week: iPhone 12! HomePods Mini! AirTags! Next Gen Macs! Air Power Mat? We’re talking our “Hello, Speed” Apple event hardware predictions.

Join us in the CultClub! discord.gg/BrKdnSK

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 12, Apple Watch, iPad and other tech sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Apple October event invite might hide AirTags in plain sight

• The invite to an Apple October product event might have an upcoming device hidden in plain sight. Part of the graphic included with the invite apparently bears a strong resemblance to AirTags, the item-location tags that are supposedly on the docket for the October 13 event.

Apple ‘Hi, Speed’ event on Oct. 13 could bring iPhone 12, new Mac and more

• Apple just invited the world to an event on October 13. No agenda was announced, but there’s little doubt the star will be the iPhone 12, the first iOS device with 5G wireless networking. Apple hinted at the coming upgrade with the title of the

HomePod mini on the way this year, but don’t expect HomePod 2

• Apple will introduce a HomePod mini in 2020, but don’t get your hopes up about a sequel to the original HomePod smart speaker, claims a reliable Apple leaker.

Hold onto your butts, because on this ep., we're joined by Adam Christianson from the super popular MacCast podcast to discuss: why the low-cost iPhone 5C is a unicorn you might soon see… we'll cover the recent rumors; also, Apple just seeded iOS 7 beta  to devs, we'll cover what's new; plus, the hidden strings in iOS 7 beta 4 that are confirming a home button fingerprint sensor is coming to future iPhones;  plus plus so much more!

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• One of the most reputable tech review sites isn’t that impressed with the HomePod’s superb sound.
• While most reviewers have noted the HomePod as the best sounding speaker they’ve ever listened too, Consumer Reports claims Google Home Max and Sonos One sound better.
• “The HomePod will serve many music fans well, but CR testers did hear some flaws. The HomePod’s bass was a bit boomy and overemphasized,” wrote Consumer Reports. “And the midrange tones were somewhat hazy, meaning that some of the nuance in vocals, guitars, and horns was lost

• Reddit user WinterCharm posted exhaustive audio performance testing results for HomePod to the Reddit audiophile community.
• Using specialized equipment and a controlled testing environment, the review features in-depth analysis of the smart speaker's output when compared to a pair of $999 KEF X300Adigital hi-fi monitors, representing a "meticulously set up audiophile grade speaker versus a tiny little HomePod that claims to do room correction on its own”.
  • "I am speechless. The HomePod actually sounds better than the KEF X300A. If you're new to the Audiophile world, KEF is a very well respected and much loved speaker company. I actually deleted my very first measurements and re-checked everything because they were so good, I thought I'd made an error. Apple has managed to extract peak performance from a pint sized speaker, a feat that deserves a standing ovation. The HomePod is 100% an Audiophile grade Speaker."

• Our ol’ pal Genie Munster, in a new test shared today by Loup Ventures, HomePod was put through a bunch of Siri AI tests
• When asked a series of questions, here’s how it performed vs. other smart speakers
• Google Home answered 81 percent correctly, Amazon's Alexa answered 64 percent correctly, and Microsoft's Cortana answered 57 percent correctly.

• HomePods are already making their mark in new homes across the country — but not in a good way.
• Apple customers started noticing that HomePod can damage wood furniture by leaving a white ring after resting on a table for just a few minutes or days.
• Apple confirmed the problem today, saying “the marks can improve over several days after the speaker is removed from the wood surface.” Apple also suggested owners “try cleaning the surface with the [table] manufacturer’s suggested oiling method.”If the white rings don’t disappear, Apple says you can just refinish the furniture.
• Apple also recommends putting the HomePod on a coaster if you’re worried about the speaker damaging your table.

Erfon listens to HomePod for the first time... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lz7dxfNXL8

• Apple will start focusing on the next two years of updates for its iPhone and iPad operating system, according to people familiar with the change. The company will continue to update its software annually, but internally engineers will have more discretion to push back features that aren't as polished to the following year.
• Software chief Craig Federighi laid out the new strategy to his army of engineers last month, according to a person familiar with the discussion. His team will have more time to work on new features and focus on under-the-hood refinements without being tied to a list of new features annually simply so the company can tout a massive year-over-year leap, people familiar with the situation say. The renewed focus on quality is designed to make sure the company can fulfill promises made each the summer at the annual developers conference and that new features work reliably and as advertised.
• The decision to give engineers more time to perfect software is a major cultural shift.
• At Google, teams update apps on their own schedule and aren’t tied to the annual Android release. At Apple, all new features are tied to a big release in the fall, when Apple rolls out its splashiest new software, and a more modest update in the spring

• Apple has been busy hiring a record number of engineers over the last few months. The move comes after the company also went on a designer hiring spree, indicating a major new product or two could be in the works.
• Job openings for engineering jobs at Apple rose 80% from the period starting in September until just last week. The company’s listings went from 665 open hardware engineering positions to 1,198 last week.
  • What exactly Apple is working on is anyone’s best guess right now, but check out these job listings:Analog Layout Designer, Advanced Material Scientist (Electrolyte Development), 3D Perception/Computer Vision Algorithm Engineer, Sensor Design Engineer, Motion Sensing Hardware Engineer: Magnetics, and even a Flexible Display Technologist.
• Leander had an epiphany last show of what all these jobs have in common

This week: our reactions to Apple’s new hardware! Plus, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the new Mac mini, MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and Magic Keyboard.

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. And check out CoM's handsome new Bay Blue leather strap collar with Clessant.

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 11, Apple Watch, Mac Pro and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Surprise iPad Pro refresh brings LiDAR Scanner, Ultra Wide camera, trackpad support

• Apple on Wednesday surprised us with a brand-new iPad Pro that packs a LiDAR Scanner, Ultra Wide camera, and studio-quality microphones. It’s powered by an improved A12Z Bionic chip that makes it faster than many laptops.

New MacBook Air announced with $999 starting price, Magic Keyboard and 6K display support

• Apple updated its MacBook Air lineup Wednesday with a re-designed scissor-switch Magic Keyboard, twice the storage, a reported two times faster CPU performance, and a lower price tag starting at $999.

Apple doubles SSD storage capacity for Mac mini

• Apple announced Wednesday an update of its entire Mac mini line, offering double the SSD storage capacity at the regular price.

5 reasons why iPad Pro’s new Magic Keyboard blows our minds

• Apple’s exciting new Magic Keyboard is going to make working on iPad Pro better than ever when the accessory debuts in May. It’s a huge improvement over the Smart Keyboard Folio in so many ways.

Movies Anywhere tests letting users loan out iTunes movies

• Movies Anywhere combines films bought through iTunes, Google Play, etc. into one service. And now it’s testing a new feature called Screen Pass that enables loaning your movies to other people.

• Now comes with double the storage capacity on the standard configurations.
• $799 now gets you 256GB instead of 128GB, and $1099 gets you 512GB instead of 256GB.
• Still using the same 6th-gen 4-year-old intel processor.

• $100 price cut.
• Standard storage has been doubled too.  
• You get 256GB for $999 now, and 512GB for $1299.
• Features the same scissor-mech keyboard as the new 16-inch MBP.
• Using Intel's newest 10th gen chip, Quad Core 1.2GHz i7, Apple claims speeds are about twice as fast as previous gen. Probably cause last gen was dual-core. 
• GPU performance increase of up to 80%.

• Now with triple lenses, kind of.
• Still the same 11" and 12.9" sizes.
• A12Z Bionic chip which supports a 8-core GPU.
• Apple says this setup is faster than most PC laptops.
• Apple says you can edit 4K videos with the iPad Pro.
• Pro Motion 120hz display
• Five-studio quality microphones, just like Apple packed into the 16-inch MBP
• Now features a 10MP ultrawide camera
• Also includes a 12PM main camera, which is probably the same one found in the iPhone 11/11 Pro
• Brand new LiDAR so depth sensing.  LiDAR is the same technology that self-driving cars use for depth sensing and object tracking.  It's what the Mars Rover uses too.
• How will iPad Pro use it?  Definitely for Virtual Reality, but who knows what else.
• Now supports WiFi 6.
• 60% faster gigabit LTE for LTE models.
• Size is about the same, but slightly thicker and heavier.
• Price is the same, but now the base level of storage has been upgraded from 64GB to 128GB.
• Upgrading to 256GB of storage is $50, so $1200 instead of $1250.
• 1TB is $1300 instead of $1350.

• Coming in May.  
• Features passthrough charging to the iPad via its own USB-C port on the hinge.
• Features a full-size Magic Keyboard with backlighting, scissor keyboard switches, and trackpad with multi-gesture support.
• iOS 13.4 will feature cursor support.  Works with both the older and new ipad 11" Pro for $300.
• Or $350 for the 12.9" keyboard....

This week: The Fappening!   How did so many high-profile celebrity nudies leak for all to see, and is an iCloud flaw responsible for the debacle? We’ll tell you what happened, how it happened, and how you can keep your nude selfies safe from prying eyes.  Plus, our predictions for Apple’s September 9th media event—we dust off crystal balls and reveal our predictions of the iPhone and iWatch models and specs  we expect to be unveiled on the big day.  

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This week: Apple’s AR glasses are about to be announced! At least according to one very reliable analyst…. we discuss. Plus: Mac OS Catalina is out, but you probably shouldn’t install it—we'll tell you why. And Final Cut Pro just got a massively faster in a new update, and a long awaited iOS 13 feature FINALLY goes live.

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

macOS Catalina is out with new apps, Apple Arcade, Sidecar and more

• Apple’s big update for Macs, macOS Catalina, is finally out today bringing with it a host of new features, apps, privacy improvements, and much more.
• But if you have lots of Adobe plugins, or older apps that aren't 64-bit, you should hold off.

Apple’s first AR glasses could arrive in second quarter of 2020

• Kuo reports in a note to investors, seen by MacRumors, that Apple’s first AR glasses will enter mass-production as soon as the fourth quarter of this year. They could arrive in early 2020.
• The device will be marketed as an iPhone accessory, and will rely on an Apple handset for computing, networking, and the sensors required for augmented reality.

Apple Prime? Giant bundle of entertainment services under consideration

• Currently, its biggest fans have to sign up separately for Apple Music ($9.99 a month), Apple TV+ ($4.99 a month), Apple News+ ($9.99 a month) and Apple Arcade ($4.99 a month). A bundle would allow people to get all of these as a single subscription — presumably at a lower cost.
• Apple is reportedly mulling offering all its entertainment services in one giant bundle as a sort of “Apple Prime.” If true, then a single subscription would include the company’s music, video, and gaming services
• It’s that last part that’s supposedly the sticking point with people in the music industry, according to Financial Times. These executives are concerned that reducing the amount subscribers pay would mean less money going to music producers.

Final Cut Pro X gets new Metal engine for big performance boost

• The latest version of Final Cut Pro X is out now with a new Metal engine that promises a big performance boost. It also make optimizations for the all-new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR.
• Apple also brought the same Metal engine to Motion and Compressor, too.
• The new Metal engine in Final Cut Pro 10.4.7 improves playback and accelerates graphics tasks like rendering, real-time effects, and exporting on compatible machines.
• Apple says you will enjoy performance that is up to 20% faster on the newest 15-inch MacBook Pro, and 35% faster on the iMac Pro. And that’s not all you get in this update.
• Sidecar support lets you extend Final Cut Pro X onto an iPad in macOS Catalina. You can then use the second screen, connected wired or wirelessly, as the browser or viewer, Apple says.
• You can now also select which internal or external GPU is used to accelerate graphics processing.

Spotify update brings Siri support in iOS 13, new Apple TV app

• One of the many changes and new features in iOS 13 is a SiriKit API that lets third-party music streaming services take advantage of Apple’s virtual assistant for the first time.
• Well this week the Spotify update we’ve been waiting for since the launch of iOS 13 has landed. The latest version of the app finally adds Siri support, so you can ask the virtual assistant to play artists, tracks, and more.
• You can ask Siri to play artists, albums, tracks, and playlists after updating to the latest version of the app. Simply remember to add “with Spotify” to the end of your Siri requests.

iPad Air. Retina iPad Mini.  New Macbook Pros. The new Mac Pro.  Mavericks goes free.  So does the new iLife and iWork.  There's a TON to talk about on this Special Edition CultCast! Join us, and Special MacCast host Adam Christianson, as we discuss our first impressions on all that Apple announced at the jam-packed event.

This week: we knew it was coming, but now it’s official, Jony Ive is leaving Apple. Plus: 16-inch MacBook Pro could arrive sooner than you think; Apple just poached one of the world’s premiere ARM CPU architects; and we’ll tell you about the huge Apple scam going around that you need to watch out for!

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Jony Ive is leaving Apple

• Apple long-time design boss Jony Ive revealed today in an interview that he is leaving the company. After helping create some of the most iconic consumer products of all-time for Apple, Ive says he is going to strike out on his to create a new creative business called LoveFrom.
• “After nearly 30 years and countless projects, I am most proud of the lasting work we have done to create a design team, process and culture at Apple that is without peer. Today it is stronger, more vibrant and more talented than at any point in Apple’s history,”
• Instead of naming a new head of design that reports to Cook, Apple’s two design leaders — Evans Hankey and Alan Dye — will report to COO Jeff Williams.

16-inch MacBook Pro could arrive sooner than you think

• A new 16-inch MacBook Pro is coming this fall, according to analysts at IHS Markit.
• They claim that Apple will unleash the new laptop at the company’s September media event, alongside the new iPhone.
• The new laptop will supposedly include a 3072 × 1920 resolution, up from the 2880 × 1800 display in Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro
• It will continue using an LCD display, rather than switching to OLED.

Apple just poached one of the world’s premiere ARM CPU architects

• One of the top CPU architects in the world has joined Apple’s chip team.
• Mike Filippo, who created some of ARMs most impressive CPUs over the last few years, was hired last month by Apple, signifying the company could be gearing up to switch to ARM CPUs on the Mac.
• Filippo spent 5 years at Intel. 8 Years at AMD. Then 10 years at ARM as the lead architect creating the chips that have been competing with Apple’s.

Apple warning customers that App Store gift cards can't pay income taxes

• Apple is now warning customers up front that iTunes gift cards, in fact, cannot be used to pay taxes as number of fraud calls ramp up.

This week, Apple dropped the M3 MacBook Air, and the specs look good! But where’s the iPad? Also, we have details on the CRAZY canceled Apple car prototypes and a folding MacBook that’s still in development, Apple’s $2 BILLION dollar legal fight with Spotify, and new features you’ll get in iOS 17.4!

This episode supported by:

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This week’s stories:

New M3 MacBook Air gets big specs boost with same awesome battery life

• The 2024 MacBook Air lineup launched Monday by Apple runs on the company’s M3 chip, bringing a significant performance boost to the laptop.

Early benchmarks show M3 chip gives MacBook Air hefty performance boost

• Early benchmark scores found by mysmartprice show that the new Air scored 12,020 on the Geekbench multicore test. That’s 25% better than the M2-based MacBook Air earned on the same test, and 45% better than the M1 version from 2020.

MacBook with 20-inch folding screen still on track for release

• The product has been on the drawing board for quite some time, but isn’t scheduled for release until 2027.
• The (cancelled) Microsoft Surface Neo

How indecision and hubris killed the Apple car

• The history of the Apple car is littered with wild prototypes, astonishing hubris and a deadly dose of crippling indecision, according to a damning report that offers the best picture yet of the secretive Project Titan.

Get ready for new MacBooks and iPads at Apple March event

• Another product we can expect in the pipeline is the OLED iPad Pro and the first 12.9-inch iPad Air.

EU fines Apple 1.8 billion euros over ‘abusive’ treatment of Spotify

• The European Commission fined Apple more than 1.8 billion euros Monday for “abusing its dominant position on the market for the distribution of music streaming apps.â€
• Apple calls Epic Games ‘untrustworthy,’ blocks Fortnite rerelease in EU

Try these exciting iOS 17.4 features on your iPhone now

• Apple just dropped iOS 17.4, bringing a plethora of new features — some of which fundamentally change how the iPhone works.
• Monarch: Budget and track money

This week: a noted leaker says the September 10th Apple event will include a mythical One More Thing... But what could it be??

Plus: more leaks shine a light on next week's iPhone announcements; a new turbocharged Apple TV is on the way; and Apple Watch will finally get a long-awaited feature.

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CultCloth will keep your iPhone XS, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

Phone 11 Lineup Tipped to Have Familiar Rollout: September 13 Pre-Orders, September 20 Launch

• A tipster who claims to work at a major carrier has since provided MacRumors with internal communication that suggests the rumored iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models will be available to pre-order Friday, September 13 ahead of deliveries to customers and in-store availability starting Friday, September 20.
• iPhone XR will become iPhone 11, iPhone XS will be the iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone XS Max will be the iPhone 11 Pro.

Faster Apple TV hardware might turbocharge Apple Arcade

• The first Apple TV update in two years is reportedly coming soon. The update Apple TV will supposedly be powered by the same chip that’s in the iPhone XS series, potentially making it a better way to play Apple Arcade games than its predecessors.
• The current Apple TV runs the A10X Fusion CPU from several years ago, and while it's perfectly capable of handling a streaming video service, Apple Arcade games that will undoubtedly benefit from the extra horsepower in the A12X chip.

Respected leaker CoinX tweets “One more thing…”

Apple’s first AR headset spilled by iOS 13

• Apple is still developing its own augmented reality headset, according to code discovered in iOS 13. The mythical headset is apparently codenamed “garta"

Sleep-tracking could come to Apple Watch this year

• Apple will introduce sleep tracking to Apple Watch, a new report claims.
• The new feature will reportedly not require any additional hardware, but rather be software-based. It’s not clear whether it will be limited only to the upcoming Apple Watch Series 5, however.

This week, don’t call it an event — but M4 Macs are coming next week! Also, the second wave of Apple Intelligence, all the Apple products coming next spring, their expensive Apple Card mistake, and is production ending on Vision Pro?

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This week’s stories:

Apple October Mac event is on… sort of

• Apple let the world know on Thursday that its much-anticipated October event isn’t going to be a traditional one. Instead, it’ll be a week of announcements of new products via press releases.

Apple plans early-2025 M4 MacBook Air refresh, delays next Mac Studio

• While some M4 Macs may arrive in the next week, Apple also gears up for a bigger expansion of its M4 chip rollout, including the M4 MacBook Air coming in early 2025.

iOS 18.2 beta 1: All the new features and changes

• Ahead of iOS 18.1’s public release, Apple released the first iOS 18.2 beta to developers. The second major point release of iOS 18 packs several changes, including new Apple Intelligence features.

Apple and Goldman Sachs hit with $90 million in fines for Apple Card mistakes

• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) imposed nearly $90 million in combined penalties on Apple and Goldman Sachs, the agency said Wednesday.

Apple could soon end production of Vision Pro headset

• Apple reportedly might end production of the Vision Pro by the end of the year. That doesn’t mean the mixed-reality headset is about to be discontinued, however.

This week: why iPhone’s 3D touch is probably dead; new reports say AirPods packed with health sensors are coming in 2019; the MacBook Pro “stage light” flaw affects all models built after 2016, and could cost you $600 to fix; and the wild saga of Moviepass… continues!

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Thanks to Kevin McLeod for the music you hear on today’s episode.

On the show this week

@erfon  / @lewiswallace

Erfon goes hands-on with the Rodecaster Pro, a unique new jack-of-all trades podcast mixer unlike any other

3D Touch is probably dead

• iPhone’s ability to tell how hard someone is pressing on the display won‘t be a part of the 2019 models, according to multiple sources.
• It will apparently be a victim of Apple’s attempts to lower the price tag of future models.
• A recent Wall Street Journal article compiled several rumors about the next iPhone said Apple is considering trimming functions from its 2019 iPhones to cut costs That includes the force-touch module.
• And last year, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that no iPhone coming in 2019 will have this feature.
• His assertion was then echoed months later by an analyst from Barclays.

Health-tracking AirPods rumored for first half of 2019

• Updated AirPods are supposedly on their way in the first half of 2019, according to a new report from Digitimes. They may have some impressive new features, too — including new health-monitoring functions that are “expected to receive enthusiastic market responses.”
• If Apple does include health-tracking features in its near AirPods, it will be interesting to see what they are capable of. A previous patent filed by Apple with the United States Patent and Trademark Office covers wireless earbuds with build-in sensors for performing heart rate monitoring and taking body temperature measurements. AirPods have been a huge hit for Apple.
• Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks Apple sold 16 million AirPods units in 2017, the first full year they were available. He also predicts sales will grow to more than 100 million by 2021, and suggested suggested a full-on redesign could take place in 2020.

MacBook Pro ‘stage light’ flaw could hit you with a $600 repair

• According to iFixit, every MacBook Pro since 2016 has a design flaw that will inevitably require an expensive repair
• The problem supposedly lies in “delicate” ribbon cables that connect the screen with the display controller inside the main body of the laptop. Opening and closing the clamshell causes these to wear out and begin to tear.
• Taylor Dixon from iFixit explains it this way:
• • “The current generation of MacBook Pro laptops (2016–present) uses flexible ribbon cables to connect the display to a display controller board beneath the Touch Bar. These cables wrap over the board, where they’re secured by a pair of spring-loaded covers — and they’re subjected to the stress of bending with every opening and closure of the laptop. Within a seemingly short time, those cables are starting to fatigue and tear.”
• The first to fail is usually the backlight cable causing the “stage light” effect at the bottom of the screen
• Apparently the new MacBook Air has the same design and may be prone to the same problem
• These thin ribbon cables are part of the screen. When they wear out the only way to fix the issue is to replace the entire display, “effectively turning a $6 problem into a $600 disaster,” according to Dixon.
• A petition on Change.org by Louis Rossmann asks Apple “to launch an extended warranty program addressed to this issue as soon as possible.” For a lot of folks the problem seems to appear just when the year warranty runs out...

Sign the petition! Ask Apple to extend the warranty for the Macbook Pro "stage light" flaw

MoviePass Explores Reintroducing Unlimited Plan as It Tries a Relaunch

• Moviepass believes it has finally found a business model that will allow it to improve its service and continue to operate.
• This month, they've introduced a new series of plans, which vary in price depending on location.
• Next week, Itum said MoviePass plans to reintroduce some sort of unlimited program that would enable users to see as many movies as they wanted each month. He did not reveal pricing for that plan.

This week: iPhone 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, AirPods 3, Apple Watch Series 7, and... more? We're talking hardware predictions for next week's "California Streaming" Apple event.

Get 2-3 episodes of CultCast Off Topic each and every week for just $6! Off Topic is a new weekly variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah and friends, dedicated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend!

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

It’s official: Apple confirms iPhone 13 event for September 14

• Apple today confirmed it will host its next big keynote on Tuesday, September 14. The “California streaming” event will likely be focused on iPhone 13, as well as Apple Watch Series 7 and a possible third-generation AirPods upgrade.

Leaker Max Weinbach releases new details on next week’s hardware drop

GIVEAWAY!

• This week, Cult of Mac is giving away four Origami Protective Cases for iPad from SwitchEasy. This versatile iPad case folds in four different ways to make it easy to type, read or browse your iPad.

Spoiler alert: Here’s a sneak peek at next year’s ‘iPhone 14

• Yes, you heard that right: iPhone 14 will be the first to pack an edge-to-edge display with no notch, according to Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech. Renders produced by wunderkind Ian Zelbo, based on leaks from Prosser’s sources, suggest next year’s iPhone will instead feature one small “hole punch” cutout for its front-facing camera — like many modern Android devices.

iPhone 14 leak could trigger full wrath of Cupertino

• Jon Prosser’s iPhone 14 leak is every Apple fan’s dream — and Tim Cook’s biggest nightmare. The audacious revelation, dropped Wednesday morning via Prosser’s YouTube channel, Front Page Tech, showcased what next year’s iPhone 14 Pro Max might look like.

This time on CultCast: tons of apps go free for Apple's 5th Appaversary; an updated retina Macbook Pro is close at hand; iPad Mini COULD go retina; our favorite new iOS 7 beta 3 features; researchers know where you'll take your iPhone next; Alex E Heath gets caught slippin; mini Kahney gets a birthday surprise; and guests hosts GWAR stop by!

That last part's a lie. 

Hit play ballmdogs!

When can we expect Apple's next big thing?  Is an Apple Television coming this year?  Is wearable tech a place Apple is heading?  Will a larger-screen iPhone ever make it out of Cupertino? 

This week on CultCast: Tim Cook gets grilled at D11, the big Tech Conference that once had both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs on the same stage together—and we'll examine what he said and what he didn't.  Plus an all-new Faves 'N Raves, the segment where we pitch we pitch our favorite tech and apps then vote on which one's best!

All that and more on this week's CultCast!

This week: more details on the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro leak, Apple's about to make a big push into movie theaters, and we review the astounding accuracy of the newest generation of AI image creation.

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This week's stories

Voice Isolation for phone calls finally coming to iPhone

• The Voice Isolation feature iPhone users have become accustomed to in video chats will soon expand to regular phone calls. It will make participants in these voice calls easier to understand.

iPhone 15 Pro Max to 'Break Record' for Thinnest Bezels on a Smartphone - erfon

• The largest version of the iPhone 15 reportedly will come with the smallest screen bezels. Like, record-breaking thin.

Let’s hope the latest iPhone 15 leak is wrong

• The traditional mute switch on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max supposedly will be replaced with a static, touch-sensitive button. If true, it’s possible this will be too easy to activate so users don’t get the notifications they expect.

Enter to win a versatile selfie stick that does it all [Cult of Mac giveaway] - Lewis, aka the Giveaway King

• Two lucky winners have a chance to win an EasySelfie Stick, a not-so-ordinary selfie stick from SwitchEasy, in this week’s giveaway.

Incredibly clever selfie stick does triple duty as tripod and remote [Reviews]

Apple might pour $1 billion into movies for theatrical release

• Apple reportedly hopes to make a big splash at your local movie theater in the very near future. The company supposedly will spend $1 billion to make films for the big screen.

The astounding power of Midjourney 5

This week: The Supreme Court is forcing big changes on the App Store, we have Apple’s Plan B to keep selling Apple Watches, last-minute Vision Pro details (are we ordering one?) and finally, 9 cool things you can do with an old iPhone!

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This week’s stories:

Supreme Court decision means major iPhone app change is on the way

• The U.S. Supreme Court effectively upheld a lower court’s ruling that Apple must allow third-party iPhone app developers to point customers to their websites when making purchases. This means the company is forced to drop its “anti-steering” rule for such applications — a major change.

AppleInsider: Apple bills Epic Games $73 million in legal costs

• Following the end of the Epic Games vs Apple case, the "Fortnite" developer will be required to pay Apple over $73 million in legal fees.

Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 without blood oxygen feature go on sale in US

• Apple is not making any hardware tweaks to the wearables. Instead, it will turn off the blood oxygen sensor feature through software.

Win a Pitaka iPhone 15 case that’s colorful, thin and incredibly durable [Cult of Mac giveaway]

• Time's running out on our latest giveaway: We're giving away four iPhone 15 cases from Pitaka. Winners will get either a Sunset or Moonrise case.

Apple Vision Pro’s Lengthy Sales Pitch Will Include 25-Minute Demo

• Apple Inc. is facing one of the toughest marketing challenges in its history: pitching customers on a $3,499 headset with limited battery life, an unwieldy design and no killer app.
• MacRumors: Kuo: Apple Will Only Produce Up to 80,000 Vision Pro Headsets for Launch, Sellout Likely
• Gurman on Vision Pro Keyboard
• Apple Vision Pro’s killer feature might be neck pain

9 cool things you can do with an old iPhone

• YouTube Video
• There are a lot of things you can do with old iPhones. In fact, it might be worth keeping them around rather than trading them in. There are all kinds of things you can use an old iPhone for.

What a show — this week, our reactions to Apple Intelligence, iOS 18 and ALL the WWDC announcements!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

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This week’s stories:

Apple Intelligence:

• AI-powered Siri is the new face of Apple Intelligence
• Image Playground and Genmoji bring AI images to iMessage and more
• Platforms State of the Union explains Apple Intelligence and new OS features

Major iOS 18 update packs cool iPhone customization features

• “iOS 18 is a big release that delivers more ways to customize your iPhone, stay connected and relive special moments,” said Craig Federighi.
• Messages app gets satellite connectivity in iOS 18, plus emoji Tapbacks
• Customizing iPhone and iPad Home Screen just got much easier
• iOS 18’s Control Center gets a lot more customizable and powerful
• Safari surfaces web page highlights, summaries and video control
• AirPods Pro will let you answer calls by nodding your head
• Passwords app turns iCloud Keychain into a full-fledged password manager

Apple’s Calculator app finally comes to iPad

• The official Apple Calculator application is headed for iPad. It’s a feature missing from the tablet since its launch in 2010 but iPadOS 18 will include one.

macOS Sequoia brings iPhone and Mac closer than ever

• iPhone mirroring enables you to wirelessly mirror your iPhone’s display on your Mac with just a tap.

visionOS 2 brings Spatial Photos, bigger Mac Virtual Display and other niceties

• visionOS 2, the first major update to the Vision platform, will bring Spatial Photos, a rearrangeable Home View, a bigger Mac Virtual Display, new gestures and other nice quality-of-life improvements.

The CultCast WWDC24 Predictions

• Congratulations to listeners Ryan Peterson and AL for their top audience scores of 17.

This week: Apple just announced WWDC 2021 kicks off June 7th, so we're talking hardware predictions!

Plus: Apple is prepping a new remote for next-gen Apple TV, a leaker reveals the price of Apple's AirTags, and we celebrate 45 years of Apple with their 45 best creations!

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

All-virtual WWDC 2021 will kick off June 7

• Apple will kick off this year’s Developers Conference on June 7. And, for the second year running, this will be an all-virtual event, the company said Tuesday.

Surprise! Apple might unveil mixed-reality headset in 2021

• Apple is aiming to announce a mixed-reality headset at an in-person event sometime in the "next several months," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple works on a new remote for next-gen Apple TV

• Apple is working on a new remote for its next-gen Apple TV. While the story doesn’t share specific details about the rejigged remote, it suggests Apple might move away from the controversial Siri Remote that debuted with the fourth-gen Apple TV.

Leaker Reveals Size of Apple's AirTags and Says They'll Cost Around $39

• Apple's rumored AirTags item trackers will be slightly larger than a 50 cent coin and around three times the thickness, based on dimensions offered by leaker Max Weinbach (via YouTube channel EverythingApplePro).

45 ways Apple put a ding in the universe

This week: According to a new report, Apple is prepping a new super-charged GAMING Mac for WWDC! We discuss... Plus: full-screen TouchID will be replacing FaceID in a notch-less 2020 iPhone, at least according to a new rumor. And stick around for the second half where we reveal all our favorite apps of 2019!

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This week's stories

Apple could eliminate iPhone’s notch and Face ID for 2020 flagship

• Apple could deliver a flagship iPhone without a notch in 2020, according to a new report.
• The device is expected to feature a new Touch ID fingerprint scanner integrated into its display — rather than Face ID. Its front-facing camera will also be hidden away behind its screen.
• Analysts at Credit Swiss believe Apple will release a high-end iPhone with Touch ID embedded within its screen in 2020. The technology will replace Face ID, allowing Apple to do away with the handset’s notch.

Why I’m not holding my breath for Apple’s rumored gaming Mac [Opinion]

• Apple is reportedly working on a new “gaming-focused” Mac that it will unveil at WWDC, a sketchy new rumor claims.
• This machine would cost up to $5,000 and be a Mac rival to gaming PCs. It would take aim at the fast growing “e-sports” market, which Apple has not previously catered to. Could such a machine turn Apple into a gaming powerhouse?

My 5 most-used apps this year

• For my job at Cult of Mac, I test a lot of apps. But of course, I also use a lot of apps, for work, for recreation, and for making music. I thought I’d make a short list of my most-used apps this year.

Our favorite apps of 2019!

• Beat maker 3 for iPad
• Launch Bar
• Just press record
• Brave Browser
• Ulysses writing app
• Darkroom photo editing for iPad
• Focos photo editing app
• Alfred 4
• TikTok
• Blind

This week, you know what’s up — it’s ALL about the new iPads! The surprises, the disappointments, the questions answered. But most importantly… who won the prediction game?

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This week’s stories:

Apple supersizes iPad Air with 13-inch model

• The new iPad Air is available with a gigantic 13-inch display for the first time.
• The new iPad Airs run on the M2 processor, which Apple says is 50% faster than the M1 chip in the 2022 iPad Air and three times faster than the fourth-gen iPad Air with the A14 Bionic chip.

iPad Pro upgraded with beautiful OLED display, M4 chip

• The 2024 iPad Pro is the first with an OLED screen and — shocking! — it runs on the Apple M4 processor. Yes, the iPad Pro beat the Mac to Apple's latest chip!
• First M4 iPad Pro benchmarks show 21% performance increase over M3
• Steve Troughton-Smith on Mastodon
• Apple’s ‘Crush!’ ad touting new iPad Pro draws ire
• Apple Pencil Pro adds ‘squeeze’ gesture, haptic feedback, Find My and more New Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro features a bigger glass trackpad with haptic feedback

iPad 10 gets a much-deserved price cut

• Alongside the M4 iPad Pros and M2 iPad Air, Apple announced a price drop for the 10th-generation iPad. The tablet now costs $349, making it $100 cheaper than before.

Updated Pro apps:

• Final Cut Pro adds live multi-camera recording
• Logic Pro updates bring powerful new tools for music-makers

“Let Loose” Prediction Results

New new new!

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• How Steve Jobs saved Pixar, then stole all their stock
• iPhone SE will steal one of iPhone X’s best features
• Told ya!  MoviePass ends its unlimited movie option
• Gal Gadot promotes Huawei on twitter… from her iPhone
• What the heck happened to the AirPower Mat?
• And we wrap with the best iPhone camera lenses, wireless security system, and the most powerful flashlight on EARTH in an all-new under review.

• Gal Gadot, best known for the lead role in the Wonder Woman movie, became a ‘brand ambassador’ for Huawei earlier this year. In that role, she yesterday tweeted a glowing video about her new Huawei Mate 10 – with just one small problem
• Marques Brownlee spotted, the tweet was sent from Twitter for iPhone.
• Gadot’s publicist told CNET there was a perfectly innocent explanation.
• • “Some people have asked about my recent post with my new Huawei smartphone, and think I am using an iPhone,” Gadot said through her publicist. “That’s simply not the case. I love my Huawei P20 and Mate10Pro. They are lifelines wherever I am in the world.”

• iPhone SE is looking to be a real beauty.  
• Reliable leaker Benjamin Geskin claims the new iPhone SE, codenamed Jaguar, will feature wireless charging just like iPhone X. To make that possible, Apple is expected to scrap the handset’s aluminum unibody first introduced with iPhone 5 in favor of a shiny glass back panel.
• Hopefully it’s waterproof and gets Touch ID 2.
• The new iPhone SE, with a faster A10 Fusion processor, will likely make its official debut next month, according to recent reports.

• At its September 2017 event, Apple said AirPower would appear some time in 2018, but since then we've barely heard a peep about about it.
• AirPower will charge multiple devices at the same time, and while other mats out there can do that too, Apple says AirPower can help devices communicate with each other to manage power consumption.
• It’s been 7 months now and we haven’t heard a peep.
• Will the WDDC keynote on June 4th be the day?

• April 25, 1990: Steve Jobs shuts down Pixar’s hardware division (yes, it used to have one!), ending production of the pricey Pixar Image Computers immediately.
• Pixar was Jobs’ “rebound” company after his departure from Apple in 1985. In early 1986, he bought a majority interest in Pixar from  George Lucas for just $5 million bucks.
• When Lucas owned the company, he led the development of the Pixar Image Computer. George found existing computers too weak to handle the graphics needed to produce Pixar’s work (or to meet the demands of Hollywood studios that hired the company).
• However, the computers sold poorly — and to a relatively small number of buyers.
• When Pixar’s five-person Animation Group won an Oscar for its short film Tin Toy in 1989, Jobs’ interests switched to that team, which he previously planned to kill off due to its inability to turn a profit. The hardware division got canned instead.  
• But then the story gets a strange twist.

This week: all our favorite stuff of 2020! Plus: Ming-Chi provides a big update Apple Car, and we’ll tell you what you need to know about AirPods Max Sweatgate—yes, it’s a problem!

Support CultCast content and get CultCast Off Topic, our new variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah and friends, for just $6 a month!

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This week's stories

AirPods Max condensation makes some owners sweat

• Apple’s AirPods Max headphones are drawing complaints from some users after drops of water formed inside the earpads after extended use. Condensation is not an uncommon problem with over-the-ear headphones, though the metal ear cups and tight fit of the Apple version might increase the amount.
  • https://twitter.com/donaldfilimon/status/1343295141403111426?s=21
• Quite a few users in the twitter thread an in my vid covering this have said they’re having the same issue
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLZ211I6WSk

Max Stand adds wireless charging to AirPods Max

• German design studio Floating Pixels dreamed up an improvement to AirPods Max. They created the Max Stand -- it holds the over-the-ears headphones upright, making them easy to pick up and use. And it adds wireless charging, rather than requiring users to plug in a cable.

Pick up these gold-plated AirPods Max for a mere $108,000

• Caviar came up with a pair of AirPods Max that's even more expensive than the original. They are gold-plated, and the headband is covered in crocodile leather. You can get them in black or white -- one-click ordering for your convenience!

WaterField makes the AirPods Max case Apple should have

• WaterField Designs delivered what Apple didn’t - a protective case for AirPods Max. The San Francisco company's new Max Shield Case was designed with input from Apple fans.

Kuo: Apple Car Still in Early Stages, Unlikely to Launch Until 2025-2027 at Earliest

• Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Apple is targeting 2024 for production of its long-rumored electric vehicle with "next level" battery technology, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that a launch is unlikely until 2025-2027 at the earliest.

This week: New details on the super slim iPhone 17, what’s coming next for AirTags 2, a hidden MacBook Pro feature Apple didn’t mention — and our hands-on with Image Playground!

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This week’s stories:

iPhone 17 Air could be Apple’s slimmest iPhone ever

• The rumored iPhone 17 Air might measure just 6mm thick, making it the slimmest iPhone ever.

AirTag 2 reportedly launching in mid-2025 with better range

• Apple’s first AirTag upgrade is another step closer to launch, with the tracking tags reportedly progressing to “manufacturing tests.”

Surprise! M4 MacBook Pro includes quantum dot display

• The latest MacBook Pro screen reportedly includes a quantum dot film. The result is a better-looking display in the new Mac notebook.

Why Apple should start selling Mac mini SSD storage upgrades

• In a surprise move, the M4 Mac mini includes a removable, swappable SSD.

Hands-on with Image Playground, Visual Intelligence and ChatGPT in iOS 18.2

• iOS 18.2 will bring exciting new Apple Intelligence features like Image Playground, Genmoji, Visual Intelligence and ChatGPT integration.
• YouTube video

Bloomberg: Apple considering another run at an actual TV

• If Apple’s smart display on, it will help set the stage for more home devices. It may even revisit the idea of making an Apple-branded TV set, something it’s evaluating.

• Two weeks with the X.  We’ll tell you what we like and what still sucks.
• Some very exciting new rumors about the next international of iPhone X
• Two big features coming you to in iOS 11.2 which is now in its 3rd beta
• What we tell you what we like and don’t about our favorite gadgets in a all-new under review 🤜🏼💥🤛🏼

• One of the most reliable Apple analysts in the game is predicting big things for the iPhone X design in 2018.
• According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will release an iPhone X Plus next year with the biggest smartphone screen the company has ever made.
• Kuo says Apple will release three iPhones in 2018 with a notch design. There will supposedly be a 5.8-inch (updated X) and a 6.5-inch model, both with OLED displays.
• The third iPhone will supposedly have a 6.1-inch LCD display but come with the same bezel-free design as the iPhone X.
• The 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus will have a display with 480 to 500 pixels per inch, possibly making it more pixel dense than the iPhone X. The 6.1-inch LCD version will only have a display with 320 to 330 PPI.

• According to a Bloomberg, Apple is working on a new rear-mounted “3D sensor” for its 2019 iPhone, which will help further the company’s augmented reality ambitions.
• The new system will work using lasers and measuring the amount of time it takes for them to bounce back to create a depth map. This is reportedly different to the TrueDepth sensor system used on the front of the iPhone X, which uses a pattern of 30,000 laser dots to measure depth information for features like Face ID.

• Apple Pay cash, which will work on the iPad.
• Apple has added support for faster 7.5W wireless charging in its latest iOS 11.2 beta. iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X all support the increased charging speed. You’ll need a compatible wireless charging mat to take advantage of it, however.

• Apple supposedly plans to slap an octa-core processor in next year’s iPad Pro, making them the most powerful tablets Apple’s ever made.
• For the iPhone X and iPhone 8, Apple created the A11 Bionic chip that comes with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores.
• This is the same chip that is currently faster than the chips in 2012 iMacs and my 2013 MacBook Pro.
• My machine is 33% in multicore tests, but image if they add another 2 high performance cores to the iPad.

This week: Apple’s about to bring two powerful new features to your beloved HomePods—they just keep making them better! Plus: the big problem with AirPods Max; a proposed law would force profound changes on Apple App Store; Applecare+ get some big changes; and we react to the new Foundation trailers, the Apple’s epic new sci-fi coming to AppleTV+.

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Netflix gets more immersive with Spatial Audio support

• Netflix has begun rolling out Spatial Audio support. This lets the streaming service offer a surround sound-like experience but without all the speakers. Currently, it requires AirPods Pro or AirPods Max but that’ll change soon.

​​HomePod beta brings Dolby Atmos and lossless music support

• Dolby Atmos (spatial audio) and lossless music are on their way to HomePod and HomePod mini. Both features are available for testing in Apple’s latest HomePod 15 beta, rolled out to registered developers on Thursday.

Proposed law would force profound changes on Apple App Store

• Apple currently puts up significant roadblocks to sideloading — installing applications onto an iPhone or iPad from a Mac. The Open App Markets Act would require Apple to allow sideloading.

Apple now offers annual AppleCare+ subscriptions for new Mac owners

• Apple recently updated its AppleCare+ for Mac price structure, allowing new owners to purchase the extended coverage as an annual subscription instead of a three-year up front commitment.

Apple now allows AppleCare+ for Mac to continue beyond three years

• In certain major territories, including the U.S., Apple will now let users keep AppleCare+ for Mac active beyond its original three-year limit.

‘Wool’: Tim Robbins Joins Rebecca Ferguson In Apple TV+ Series

• Wool is a set in a ruined and toxic future where a community exists in a giant silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them.

Apple TV+ presents trailer for eagerly anticipated series “Foundation,” set to premiere around the world on Friday, September 24, 2021

• Apple TV+ today released the trailer for “Foundation,” the highly anticipated epic saga based on Isaac Asimov’s timeless trilogy of the same name. Revealing a deeper look than ever before at the unprecedented adaptation, the trailer invites audiences across the galaxy to embark on a thrilling and emotional journey following a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it.

• It’s official, the WWDC keynote takes place June 5th, so here are our hardware expectations 🕺
• Apple quietly acquires one of the world’s best sleep tracking technologies
• Why Amazon’s Prime video app may FINALLY be coming to your Apple TV
• Our first impressions of the Amazon Echo Show, and the features we hope Apple steals from it
• And stick around for a completely weird, totally tribal What We’re Into, the segment where we reveal the all the non-tech stuff we’re currently enjoying.

• The invites are out!  The WWDC keynote you’ve been waiting for us coming in three weeks, on June 5 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

• Apple recently purchased Beddit, a sleep monitoring system that pairs a pliable under-sheet sleep sensor with an app, all of which is designed to help users analyze and improve their sleeping habits.
• Apple's Beddit purchase came to light because Beddit updated its privacy policy to both highlight the acquisition and implement Apple's privacy rules. "Your personal data will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Apple Privacy Policy," reads the site.

• Apple and Amazon, the tech giants, are close to an agreement to bring an Amazon video app to Apple’s Apple TV set-top box, according to people familiar with the two companies.
• Amazon employees expect the app to show up on Apple’s hardware in the third quarter of the year.
• That move would allow Amazon Prime Video subscribers to easily watch TV shows and movies from the service using Apple TV.
• It’s unclear what got the two companies to reach an agreement, though some industry observers suggest that any pact would have been worked out, at a high level, by CEOs Tim Cook and Jeff Bezos.

• Amazon’’s new Echo Show is just like Echo, but with Video.  You’re gonna just love video.  It’s like a audio  but for your eyes!
• With Echo Show Watch video flash briefings and YouTube, see music lyrics, security cameras, photos, weather forecasts, to-do and shopping lists, and more. All hands-free—just ask.
• Introducing a new way to be together. Make hands-free video calls to friends and family who have an Echo Show or the Alexa App, and make voice calls to anyone who has an Echo or Echo Dot.
• See lyrics on-screen with Amazon Music. Just ask to play a song, artist or genre, and stream over Wi-Fi. Also, stream music on Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and more.
• Powerful, room-filling speakers with Dolby processing for crisp vocals and extended bass response
• Ask Alexa to show you the front door or monitor the baby's room with compatible cameras from Ring and Arlo. Turn on lights, control thermostats and more with WeMo, Philips Hue, ecobee, and other compatible smart home devices.

This week we’re talking Vision Pro reviews, the good, the bad and the ugly! Also, we have some details on iOS 17.4 — and did Vanity Fair leak an image of the new iPad?

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This week’s stories:

Vision Pro review roundup: ‘Magic’ and ‘a revolution,’ but definitely unfinished

• The first reviews of Apple’s Vision Pro gush compliments on the augmented-reality headset, with one reviewer calling it “mind-blowing” and another “stunning.”
• However, there’s also plenty of criticism for the high price, weight and slim collection of software available when the product launches later this week.
• Vanity Fair: Why Tim Cook Is Going All In on the Apple Vision Pro
• Apple Vision Pro’s biggest problem: It’s highly addictive!

Win a rugged and waterproof Apple Watch sport band [Cult of Mac giveaway]

• You might win a super-cool and rugged new Lululook Waterproof FKM Sport Band. We’re giving away one orange band and one blue one, and anyone in the world can enter to win.

iOS 17.4 beta 1: All the new features and changes

• The first beta of iOS 17.4 is here, and it packs several big changes. The beta build arrived just days after Apple released iOS 17.3 to the public.
• Auto-generated transcripts coming to Apple Podcasts

Is this an unannounced iPad in a press photo?

• Some people think the first picture of Tim Cook wearing a Vision Pro also has a surprise: an iPad that Apple hasn’t released yet. But no. The tablet looks a bit odd, but that’s not because it’s a future one with a new design.
• Post by John Siracusa
• Edited image by David Schaub

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• Apple launched the latest generation of its flagship product in September. Some critics saw the iPhone 7 series as not enough of an upgrade from the 6s line. Some, especially music lovers, initially hated the absence of a headphone jack.

We'll never stop Flapping!  On this episode, we investigate the worldwide obsession with the iOS wünder-game, Flappy Bird, plus, the bizarre story of why the game's developer pulled the wildly popular game so abruptly from the App Store. 

Plus, some new iPhone 6 rumors surface, and a Macintosh super-grid you've never heard of is hunting down a cure for cancer.

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• Apple is secretly building a TV empire
• Google’s new AI assistant has a feature you have to see to believe
• Financial filings show MoviePass’s time is running out
• Our favorite lesser-known iOS and Mac apps
• And… why do men have nipples?  We answer your most burning questions in an all-new CultCast QnA 🔥

• An updated version of Google Maps aims to keep you in-the-know about what’s going on around you. There’s a new tab called “For You” that’s designed to tell you about events in neighborhoods you care about.
• You can now hold your phone up to the world in front of you and Maps will overlay walking directions that make finding your way around a new city easier.
• A very human-sounding Google Assistant made a call on behalf of it’s owner to book a haircut, and the result was was magical as it was creepy. The most impressive thing was that the person on the receiving end of the call didn’t seem to suspect they were talking to an AI

• After going on a spending spree in Hollywood the last eight months, Apple appears to be poised to make a huge push into original content.
• Apple has 13 shows in development.

• The future doesn’t look promising for MovePass
• According to a recent financial filing, the company has spent an average of $21.7 million per month for the stretch between October 2017 through April 2018, but as of April 30th, MoviePass has just $15.5 million in cash

• Apple to many seems to have lost its mojo for innovation. But it knows how to build a pile of cash.
• This is the impression of Silicon Valley venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, who told CNBC Wednesday:
• • “I think Apple is a productive cash machine,”  “Is it a font of innovation? Unclear, trending to probably"

This week: early reviews show new MacBook Pro is a video editing powerhouse; Apple’s massive interest in augmented reality; rumors of a Jet White iPhone; AirPods to finally start shipping; new dongle discounts; and finally—is Apple still developing an electric car?

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• According to one Apple fan, who spoke to an employee at Conrad, an Apple authorized reseller in Germany, AirPods will be delivered to stores next Friday, November 17.
• “I have just talked with an employee of the Conrad Online Store, since I am there on 14.10 the AirPods ordered and I wanted to cancel today,” he explained to Apfelpage.de. “According to information from the employee, they have stockpiles from 17.11, I will then have them between November 18-19.

• “Multiple reports collated by AppleInsider and other sources show that Apple is gearing up for the first wave of shipments of the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, in every configuration,”
• The first wave of shipments is expected to reach customers as early as November 11. Those who ordered before the shipping estimate slipped should expect to receive them by November 17, though some could be waiting until November 25.

• latest model generated over seven times the revenue that the MacBook 12-inch did during its April 2015 launch. The new model’s sales already equal 78 percent of all the revenue generated by the MacBook 12-inch since it became available, and has accumulated more revenue than any other laptop this year.
• Slice Intelligence found 40 percent of Apple laptop owners who purchased a MacBook in 2014 bought their next laptop with another brand. Dell and Asus computers were the most popular laptops for people who previously purchased a MacBook.

• Jonathan Morris pits a specs’d out HP Specter to a 13” MacBook Pro
• Premier takes 9+ minutes to export, Final Cut 1:20

The next big leap for iPhone cameras, the coolest Apple products coming in 2025, how to get free Apple TV+ — and our last picks for the best of 2024!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

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This week’s stories:

2026 iPhone 18 Pro may feature a game-changing variable aperture camera

• Apple could adopt a variable aperture system for the iPhone 18 Pro’s main camera that would enable the device to adjust the aperture size and light intake depending on surroundings.

Apple TV+ kicks off 2025 with free streaming weekend

• Apple TV+ will open its doors to all for an unprecedented free streaming weekend, January 3-5, 2025. That gives everyone unlimited access to its entire catalog of original content.

Apple in 2025: 5 things that could wow us

• Apple will launch several products in 2025, but these are the 5 things from the company that could wow us.

MacRumors: Redesigned Magic Mouse With Touch and Voice Controls Reportedly Coming in 2026

• A completely redesigned version of the Magic Mouse featuring touch and voice controls is coming in 2026, a Korean leaker claims.

Best of 2024:

• The Leftovers
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Waterfield X-Air Duffel
• old.dgriffinjones.com
• Grok
• Diablo IV
• Starfield
• DJI Osmo Pocket 3

Apple and HTC put their lawsuits behind them; Microsoft's paid cavalcade of celebrity Windows Phone endorsements make us sad; and Apple's big new plans to to fan the flames of employee innovation.

As you'll soon hear, no topic is safe from discussion on this week's CultCast!

All that and a big Faves 'N Raves controversy meltdown!

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This week: Here's what to expect for the iPhone 15 and its big redesign! Plus: we go hands-on with the iOS 17 and watchOS 10 public betas, Jony Ive is back making new hardware, and we pitch our favorite gadgets in an all-new Under Review!

This episode supported by

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 14, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

This week's stories

What to expect from the redesigned, faster iPhone 15

• Apple has used the same basic iPhone chassis design for three years, and the company’s previous practices indicate it’s time for a change. A tipster says we can expect rounded edges in place of the current square ones. Still, early renders show the iPhone 15 series will look much like its predecessors.

Griffin: Think twice before installing iOS 17 public beta (or watchOS 10!)

• Apple just gave the general public access to the latest iOS 17 beta, but before you put it on your iPhone, the Cult of Mac staff has some warnings. We’ve used the betas for weeks, and while it’s gone well for some people, it’s been a dumpster fire for others.

Much-anticipated 32-inch iMac is still over a year away

• The iMac is Apple’s desktop PC with a built-in screen. This long-running product line was significantly revamped in 2021 with a slim design and M1 processor. Currently, the only version has a 24-inch screen, but there have been numerous calls for a larger variant.

Jony Ive returns to hardware design with $60,000 record player

• If Apple made a turntable, would it cost $60,000? Almost certainly not, but that’s the lofty price tag on the new 50th anniversary Linn Sondek LP12-50, sketched out by former Apple chief designer Jony Ive and his firm LoveFrom.

Jony Ive’s discontinued Apple design book now goes for big bucks

• Apple released Designed by Apple in California in 2016 to mixed but largely positive reviews — with a fair amount of snark about the pricing — and discontinued it in 2019.

Under Review

Griffin

Rode NT USB Plus

Rode NTH 100

Erfon

Anker Soundcore Motion x600

Lewis

Geometric Goods Leather AirTag Travel Wallet

After 10 years and 10 billion dollars, Apple finally calls it quits on the Apple car. What happened!? Plus: Apple's FineWoven cases are aging like milk, how to set up the best Mac screen saver, the future for Apple Arcade, and what comes next for Vision Pro.

This episode supported by:

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This week's stories:

Apple car crashes to a halt

• In a somewhat shocking development, Apple reportedly completely canceled all development on its self-driving car program on Tuesday. The company is shifting its emphasis to artificial intelligence, instead.
• Lewis Wallace: Killing the Apple car is depressing and sad
• The New York Times: Behind Apple's Doomed Car Project: False Starts and Wrong Turns
• D. Griffin Jones: Canceling the Apple car is a sensible move we should celebrate

MacRumors: Not-So-FineWoven iPhone Case 'Browning Like a Rotten Banana'

• Apple's $59 FineWoven cases for iPhone 15 took heavy flak when they were released last September for being subpar compared to the leather Apple cases they replaced. Now, The Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern has distilled customers' ire by sharing her own experience with the case after five months of use.
• Poll by John Gruber

Apple Arcade's future: Kids win, but devs fear ‘smell of death'

• Apple Arcade now focuses so heavily on family-friendly titles from well-known franchises that some indie game developers feel abandoned, according to a new report.

How to set up the best Mac screensaver, Aerial

• Screensavers fell out of fashion a long time ago, but Apple's Aerial screensaver looks so beautiful, it just might make you reconsider. In fact, with its stunning visuals, it might just be the best Mac screensaver around.

Don't expect Vision Pro 2 or Vision Air before 2027

• Vision Pro may be Apple's only AR headset until 2027. The company has yet to start work on Vision Pro 2 or Vision Air, according to a trusted analyst.
• Vision Pro returns aren't as bad as we feared

This week:

• Apple could scrap 13-inch MacBook Pro, bring 5G to 10.2-inch iPad in 2022
• 13-MacBook Pro’s days are numbered
• 10.2-inch iPad to get 5G, new MacBook Air this year
• Mac Pro with faster M1 chip to complete Apple silicon transition in 2022
• Eurasian filings reveal new iPhone and iPad coming soon
• Apple education store now requires Unidays and only 1 device per year

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CultCloth will keep your iPhone 13, Apple Watch, iPad, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

This week's stories

Apple could scrap 13-inch MacBook Pro, bring 5G to 10.2-inch iPad in 2022

• Apple will scrap the 13-inch MacBook Pro this year after introducing a new 14-inch model with a next-generation “M2” chip, one tipster claims.

Mac Pro with faster M1 chip to complete Apple silicon transition in 2022

• Apple will introduce a new Mac Pro with an upgraded M1 chipset by the end of the year to complete its Apple silicon transition, according to a tipster.

Win an Invoxia Cellular GPS Tracker and stop losing things [Cult of Mac giveaway]

• If you live in a big city, you likely suffered the misfortune of having something stolen. Maybe thieves swiped your bike, motorcycle, car or backpack.

Eurasian filings reveal new iPhone and iPad coming soon

• The Eurasian Economic Commission confirmed that Apple plans to release a new iPhone and iPad in the near future. The devices appear in the online database of the regulatory agency.

Apple education store now requires Unidays and only 1 device per year

• The legendary Apple education discount loophole, now closed!

• Reviews for the new iPad Pro and HomePod are bonkers
• Someone in the Apple supply chain just accidentally leaked some of iPhone 8’s marquee features
• Speed tests show a big improvement in the new MacBook Pro
• Apple finally offers us iCloud Storage sharing
• Our favorite unannounced iOS 11 features
• And we’ll tell you what we like (and don’t) about the apps and gadgets we’re currently testing in an all-new Under Review!

• Apple supplier Largan has confirmed it will be shipping its new 3D sensors in time for iPhone 8, while another has confirmed waterproofing and wireless charging technology.
• Largan’s sensors are capable of carrying out facial and iris recognition and provide an alternative to fingerprint scanning. They could be the solution Apple turns to if it is unable to embed a Touch ID scanner beneath the iPhone 8’s display.
• iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models are already splash- and water-resistant with an IP67 rating, but Apple's fine print warns that "splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear." iPhone water damage is not covered by Apple's warranties. 
• But in Wednesday's shareholders meeting, [Robert] Hwang, [Wistron CEO] told reporters that the Assembly process for the previous generations of [iPhones] have not changed much, though new features like waterproof and wireless charging now require some different testing, and waterproof function will alter the assembly process a bit,” 
• A report earlier this year said Apple's next iPhone models will feature improved IP68-rated water resistance (30 minutes in up to 3 feet of water)

• Apple this week refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup with Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, and early benchmarks for the notebooks suggest the 2017 models are up to 20 percent faster than the equivalent 2016 models equipped with Intel's sixth-generation Skylake processors. 
• Only about a 30% improvement over 2012/2013 MacBook Pros...

• One of the big improvements of the new iPad Pro is its new variable refresh rate display, which Apple calls ProMotion, and means that it can run at 120Hz, or twice as fast as previous displays. It can also cycle down to 24Hz on still images.
• ARS has praised the new ProMotion by saying that it makes it easier to read text and scroll simultaneously, with the “ghosting” effect you get at 60Hz greatly reduced
• What everyone agrees on is that the new A10x processor is blazingly fast
• Smart keyboard is getting mixed reviews. Some saying it feels flimsy and unsatisfying to type on.
• Uses the newest Touch ID.
• Dramatically better antireflection coating.
• About 30% faster than 9.7inch iPad Pro, even more on multicore Geekbench tests I saw. Export times in Garage Band almost halved in some cases.
• Way better front (7MPX) and back cameras (12MPX), especially from the previous 12inch which had a 1.2 MPX camera.
• Fuller, better sounding external speakers
• iPad finally feels "pro"

• A few websites have now gotten the chance to hear how HomePod sounds in a quiet environment, and they're sharing their opinions online. 
• Mashable: The audio wasn't just loud — filling a room with sound, good or bad, is easy — it was rich.
• • Mashable noted that Apple had in-room comparisons with its competitors, including Sonos Play:3 and Amazon Echo, and that the HomePod easily beat the two other speakers in pure music playback quality.
• CNET: HomePod came off as bolder and more vivid than Sonos Play:3 in the [listening] experience, and a lot better than Amazon Echo. I'd also say the music sounded consistently vivid and crisp in a quiet space
• What HiFi: We also heard a pair of HomePods playing a live recording of Hotel California by The Eagles. The attention to detail was striking, with different instruments sounding discretely realised.
• Engadget called HomePod's audio "incredible,”
• if listening to the HomePod was like listening to a CD, then audio through the Echo sounded like AM radio.

• Following the WWDC keynote, Apple updated and simplified its iCloud storage tiers
• • 50GB: $0.99
  • 200GB: $2.99
  • 2TB: $9.99 (updated from 1TB)
• Apple is offering an option to share a 200GB or 2TB iCloud storage plan with family members, which is perhaps the reason behind the price drop. 
• Google Photos offers free backup for photos and videos.  Or you can back up via Plex premium.

• Automatically offload unused apps if you’re low on storage.

• AirPods will soon be able to skip forwards and backwards between tracks with a double tap of either earpiece, thanks to a new additional setting in iOS 11. 
• It’ll be possible to customize the AirPods so that a double tap on one earpiece skips, while double tapping on on the other earpiece goes to the previous track. 

• Yuneec Typhoon H 
• Lake Coloring App for iPhone and iPad 
• Espin Bikes 
• Espin bike deal Leander mentioned on Gilt 

This week: William Shatner is the coolest grandpa ever; to take on Apple, Microsoft doubles down on design; Apple inches closer to a digital wallet; why the Apple on your iPhone 6 could glow; iBeacons are a marketer’s best friend; and then… if you could ride any animal into battle, what would it be?  We’ll answer that question and more on an all-new Get To Know Your Cultist. 

Thanks to Lynda.com for sponsoring this episode!  With over 2,000 high quality video courses taught by industry-leading experts, Lynda.com will help you master virtually any application, all on your own time and at your own pace.  Learn all you want for free for 7 days with a free trial.  Try it now at Lynda.com/CultCast 

And a big thanks to Kevin MacLeod for all the great music you hear on this week's episode.

Links to todays stories:

OS X Yosemite beta goes public — here’s how to get it

http://www.cultofmac.com/288717/apples-os-x-yosemite-public-beta-live/#5TqpPA3ODgazIybP.99

William Shatner reviews Facebook apps… on his Tumblr

http://williamshatner.tumblr.com/

Microsoft makes design central to its future

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/microsoft-makes-design-central-to-its-future/

Apple’s mobile payments solution could arrive in the iPhone 6 this fall

http://www.cultofmac.com/288607/apples-mobile-payments-solution-finally-arrive-iphone-6-fall/#YtuFpUY3cdZYeBkJ.99

Apple orders insane number of new iPhones, but 5.5-inch model faces setbacks

http://www.cultofmac.com/288316/apple-orders-insane-number-new-iphones-5-5-inch-model-faces-setbacks/#FTtKB7oWcfRavQKE.99

Glowing Apple logo could serve up alerts on iPhone 6

http://www.cultofmac.com/288148/glowing-apple-logo-serve-alerts-iphone-6/#XvLprk5SVvBdgi0p.99

All the little tweaks Apple added to iOS 8 beta 4

http://www.cultofmac.com/288205/new-stuff-ios-8-beta-4/#GXlAAx0rCkmvz1IM.99

A look at the redesigned iTunes 12 in OS X Yosemite beta  

http://www.cultofmac.com/288212/itunes-12-tour/#siIZOsCFJShLeyFx.99

Apple’s iBeacons are paying off for advertisers in a huge way

http://bgr.com/2014/07/23/apple-ibeacon-advertising-stats/?

Team Cult of Mac has descended upon Las Vegas to attend the largest and in-chargest technnology show in North America, the Consumer Electronics Show.

On this episode, we talk about some of the cool tech we've seen so far, and our why Apple wants to turn your house into an iHome.

This week: Mac Pro, AirPods 3, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro—let’s talk about all the hardware we expect Apple to unveil at their unannounced October event. Plus Microsoft unveiled their newest gadgets and they’re actually pretty cool! We discuss...

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

What to expect at an Apple October event

Revamped AirPods with noise cancellation spilled by iOS 13.2

Microsoft’s new Surface Earbuds are unbelievably fugly

Microsoft’s dual-screen Surface Neo is a vision of the future

Microsoft’s sleek Surface Pro X hits iPad Pro where it hurts [Updated]

This week: We've got new intel on the next round of Apple's upcoming hardware releases including the long awaited 30-inch iMac (Pro?!), OLED iPads, the next Apple Watch Ultra, and more. Plus, fresh new images leak for iPhone 15 Pro Max!

This episode supported by

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 14, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

This week's stories

Apple is reportedly working on iMac with 30-inch-plus screen

• Aside from the inevitable iPhone refresh (and the headset everyone’s buzzing about), Apple reportedly has several other major new products lined up for launch in 2023 and the first half of 2024. This includes revamped iPad Pros with OLED displays, new Macs powered by a next-gen M3 processor and an upgrade to the Apple Watch Ultra.

iPhone 15 Pro Max case leaks well ahead of fall announcement

• Those eager to get their hands on the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max should check out a short video showing a case supposedly designed for Apple’s next flagship smartphone. This helps confirm a few details that previously leaked out.

EU countries, lawmakers reach data rule deal targeting Big Tech

• The European Commission proposed the Data Act last year to cover data generated in smart gadgets, machinery and consumer products, part of a raft of legislation aimed at curbing the power of U.S. tech giants.

Apple Hikes iCloud+ Subscription Prices in Many Countries Around the World

• Apple has increased the price of iCloud storage in several regions around the world, including the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and South America.

Win this brilliant bundle from Function101 to whip your desk into shape [Cult of Mac giveaway]

• In this week’s giveaway, two lucky winners will bag themselves a magnetic Desk Mat Pro with two Cable Block XL cable managers from Function101. This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to tidy up their desk and ensure wires are secure and easily accessible.

Jony Ive gets knighted; is Siri Apple's next ping?  And then a new segment: Faves & Raves!  All that and more on this week's CultCast. 

This time around on CultCast: why we need $150,000 for coffee with Tim Cook; Tim talks iPhone with a 5-inch screen; and with iPad taking over, could Apple eventually stop selling Macs?

Plus, we're finally getting a new Xbox console; the next iOS and OS X at WWDC, and the current Apple hardware drought needs to end!

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Download it today and use its basic features for free at http://www.digidna.net/products/diskaid, or save 30% a license with code "TheCultCast" at checkout.

This week: we've got new iPhone 14 leaks, Apple is working on another new Mac, and big changes are coming to iMessage and iOS.

This episode supported by

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 13, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

This week's stories

Apple preps subscription service for iPhone, Mac and more

• According to Bloomberg: "Apple Inc. is working on a subscription service for the iPhone and other hardware products, a move that could make device ownership similar to paying a monthly app fee, according to people with knowledge of the matter."

iPhone 14 Pro’s camera upgrade could mean an even fatter hump Lewis

• Apple is expected to give iPhone 14 Pro a rather significant camera upgrade that could include a 48-megapixel wide angle sensor. It will mean sharper iPhone photos than ever before — but a much bigger camera bump.

iPhone might never get in-screen Touch ID

• Touch ID died with the move to Face ID with the launch of the iPhone X in 2017. Though people love Face ID, there’s a lot of us who would love to see Touch ID return in some form in addition to Face ID.

Win a chic crossbody iPhone case from Noémie [Cult of Mac giveaway]

• This Cult of Mac giveaway is for the ladies! Five lucky winners will each receive a stylish Napa crossbody iPhone case from Noémie. These cases looks chic and are great for running errands or going out on the town when a bigger bag is not needed.

On the inside, Apple Studio Display looks more sophisticated than expected

• iFixit showed people the interior of the new Apple Studio Display next to a partially disassembled iMac and asked them to pick which is which. You can play along at home by looking at the image above.

Apple’s upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air may come with a different name

• In the interests of portability, MacBook Air has only ever been available in smaller 11- and 13-inch sizes. But it seems Apple is finally preparing a larger display option for those who have long been calling for it.

EU plans to force iMessage to work with WhatsApp, other messaging apps

• The European Union plans to break down the barriers between mobile messaging services. With its Digital Markets Act, it plans to force services like iMessage, WhatsApp, and smaller messaging platforms to play nicely together.

‘The Slap’ shows why Apple should shake up its events

• Will Smith slapping Chris Rock during Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony shows why Apple should go back to doing live events.

This week: a dubious rumor says Apple is making a portable gaming console, but... the puzzle pieces seem to add up. Apple's up to something. We discuss. Plus: the new M1 iMac is insanely powerful, and Prosser leaks more MacBooks!

Get 3 episodes of CultCast Off Topic each and every week for just $6! Off Topic is a new weekly variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah and friends, decidated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend!

This episode supported by

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 12, Apple Watch, iPad, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

Join us in the CultClub! discord.gg/BrKdnSK

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

Enter to win a high-end Qrono Apple Watch band from Juuk [Cult of Mac giveaway]

• This week, Cult of Mac is giving away two fantastic metal Apple Watch bands from Juuk, a high-end watch strap company. We’re giving away two aluminum Qruno straps in cosmic grey.

New MacBook Air renders look thin, flat and colorful

• Apple plans to release a surprisingly thin MacBook Air in the same colors as the current iMacs, according to leaker Jon Prosser.

High school student makes impressive 3D renders of big-time Mac leaks [Setups]

• It’s not every day you come across a high school student running a successful tech-based business – never mind one whose 3D renderings are routinely seen by thousands of people. But that’s the case with 17-year-old New Yorker Ian Zelbo and his RendersbyIan.

M1 iMac can’t match fastest Intel iMacs in early benchmarks

• People were hoping the M1 would supercharge the iMac, but the first benchmark scores for the upcoming 24-inch machine are out, and the all-in-one desktop is the same speed as the other M1 Macs released in 2020, but not faster. The previous-generation high-end 21.5-inch iMac earned a single-core Geekbench score of 1109, and a multi-core score of 6014.

2021 iPad Pro beats every Intel MacBook in early benchmark tests

• The first iPad Pro with an M-series processor is apparently going to be as fast as many had hoped. Benchmark tests for the upcoming tablet show that it’s almost as speedy as the Macs released in late 2020. And faster than any Intel-based MacBook ever.

Sketchy Rumor Claims Apple Developing Nintendo Switch-Style Gaming Console

• Apple is working on a Nintendo Switch-style handheld games console, according to a sketchy new rumor coming from Asia. According to a post on a Korean forum, shared by Twitter user @FrontTron, Apple is developing a portable hybrid games console, comparable to the Nintendo Switch. While the sourcing of the rumor is suspect, it has gained some visibility in larger news outlets over the past day or two, so we figured it was at least worth acknowledging.

Apple TV Is Missing the Moment

• “For next year, Apple is planning an upgraded box with a stronger gaming focus, an updated remote and a new processor.”

Apple said to be spending more than $500M on Arcade gaming subscription effort

• Apple’s new gaming subscription service Apple Arcade may have been a bit of a footnote at its Services event earlier this month compared to the stage time given to more prime time-ready efforts like Apple TV+ and Apple News+, but the company is throwing some major funding behind its effort to get people paying a monthly fee for exclusive titles.

It's all business on this, our 50th episode of The CultCast!

We'll tell you why the New Year broke your iPhone's Do Not Disturb feature; why the iPhone 6 is already showing up in the web logs of some developers; and why Bill Gates wouldn't give his kids the Christmas gifts they *really* wanted.

But wait, there's more!

Team Cult is preparing for CES 2013, and on this episode, we'll tell you what it's like to walk the halls as press and attend the parties full of geeks, gadgets, and never—empty cocktail glasses.  Plus the tech we're most excited about this year!

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This week: Pro MacBook Pro Vs. the Intel MacBook Pro—battle of the benchmarks! And the performance differences are absolutely INSANE.

Plus: our hands-on review of AirPods 3, and Apple is perfectly poised to release and actual Apple Television.

Get 2 episodes of CultCast Off Topic each and every week for just $6! Off Topic is a new weekly variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah and friends, dedicated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend!

This episode supported by

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 12, Apple Watch, iPad, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

Join us in the CultClub! discord.gg/BrKdnSK

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

2021 MacBook Pro review roundup: Just what we hoped for

• The first reviews of the 2021 MacBook Pro just dropped, and they’re generally quite positive. There’s praise for the mini-LED display, the return of useful ports, and the sheer power of Apple’s new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

New MacBook Pros prove surprisingly good at gaming

• Apple’s M1 Pro and M1 Max processors in the new MacBook Pro offer powerful graphic performance. That’s intended for artists rendering video and other professional tasks, but tests show that it translates to excellent gaming performance.

Intel CEO: My job is to win Apple back Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger says the ball is in the chip giant's court to win back lost business from the Mac making Apple.

Win a sleek Satechi Trio Wireless Charging Pad [Cult of Mac giveaway]

Hands-on: AirPods 3 sound great thanks to lots of trickle-down tech [Review]

• The new AirPods 3 are marvelous little earbuds. They sound fantastic, are dead easy to set up and use, and the wireless charging case is a godsend.

Amazon TVs to Support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit

• Amazon's Omni and 4-Series Omni TVs launch today, featuring 4K HDR, voice controls with Amazon Alexa, and close integration with the Fire TV user experience. Upon the launch of the new TVs, Amazon today announced that it plans to add support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit "soon."

The Iconic Pillow Collection 2 by Throwboy

• How Chinese spy chips may be stealing secret data from Apple’s own servers!
• Another week, another gate-we’ll you about #ChargeGate, the huge iPhone XS problem that ended before it even began.
• Tim Cook reveals why Apple really banned Alex Jones, but can't explain why Siri still sucks
• We’ve got another epic MoviePass update for you, and this is the weirdest one yet!
• And we’ll pitch you a hot new electric skateboard, an uber premium keyboard for your Mac, a super portable keyboard for your iPad, and a an AI-powered bicycle light in an all-new Under Review!
• And, in honor and remembrance of Steve Jobs, we conclude with one of his greatest keynotes.

• What is charge gate?
• • Well, some, but not all, iOS 12 users have complained that their iPhone or iPad won’t begin charging if it’s in sleep mode when a Lightning cable is plugged in.
  • The charging issue doesn’t occur if the device is awake when the cable is plugged in. It only crops up when a phone or tablet’s screen is off.
• Well this blew up this week when Tim Cook’s arch nemesis Lewis Hilsenteger, aka Unbox Therapy popularized the issue with a new video on his Youtube channel, titled: “iPhone XS has a serious problem”
• But it turns out, the problem seems to be not so serious, as Apple has already introduced a new beta of iOS 12.1 that appears to fix the issue.
• So if you’re experiencing the issue and want to solve it right now, install iOS 12.1 beta 2. Otherwise you could be waiting weeks until this 12.1 gets a final release.
• “Gates’ should be limited to hardware issues!

• Appearing on VICE News Tonight on HBO, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked if Apple’s stance on privacy is hurting Siri from becoming more competitive with Alexa. Cook pushed back saying any company that says they need all of your data to make their service better is telling you a “bunch of bunk.”
• About booting Alex Jones
• • “We think that what the user wants is someone that does review these apps, someone that does review the podcasts, someone that on like Apple news, where a human is selecting the top stories. And that’s what we do,” Cook told VICE. “We don’t take a political stand."

• In an email sent to a select group of previous customers, MoviePass said: "Because we really hope you begin enjoying your MoviePass subscription again, we have chosen you to be a part of a select test group, who beginning Friday, October 5th will be restored to unlimited movies.”
• "To be clear, unless you opt out, your unlimited subscription will be restored and you will begin enjoying unlimited movies again ...  at $9.95 per month, and your credit card on file will be charged on a monthly basis beginning Friday, October 5th, 2018,”
• When Business Insider reached out to MoviePass about the bizarre move, MoviePass doubled down!  Saying it was a  "a terrific one-time promotional offer.”  "If [previous users] are interested in returning to their original unlimited subscription, they can. If they are not, they simply click the link below and opt out," the statement read.
• Now I thought MoviePass would be out of business by now, the vultures are circling.  But they just announced about 65 million in new funding!  Someone believe’s they’ve got a future.

This week:

• iPhone 14 Pro could pack strange ‘hole + pill’ screen cutout to replace notch
• Apple continues testing multiple folding iPhone prototypes
• Apple’s first headset could be 3 years ahead of rivals in computing power
• Apple VR headset won’t create a full metaverse
• Apple’s fancy Polishing Cloth is finally back in stock
• Apple loses head of Mac chip design to Intel

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This week's stories

iPhone 14 Pro could pack strange ‘hole + pill’ screen cutout to replace notch

• It was previously believed that Apple would use a hole punch cutout, like a lot of rival smartphone makers. Then that changed to a pill-shaped camera cutout. Now, one analyst, who has proven reliable in the past, says we should expect both. “We now believe Apple will have a hole + pill design on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models,” tweeted Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, on Wednesday. “The smaller hole will not be invisible.”

Apple continues testing multiple folding iPhone prototypes

• Word that the iPhone-maker continues working on folding handset comes from Dylandkt in a thread on Twitter: "For those who are curious about a foldable iPhone, Apple is definitely working and testing multiple prototypes that contain foldable displays. Too many compromises still exist with foldable display technology though.

Apple’s first headset could be 3 years ahead of rivals in computing power

• Apple’s first mixed-reality headset will ship with the same 96W power adapter that you get with some 14-inch MacBook Pro models, according to an analyst, who says that’s proof the device will pack plenty of computing power.

Apple VR headset won’t create a full metaverse

• While Apple is creating a VR headset, it’s reportedly not developing a complete virtual world for users. It plans on virtual reality games, video and other experiences. But these supposedly won‘t be connected into a single VR metaverse.

Apple’s fancy Polishing Cloth is finally back in stock

• Sick of sticky smudges all over your Apple devices? The company’s pricey Polishing Cloth is now back in stock for those who didn’t get a chance to buy one before it quickly sold out last fall.

GIVEAWAY

Win a Journey 3 in 1 Wireless Charging Station for all your Apple gear [Cult of Mac giveaway]

Apple loses head of Mac chip design to Intel – erfon

• The person responsible for overseeing the transition from Intel to Apple silicon left the company. Jeff Wilcox was Director, Mac System Architecture before his departure.

This week: Apple is prepping a new 14.1” MacBook Pro with an all-new mini-LED display, plus a new iMac and iMac mini! We’ll tell you what you need to know. And in the wake of Corona virus, will Apple need to cancel WWDC? We discuss. And stay tuned for the best ways to disinfect your iPhone, iPad, keyboard, and more.

This episode supported by

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Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. And check out CoM's handsome new Bay Blue leather strap collar with Clessant.

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 11, Apple Watch, Mac Pro and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Apple preps 14.1-inch MacBook Pro with mini-LED display

• Apple plans to make an aggressive push adding mini-LED displays to its products in 2020, according to one of the most reliable Apple analysts in the game.

What to expect from this month’s new iMac

• This week, serial rumor-tweeter CoinX predicted the imminent release of a new iMac and a new Mac mini. But what does that mean exactly? A giant, 30-inch iMac that looks like the Pro Display XDR? Apple’s first ARM-based Mac? Probably not. So what changes can we expect?

Apple’s biggest manufacturer says production will return to normal by end of March

• Apple manufacturer Foxconn hopes to resume regular production in China by the end of March.

COVID-19 virus means tough decisions about WWDC and rumored Apple keynote

• Apple faces mounting pressure to decide whether to cancel, delay or change the format of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, typically held in June. The same holds true, although to a lesser extent, for Apple’s rumored March product keynote.

How to disinfect your Mac, iPhone, mouse, trackpad, keyboard and cases

Next week’s “Scary Fast” event came out of nowhere, a total surprise! And now we know... Apple’s preparing a BARRAGE of new Macs. Get your wallets ready — you’re going to like what’s coming next!

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Cult of Mac’s watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at store.cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co

This week‘s stories:

Apple plans ‘Scary Fast’ event for Halloween eve

• It’s official, a second Apple product-release event of autumn takes place the evening before Halloween — Monday, October 30 at 5 p.m. PT. Most folks expect some new Macs to shamble forth.

Apple drops big hint October event will be Mac focused

• Apple invited the world to a product-launch event on October 30. And the invitation strongly suggests that new Macs will be on the agenda.

Mark Gurman’s tweets:

• “Apple’s iMacs and MacBook Pros are in extremely short supply”
• “Apple has been testing M3 Max and M3 Pro 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros”
• “Apple has been planning an M3 iMac for a while […] No other major changes other than the chip”
• “Inventory of existing high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros — as well as the all-in-one iMac desktop — has dwindled at Apple stores as well as retailers”

Monday’s ‘Scary Fast’ Macs could sport M3 chips after all

• After Apple invited the world to its Scary Fast product event Monday, speculation turned more seriously to the idea that newly announced Macs might sport faster new M3 chips rather than versions of the current M2 series chips.

MacRumors: OLED iPad and MacBook Rumored to Feature Specialized Display Materials

• Apple has apparently collaborated with LG Display to integrate new OLED material sets in some of its future devices, including forthcoming iPad Pro and MacBook models.

AirPods 4 could deliver active noise cancellation

• AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 will get the axe in 2024 to be replaced with a fourth generation that will come in two versions, according to an unconfirmed report from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. One AirPods 4 model will offer ANC and have a charging case that supports the Find My app. A cheaper version will not have either feature.

Apple raises rates for Apple TV+ and other services by up to 40%

• The cost of watching Apple TV+ series and movies just went up 40%. […] The price for Apple Arcade, Apple News+ and Apple One also increased. But the cost of other services, like Apple Music, remains the same.

Extra Ordinary: The CultCast ‘Scary Fast’ Predictions

• For (probably) the last time this year, Erfon, Lewis and I will be putting down our predictions for a surprise event on Monday.

This week: it’s no coincidence—your love for Apple and their pretty gadgets was Steve Jobs' master plan... Then, Bendgate might seem overblown, but where there’s smoke there’s fire; we love our iPhone 6 Pluses, but dear lord, they’re huge…  And finally, Jony Ive gains a counterpart in Apple's newest Industrial Designer.

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• In a surprising turn of events, Jony Ive has taken back the reigns of Apple’s design team.
• The new iMac is out, and the reviews are coming in.  We’ll tell you what’s new about this beastly machine with a MONSTER price tag
• By the numbers: how much dough Apple earns every single second will help you realize what plebeians we all are
• And we wrap with how Apple got it right 2017, and what they need to do better in 2018!

• Jony Ive is reportedly returning to hands-on design duties at Apple, two years after being promoted to the role of Chief Design Officer.
• According to an Apple spokesperson, “With the completion of Apple Park, Apple’s design leaders and teams are again reporting directly to Jony Ive, who remains focused purely on design.”
• Why Ive would be returning to his old role isn’t immediately clear — nor what this means for Dye and Howarth. Ironically, at the time that Ive was given his new job in 2015, some pundits suggested it meant Jony was on his way out of Apple, and this was a way of carrying out the transition. Now that he is “demoted” to his old position, no doubt many people will take it as signaling much the same thing.

This week: an honest look at Mario Run; better-sounding AirPod alternatives; the cool new stuff in the iOS and tvOS updates; and we reveal the hands-down best tv shows of 2016!

@erfon / @lewiswallace / @lkahney