The CultCast

Send us a text!This week: we discuss M2 MacBook Pro performance, first impressions, and reviews. Plus: the end of an era, Jony Ive leaves Apple for good. 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 M2 MacBook Air review roundup: The fast and the beauteous The M2 MacBook Air is easily the most important notebook Apple will release in 2022, and it’s a winner. Jony Ive slips Apple’s golden handcuffs Jony Ive’s 30-year partnership with Apple is over. Proposed new emoji list shows we already have all the emoji we need The collection of emoji will grow in the coming months, with the 31 proposed new entries including a shaking face, hearts in range of colors, a donkey and a jellyfish. There’s also left- and right-facing hands that will likely be used for high fives. Win an iPad mini 6 magnetic stand from Lululook [Cult of Mac Giveaway] If you own an iPad mini 6, Lululook’s magnetic stand can turn your tiny tablet into a miniature iMac. And this week, we’re teaming up with Lululook to give away five of these great stands, which retail for $80, to five lucky winners. Hasbro will 3D-print your face onto its iconic action figures Have you ever wanted to see your own face on the body of a Power Ranger or a Ghostbuster? Thanks to an ingenious partnership between Hasbro and 3D-printing specialists Formlabs, now you can. BMW starts selling heated seat subscriptions for $18 a month BMW is now selling subscriptions for heated seats in a number of countries — the latest example of the company’s adoption of microtransactions for high-end car features.

Send us a text!This week: Extra-rugged Apple Watch for athletes will pack biggest screen yet! Plus: the Mac Studio is now available with heavy discounts, Apple adding a new "hyper secure" lockdown mode to iOS 16, and US awards Steve Jobs the country's highest honor. 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 Extra-rugged Apple Watch for athletes will pack biggest screen yet The rugged Apple Watch designed for hardcore athletes will come with the smartwatch’s biggest screen yet, according to a new report. These iOS 16 features won’t be available at launch Not all new iOS 16 features will arrive on day one when the operating system launches this fall. A handful of them will come later, after Apple has had a chance to polish them and get them ready for prime time. Win a 4-in-1 MagSafe charging stand with built-in nightlight [Cult of Mac giveaways] This week’s giveaway is a sturdy, MagSafe-compatible, multi-device wireless charger that includes a convenient nightlight. Buy refurbished Mac Studio from Apple with hefty discounts [Updated] Apple has started selling refurbished Mac Studio in the United States, Canada, and select other European countries. You can save up to 15% by picking up a refurbished Mac Studio instead of purchasing a brand new unit. New Lockdown Mode makes iPhone secure from sophisticated digital attacks A new hyper-secure Lockdown Mode should help protect the iPhones, iPads and Macs of journalists, politicians and activists who face “highly targeted cyberattacks from private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware,” Apple said Wednesday. President Biden Announces Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.

Send us a text!This week: Apple's prepping to drop an "ambitious deluge" of new hardware, including the return of one of the greatest Apple products of all time... 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 Apple Readies iPhone 14 and HomePod Upgrade in Flood of New Products Gurman: From what I’ve been told, the company is about to embark on one of the most ambitious periods of new products in its history—with the deluge coming between the fall of 2022 and first half of 2023. Don’t expect a speed boost in Apple Watch Series 8 The Apple Watch Series 8 expected this fall won’t have better performance than its recent predecessors, according to a reliable tipster. Win a 4-in-1 MagSafe charging stand with built-in nightlight [Cult of Mac giveaways] This week’s giveaway is a sturdy, MagSafe-compatible, multi-device wireless charger that includes a convenient nightlight. Apple’s next HomePod could be less mini and more powerful Apple is working on a new HomePod that could launch next year with a new S8 chip. The smart speaker reportedly will be similar in size to the original HomePod rather than the HomePod mini. Entry-level M2 MacBook Pro’s SSD is slower than M1 MacBook Pro Apple’s new M2 MacBook Pro ships with a notably slower SSD than its predecessor. Tests show the speed difference is as big as 50% in some scenarios. M1 MacBook Pro beats the newer M2 model in real-life stress tests The slower SSD on the entry-level M2 MacBook Pro has a noticeable impact on its performance in daily use. Tests show the M1 MacBook Pro beating its successor in stress tests that rely heavily on swap memory usage. ‘Severe’ thermal throttling in Apple M2 chip raises questions about MacBook Air performance The just-released MacBook Pro running Apple’s new M2 processor offers generally good performance, but its single fan can’t stop it from experiencing ‘severe’ thermal throttling under certain conditions, according to tests done on the device. AirPods Pro 2 could act as heart monitor and hearing aid AirPods

Send us a text!This week: The first reviews of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 are in and they are not kind! Plus: new details elude to a new MacBook that may be a hybrid between an MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, iOS 16 is adding a MUST-HAVE SMS feature, and an odd Apple show becomes one of most popular shows streamed on any streaming service. This episode supported by CleanMyMac X is a decluttering app for Mac that can keep it in tip-top shape. It includes 49 tools to find and delete invisible computer junk, and helps keep your Mac running at maximum speed. Get CleanMyMac X today with 5% off at https://macpaw.app/cultcast ... The discount is valid until June 30. 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 M2 MacBook Pro review roundup: Powerful chip, archaic design The first reviews of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with an Apple M2 processor are not kind. It gets called a “Pro in name only” and “literally a processor update and nothing more.” 15-inch MacBook with M2 Pro might launch in spring 2023 A 15-inch MacBook will debut in less than a year that offers either an M2 or an M2 Pro processor, according to a reliable Apple analyst. That could make it one of the first with the upgraded version of the M2. Apple M2 is fast, but not faster than M1 Pro or M1 Max The first real-world benchmark tests of the Apple M2 processor show that the just-launched processor is about 20% to 25% faster than the original M1, which is welcome news for anyone in the market for a MacBook or iPad in the next few years. Win a 65W GaN mini charger that packs a punch [Cult of Mac giveaway] The Cult of Mac giveaway prize this week is a perfect fit for anyone who needs a powerful yet compact charger. We teamed up with Lululook to give five lucky winners a chance to get their hands on a three-port, 65W gallium nitride charger. Apple’s New CarPlay Is the Foreshock to Releasing Its Own Vehicle iOS 16 beta 2 improves SMS filtering on Messages to iPhone users Apple had already teased in a WWDC 2022 session that iOS 16 would add 12 new subcategories to the SMS filtering API. With beta 2, they’re now available to developers to use. Apple TV+ sci-fi drama For All Mankind rockets to popularity

Send us a text!This week: The M2 benchmarks have leaked and this new chip is even better than we hoped. Plus: new details on iPhone 14, a 12 and 15-inch MacBook Air, and new 14-inch iPad Pro MAX. This episode supported by Remotely manage your Mac, iPhone, or iPad with Jamf. Manage 3 devices for FREE at jamf.com/beyond 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 First MacBook Pro with speedy M2 chip goes up for preorder June 17 - Lewis, and then Erfon takes the benchmarks?!? Preorders for the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro packing the powerful new Apple M2 processor will begin Friday, June 17, two weeks after it was announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. iPhone 14’s front camera could get some much-needed upgrades The iPhone’s front camera was last upgraded in September 2019 with the iPhone 11’s release. Apple bumped the camera resolution to 12MP and paired it with an f/2.2 lens. Since then, Android smartphones have added 40MP selfie cameras with autofocus, but iPhones have stuck with the same setup. Win a multi-device charger with built-in MagSafe battery pack [Cult of Mac giveaway] Worth $130, the MagEZ Slider from Pitaka is great way to charge your iPhone and AirPods on your desk or nightstand. But better yet, the charger has an integrated battery pack that attaches magnetically to your iPhone to continue charging away from home. Apple pushes ahead with 15-inch M2 MacBook Air and 12-inch M2 MacBook Apple is developing new form factors and planning upgrades for its MacBook lineup, Bloomberg reported Thursday. That should result in a 15-inch M2 MacBook Air and a new version of a 12-inch M2 MacBook arriving by late 2023 or early 2024. Apple may launch 14.1-inch mini-LED iPad Pro with M2 chip Apple is working on an iPad Pro with a 14.1-inch mini-LED display, ProMotion and Face ID, sources suggested on Thursday. Unfortunately for folks who are already salivating at the idea of such a big Apple tablet, it probably won’t arrive until early 2023. Apple TV will stream all Major League Soccer games for 10 years Cupertino unveiled a major new sports deal Tuesday, saying Apple TV will be the exclusive streaming destination for all Major League Soccer (MLS) games for 10 years, starting with the 2023 season.

Send us a text!This week: iO16, macOS Ventura, Stage Manager, M2 MacBook Air — our reactions to all WWDC22's best announcements! This episode supported by Remotely manage your Mac, iPhone, or iPad with Jamf. Manage 3 devices for FREE at jamf.com/beyond 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 These big surprises blew our minds at WWDC22 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro sneaks into WWDC22 with new MacBook Air Meet the svelte new M2 MacBook Air Continuity Camera admits MacBook cameras need help Continuity Camera, a new feature coming in iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, will upgrade video calls by bringing the iPhone’s pristine camera to the Mac. CarPlay kicks into high gear The next-generation system is able to display metrics like speed, distance, engine RPM, gas levels, oil temperature and engine temperature. Massive Home app makeover brings Matter support and more - erfon Among the many new products and features Apple showcased at WWDC22 came news of a revamped Home app for the HomeKit smart-home platform. iPad finally gets floating windows in Stage Manager on iPadOS 16 The new multitasking system is called Stage Manager. “With Stage Manager activated, I can now resize windows exposing a powerful new way to work with apps on iPad,” said Craig Federighi. “And the dock is visible so I can easily get to all my apps.” Ming Chi Kuo says Apple's mixed reality headset will be announced at a special event in January. watchOS 9 brings massive upgrade to Workout app and other health improvements

Send us a text!This week: With WWDC22 RIGHT around the corner, we're talking hardware and software predictions and expectations. This episode supported by Remotely manage your Mac, iPhone, or iPad with Jamf. Manage 3 devices for FREE at jamf.com/beyond 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 Analyst says Apple’s AR headset and realityOS will be a no-show at WWDC22 Apple is unlikely to showcase its long-rumored AR/MR headset — or even demo the realityOS that powers it — at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, according to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Maybe new MacBook Air - range of colors, possibly with M2 (but that probably doesn't make sense, does it? Maybe a new version of M1?) Win a mophie 3-in-1 MagSafe travel charger [Cult of Mac Giveaway] This week’s Cult of Mac giveaway is a 3-in-1 MagSafe travel charger from mophie. The compact charger is perfect for anyone with a busy schedule who’s on the go. You can charge multiple devices simultaneously with this great fold-up Apple accessory. iOS 16 could make your iPhone’s lock screen more useful In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says Apple will overhaul the iPhone lock screen with new wallpapers that offer widget-like features. The report is light on details about this, but it looks like Apple intends to improve the lock screen’s usability with the upcoming iOS release. Under Review! Juuk Vitero Watch Band

Send us a text!This week: we got them! New renders show us exactly what the iPhone 14 will look like. Plus: A new "Studio Display Pro" with mini-LED screen is incoming, and Apple preps a new LARGER HomePod! This episode supported by Remotely manage your Mac, iPhone, or iPad with Jamf. Manage 3 devices for FREE at jamf.com/beyond 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 New renders show iPhone 14 in all its purported purple glory New renders based on the most reliable leaks give us the best look yet at the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro. They show off the "pill and hole" replacement for the notch at the top of the screen and the even-more-bulbous camera hump we've heard of before. iPhone 14 Pro models could feature an always-on display Apple’s upcoming iPhone 14 Pro models could feature always-on displays because of the handsets’ ProMotion technology, which allows for variable refresh rates, a well-known analyst said Tuesday. Win a mophie 3-in-1 MagSafe travel charger [Cult of Mac Giveaway] This week’s Cult of Mac giveaway is a 3-in-1 MagSafe travel charger from mophie. The compact charger is perfect for anyone with a busy schedule who’s on the go. You can charge multiple devices simultaneously with this great fold-up Apple accessory. Studio Display Pro with gorgeous mini-LED screen could launch this fall An enhanced version of the Apple Studio Display will reach customers this fall, according to a very reliable source of insider into. This version of the monitor will feature a mini-LED screen, making it look better than the current model that has a standard LCD. What could be in store for the return of the big HomePod? Apple plans to produce an updated version of the HomePod as soon as the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Friday. This week's Under Review Anker SoundCore Frames https://www.amazon.com/Soundcore-Landmark-Bluetooth-Interchangeable-Polarized/dp/B09DSCDRLT

Send us a text!This week: Apple Watch Series 8 getting the redesign we’ve ALL been waiting for, a cheaper smaller Apple TV is in the works, Apple’s mixed reality headset is ALMOST ready, and working from home vs the office — how much would YOU need to get paid to go back to the office full time? We reveal our numbers! This episode supported by Remotely manage your Mac, iPhone, or iPad with Jamf. Manage 3 devices for FREE at jamf.com/beyond 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 Sound familiar? Apple Watch 8 display might be flat Remember last year when rumors were flying that Apple Watch Series 7 would feature a flat display and squared-off edges? DIDN'T HAPPEN. But a new rumor suggests those traits might define this year's Apple Watch Series 8. More affordable Apple TV might launch soon A new Apple TV streamer will launch in the second half of 2022, according to a trusted analyst. And there’s a hint in the prediction that the device will cost less than its predecessors. Apple shows off AR/VR headset to board of directors Although Apple's VR/AR headset is still supposed to be a secret project, the company's board of directors reportedly got a look at the device recently. This could be a sign the product is moving close to a release. COVID-19 throws off Apple’s return-to-office plan yet again Apple reportedly slowed the pace at which it will require its corporate employees to return to the office. They were scheduled to be back at their desks three days a week starting later this month, but rising numbers of COVID-19 cases supposedly pushed that back. Apple's Director of Machine Learning Resigns Due to Return to Office Work Apple's director of machine learning, Ian Goodfellow, has resigned from his role a little over four years after he joined the company after previously being one of Google's top AI employees, according to The Verge's Zoë Schiffer.

Send us a text!This week: finally! According to a new report, Apple is ditching Lightning for USB-C, and that's going to bring some long-needed new features to iPhone. Plus, the legendary iPod is finally retired. We remember how the device changed Apple and the world. 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 iPhone 15 could finally ditch Lightning in favor of USB-C It looks like Apple is finally preparing to make the switch to USB-C on its iPhone lineup next year. This prediction is based on the latest supply-chain survey by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Win an Aer Fit Pack 3 backpack and go from work to gym in style [Cult of Mac giveaway] This week’s Cult of Mac giveaway is for the Fit Pack 3 backpack from Aer. The Fit Pack 3 is more than just a backpack, though. It’s a hybrid duffle/backpack that will carry you from work to the gym without hassle because it has special compartments for everything. R.I.P. iPod: Apple discontinues its tiny music player It’s the end of an era — Apple has stopped making the once-iconic iPod. The little music player helped save Apple, and made the company a powerhouse in the music industry, but its day is over. Why the iPod was the signature music device of its era Fire, the wheel, and the iPod. In the history of invention, gadgets don’t come more iconic than Apple’s digital music player. The iPod is to the 21st century what the big band was to the ’20s, the radio to the ’40s, or the juke-box to the ’50s — the signature technology that defines the musical culture of the era. And what a marvelous technology the iPod is. An illustrated history of the iPod and its massive impact Tony Fadell on the iPod wheel Throwboy Launches New Mac-Themed Woven Throw Blankets