The CultCast

Send us a text!This week: Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set for June 7, and the “M1X” MacBook Pro will almost certainly be making its debut. We’ll tell you all we know. Plus: Prosser says a Pro version of the Mac Mini with M1X is incoming, Apple may be making moves into crypto, and a BIG update on Apple Music lossless and your HomePod. 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, decidated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend! 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, 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 Apple details plans for WWDC 2021 Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference is scheduled for June 7, and on Monday the iPhone-maker revealed that the all-important keynote address for WWDC 2021 will be held at 10 a.m. PDT on that day. This is almost certainly when they wraps will come off the next major upgrades for iOS, macOS and the company’s other operating systems. WWDC Invite all but confirms new MacBook Pros! The evidence: https://twitter.com/SamiFathi_/status/1396861652012785669 Prosser now confirming new MacBook Pros coming to WWDC: https://twitter.com/jon_prosser/status/1396915038154334214 Next Mac mini refresh could bring slimmer design, faster ‘M1X’ chip Apple’s next Mac mini refresh could prove even more exciting than the last, thanks to a slimmer chassis design and a faster “M1X” chipset, according to a reliable leaker. Apple could be cashing into cryptocurrency It’s no rumor that Apple is looking for an expert in alternative payment providers. The job description is for someone with at least five years experience with “digital wallets, BNPL, Fast Payments, cryptocurrency and etc.” Apple Music lossless WILL be coming to your HomePods, but AirPods Max still uncertain https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212183 HomePod Mini specs AirPods Max specs

Send us a text!This week: the new M2 MacBook Pros are right around the corner, along with a new and larger “Pro” iMac. We’ll share the details! Plus: everything you need to know about Apple’s new Lossless audio format coming soon to Apple Music. This is going to be a huge leap in sound quality, and it’s totally free! And Lewis fills us in on Apple’s wild new accessibility features coming to Apple Watch. 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, decidated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend! 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, 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 Redesigned MacBook Pro could arrive this summer, larger iMac in the works A redesigned MacBook Pro could hit Apple Store shelves as early as this summer, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. Apple Watch Series 7 might feature flat-edged design, green color option [Updated] The next-gen Apple Watch could get a huge makeover, with a new, flat-edged design and a green option reminiscent of the AirPods Max. Apple Music will add lossless audio, Spatial Audio for no extra cost Apple Music is going lossless — at no extra cost to subscribers. Apple revealed the free upgrade Monday, a day ahead of its rumored launch. The company said Apple Music will bring lossless audio to more than 75 million tracks starting in June so listeners can hear songs “the way the artists created them in the studio.” Spotify HiFi: quality, price, release date, free trial and latest news Spotify HiFi is the popular music streaming service's long-anticipated entry into CD-quality streaming. Set to launch in 2021, it will allow Spotify Premium subscribers to 'upgrade' their membership so they can listen to higher-quality, lossless audio streams. AirPods, HomePod lose out on Apple Music lossless audio streaming [Updated] Apple Music fans who are super-excited about the just-announced lossless audio option should be aware that it won’t work with AirPods or HomePod. Not even the $549 AirPods Max. What you need

Send us a text!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 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, 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

Send us a text!This week: Apple’s working on a folding iPhone, and it’ll be here sooner than you think! We’ll fill you in. Plus: A new sensor could turn 2022 Apple Watch into a doctor on your wrist, the honest truth about AirTags, and an EPIC update on Apple Vs. Fortnite. 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 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, 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 8-inch folding iPhone might launch in 2023 A folding iPhone is two years away, according to a trusted industry analyst. When open, the device will have an 8-inch screen, significantly bigger than the current largest iOS model, which has a 6.7-inch display. New sensor could turn 2022 Apple Watch into a doctor on your wrist A deal between Apple and Rockley Photonics could add new medical sensors to the Apple Watch in 2022. That might include non-invasive monitoring of blood sugar levels, body temperature and blood pressure. It might even add the ability to measure blood-alcohol levels. Creeps could use AirTags to stalk people with ‘frightening’ ease While Apple says that it’s been careful to incorporate anti-stalking measures to stop the AirTags being used in this way, a Washington Post report argues that Apple’s countermeasures are not effective. AirTag Owners Bemoan Inability to Let Others Track Their Items Via Family Sharing On the face of it, sharing the location of an AirTag via Apple's Family Sharing feature should be a no-brainer, since individual members in a Family Sharing group can use the Find My app to see the location of other family members' Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, AirPods, and Apple Watches. rint a variety of useful AirTag holders with these free 3D models It’s not necessary to buy an accessory to attach an Apple AirTag to your keys, bike or dog’s collar if you own a 3D printer. Read Epic Games’ reasonable idea for opening up the App Store Epic Games suggested a change to the i

Send us a text!This week: redesigned M2 MacBook Pros are incoming! And they’re gonna be awesome… we’ll tell you everything we know. Plus: we’ll bring you the highlights from Apple’s blockbuster quarter, and discuss the two insanely great features introduced in iOS 14.5. 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 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, 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 Apple tipster claims M1 iMac, new iPad Pro, updated Apple TV 4K will go on sale May 21 [Updated] According to (generally) reliable Apple tipster Jon Prosser, Apple will release its new 2021 iMac, iPad Pro with M1 chip, and faster Apple TV 4K with redesigned Siri Remote on May 21. 5 takeaways from Apple’s latest Mac-tastic quarter Apple pulled in more revenue from selling Macs last quarter than it ever has before. Not just the most revenue it’s ever made in a January-through-March quarter. The most revenue ever. There’s been no back-to-school rush or holiday shopping season that resulted in $9.1 billion in Mac sales. And that’s an amazing increase of 70% compared to the same quarter last year. iOS 14.5 brings App Tracking Transparency, mask-friendly Face ID Apple on Monday gave all iPhone users access to iOS 14.5. And iPad users can install iPadOS 14.5 Today’s updates bring a ton of new features, including unlocking an iPhone with an Apple Watch while wearing a mask.

Send us a text!This week: our reactions and first impressions to all the hardware announced at Apple's Spring Loaded keynote event! 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 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, 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 Apple AirTag tracking tags will help you find all the things AirTags appear in a new Items tag in the Find My app. This allows users to order a tracking tag to play a sound, making the device easier to find. But that’s just the start. The software uses an onscreen pointer to guide the user to the exact location of a misplaced item. The accuracy of UWB should really come in handy here. M1 iMac is faster, thinner and more incredible than ever The world’s most popular all-in-one now runs on Apple Silicon. The all-new and beautifully colorful iMac, unveiled today at Apple’s Spring Loaded event, packs a blazing-fast M1 chip into an aluminum form factor that’s just 11.5mm thick. 2021 iPad Pro boasts M1 processor, beautiful mini-LED display The 2021 iPad Pro is built around an Apple M1 processor that brings a tremendous speed boost. Apple is saying 50% faster CPU and 40% faster GPU. Apple TV 4K gets speedy A12 chip and sweet new Siri Remote Apple took the wraps off the new sixth-generation Apple TV 4K on Tuesday. The upgraded set-top box boasts Apple’s A12 Bionic chip, which should bring a welcome performance boost. But perhaps more importantly, Apple redesigned the controversial Siri Remote.

Send us a text!This week: This week: what hardware will be announced at next week’s Apple event? We got it all figured out!. Plus: Apple’s got a zany new HomePod under development, and Apple TV+ is about to get some big upgrades. 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 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, 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 / @lewiswallace Apple’s ‘Spring Loaded’ event happens April 20: Here’s what to expect The next Apple product-release event will happen April 20. Invites went out Tuesday morning for the virtual “Spring Loaded” event, just hours after Siri leaked the date. Mini-LED iPad Pro is on the way this month, but good luck getting it right away The new iPad Pro likely will be Apple’s first hardware release of 2021. Despite the comparatively paltry upgrades this year. The next-gen iPad Pro will be Apple’s first to boast Mini-LED display technology, offering superior screens visuals to the current LCD displays. However, this new screen tech will only be available on the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, not the 11-inch model. Apple Plans First iMac Desktop Redesign in Nearly a Decade Apple Inc. is planning the first redesign of its iMac all-in-one desktop computer since 2012, part of a shift away from Intel Corp. processors to its own silicon, according to people familiar with the plans. Apple could combine HomePod speaker, Apple TV and smart camera for ultimate smart home device Apple is working on a new smart home product that would combine Apple TV, a HomePod speaker and a camera for FaceTime or Zoom-style video conferencing, Bloomberg reported Monday. Apple TV+ will get at least 10-12 original movies per year Apple TV+ is looking to ramp up its investment in original movies, and has hired a former WarnerMedia executive to help it, claims The Information. The Matrix 4: Cast, release date, plot and everything you need to know

Send us a text!This week: Apple preps “Find My” to locate ALL your gadgets; a big update to Apple Arcade may finally make it worth the price; Will.i.am is back a ridiculous new tech product you might actually want; and we try to figure out Falcon and Winter Soldier is actually good in an all-new Under Review! 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 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, 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 Apple opens Find My network to third-party gadgets The Find My application built into iOS and macOS finally opened up to device trackers made by other companies, not just Apple. Wednesday’s move allows iPhones, Macs and iPads to locate lost items produced by third-party accessory makers without needing to install additional software. New Star Trek and NBA games lead major Apple Arcade expansion Apple made a huge push for its gaming service on Friday, launching 11 original games. These cover a range of genres, from NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition to Star Trek: Legends. And Fantasian from the creator of the Final Fantasy series also launched in Apple Arcade. Plus many, many more. Fantasian from the creator of Final Fantasy launches on Apple Arcade Apple Arcade subscribers are in for a treat. Hironobu Sakaguchi, who also made the classic Final Fantasy series, also created Fantasian for Apple’s gaming service. It mixes computer-generated characters with handmade sets for a truly unique look. Will.i.am's i is a $299 HEPA face mask with ANC earphones built in With face coverings becoming a necessity during the pandemic, we've seen countless variations on masks from the worlds of fashion, merchandise and tech. Enter Willi.i.am, a pop star who has tried with varying levels of success to straddle all of those industries. The Black Eyed Peas frontman has teamed up with Honeywell on a $299 tech-imbued face mask that wouldn't look out of place in a cyberpunk movie or game.

Send us a text!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! 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 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, 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 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

Send us a text!This week: we now have our best look yet at iPhone 13, and Apple is packing in tons of great features—we’ll give you all the juicy details. Plus: Apple packed two hidden features into HomePod mini, Jon Prosser says so long to his eyebrows, and we’ll tell you how to get your old AirPods back to working like new! 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 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, 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 iPhone 13 may boast 1TB storage, LiDAR on all model The iPhone 13 will boast a maximum storage capacity that’s double that of the iPhone 12, according to Wedbush analysts Strecker Backe and Daniel Ives in a new note to clients, seen by Cult of Mac. Leaked iPhone 13 screen panel photo shows shrinking notch The notch in this autumn’s iPhone 13 will slim down noticeably, according to pictures that supposedly show the front glass panels of the upcoming handset. None of the components will be removed, just rearranged. Apple leaker Jon Prosser shaves eyebrows after missing key prediction Prosser was so sure we’d get a March 23rd Apple event, he promised to shave his eyebrows off if he was wrong. Unfortunately for Jon, his prediction was as wrong as his face without eyebrows. HomePod Mini Features Dormant Temperature and Humidity Sensor That Could Be Activated in a Future Software Update Apple's HomePod mini includes a dormant hidden sensor that can measure temperature and humidity, potentially providing the means to power upcoming features that could arrive in a future software update, according to Bloomberg. Two College Roommates and Some Robots: How Podswap Replaces AirPod Batteries Like most AirPod owners, Emily Alpert found that, after 18 months, her wireless buds didn’t last, not even for one full run. Unlike most AirPod owners, Alpert, along with her best friend, got a robot to fix her problem.