This week: astounding facts and figures from Apple’s newest earnings report;  Nintendo promises a bunch of new iOS games; how to get the best deal in cloud storage; affordable options for your first drone; the perfect minimalist strap for your mirrorless camera; and we pitch you our favorite gadgets in an all-new Fave N Raves!  💪🏼   This episode supported by Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Got suggestions or feedback for us?  Air your thoughts at TheCultCast.reddit.com.   ‘I’m a Mac’ star Justin Long becomes new face of Huawei phones http://www.cultofmac.com/465034/im-a-mac-star-justin-long-becomes-new-face-of-huawei-phones/ Ever heard of Huawei?  They’re in China. Justin Long, the face of Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign for three years, is now starring in ads for Huawei phones. Huawei is now the third-biggest smartphone maker in the world behind only Apple and Samsung. It shipped 44.9 million handsets last quarter to grab a 10.2 percent of the global market The company is now trying to break into Western markets, with a big focus on the U.S. What better way to do that than with the face of Apple’s famous “Get a Mac” campaign   Nintendo promises at least 2 new mobile games every year http://www.cultofmac.com/465047/nintendo-promises-least-2-new-mobile-games-every-year/ Its new Switch console right around the corner, but Nintendo won’t be losing its focus on Android and iOS. The Japanese firm today confirmed that it plans to release two to three mobile games every year. Super Mario Run attracted a staggering 40 million downloads in just four days when it landed on iOS, and according to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal, it has already made Nintendo over $50 million. Nintendo’s announcement comes a day after it disappointed investors by slashing a third off its forecast operating profit for 2017 — despite the upcoming release of the Switch, which already has support from over 70 game makers developing over 100 titles.   Apple shatters records with blockbuster Q1 2017 earnings http://www.cultofmac.com/464838/apple-shatters-records-blockbuster-q1-2017-earnings/ Surprise!  Apple sold more iPhone units than ever before last quarter With total revenues of $78.4 billion bringing in a profit of $17.9 billion, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he is “thrilled” with the results. Apple only expected to sell between 76 million and 78 million iPhones in the quarter, but it managed to move 78.3 million. Cook told investors today that he still views the smartphone market as being in the “early innings.” MacBook Pro with Touch Bar that was the most pre-ordered MacBook ever. The iPad lineup sold 13.1 million units, down 19 percent from the year-ago quarter. Apple raked in $7.2 billion in revenue from services last quarter, including $3 billion in App Store purchases in December alone — the biggest month ever. Apple Pay users tripled in the past year, with transaction value increasing 500 percent. Selling apps, music, movies, iCloud storage and AppleCare has now become Apple’s second-largest moneymaker. In fact, Apple expects revenue from services to swell to the size of a Fortune 100 company by the end of the year.   iPhone 7 snaps Apple’s losing streak http://www.cultofmac.com/464866/iphone-7-snaps-apples-losing-streak/ 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.   Fave N Rave Picks Stealth Sling Strap from Cub and Company  Parrot Bebop Drone Monowear Ceramic watch band 3DR Solo Drone JETTech Milanese Loop

This week: Apple’s weirdest, whackiest, and worst products!  Plus: how Michael Scott almost single-handedly destroyed Apple; the cool new features in the iOS and macOS betas; facial recognition is coming to iPhone; and a look at the beautiful prototypes that led to some of Apple’s most iconic products.’   This episode supported by   Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney This week’s intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ln_CmNtbvQ   Apple hires Dropcam co-founder for special project http://www.cultofmac.com/464072/apple-hires-dropcam-cofounder-special-project/ Apple has added another high-profile hire to its roster of top tech talent by bringing on the co-founder and former CEO of Dropcam, Greg Duffy. Dropcam grew in popularity thanks to its cheap home cameras that connected to Wi-Fi Citing “people who know Mr. Duffy,” the news site suggests he is leading a special project that’s operating like a startup within Apple.   Apple seeds first iOS 10.3 beta with Find My AirPods feature http://www.cultofmac.com/463848/apple-seeds-first-ios-10-3-beta-find-airpods/ Finding your tiny AirPods charging case is about to get a lot easier, thanks to a new iOS 10 beta that adds a Find My AirPods feature to iPhones and iPads. Works via the find my iPhone app Works with Bluetooth  so the range is limited. You can make them chirp, but not while they’re in the case… Map will show you where they were last located.   iOS 11 expected to bring FaceTime group calls http://www.cultofmac.com/463640/ios-11-expected-to-bring-facetime-group-calls/ iOS 11 will finally give users the ability to hold FaceTime group calls with multiple friends, according to a new report. Sources familiar with Apple’s plans claim the feature will support up to five participants, and that users will be able to initiate video calling from within iMessage group chats. It should also be noted, though, that this rumor comes from Israeli site The Verifier, which has no track record when it comes to Apple rumors. It claims to have garnered this information from “several people familiar with iOS development.”   Hartmut Esslinger http://www.designboom.com/technology/hartmut-esslingers-early-apple-computer-and-tablet-designs/ In the mid 1970s, he first worked with Sony on its trinitron and Wega ranges. In the early 1980s, he began working with Apple.

This week: 2017 brings the super-charged MacBook Pro you’ve been waiting for—yes, another update!  Then, a former employee says Tim Cook's making Apple boring...  Is it true?  Plus: we get more evidence Apple will be making TV shows and movies; and iPhone 8 may be packing friggin’ lasers and facial recognition.   This episode supported by  Build a beautiful, responsive website quick atSquarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean.  Check them out now at CultCloth.co, and use code “CultCast” at checkout to score a free 8x8 CleanCloth!   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   This week’s Intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak2ZWDnERtA   2017 MacBook Pro to bring Intel Kaby Lake, 32GB of RAM http://www.cultofmac.com/462777/new-macbook-pro-intel-kaby-lake-32gb-ram-arrive-year/   Apple will launch a new 15-inch MacBook Pro later this year powered by Intel’s next-generation Kaby Lake processors and 32GB of desktop-class RAM, according to a reliable analyst. According to reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has a MacBook Pro refresh planned for later this year that will bring new Kaby Lake CPUs and up to 32GB of desktop-class RAM. It will be “the most significantly redesigned product this year,” Kuo says. Kuo doesn’t mention specific release dates for any of these machines, but he expects the MacBook with 32GB of RAM to arrive sometime during the second half of 2017 — at which point Apple could reduce the price of the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar. Kaby Lake will also grace the rest of the MacBook Pro lineup — and the 12-inch MacBook, too, Kuo claims Former employee explains how Tim Cook made Apple boring http://www.cultofmac.com/462906/former-employee-explains-tim-cook-made-apple-boring/ Tim Cook’s kinder, gentler management style is the biggest reason why 2016 was one of the most boring years for Apple in recent memory, according to a former employee of the company. Steve Jobs was notorious for inciting conflict and competition between top employees After Cook took over, he worked to eliminate conflict within Cupertino’s walls and made employees less passionate, claims ex-Apple employee Bob Burrough. "Tim Cook fired Scott Forstall and aligned the executive staff so as to have peace. ...which is to say there is no conflict”   Apple Plans to Launch Original TV Shows Comparable to 'Westworld' and 'Stranger Things' By End of 2017 http://www.macrumors.com/2017/01/12/apple-original-tv-shows-end-of-2017/ According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple is building a "significant" business centered around creating original, including scripted television shows and possibly even movies. The content would reportedly be made available on Apple Music, like the already-announced projects Carpool Karaoke and Vital Signs. Apple executives have told Hollywood that the new original content will launch by the end of 2017, according to the new report. The move is looked at as a way for Apple to gain an edge against Spotify, and not a move to compete with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.   iPhone 8 may pack frickin’ lasers for facial recognition http://www.cultofmac.com/463022/iphone-8-may-pack-frickin-lasers-facial-recognition/ Apple’s next iPhone may come with new facial recognition technology and actual friggin’ laser beams, according to an analyst. By adding lasers near the front-facing camera, Apple will be able to depth-map objects, according to analysts at Cowen and Company. The camera could also be used for image recognition, enhancing security and fueling augmented reality.   iPhone 8 may have even higher waterproof rating http://www.cultofmac.com/462289/iphone-8-may-even-higher-waterproof-rating/ Apple may be planning to make its next iPhone even more waterproof, according to the newest rumor “Apple’s iPhone 8 will feature the IP68 rating protection as part of drastic upgrades marking the 10th anniversary of the iPhone this year,” reports South Korean news site, The Investor, citing an industry source.   Mavic Pro: The coolest gadget since the original iPhone [Reviews] http://www.cultofmac.com/458941/mavic-pro-coolest-gadget-since-original-iphone-reviews/

This week: we reveal our current favorite gadgets!  Plus: is MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar a gimmick?  Then: Apple set to unveil three new iPads; rumors point to an Apple augmented reality headset later this year; and don’t miss our exhaustive AirPods review—we tell you what we love and we what we don’t!   This episode supported by   Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   This week’s intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sI7hQvQy8A   Apple to deliver 3 new iPads this spring, but no new mini http://www.cultofmac.com/461586/apple-deliver-3-new-ipads-spring-no-new-mini/ iPads are getting stale… The only model introduced in 2016 was the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the iPad mini haven’t seen a refresh since 2015. The iPad Air 2 has been the same since October 2014. According to one Ming Chi Quo, Apple is focusing its efforts on updating the 9.7-inch iPad and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and on introducing a new model with a 10- to 10.5-inch display. It’s unclear whether the cheaper device will support Apple Pencil or the Smart Connector, but Kuo says it won’t have the new A10X chip, which will be exclusive to the larger models. Instead, it will be powered by the same A9 chip found in the iPhone 6s series Ming-Chi Kuo, widely regarded as one of the world’s best Apple analysts, doesn’t expect Cupertino to launch an AR product until at least 2018   Why the rumor that Apple will launch AR glasses in 2017 is ridiculous http://www.cultofmac.com/461787/ridiculous-rumor-apple-ar-glasses-2017/ Apple is teaming up with Zeiss to create augmented-reality glasses that will be unveiled later this year, according to long-time tech blogger Robert Scoble. “A Zeiss employee confirmed the rumors that Apple and Carl Zeiss AG are working on a light pair of augmented reality/mixed reality glasses that may be announced this year,” Scoble wrote in a Facebook post. “I thought it was next year but now that I saw this I believe it will happe this year.”

This week: the worst gadgets of CES 2017!  Yup, we run through the gizmos no one on the earth actually needs.  Then we spice things up with our most hotly anticipated tech of 2017.  And finally, we’re gonna be real with you guys… Apple had a rough 2016.  But that’s all behind us now.  It’s a new year. It’s a fresh start.  We discuss what Apple needs to get right in 2017. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r  This episode supported by Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   This week’s intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iozxkxTMSLI   Flow is a wearable that helps you avoid nasty air pollution https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/04/plume-labs-flow-air-sensor-hands-on/ It can measure dust, exhaust fumes and other harmful gases, as well as the household chemicals you might encounter indoors.   Smart hairbrush tells your iPhone if you’re not brushing properly http://www.cultofmac.com/460920/smart-hairbrush/ Every year at CES, there’s one gadget that epitomizes the crazier side of Silicon Valley’s “connected tech” smart devices mania. To do this, the smart hairbrush relies on motion sensors for monitoring your brushing patterns, conductivity sensors for spotting whether your hair is wet or dry, and a microphone for identifying “manageability, frizziness, dryness, split ends and breakage.” The brush also vibrates if you use it too vigorously. All this data gets sent to your iPhone, where an app gives you a hair quality score, tells you which parts of your brushing need work, and offers hairstyling products to buy.   OWC’s gigantic dock adds more ports to the new MacBook Pro http://www.cultofmac.com/460947/owcs-gigantic-dock-adds-ports-new-macbook-pro/ OWC teased a new accessory called the DEC dock for MacBook Pro at CES it's a slab that sticks to the bottom of the laptop to add up to 4TB of additional flash or SSD storage, an SD card slot, full-sized USB 3.0 ports and an Ethernet jack for wired internet. The downside is that it makes your new laptop as chunky as the 2012 model. From a depth of around 0.6 inches, you'll now have a machine that's almost an inch thick. OWC chief Larry O'Connor said they've been developing the concept for over three years and feel like the time is right to release it. The company doesn't have a release date and pricing info for the DEC yet   Griffin connects your toast to your phone https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/04/griffin-connects-your-toast-to-your-phone/

This week, it's our epic final episode of 2016!  We’ll wrap up the year with our hands-on review of the hottness themselves, Apple’s AirPods.  Then… is Apple’s “Golden Era” drawing to a close?  We discuss.  And finally, ya’ll know we review a lot of products during the year—we’ll reveal our absolute favorite gadgets of 2016!   This episode supported by CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Tim Cook calls AirPods a ‘runaway success’ http://www.cultofmac.com/460073/tim-cook-calls-airpods-runaway-success/ During a short interview, Cook told CNBC the new AirPods are a “runaway success” and that the company is making them as fast as it can. Cook didn’t divulge details on how well the company is doing, but he did hint that the holiday was really good to Apple.   Every Apple store worldwide is sold out of AirPods http://www.cultofmac.com/460047/apple-airpods-worldwide/ According to airpods.isinstock.com, and istocknow.com, Airpods are sold out at every Apple Store in the world Apple stores have been getting in very limited quantities and they “sell out in minutes”   All the ways Apple disappointed us in 2016 http://www.cultofmac.com/459403/apple-disappointments-2016/ Some are saying 2016 is the year that appl's 'golden age' drew to a close Our favorite gadgets of 2016!   Leander 3DR Solo Drone  Amazon Echo  Eero mesh router  Netgear Orbi mesh router    Erfon Segway miniPRO  Fuji X-T1 (or the newer X-T2) Philips Hue Lightstrip  Philips White and Color light kit  Philips Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected  Philips Sonicare Adaptive Replacement toothbrush heads  Buster DJI Mavic Pro  Sony RX100  Yuneec E-GO Electric Skateboard

This week: everything we like (and don’t) about AirPods; the insider way to lock down your own AirPods without waiting 6 weeks; Apple’s Mac division has a falling out with Jony Ive; and we remember the best of Apple, 2016. This episode supported by   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co. On the show this week @erfon / @lewiswallace / “at” David Pierini   Mac division has ‘lost clout’ with Jony Ive and Apple design team http://www.cultofmac.com/459078/mac-division-has-lost-clout-with-jony-ive-and-design-team/ Apple’s Mac team has reportedly “lost clout” with the company’s industrial design group and software team, claims a new report The picture painted by Mark Gurman as Bloomberg is a Mac division with a lack of clear direction from senior management, departures of key employees, and technical challenges — all conspiring to make the Mac one of Apple’s forgotten divisions. The article notes that ever since last year’s reshuffle of Apple’s design team, meetings between the Mac team and the industrial design team have become less frequent. It also notes more than a dozen engineers and managers working on the Mac have left over the past 18 months, with at least a sizable percentage put off by their lack of clarity about the “future of Mac hardware.” One possible problem is the lack of a singular vision driving the division. Instead of having one concept to work on, increasingly engineers are — in the words of one source — “asked to develop multiple options in hopes that one of them will be shippable.” The result is that resources become more thinly spread than ever, while products ship later. Mac generates about 10 percent of Apple sales     Don’t worry, Tim Cook says new iMacs are coming http://www.cultofmac.com/459110/dont-worry-tim-cook-says-new-imacs-coming/ The iMac didn’t get much love in 2016, but according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, killer new desktop Macs are coming. In a note to Apple employees, Cook assured staff that desktop computers are still “really important” and that they shouldn’t worry about future machines. “Some folks in the media have raised the question about whether we’re committed to desktops,” Cook wrote according to TechCrunch. “If there’s any doubt about that with our teams, let me be very clear: we have great desktops in our roadmap. Nobody should worry about that.”   The 10 best Apple ads of 2016 http://www.cultofmac.com/458093/the-10-best-apple-ads-of-2016/

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!   This episode supported by   Jamf Now's cloud-based Mobile Device Management is the affordable way to manage the iPads, iPhones, and Macs in your workplace, and you can manage 3 devices free at jamf.com/CultCast.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co. On the show this week @erfon / @lewiswallace / @lkahney   Mario Run to the Apple store to snag Nintendo’s first major iOS game. http://www.cultofmac.com/458332/ready-get-set-go-download-super-mario-run-for-ios/ AirPods finally available with shipping in time for Christmas http://www.cultofmac.com/458057/airpods-shipping-time-christmas/ Apple’s long-awaited wireless AirPods are finally available to buy through Apple’s online store — priced at $159. While it’s not known when they’ll be available for sale in brick-and-mortar Apple retail stores, you can breathe a sigh of relief, since orders placed through Apple’s online store are currently showing a pre-Christmas delivery date of December 21 Apple said AirPods will be available for purchase at Apple stores by next week, as well as authorized resellers, and select carriers. Apple also said stores will receive "regular AirPods shipments”   iOS 10.2 is out with new emoji, TV app and wallpapers http://www.cultofmac.com/457945/ios-10-2-new-emoji-tv-app-wallpapers/#more-457945 iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users get a couple of new wallpapers in the new update. There are also more than 100 new emoji, including new characters for shrug, avocado, gorilla, shark and bacon.   tvOS 10.1 update brings Apple’s TV app to the living room http://www.cultofmac.com/457950/tvos-10-1-update-brings-apples-tv-app-living-room/ TV fans can binge on all their shows in one place with Apple’s new TV app, which simplifies the experience. With the new single sign-on feature, you can quickly access your subscribed content on all your devices. (Here’s how to set up single sign-on for Apple TV and iOS devices.)   Lewis reviews these IQBuds AirPod alternatives http://www.nuheara.com   The best shows of 2016! Peeky Blinders! Sherlock! The Walking Dead! Westworld! Stranger Things! Boogie2988 (Youtube)! People Vs. OJ Simpson! The Crown!

This week: why Apple is done chasing big hit products.  Plus: the demise of Pebble Watch is a bad omen for wearables; Foxconn secretly prepares to make more Apple products in the US; and we remember our favorite movies of 2016! This episode supported by   Harry’s super-sharp, German-made razors ship free right to your door and for way less than the drugstore razors. Get a free trial set at Harrys.com and score free post shave balm with code CultCast at checkout.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @lewiswallace / @lkahney   Apple stops swinging for the fences http://www.cultofmac.com/456698/apple-stops-swinging-fences/#more-456698 Apple analyst Horrace Dediu says Apple’s cultural identity is undergoing a dramatic shift Instead of being in the “new hit product business”, Dediu told said that Apple is trying to become a “services and recurring-revenue business.” Dediu argues that constantly trying for home runs has been demoralizing for employees, so Apple CEO Tim Cook move away from that attitude. Will Apple ever have another “iPhone”? Apple Says 35% of U.S. Merchants Accept Apple Pay http://www.macrumors.com/2016/12/06/apple-pay-35-percent-us-merchants/ Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey has announced that 35% of U.S. merchants now accept Apple Pay. Bailey says the new EMV chip cards are annoying customers and have helped drive adoption. New chip cards are the worst!!   Fitbit Buyout Will See Pebble's Time 2 and Core Wearables Canceled, Refunds Issued http://www.macrumors.com/2016/12/07/fitbit-pebble-time-core-smartwatches-canceled/ Bloomberg has report that Fitbit is buying out Pebble The buyout will cost "less than $40 million" and is only for Pebble's software assets, which Fitbit wants "in a bid to better compete with Apple” Pebble watch hardware is dead, with support ending sometime in the future. All pending orders will be canceled and refunded. I’m still not convinced smart watches will be around in 5 years. Tim Cook has just announced that Apple Watch sales are “off the charts,” but Sales of Apple Watch are down more than 70 percent, according to IDC Research. iPhone Assembler Foxconn in Early Talks to Expand U.S. Operations http://www.macrumors.com/2016/12/07/foxconn-preliminary-discussions/ According to Reuters, Apple manufacturer Foxconn is in the beginning stages of building a collection of assembly plants within the United States CNBC has alleged that Foxconn will be investing $7 billion into its U.S. expansion and aiming for the creation of 50,000 jobs After being outed by CNBC, Foxconn simply has states that more details will come after its finished talks with "the relevant U.S. officials” In a call made to Trump by Apple CEO Tim Cook, Trump mentioned told Tim that one of his goals would is be to "get Apple to build a big plant in the United States”  Foxconn does have manufacturing facilities on a very small scale in the U.S., in Virginia and Indiana, along with logistic locations in California and Texas Will Apple every had major manufacturing back in the US?

This week: why building a Hackintosh can get you the monster Mac you’ve always wanted.  Plus: Apple analyst Ming-Chi Quo reveals iPhone 8’s marquee feature; AirPods ship date is finally revealed; and stick around for our top Apple Airport router replacement picks! This episode supported by Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Apple’s long-awaited AirPods will ship in ‘next few weeks’ http://www.cultofmac.com/456343/apples-long-awaited-airpods-will-ship-next-weeks/ Apple revealed the earbuds alongside the iPhone 7, promising an October delivery date, but anxious customers have not been able to buy a set. In  email obtained by MacRumors, a customer asks Tim Cook where his AirPods are. Customer’s comment: “Give us a release date. I really bought in to the wireless vision you painted….Let us know if it’s a month or 6 months, because then I’ll just buy some other wireless headphones.” Tim Cook’s response: “Thanks for your note. Sorry for the delay—we are finalizing them and I anticipate we will begin to ship over the next few weeks.”   Innovative iPhone 8 could shatter sales records http://www.cultofmac.com/456153/iphone8-sales-records/ Apple has big plans for the iPhone 8, claims KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. According to Kuo, Apple will be scaling up iPhone production 120-150 million units in the second half of 2017. If true, this would would be well above the 110-120 million units Apple ordered of its bestselling iPhone 6 generation handsets. Kuo claims this “unprecedented” demand will be centered around the myriad big improvements Apple has planned for its next-gen iPhone series.   iPhone 8’s glass design will finally bring wireless charging https://www.cultofmac.com/455354/wireless-charging-iphone8/ The rumored decision to adopt a glass chassis for the next-generation iPhone is reportedly fueled by a desire to improve wireless charging, another key feature supposedly coming to Apple’s 2017 phone. The report comes from notable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claims that all 2017-era iPhones will boast the long-awaited wireless charging tech. Earlier this year, a report from Bloomberg said Apple was working with partners to overcome current technical barriers with wireless technology, including loss of power over distance. If successful, innovation could make Apple’s version of wireless charging considerably more advanced than Samsung’s.   How to watch Netflix offline http://www.cultofmac.com/456317/how-to-watch-netflix-offline/ An update to the official Netflix app lets you download TV shows and movies so you can view them without munching through your data allowance. “Not all titles are available for download,” according to Netflix. “If you have a particular title in mind, you can search for that title and look for the download icon.   People love Apple’s doomed AirPort more than any other router http://www.cultofmac.com/456384/people-love-apples-doomed-airport-router/ According to the more than 3,000 customers polled in J.D. Power’s 2016 Wireless Router Satisfaction Report released today, please love Apple’s routers more than any other. The top gripes were how often users had to reset their routers, general data speeds, and the difficulty of getting them set up. Apple was the only company to receive a 5-star Power Circle consumer rating, which places it "among the best" according to J.D. Power.