The CultCast (general)

This week: some super useful new features are FINALLY coming to Apple Music and iCloud; our first impressions of Meta's $1500 "Pro" VR headset; the problem with Apple's "Find My"; and AI creates a creepy podcast episode with Steve Jobs and Joe Rogan.

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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

Roller coasters set off iPhone 14 Crash Detection

  • People are reportedly getting off roller coasters and discovering that their new iPhone 14 called 911 for them. Turns out the handsets mistook thrilling rides for a car wreck and thought their users needed emergency help. It’s an unintended result of Crash Detection, a feature added to Apple’s latest handsets.

Joe Rogan interviews Steve Jobs in eerie, AI-generated podcast - Lewis

  • If you want to hear Steve Jobs talk about the meaning of life, we've got a podcast for you. It's an artificial intelligence-generated conversation between the late Apple co-founder and podcasting superstar Joe Rogan.

Meta Quest Pro: A $1,500 Virtual-Reality Headset for Working in the Metaverse - Wall Street Journal (Joanna Stern)

  • Welcome to Mark Zuckerberg’s vision of the future of work, where we all convene in the metaverse to collaborate and be productive. Oh yes, to achieve this, we all have to have the company’s new $1,500 face computer.

Apple iCloud photo libraries will soon be viewable in Windows

  • It should soon be much easier to access your iPhone's photo collection on a Windows-based PC.

Apple Music finally launches on Xbox

  • Apple Music is now available on the Microsoft Store for the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One, providing subscribers with access to the streaming music service, complete with large album art, full-screen time-synced lyrics, and more. As noted by users on Reddit, music can be played in the background while gaming.

No, Lufthansa isn’t banning AirTags from checked bags

  • German airline Lufthansa is not banning Apple’s AirTags and similar tracking tags from checked luggage, the company said Wednesday.
Direct download: cultcast_564.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:37pm PDT

This week: lawmakers in the EU are forcing iPhone and other devices to go USB-C, remembering Steve Jobs on the 11th anniversary of his passing, and things you didn't know you could do with dynamic island!

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Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs dies at 56

  • October 5, 2011 Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies at the age of 56 in his home in Palo Alto, California.

EU passes law forcing Apple to switch to USB-C by 2024

  • The European Parliament voted in an overwhelming majority Tuesday to enforce USB-C as the standard charging port across a wide range of consumer electronics. The law will come into effect by the end of 2024.

How to control the Dynamic Island with swipes

Take high-resolution 48MP photos with your iPhone 14 Pro

Best Apple Watch Ultra bands: Rugged and ready for adventure

9 things you probably didn’t know about Apple Watch Ultra

Direct download: cultcast_563.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:41pm PDT

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.
Direct download: cultcast_562.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:55pm PDT

This week: Apple Watch Ultra, iPhone 14 Pro, AirPods Pro 2 — our reactions to everything!

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 14 Pro models get major camera upgrades and always-on displays

  • Apple revealed its new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max handsets Wednesday with numerous updates, including massive camera upgrades, always-on displays, an improved A16 chip and the notorious “notch” replaced with a pill-shaped cutout with new “Dynamic Island” interactive functionality.

iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island looks … shockingly original?

  • On iPhone 14 Pro models, the notch is gone! It's replaced by what Apple calls the Dynamic Island -- This transforms the pill-shaped cutout into a wild new way to . Always active, it shows information from native and third-party apps, including alerts, so you can keep track of things at a glance, no matter what app you’re in.

iPhone 14 Plus ushers in big changes

  • The two Pro models usually get all the attention, but it’s the “standard” iPhone that’s the top seller. That makes the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 the most important model introduced at the event.

Apple Watch Ultra is a big, bulky, beautiful beast

  • Measuring 49mm in height, the Ultra is a whopping 4mm taller than the largest Series 7. It boasts the largest watch screen Apple has ever made.

New AirPods Pro support personalized Spatial Audio and precision finding

  • With a new low-distortion audio driver and custom amplifier, Apple says the new H2 chip in AirPods Pro 2 provides an "exceptional acoustic experience", including richer bass and clearer sound across a wider range of frequencies.
Direct download: cultcast_561.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:54pm PDT

This week: ahead of next week's Apple event, we've got last-minute details on iPhone 14 and the super secret Apple Watch Pro!

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

Expect Apple Watch Pro to sport 47mm display

  • A critical detail has leaked about about Apple’s upcoming wearable designed for serious athletes. The new top-tier Apple Watch will have a 47mm screen, according to a new report coming out of Asia.

iPhone 14 Pro ultra-wide camera might surprise with its low-light performance

  • Shocker! It seems Apple has significant camera upgrades planned for this year’s iPhones.
  • Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the iPhone 14 Pro will use a new ultra-wide sensor with larger 1.4µm pixels. That’s up from the current 12MP sensor featuring a 1.0µm pixel size. It is unclear if the ultra-wide camera will also see a resolution bump from 12MP.

iPhone 14 Pro screen cutouts might not look as expected [Updated]

  • Leaks about the “pill and hole” design of the iPhone 14 Pro models started months ago, but Apple still might have a surprise up its sleeve. A new report indicates that software will merge the two display cutouts into one.

Apple and Globalstar Rumored to Announce Satellite Connectivity Feature for iPhone 14 at September 7 Event

  • Apple may announce its long-rumored satellite connectivity feature for the iPhone 14 next month, according to Tim Farrar, a satellite communications consultant at California-based research firm Telecom, Media and Finance Associates.

iPhone 13 might offer emergency satellite communication, too

  • While large swaths of the world have cellular coverage, there are still huge areas without it. That’s a problem for hikers, boaters and anyone traveling through the remote areas without cell service.
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T-Mobile and SpaceX want to connect your iPhone to satellites to end network dead zones

  • You won’t need an iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 for satellite connectivity. SpaceX and T-Mobile have announced their plan to bring cell connectivity everywhere in the US using satellites.

An AI-Generated Artwork Won First Place at a State Fair Fine Arts Competition, and Artists Are Pissed

  • A man came in first at the Colorado State Fair’s fine art competition using an AI generated artwork on Monday. “I won first place,” a user going by Sincarnate said in a Discord post above photos of the AI-generated canvases hanging at the fair.
Direct download: cultcast_560.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:35pm PDT

This week: let's talk Apple's "Far Out" event predictions!

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’s ‘far out’ event invite hints at iPhone 14 features

  • The starry invitation to the September 7 Far Out event that went out this week might drop a clue to one or more long-rumored features finally coming to the iPhone 14.

M2 MacBook Air runs Windows 11 faster than pricier Dell laptop

  • Real-world experiments with the new MacBook Air show Apple’s latest can use Parallels 18 to run Windows 11 faster than a Dell XPS Plus.

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

  • Two lucky winners will receive one Bucardo Apple Pocket Watch and one Bucardo Sports Band. Together, the items in this unique bundle retail for $189. Enter below for your shot at taking home the big prize.

After 20 years, what’s the most ‘Shazamed’ song of all time?

  • Apple bought the popular music-recognition app Shazam, which can name any song you hear, in 2018. Friday marks the app’s 20th birthday. And this week it officially surpassed 70 billion song recognitions, Cupertino said.

MoviePass to relaunch on Labor Day in beta form with pricing ranging from $10-$30 a month

  • MoviePass will relaunch in beta form on Labor Day.

How to get 3 months of Apple TV+ for free (new or returning subscribers)

Direct download: cultcast_559.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:23pm PDT

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

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

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?

Direct download: cultcast_558.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:08pm PDT

This week: we review iOS 16's best new features, and Apple is hard at work on some very interesting new HomePods, including the original HomePod V2!

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

iOS 16 beta 5: All the new features and changes

  • The biggest highlight of iOS 16 beta 5 is the ability to show the battery percentage in the status bar of notched iPhones. Currently, the feature is available on the iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone X and XS series. For some strange reason, the iPhone 11 lineup and both the iPhone mini models are missing from this list, but this could change in a future beta release.

Every new email trick in iOS 16 that you need to know

Enter to win a versatile Laut backpack [Cult of Mac giveaway]

  • We teamed up with Laut to give Cult of Mac readers a chance to win a roomy City Daypack 12ltr Backpack, retailing at $69.99.

'High-Accuracy' Apple Watch Temperature Sensor Revealed by Patent Filing Just Weeks Before Series 8 Unveiling

Gurman: Apple Considering Updated HomePod Mini Alongside New High-End HomePod

Direct download: cultcast_557.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:46pm PDT

This week:

  • M2 MacBook Air blows away other Macs in speed test
  • iPhone 14 Pro always-on screen behavior previewed in new iOS 16 wallpaper details
  • Apple earnings beat pessimistic predictions
  • Apple Maps extends cycling directions to all 50 states
  • NYC man learns the hard way to not track down thieves with an AirTag

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 blows away other Macs in speed test

  • The new M2 MacBook Air got an amazing score on the Speedometer 2.0 benchmarking app. Apple’s latest notebook solidly beat other Macs in this test of web browser speed.

iPhone 14 Pro always-on screen behavior previewed in new iOS 16 wallpaper details

  • 9to5Mac found multiple references to always-on display support in iOS 16, which corroborates all the iPhone 14 Pro rumors.

Apple earnings beat pessimistic predictions

  • Back in April, Apple warned that global supply constraints and COVID-19 lockdowns in China could sap between $4 billion and $8 billion in revenue from the June quarter. The company struggled to assemble enough Macs and iPads to meet demand, though it seems to have kept up with iPhone orders.

Apple Maps extends cycling directions to all 50 states

  • If you ride a bike, now you can now get turn-by-turn navigation from Apple Maps in all 50 states. That’s because cycling directions recently arrived in Hawaii.

I built a time machine. A time machine that sends you back to the era of iPods and boxed

NYC man learns the hard way to not track down thieves with an AirTag

  • A New York City man had his scooter stolen. But he’d put one of Apple’s AirTag item trackers on the bike, so he was able to track down the thieves … who beat the $%#@ out of him.
Direct download: cultcast_556.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:10pm PDT

This week:

  • Former Lamborghini exec will help steer Apple car design team
  • Apple's patent history reveals a major push into autos
  • Why Apple never shipped M1 Mac Pro when it was ready
  • BIG - EU adopts final approval of new rules for app stores
  • This is what Saudi Arabia's 100-mile long emission-free smart city could look like.

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

Former Lamborghini exec will help steer Apple car design team

  • A former Lamborghini executive recently joined Apple to lead design of the company's long-rumored self-driving car, according to a new report Wednesday.

Apple's patent history reveals a major push into autos

  • Nikkei and Intellectual Property Landscape found that as of June 1, Apple applied for and published 248 automobile-related patents after 2000.

Why Apple never shipped M1 Mac Pro when it was ready

  • Apple reportedly had an M1-powered Mac Pro ready to ship months ago but decided against launching it. Instead, the company decided to unveil an M2 Extreme-powered version later this year.

Anker pushes GaN envelope with 6 new fast chargers

DMA: Council gives final approval to new rules for fair competition online

  • With the final adoption of the Digital Markets Act, we will finally make large online platforms responsible for their actions. Hereby, the EU will change the online space worldwide.

Enter to win a 3-in-1 MagSafe charging station and 200W GaN charger bundle [Cult of Mac giveaway]

  • This week we are teaming up with Ugreen to give two lucky winners a shot at winning a sleek 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charging Station, retailing at $159.99, plus a six-port Nexode 200W USB-C Desktop Charger priced at $199.99.

This is what Saudi Arabia's 100-mile long emission-free smart city could look like

  • In 2021, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman revealed the country's plans to build The Line, a smart linear city that will be constructed vertically, have no roads or cars and run purely on renewable energy. Now, the Saudi government has released image renders of what The Line
Direct download: cultcast_555.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:14pm PDT