This week on The CultCast: SEE, Morning Show, For all Mankind—here are our reviews of Apple’s new TV shows—spoiler free! Plus: the one part of AppleTV+ that needs a total overhaul; and Apple’s new HomePod update includes a new hidden talent.

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Apple TV+ blesses us with highest-quality 4K streams

• Apple’s new service streams the highest-quality 4K content yet. Better than all the rest.
• That’s according to new tests that measure the bitrate of video streams. They reveal See has the highest bitrate so far, closely following by The Elephant Queen.
• See’s average bitrate of 29 Mbps, which can peak to 41 Mbps, is the highest measured so far. The Elephant Queen averages around 26 Mbps, while Dickinson peaks at around 24 Mbps.

Opinion: The worst part of Apple TV+ is the TV app

• The idea of the TV app, introduced in 2016, was to combine all the TV shows and movies from all of the apps and unify the viewing experience into a single interface, with a combined Up Next queue.

How to play relaxing, ambient sounds with your HomePod

• How about a nice, relaxing rainstorm to help you fall asleep? Or some white noise to fill the space left by your grownup children when they left you behind to start their own lives? If you have a HomePod running iOS 13.2 or later, your smart speaker stands ready to help blank out the soul-bleeding silence of your empty life. You just need to ask.

This week on The CultCast: AirPod Pros! You want them, we got them. We’ll tell you what’s new, what’s good, what’s not, and how they compare to the regular AirPods. We've got LOTS to say… Plus: the first AppleTV+ reviews are trickling in, and, well… they’re not great.

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Unboxing the floating DeLorean from Back To the Future 2!

AirPods Pro — EVEN BETTER than I hoped! (unboxing, first impressions, sound test REACTION)

Apple’s new AirPods Pro with noise cancellation are already here

• Apple has unleashed AirPods Pro with an all-new design and active noise cancellation, but are they worth the premium price tag?

First damning Apple TV+ reviews indicate an alarming lack of vision [Opinion]

• The first Apple TV+ reviews are out — and, broadly speaking, they’re not great. Critics generally slammed the marquee shows on the Apple TV+ slate. Anyone wanting to pull together a movie poster with positive pull-quotes would need to do some serious wading through bile to emerge with choice excerpts.
• For example, The Morning Show — Apple’s pricey, A-list newsroom drama — got slammed in one review as a “painful belly flop.”
• The Telegraph, meanwhile, slams See, Apple’s answer to Game of Thrones, as “likely to collapse under the weight of its own self-importance.” TVLinedescribes a “largely incoherent story” filled with “goofy confidence
• Variety writer Daniel D’Addario had this to say:
• • “None of the shows, to my eye, are truly successful because each feels in its own way curated to death, overworked with an eye on transmitting quality rather than actually allowing it to spontaneously happen.

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

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

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

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

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

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

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

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

Under Review!

TP-Link M9 Plus mesh routers

Logitech MX Master 3 Advanced Wireless Mouse

Logitech Keys

Grovemade iPhone cases

This week on The CultCast: iPhone SE 2 is almost here! And its specs and price are SURPRISING... Plus: finally! Long awaited camera upgrades are coming to iOS 13; Apple TV+ is coming to a TV near you, and to Roku, and to other platforms. It’s gonna be everywhere. And AMC's new movie streaming is going to take on Apple Movies with a genius feature Apple can’t possibly match.

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Our thanks to Belkin for supporting this episode. Belkin Cables are built to last and supported with a 5-year warranty. If you're tired of broken and burnt-out cables, switch to Belkin, and save 30% off your order with code CultCast at checkout.

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

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

iPhone SE 2 will be Apple’s most affordable smartphone to date

• iPhone 6 is not supported by Apple’s newest iOS 13 update. That means the iPhone 6 won’t work with services like Apple Arcade and Apple TV+. But Apple has a plan to boost upgrades.
• The upcoming device, which is expected to look like iPhone 8 and be powered by Apple’s new A13 Bionic chip, is expected to cost less than $400 when it goes on sale in early 2020.

iOS 13.2 finally brings frame rate, resolution settings to Camera app

• An iOS developer exploring iOS 13.2 beta 2 said the Camera app will allow video shooters to adjust frame rates and resolution without going into the Settings app.

Apple TV+ is coming to Roku

• Apple TV+ will be available on Roku boxes when it launches next month.
• Roku revealed this morning that the Apple TV app will be available on its platform starting today, allowing users to access their iTunes video library as well as subscribe to Apple TV channels right from their Roku devices.
• Even though Apple and Roku compete against each other making streaming devices for TVs, Apple has embraced third-party platforms for its own streaming service. In addition to putting the Apple TV app on Roku, you’ll also be able to get it on smart TVs made by Samsung, LG and Vizio.

Finding Apple TV+ trailers and show details just got way simpler

• Apple just launched a website with details about all its upcoming Apple TV+ shows. The site is supposed to be for journalists, but serves as a one-stop shop for everyone to learn more about all the original programs available soon — many are scheduled for next month.
• Th site is dubbed “Apple TV+ Press,” and it includes details of 15 shows that will launch soon from this streaming video service. For the initial offerings that will debut November 1, there are also trailers and images, as well a lists of cast and crew.

AMC Theaters will launch its own service for renting and buying digital films

• AMC Theaters, the largest movie theater chain in the US, is launching an on-demand video service, according to The New York Times. The service will let customers rent or buy movies, much in the same way Apple’s iTunes Store and Amazon’s Prime Video have operated for years.

Leander's got his bus ride to the Who concert all worked out

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

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Our thanks to Linked In for supporting this episode. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters… head to LinkedIn.com/cultcast and get a $50 credit toward your first job post.

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

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

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

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

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

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

Apple Prime? Giant bundle of entertainment services under consideration

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The MNML super thin unbranded iPhone 11 case is barely visible and offers just the right amount of protection. Save 35% off your new case at mnmlcase.com/discount/CultofMac.

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

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

What to expect at an Apple October event

Revamped AirPods with noise cancellation spilled by iOS 13.2

Microsoft’s new Surface Earbuds are unbelievably fugly

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

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

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

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.

The MNML super thin unbranded iPhone 11 case is barely visible and offers just the right amount of protection. Save 35% off your new case at mnmlcase.com/discount/CultofMac.

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

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

What to expect at an Apple October event

Revamped AirPods with noise cancellation spilled by iOS 13.2

Microsoft’s new Surface Earbuds are unbelievably fugly

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

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

This week: we just completed our first week with iPhone 11 Pro, and it's even better than we hoped. We'll dive into all the features we love most. Plus: details are emerging about iPhone 12, and we like what we're seeing! And is Apple Watch series 5 worth the upgrade? We discuss...

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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

Enter for a chance to win a free Series 5 Apple Watch.

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

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

The iPhone 11 Pro unboxing you MUST SEE before buying (Space Grey First Impressions)

Here’s why the iPhone 11 Pro camera is UNBEATABLE

iPhone 11 Pro Max review: the best gets better

• This thing is a beauty. The first thing you notice is the glass back. The frosted matte finish makes it semi-translucent, giving it a weirdly illusory depth. It looks great. Not even the controversial, compound-eye camera bump can spoil its good looks. The iPhone 11 Pro Max is the best-looking iPhone to date, and I love it.

2020 iPhone design could take notes from the classic iPhone 4 look

• Apple could go back to one of its most beloved iPhone designs with next year’s iPhone refresh. According to a new report from seasoned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s 2020 iPhone redesign will resemble the iPhone 4.

Apple Watch Series 5 teardown confirms it’s a tweaked Series 4

• Disassembling the latest Apple Watch doesn’t find very much that’s different from last year’s model. That doesn’t mean there aren’t improvements in the new Series 5; they’re just not visible in a teardown, even one done by the experts at iFixit.

This week: iPhone 11 Pro’s cameras are the largest leap forward yet. We’ll tell why the cameras alone make iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro worth the upgrade. Plus: iPhone 11 Pro may have dual wireless charging built in after all; and it looks like Apple Watch Series 5 is just an upgraded series 4. We’ll tell you what you need to know.

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

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's story links

First iPhone 11 Pro Max teardown shows off gigantic new battery

• One of the specs Apple refuses to reveal about the iPhone 11 Pro Max has been revealed by a teardown of this new model: it includes a 3,969 mAh battery, significantly larger than the one in the XS Max.
• That's hugely larger than the 3,174 mAh power cell in last year’s iPhone XS Max.
• And of course Apple is reporting the 11 Pro features 4 hours of extra battery life, while the iPhone 5 clock 5 extra hours.

iPhone 11 Pro review roundup: Big battery, camera, display upgrades

• There’s no question about it: the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are two of the best iPhones Apple has ever built — and arguably the best handsets in the world right now.
• Verge says it has the best camera in a phone.
• • “[T]he iPhone 11 Pro cameras are an enormous improvement over the XS, and they beat the Pixel and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 Plus in most of our side-by-side comparisons. In fact, I think the iPhone 11 Pro is the best smartphone camera on the market right now.”
• Tom’s Guide loved the screen
• • "iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display vastly outshined the Galaxy Note 10 Plus”
• What about speed you ask. Hold on to your butts. Wired had this to say:
• • “The phones are fast. Downloading apps is fast. Switching between apps is fast. Processing and editing photos is fast. Apple Pay is faster on this phone; Face ID feels slightly faster. FaceID supports more face angles too “

iPhone 11 supposedly capable of two-way wireless charging

• One feature we expected but didn’t get from the iPhone 11 lineup is two-way wireless charging. But Apple could surprise us with it later.
• Two-way or bilateral wireless charging would allow you to charge certain devices — including other smartphones — by placing them down on the back of your iPhone.
• Tipster Sonny Dickson, citing “reliable sources,” reports that iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max do feature the hardware required for two-way wireless charging. It’s just that Apple hasn’t enabled it yet.
• "Reliable sources are saying iPhone 11 and 11 Pro do include the hardware for bilateral charging, but that it is software disabled. Uncertain whether this was removed prior to final production run.”
• It’s not clear why or when two-way wireless charging may have been deactivated. Reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently suggested the “efficiency may not meet Apple’s requirements.”
• Bizarre that Apple would not have at least MENTIONED this feature and announced an anticipated release date.

Apple Watch Series 5 has same CPU as Series 4

• The insides of the Apple Watch Series 5 aren’t all that different from last year’s Series 4 upgrade.
• Other than the new always-on display, the only other internal changes Apple promoted were the new compass and increased storage. The latest build of Xcode reveals that those are basically the only changes, as the Series 5 uses the same CPU and GPU found in Apple Watch Series 4.