The CultCast
This week: a company unlike any other, some say Steve Job’s greatest product was Apple itself, but how have they fared in the 6 years since his passing?  Leander shares the cold hard facts.  Plus: Leander’s long soliloquy about his new love, the 4K Apple TV; an iOS 11 software trick doubles your iPhone storage; and we’ll wrap up our favorite minimalist cases for your iPhone 7, 8, and X.
 
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.
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Photos and videos shot in iOS 11's HEIF/HEVC format are literally now half the size they were in iOS10’s JPG/H.264 formats
 
Catch our CultCast 300 live celebration show on Tuesday, October 10th at 12PM PT!
 
9 beautifully minimalist cases for your iPhone 8 & 8 Plus (and 7/7Plus)
 
Google's Pixel Buds translation will change the world
  • Google announced all sorts of stuff yesterday
  • Pixel 2, a smart speaker called the Max to compete with the HomePod
  • But at the very end of their key, Google introduced the Pixel Buds, wireless headphones designed for use with the company's new Pixel 2 handset.  Once paired, you can tap the right earphone then issue a command.
  • If you say, "Help me speak Japanese" and then start speaking in English, the Pixel’s speakers will output your translated words as you speak them. The other party's reply into the phone will then play into your ear through the Pixel Buds in English.
  • 40 languages are currently supported, and the translation works in real time with virtually no lag.
 
Apple TV 4K is almost picture-perfect [Review]
  • Apple’s newest set-top box pulls out all the stops to be the best on the field. It’s packing incredibly powerful new hardware that leaves competitors in the dust, and a much-improved tvOS platform that is years ahead of its rivals.
  • Remote. Not much has changed for the Siri Remote, either, which is a shame — it’s still wretched. It looks almost identical this year, except there’s now a white ridge around the Menu button.
  • Speed. Thanks to an A10X Fusion processor — the same one you’ll find in the latest iPad Pro — Apple TV 4K is pretty fast. It’s by far the most powerful set-top box on the market, and that’s not just for 4K video.
  • 4K HDR video is sharp, colorful and full of contrast and detail. The screensavers especially are spectacular and detailed. Shot in 4K, the screensavers were downgraded for the old AppleTV. On the 4K box they appear in all their trippy, hypnotic detail.
  • One thing you won’t be able to enjoy in 4K HDR, however, is YouTube. That’s because Apple doesn’t support the VP9 video format that YouTube serves up — it doesn’t work on macOS or iOS, either — so the best you’ll get is 1080p.
 
Our favorite iPhone 8/8Plus cases
Direct download: CultCast_304_-_Steve_Job_s_greatest_product.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:17am PDT

This week: why iPhone X's Face ID is an astounding accomplishment! Plus: the new and notable features in macOS High Sierra; Bill Gates finally ditches his Windows Phone; Leander’s writing a new Tim Cook book; Erfon talks about the best 4K television money can buy; and we’ll tell you what we like and don’t about the gadgets we’re reviewing in an all-new under review!
 
This episode supported by
Audible, the home of over 150,000 audio books from practically every genre in existence.  Grab Leander's book, Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products, for FREE with a 30-day Audible trial.  The book is yours to keep even if you decide not to keep your Audible subscription.  Get started at audible.com/cultcast.
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Catch our CultCast live show on Monday, Oct 2nd at 12PM!
 
Bill Gates ditches Windows Mobile, but not for iPhone 8
  • Bill Gates just got himself a brand new smartphone, and it isn’t an iPhone 8.
  • The Microsoft co-founder has ditched Windows Mobile for Android. Despite getting closer to Steve Jobs before he died in 2011, Gates still has no interest in using iOS.
  • further pressed about the possibility of using iOS instead, Gates responded, “Nope. No iPhone.”
 
Apple TV is finally back on Amazon buster
  • Getting your hands on the new Apple TV 4K though Amazon won’t be easy though. The page for Apple’s newest set-top box shows that there are no units in stock. It appears that Amazon is only offering the 64GB model priced at $199.
  • Putting Apple TV back on its digital shelves is a bit unexpected but is likely related to Apple TV finally gaining an Amazon Prime Video app. The service still hasn’t launched on Apple TV yet but is expected to debut at some point this fall.
 
Apple's Face ID is a Triumph of Machine Learning Technology
  • Data scientist Abdul Dremali is leading research & development in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data at the AndPlus Innovation Lab, and he’s very impressed with Face ID.
 
macOS High Sierra is now available to the public buster
  • Apple unleashed its huge update for the Mac this morning bringing a host of new features and UI changes to desktops after months of beta testing. Most of the update contains under-the-hood changes the makes machines faster and more stable, but there are plenty of new additions to love.
  • macOS High Sierra brings support for the new Apple File System to the Mac. Apple added it to iOS devices last year. AFS’ 64-bit architecture is more secure, with built-in encryption, crash protection and simplified data backups.
  • Safari is one of the biggest benefactors from the macOS High Sierra update. Apple claims its now the world’s fastest browser, with an 80% speed advantage over Google Chrome
  • Mail received some improved search functions tied to the update to Spotlight. You can also use a new Split View mode too that lets you write emails while keeping tabs on your inbox.
  • The Photos app also got some big updates. There’s now better facial recognition and some new editing tools that make it a more capable photo editor. Notes got a new pin feature to keep your most important notes to the top of the list where you’ll be able to find them easier. The app also has support for tables now.
  • Last Thursday, six ad industry groups penned an open letter criticizing Apple's upcoming Safari feature, saying the decision to incorporate such technology into a web browser is heavy-handed and "bad for consumer choice and bad for the ad-supported online content and services." 
  • Today, Apple responded to the missive in a statement to The Loop.
  • "Apple believes that people have a right to privacy - Safari was the first browser to block third party cookies by default and Intelligent Tracking Prevention is a more advanced method for protecting user privacy," Apple said. "Ad tracking technology has become so pervasive that it is possible for ad tracking companies to recreate the majority of a person's web browsing history. This information is collected without permission and is used for ad re-targeting, which is how ads follow people around the Internet. The new Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature detects and eliminates cookies and other data used for this cross-site tracking, which means it helps keep a person's browsing private. The feature does not block ads or interfere with legitimate tracking on the sites that people actually click on and visit. Cookies for sites that you interact with function as designed, and ads placed by web publishers will appear normally.”
 
Apple’s Face ID white paper is not nearly as boring as it sounds
 
Under Review
Direct download: CultCast_303_-_Face_ID_is_a_Triumph_of_Machine_Learning.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:37am PDT

This week: iPhone 8 reviews are in!  We’ll tell you what everyone loves Apple’s newest phone, and why you should get one (but probably won’t).  Plus: we round up the reviews for Apple Watch series 3, and argue over which model is best. And stick around for what we don’t like about iPhone X; Apple’s A11 chip hits a surprising benchmark; tests show iPhone 8 wireless charging is abysmally slow; Apple quietly hikes their iDevice prices; and we’ll tell you all the best AR apps you need to try.
 
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.
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Historical first? New iPhones fail to sell out - leander
  • For the first time since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, the company’s latest models failed to immediately sell out.
  • More than 12 hours after pre-orders opened this morning, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus remain generally available for pickup at Apple stores next Friday,
  • Shipping time is currently 3 business days
 
iPhone X’s Face ID will only recognize one person - buster
  • When the new biometric security features makes its debut this November, it will support just one user, Apple has confirmed. If anyone else uses your device, they’ll have to enter the passcode.
 
Apple silently raises iPad Pro prices
  • Changes made to the online Apple store show that the 10.5-inch iPad Pro models with WiFi only are now $50 more expensive each. Before yesterday’s keynote, the 256GB and 512GB units cost $749 and $949. Now they’re priced at $799 and $999.
  • iPhone prices have also been hiked up.
  • The cellular models for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro also got a price increase
  • Nothing has changed about the products.
  • iPhone prices have also been hiked
    • iPhone 7 32GB - $649
    • iPhone 7 Plus 32GB - $769
    • iPhone 8 64GB - $699
    • iPhone 8 Plus 64GB - $799
 
Adding wireless charging to your AirPods will cost $69
  • Apple’s new Wireless Charging Case for AirPods will go on sale this December, according to a report out of Europe, which sites Apple Switzerland. The device is expected to cost $69, which is the same amount you’ll pay to replace a standard case if you lose it.
  • Apple reportedly has no plans to sell AirPods with the Wireless Charging Case, so it will be available as an optional accessory.
 
The best ARKit apps to try on iPhone and iPad
 
Direct download: CultCast_302_-_Why_you_should_get_the_iPhone_8_but_probably_won_t.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:19am PDT

This week: we react to everything announced at Apple's iPhone X press event! Plus, we’ll tell you everything we now know about iPhone X, iPhone 8, the new Apple TV 4K, Apple Watch Series 3, the AirPods update, and the new AirPower charging mat.  It’s a packed show.  Better hit play, fam!
 
This episode supported by
Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why at Casper.com/cultcast,and get $50 towards any mattress 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 use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Erfon’s Twitch stream on Faceshift, the technology powering Star Wars animations and now iPhone X Animoji
 
iPhone 8 brings awesome new features at a cheaper price
 
iPhone cameras just got a whole lot smarter
 
Watch all of Apple’s new iPhone videos right here
 
7 ways Apple surprised us at the iPhone X event
 
Apple releases iOS 11 GM (the right way)
 
iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Should you wait longer and pay more?
 
Everything Apple unveiled at its iPhone X keynote

 

Direct download: CultCast_301_-_Our_iPhone_X_event_reactions.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:51pm PDT

This week: a look inside the new Steve Jobs Theater, a beautiful spectacle of technology and architecture, a physical manifestationof the Apple ethos, and a true and fitting monumen..  And like any Apple product, it packs some features that will delight you. Plus: why it will probably be damn near impossible to purchase an iPhone 8, and we’ll pitch you our favorite gadgets then vote on which is best in an all new Faves ’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.
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Pre-Orders for iPhone 8 Likely to Start on September 15, Shipments on September 22
 
Drone flyover shows off a bustling Steve Jobs Theater
 
Steve Jobs Theater is as special as any other Apple product
  • On Tuesday, September 12th, according to Bloomberg, will unveil not only its latest batch of products, but also give us all a first glimpse of its brand new campus
  • The Steve Jobs Theater is as obsessively perfect as you’d expect a building named after Apple’s co-founder and former CEO should be.
  • The entrance to the venue sits underneath a silver disc, which which sits 20 feet in the air, supported by gigantic glass panels.
  • The auditorium itself occupies four underground stories, and to get there, journalists will descend a staircase spiraling down alongside the walls.
  • In order to gain access to the subterranean theater, attendees can either descend via a spiral staircase or using two custom elevators. These elevators rotate as they descend, so that passengers enter and exit through the same door, even though they do so from different directions.
  • The theater also sports a retracting wall, which opens to reveal a hidden product testing area.
  • Given the theater's 1,000-person capacity, one engineer said back in March that the building's budget meant each leather seat had cost Apple the equivalent of $14,000 apiece.
  • It’s a touching eponym, isn’t it?  Steve Jobs theater?  It will be a beautiful spectacle of technology and architecture, a true and fitting monument.  A metaphor for Steve Jobs, and a physical representation of the Apple ethos.
  • Steve Jobs was man that literally started with nothing, not even his biological parents, and went on to build one of the world’s most coveted companies.
  • It’s a uniquely American success story.
 
 
Analyst: Blame Samsung for iPhone 8’s high price tag
Apple’s upcoming premium iPhone is likely to be its most expensive model ever — and Samsung is partly to blame, according to a reliable Apple analyst.
  • In his latest research note, KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo explains to investors that Samsung currently holds a practical monopoly on the supply of OLED displays. They’re the only ones capable of reliably mass producing the screens Apple needs, and thus seems to be inflating the price.
  • Apple previously paid between $45 and $55 for the screens on Plus-size iPhones. But Ming Chi Kuo claims Samsung is probably charging about $75 more for OLED displays. The final price for the displays likely costs Apple $120 to $130 per unit. That could explain why rumors predict the iPhone 8 (or iPhone Edition)
 
 
Our Faves N Raves Picks
Direct download: CultCast_300_-_Incredible_extravagance_of_the_Steve_Jobs_Theater.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:05am PDT

This week: IT’S OFFICIAL—Apple’s next iPhone event is September 12th!  Tune in to catch our hardware predictions, plus, we take a look at the leaked iPhone 8 UI, and how the new phone will work without a home button. Next, we'll regale you with the story behind the evolution of the Apple logo, and the story you’ve never heard about its iconic bite.  And stick around for an all-new What We’re Into, where Leander tells us why Game of Thrones has turned into his most despised show!
 
This episode supported by
BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Apple’s cryptic invitation confirms September 12 event
  • After months of anticipation and a flurry of rumors, Apple finally sent out media invites to its big iPhone 8 event today, welcoming the press to come to Apple Park for the big date.
  • Apple’s keynote is set for September 12, which is in line with previous rumors that circled the second Tuesday of September as time when the keynote would take place. The event will take place in the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park.
  • Apple is expected to present three new iPhones on stage: the iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus and the premium iPhone 8 models. Other products that could make an appearance include a new Apple TV with 4K video support as well as the Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE.
 
Apple Inc. plans to transform the way people use its next high-end iPhone
 
Without a Home button, here’s how the new iPhone 8 UI will work
  • Across the bottom of the screen there’s a thin, software bar in lieu of the home button. A user can drag it up to the middle of the screen to open the phone. When inside an app, a similar gesture starts multitasking. From here, users can continue to flick upwards to close the app and go back to the home screen.
  • The new model’s overall size will be similar to that of the iPhone 7, but it will include an OLED screen that is slightly larger than the one on the iPhone 7 Plus (5.5-inches)
  • The new screen is rounded on the corners, while current iPhone screens have square corners. The power button on the right side of phone is longer so it is easier to press while holding the device in one hand, according to the images and the people.
  • The phone will still have six vertical rows of apps, showing 24 icons on each page, excluding the dock, a grey bar at the bottom that houses commonly used apps. The dock is redesigned with a new interface similar to the one on the iPad version of iOS 11
  • Apple also plans to include a stainless steel band around the phone which the glass curves into
 
 
iPhone 8 inductive charging may be a wee bit slow BH
  • According to the latest rumor out of Asia, Apple will use an older standard for its inductive charging feature which means recharging could take longer than expected.
  • All three new iPhone models are expected to pick up the inductive charging feature this fall. Instead of using the full 15 watts of power supported by the Qi Ver. 1.2 standard, Macotakara claims Apple’s tech will only draw 7.5 watts.
  • Every time I’ve used inductive charging, it’s been slooooooow
 
Today in Apple history: Rainbow Apple logo gets a modern overhaul LK
  • August 27, 1999: Apple replaces the striped, multicolored logo it used since 1977 with a new single-color version.
  • Apple’s first corporate logo was actually not the memorable “bitten apple” logo at all. A riff on a Victorian woodcut, it portrayed Sir Isaac Newton sitting beneath a tree with a solitary apple dangling over his head. A quotation from William Wordsworth’s The Prelude ran around the image’s border: “A mind forever wandering through strange seas of thought, alone.” It was created by long lost Apple co-founder Ronald Wayne.
  • After less than a year, Apple replaced that logo with the bitten Apple version we have today. Designed by 29-year-old Rob Janoff, it coincided with the debut of the Apple II at the West Coast Computer Faire, which marked Apple’s graduation from a small startup to a serious business
  • Jobs gave Janoff — who does not receive any royalties for his design — two directions for the Apple logo. 1) Don’t make it cute. And 2) Find some way to visually incorporate the Apple II’s revolutionary 16-color display, which was the first PC to include a color display.
  • The “Glass” themed logo was the next evolution for the logo and was featured on the first ever iMac. The bondi blue iMac  looked ridiculous with a rainbow logo, and needed something fresh
  • Today, the company uses a more modernized flat monochromatic logo. The logo comes mainly in 3 colors; silver, white and black.
  • The bite
    • According to Rob Janoff, the bite on the Apple logo was to really let people know that it was an apple and not a cherry. The bite also played along with the computer buffs at that time because it had a similar sound off to the word ‘byte’, a unit of digital information in computing and telecommunication.
 
What We’re Into
 
Blade Runner 2049 Short Film Reveals What Happened in 2036
 
Awaken, my love!  By Childish Gambino
 
Game of Thrones has jumped the shark
 
Direct download: CultCast_299_-_Our_iPhone_8_event_predictions_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:06am PDT

This week:
  • Even more juicy details leak on iPhone 8, plus a report says the keynote reveal is right around the corner.
  • Leander shares the strange twist in Apple’s autonomous car project
  • Why the 13” MacBook Pro might soon become your favorite Mac
  • Story time with L Kahney - he’s going to share the highlights from his whirlwind tour of Japan and other defenseless Asian lands.
  • Plus Erfon recalls what it’s like in the darkness of a total solar eclipse.
 
This episode supported by
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz.  
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
This week’s intro (thanks Nick Bracken!)
 
The shadows take on the sun's new shape
 
We might know the iPhone 8 keynote date
  • Hot on the heels of Samsung’s grand unveiling of the Galaxy Note 8 today, carrier sources have supposedly informed Mac4Ever that Apple plans to unleash its device in just a few weeks.
  • Apple’s keynote is allegedly slated for September 12 where the company will reveal three new iPhones. While we haven’t been able to verify the accuracy of the report ourselves, Apple usually hosts its iPhone keynote in the middle of September so the date could make sense.
  • The French Apple blog claims that carriers have been informed by Apple to expect the device announcement on the second Tuesday of next month. Carriers usually receive a heads up so they can start planning marketing and to organize pre-orders to ensure inventory.
  • And get this, the minimum storage capacity for Apple's OLED iPhone is said to be 64GB, with a 256GB option offered as the mid-tier capacity and a 512GB option at the highest tier, while 3GB of RAM is claimed to be included across the board.
 
iPhone 8’s amazing facial recognition is super quick, works in the dark
  • The iPhone 8’s facial recognition feature will work in a millionth of a second, and be more secure than the existing Touch ID sensor, and even work in the dark, a pair of new reports claim.
  • In addition to the regular iPhone sensors you’d expect to find, the upcoming handset will reportedly boast a new “structured light” sensor, which uses bounced infrared light to work out the depth of different points on the face.
  • That information is then used to build a 3D mesh of objects, which is compared to the one recorded when setting up the new iPhone. Calculating the timing between when infrared light is sent out and recorded coming back will let the iPhone work out accurate depth measurements. This, in turn, means you won’t be able to trick the handset using a 2D photo.
  • The facial recognition is reportedly powered by tech Apple acquired when it bought Kinect motion sensor maker PrimeSense several years ago.
  • The speed that the iPhone 8 facial recognition sensor will reportedly work is particularly impressive. The new handset will allegedly be able to do all of this within “a few hundred milliseconds,” which would make it a faster means of unlocking your iPhone than the current-generation Touch ID, Apple has been using Touch ID since 2013’s iPhone 5s.
 
Apple’s 3D sensing tech is two years ahead of the competition
  • According to a new report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple competitor Qualcomm is working on its own 3D sensing tech, but it’s at least two years behind. And handset-makers aren’t in a rush to embrace it quite yet.
  • "While Qualcomm is the most engaged company in the R&D of 3D sensing for the Android camp, a number of issues plague Qualcomm that prevent its tech from being ready for mass-market products. Immature algorithms, and thermal problems"
 
Apple autonomous car morphs into self-driving shuttle bus for employees
  • According to the New York Times, Apple’s secretive “Project Titan” self-driving car project has switched gears, transforming into an effort to build a self-driving shuttle bus. Called Palo Alto Infinite Loop, or PAIL, the shuttle would carry Apple employees between buildings.
  • The project may serve as a test bed for Apple’s autonomous car research. But a customer-focused vehicle built by Apple is for now reportedly out of the question. Instead, Apple’s self-driving technology will likely be used by other carmakers eventually.
  • The newspaper claims a leadership clash hampered project. Steve Zadesky, an Apple executive initially in charge of Titan, wanted to build semiautonomous technology. Meanwhile, Apple design chief Jony Ive “believed that a fully driverless car would allow the company to reimagine the automobile experience.”
  • Apple reportedly investigated several innovative ideas for the project. Those included motorized doors that opened and closed silently, augmented reality displays for the interior of the car, new ways of incorporating the light sensor essential to driverless cars, and a total lack of steering wheel and gas pedals. Apple also researched the possibility of using globelike wheels for the vehicle, “because spherical wheels could allow the car better lateral movement.”
 
Intel Launches First Eighth-Generation Core Processors, Paving Way For Quad-Core 13-Inch MacBook Pro
  • The first four eighth-generation processors launching today are U-series chips suitable for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini. They're all 15W chips with four cores and eight threads, paving the way for a quad-core 13-inch MacBook Pro should Apple choose to release one.
  • The eighth-generation Core i5 and Core i7 chips are up to 40 percent faster than the equivalent seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors
  • First MacBook Pro with Touch Bar uses a 6th gen Skylake processor.
  • Intel also boasted that its eighth-generation Core processors are up to twice as fast as its equivalent five-year-old Ivy Bridge chips. It said users can output a 106-second 4K video in as little as three minutes with a new PC, for example, versus up to 45 minutes on an equivalent five-year-old PC.
 
Direct download: CultCast_298_-_iPhone_8..._keynote_date_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:41pm PDT

This week:  Apple makes a major play to become the next HBO, meanwhile, intriguing new images surface showing what looks to be what we all thought had died—the long lost Apple Television.  Plus: a trusted source says Apple’s next Watch will be more boring that we hoped; and finally… eating bugs… Thai Tinder… yes, Buster Heine is back to share strange stories from his travels deep into the heart of Thailand.
 
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.
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST20 to score a free CleanCloth AND get 20% off your order at CultCloth.co.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Blurry photos purport to show mythical Apple TV set
  • Blurry images that popped up online supposedly show the testing of an Apple OLED television set of around 60 inches in size. The photos were shared on Chinese social media before being circulated by mobile leaker Benjamin Geskin on Twitter.
  • images depict what looks like an Apple-branded standalone display in some kind of lab testing environment. They show a metal frame design, while accompanying notes on Weibo suggest that the set also includes a camera.
  • And, just like that, longstanding rumors of an Apple TV set reignite!
  • The rumors gained momentum with the publishing of Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs biography in 2011. “I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,” Jobs was quoted as saying. “It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine.”
 
Apple will throw $1 billion at original programming over next year
  • According to the WSJ, Apple is reportedly preparing a $1 billion “war chest” which it will spend on acquiring or producing original content over the next year.
  • That sum is around half of what HBO spent on production last year.
  • Apple SVP Eddy Cue is reportedly aiming for Apple to offer up to ten new shows, which could rival Game of Thrones in scope.
  • Apple has been ramping up its hirings to try and establish itself as a force to be reckoned with. The company’s recent hirings include a pair of former Sony execs, who previously helped bring to the screen shows including AMC’s Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and Netflix’s The Crown
  • WSJ: "Mr. Van Amburg and Mr. Erlicht have begun meeting with Hollywood agents and holding discussions about shows Apple could acquire, the people familiar said. Mr. Matt Cherniss has movie experience, having worked as a production executive at Warner Bros."
 
Apple Watch Series 3 will bring LTE but no design changes
  • According to trusted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. There will be no “obvious change” to the design of the device, which will leave LTE connectivity as its main selling point.
  • Apple will offer non-LTE versions at more affordable prices, however. It’s unclear whether those models will be Series 3 devices, or whether Apple will continue to offer Series 2 alongside its successor for those who do not require LTE.
  • Watch will also likely be waterproof, like series 2, and faster.
Direct download: CultCast_297_-_Why_Apple_may_make_your_next_TV_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:24am PDT

This week:  what does Apple have in store for the next version of  Watch?  We’ll roundup the current rumors and reveal our Gen 3 wish list.  Then: could Face ID actually replace Touch ID on iPhone 8?  We have concerns.  Plus: proof that a 4K Apple TV is right around the corner; more incredible demos of AR Kit; and we share our favorite new shows, movies, and board games in an all-new What We’re Into!
 
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Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties
"Apple Inc. is planning to release a version of its smartwatch later this year that can connect directly to cellular networks, a move designed to reduce the device’s reliance on the iPhone, people familiar with the matter said.”
  • What would we like to see in the next Apple Watch
    • Round version or a new shape/style
    • Way better battery life
    • always on screen
    • Thinner
    • No LTE fees!
 
Blurry photo might confirm iPhone 8 Touch ID fears
  • An apparent iPhone 8 photo straight out of Foxconn has confirmed one of our biggest fears for Touch ID: It will be relocated to the back of the device.
  • Apple has been working to embed its fingerprint scanner into the iPhone’s display, but according to numerous reports, the technology won’t be ready in time for this year’s big refresh.
  • Mark Gurman at Bloomberg: Apple’s pitch come September will be that Face ID is quicker, more secure, and more accurate than Touch ID. People inside Apple say it is.
  • Security implications
 
iPhone 8 facial recognition will unlock your phone even when it’s lying down
  • The new iPhone 8 will be capable of unlocking with its face recognition even when it’s lying flat on your desk, a new report from The Information suggests.
  • This information appears to back up a report published in Bloomberg earlier this year. That report noted that:
    • [The facial recognition sensor’s] speed and accuracy are focal points of the feature. It can scan a user’s face and unlock the iPhone within a few hundred milliseconds, the person said. It is designed to work even if the device is laying flat on a table, rather than just close up to the face.”
 
 
4K Apple TV seemingly confirmed by HomePod leak
  • Over the last few weeks the HomePod’s software has revealed a number of upcoming features on unannounced products. Sleuthing developers unearthed info on the iPhone 8’s facial scanning and SmartCamera features. Now there appears to be some details of the new Apple TV inside too.
  • iOS developer Guilherme Rambo discovered references to both Dolby Vision and HDR10 color formats for 4K video in the HomePod’s software.
 
This ARKit app teleports you into an ’80s music video
  • Ever wonder what it would be like to live inside an ’80s music video? Thanks to Apple’s new ARKit software, you can live that dream with a new app that draws inspiration from the popular music video for A-ha’s “Take On Me.”
 
Measure the square footage of your room with ARKit
 
Virtual directions and tags of AR POS
 
Mint Works game
 
Dominion game
 
Halt and Catch Fire
 
Alien Covenant
Direct download: CultCast_296_-_Whats_next_for__Watch_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:49pm PDT

This week: Apple just accidentally leaked major details about the iPhone 8 and HomePod.  Whoopsie!  We’ll tell you everything we’ve learned. 
 
Plus: leaked audio files show off the HomePods cool UI sounds; we reveal exclusive new audio of the HomePod's boot-up noise;  Buster’s shares a very special announcement; and we wrap with our reviews of the best internet-connected security cameras and the hawt new flagship Olympus OM-D EM-1 mirrorless camera in an all-new Under Review 🔥🔥🔥
 
This episode supported by
 
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Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
More juicy details about iPhone 8 discovered in Apple code
  • Apple clearly didn’t realize that the firmware it made available on Friday was a goldmine of secret information. Not only did it reveal the final design of the iPhone 8 and its new facial recognition technology, but it tells us stuff we didn’t know about HomePod, too.
  • First of all, buried in the firmware are GLYPHS of the actual phone itself. WHOOPSIE!
  • We now know the device will have a split status bar designed to fit its edge-to-edge display
  • Things like cellular signal and time might be displayed on one side of the bar, while indicators for Bluetooth, location, and battery level could appear on the other. “The new status bar seems a lot more complex and powerful in design, maybe even interactive,” Troughton-Smith says.
  • The software has also revealed that iPhone 8 will boast tap to wake functionality. This is a feature found on many Android and Windows Phone devices, which lets you wake the device simply by tapping its screen. It’s handy when there is no physical Home button.
  • It appears, however, that iPhone 8 will have a “Home Indicator.” It’s believed to be similar to the virtual Home button that appears at the bottom of the display on Android devices, and it looks like Apple will allow developers to hide it in certain contexts.
  • Interestingly, Troughton-Smith tweeted “I’ve seen nothing to suggest an ultrasound under-the-display Touch ID here,” meaning either no touchID or one on the back
  • Rumors have said that facial recognition is even more accurate than touch id and will even work with Apple Pay.
 
Apple code confirms that facial unlocking tech is on the way
  • "I can confirm reports that HomePod’s firmware reveals the existence of upcoming iPhone’s infra-red face unlock in BiometricKit and elsewhere” Steve Stoughton Smith
  • Unlocking will be call FaceID
  • Will use an inferred camera to should work in dark situations
  • Will reportedly not support Apple pay to start, indicating we’re getting a touchID sensor somewhere on the phone
 
iPhone 8’s radical redesign could bring awesome UI change
  • we can look forward to a display with a 2436×1125 resolution
  • This resolution is 812x 375 points rendered @ 3x – exactly the same logical width as the iPhone 7, but 22% taller,” explains Allen Pike, a developer who previously worked at Apple
 
HomePod software leaks new ‘SmartCamera’ feature for iPhone
  • Apple’s HomePod might have revealed another huge new iPhone feature
  • HomePod software appears to reference an unannounced “SmartCamera” feature built into iOS 11 or the yet-to-be-released 2017 iPhone
  • iOS developer Guilherme Rambo unearthed references to the new feature. He posted a screenshot of a section of the code to Twitter
  • It looks like the SmartCamera feature will be able to tune your camera settings based on the scene it detects. DSLRs possess similar features
  • The HomePod code contains references to Fireworks, Foliage, Pet, BrightStage, Sport, Sky, Snow and Sunset/Sunrise scenarios.
 
HomePod software reveals new details of Apple’s smart speaker
  • Notorious iOS sleuth Steve Troughton Smith has done some serious research into HomePod and discovered that it’s basically like another iOS device only it doesn’t have a big screen. That could open HomePod up to some exciting capabilities in the future.
  • will come with a number of accessibility features.
  • Third-party apps aren’t likely to arrive on HomePod anytime soon. Smith says there aren’t any provisions in the HomePod OS shell there doesn’t seem to be any kind of provision in the HomePod OS shell for installing apps or extensions.
  • The top LED area of the HomePod could have more advanced functionality than previously thought. Rather than just using big LEDs, it appears that the top surface is an LED Matrix. Temperature and weather icons could be displayed on the 32×32 pixel matrix.
 
Leaked audio files reveal HomePod’s cool UI sounds
  • Apple’s early software for the HomePod continues to reveal new features of the smart speaker, as developers dive deeper into files. After details on the speaker’s screen got discovered, another developer unearthed the UI sounds that will be used on HomePod.
 
Under Review
 
Direct download: CultCast_295_-_Big_HomePod_and_iPhone_8_leaks_directly_from_Apple.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:54am PDT