This week: redesigned M2 MacBook Pros are incoming! And they’re gonna be awesome… we’ll tell you everything we know.

Plus: we’ll bring you the highlights from Apple’s blockbuster quarter, and discuss the two insanely great features introduced in iOS 14.5.

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

Apple tipster claims M1 iMac, new iPad Pro, updated Apple TV 4K will go on sale May 21 [Updated]

• According to (generally) reliable Apple tipster Jon Prosser, Apple will release its new 2021 iMac, iPad Pro with M1 chip, and faster Apple TV 4K with redesigned Siri Remote on May 21.

5 takeaways from Apple’s latest Mac-tastic quarter

• Apple pulled in more revenue from selling Macs last quarter than it ever has before. Not just the most revenue it’s ever made in a January-through-March quarter. The most revenue ever. There’s been no back-to-school rush or holiday shopping season that resulted in $9.1 billion in Mac sales. And that’s an amazing increase of 70% compared to the same quarter last year.

iOS 14.5 brings App Tracking Transparency, mask-friendly Face ID

• Apple on Monday gave all iPhone users access to iOS 14.5. And iPad users can install iPadOS 14.5 Today’s updates bring a ton of new features, including unlocking an iPhone with an Apple Watch while wearing a mask.

This week: our reactions and first impressions to all the hardware announced at Apple's Spring Loaded keynote event!

Get 3 episodes of CultCast Off Topic each and every week for just $6! Off Topic is a new weekly variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah and friends, decidated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend!

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 12, Apple Watch, iPad, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

Join us in the CultClub! discord.gg/BrKdnSK

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

Apple AirTag tracking tags will help you find all the things

• AirTags appear in a new Items tag in the Find My app. This allows users to order a tracking tag to play a sound, making the device easier to find. But that’s just the start. The software uses an onscreen pointer to guide the user to the exact location of a misplaced item. The accuracy of UWB should really come in handy here.

M1 iMac is faster, thinner and more incredible than ever

• The world’s most popular all-in-one now runs on Apple Silicon. The all-new and beautifully colorful iMac, unveiled today at Apple’s Spring Loaded event, packs a blazing-fast M1 chip into an aluminum form factor that’s just 11.5mm thick.

2021 iPad Pro boasts M1 processor, beautiful mini-LED display

• The 2021 iPad Pro is built around an Apple M1 processor that brings a tremendous speed boost. Apple is saying 50% faster CPU and 40% faster GPU.

Apple TV 4K gets speedy A12 chip and sweet new Siri Remote

• Apple took the wraps off the new sixth-generation Apple TV 4K on Tuesday. The upgraded set-top box boasts Apple’s A12 Bionic chip, which should bring a welcome performance boost. But perhaps more importantly, Apple redesigned the controversial Siri Remote.

This week: This week: what hardware will be announced at next week’s Apple event? We got it all figured out!. Plus: Apple’s got a zany new HomePod under development, and Apple TV+ is about to get some big upgrades.

Get 3 episodes of CultCast Off Topic each and every week for just $6! Off Topic is a new weekly variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah and friends, decidated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend!

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 12, Apple Watch, iPad, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

Join us in the CultClub! discord.gg/BrKdnSK

On the show this week

@erfon / @lewiswallace

Apple’s ‘Spring Loaded’ event happens April 20: Here’s what to expect

• The next Apple product-release event will happen April 20. Invites went out Tuesday morning for the virtual “Spring Loaded” event, just hours after Siri leaked the date.

Mini-LED iPad Pro is on the way this month, but good luck getting it right away

• The new iPad Pro likely will be Apple’s first hardware release of 2021. Despite the comparatively paltry upgrades this year. The next-gen iPad Pro will be Apple’s first to boast Mini-LED display technology, offering superior screens visuals to the current LCD displays. However, this new screen tech will only be available on the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, not the 11-inch model.

Apple Plans First iMac Desktop Redesign in Nearly a Decade

• Apple Inc. is planning the first redesign of its iMac all-in-one desktop computer since 2012, part of a shift away from Intel Corp. processors to its own silicon, according to people familiar with the plans.

Apple could combine HomePod speaker, Apple TV and smart camera for ultimate smart home device

• Apple is working on a new smart home product that would combine Apple TV, a HomePod speaker and a camera for FaceTime or Zoom-style video conferencing, Bloomberg reported Monday.

Apple TV+ will get at least 10-12 original movies per year

• Apple TV+ is looking to ramp up its investment in original movies, and has hired a former WarnerMedia executive to help it, claims The Information.

The Matrix 4: Cast, release date, plot and everything you need to know

This week: Apple preps “Find My” to locate ALL your gadgets; a big update to Apple Arcade may finally make it worth the price; Will.i.am is back a ridiculous new tech product you might actually want; and we try to figure out Falcon and Winter Soldier is actually good in an all-new Under Review!

Get 3 episodes of CultCast Off Topic each and every week for just $6! Off Topic is a new weekly variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah and friends, decidated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend!

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 12, Apple Watch, iPad, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

Join us in the CultClub! discord.gg/BrKdnSK

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

Apple opens Find My network to third-party gadgets

• The Find My application built into iOS and macOS finally opened up to device trackers made by other companies, not just Apple. Wednesday’s move allows iPhones, Macs and iPads to locate lost items produced by third-party accessory makers without needing to install additional software.

New Star Trek and NBA games lead major Apple Arcade expansion

• Apple made a huge push for its gaming service on Friday, launching 11 original games. These cover a range of genres, from NBA 2K21 Arcade Edition to Star Trek: Legends. And Fantasian from the creator of the Final Fantasy series also launched in Apple Arcade. Plus many, many more.

Fantasian from the creator of Final Fantasy launches on Apple Arcade

• Apple Arcade subscribers are in for a treat. Hironobu Sakaguchi, who also made the classic Final Fantasy series, also created Fantasian for Apple’s gaming service. It mixes computer-generated characters with handmade sets for a truly unique look.

Will.i.am's i is a $299 HEPA face mask with ANC earphones built in

• With face coverings becoming a necessity during the pandemic, we've seen countless variations on masks from the worlds of fashion, merchandise and tech. Enter Willi.i.am, a pop star who has tried with varying levels of success to straddle all of those industries. The Black Eyed Peas frontman has teamed up with Honeywell on a $299 tech-imbued face mask that wouldn't look out of place in a cyberpunk movie or game.

This week: Apple just announced WWDC 2021 kicks off June 7th, so we're talking hardware predictions!

Plus: Apple is prepping a new remote for next-gen Apple TV, a leaker reveals the price of Apple's AirTags, and we celebrate 45 years of Apple with their 45 best creations!

Get 3 episodes of CultCast Off Topic each and every week for just $6! Off Topic is a new weekly variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah and friends, decidated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend!

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

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

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 12, Apple Watch, iPad, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

Join us in the CultClub! discord.gg/BrKdnSK

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

All-virtual WWDC 2021 will kick off June 7

• Apple will kick off this year’s Developers Conference on June 7. And, for the second year running, this will be an all-virtual event, the company said Tuesday.

Surprise! Apple might unveil mixed-reality headset in 2021

• Apple is aiming to announce a mixed-reality headset at an in-person event sometime in the "next several months," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple works on a new remote for next-gen Apple TV

• Apple is working on a new remote for its next-gen Apple TV. While the story doesn’t share specific details about the rejigged remote, it suggests Apple might move away from the controversial Siri Remote that debuted with the fourth-gen Apple TV.

Leaker Reveals Size of Apple's AirTags and Says They'll Cost Around $39

• Apple's rumored AirTags item trackers will be slightly larger than a 50 cent coin and around three times the thickness, based on dimensions offered by leaker Max Weinbach (via YouTube channel EverythingApplePro).

45 ways Apple put a ding in the universe