This week: If you're excited about the new 14" Macbook Pro, well, we got good news and bad news for you.... Plus: sweet heat! iPhone 13 may be packing Apple's next-GEN FaceID, and it has a special trick. Plus plus: hold on to your cheeks, cause now we got the launch date for you. And stay tuned for our roundup of iOS 15's best new HomeKit and iCloud+ features!

Get 2-3 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, dedicated to tech, gaming, culture, and more. Join Cult Support, good friend!

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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 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

14-inch MacBook Pro could be just as fast, almost as pricey as 16-inch model

• The next-generation 14-inch MacBook Pro will be nearly identical to the 16-inch model that launches alongside it in terms of performance, according to one tipster. Both machines are expected to feature the same M1X chip.

iPhone 13 could land September 17, AirPods 3 soon after

• The wait for Apple’s next-generation iPhone lineup could be over in less than a month. A new report, citing information from a Chinese retailer, claims iPhone 13 will make its big debut on September 17, followed by AirPods 3.

Yep! iPhone 13 Pre-Orders Starting September 17th, Launch on September 24th

• That being said, I would usually insert my usual “take it with a grain of many butt hairs” and you still should, BUTT 🍑, since this date is not only lining up with what our own sources said and with Apple’s traditional pre-pandemic schedule of a September launch date timeframe, take it with a smol speck of butt hair, because these dates are looking right.

EXCLUSIVE: Apple Testing New iPhone 13 Face ID

• Apple has developed new Face ID hardware that they are currently testing with a COVID-like landscape in mind, according to sources.

Faster ‘M1X’ Mac mini with more ports coming ‘in the next several months’

• Apple’s “high-end, M1X Mac mini” will launch “in the next several months,” according to the latest Power On newsletter from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. “It will have an updated design and more ports.”

Apple could host multiple events in September for a bunch of new products

• Last year, Apple staggered its fall events over September, October and November. But according to some sources, it will unleash a barrage of hardware within just a few weeks this time around.

What's New With HomeKit in iOS 15

iCloud+ subscribers can now create custom email domains

• iCloud+ subscribers can now start using custom domain names with iCloud Mail. The new feature, announced at WWDC 2021 alongside iOS and iPadOS 15, just rolled out in beta with support for up to five custom domains.

This week: Apple’s about to bring two powerful new features to your beloved HomePods—they just keep making them better! Plus: the big problem with AirPods Max; a proposed law would force profound changes on Apple App Store; Applecare+ get some big changes; and we react to the new Foundation trailers, the Apple’s epic new sci-fi coming to AppleTV+.

Get 2-3 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, dedicated 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

Netflix gets more immersive with Spatial Audio support

• Netflix has begun rolling out Spatial Audio support. This lets the streaming service offer a surround sound-like experience but without all the speakers. Currently, it requires AirPods Pro or AirPods Max but that’ll change soon.

​​HomePod beta brings Dolby Atmos and lossless music support

• Dolby Atmos (spatial audio) and lossless music are on their way to HomePod and HomePod mini. Both features are available for testing in Apple’s latest HomePod 15 beta, rolled out to registered developers on Thursday.

Proposed law would force profound changes on Apple App Store

• Apple currently puts up significant roadblocks to sideloading — installing applications onto an iPhone or iPad from a Mac. The Open App Markets Act would require Apple to allow sideloading.

Apple now offers annual AppleCare+ subscriptions for new Mac owners

• Apple recently updated its AppleCare+ for Mac price structure, allowing new owners to purchase the extended coverage as an annual subscription instead of a three-year up front commitment.

Apple now allows AppleCare+ for Mac to continue beyond three years

• In certain major territories, including the U.S., Apple will now let users keep AppleCare+ for Mac active beyond its original three-year limit.

‘Wool’: Tim Robbins Joins Rebecca Ferguson In Apple TV+ Series

• Wool is a set in a ruined and toxic future where a community exists in a giant silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them.

Apple TV+ presents trailer for eagerly anticipated series “Foundation,” set to premiere around the world on Friday, September 24, 2021

• Apple TV+ today released the trailer for “Foundation,” the highly anticipated epic saga based on Isaac Asimov’s timeless trilogy of the same name. Revealing a deeper look than ever before at the unprecedented adaptation, the trailer invites audiences across the galaxy to embark on a thrilling and emotional journey following a band of exiles who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it.

This week: We got it, ALL the iPhone 13 details. We’ll tell you what to expect. Plus, the Apple Privacy debacle—is Apple scanning all your photos and the pictures you send in iMessages? The answer is yes... and no. We got the cold hard facts for you, and you may not like them.

Get 2-3 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, dedicated 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

Mini-LED MacBook Pros launching before the end of September

• The long wait for redesigned 16-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pro models is probably nearing its end. A reliable source for Apple info says these Macs will be out in September at the latest, and will have mini-LED screens.

iPhone 13 could bring ProMotion display, camera upgrades, smaller notch

• This year’s iPhone refresh could be a lot more exciting than the incremental upgrades we’ve seen in previous years. A new report claims Apple’s next-generation smartphone lineup — which could be called iPhone 13 — will bring faster ProMotion displays, pro camera upgrades, and a smaller notch.

Apple plans to scan iPhones and iCloud for child abuse imagery [Updated]

• Apple plans to scan photos stored on peoples’ iPhones and in their iCloud accounts for imagery suggesting child abuse, according to news reports Thursday. The effort might aid in law-enforcement investigations, but also could invite controversial access to user data by government agencies.

Apple looks to ease CSAM photo scanning concerns with new FAQ

• Apple has published a new FAQ on its plan to scan user photos for child abuse imagery (CSAM) in an effort to combat the growing concerns.

iPhone Messages app will warn parents if kids send, receive nude photos

• Apple will soon offer a new tool to protect children from sexual predators. The Messages application will be able to detect if an iPhone or iPad user gets or sends sexually explicit photos.

Apple TV, HomePod combo on the way to combat weak living room strategy

• Apple TV engineers say “there isn’t much optimism” over the company’s weak living room hardware strategy, but there plans to change it with new devices, according to a new report from one reliable reporter.

This week: now that the M1 Macs are out, Apple is prepping to release a barrage of “Pro” Macs, including MacBook Pros, a Mac Mini Pro, a Mac Pro mini, and a powerhouse new Mac Pro with up to 40 cores. Hold on to your buns!

Get 2-3 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, dedicated 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 Watch 7, new Mac upgrades appear in regulatory filings ahead of launch

• A number of new Apple devices including Apple Watch Series 7 and two new MacBook Pro models have appeared in regulatory filings ahead of an official unveiling. The listings suggest we could see a launch in the near future.

Think Apple Silicon is exciting now? Just wait and see what’s to come

• Apple just reported a hugely successful quarter for the Mac — one of its best ever — and it looks like it’s only going to get better. A new report detailing the company’s Apple Silicon roadmap says the best is yet to come.

HomePod smart speaker had a great quarter in the US

• HomePod shipments in the United States increased 180% year-on-year in the last quarter, eclipsing the growth of smart speaker makers Amazon and Google during the period, market intelligence firm Omdia reports.

Apple Working on Combined TV Box, Speaker to Revive Home Efforts

• The company is working on a product that would combine an Apple TV set-top box with a HomePod speaker and include a camera for video conferencing through a connected TV and other smart-home functions, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters.

Brendan Fraser Boards Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ & Legendary Comedy ‘Brothers’

• EXCLUSIVE: Brendan Fraser (No Sudden Move) has joined the casts of Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Max Barbakow’s Brothers.

Apple.com gets a redesigned Store section with its very own tab

• Apple on Tuesday rolled out a fresh new look for its online store, with a dedicated “Store” tab that makes everything easier to find. The company calls it “the best way to buy the products you love.”

This week: now that the M1 Macs are out, Apple is prepping to release a barrage of “Pro” Macs, including MacBook Pros, a Mac Mini Pro, a Mac Pro mini, and a powerhouse new Mac Pro with up to 40 cores. Hold on to your buns!

Get 2-3 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, dedicated 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 Watch 7, new Mac upgrades appear in regulatory filings ahead of launch

• A number of new Apple devices including Apple Watch Series 7 and two new MacBook Pro models have appeared in regulatory filings ahead of an official unveiling. The listings suggest we could see a launch in the near future.

Think Apple Silicon is exciting now? Just wait and see what’s to come

• Apple just reported a hugely successful quarter for the Mac — one of its best ever — and it looks like it’s only going to get better. A new report detailing the company’s Apple Silicon roadmap says the best is yet to come.

HomePod smart speaker had a great quarter in the US

• HomePod shipments in the United States increased 180% year-on-year in the last quarter, eclipsing the growth of smart speaker makers Amazon and Google during the period, market intelligence firm Omdia reports.

Apple Working on Combined TV Box, Speaker to Revive Home Efforts

• The company is working on a product that would combine an Apple TV set-top box with a HomePod speaker and include a camera for video conferencing through a connected TV and other smart-home functions, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters.

Brendan Fraser Boards Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ & Legendary Comedy ‘Brothers’

• EXCLUSIVE: Brendan Fraser (No Sudden Move) has joined the casts of Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and Max Barbakow’s Brothers.

Apple.com gets a redesigned Store section with its very own tab

• Apple on Tuesday rolled out a fresh new look for its online store, with a dedicated “Store” tab that makes everything easier to find. The company calls it “the best way to buy the products you love.”