This week, details on WEIRD new features in iOS 18, exciting news for the iPad mini, a peek at Apple’s secret iPhone testing lab, and an all-new What We’re Into!

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This week’s stories:

iOS 18 could bring new Home Screen personalization options

• iOS 18 reportedly will let iPhone users change app icon colors on the Home Screen. Plus, they would be able to put the icons anywhere they want.

iOS 18 could feature generative AI-powered custom emoji tool

• Apple might use generative AI in iOS 18 to allow iPhone users to create custom emojis, letting them express themselves just the way they want.

Slim new Find My tracking card recharges via MagSafe

• The slim new Nomad Tracking Card works with Apple’s Find My app on your devices and recharges via MagSafe to help you keep tabs on your wallet, purse or other valuables, Nomad said Tuesday.

Give your Mac a makeover with custom icons

• A great way to personalize your Mac is with custom Mac folder icons. In fact, you can change any icon on your Mac to customize it to your taste.

Soaked! Take a peek at how Apple tests iPhone water resistance.

• Marques Brownlee recently visited Apple product durability testing labs that try to make sure products like iPhone can resist water ingress and take a few bumps and shakes, among other mild tortures.

What We’re Into

• Griffin: Alice Merton on Apple Music and Spotify , a relatively unknown musician with a distinctive style and excellent live performances.
• La Regola Dell'amico , a bizarre and incredibly catchy Italian pop song from, like, 20 years ago.
• Lewis: The Righteous Gemstones , a show about the horrible televangelists running a megachurch.
• Erfon: Toast of London and What We Do In The Shadows , comedies starring Matt Berry that are really funny, if the viral clips on TikTok are to be believed.

Good, great, or garbage?  Lewis and Erfon discuss what they like and don't about the new Fallout series on Amazon Prime.

No spoilers!

This week, we’re talking all the nitty gritty details on the iPad Pro, the AI features coming in iOS 18 — what’s coming and what’s missing — and the weird iPhone rumors. And what did Apple pick as the best album of all time?

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Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

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This week’s stories:

Take a deep dive into the best parts of M4 iPad Pro [Review]

• What stands out most about Apple’s new tablet is that it’s noticeably lighter and visibly thinner than its predecessors without compromising any of the other features. The screen looks better, the performance has improved, and battery life is unaffected. It really is amazing.

All the AI features headed for iPhone, Mac and iPad

• Artificial intelligence-powered features are likely to make iOS 18, macOS 15 and iPadOS 18 the biggest upgrades to Apple’s platforms in many years.

Siri could get a more conversational voice in iOS 18

• Apple reportedly will make Siri’s voice more conversational in iOS 18. Plus, the voice assistant will gain several “proactive intelligence” features that will help in daily life.

Apple leaker floats iPhone 16 and 16 Pro color predictions

• This year’s iPhone 16 Pro models could trade the blue for a new rose titanium shade, which should resemble pink, while retaining the other colors.
• As for the iPhone 16 and its Plus sibling, Kuo predicts they will launch in black, green, pink, blue and white.

Future iPhone might go super slim

• Apple reportedly found ways to “significantly” slim down the iPhone. The result will reportedly be part of the iPhone 17 series when it reaches customers next year, according to The Information.

WTF??? Apple chose this as the best album of all time?

• Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums is a 21st-century ranking of the greatest records ever made, crafted by Apple Music’s team of experts alongside a select group of artists, songwriters, producers and other industry professionals.
• Sign up for Cult of Mac Today at newsletters.cultofmac.com

Under Review:

• Griffin: MagEasy Magnetic Wireless Car Charger
• Erfon: TuneBlade

This week, we have over two years of rumors — Apple’s plans for Siri and AI, what’s coming in iOS 18, the new lineup of the iPhone 17, the first folding iPhone and MacBook, and who will be the next Apple CEO!

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This week’s stories:

Apple using AI to make Siri more useful

• Siri supposedly won’t become a general-purpose chatbot. It’ll be focused on better handling the sort of tasks iPhone users need.
• New York Times: Apple Will Revamp Siri to Catch Up to Its Chatbot Competitors

iOS 17.5 helps detect unwanted Bluetooth tracking tags

• iOS 17.5 was released on Monday this week. It features Bluetooth tracker detection for third-party devices, a new daily word game in Apple News+ and the new Pride Lock screen.

Apple showcases amazing new accessibility features like Eye Tracking

• In a press release on Wednesday, Apple showcased some remarkable new accessibility features for people with disabilities that are coming in iOS 18.

Could John Ternus equal Tim Cook and Steve Jobs as Apple CEO?

• John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, reportedly sits at the top of the list to step into Tim Cook’s shoes when the current Apple CEO steps down.

iPhone 17 lineup might feature ‘more complex’ designs, smaller Dynamic Island

• Apple reportedly plans some big design changes for next year’s iPhone 17 lineup. The changes include an iPhone 17 Slim, a smaller Dynamic Island and a “more complex” aluminum design.

First folding iPhone could launch in 2026

• Jeff Pu also says the first iPhone with a folding screen will go into production in 2026. This is the second such report in recent months, and could be a sign that Apple is really ready to move ahead with the product.

MacBook with 20-inch folding display could launch as early as 2025

• According to Jeff Pu from Haitong International Securities, a 20.3-inch foldable MacBook will go into production near the end of 2025.

This week, you know what’s up — it’s ALL about the new iPads! The surprises, the disappointments, the questions answered. But most importantly… who won the prediction game?

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com .

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This week’s stories:

Apple supersizes iPad Air with 13-inch model

• The new iPad Air is available with a gigantic 13-inch display for the first time.
• The new iPad Airs run on the M2 processor, which Apple says is 50% faster than the M1 chip in the 2022 iPad Air and three times faster than the fourth-gen iPad Air with the A14 Bionic chip.

iPad Pro upgraded with beautiful OLED display, M4 chip

• The 2024 iPad Pro is the first with an OLED screen and — shocking! — it runs on the Apple M4 processor. Yes, the iPad Pro beat the Mac to Apple's latest chip!
• First M4 iPad Pro benchmarks show 21% performance increase over M3
• Steve Troughton-Smith on Mastodon
• Apple’s ‘Crush!’ ad touting new iPad Pro draws ire
• Apple Pencil Pro adds ‘squeeze’ gesture, haptic feedback, Find My and more New Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro features a bigger glass trackpad with haptic feedback

iPad 10 gets a much-deserved price cut

• Alongside the M4 iPad Pros and M2 iPad Air, Apple announced a price drop for the 10th-generation iPad. The tablet now costs $349, making it $100 cheaper than before.

Updated Pro apps:

• Final Cut Pro adds live multi-camera recording
• Logic Pro updates bring powerful new tools for music-makers

“Let Loose” Prediction Results

D. Griffin Jones and special guest Sam Henri-Gold attempt to talk about the upcoming “Let Loose” Apple event.

This week, our predictions for the “Let Loose” iPad keynote on Tuesday! Also, some last-minute rumors of an M4 chip, alternate app stores are officially coming to iPad too, and new iOS 18 features!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com .

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CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co

This week’s stories:

Upcoming OLED iPad Pro might feature next-gen M4 chip

• Apple’s upcoming OLED iPad Pro reportedly will begin the company’s shift into AI hardware. The new tablets could sport the next-gen M4 chip to power all the AI features.

EU labeling iPad a ‘gatekeeper’ will bring major changes to iPadOS

• The iPad joined the European Union’s list of “gatekeeper” platforms Monday. The designation requires Apple to make the same sorts of sweeping changes to iPadOS that the company already made to iPhone, including allowing sideloading of applications.

iOS 18 might revamp many built-in iPhone apps

• Apple could upgrade many of iPhone’s built-in apps with iOS 18 later this year. Reportedly, this includes Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness.
• AppleInsider: Apple's iOS 18 to streamline task management with unified events and reminders

iPhone charger with built-in battery pack looks totally sci-fi

• How many times have you rushed out the door with a battery pack for your iPhone, only to discover the battery is dead as a doornail? SwitchEasy’s 2-in-1 Portal solves that.
• This stylish MagSafe battery pack stand includes a portable power pack that is always charged and ready to go.

The CultCast ‘Let Loose’ Predictions

• For the first time in 2024, The CultCast prediction game is here as we lay down our judgements on next week’s “Let Loose” iPad event.
• Listener score sheet