This week, it’s official — iPhone 16 is coming! Here’s what to expect. Also, M4 Macs are on the way and might ship with double the RAM, why Apple Intelligence isn’t far behind OpenAI, and the best Apple features you probably aren’t using!

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

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:

Apple September 9 event invite promises ‘It’s Glowtime’

• Apple sent out invitations Monday for a press event on September 9.

MacBook Pros With M4 Pro and M4 Max Chips Reportedly Being Mass Produced This Month

• Apple's supply chain is beginning mass production of next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips in August, according to Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes.

Apple is definitely not behind in AI, research paper shows

• A white paper on Apple Intelligence reveals two important facts about Apple’s homegrown LLM: it’s the safest in design and highly competitive with both Llama and GPT-4.
• Extra Ordinary: Notes on the Apple Intelligence White Paper
• Apple: Apple Intelligence Foundation Language Models

Apple Photos app’s Clean Up feature works great … unless it doesn’t!

• The new AI-powered Clean Up feature in the Apple Photos app got people raving about the magical ability to “fix” pictures — and posting examples of when things go horribly wrong.

iPhone 17 Pro Max might exclusively ship with a superior cooling system

• Apple will seemingly continue offering enhanced specs on its Pro Max iPhone to differentiate it from other models.

Apple’s entry-level M4 Macs might ship with double the RAM

• Reportedly, the company is testing multiple M4 Macs with 16 or 32GB of system memory. The lack of an 8GB model indicates the company might do away with that configuration entirely.

6 mind-blowing Continuity features every Apple user should know

• Nothing illustrates the power of Apple’s ecosystem like the Continuity features that help your Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch work seamlessly together.
• Video on YouTube

In this episdoe we go where no CultCast has gone before.... 

This week: The iPhone 16 event leaks — but it’s a fake! Also, we have all the details on the iPhone 16 cameras and the curious colors it’ll come in and an all-new Under Review!

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

This week’s stories:

iPhone 16 invite prankster says he’ll do it again!

• Beware, Apple leakers: The hoaxer who created a fake Apple invite for the iPhone 16 event says he’ll probably try to pull off a similar prank in the future.
• iPhone 16 event invite leaks [Update: It’s a hoax]

Feast your eyes on iPhone 16 Pro in bronze titanium

• Unconfirmed reports say the iPhone 16 Pro models will come in natural titanium, black titanium and white titanium, and there’ll supposedly be a new option: bronze titanium.

All iPhone 16 models could score new Capture button plus camera improvements

• Every model in the iPhone 16 series will get a button dedicated to taking pictures, according to information leaked to AppleInsider.
• The same source details a range of improvements to the cameras.

Typing these 4 characters in the wrong place crashes your iPhone

• Want to make your iPhone crash? It’s easy. Type four simple characters into the App Library’s search field and the iOS SpringBoard will go down like a house of cards.

Under Review: ANNAPRO Comfort Head Strap for Vision Pro

• The Pressure-Reducing Comfort Head Strap for Apple Vision Pro by Annapro is an absolute must-have game-changing accessory.
• It makes using the headset in its default mixed-reality mode far more engaging and comfortable, as it lets you use the device without Apple’s peripheral-blinding Light Seal.

Fork it over, pal!

This week, what to expect from iPhone 16 Pro, iPad and iPad mini, the return of the 30-inch iMac, last-minute changes to iOS 18 and Apple’s fight with Patreon creators. Also, an update on Erfon’s iPhone repair!

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

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.

This week’s stories:

iPhone 16 Pro camera button will make taking pictures a snap

• A button being added to the iPhone 16 Pro models is designed to act like the shutter button on fancy cameras, according to information leaking out of Apple.

MacRumors: Apple Still Developing Bigger iMac With Over 30-Inch Display

• It seems Apple could still release a larger M4 iMac in 2025, alongside planned processor upgrades the MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and Mac Studio next year.

iOS 18 beta 6: All the new features and changes

• The latest beta continues to make tweaks to the controversial design of the new Photos app.
• How to get Apple Intelligence features early — and in the EU

What to expect from iPad 11 and iPad mini 7

• Rumors indicate the iPad 11 is nearly here, and an iPad mini 7 is in development, too. Neither tablet has been updated in years, but that could change this fall.

Apple’s next big thing is a tabletop iPad on a robot arm?

• Apple is reportedly ramping up work on a tabletop computer that’s essentially an iPad on a robot arm that can rotate and tilt the tablet to keep it facing the user.

Patreon iPhone app forced to charge Apple’s 30% App Store fee

• Patreon, a service that many authors, artists, etc. use to get funding from fans, has to switch its iOS app to Apple’s in-app purchase system by November.

This week, a wave of M4 Macs is on the way — including the miniest Mac mini ever! Also, the latest on iOS 18, a plastic Apple Watch, the tragic tale of Erfon’s iPhone, and an all-new Under Review!

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

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! Check out CultCloth.co — but only if you want the best cleaning cloths money can buy.

This week’s stories:

MacBook Pro and Mac mini’s M4 upgrade coming later this year

• Apple will reportedly launch M4-powered MacBooks and iMacs later this year. But the company will wait until 2025 to refresh its entire Mac lineup with its latest M-series chip.

Here comes the incredible shrinking Mac mini

• Apple is going to shrink the next Mac mini when it adds an M4 processor, according to an often-reliable source of insider information. The desktop could be the size of an Apple TV.

iOS 18 beta 5: All the new features and changes

• The fifth beta of iOS 18 is here, with Apple following its two-week release cycle for beta releases. While the last few betas were light on changes, that’s not the case with iOS 18 beta 5.
• The iOS 18 Photos app needs some major tweaks

Get ready for ‘kid-friendly’ Apple Watch SE

• The Apple Watch SE 3 reportedly will come in a plastic casing. Skipping the usual aluminum case will allow the wearable to come in a broad array of colors, potentially making it more appealing to younger buyers.

Samsung shakes up mobile team over ‘Apple design plagiarism’

• You can add Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong to the list of people who think his company’s new smartwatch and wireless earbuds are much too similar to Apple’s products.

Under Review: Zike 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand

• The Zike 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Stand is a finely made desktop charger for your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods.

This week, Apple Intelligence is out! What features are in? Also, leaked colors for the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, the first Apple silicon 5G chip coming next year and the first thought-controlled Vision Pro!

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

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.

This week’s stories:

How to get Apple Intelligence features early

• You can get the Apple Intelligence beta right now on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Not all features are available yet, but you can try out the new Siri, writing tools, Mail features and more by requesting early access.
• How to stop Siri from randomly activating all the damn time

iPhone 16 could come in these 5 colors

• Alleged iPhone 16 dummy units showing off the rear panel’s design and color options leaked in all their glory.

iPhone 16 Pro Max looks stealthy in leaked black titanium shade

• Apple will apparently offer its upcoming Pro iPhones in at least three shades: white, black, and titanium. Unlike in the past, it appears the company will finally adopt a deep black shade for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, giving it a stealthy look.

Apple’s in-house 5G modem could finally debut on next year’s iPhones

• Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple will debut its 5G chip on two iPhone models in 2025. The chip will launch with the iPhone SE 4 in the spring of 2025, followed by the iPhone 17 Slim later in the year.

Brain implant lets ALS patient control Vision Pro via thoughts

• In a groundbreaking development, a brain-computer interface (BCI) company called Synchron successfully demonstrated the first-ever use of Apple’s Vision Pro controlled directly by thought.

Listen to new Apple history podcast by two Cult of Mac alumni

• A new Apple history podcast from two Cult of Mac contributors launched this month. In each episode of Apple Core, hosts Graham Bower and Charlie Sorrel explore the history of a different Apple product, focusing on what we can learn from Apple’s past, and what this tells us about the company’s future plans.

Speed up Haptic Touch with this hidden iPhone setting [Pro Tip]

• A hidden setting in iOS 17 will speed up Haptic Touch, the fantastic feature that lets you preview links and bring up option menus on your iPhone. If you use Haptic Touch all the time like I do, changing this setting will make your iPhone feel supercharged.