The CultCast

Send us a text!This week: the HomePod reviews are coming out hot and heavy, and they’re surprising. We’ll tell you what people like, love, and hate about Apple’s new speaker. Plus: something strange is happening at Apple HQ… we’ll tell you more. This episode supported by Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast. Print postage from your office and take advantage of special shipping discounts at pb.com/cultcast, and beat the postage rate increase with exclusive discounts on letters. Plans start at just $5 a month! CultCloth will keep your iPhone X, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney HomePod meta review: Superb sound, stupid Siri https://www.cultofmac.com/527523/homepod-meta-review-great-sound-shitty-siri/ Apple seeded a few review units to major outlets ahead of this Friday’s HomePod launch. The embargo lifted Tuesday morning, and the early reviews reveal a few surprising tidbits about the HomePod. HomePod sound quality is amazing TechCrunch: “Apple’s HomePod is easily the best sounding mainstream smart speaker ever. It’s got better separation and bass response than anything else in its size and boasts a nuance and subtlety of sound that pays off the 7 years Apple has been working on it.” HomePod sounds better than expensive speakers WSJ: “The HomePod sounds noticeably richer and fuller than almost every other speaker we’ve testedApple’s audio engineering team did something really clever and new with the HomePod, and it really works. I’m not sure there’s anything out there that sounds better for the price, or even several times the price. HomePod sucks at music recommendations Apple frames the ability to tell Siri to play your favorite music, and immediately hear soothing tones blasted out of the speaker, as one of the HomePod’s main draws. Cupertino promises that Siri will learn your musical tastes over time, but based on The New York Times’ review, that’s not what actually happens. HomePod only syncs with one iCloud account That sucks if you don’t live alone. Not a very good assistant Siri is limited and doesn’t compete with Alexa or Google intelligence. TechCrunch: Siri doesn’t do a lot of “other” stuff that isn’t about audio content. Apple says this is because the vast majority of people use these speakers for basic commands like playing music and setting timers. But it does offer best-in-class voice recognition, vastly outstripping the ability of other smart speakers to hear you trying to trigger a command at a distance or while music is playing, but its overall flexibility is stymied by the li

Send us a text!This week: Apple delays big new iOS features to focus on stability, and what it means for iOS 12. Plus: New details tell us more about 2018’s iPhone X Plus Nintendo announces one of its most legendary games is coming to iOS; Apple works to bring iPad apps to Mac; and we’ll tell you what we like and don’t about the gadge we’re reviewing in an all-new Under Review ☝🏼✋🏼 This episode supported by Create a beautiful website all by yourself at Squarespace.com. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. The single-router wifi model just doesn’t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping with code "CultCast" at checkout. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / @lewiswallace Mario Kart is officially coming to iOS https://twitter.com/nintendoofamerica Nintendo just announced that a mobile version of Mario Kart is under development. The company says the game will be released sometime in the next 13 months, but left it at that. "The checkered flag has been raised and the finish line is near. A new mobile application is now in development: Mario Kart Tour! #MarioKartTour Releasing in the fiscal year ending in March 2019.” Apple delays big new iOS features to focus on stability in 2018 https://www.cultofmac.com/526181/apple-delays-big-new-ios-features-to-focus-on-stability-in-2018/ Apple is changing up its plans for this year’s mobile software According to Ina Fried in a report for Axios, “Apple has shaken up its iOS software plans for 2018, delaying some features to next year in an effort to put more focus on addressing performance and quality issues" Apple works to bring iPad apps to Mac in 2018 https://www.cultofmac.com/526399/apple-working-bring-ipad-apps-mac-2018/ Apple’s primary focus for its software updates this year is on improving performance and stability. But there’s a big new feature that the company is still working to bring to macOS, according to a new report. That’s the ability to run iPad apps. Apple has delayed big new features for iOS to focus on ironing out the kinks this year, according to a report from Axios’ Ina Fried. Software chief Craig Federighi is said to have announced the plans to Apple employees at a meeting earlier this month. But one key feature remains on the roadmap for 2018: The ability for Macs to run iPad apps,” reads the latest report. Apple’s value drops $46 billion amid falling iPhone X demand https://www.cultofmac.com/526199/apples-value-drops-46-billion-amid-rumors-of-weak-iphone-x-demand/ A growing number of analysts and news outlets have claimed that Apple is cutting production due to weaker-than-expected demand for its flagship device. The Wall Street Journal is the latest to corroborate the claims. The Wall Street Journal is the lat

Send us a text!This week: HomePod pre-sale has begun! But... we’ll tell you why Apple’s new smart speaker may be a huge flop. Plus: audiophiles are comparing HomePod’s tech to speakers that cost $85,000; Apple adds some long-awaited features to iOS 11; how to backup your iCloud photo library to your PC (and why you should); and wrap with another episode of Drone Chat! This time, we’ll tell you why DJI's Mavic Air is the perfect drone for almost everyone. This episode supported by Easily create a website by yourself, at Squarespace.com. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Print postage from your office and take advantage of special shipping discounts at pb.com/cultcast, and beat the postage rate increase with exclusive discounts on letters. Plans start at just $5 a month! CultCloth will keep your iPhone X, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney HomePod pre-orders begin Friday ahead of Feb. 9 launch https://www.cultofmac.com/524821/homepod-pre-orders-begin-friday-ahead-feb-9-launch/ Apple today Wednesday that it will release its $349 HomePod on February 9. Pre-orders start this Friday! That technology includes a seven-tweeter array and a 4-inch woofer — plus spatial awareness capabilities. These allow HomePod to “read” its environment and tailor audio output for the best results, though this functionality won’t be available until later this year. In large rooms, you can even pair multiple HomePods for bigger sound. Why Apple’s HomePod is poised to bomb https://www.cultofmac.com/524895/apple-homepod-bomb-opinion/ HomePod, the first new Apple product of 2018, is about to arrive. And as a huge Apple fanboy, I couldn’t care less. Thanks to Siri, HomePod is great at the things you want to know, and do, in your home. Set timers. Convert measurements. Get translations. And get live news, sports, weather, and traffic. You can also create lists that anyone can add to. Will it replace an iPad or AppleTV as as HomeKit hub? It’s too damn expensive Siri sucks You’re stuck with Apple Music Will Spotify work at all? HomePod is not even finished yet! No stereo or multi-room support till alter this year Audiophiles on Reddit are comparing HomePod’s tech to speakers costing 85,000 http://www.loopinsight.com/2018/01/24/on-homepod-and-audio-quality iOS 11.3 beta 1 is out with iCloud Messages, new Animoji and more https://www.cultofmac.com/525115/ios-11-3-beta-1-battery-improvements-new-animoji/ Apple gave the public a preview of the new features coming in iOS 11.3 Wednesday. iOS 11.3 beta 1 c

Send us a text!This week: Tim Cook is THRILLED with the US’ new tax overhaul, and has some exciting plans to spend Apple’s massive fortune. Plus: forget other smart speakers—we’re tell you why we’re now even more excited for HomePod. And stick around for our favorite movies, shows, and sausages in an all-new very weird What We’re Into! This episode supported by From how to become more productive and professional to how to read body language, network, and negotiate, the Art of Charm podcast covers anything that will help you become a high-performer at home and at work. Check it out at theartofcharm.com/podcast. Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.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. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / @lewiswallace You’ll soon be able to disable Apple’s iPhone throttling feature https://www.cultofmac.com/523987/disable-iphone-throttling-soon/ Tim Cook has revealed that a future iOS 11 update will let users disable the feature that was causing their iPhone to throttle performance. He says that this forthcoming update will give users the option to disable performance throttling if they would rather be at risk of unexpected shutdowns but maintain full CPU and GPU performance. Apple says it will add $350 billion to U.S. economy https://www.cultofmac.com/523809/apple-says-will-add-350-billion-u-s-economy/ Apple’s big tax break is about to unleash an big beautiful avalanche of spending from the iPhone-maker. In its last earnings report, Apple said it held $252 billion in cash overseas. It appears, given the new corporate tax rate of 15.5 percent, that it is returning a majority of this to the United States. This low rate is a one-time deal for corporations to repatriate their overseas cash hordes Apple revealed its plans to contribute $350 billion to the U.S. economy over the next five years now that the fee for repatriating its mountain of overseas cash has been significantly lowered. Even though construction on Apple’s new spaceship campus just finished, the company says its already looking to build a new one. Plans (including the location) for the third Apple HQ will be revealed later this year. The building will initially house new team specializing in technical support for customers. The company also says it plans to increase the size of its advanced manufacturing fund from $1 billion to $5 billion. The fund is used to invest in U.S. manufacturing companies and suppliers. Apple says it will add over 20,000 new jobs in the next five years by hiring for new jobs at its existing campuses and the new one. $30 billion will be spent on capital expenditures in the US over next 5 years with $10 billion of that going to data centers. With the new tax law in effect, Apple expects it will only pay $38 billion to bring its mon

Send us a text!This week: our list of the weirdest, whackiest, and wonderfullest gadgets of CES 2018! Plus: Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, and hanging with Andy Dick—we remember our favorite stories from CES's of years past. This episode supported by From how to become more productive and professional to how to read body language, network, and negotiate, the Art of Charm podcast covers anything that will help you become a high-performer at home and at work. Check it out at theartofcharm.com/podcast. Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.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. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / @lewiswallace Major power outage hits CES https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/10/16875192/ces-2018-blackout-power-outage Power in the North and Central halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, which hosts CES annually, was out for nearly two hours on Wednesday. The outage impacted hundreds of companies, including giants like LG, Samsung, and Sony, as well as many small startups that paid thousands of dollars to have a presence on the massive show floor. This year’s CES seems to be marked by more chaos than usual, including unprecedented rain that flooded streets and shut down Google’s giant funhouse booth for a day. Hue lights’ new iOS and Mac app will customize lighting for any occasion https://www.cultofmac.com/522577/hue-lights-mac-ios/ Outdoor products on the way Updated Hue app with complete redesign Partnership with Razer Philips Hue Sync Hue Sync will analyze anything displayed on your monitor in real-time and create light scripts to compliment your content DJI’s new Osmo 2 gimbal makes smooth iPhone footage cheap https://www.cultofmac.com/522089/dji-unveils-cheap-osmo-2-gimbal-smooth-iphone-footage/ Capturing super-smooth video on your iPhone is about to get a lot easier (AND cheaper) thanks to the folks at DJI. DJI unveiled its newest handheld smartphone gimbal today called the Osmo 2. The new gimbal packs simplified controls to allow anyone to record shake-free video from their iPhone, and it’s got some new tricks you won’t find on its predecessor. How to reopen a recently closed tab in Safari on iOS https://www.cultofmac.com/521667/how-to-reopen-recently-closed-tab-mobile-safari/ You’ve closed a tab in Safari and instantly realized that it was the wrong one. This trick works on both the Mac and on iOS devices. All you need to do is long-press (or long-click on the Mac) the + icon, aka

Send us a text! This week on a very fun, educational, and addictive CultCast: Everything you want to know about Apple’s $29 iPhone battery replacement program, and why you should absolutely use it. We’ll tell you about Steve Job’s new fashion line soon to be sweeping the runways of a Costco near you We break down just how much money Tim Cook earned each week and each day in 2017. Spoiler: He’a rich yaaa’aaall!. A high-tech butt cleaner, a $400 cooler, and a powerhouse network attached storage — Faves N Raves is back baby. We’ll pitch you our favorite tech then vote on which is best. 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. From how to become more productive and professional to how to read body language, network, and negotiate, the Art of Charm podcast covers anything that will help you become a high-performer at home and at work. Check it out at theartofcharm.com/podcast. CultCloth will keep your iPhone X, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / @lewiswallace Apple apologizes with $29 iPhone battery replacements https://www.cultofmac.com/520837/apple-apologizes-29-iphone-battery-replacements/ Apple confirmed last week that it lowers CPU performance. But they say they do it because as batteries age they can’t meet peak CPU draw demands, especially when the battery is low. When this happens it causes the device to restart, so Apple added an algorithm that curves CPU demands as batteries age. STATEMENT: “First and foremost, we have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades,” the company says on its website. “Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.” Apple also says it will come out with an iOS update in early 2018 that will give users more visibility into the health of their iPhone’s battery. Third-party apps like coconutBattery can also be used to check an iPhone’s battery status. Devices affected by the throttling include the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone SE. Apple notified customers today that it will reduce the price on out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacements by $50, putting the cost at just $29. There was a rumor going around that Apple would only replace batteries for phones that didn’t pass a battery diagnostic test, but an internal Apple memo apprehend by French Tech Blog iGeneration states that the Genius bar should allow battery replacements for all who ask If you’re wondering if you should replace your battery, Apple can run a diagnostic on your phone's battery remotely – you don't need to visit an Apple Store. Just contact their customer service via chat or email. ‘Steve Jobs’ could be Italy’s hottest new fashion lin

Send us a text!This week: our picks for the BEST Apple Gadge of 2017 💪🏼 Plus: Apple admits they are indeed slowing down older iPhones and Mac, but there’s more to the story than you’ve heard. We’ll tell you how to check if you’re affected, how to check your battery health, and how to prevent getting throttled. This episode supported by The single-router wifi model just doesn’t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping with code "CultCast" at checkout. Upsie saves you up to 70% on warranties versus traditional retailers, and you know exactly what’s covered before you buy. Plus their iPhone X accidental damage warranty is $80 less than Apple Care Plus. Get 10% off your first purchase at upsie.com with code “CultCast at checkout. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / @lewiswallace How old batteries are slowing down your iPhone and Mac https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/7inu45/psa_iphone_slow_try_replacing_your_battery/ It all started with a post on Reddit (TeckFire): My iPhone 6S has been very slow these past few weeks, and even after updating multiple times, it was still slow. Couldn’t figure out why, but just thought that iOS 11 was still awful to me. Then I used my brother’s iPhone 6 Plus and his was faster than mine? This is when I knew something was wrong. So, I did some research, and decided to replace my battery. I did a Geekbench score before the battery change, and found I was getting 1466 Single and 2512 Multi. After changing my battery, I did another test, and this time it was 2526 for Single and 4456 for Multi. From what I can tell, Apple slows down phones when the battery gets too low. Apple hit with two lawsuits over slowing down iPhones https://www.cultofmac.com/520147/iphone-lawsuits-battery/ Apple has admitted to purposely throttling the performance of aging iPhones, but they say it’s not to shorten your device’s life, but to lengthen it. Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components. Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. We’ve now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future.” A bad battery will result in a slowed Mac too https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4468165?tstart=0 Slow iPhone? Here’s how to check the health of your battery - leander https://www.cultofmac.com/519699/how-to-check-health-iphone-battery/ coconutBattery is a FREE Mac app tha

Send us a text!Ho Ho Hooo! This week on a very merry CultCast: Next-day delivery of iPhone X is a sprinkling of Christmas magic Updated AirPods are supposedly coming in 2018 How the iPhone almost never was HOT Tips: How to listen to Youtube videos when your iPad or iPhone screens are off How to picture-in-picture Youtube videos on your iPad And how to keep those pesky ads out of your Youtube videos for free And we wrap up with our favorite shows of 2017! To all our Cult friends, meeeeerry Christmas, happy (belated) Hanukkah This episode supported by Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast. Backblaze is unlimited cloud backup for Macs and PCs for just $5 a month. And it’s native for Macs! Try it out free for 15 days at Backblaze.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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace Next-day delivery of iPhone X is a sprinkling of Christmas magic https://www.cultofmac.com/519349/next-day-iphone-x-shipping/ It’s a Christmas Miracle! All models are available in the U.S. Apple Store, marking something of a Christmas miracle for Apple — when you consider that the majority of pre-release reports suggested that the iPhone X wouldn’t be shipping to most customers until some time in 2018. Listen up: Updated AirPods are supposedly coming in 2018 https://www.cultofmac.com/519555/updated-airpods-2018/ Did you know AirPods are among the most beloved new products that Apple has launched in years, with around 98 percent of customers describing themselves as either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with Apple’s wireless buds. Apple is planning to release an updated version of its AirPods wireless earbuds in the second half of 2018, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims in a new note to clients. While he doesn’t share too many details about what the new AirPods will do differently, he does suggest that they will adopt a smaller quartz component — quite possibly making them even smaller than the first-gen model currently available. Today in Apple history: iPhone may have to seek new name https://www.cultofmac.com/519065/apple-history-iphone-new-name/ The original iPhone wasn’t an iPhone at all. Back in 1998, a company called InfoGear showed off an “iPhone” at CES. Costing $499, with extra charges for internet access, the device made very early use of touch technology, visual voicemail, basic apps and more. Even though it got good reviews, it di

Send us a text!This week: In a surprising turn of events, Jony Ive has taken back the reigns of Apple’s design team. The new iMac is out, and the reviews are coming in. We’ll tell you what’s new about this beastly machine with a MONSTER price tag By the numbers: how much dough Apple earns every single second will help you realize what plebeians we all are And we wrap with how Apple got it right 2017, and what they need to do better in 2018! 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. If you want the fastest WiFi everywhere in our home, check out an award winning Orbi WiFi System from Netgear, at http://netgear.com/orbi. 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. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / @lewiswallace Jony Ive is once again leading Apple’s design team https://www.cultofmac.com/518077/jony-ive-design-team/ Jony Ive is reportedly returning to hands-on design duties at Apple, two years after being promoted to the role of Chief Design Officer. According to an Apple spokesperson, “With the completion of Apple Park, Apple’s design leaders and teams are again reporting directly to Jony Ive, who remains focused purely on design.” Why Ive would be returning to his old role isn’t immediately clear — nor what this means for Dye and Howarth. Ironically, at the time that Ive was given his new job in 2015, some pundits suggested it meant Jony was on his way out of Apple, and this was a way of carrying out the transition. Now that he is “demoted” to his old position, no doubt many people will take it as signaling much the same thing. Apple’s insane earning power https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/7jleyf/apple_makes_144476_per_second/ Apple’s ridiculously powerful iMac Pro is coming this week https://www.cultofmac.com/518429/imac-pro-this-week/ By the time you hear this, the iMac Pro will be ready for you to come 'n git it Comes wtih an 8, 10, or 18 core Intel Xeon Chip 32, 64, or 128 GB of DDR4 A new thermal design means the iMac Pro runs 80 percent cooler than a regular iMac Four Thunderbolt 3 ports for powering two 5K displays or four 4K displays at once, a 10-gigabit Ethernet port, four USB-A 3.0 ports, an SD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. That makes it Apple’s most port-friendly Mac in years. Hermetically sealed. Not upgradeable in any way, not even RAM. iMac Pro impresses in first hands-on reviews https://www.cultofmac.com/518511/imac-pro-impresses-first-hands-reviews/ A few lucky tech revi

Send us a text!This week: Everything you need to know about Apple Pay Cash. One of the best, most anticipated Apple TV apps fo 2017 is FINALLY available. We’ll talk about that. Why are we so hard on Apple? We recently received some harsh email from a critic asking that very question. We wrap up with our huge list of the best gadgets of 2017!! 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. The single-router wifi model just doesn’t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping 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. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / @lewiswallace iPhone X delivery times fall to within one week in US http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/11/30/iphone-x-delivery-times-fall-to-within-one-week-in-us All iPhone X models up for sale on Apple's online store are showing delivery in a week, down from 2-3 weeks two weeks ago. KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said supply chain improvements were to thank for Apple's improved iPhone X ship times, specifically a diversification of LCP LTE antenna orders and higher yields of iPhone's TrueDepth dot projector. Everything you need to know about Apple Pay Cash Used to pay people via the Messages app, though you can also use your Apple Pay Cash card to make Apple Pay payments if you have money on the card (card lives in your Apple Wallet) You can add cash to your card by receiving payments, or adding cash in the wallet app (minimum $10). This is one in the Wallet app. Just select the card then press the little “i” at the bottom right of the screen Money paid to you will live on your Apple Pay Cash card until you use it or transfer it to your bank. Debit cards let you send money for free, while credit cards cost 3% You can send money via Siri to people in your contacts You can send/receive a minimum of $1-$3,000 in a transaction, and can send/receive up to $10,000 in any 7 day period. Amazon Prime Video is finally available for your Apple TV https://www.cultofmac.com/517355/amazon-prime-video-debut-appletv/ Apple has finally delivered on its WWDC promise to bring Amazon Prime Video to Apple TV, with just a few weeks to spare before Apple hit its own end-of-the-year deadline. The tvOS version of the app is available to download on Apple TV 3rd generation devices or above by searching “Amazon Prime Video” on your set-top box. It brings an end to the days of having to use AirPlay to play Amazon Prime Video on your Apple TV, via another device. Ditch your old router, Eero is the new king

Send us a text!This week: The bigs ones. The bangers. It’s our favorite movies of 2017! The useful iPhone X gestures you haven’t heard about. Apple’s new Youtube channel and it’s actually pretty cool. The data for the LTE Apple watch is way more than we originally were told It’s the end of an era. Jailbreaking is dead. This episode supported by Learn all you want for free with 30-day trial to LinkedIn Learning at http://linkedin.com/cultcast If you just want great WiFi everywhere, check out an award winning Orbi WiFi System from Netgear, at http://netgear.com/orbi CultCloth will keep your iPhone X, 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. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Heads up: Apple Watch data is significantly more expensive than carriers will tell you https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/7gg373/heads_up_apple_watch_data_is_significantly_more/ Just a heads up: Got my first AT&T bill with my Apple Watch LTE added on. Taxes on the $10 data plan add-on come to $7.69 meaning the cellular plan for the watch is actually $17.69/month or $212.28 for a year of service. That's insane and totally not worth it. Just wanted to make people aware of the fact that AT&T conveniently neglects to mention how expensive the plan will actually be. Big Cydia sources shut down as jailbreaking dies out https://www.cultofmac.com/515907/big-cydia-sources-shut-jailbreaking-dies/ Jailbreaking was once a necessity to millions of iPhone owners, is just about dead, at least according to Cydia store creator Jay Freeman Many of the features that made jailbreaking so popular — like video recording, useful settings toggles, custom ringtones, and enhanced multitasking — are now baked into iOS. So jailbreaking is no longer required for many iPhone and iPad users. It was the only way to obtain native apps during the handset’s first year on the market. But even after the launch of the App Store, users turned to jailbreaking to get their hands on software Apple wouldn’t allow. Two of Cydia’s largest repositories have been shutdown as jailbreaking dies out. ModMy and ZodTTD are no longer available, leaving BigBoss as the only major source still available to those who want apps and tweaks you can’t find in the App Store. Apple’s new YouTube channel teaches iOS tips https://www.cultofmac.com/516289/apples-new-youtube-channel-teaches-iphone-ipad/ Apple wants to help you make the most of your iPhone and iPad with a brand new YouTube channel. It offers a collection of how-to videos that teach you how to take screenshots, send attachments in Mail, print on the go, and more. The channel, which launched on Monday evening, currently hosts ten how-to videos. They’ll teach you how to do things like change your wallpaper, mute or leave a group conversation in iMessage, delete call logs and photos, and more. Each vi

Send us a text!This week: HomePod’s been delayed, we’ll talk about that, but Bloomberg put out an interesting piece on the history of the HomePod, and it gives previously undisclosed details of the device you may find very interesting. We gotta talk about net neutrality How Tesla just out Apple’d, Apple Is there still a point to Apple TV? Tactics to get the best prices on all the Black Friday stuff you want Oh yeah, and 🦃 Gobble gobble yaaa’aaall! 🦃 This episode supported by Learn all you want for free with 30-day trial to LinkedIn Learning at LinkedIn.com/cultcast If you just want great WiFi everywhere, check out an award winning Orbi WiFi System from Netgear, at http://netgear.com/orbi 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! Check out the huge Black Friday sale with savings up to 50% at http://store.cultofmac.com. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Net neutrality is almost dead, but we can still save it FCC is about to kill Net Neutrality, and they’re calling it the Restoring internet freedom order They’re currently taking our feedback into account, but the official vote for the order will be on Dec. 14th Details of the new plan will were released today. The plan completely removes restrictions on throttling or prioritizing content, and explicitly allows paid prioritization of content Go to Battleforthenet.com. It will help you take action. If will connect you to your congress person via phone and even provide you a script of what to say. Tesla out-Apples Apple with the new Roadster “one more thing" https://youtu.be/lAQGBxtLSWU?t=1m15s Apple’s HomePod smart speaker won’t be home for Christmas - buster https://www.cultofmac.com/514723/apples-homepod-smart-speaker-wont-home-christmas/ Apple’s new Siri-powered smart speaker won’t be one of the hottest gifts of the 2017 holiday season after all. The HomePod was set to launch in December 2017, but the company released a statement today saying it needs more time to make the smart speaker ready for customers. “We can’t wait for people to experience HomePod, Apple’s breakthrough wireless speaker for the home, but we need a little more time before it’s ready for our customers. We’ll start shipping in the US, UK, and Australia in early 2018 When it does launch, HomePod will cost $349, making it a lot more pricey than rival smart speakers from Amazon and Google Apple's HomePod project actually predates the Amazon Echo, but has been canceled and restarted numerous times, and has undergone radical design changes

Send us a text!This week: Two weeks with the X. We’ll tell you what we like and what still sucks. Some very exciting new rumors about the next international of iPhone X Two big features coming you to in iOS 11.2 which is now in its 3rd beta What we tell you what we like and don’t about our favorite gadgets in a all-new under review 🤜🏼💥🤛🏼 This episode supported by Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast. Learn all you want for free with 30-day trial to LinkedIn Learning by visiting http://linkedin.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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / @lewiswallace Apple may launch 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus in 2018 https://www.cultofmac.com/513809/apple-may-launch-6-5-inch-iphone-x-plus-2018/ One of the most reliable Apple analysts in the game is predicting big things for the iPhone X design in 2018. According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will release an iPhone X Plus next year with the biggest smartphone screen the company has ever made. Kuo says Apple will release three iPhones in 2018 with a notch design. There will supposedly be a 5.8-inch (updated X) and a 6.5-inch model, both with OLED displays. The third iPhone will supposedly have a 6.1-inch LCD display but come with the same bezel-free design as the iPhone X. The 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus will have a display with 480 to 500 pixels per inch, possibly making it more pixel dense than the iPhone X. The 6.1-inch LCD version will only have a display with 320 to 330 PPI. iPhone will get rear-facing 3D sensors in 2019 https://www.cultofmac.com/513959/iphone-rear-3d-sensor/ According to a Bloomberg, Apple is working on a new rear-mounted “3D sensor” for its 2019 iPhone, which will help further the company’s augmented reality ambitions. The new system will work using lasers and measuring the amount of time it takes for them to bounce back to create a depth map. This is reportedly different to the TrueDepth sensor system used on the front of the iPhone X, which uses a pattern of 30,000 laser dots to measure depth information for features like Face ID. Two big features coming to your iPhone 8 and X with the release of iOS 11.2 https://www.cultofmac.com/513967/iphones-get-faster-7-5w-wireless-charging-with-ios-11-2/ Apple Pay cash, which will work on the iPad. Apple has added support for faster 7.5W wireless charging in its latest iOS 11.2 beta. iPhone 8, i

Send us a text!This week: the iPhone X may be Apple’s best phone, but it’s not perfect. Catch our first week impressions to hear what we love (and what we don’t!) about Apple’s very spicy new iPhone. Plus: our top reasons to NOT buy an iPhone X; how to use Apple Pay cash to pay your friends an fam; and catch our list of X-rated tips, aka the really useful iPhone X tips and tricks you haven’t heard about. 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. Speck makes some of the best looking, most protective iPhone cases in the land. Shop iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X cases in stores or online at SpeckProducts.com/cultofmac The single-router wifi model just doesn’t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping with code CULTCAST at checkout, at eero.com. 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 / @bst3r / @lkahney Apple, the most personal computer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHh8RmWDD9o iPhone X setup shows Apple’s core brilliance https://www.cultofmac.com/512591/easy-iphone-x-setup/ Automatic Setup signs you into iCloud, Keychain, iTunes, the App Store, iMessage and FaceTime using your Apple ID, according to Apple. It also takes care of device settings like language, region, network, keyboard preferences, Siri and Home and health data. The setup is reminiscent of setting up a new Apple Watch, but even easier. DisplayMate: iPhone X Has the 'Most Innovative and High Performance' Smartphone Display Ever Tested https://www.cultofmac.com/512485/iphone-x-boasts-best-smartphone-display-ever/ Displaymate: iPhone X's display resolution provides "significantly higher image sharpness" than can be analyzed by a person with normal 20/20 vision at a 12-inch viewing distance. DisplayMate said this means that it's now "absolutely pointless" to increase the display resolution and pixels per inch of the iPhone any further, since there would be "no visual benefit" for users "highest absolute color accuracy of any display we have ever tested," with a display that is "visually indistinguishable from perfect.” iPhone X could be Apple’s most fragile handset ever https://www.cultofmac.com/512369/iphone-x-apples-fragile-handset-ever/ Stress tests by SquareT

Send us a text! This week: iPhone X—the good, the bad… the ugly. The reviews are in, we’ll tell you what people love and don’t about Apple’s newest iPhone. Plus: how to speed up Face ID we’ll tell you about the clever new strategy Apple used to build massive hype for the iPhone X launch, and why it really pissed a lot of folks off. And stick around for a very weird What We’re Into, where we reveal the stuff we’ve been dong in our lives that you should try too. 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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Siri, before Siri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1bmZLePhCs Massive iPhone X lines form at Apple Stores worldwide https://www.cultofmac.com/511715/iphone-x-attracts-apple-store-lines-around-world/ Fans have begun lining up outside Apple Stores around the world to get their hands on iPhone X. The X makes its official debut on November 3. Apple has promised that units will be available for walk-in customers, but just like pre-orders, they’re expected to disappear quickly. Some lines have already turned chaotic, while latecomers are offering money for precious spots near the front. Scumbags camping just to sell their spots! Why Apple short-circuited the media machine for iPhone X reviews https://www.cultofmac.com/511357/apple-strategy-iphone-x-reviews/ Anybody who thinks Apple can’t innovate should look in awe at the fecal hurricane whipped up by the company’s unorthodox iPhone X marketing plan. By giving popular YouTubers early access to the next-gen iPhone, and allowing them to “scoop” the old-school journalists traditionally granted such preferential treatment, Cupertino upended the typical review cycle. Apple apparently bruised a few fragile egos in the process. Frankly, it’s hilarious watching the ensuing media meltdown. iPhone X meta review: Setting Apple up for the next 10 years https://www.cultofmac.com/511193/iphone-x-meta-review-setting-apple-next-10-years/ Face ID Unlocks an iPhone More Slowly Than Touch ID, but is Faster in Day-to-Day Usage https://www.macrumor

Send us a text!This week: How to get the best deal on your iPhone X, save yourself some serious buckets Why Woz says the iPhone X will be the first iPhone he won’t buy day one Would you let your delivery man enter your house when you’re not home? We discuss Amazon key! Plus we’ll tell what we like and don’t about the gadgets we’re reviewing in an all-new Under Review 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! 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 / @bst3r / @lkahney Woz: iPhone X will be the first iPhone I haven’t bought on day one https://www.cultofmac.com/509875/woz-iphone-x-will-first-iphone-havent-bought-day-one/ Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says the iPhone X is the first iPhone he doesn’t plan to buy on “day one.” “I’d rather wait and watch that one,” Wozniak said during an interview at the Money 20/20 conference. “I’m happy with my iPhone 8 — which is the same as the iPhone 7, which is the same as the iPhone 6, to me. " will, so I’ll be close enough to see it.” How to get the best deal on the iPhone X https://www.cultofmac.com/510141/get-best-deal-iphone-x/ $500 off with Xfinity Triple Play $350 off at Sprint Up to $300 off on Verizon T-Mobile gives $300 off Nothing yet at iPhone X will be available to walk-in customers on launch day https://www.cultofmac.com/509959/iphone-x-will-available-walk-customers-launch-day/ Apple has promised that iPhone X will be available to walk-in customers on launch day. You will also be able to purchase iPhone X from Apple Stores beginning Friday, November 3 at 8 a.m. local time. “Stores will have iPhone X available for walk-in customers, who are encouraged to arrive early,” Apple says. Amazon Key opens your home for indoor deliveries https://www.engadget.com/2017/10/25/amazon-key-service-delivery-access-unlock-door/ Would you be cool with your delivery person opening your front door when you’re away to drop off your package? Amazon Key, uses a smart lock and connected camera. When a delivery is made the courier scans the package's barcode which sends an access request to Amazon's cloud. When it grants permission, the camera starts recording, the courier swipes a prompt on their app and then your door unlocks. They leave the package by the door and relock it on their way out. You'll get a notification that the delivery has been made, along with a video of the drop-off to reassure you everything was done above board. Amazon has designed the service

Send us a text!This week: you’ll have mere seconds to lock down your iPhone X pre-order on October 27th, and if you’re not ready, you’ll be waiting months! We’ve got the strategies you’ll need to employ to have your order placed seconds after the X goes live. Plus: Steve Wozniak just launched his first new product in years, and it’s actually pretty cool; the really dumb Mac accessory you’ll definitely want; Apple taps one of Hollywood’s best for a new TV series; and stick around for Leander’s new $10,000 bike, Buster’s new affordable action camera, and a new movie service you’ve GOT to try in an all-new Under Review. 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! 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 / @bst3r / @lkahney Foxconn is reportedly pumping out iPhone X’s on schedule https://www.cultofmac.com/508843/iphone-x-component-suppliers-beat-teething-troubles/ According to a new report, Foxconn has sent out 46,500 units from its facilities in Zhengzhou and Shanghai, headed for the Netherlands and United Arab Emirates After running into multiple problems building its next-gen iPhone X, Apple’s suppliers have reportedly achieved more stable yield rates for troublesome components. Foxconn has managed to ramp up its output of the iPhone X from 100,000 to 400,000 units a week Digitimes says "shipments of the device have increased gradually and will meet Apple’s demand ahead of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the sources indicated.” But even though production has ramped up, no one is quite sure how big demand will be. Will this be the most popular iPhone ever? KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, iPhone X preorders could exceed 40 million, and may even hit 50 million. However, Kuo has also noted right from the start that supply of the new device is likely to be constrained through the first half of 2018 Chrome Auto Refresh plug-in https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/auto-refresh/ifooldnmmcmlbdennkpdnlnbgbmfalko The candle that makes your house smell like a Mac is back https://www.cultofmac.com/508933/candle-makes-house-smell-like-mac-back/ Mac and iPhone accessory maker TwelveSouth is bringing back its Mac-scented candle that flew off store shelves last year. The all-new Inspire candle still smells like a new Mac but comes with some big updates to its design that are sure to delight Apple fans. TwelveSouth updated the Inspire candle this year with a new fragrance formula that’s supposed to remind you of opening up a new Mac. The scent is created by blending bergamot and armoise with hints of lemon, tarragon, amber and musk. Steve Wozniak announces tech education platfo

Send us a text!This week: live in the home of the future, today! We’ll tell you how with iOS 11’s huge improvements in the Home app and HomeKit. Plus: there’s a new Apple ID phishing scam you need to know about; there’s been a disappointing development with Apple’s AR glasses; we have to talk about the hundreds of new emoji coming at you in iOS 11.1; and we’ve got a svelte iPhone 8 case, a MacBook Pro sleeve made from real sheep, and a new power brick that’ll charge your MacBook, iPhone, Nintendo Switch—EVERYTHING—in an all new under review. 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! 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 / @lewiswallace / @lkahney 9 beautifully minimalist cases for your iPhone 8 & 8 Plus (and 7/7Plus) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhsoKFLYBuw Why you shouldn’t trust Apple ID prompts in third-party apps https://www.cultofmac.com/507863/beware-apple-id-prompts-appear-third-party-apps/ A savvy developer named Felix Krause has discovered it is shockingly easy for an iOS app developer to phish your Apple ID and password with a fake authentication prompt that looks exactly the a real one. He posted pictures of a real and fake prompt this week and they look identical. Worse, developers can add this code after their app has been approved by Apple. How to tell the difference: The app will close and the popup will disappear with it. This means it was a phishing attempt. The app and popup remain on screen. This means it is a genuine system dialog and can be trusted. Apple is now selling its latest MacBook Pro at a discount https://www.cultofmac.com/507865/apple-now-selling-latest-macbook-pro-discount/ Apple has updated its online Apple store to start offering refurbished 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar, marking the first time this year’s Touch Bar-equipped models have been available to buy refurbished. Apple typically sells refurbished models for around 15 percent off the full retail price Apple CEO Tim Cook: Technology Doesn't Exist to do AR Smart Glasses 'In a Quality Way’ https://www.macrumors.com/2017/10/10/tim-cook-on-augmented-reality-smart-glasses/ Apple CEO Tim Cook recently sat down for a wide ranging interview with The Independent When questioned about the topic, he said the technology to create a pair of augmented reality smart glasses "in a quality way" does not exist today. "But today I can tell you the technology itself doesn't exist to do that in a quality way. The display technology req

Send us a text!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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney 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

Send us a text!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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Catch our CultCast live show on Monday, Oct 2nd at 12PM! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RweyyksGEqQ Bill Gates ditches Windows Mobile, but not for iPhone 8 https://www.cultofmac.com/505353/bill-gates-drops-windows-android-still-wont-use-iphone/ 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 https://www.cultofmac.com/505375/apple-tv-finally-back-amazon/ 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 https://blog.andplus.com/apples-faceid-tech-machine-learning 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

Send us a text! 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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Historical first? New iPhones fail to sell out - leander https://www.cultofmac.com/503060/iphone-8-apple-watch-3-still-surprisingly-easy-get-hold/ 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 https://www.cultofmac.com/502958/face-id-will-support-just-one-user-iphone-x-makes-debut/ 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 https://www.cultofmac.com/502688/apple-quietly-raises-ipad-pro-prices-no-reason/ 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 https://www.cultofmac.com/502858/adding-wireless-charging-airpods-will-cost-69/ Apple’s new Wire

Send us a text!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 / @bst3r / @lkahney Erfon’s Twitch stream on Faceshift, the technology powering Star Wars animations and now iPhone X Animoji https://www.twitch.tv/videos/173683607 iPhone 8 brings awesome new features at a cheaper price https://www.cultofmac.com/501936/iphone-8-gives-awesome-new-features-cheaper-price/ iPhone cameras just got a whole lot smarter https://www.cultofmac.com/502376/iphone-cameras-just-got-whole-lot-smarter/ Watch all of Apple’s new iPhone videos right here https://www.cultofmac.com/502420/watch-apples-new-iphone-videos-right/ 7 ways Apple surprised us at the iPhone X event https://www.cultofmac.com/502416/iphone-x-event-surprises/ Apple releases iOS 11 GM (the right way) https://www.cultofmac.com/502432/apple-releases-ios-11-gm-right-way/ iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Should you wait longer and pay more? https://www.cultofmac.com/502462/iphone-x-worth-wait-heres-compares-iphone-8/ Everything Apple unveiled at its iPhone X keynote https://www.cultofmac.com/502280/everything-apple-unveiled-iphone-x-keynote/

Send us a text!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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Pre-Orders for iPhone 8 Likely to Start on September 15, Shipments on September 22 https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/06/iphone-8-preorders-september-15/ Drone flyover shows off a bustling Steve Jobs Theater https://www.cultofmac.com/500740/drone-flyover-shows-off-bustling-steve-jobs-theater/ Steve Jobs Theater is as special as any other Apple product https://www.cultofmac.com/500790/steve-jobs-theater-special-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 spec

Send us a text! 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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Apple’s cryptic invitation confirms September 12 event https://www.cultofmac.com/500056/apples-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 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-30/how-apple-plans-to-change-the-way-you-use-the-next-iphone Without a Home button, here’s how the new iPhone 8 UI will work https://www.cultofmac.com/499778/without-home-button-heres-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 n

Send us a text!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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney This week’s intro (thanks Nick Bracken!) http://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?record_id=147476 The shadows take on the sun's new shape https://instagram.com/p/BYEHnqbHU1d/ We might know the iPhone 8 keynote date https://www.cultofmac.com/498836/iphone-8-release-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 https://www.cultofmac.com/498426/iphone-8s-amazing-facial-recognition-super-quick-works-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.

Send us a text!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 @erfon / @bst3r / Buster on Instagram Blurry photos purport to show mythical Apple TV set https://www.cultofmac.com/497858/blurry-photos-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 https://www.cultofmac.com/497846/apple-will-throw-1-billion-original-programming-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

Send us a text!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! This episode supported by The single-router wifi model just doesn’t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping 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 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 @erfon / @maccast Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-04/apple-said-to-ready-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 https://www.cultofmac.com/496382/foxconn-photo-confirms-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 https://www.cultofmac.com/496270/iphone-8-facial-recognition-will-unlock-phone-even-lying/ 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

Send us a text!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 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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / Buster on Instagram More juicy details about iPhone 8 discovered in Apple code https://www.cultofmac.com/495480/juicy-details-about-iphone-8/ 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 https://www.cultofmac.com/495340/facial-recognition-code-stevets/ "I can confirm reports that HomePod’s firmware reveals the existence of upcoming iPhone’s infra-red face unlock in BiometricKit and elsewhere” Steve St

Send us a text!This week: Parts shortages force Apple to start handing out free MacBook Pros, and everyone on the internet wants a piece of the action. You knew Jony Ive designed some of Apple’s most iconic products, but did you know he also helped craft one of Star Wars most nefarious light sabers? Apple discontinues two of their most iconic products. And stay tuned for all our favorite new stuff in another episode of What We’re Into! This episode supported by BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lewiswallace Shortages force Apple to swap old MacBook Pros for new models https://www.cultofmac.com/494546/supply-shortages-force-apple-swap-old-macbook-pros-new-models/ Apple has been forced to swap old MacBook Pros in need of repair with new models due to severe component shortages. It means some lucky customers are getting a free upgrade to the latest machines when in need of service under warranty. A common fault with any laptop after regular use is that its battery loses its ability to charge. The cells can only withstand so many cycles before they no longer perform as intended. Fortunately, Apple will replace them for free under warranty. MacRumors reports that the company is currently facing “a severe constraint of top case assemblies with integrated batteries” for 15-inch MacBook Pros released in mid 2012 and early 2013 — and this is expected to last until September. As a result, Apple is said to have instructed its Genius Bar employees and Authorized Service Providers that they can temporarily swap affected notebooks for a newer, “functionally equivalent” model. If your MacBook Pro is still covered by the one-year manufacturer warranty, or an extended AppleCare plan, the cost of a battery replacement (or upgrade were eligible) is completely free. If your warranty has expired, the fee is $199. However, Apple has been waiving this fee for customers who are willing to wait for new batteries to arrive, rather than taking an upgrade for $199. Apple No Longer Replacing Some MacBook Pros Needing Battery Service With Newer Models https://www.macrumors.com/2017/07/26/apple-ends-macbook-pro-battery-exchanges/ Apple's memo says, effective July 26, service inventory of top case assemblies with batteries is now available for new repairs. For all new repair requests, Apple advises Genius Bar employees and Apple Authorized Service Providers to order the necessary inventory. Apple advises its service providers to

Send us a text! This week: Why Apple’s making an iPhone Pro, a tech-packed cutting-edge phone that will showcase what Cupertino is capable of. Genius Bar jackpot! Aka, why the Genius Bar sometimes replaces your old broken tech for a brand new model. Stick around for a super-powerful electric long board, a HomeKit-enabled ceiling fan, and pro-level keyboard case for your iPad Pro in an all-new Under Review 🤖 This episode supported by You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more. Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast 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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @lewiswallace / @lkahney Macintosh Jr. has the power to crush the other kids! Apple’s risky balancing act with the next iPhone http://www.macworld.com/article/3207552/iphone-ipad/apples-risky-balancing-act-with-the-next-iphone.html Why Apple sometimes gives brand new products for your old broken one (connected podcast) Have you or a friend ever taken an old product into the Genius Bar, and had them replace that product with a brand new version? Isn’t it great when that happens?? Well it turns out it’s likely not cause Apple’s so nice. When Apple develops a new product, they can’t test for everything. When a problem surfaces, Apple may initiate what they call a "Field capture period” During this time, if Apple is investigating a problem with a product, and you bring in a product that exhibits the symptoms of that problem, they’ll give you a new piece of hardware, then send your device back to Cupertino to dissasemble and investigate. Certain kinds of sunscreens dissolving glue in Apple watch backs, causing the back to come off. Under Review Hunter Symphony Fan Logitech Slim Combo Keyboard Huger Electric Longboard Leander on a skateboard http://imgur.com/8YmIU2s

Send us a text!This week: the magic of HomePod! We’ll tell you about the built-in audio tech that's getting even the most ardent audiophiles hyped about Apple’s new smart speaker. Plus: why iPhone 8’s biggest features may be disabled at launch Why you can grab free Beats in Apple's new back to school promo without being in college The fascinating story behind Steve Jobs' iconic turtleneck More of iOS 11’s best unknown features And we wrap with the heart warming story of why Steve Jobs insisted on always buying Scott Forstall's lunch. This episode supported by You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more. Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast What is Backblaze? It’s unlimited, cloud backup for Macs and PCs. And it’s native for Macs! Try it out free for 15 days at Backblaze.com/cultcast. Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney iPhone 8’s biggest features could be disabled at launch https://www.cultofmac.com/492358/iphone-8s-biggest-features-disabled-launch/ Some of the iPhone 8’s biggest new features could be disabled when the handset makes its debut this September. According to Fast Company, there is “a sense of panic in the air” at Apple as engineers scramble to iron out software bugs that are affecting wireless charging and 3D facial recognition. For both features, the hardware is ready — but the software that controls the features is “not ready for prime time.” If Apple cannot fix the issues, wireless charging could be disabled when the iPhone 8 goes on sale this September. Users would then have to wait for a future iOS update for it to be enabled — just like Portrait Mode on iPhone 7 Plus, which wasn’t ready for launch last fall. Same goes for facial recognition, but this report says Apple will indeed include a touch ID sensor under the screen, so at least you’ll have that. Apple offers free Beats in latest Back to School promo https://www.cultofmac.com/492362/apple-offers-free-beats-latest-back-school-promo/ Apple is giving away free Beats headphones for its latest Back to School promotion. Those who purchase a new iPad Pro — either the 10.5- or 12.9-inch mode

Send us a text!This week: it’s easy to ignore how intuitive it is to use an iPhone, but behind those vast array of simple swipes and taps was an entire team of designers who painstakingly crafted the sophisticated interactions that give the iPhone its magic. This week we'll tell you the stories behind inertial scrolling, swipe to unlock, and Bas Ording, the man who brought iOS to life using the physics of our natural world. This episode supported by You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more. Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast 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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney iPhone 8 will include fewer casing colors, no Touch ID https://www.cultofmac.com/490788/iphone-8-will-include-fewer-casing-colors-no-touch-id/ Will Apple manage to successfully embed Touch ID into the OLED display of the iPhone 8, or will it have to follow in the footsteps of Android device makers and opt for a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor? None of the above, claims well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a list of predictions he’s made for the next iPhone, Kuo claims Apple will skip Touch ID altogether for its next-gen handset. “We predict the OLED model [iPhone 8] won’t support fingerprint recognition,” Kuo writes. The reasons? The full-screen design doesn’t work with existing capacitive fingerprint recognition, and under-the-display fingerprint recognition tech still isn’t ready. iPhone 8 might drop Touch ID for 3-D face scanner https://www.cultofmac.com/490848/iphone-8-3-d-facial-scanning/ The iPhone 8 might ditch Touch ID for 3-D facial scanning that could prove faster, easier and more secure than the fingerprint reader currently used for logins and payments. Apple is currently testing the 3-D face-scanning technology in iPhone prototypes that utilize a new 3-D sensor, according to Bloomberg. The new security system could be augmented by eye-scanning technology with the intent of replacing Touch ID, the report adds, citing anonymous “people familiar with the product.” One major production problem Apple faces with the OLED screen iPhone 8 is getting an under-screen fingerprint sensor to w

Send us a text!This week: you’d never know it from Steve Job’s effortless keynote introduction, but the original iPhone was plagued with huge design and production issues that almost made Apple call it quits, right up until the day it was released! To commemorate the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, we’ll recount some of the incredible stories behind iPhone’s beleaguered early days, and celebrate how Apple pulled off one of the greatest device launches in history. And stay tuned for an all-new What We're Into! This episode supported by You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more. Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Sign up to get a free copy of Unsung Apple Hero, an e-book detailing Bas Ording’s career at Apple. We’ll email you a copy when the e-book is released in July! Trying to build a better iPod iPod was ruling the world, it was 50% of Apple’s revenue. Apple had the wherewithal to realize it was only a matter of time before phones would do it all, and they realized they needed to build one. Well the iPod used a click wheel, so why not build a phone function into that? It worked great, until they realized it wouldn’t work for dialing numbers. Steve Jobs realized their multitouch technology, which existed as rough demo, could be the key to controlling the iPhone. But they’d had to shrink it. The technology at the time consisted of a ping-pong table-sized display with a projector shooting down onto it. They had found their solution. Birth of the iPhone: How Apple turned clunky prototypes into a truly magical device Insider stories on how the iPhone was born The pressure Around 2005, Steve Jobs conveyed to Forstall and team that he hated the replacement iPhone proposals he was seeing, and that’s when he threatened to take the project away from them. He gave the team two weeks to come up with a good design. The team went into overdrive. Working tirelessly. Non stop. They had to come up with an entire multitouch design language, touch interactions, like pinch to zoom and the rubber banding scroll. When the two weeks was up, they convened with Steve to show him their new work. He watched silently, stoic. And when the demo was over, Steve said, "let me see it again.” So once more they dived into their vision of the iPhone. And after they were through, Steve simply said: Good job guys. He was blown away.

Send us a text!This week: More of the powerful new iOS 11 features you’ve never heard of. The talented app which will harnesses the power of Apple’s new augmented reality features Scott Forstall is back, and he’s sharing the bizarre story of how the original iPhone really came to be. Everything you need to know about HEIF, the JPEG-killing format Apple is adopting Cliff jumping in our loin cloths 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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Former iOS Chief Scott Forstall Discusses Creating the First iPhone https://www.macrumors.com/2017/06/21/scott-forstall-discusses-creation-first-iphone/ Former iOS chief Scott Forstall is back from the dead. In a rare appearance, he appeared an event Tuesday night at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, where he discussed the birth of the iPhone and his relationship with Steve Jobs. It’s the first time he's spoken publicly since he was ousted from Apple in October 2012 Forstall also spoke about the concept of skeuomorphic design, claiming he had "never heard of skeuomorphism" when he was working on iOS and that it sounded "unnatural”. "When I look at design - when I look at good design - it's approachable, friendly, you can use it without a manual. It's fun. We talked a lot about photo-illustrative design. It was infused into the design sense of Apple by Steve Jobs since the original Mac. We used these design philosophies. It doesn't mean we loved it, or loved every single part of it. We know it worked. How do we know it worked? You just have to watch people use it.” Where things got really interesting is when Scott spoke about the origins of the iPhone. The TRUE origins. Forstall claimed that before the iPhone was conceived, Jobs had initially wanted a tablet with capacitative touch and multitouch in order to get one over on someone he "hated" who worked at Microsoft. "It began because Steve hated this guy at Microsoft. That is the actual origin," Forstall said, before adding that it wasn't Bill Gates. After hearing the person boast about Microsoft's tablet and stylus development, said Forstall, "Steve came in on a Monday, there was a set of expletives and then he said, 'Let's show them how it's really done'." New Siri icon in iOS 11 may hint at iPhone 8’s virtual Home button https://www.cultofmac.com/488534/new-siri-icon-ios-11-may-hint-iphone-8s-virtual-home-button/ Apple may have left a big clue in iOS 11 that points to huge design changes coming later this year to the iPhone 8. While doing some testing with the new Do Not Disturb When Driving feature, eagle-eyed Apple observers have spotted a new icon for Siri i

Send us a text!This week: Reviews for the new iPad Pro and HomePod are bonkers Someone in the Apple supply chain just accidentally leaked some of iPhone 8’s marquee features Speed tests show a big improvement in the new MacBook Pro Apple finally offers us iCloud Storage sharing Our favorite unannounced iOS 11 features And we’ll tell you what we like (and don’t) about the apps and gadgets we’re currently testing in an all-new Under Review! 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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Apple suppliers confirm two of iPhone 8’s biggest features http://www.cultofmac.com/487120/apple-supplier-will-ship-3d-facial-recognition-sensors-time-iphone-8/ Apple supplier Largan has confirmed it will be shipping its new 3D sensors in time for iPhone 8, while another has confirmed waterproofing and wireless charging technology. Largan’s sensors are capable of carrying out facial and iris recognition and provide an alternative to fingerprint scanning. They could be the solution Apple turns to if it is unable to embed a Touch ID scanner beneath the iPhone 8’s display. iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models are already splash- and water-resistant with an IP67 rating, but Apple's fine print warns that "splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear." iPhone water damage is not covered by Apple's warranties. But in Wednesday's shareholders meeting, [Robert] Hwang, [Wistron CEO] told reporters that the Assembly process for the previous generations of [iPhones] have not changed much, though new features like waterproof and wireless charging now require some different testing, and waterproof function will alter the assembly process a bit,” A report earlier this year said Apple's next iPhone models will feature improved IP68-rated water resistance (30 minutes in up to 3 feet of water) 2017 MacBook Pro is Up to 20% Faster Than Last Year's Model in Benchmarks https://www.macrumors.com/2017/06/07/2017-macbook-pro-benchmarks-geekbench/ Apple this week refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup with Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, and early benchmarks for the notebooks suggest the 2017 models are up to 20 percent faster than the equivalent 2016 models equipped with Intel's sixth-generation S

Send us a text!This week: in one of the most exciting and action-packed keynotes in years, Apple updates just about everything they’ve got. Hot off the event, catch our reactions plus our picks for best in show! 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. Check out the Cult of Mac  Watch store for a curated selection of our favorite straps, all available for prices far less than you’d expect. 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. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney WWDC keynote is proof of Apple’s awesome power and poise http://www.cultofmac.com/485116/wwdc-2017-keynote-apple-power/ First look: From cute to badass, Apple’s new hardware impresses http://www.cultofmac.com/485086/first-look-cute-badass-apples-new-hardware-impresses/ Hardware, software and surprises: Key takeaways from Apple’s WWDC 2017 keynote http://www.cultofmac.com/484764/apples-wwdc-2017-keynote-takeaways/ HomePod leads to string of Twitter jabs http://www.cultofmac.com/485134/twitter-reacts-to-homepod-preview-at-wwdc-2017/ 11 awesome iOS 11 features Apple didn’t bother to mention http://www.cultofmac.com/485088/ios-11-features-apple-didnt-mention/ HomePod smart speaker will totally rock (and control) your house http://www.cultofmac.com/484756/apple-homepod-speaker-wwdc-2017/ New 10.5-inch iPad Pro is Apple’s best tablet yet http://www.cultofmac.com/485036/apple-delivers-new-10-5-inch-ipad-pro/ Apple teases ‘seriously badass’ iMac Pro and other new Macs at WWDC http://www.cultofmac.com/484970/apple-teases-seriously-badass-imac-pro-wwdc/

Send us a text!This week: new evidence points to one of the most hardware-packed WWDCs in years! Add in four new OS reveals and, by golly, you have one heckuva exciting show. We’ll tell you all we know, and share all the products we predict will hit the stage. 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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Steve Jobs closes down Apple! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shu6_lO1PW8 Everything we expect to see at WWDC2017 http://www.cultofmac.com/484068/everything-expect-see-wwdc-2017/ MacBook Pro Macbook Pro with Touch Bar was announced 7 months ago! But a new one looks to be on the way. Expect: More powerful Kaby Lake processors 32GB of desktop-class RAM for 15-inch MacBook Pro Price slash for 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar which hasn’t been selling well per Ming Chi Kuo MacBook Pro shipping estimates hint at WWDC refresh http://www.cultofmac.com/483974/macbook-pro-shipping-estimates-hint-wwdc-refresh/ Shipping times for the 15-inch model have slipped on the Apple online store It seems strange that shipping times would suddenly slip for a product that’s been on sale since October. “A spot check shows 15-inch MacBook Pro delivery estimates are similarly as long in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, and several other countries,” reports MacRumors. 12-inch MacBook It’s been over a year since Apple has updated its the portable 12-inch MacBook. Now would be a good time. MacBook Air Bloomberg reported earlier in May that Apple is “considering” updating the MacBook Pro with a newer processor because sales of the machine have continued to be “surprisingly strong.” Who knows what processor it’ll get or what (if any ) other upgrades (like as USB-C or a new display) might be included. iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac mini Apple announced earlier this year that they are hard at work on new pro-level desktop machines, but don’t expect to see anything at WWDC. The company made it clear that the new Mac Pro is in the works, but they also gave a spec bump to the current line. It is possible we may see an announcement about the pro-level iMacs they talked about, especially considering it hasn’t been updated since Oct. 2015! Maybe we’ll get some Kaby lak

Send us a text!This week: Rumors point to a big iPhone 8 price hike. What’s the max you would pay? Intel makes a huge move to push Thunderbolt into the mainstream Ikea about to drop tons of great HomeKit gadgets on us DJI’s Spark selfie drone is a compact powerhouse And we’ll tell you about the weird and whacky gadgets we’re reviewing in an all-new Under Review! This episode supported by Blue Apron makes it easy to cook delicious meals at home. See their upcoming menu and get your first three meals free 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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney More evidence hints at massive iPhone 8 price hike http://www.cultofmac.com/482409/evidence-hints-massive-iphone-8-price-hike/ Rumors that the iPhone 8 may come with a $1,000 price tag are seemingly backed-up by a new report claiming that components for the next-gen handset will be considerably higher than those for its predecessor. According to China’s Economic Daily News, the 3D Touch module alone for the iPhone 8 will cost 150 percent more than the comparable module for the current LCD iPhone. As per a recent report from Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski, the 128GB iPhone 8 will sell for $999, while the 256GB version will set users back a whopping $1,099. This means that the iPhone 8 could represent a significant 25 percent price jump from the iPhone 7. Include AirPods? Sensor on second iPhone 7 Plus camera is smaller than main one, calculations show Intel will eliminate Thunderbolt royalties to boost adoption http://www.cultofmac.com/483186/intel-will-eliminate-thunderbolt-royalties-boost-adoption/ Every manufacturer that uses it has to pay royalties to Intel, which means you typically find it exclusively in expensive, high-end machines. Intel has confirmed plans to drop Thunderbolt royalties in an effort to boost adoption. The chip-maker also plans to integrate Thunderbolt 3 into its own processors starting next year, eliminating the need for a dedicated controller. Thunderbolt has become the ultimate standard for connecting peripherals to your computer, thanks to its incredibly high bandwidth and versatility. Thunderbolt 3’s 40Gbps speeds let you transfer a full 4K movie in just 30 seconds. USB 3 is only 10GBPS! Control IKEA Home Smart products with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Home app http://newsroom.inter.ikea.com/News/c

Send us a text!This week: new MacBook Pros at WWDC? Insiders say yes! We’ll tell you all we know. Plus: why future Macs are about to get much faster CPUs; Apple makes a big move to bring manufacturing back to the US; and we’ll wrap up with 5 weird and whacky facts about the new Apple Park campus. 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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Apple may reveal three new MacBooks at WWDC http://www.cultofmac.com/481877/new-macbooks-wwdc/ Apple hasn’t released new hardware at a WWDC keynote since 2013, but the company is allegedly planning to unveil a new lineup of MacBooks, according to a report that claims the new machines will pack Intel’s new Kaby Lake processor to bring more speed than ever. Three new laptops will debut at WWDC 2017, claims Bloomberg, citing “people familiar with the matter.” Both the MacBook Pro and 12-inch MacBook will be updated with new Intel chips. Apple is also supposedly considering updating the 13-inch MacBook Air with a new processor, too, which would be quite a surprise as most observers assumed the machine was on its last legs now that the MacBook and MacBook Pro are thinner. Sales of the old MacBook Air remain “surprisingly strong” due to its cheap price tag, claims one of the report’s sources. What features needed to make the machine exciting again Shows Apple may be getting about making Mac great again. Intel: Cannonlake CPUs will be more than 15 percent faster than Kaby Lake http://www.pcworld.com/article/3167942/components-processors/intel-cannonlake-will-be-more-than-15-percent-faster-than-kaby-lake.html Meager performance gains aren’t all Apple’s fault Chipmakers in past years focused on increasing performance by raising the clock frequency. But that made chips power hungry, and their focus shifted to adding cores, which boosted performance but also added battery life to laptops. Then the focus turned to integrating technologies like graphics and I/O buses inside processors. Gaming and virtual reality have brought a focus back to raw CPU performance. The performance improvements from Skylake to Kaby Lake topped out at 15 percent. The CPU performance boost for Cannonlake should be at least that, Intel said. The gaming market is exploding, especially eSports, and demand for high-performance Core i7 chips skyrocketed last year Intel may be trying to catch up with AMD, which is boasting a 40 percent performance improvement for its upcoming Ryzen chips. Apple’s standalone Siri could look a lot like Echo Show

Send us a text!This week: It’s official, the WWDC keynote takes place June 5th, so here are our hardware expectations 🕺 Apple quietly acquires one of the world’s best sleep tracking technologies Why Amazon’s Prime video app may FINALLY be coming to your Apple TV Our first impressions of the Amazon Echo Show, and the features we hope Apple steals from it And stick around for a completely weird, totally tribal What We’re Into, the segment where we reveal the all the non-tech stuff we’re currently enjoying. 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 and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Apple Sends Out Press Invites for WWDC Keynote on June 5 https://www.macrumors.com/2017/05/09/apple-confirms-june-5-wwdc-keynote/ The invites are out! The WWDC keynote you’ve been waiting for us coming in three weeks, on June 5 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple acquires sleep-tracking startup Beddit http://www.cultofmac.com/480719/apple-acquires-sleep-tracking-startup-beddit/ Apple recently purchased Beddit, a sleep monitoring system that pairs a pliable under-sheet sleep sensor with an app, all of which is designed to help users analyze and improve their sleeping habits. Apple's Beddit purchase came to light because Beddit updated its privacy policy to both highlight the acquisition and implement Apple's privacy rules. "Your personal data will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Apple Privacy Policy," reads the site. Amazon Prime Video may come to Apple TV this summer http://www.cultofmac.com/480027/amazon-prime-video-may-coming-apple-tv-summer/ Apple and Amazon, the tech giants, are close to an agreement to bring an Amazon video app to Apple’s Apple TV set-top box, according to people familiar with the two companies. Amazon employees expect the app to show up on Apple’s hardware in the third quarter of the year. That move would allow Amazon Prime Video subscribers to easily watch TV shows and movies from the service using Apple TV. It’s unclear what got the two companies to reach an agreement, though some industry observers suggest that any pact would have been worked out, at a high level, by CEOs Tim Cook and Jeff Bezos. Amazon Echo Show brings video to smart-speaker party

Send us a text!This week: Apple’s secret Siri speaker may be announced at WWDC—we’ll tell you everything (we think) we know about it. Why AirPods are the best product Apple’s made in years Why Microsoft’s MacBook clone is actually great for Apple fans We deconstruct and decode Tim Cook’s mysterious and quickly deleted accidental tweet, and you’ll be shocked at the truth! 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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney This week’s Intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOwN5kpgWGc Apple’s new Siri speaker could be revealed at WWDC http://www.cultofmac.com/478847/apples-new-siri-speaker-revealed-wwdc/ Earlier this week, we heard the company is currently in the process of finalizing the design of its first standalone Siri device, which is expected to take on the Amazon Echo. Now we have an idea what it might look like and when it could be revealed. Apple's Siri-based smart speaker and home hub has an "over 50 percent chance" of being announced at WWDC, according to our homeboy Ming Chi Kuo. Kuo said Apple's smart home product will likely launch in the second half of 2017 and cost more than the Amazon Echo, $179. The device will supposedly support AirPlay with "excellent acoustics performance" from one woofer and seven tweeters. Kuo said its performance will be similar to the iPhone 6/6s. Last week, leaker Sonny Dickson likewise said Apple's smart speaker could be announced as early as WWDC. He said the device will run a variation of iOS with unspecified Beats technology, in addition to a Mac Pro-like concave top with built-in controls and speaker meshing covering the majority of its surface. A report from The Information said Apple's smart home speaker would be able to control appliances, locks, lights, and curtains through Siri voice commands. It added that some of the prototypes in testing have facial recognition sensors Apple places orders for its Amazon Echo rival ht

Send us a text!This week: Apple stores are about to get a massive 2.0 overhaul, and we’ve got all the details Why the iPhone 8 may launch super late with no OLED Final Cut Pro X hits a massive milestone Google co-founder makes a flying car, and you’re gonna want one! We reveal our favorite new gadgets in an all new Under Review 🕺 This episode supported by Blue Apron makes it easy to cook delicious meals at home. See their upcoming menu and get your first three meals free 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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney SVP of retail Angela Ahrendts reveals redesigned Apple stores https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHlfEeng17A&t=184s 2017’s ‘iPhone Edition’ to arrive late, OLED display uncertain http://www.cultofmac.com/471109/2017s-iphone-edition-launch-late-oled-display-not-sure-thing/ Apple analyst KGI Ming-Chi Kuo is reporting that mass production of the OLED iPhone will likely be pushed back to October/November, instead of the normal August/September timeframe because suppliers are having difficulties producing several of the phone’s cutting edge custom-ordered parts. The moderately reliable Makotakara is reporting that device is also claiming the phone will be delayed, and that the OLED upgrade we’ve been looking forward to isn’t a sure thing yet. Final Cut Pro X hits massive 2 million users milestone http://www.cultofmac.com/478369/final-cut-pro-x-hits-massive-2-million-users-milestone/ At this week’s annual National Association of Broadcasters conference, Apple revealed that it now has 2 million users of its Final Cut Pro X video-editing software, five years after launching the tenth version of the program. At $299 for a license, that’s a cool 600 million dollars. Apple’s rep added that it is taken considerably less time for Apple to jump for 1 million to 2 million users than it did for the company to reach its first million adopters. Here’s how Apple plans to make its stores more magical http://www.cultofmac.com/478219/angela-ahrendts-talks-making-apple-store-experience-special/ Angela Ahrendts was hired as Apple’s VP of retail just about 3.5 years ago, and she’s now unveiling her vision for the future of the Apple store. Apple wants to make their stores to be a place where you can engage with your devices and your communities. A place to meet your friends, like at Starbucks! says VP of Retail Angela Ahrendts. Apple is bringing new “hands on” sessions to its stores, enlisting artists, Mac experts and celebrities in a bid to make its retail outlets more engaging. The new

Send us a text! This week: we deconstruct the new iPhone 8 leaks! We’ll tell what we’ve learned. Plus: Apple starts testing the driverless car they’re totally not working on; and the best iOS apps for all you marijuana connoisseurs. 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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney This week’s Intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-Watf8QxS8 Sources confirm some of iPhone 8’s biggest upgrades http://www.cultofmac.com/477175/sources-confirm-iphone-8s-biggest-upgrades/ In its report on the new iPhone 8, Bloomberg corroborates many previous rumors about the next-gen iPhone, but suggests that more “ambitious” features may be scaled back or ditched due to manufacturing problems. According to the report, and as we’ve discussed on the show, Apple is preparing three iPhones for launch. Two will simply be updated versions of the current iPhone, while the high-end model will sport a totally revamped look. Apple is testing a premium version with a screen that covers almost the entire front of the device. That results in a display slightly larger than that of an iPhone y Pus but with an overall phone size closer to the iPhone 7. The updated lower-end model iPhones will stick with LCD displays and get fewer hardware updates. "One of the latest prototype designs includes symmetrical, slightly curved glass on the front and the back. The curves are similar in shape to those on the front of the iPhone 7. The new OLED screen itself is flat, while the cover glass curves into a steel frame. The design is similar conceptually to the iPhone 4 from 2010” "Apple also tested a more ambitious prototype with the same slightly curved front and steel frame, but a glass back with more dramatic curves on the top and bottom like the original iPhone design from 2007, one of the people said. “ "Apple suppliers have so far struggled to reliably produce heavily curved glass in mass quantities, so the company is more likely to ship the version with more subdued curves” "Significant camera changes are also in testing for Apple’s overhauled iPhone. For the back of the phone, Apple is testing versions of the phone with the dual-camera system positioned vertically, instead of horizontally like on the iPhone 7 Plus, which could result in improved photos,” “Apple has … experimented with integrating the iPhone’s fingerprint scanner into the screen of the OLED version, which would be technically challenging, the people said”. TouchID on the back?

Send us a text!This week: Official new Nvidia drivers make your Mac compatible with the best GPUs on the market! A mole gives us our best look yet at what it’s really like to work in an iPhone factory Apple has a secret team working on ‘breakthrough’ diabetes treatment with the Apple Watch The saga of Ron Wayne, the forgotten Apple co-founder who traded his 22 billion dollars of Apple stock for just $800. This episode supported by VideoBlocks, the affordable, subscription-based stock media site that givesyou unlimited access to premium stock footage. Check it out for free for 7 days at videoblocks.com/cultcast Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney NVIDIA releases Mac drivers for Pascal graphics cards NVIDIA today released new drivers that make its Pascal graphics cards compatible with a Mac. The drivers support all 10 Series GPUs, including the GTX 1050 through GTX 1080 Ti, and the newly-announced GTX Titan Xp. Until now, however, you had to settle for older 9 Series cards. Now the newest cards, from the GTX 950 to the GTX Titan Xp, are supported Report: Apple has secret team working on ‘breakthrough’ diabetes treatment w/ Apple Watch UNDERCOVER IN AN IPHONE FACTORY: What it's really like to work in a Chinese mega-factory, according to a student who spent 6 weeks there Pegatron mole describes ‘torture’ of working at iPhone factory Today in Apple history: Apple co-founder quits and cashes in his stake for $800 In Apple lore, Ron Wayne is the man who threw away winning lottery ticket. It’s April 12, 1976: Apple’s third co-founder, a former Atari colleague of Steve Wozniak’s named Ron Wayne, is cashing in his 10% of Apple shares for $800. Hell of a nice guy. Drew Apple’s original logo. Wayne also wrote up the first contract in Apple’s history, solidifying what all three co-founders would do. Wozniak was to be in charge of electrical engineering, Jobs was responsible for marketing, and Wayne would oversee mechanical engineering and documentation. “I was

Send us a text! This week: Apple just revealed their future Mac plans… on purpose! It’s unprecedented, and we’ll unpack it all for you. Apple promises an all-new “rethought” Mac Pro and Apple display. Why the Mac Pro failed. Apple’s plans to make the Mac “Pro” again. New Pro-level iMacs coming this year. Leander reviews the top-secret new Sonos speaker Erfon’s couldn’t talk about. Erfon reviews a clever  Watch stand that Buster hates but true Mac fans will love! 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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Steve Jobs Introduces the very first Mac Pro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l72MsGZQA8Q Apple building all-new, modular Mac Pro and external display http://www.cultofmac.com/474799/apples-mac-pro-is-now-even-faster-all-new-model-coming-next-year/ Apple brings faster Intel Xeon chips, better GPUs to the Mac Pro http://www.cultofmac.com/474823/apple-brings-faster-intel-xeon-chips-mac-pro/ 2017 iMacs will bring spec bumps to woo power users http://www.cultofmac.com/474843/new-imacs-way-will-target-power-users/ Apple pushes the reset button on the Mac Pro https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/04/apple-pushes-the-reset-button-on-the-mac-pro/ Sonos’ new Playbase speaker http://amzn.to/2oPQFwz You’ll love this vintage Mac  Watch stand! http://amzn.to/2oPJrbJ Meet Eddie, The Eagle http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/03/05/09/17446C1A000005DC-0-image-m-14_1457171012331.jpg

Send us a text!This week: We’ve found even MORE of the weirdest and wackiest Apple products that time forgot The best new features in iOS 10.3 and macOS 10.12.4. Rumors mills say Apple may resurrect the PowerBook! iPhone 8 rumors point to a backside TouchID The sources of Steve Jobs best one-liners A wobbly British guy tries to ski 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. VideoBlocks, the affordable, subscription-based stock media site that gives you unlimited access to premium stock footage. Check it out for free for 7 days at videoblocks.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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Intro: A young Jony Ive on the 20th Anniversary Mac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeUs8sDcYO8 ‘iPhone Edition’ could have rear-facing Touch ID sensor http://www.cultofmac.com/473949/473949/ A (somewhat sketchy) new report claims that the tenth anniversary iPhone, commonly referred to as the iPhone 8, will instead by called the iPhone Edition. In addition, it suggests that the major form factor redesign that’s been reported on may turn out to be less drastic than some are imagining — although changes will include features like a rear-mounted Touch ID sensor. According to the report, which is accompanied by renders showing the design, the iPhone Edition won’t feature a Touch ID sensor embedded beneath the display, but rather a fingerprint scanner on the rear of the device. It also won’t come with the glass back plate, but will instead stick to having a metal back plate as the result of glass’ tendency to shatter when dropped Does Apple trademark filing mean PowerBoo

Send us a text! This week: our reactions to all Apple’s new products 💪🏼 Apple’s new iPad is cheaper, fatter, heavier, and underpowered Why the iPad Mini Pro is kind of a ripoff Two reasons you should not buy a Product Red iPhone 7 What is Apple’s new Clips app do? We’ll give you the rundown Why Leander’s got mixed feelings about his new Pioneer SPH-DA120 Car Play stereo Erfon’s reviews the Think Tank Helipack V2, a gigantic backpack built for your DJI Phantom This episode supported by Blue Apron makes it easy to cook delicious meals at home. See their upcoming menu and get your first three meals free 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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Macintosh TV Commercial with Tim Barton! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiNdi2go8EE Apple’s new 9.7-inch iPad is more affordable than ever http://www.cultofmac.com/472635/apples-9-7-inch-ipad-is-now-more-affordable/ Apple today introduced a new, fatter 9.7-inch iPad that’s more affordable than ever before. Macrumors calls the new iPad "a little bit iPhone 6s, a little bit iPad Air, and a little bit iPad Air 2.” The device looks almost identical to the iPad Air 2 that it is replacing in Apple’s tablet lineup Starts at just $329 with 32GB of storage, $429 for 128GB

Send us a text!This week: Apple’s about to overhaul the iPad, and it’s long overdue! Plus: why Steve Jobs was cool with your kids using an iPad, but not his own; how the technology we love might be making us all stupid; and we wrap up with an all new CultCast Choices, the game of great gifts with strange side effects... This episode supported by Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Westworld-style folding phone might get real this year http://www.cultofmac.com/472055/samsung-may-unveil-westworld-style-folding-phone-year/#more-472055 Smartphones that fold out into a tablet are one of the many awesome inventions the creators of Westworld promised we have to look forward to in the future. But according to a new rumor, Samsung might make them a reality in 2017. New iPads to arrive next month during first Apple Park event http://www.cultofmac.com/471709/new-ipads-arrive-next-month-first-apple-park-event/ Apple will announce its next-generation iPad lineup next month during its very first event at Apple Park, according to a new report. Sources say that production of the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro has been brought forward for the launch. The device is expected to be accompanied by an updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro and a more affordable 9.7-inch iPad. Apple “is expected to unveil the new iPad at a product event to be held in early April to mark the inauguration of Apple’s new headquarters in California,” The new 10.5″ iPad would have the exact same resolution as the 12.9″ iPad Pro (2732 x 2048), but the same pixel density of the iPad mini (326 ppi instead of 264 ppi). Crunch the numbers, do a little Pythagorean Theorem, and you end up with a screen 10.5″ diagonal Server logs reveal Apple is testing four new iPad models http://www.cultofmac.com/471657/new-ipads-spotted-in-logs/ Device logs obtained by mobile marketing firm Fiksu appear to show that four different iPad models are currently being tested in the San Francisco Bay Area. Just because four model numbers have been discovered doesn’t mean Apple will release four different iPads this month. Last year, Fiksu saw new device model names pop up in its logs about a month before the new iPads were announced. Steve

Send us a text!This week: the CIA loses control of its iPhone hacking arsenal, and computer crooks turn your gadgets against you. Plus: why iPhone 8 may arrive later than you hoped; our favorite Apple Airport replacement routers; and we discuss the non-Apple gear we’re currently obsessing over in an all-new and aptly named What We’re Into This week: The CIA loses control of its iPhone hacking arsenal! Computer crooks turn your gadgets against you. Why iPhone 8 may arrive later than you hoped. Our favorite routers to replace your Apple Airport. The non-Apple gear we’re currently obsessing over! It’s all-new, overdue, What We’re Into 💪🏼 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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney WikiLeaks: CIA lost control of its iPhone hacking arsenal http://www.cultofmac.com/470847/cia-used-malware-spy-iphone-users/ The Central Intelligence Agency has been using malware to spy on iPhone and Android users, according to the largest-ever publication of confidential documents from WikiLeaks — and the spy tools are now in the hands of others. “This extraordinary collection, which amounts to more than several hundred million lines of code, gives its possessor the entire hacking capacity of the CIA.” As part of a covert hacking program, the CIA created a “malware arsenal” and dozens of “zero day exploits” to infiltrate smartphones, tablets and even smart TVs to extract data and turn them into covert microphones. But the agency recently lost controls of these tools. Those who have obtained them now have “the entire hacking capacity of the CIA” at their disposal, according to WikiLeaks. At the end of 2016, the CIA’s hacking division was made up of more than 5,000 “registered users” who had produced over a thousand tools to infiltrate target devices throughout Latin America, Europe and the United States. iOS devices were also a major target. The CIA created and obtained tools from GCHQ, NSA, FBI and contractors like Baitshop that allowed them to bypass the encryption used by apps like WhatsApp and Telegram and collect audio and text message data. Global elites’ love of iPhone made iOS a prime target of CIA http://www.cultofmac.com/470881/global-elites-love-of-iphone-made-ios-a-prime-target-of-cia/ Although Google’s Android dominates the worldwide smartphone market, the CIA concentrated on Apple’s iOS because of its popularity among global elites, WikiLeaks reports. Despite iPhone’s minority share (14.5%) of the global smart phone market in 2016, a specialized unit in the CIA’s Mobile Development Branch produces malware t

Send us a text!This week: Tim Cook promises to make Apple “Pro" again! We discuss. iPhone ditching Lightning for USB C Spotify about to go Hi-Fi Why your next iPhone screen might read your fingerprints Leander pitches a new favorite pair of Bluetooth headphones The best iPhone bumper case in the land! 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. What is Backblaze? It’s unlimited, cloud backup for Macs and PCs. And it’s native for Macs! Try it out free for 15 days at Backblaze.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. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney Tim Cook: Pro users remain incredibly important to Apple http://www.cultofmac.com/469839/apple-investors-vote-against-diversity-at-annual-shareholders-meeting/ During his Q&A session, Tim Cook discussed how Apple plans to fight for net neutrality. He also assured shareholders that Apple plans to come out with new products that appeal to professionals and creatives, but insisted that the Mac and iPad aren’t destined for a merger. “You will see us do more in the pro area. The pro area is very important to us. The creative area is very important to us in particular,” Cook told the crowd. “You can expect to see us do more and more that people will view iPad as a laptop replacement, but not a Mac replacement. The Mac does so much more.” Spotify eyes lossless audio to wow your ears http://www.cultofmac.com/470077/spotify-eyes-lossless-audio-wow-ears/ Spotify appears poised to put the final nail in Tidal’s coffin. The music streaming service is planning to launch a new feature that will give listeners access to lossless audio streaming, according to a new report reveals the feature is currently in testing. Spotify is currently calling the new feature “Spotify Hi-Fi.” The Verge reports that Spotify plans to launch the lossless CD quality audio feature. It’s unclear when it will be available to all users, but Spotify is already doing some small group testing. Screenshots posted on Reddit show that Spotify plans to charge between $5 to $10 extra a month for lossless CD quality audio. I