The CultCast covers each week’s best Apple stories, tech news, and accessories—but more importantly—we do it with pizzaz. Why listen to another dreary tech prog...
New Mac Studio, new MacBook Air, new iPad Air, new iPad! (CultCast #689)
Send us a text!This week, Apple dropped iPads and Macs galore — we’re talking ALL the details on the iPad Air, iPad 11, MacBook Air M4 and Mac Studio! Also: iOS 18.4 beta 2 and Griffin’s review of the iPhone 16e. (Remember that?)This episode supported by:Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.comCultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.coFactor Meals. Treat yourself to Factor’s delicious, high-quality, ready-to-eat meals delivered right to your door. Head over to FactorMeals.com/FactorPodcast and use offer code FactorPodcast to get 50% off plus free shipping on your first box.This week’s stories:John Gruber versus Mark Gurman:Gruber/Daring Fireball: Your Source for Scoops Half a Day Before They’re Announced PubliclyGurman/X: “You mean 11 months ago”Gruber/Daring Fireball: Who Cares About Getting News That’s True When You’re Getting It FastSteve Troughton-Smith/Mastodon: “Always funny when multiple Apple outlets try to assassinate somebody's character simultaneously out of the blue”MacBook Air gets the M4 treatment, lower price and stunning new colorApple revises the MacBook Air with the M4 chip. It comes in a beautiful new sky blue color, at an even lower price point.2025 Mac Studio launches as ‘the most powerful Mac ever’The 2025 Mac Studio is here, with either M4 Max or (surprise!) M3 Ultra processors.iPad Air gets an M3 speed boost and new Magic KeyboardApple's new iPad Air is here with an M3 chip for better performance and a revamped Magic Keyboard.iPad 11 chip upgrade does not bring Apple IntelligenceApple's entry-level tablet gets a faster processor and more storage.iOS 18.4 beta 2: All the new features and changesiOS 18.4 beta 2 brings Visual Intelligence to iPhone 15 Pro, new emoji and the Vision Pro app.iPhone 16e: Lightweight power in a beautiful package [Review]YouTube videoOhsnap! Snap Grip Luxe
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Loads of iPhone 17 leaks — the good and the bad… (CultCast #688)
Send us a text!This week, we have a bunch of iPhone rumors: the ugly camera bump on the iPhone 17 Pro, its new Apple Wi-Fi chip and details on the folding iPhone coming next year! Also, when the heck are we getting iOS 18.4 and the new MacBook Air?This episode supported by:Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.comCultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.coTake back control of your personal information and reduce the risk of spam, scams and identity theft with Incogni. Get 60% off an annual plan with code CULTCAST at incogni.com/cultcastThis week’s stories:iPhone 17 Pro models might sport huge camera humpsNew CAD drawings show the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max with huge camera humps that span the width of the phones’ backsides.iPhone 17 Pro’s video upgrades could make your camera obsoleteiPhone 17 to use Apple’s Wi-Fi chip for enhanced connectivityApart from the iPhone 17 Air, Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 lineup will use its in-house Wi-Fi chip for enhanced connectivity.Folding iPhone won’t suffer from unsightly screen creaseApple reportedly moves toward production of a folding iPhone after solving a key problem by eliminating an ugly screen crease.iOS 18.4 beta 1: All the new features and changesThe first iOS 18.4 beta 1 packs plenty of changes, including new Apple Intelligence features — although the revamped Siri is still missing.Apple’s AI-powered Visual Intelligence tool heads for iPhone 15 ProGood news for iPhone 15 Pro users: It seems Visual Intelligence won’t be reserved for only the iPhone 16 series for much longer.Apple gears up for M4 MacBook Air launch in MarchApple's 2025 MacBook Air refresh is around the corner, with the company preparing the retail channel for a March launch.
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The new iPhone 16e — why Apple fans love it and hate it! (CultCast #687)
Send us a text!This week, it’s the iPhone 16e — did Apple make a mistake? Also, the leaked design of the iPhone 17 Air, the miniLED Studio Display, a huge update to Vision Pro, and the winners of the prediction game!This episode supported by:Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.comCultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.coEasily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/CultCast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.This week’s stories:With iPhone 16e, Apple brings big speed boost to budget modelWe expected iPhone SE 4, but instead Apple introduces iPhone 16e with jacked up processing power and camera capabilities.Everything stripped out of iPhone 16 to make the 16eWe compare the new lower-price iPhone 16e to the iPhone 16 to help you make the choice that fits your needs and budget.Here’s your first look at the iPhone 17 Air’s supposed designA video reveals the final design of Apple's rumored 5.5mm slim iPhone 17 Air in all its glory, highlighting the Pixel-like rear camera bar.Apple Studio Display’s big refresh could land in 2026Apple plans to refresh its $1,599 Studio Display monitor in 2026 with mini-LED panel for higher brightness and better picture quality.Vision Pro’s next big update will bring Apple Intelligence supportApple's $3,500 mixed-reality headset, Vision Pro, will reportedly gain Apple Intelligence support with the upcoming visionOS 2.4 update.Prediction game resultsCongratulations to the three listeners who scored 17 points: Michael Dennis, Chuck and now two-time winner Shane Lother.
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What will Apple announce next week? Our predictions! (CultCast #686)
Send us a text!Surprise Apple announcement coming next week — we’ll lay out our predictions! Also, we’re talking about the new Powerbeats Pro 2, and Apple’s shift into foldable iPhones and robotics. This episode supported by: Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co Take back control of your personal information and reduce the risk of spam, scams and identity theft with Incogni. Get 60% off an annual plan with code CULTCAST at incogni.com/cultcast This week’s stories: Tim Cook teases new Apple product, but what is it? Tim Cook revealed Thursday that Apple plans to launch a new product on February 19. Cook’s post is deliberately vague, saying only, “Get ready to meet the newest member of the family.” Redesigned Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds feature heart-rate monitoring The updated and redesigned Powerbeats Pro 2 is Apple’s first set of earbuds to feature built-in heart rate monitoring, and feature ear hooks for a secure fit during workouts. First foldable iPhone might arrive in 2026 A report from late last year suggested Apple wants to launch its first foldable in 2026. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman reiterates the same in his latest Power On newsletter. Apple is really getting into robots Robots may become Apple’s next big thing. It’s looking for a completely new product category to grow its business, and robots might be the answer, according to an unconfirmed report from Ming-Chi Kuo. The CultCast February 2025 Predictions For the first time this year, we must place our predictions for Apple’s… event? Announcements? Day of stuff? Who knows! Submit your own answers here
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COOL: Our first glimpse of Apple’s iPad-on-a-moving-robot-arm thing (CultCast #685)
Send us a text!This week: Apple’s secret robot desk lamp revealed! Is this a first look of Apple’s wacky iPad-on-a-robot-arm? Also, the Apple M5 chip enters production, the new Invites app, the iPad case with a kill switch, and Erfon’s two-week review of the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro! This episode supported by: Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/CultCast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Factor Meals. Treat yourself to Factor’s delicious, high-quality, ready-to-eat meals delivered right to your door. Head over to FactorMeals.com/CultCast50off and use offer code CultCast50off to get 50% off plus free shipping on your first box. This week’s stories: Apple’s amazing desktop robot looks straight out of Pixar Apple's amazing new lamp-like robot prototype, developed for both functionality and social interaction, looks a lot like Pixar's mascot. Next-gen Apple M5 chip already in mass production The latest Apple M5 processor is ready to enhance the performance of Macs and iPads. Plan a party with the new Apple Invites app You can plan events with Apple Invites, an app that lets users share invitations and photos and collaborate on music playlists with ease. iPad case lets you take your secrets to the grave Protect your secrets with the In Case of Death Case for iPad Pro. It automatically bricks your tablet if/when you die. Really. Under Review: ROG Falchion RX Low Profile The Asus ROG Falchion RX Low Profile mechanical keyboard is slim, compact and super quiet.
The CultCast covers each week’s best Apple stories, tech news, and accessories—but more importantly—we do it with pizzaz. Why listen to another dreary tech program? Tune in to the CultCast each week for a healthy dose of Apple and tech news, jokes gone wrong, and unending tangents.
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