The Apple Pencil 2 (shown here) might soon be replaced. Photo: Apple
An Apple tipster may have leaked an image of a new version of the Apple Pencil. The picture comes with no description, but the stylus shown appears to be either shorter or thicker than the current one.
This isn’t an improvement. Artists concept: Cult of Mac
Apple might get rid of the screen notch in the 2022 iPhone. But before you start celebrating, there’ll be a hole-punch camera in its place, according a trusted analyst. If true, this will be one step forward and two steps back.
The notch is a superior solution to a hole in the middle of the display. Here’s why.
Highly respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo can find no evidence that Apple plans to remove the iPhone’s Lightning port for charging and data transfers. It won‘t be replaced by USB-C. And a portless model isn’t coming, either.
A faster refresh rate might be a highlight of 2021’s iPhone 13. Concept: ConceptsiPhone
As the saying goes, you can never be too rich or have too long a battery life. Apple apparently listened, because a respected analyst says there will be room in all the 2021 iPhone 13 models for larger batteries.
These iOS handsets supposedly will all come with smaller notches, better 5G modems and fancier cameras, too.
Apple could be set to follow Samsung into the world of folding phones. Photo: Samsung
Apple could release its first folding iPhone in the next couple of years, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says.
In a new research note to clients, seen by Cult of Mac, Kuo writes that “if Apple can solve the foldable mobile device’s key technology and mass production issues in 2021, then [it] may launch the 7.5 [to] 8-inch foldable iPhone in 2023.”
The 2020 iPhone SE is Apple’s most affordable new model, but it’s getting a high-end feature in 2022. Photo: Apple
Apple won’t update the iPhone SE in 2021, according to a trusted analyst. But there is a new version coming the year after. And this will be the first in this line of budget iOS handsets with 5G cellular networking.
The past possesses a certain appeal. Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
If the latest Apple leaks and rumors prove correct, this year’s new Macs might seem strangely familiar. From colorful iMacs to the reintroduction of long-lost MacBook ports, it looks like Apple might go retro in a big way.
Cult of Mac writer Luke Dormehl dives into the phenomenon and makes the case for why going “Mac to the future” might be just fine.
And speaking of bad things … our Apple TV+ reviewer Scout Tafoya got an early look at Cherry, the new movie from longtime Marvel directors the Russo brothers. Let’s just say things went a little sour. (Scout’s blistering review of Cherry is pretty epic.)
On the other hand, he liked the new documentary Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry. That movie arrived on Apple’s streaming service this week, in case you’re looking for a little weekend viewing.
Read these stories and more in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. It’s free and built for easy reading on your favorite iOS device. (If you don’t want to download the free app, you can get the links in any web browser below.)
Looks like the Mac lineup is about to get even more magical. Image: The CultCast
This week on The CultCast: We’ve got new details and leaks on the upcoming MacBook Pros, iMacs and Mac Pro mini … or will it be the Mac mini Pro? Plus: Lossless music is coming to Spotify, which means the mythical Apple Music lossless is likely right around the corner!
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. 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.
There’s a to of hope that the 14-inch MacBook Pro will have slim screen bezels. Photo: Apple
Apple reportedly plans to shake up the design of the MacBook Pro later in 2021. Sources in the company’s Asian supply chain assert that a 14-inch model is on the way, a first for Apple.
Just as importantly, it and an improved 16-inch MacBook Pro supposedly will be the first macOS notebooks with a mini-LED display, improving the look of the screen.
But will it come in Bondi blue? Photo: Jon Prosser/FrontPageTech
For the first time since the iMac G3 in the late 1990s, Apple’s all-in-one desktop computer might come in a range of color options, Apple leaker Jon Prosser says.
In a video published Wednesday, Prosser says 2021’s redesigned Apple Silicon iMac will come in black, white, green, blue and rose gold colors. Those are the same color options the latest iPad Air comes in.
Are you excited about the next iPad Pro? Photo: Apple
Another report published Tuesday adds more volume to the number of stories claiming that the next-gen iPad Pro will boast a mini-LED display.
The report, from Digitimes, notes that Taiwanese company Ennostar is gearing up to begin production of mini-LED backlight units. This will reportedly start at the end of the first quarter or second quarter of 2021.
MacBook Pro is getting a big redesign this year. Photo: Apple
From the sound of things, Apple is going back to the past for its next-gen MacBook Pro — and, depending on who you ask, that could be a very good thing.
The next MacBook Pro is already rumored to bring back the MagSafe charger and kill off the LED Touch Bar in favor of a row of physical keys.
Now, in a new note to clients, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says this year’s pro laptop will come with a built-in SD card reader and an HDMI port. These have been MIA since 2016, when Apple went all in on USB-C — and started ditching MacBook ports like they were going out of style.
Coming soon to a pair of ears near you? Photo: 52audio
A leaked image posted online over the weekend shows off what may by the third iteration of Apple’s AirPods earbuds (fourth if you count the over-the-ear AirPods Max).
The pictures, which were shared by the Chinese-language website 52audio, depict next-gen regular AirPods with smaller stems and silicone tips, alongside a new LED charging indicator on the front of the charging case.
Expect big and little iPad models at the Apple March event. Artists Concept: Cult of Mac
iPad fans should mark March 16 on their calendars. Apple will reportedly unveil faster iPad Pro models, a significantly redesigned iPad mini and AirTags item-location trackers at an event on that date.
Previous leaks already spilled many details about these upcoming devices. Now Korea’s Economic Daily News reports that Apple will take the wraps off these products on March 16. This is expected to be a virtual event broadcast to the public.
The iPhone 13 could stand out from its predecessors thanks to an always-on display. Artist’s concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The iPhone 13 series will borrow the always-on screen from the Apple Watch, according to an unconfirmed report. And the upcoming iPhone supposedly will support some new camera tricks, including Portrait Mode for video.
It’s shaping up to perhaps be more than a speed-bumped version of Apple’s 2020 models.
AirTags and the 2021 iPad Pro could launch together in only a few weeks. Photo: Cut of Mac
Apple’s long-awaited AirTags personal item trackers might finally jump from rumor to reality. A reliable prognosticator says these accessories will reach customers in March.
And the same goes for an updated iPad Pro. Previous leaks also point to the tablet coming out before the end of Q1 2021.
Coming soon to a face near you? Photo: Taeyeon Kim
Apple and A-series chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. teamed up to develop “ultra-advanced display technology” at a special facility in Taiwan, a Wednesday report claims.
The Micro OLED displays measure less than 1 inch in size, according to Nikkei Asia. Apple potentially could use the displays for its long-rumored augmented reality glasses. However, it seems likely it will take “several years” to bring the hardware to market.
The first folding iPhone might look something like this. Screenshot: Front Page Tech
Apple could have decided on the look of the first folding iPhone. Previously, the company was thought to be considering two options, but the winner is a “flip phone” design, according to a trusted Apple prognosticator.
The same source also has a hint that the folding iPhone might cost less than rival flexible phones. But it supposedly will not arrive before 2023 (and could come even later). With Apple’s focus on durability, the foldable iPhone could incorporate an advanced Liquidmetal hinge to improve longevity. Read more about Apple’s potential innovation here.
That roar you hear is the Apple car rumors redlining. Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
After years of low idling, the Apple car rumors are really revving up. Possible deals with Kia and other automakers … whispers about secret supply-chain maneuvers … even a surprising claim that Cupertino’s first cars “will not be designed to have a driver.”
That’s the kind of Apple car news you’ll find in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.
You’ll also get more potential revelations about that other top-secret Apple endeavor — building a headset. Whether that will be a $3,000 niche VR model or something a little more down to earth remains to be seen.
And if that’s not enough good Apple news for one week, Snoopy is back for new adventures on Apple TV+. We’ve got reviews of The Snoopy Show as well as the latest episodes of Dickinson and Losing Alice.
Kia reportedly started contacting potential partners in Georgia about working on the Apple car, The Wall Street Journal says.
This is the latest development as Apple and Kia parent company Hyundai supposedly prepare to team up in a $3.6 billion deal to build a self-driving electric vehicle. Kia reportedly could manufacture as many as 100,000 Apple cars per year.
You may someday ride in an Apple Car but you’ll never drive one. You’ll program it instead. Photo: Torsten Dettlaff/Pexels CC
No one will ever drive an Apple car, according to leaked information. Apple is reportedly planning a vehicle that’s completely autonomous. It’ll be programmed, not driven.
That would make it less like what Tesla offers and more like what Alphabet’s Waymo is developing.
Apple’s mixed-reality headset could cost around $3,000, solidifying its status as a niche luxury item, The Information claims in a new report.
The device supposedly will boast high-resolution 8K displays and some smart eye-tracking technology. Plus, more than a dozen built-in cameras could track wearers’ hand movements.
An Apple car could ship in 2025, and will be “positioned as a very high-end” model in terms of pricing, claims TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo doesn’t give a dollar figure. But he writes that the sticker price, as well as the cost of Apple car components, will come in much higher than a those for a regular electric vehicle.
Apple Card Family could let parent and teens share access to the Mac-maker’s credit card. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple Card holders might soon be able to share access with their family. Users of the credit card will reportedly be able to give their spouse or children access to a pre-established amount of money.