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It’s almost ‘Glowtime!’ [The CultCast]

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The CultCast logo, episode 662 - Apple It's Glowtime event invite artwork
iPhone 16 is right around the corner. On this week's podcast, we discuss what we'll see at the "It's Glowtime event."
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We finally know exactly when Apple’s iPhone 16 event will happen. It’s “Glowtime” on September 9 … and now it’s time to talk about what’s in store.

Also on The CultCast:

  • iOS 18’s AI-powered Clean Up feature in the Photos app yields some freakish results that might give you nightmares.
  • The latest Mac rumors make us buzzy about the future.
  • If you think Apple is behind on AI — at least on a practical level — you’re wrong.
  • And Griffin wraps up the show with some cool Continuity features that everyone who owns multiple Apple devices should know.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Apple Photos’ new AI Clean Up feature works great … unless it doesn’t!

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A photo edited with Apple Photos' AI-powered Clean Up feature shows a man with a hideously overgrown soul patch.
Don't let this happen to you!
Photo: Charlie Chapman

The new AI-powered Clean Up feature in the Apple Photos app got people raving about the magical ability to “fix” pictures — and posting examples of when things go horribly wrong. The positive experiences sound great, but the negative ones look like pure nightmare fuel.

Apple added the Clean Up feature in iOS 18.1 beta 3, released Wednesday, and users put the new photo touch-up tool to the test immediately. The results, posted on X, show a wide range of outcomes, including some hilarious misfires.

Anker Solix’s new portable power stations land in the Goldilocks zone

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Product shot of Anker Solix C300 DC
The Anker Solix C300 DC weighs just 6.18 pounds and comes with a pop-up light that's perfect for camping.
Photo: Anker Solix

A pair of new portable power stations from Anker Solix give users multiple ports to choose from and a handy way to light up a dark campground. Lightweight and attractively designed, the Anker Solix C300 DC and the Anker Solix C300 offer new options for energizing outdoor adventures (or riding out power outages).

Released Wednesday, the two similar-looking power stations offer different options for different scenarios. And they’re both on sale for a limited time.

The ultimate under-seat bag for gear-toting frequent flyers [Review] ★★★★★

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Photo of WaterField Designs X-Air Duffel on a rooftop balcony in Italy.★★★★★
WaterField Designs' brilliant X-Air Duffel lets you carry all your Apple gear in style.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

WaterField Designs’ X-Air Duffel is a carry-on duffel bag that solves many problems for frequent fliers. High-quality components and an incredibly well-thought-out design make it one of the best under-seat luggage options around — especially for anybody who tends to carry a lot of Apple gear.

Meticulously crafted, with loads of luxurious details, it’s roomy enough to hold a couple of days’ worth of clothing. And yet it’s still small enough to cram under most airlines’ seats. Dedicated compartments safely hold your MacBook, iPad and other devices, keeping them well organized for in-flight use.

iPhone 16 cameras, colors and more [The CultCast]

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Rumor: iPhone 16 Pro in bronze - The CultCast episode 661
iPhone 16 Pro might finally brings the bronze payoff Erfon's been dreaming of for years.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest batch of iPhone 16 rumors give us more insight into the probable camera upgrades — and color combos — coming to the lineup.

Also on The CultCast:

  • A fake Apple event invite (which apparently nailed the date) whipped the internet into a frenzy. Find out how a 14-year-old Italian hoaxer fooled the internet.
  • Want to give your iPhone a blackout? Have we got a four-character key combo for you!
  • In a new Under Review segment, Griffin raves about a Vision Pro accessory that makes the device far more usable — and won’t ruin your hairdo!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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

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A fake iPhone 16 event invite displayed on an iPhone.
A fake iPhone 16 event invite fooled the internet.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Beware, Apple leakers: The hoaxer who created a fake Apple invite for the iPhone 16 event says he’ll probably try to pull off a similar prank in the future. Lorenzo, a 14-year-old video editor from Italy, says he created the bogus invite in about 10 minutes out of boredom when he was sick. Then he sent the image to a known leaker — and watched as the fake document whipped up a frenzy in the Apple rumor mill.

“I feel like leaks can be boring sometimes so I want to spice it up,” he told Cult of Mac in a direct message. “Maybe by putting more effort into making a good concept next time.”

Thrashing through a wild week of Apple rumors! [The CultCast]

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Discussing Apple rumors, including an iPad on a robot arm, on The CultCast episode 660.
Who wants an iPad on a stick?!?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Who cranked up production in the Apple rumor mill? We talk through the latest ones on this week’s show, and some of them sound pretty wild. Fresh details about the iPhone 16 Pro’s new camera button make it sound very cool. A rumored bigger iMac sounds very exciting. And an Apple skunkworks project — a $1,000-plus device that puts an iPad on a rotating robotic arm — sounds absolutely bizarre.

Also on The CultCast:

  • What’s new in the latest iOS 18 beta.
  • What to expect from upcoming iPads.
  • Apple gets greedy with Patreon, and creators aren’t happy.
  • And Erfon gives us a surprising update on his inexplicably water-damaged iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

The Instigators is old-school action-comedy fun [3 Reasons to Watch]

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Hong Chau, Casey Affleck and Matt Damon in
Hong Chau, Casey Affleck go on the lam in The Instigators..
Photo: Apple TV+

New Apple TV+ action comedy The Instigators is getting a bad rap. The action-comedy about a Boston heist gone wrong, which stars Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, currently achieves a lackluster 41% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. But those critics are missing the point. The Instigators is an unpretentious buddy film that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The critics who panned the movie apparently don’t know how to sit back and enjoy a fun flick. (The Instigators’ audience score sits at a much higher 71%.) Here are three reasons you should give this underappreciated action-comedy a stream on Apple TV+.

M4 Macs are on their way! [The CultCast]

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The CultCast episode 659: M4 Mac rumors
The Macs you've been waiting for are about to arrive.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: It sounds like a whole bunch of Macs powered by Apple’s M4 chip — including a Mac mini that will be surprisingly small — will arrive in the not-so-distant future. We discuss the latest M4 Mac rumors (and can’t help getting more than a little excited).

Also on The CultCast:

  • The latest iOS 18 beta brings more interesting changes, including one that makes Griffin very happy.
  • We’ve got questions about the next Apple Watch SE. Will it be plastic? Vibrantly colorful? Cheaper?
  • Samsung’s copycat designers take heat from an unlikely source for mimicking Apple’s products.
  • In a new Under Review segment, Griffin tells us what he likes (and what he doesn’t) about an unusual three-in-one MagSafe charger.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

iPhone 16 color leaks: Hot or not? [The CultCast]

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Color samples, with The CultCast logo and episode 658, used to illustrate post about iPhone 16 color rumors.
Pick a color, any color.
Photo: Mourizal Zativa/Unsplash License/Modified by CUlt of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Leaked iPhone 16 dummy units offer a possible peek at what this year’s lineup will look like. While the black titanium pro model looks pretty badass, let’s hope the other colors don’t prove accurate!

You can see the leaked iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Max dummy units we’re talking about in the show notes below.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Apple Intelligence just arrived, and anybody can try it — if they’ve got the stomach for running a beta.
  • A brain implant lets a guy use an Apple Vision Pro with his thoughts. Astonishing!
  • There’s a new Apple podcast in town, and it’s run by a pair of Cult of Mac alums. Apple Core is a fun way to take a deep dive into Apple history.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

This is the most mystifying iPhone 17 rumor yet [The CultCast]

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An iPhone with the word
Apple apparently thinks thin is in again. But your wallet better be fat!
Photo: Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest rumors about a premium “iPhone 17 Slim” leave us scratching our heads. Thickness aside, it sounds like it will bring less of almost everything. Will you pay more for an iPhone Air?

Also on The CultCast:

  • At least one iPhone 17 might get an extra-fancy camera.
  • And we might not be that far from a folding iPhone or a deluxe iPhone SE.
  • After blowing through billions, it sounds like Apple TV+ will be tightening its belt.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Bad news for Apple Watch, good news for iPhone/HomePod [The CultCast]

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The CultCast episode 655, with a black-and-white photo of a surprised young girl.
Which Apple rumor are you most surprised by?
Photo: Nathan Bingle/Unsplash License

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We dissect the latest Apple rumors, which go from incredible bummer (Apple Watch) to potential breakthroughs (iPhone and HomePod).

Also on The CultCast:

  • The latest iOS 18 beta brings some welcome new changes.
  • A teaser trailer and a release date get us psyched for season two of Severance.
  • Griffin tells us all about a keyboard with a peculiar name in a new Under Review segment.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Omnivore looks like a feast for the eyes [Apple TV+ trailer]

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How did that tasty food wind up on your plate? Watch Omnivore to find out.
Image: Apple TV+

Upcoming Apple TV+ docuseries Omnivore looks like a visually stunning deep dive into key ingredients that feed the world. The globe-hopping trailer takes us on a whirlwind tour of farmland, fisheries and more. It’s a tasty tease for a show that delivers an international perspective on humanity’s common denominator: food.

Each episode of the show, which arrives July 19 on Apple TV+, focuses on a single ingredient — salt, pork, bananas, etc. — and explores the long path it takes to wind up on hungry diners’ plates.

A weird AirPods rumor and more on the ‘Vision Air’ [The CultCast]

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AirPods Pro product shot with The CultCast podcast logo and
Future AirPods might come with cameras on board.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: AirPods … with cameras?!? The latest AirPods rumor sounds a little nuts, but Apple wowed us with weird features before. Plus, we discuss the latest on the Vision Pro — and how Apple might cut costs to produce a cheaper “Vision Air” headset.

Also on The CultCast:

  • ChatGPT integration on iPhones, Macs and iPads aside, Apple reportedly got something big out of its OpenAI partnership.
  • Griffin shines a light on a little trick everybody with an iPad Magic Keyboard needs to know.
  • A doctor says the Apple Watch can detect one of the leading causes of fatal heart attacks.
  • We discuss some of the weirdest Apple products that never made it to reality. The prototypes look wild!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

What’s next for Apple Watch, AirPods Pro and Vision headset [The CultCast]

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A photo of Apple Watch with the words
Sounds like this year's Apple Watch might bring the biggest screen ever.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re excited about a bigger Apple Watch screen, dubious about a cheaper Vision headset tethered to an iPhone or Mac, and excited about new features coming soon to AirPods Pro.

Also on The CultCast:

  • The latest iOS 18 beta brings a few new features, including a couple we haven’t talked much about.
  • iPhone repairs are about to get a little more user-friendly.
  • Sorry, EU. No Apple Intelligence for you! Is Apple actually scared to deploy its AI suite to Europe, or is Tim Cook playing chicken with EU regulators?

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Will Apple’s vision for a cheaper headset pay off? [The CultCast]

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Photo of person wearing Apple Vision Pro with dollar signs in her eyes. Plus, The CultCast logo, episode 652.
Will a stripped-down Vision headset, with a radically cheaper price tag, put a ding in the universe?
Photo: Apple

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple seems dead-set on producing a much more affordable version of the Vision Pro. The current $3,499 price tag is definitely a dealbreaker. But will a cheaper version of the Vision Pro headset take off? We discuss the pros and cons — and a possible solution!

Also on The CultCast:

  • Apple’s former obsession with making its products thin and light might make a comeback. Maybe even with Apple Watch Series 10 later this year.
  • We might not have too much longer to wait for MacBook Pros powered by M4 chips.
  • Griffin the risk-taker gives us his hands-on impressions of iOS 18, including 11 “hidden” features that Apple didn’t even mention during the WWDC24 keynote.
  • And finally, the MoviePass saga gets a proper retelling, in the form of an HBO documentary.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Apple nailed WWDC24, but now we have so many questions [The CultCast]

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A still from Apple's WWDC24 keynote showing parachutes with the Apple logo. Promo for The CultCast podcast, episode 651.
The WWDC24 keynote's crazy skydiving intro definitely kick-started our hearts!
Photo: Apple

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After a lightning-fast WWDC24 keynote, we’re left to ponder Apple Intelligence, a (potentially) smarter Siri and a ton of whiz-bang features coming to iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11 and visionOS 2.

Also on The CultCast:

  • The skydiving intro to the WWDC24 keynote blew our minds. A clever concept, high-energy performances, a Mötley Crüe soundtrack … talk about something only Apple can do!
  • Apple Intelligence looks like AI done right. Apple’s distinctive approach means serving up AI features in an easy-to-understand and incredibly useful way. While protecting user privacy, of course.
  • That iPhone-mirroring feature in macOS Sequoia looks cool. But what’s it for?
  • We have the winners in our traditional predictions game. Some listeners nailed the wild card by guessing that the next version of macOS would be called “Sequoia.” Congrats!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Elon Musk threatens to ban iPhones from his companies over Apple’s OpenAI deal

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An illustration of an iPhone tapping into Apple Intelligence, used to illustrate concerns that prompted Elon Musk to threaten an iPhone ban at his companies.
How safe is your iPhone on Apple Intelligence?
Image: Apple

After Cupertino confirmed rumors that it would integrate ChatGPT into iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia as part of its Apple Intelligence framework, Elon Musk threatened to ban iPhones and other Apple devices from his company’s offices over security concerns.

“If Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level, then Apple devices will be banned at my companies,” Musk — who runs Tesla, X and SpaceX, among other things — said on the platform formerly known as Twitter. “That is an unacceptable security violation.”

Apple Intelligence is AI, done Apple’s way

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Apple software chief Craig Federighi introduces Apple Intelligence during the WWDC24 keynote.
Apple software chief Craig Federighi introduces Apple Intelligence, the company's approach to adding AI to its devices, during the WWDC24 keynote.
Photo: Apple

Apple Let Loose Event: Apple unveiled its bold plan to weave artificial intelligence into its devices Monday, focusing on how the company plans to make AI personal. The new AI-powered features, which will launch in beta later this year under the umbrella term of “Apple Intelligence,” will follow Apple’s unique approach to computing.

“At Apple, it’s always been our goal to design powerful personal products that enrich people’s lives by enabling them to do the things that matter most as simply and easily as possible,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook as he took the wraps off Apple Intelligence during the WWDC24 keynote. “We’ve been using artificial intelligence and machine learning for years to help us further that goal. Recent developments in generative intelligence and large language models offer powerful capabilities that provide the opportunity to take the experience of using Apple products to new heights.”

WWDC24 predictions: Match wits with us! [The CultCast]

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WWDC24 predictions on
Who will win this year's WWDC prediction game?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With Apple’s big Worldwide Developers Conference hurtling at us like an AI-powered hype train, we once again put our professional reputations on the line. That’s right, it’s time to make our WWDC24 predictions.

We’ve got a special wild-card question this time around. And you can play along, if you’ve got the nerve!

Also on The CultCast:

  • iPhone 16 Pro could bring some crazy new display tech.
  • Marvel Studios’ new Vision Pro app is the kind of content Apple’s headset needs. The “I’m a Mac” guy’s latest PC ad is the kind of marketing the world can do without.
  • Invidia’s stock price overtakes $AAPL as Wall Street goes gaga for AI.
  • We discuss the latest iPhone 16 rumors as well as some last-minute iOS 18 leaks.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Apple Passwords app will make managing secure logins simple

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Digital noise background with the words
A rumored Apple Passwords app surely will sherlock some established competitors.
Photo: Markus Spiske/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

Apple plans to release its own Passwords app that will compete with rival password apps like 1Password, LastPass and Dashlane, according to a new report. The new Apple Passwords app will be based on the company’s existing iCloud Keychain technology, but will dress it up and make it more user-friendly.

The standalone Apple Passwords app will sync across devices and add advanced features similar to competitors’ offerings. Apple reportedly plans to showcase it at next week’s Worldwide Developers Conference, then roll it out in iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS 15. Plus, it will work with Vision Pro and Windows computers!

iOS 18 might make your iPhone weird and wonderful [The CultCast]

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A weird, panicked emoji to illustrate rumored AI emojis coming in iOS 18. Also, The CultCast logo, episode 649.
Can you handle the weird? AI-generated emojis and wildly customizable Home Screens might make iPhones strangely unique.
Image: Shubham Dhage/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: In the near future, your iPhone might look as wild and unique as you want it to. Home Screen customization options, rumored to arrive in iOS 18, could bring a new level of personality to iPhones. And then there’s the AI-generated emoji we’ve been hearing about.

Hold onto your hats, iPhone owners. Things are about to get weird!

Also on The CultCast:

  • No joke: Siri might get the brain transplant it needs to remain relevant in the ChatGPT era.
  • Fascinating new videos show how rigorously Apple tests iPhones. We’re talking firehoses, an iPhone-flinging robot and a seriously advanced shake table.
  • Erfon wants to get his hands on Nomad’s new tracking card, which works with Apple’s Find My network, fits in a wallet, and recharges via MagSafe.
  • Griffin explains how easy it is to give your Mac a makeover with custom icons, folders and more.
  • And we wrap it up with a new edition of What We’re Into!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

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iPhone 16 rumors, M4 iPad Pro raves and … Siri+?!? [The CultCast]

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iPhone 16 rumors on The CultCast episode 648
The blue iPhone Pro might be a goner this year.
Photo: Sophia Stark/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: First we get into what makes the M4 iPad Pro so fabulous. Then we discuss the latest rumors about iPhone 16 and beyond. And then we ponder the unthinkable: A Siri that’s actually smart!

Also on The CultCast:

  • A preview of the AI features coming soon to iPhone, Mac and iPad. Some of them sound pretty useful, actually. Maybe Tim Cook is onto something. But if Siri really does get a brain boost this year, will we be paying extra for Siri+?
  • Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list comes to a surprising end. Really, though, it was an impossible task. No way Apple was gonna please everyone. Or, frankly, anyone.
  • Finally, Erfon and Griffin showcase a couple things they’re testing in a new edition of Under Review.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Siri’s ready for an AI upgrade [The CultCast]

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An image of the Siri logo with the words
When will Siri get that long-overdue brain transplant?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With the many AI-powered features reportedly coming in iOS 18, a Siri revamp sounds possible — and promising! We talk about OpenAI’s startlingly good GPT-4o demos and wonder if Siri will ever amaze us like that.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Who will be Apple’s next CEO? Cupertino reportedly has a couple familiar faces on its short list.
  • New features in iOS 17.5 are … OK. However, some of the accessibility features coming later this year — including Vision Pro-style eye tracking for iPhone — look pretty incredible.
  • Those rumors of future folding iPhones just won’t stop.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

2024 iPad Air reviews roundup: Bigger, and probably ‘pro’ enough

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2024 M2 iPad Air with Apple Pencil Pro
Compatibility with the new Apple Pencil Pro is one reason to buy this year's iPad Air.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews of the 2024 iPad Air paint the tablet as a budget version of last year’s iPad Pro.

Here’s the consensus of the early M2 iPad Air reviews: If you want a big-screen iPad, but don’t need (or don’t want to pay for) high-end features like an OLED screen, Face ID and Apple’s most powerful processor, this is the tablet for you.