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New Apple headset leaks make our heads explode [The CultCast]

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A manipulated image of a person wearing a virtual reality headset, used to illustrate the contents of The CultCast, our weekly Apple podcast.
Are we the only ones standing around with slack jaws wondering how Apple can make this headset desirable?
Photo: Original photo: Uriel Soberanes/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The more we hear about Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset, the more we’re perplexed about who is actually going to buy one. We take a long, hard look at the latest leaks — and come up shaking our heads.

Also on The CultCast:

  • We might get a raft of exciting new Macs — including the first Mac Pro powered by Apple silicon — at a March event.
  • Apple’s Pro Display XDR and Studio Display get some high-end competition.
  • Sorry, voice actors. AI narrators look like the future of audiobooks (and Apple leads the charge).
  • Our final best-of-2022 picks.

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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What to expect from Apple in 2023, plus our best of 2022 picks [The CultCast]

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This year was good for Apple, but 2023 looks even better!
This year was good for Apple, but 2023 looks even better!
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re talking about all the Apple gear we’re certain will arrive in 2023 — and some we just hope will materialize.

Also on The CultCast:

  • An Apple Watch Ultra clone for less than $50?!?
  • More on Apple’s penny-penching strategy of skimping on cloud storage by serving up lower-resolution files.
  • Our picks for best of 2022 — part two!

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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What alternative app stores will mean for iPhones [The CultCast]

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The CultCast 573: Will sideloading and alternative app stores be a good thing?
Will sideloading and alternative app stores be a good thing?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: If the EU does indeed force Apple to open up the iPhone to allow alternative app stores, is that a bad thing? Some people think sideloading apps will be fantastic.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Cool new stuff to try in iOS 16.2.
  • Why web browsing might be in for radical changes on iOS devices.
  • How to get Apple TV+ for free so you can watch Severance, our favorite show of the year.

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.

Our sponsors: Rocket Money and Squarespace

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Elon Musk vs. Apple: Tech battle for the ages! [The CultCast]

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Elon Musk versus Apple on The CultCast podcast: Well, that escalated quickly!
Well, that escalated quickly!
Image: Steve Jurvetson/Flickr CC/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After new Twitter CEO Elon Musk began publicly questioning some of Apple’s policies, he went mano-a-mano with Tim Cook. Maybe Musk’s meme-y declaration of war was a bit premature …

Also on The CultCast:

  • The sad state of iCloud storage.
  • A Twitter phone? Really?!?
  • 2023 MacBook Pro benchmarks reveal a big fat surprise.
  • A totally weird tale about the dangers of walking the streets of New York City with hundreds of iPhones.

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.

Stash your Apple Watch on the go with WaterField’s new Time Travel Case

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WaterField Designs Time Travel Case: A place for everything, and everything in its place.
The new leather Time Travel Case for Apple Watch: A place for everything, and everything in its place.
Photo: WaterField Designs

WaterField Designs’ new Time Travel Case for Apple Watch provides an elegant way to take your smartwatch, its charging puck and up to three bands on the road.

Made of full-grain leather, the folding rectangular case comes in four colors, the company said Tuesday.

iPhone 15 rumors will get you thinking about the future [The CultCast]

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The CultCast Apple podcast: iPhone 15 rumors: Coming soon to an iPhone near you?
Coming soon to an iPhone near you?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest iPhone 15 rumors make it sound like we’re getting some major changes on the design front. And, while the switch from Lightning to USB-C sounds like a winner, Apple might pull one of its irritating tricks by making a handy feature exclusive to the iPhone Pro models next year.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals on your favorite Apple gear.
  • COVID-19 chaos in the Chinese factory complex known as “iPhone City” points to further supply-chain disruptions for Cupertino.
  • Find My miracles!
  • Mondo’s Severance collectibles look like a really cool way to dig deeper into the most creative show on Apple TV+.

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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Grab an AirTag 4-pack for less than $75 before this deal disappears [Updated]

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AirTag deal: Get four AirTags for less than $20 each with this hot deal.
Get four AirTags for less than $20 each with this hot deal.
Photo: Đức Trịnh/Unsplash License

Apple’s AirTags just dropped to a pre-Black Friday low of $74.98 for a four-pack on Amazon. If you’ve been waiting for your chance to snag some of the remarkably handy tracking tags, this is it!

But, as with all Amazon deals, there’s no way of predicting how long this deal will last. If you want to get in on the AirTag action, you’d better grab this deal ASAP.

Emergency SOS! Apple’s building a metaverse! [The CultCast]

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The CultCast Apple podcast: When Apple finally rolls out its mixed-reality headset, will it be a winner?
When Apple finally rolls out its mixed-reality headset, will it be a winner or a head-spinner?
Graphic: Minh Pham/Unsplash License

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Maybe, just maybe, Apple can make a metaverse competitor that won’t leave us ready to heave. Stranger things have happened, but we’re not so sure the long-rumored Apple mixed-reality headset will be right for us.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature looks pretty cool and potentially lifesaving. Be sure to try the demo before you find yourself stranded on a mountaintop.
  • We’re endlessly searching for a Black Friday deal on AirTags. (Editor’s note: Oh, wait, here’s one now: Grab an AirTag 4-pack for less than $80 before this deal disappears.)
  • iPhone 4K video — it’s a scam!
  • Erfon’s missing AirPods Max story takes a strange twist.
  • You won’t believe how much somebody paid for an ancient pair of Steve Jobs’ stinky Birkenstocks.

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’s new products leave us slightly perplexed [The CultCast]

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The CultCast 565 Apple podcast: Not too bad for an Apple product launch event that never actually happened, I guess.
Not too bad for an Apple product launch event that never actually happened, I guess.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: For once, Apple’s new products leave us scratching our heads more than reaching for our wallets. We let loose our first impressions of this week’s new iPads, the surprisingly affordable Apple TV 4K, that ridiculous Apple Pencil dongle and more.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Is the new Magic Keyboard Folio really all that magical? Some features sound great, but we don’t think it will turn your iPad into a laptop — at least not one you can use on your lap!
  • Apple might’ve burned a cool million on the #TakeNote Twitter hashflag for the event that never happened.
  • Logitech knows how to make a stylus right.
  • What’s up with that USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter? Like everyone else in the Apple universe, we’re not diggin’ the dongle.

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.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

Absurd Apple Pencil dongle sends fans into spiral of grief

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Yes, you'll need a dongle to charge an Apple Pencil with your shiny new iPad. Deal with it.
Yes, you'll need a dongle to charge an Apple Pencil with your shiny new iPad. Deal with it.
Photo: Ben White/Unsplash License

The decision to make the all-new iPad compatible with the original Apple Pencil looks likely to go down as one of Apple’s most ridiculous design decisions.

Since the new entry-level iPad utilizes USB-C rather than Lightning, you can’t plug the Apple Pencil into the tablet to charge the stylus. And Apple’s “fix” — the $9 USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter that will come packaged with old-school Apple Pencils — sent some Apple fans into an accelerated version of the five stages of grief.

No, Lufthansa isn’t banning AirTags from checked bags [Updated]

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After a bit of confusion, Lufthansa says it won't ban AirTags from checked baggage.
After a bit of confusion, Lufthansa says it won't ban AirTags from checked baggage.
Photo: Daniel Romero/Unsplash License

German airline Lufthansa is not banning Apple’s AirTags and similar tracking tags from checked luggage, the company said Wednesday.

“The German Aviation Authorities (Luftfahrtbundesamt) confirmed today, that they share our risk assessment, that tracking devices with very low battery and transmission power in checked luggage do not pose a safety risk,” a Lufthansa representative told Cult of Mac in an email Wednesday. “With that, these devices are allowed on Lufthansa flights.”

We’re back to discuss Dynamic Island, Apple Watch Ultra and more [The CultCast]

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This week on The CultCast: Dynamic Island tips, Apple Watch Ultra ecstasy and more.
We've got Dynamic Island tips, ecstatic Apple Watch Ultra first impressions and more.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Erfon returns from his Florida vacation just in time to rave about the Apple Watch Ultra and share some tips on how to use the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Remembering Steve Jobs, who died 11 years ago this week.
  • The iPhone’s switch from Lightning to USB-C is coming sooner rather than later.
  • Are iPhone cameras really good enough to replace DSLRs?
  • Vacation talk, including how Erfon barely avoided a nasty Hurricane Ian surprise.

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.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

iPhone Pro needs a radical color revolution

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The new
The new "deep purple" iPhone 14 Pro looks about as edgy as an eggplant.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Apple desperately needs to shake up its iPhone Pro colors. The brand-new iPhone 14 Pro — in the exotic-sounding “deep purple” color — actually looks like a dull gray in real life.

When Apple marketing chief Greg “Joz” Joswiak revealed the new deep purple color at last month’s Far Out product launch, I immediately thought of “Smoke on the Water.” I envisioned a bold hue that would actually look trippy and unique. And I thought maybe Cupertino’s brightest minds finally broke free from the iPhone Pro’s typically mundane color palette.

What was I smoking?

Hidden iOS 16 features make us love it even more [The CultCast]

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Hidden iOS 16 features make us love it even more - The CultCast Apple podcast
The iOS 16 upgrade makes even old iPhones feel brand new.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: iOS 16 makes our year-old iPhones feel fresh again. And the various “hidden” features flying under the radar make the iOS 16 experience even more impressive.

Also on The CultCast:

  • We can’t wait for our first trip to the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island.
  • Is the iPhone 14/iPhone 14 Plus really a failure? (Even Steve Jobs’ daughter is dissing this year’s “upgrade” to Apple’s midrange iPhones.)
  • What to expect at Apple’s October event.

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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Why we’re Ultra excited about iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island [The CultCast]

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Far Out event discussion Apple podcast The CultCast: Apple Watch Ultra and the Dynamic Island stole the show at the Far Out event.
Apple Watch Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island steal the show at Apple's Far Out event.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We can’t figure out which is more exciting, the brawny new Apple Watch Ultra or the brainy new Dynamic Island. Will the rugged new smartwatch prove too big for Erfon’s skinny wrists? Or does its bold size and styling elevate it to “big enough” status?

Also on The CultCast:

  • iPhone 14 Pro is a no-brainer, thanks to a killer camera and the aforementioned Dynamic Island.
  • The “normie” iPhone 14 looks … pretty normal.
  • What is up with Apple’s iPhone color palette? Can we please get something a little edgier?!?

Brace yourself for our breathless reactions to Apple’s Far Out event — which was actually pretty far out!

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.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

Apple’s Far Out event packs plenty of surprises

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Apple's Far Out Event delivered plenty of hardware and some solid surprises.
Apple's Far Out Event delivered plenty of hardware and some solid surprises.
Image: Cult of Mac/Apple

Apple definitely over-delivered with Wednesday’s Far Out event. The rumor mill’s constant churn of leaks and speculation gave us a solid framework for our expectations, but Cupertino’s hardware and software wizards still whipped out a few surprises.

Here’s everything you need to know about the iPhone 14 lineup, second-gen AirPods Pro and the 2022 Apple Watch models — including that hot new Ultra version for extreme athletes (and couch potatoes with solid credit ratings).

Yes, those hot new Apple Watch Ultra bands work with older models (sorta)

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Three new bands — Trail Loop, Alpine Loop and Ocean Band — offer unique design features that provide a secure and comfortable fit for every adventure.
Three new Apple Watch Ultra bands -- Trail Loop, Alpine Loop and Ocean Band -- are ready to tackle any adventure.
Photo: Apple

The three Apple Watch Ultra bands unveiled Wednesday look suitably rugged for the new smartwatch designed for extreme athletes. And if you want to inject a little bit of the Ultra’s rugged sensibility into your regular old Apple Watch, you’re in luck … kinda sorta maybe.

The new $99 bands fit some regular Apple Watches, according to Apple’s website. However, a caveat from Cupertino makes it seem like an Ultra band on a Series 7 or 8 watch might not look as seamless as usual.

Last-minute intel on iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Pro [The CultCast]

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The CultCast podcast: This is the last time you'll hear us talking about what iPhone 14 might look like.
This is the last time you'll hear us talking about what iPhone 14 might look like.
Image: Cult of Mac (iPhone 14 Pro render by Ian Zelbo)

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Last-minute leaks indicate iPhone 14 Pro might not suffer the indignity of the “pillhole.” And that’s not the end of the revelations and guesswork prior to Apple’s Far Out event next Wednesday.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Soon, all your Apple devices will talk to satellites.
  • Apple Watch Pro is all about the battery life so it can keep pace with endurance athletes.
  • AI-generated art is getting really good — and really creepy!

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 livestream, embedded below.

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Lug your MacBook in this primo streamlined backpack

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The new Essential Backpack stuffs premium features into a stripped-down bag.
The new Essential Backpack stuffs premium features into a stripped-down bag.
Photo: WaterField Designs

WaterField Designs’ new Essential Backpack can swallow up a 16-inch MacBook Pro. And its stripped-down design pairs ballistic nylon with smart features to create a lightweight backpack that seemingly does it all.

“Dense foam inserts distribute weight evenly and allow the bag to stand on its own,” WaterField said in a press release marking Tuesday’s launch. “The bag’s elegant, arched top contours the user’s shoulders so the bag feels like an extension of the body.”

Just how ‘far out’ will Apple’s Sept. 7 event be? [The CultCast]

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The CultCast podast: Are we going to get a big bang out of Apple's September 7 event?
Are we going to get a big bang out of Apple's September 7 event?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: What does Apple’s star-studded September 7 event invite mean? Some of the speculation is pretty “far out,” but Erfon thinks he has the answer.

Also on The CultCast:

  • The M2 MacBook Air humiliates a pricier Dell laptop.
  • Shazam still works like magic (and somehow Apple didn’t screw it up).
  • Zombie cinema-subscription service MoviePass is coming back from the dead!
  • Don’t miss Best Buy’s killer freebie: three months of Apple TV+, for new and returning subscribers.

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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What to expect from Apple’s September event [The CultCast]

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The CultCast: Tim Cook can't wait to tell you how excited he is about the new Apple gear at the Apple event on September 7!
Tim Cook can't wait to tell you how excited he is about the new Apple gear!
Image: Cult of Mac/Apple

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Looks like we have a date for the next big Apple event: Mark your calendars for September 7! We’re expecting iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8 — which both sound awfully familiar — and hoping for something surprising.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Kim Kardashian’s “neutral colors” for Beats Fit Pro actually look pretty enticing. Who woulda guessed?
  • An Apple stock update from Erfon might leave you jealous if you sold in a panic.
  • Let’s drag Mark Zuckerberg for his pathetic metaverse avatar. Everyone else is!

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 livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

These two tweaks would make iOS 16 even more amazing [The CultCast]

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The CultCast podcast: iOS 16 is almost there, but we'll be disappointed if Apple doesn't polish these two things.
New features coming in iOS 16 look impressive, but we'll be disappointed if Apple doesn't polish these two things.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re taking a long look (and listen) at all the hottest new features coming in iOS 16, including the return of the battery percentage indicator. Some of the impending changes look (and sound) great. Others … not so much.

We want two big tweaks: a polished version of the battery percentage indicator, and an iPhone ping that doesn’t sound like garbage. (The existing one is great, and the proposed one is definitely not an upgrade.)

But, hey, there’s still time for Tim Cook’s team of tweakers to bring things up to snuff. In fact, somebody already did the heavy lifting for them on that battery icon (see below)!

New MacBook Air is even faster than we dreamed [The CultCast]

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The CultCast Apple podcast: These MacBook Air benchmarks show what a screamer the M2 chip really is.
These MacBook Air benchmarks show what a screamer the M2 chip really is.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest benchmarks make Apple’s M2 chip sound better than we thought. In fact, the new MacBook Air that the processor powers might be the perfect laptop for almost everyone.

Also on The CultCast:

  • The iPhone 14 Pro’s always-on screen looks sweeeeet.
  • How does Apple keep pulling off earnings miracles?!?
  • What not to do when a creep steals your AirTag-equipped scooter.
  • Somebody built an Apple Store time machine.
  • And a truffle tangent to end all tangents.

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 livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.

Apple car gets a Lambo injection [The CultCast]

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The CultCast: Spoiler alert: The Apple car probably won't look like a Lamborghini.
Spoiler alert: The Apple car probably won't look like a Lamborghini.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple’s electric self-driving car project apparently just landed a bigwig from Lamborghini. Does this mean the hiding-in-plain-sight Apple car is back on track?

Also on The CultCast:

  • Why we didn’t see an M1 Mac Pro — and why we never will.
  • Saudi Arabia’s crazy glass building sounds unbelievable.
  • Anker makes GaN charging even faster and more efficient.
  • The EU’s new Digital Markets Act could bring big changes for Apple and the App Store.

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 livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: CultCloth

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Just how fast can Apple upgrade the MacBook Pro? [The CultCast]

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The CultCast Apple podcast: With Apple cranking out new chips for its Mac lineup, it gets harder to decide when to upgrade.
With Apple cranking out new chips for its Mac lineup, it gets harder to decide when to upgrade.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: It looks like MacBook Pros with more-powerful M2 series chips will come sooner rather than later. Is Apple going to make this an annual thing? And if so, how will Erfon (and other Mac fans) cope? So many decisions …

Also on The CultCast:

  • What exactly is Apple up to with its U1 chips and iOS 16? Sounds intriguing.
  • Amazon Prime Air delivers with drones, and a robotaxi might not be far behind.
  • The DeLorean might make an 88-mph comeback.

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 livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: Squarespace

Special thanks to this week’s sponsor, Squarespace. Get all the tools you need to set up your very own website and commence selling anything online. Start your free website trial today at squarespace.com/cultcast (no credit card required). Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain with code cultcast at checkout.