A new top-of-the-line Apple Watch Pro allegedly coming in 2022 will have a flat screen and a titanium body. Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
A critical detail has leaked about about Apple’s upcoming wearable designed for serious athletes. The new top-tier Apple Watch will have a 47mm screen, according to a new report coming out of Asia.
This will make it the largest version yet of Apple’s wrist computer.
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.
The U.S. Justice Department might hit Apple with an antitrust lawsuit before the end of 2022. Photo: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels CC
The U.S. Department of Justice reportedly moved closer to filing an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. The DOJ has investigated the iPhone-maker over the past several years and begun to actually write a potential suit.
The government agency has looked into many aspects of Apple’s business and there’s no clear word on whether the complaint will be about the App Store or something else.
iPhone 13 will reportedly be able to use satellites to exchange texts. Photo: Globalstar
iPhone 14 users may never be out of contact as long as they’re outdoors. Apple’s upcoming handset will be able to exchange texts via satellites in low-Earth orbit, according to an expert in satellite communications. And the service will be free.
Apple might even have hinted about this feature in the invite to its September 7 event during which the iPhone 14 is expected to be announced.
Get a sweet $100 off on the M2 MacBook Pro. Photo: Apple
Apple’s powerful new M2 MacBook Pro is down to $1,199 on Amazon after a $100 discount. Considering the machine launched just a couple of months ago, this is a great deal.
The deal is available on the entry-level model in Space Gray shade.
Who says you need an external display in your computer setup? Some people get by just fine without some big, expensive monitor and whatever hub and cables it might require. Instead, they rely on their devices’ built-in screens.
And doing that, the owner of today’s featured setup takes advantage of Universal Control. That helps him work seamlessly across an M2 MacBook Air and an M1 iPad Air mounted on stands.
T-Mobile and SpaceX want to connect your existing phone to satellites. Photo: T-Mobile
You won’t need an iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 for satellite connectivity. SpaceX and T-Mobile have announced their plan to bring cell connectivity everywhere in the US using satellites.
The service won’t require your phone to have satellite connectivity or any special chip. The Un-carrier says it will work with the “vast majority” of phones already on its network.
A future Mac mini should look like this. Photo: Apple
There’s no reason the Mac mini has to take up unnecessary desk space. Apple can and should build the entire computer into the keyboard. The result would minimize clutter, making it an ideal computer for anyone living in tight quarters. And it would be quite portable.
It’s completely possible with tech Apple has now. Here’s how.
Meet Apple's second Impact Accelerator class of minority-owned businesses looking for growth in a greener economy. Photo: Apple
Apple introduced its second Impact Accelerator class Thursday. It’s made up of leaders from 16 minority-owned businesses that work in environmental services. They’ll be trained and mentored to help grow the businesses, which may end up partnering with Apple.
And at the same time, they’ll advance “a shared goal of creating a greener world,” Apple said.
And it comes with an Apple Watch, you say? What a bargain. Photo: Golden Concept
Tired of slumming it with just a regular ol’ expensive Apple Watch? Well, you could dress it up a bit if you fork over $15,000 for an Apple Watch case smothered in more than 400 diamonds.
I mean, you deserve a special treat now and again, don’t you? A company called Golden Concept thinks so.
Guess what's the best selling smartphone in America? Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
iPhones made up more than half of all smartphones shipped in North America during the second quarter of 2022, according to a market research firm. This marks the third quarter in a row that more than 50% of the handsets shipped in the region came from Apple.
Samsung, the next nearest rival, had less than half as many shipments in Canada, Unites States and Mexico.
You can get a huge array of colors or bright white light out of these strips. Photo: TP-Link
TP-Link just flipped the switch on a new lineup of smart LED light strips and light bulbs, some of which you can use with HomeKit or other home-automation systems.
The main selling point here is budget-friendliness. Prices range from $25 to $50, so you won’t break the bank lighting up your space.
People love to examine Apple’s event invites looking for hints of what will be unveiled. The starry invitation to the September 7 Far Out event that went out Wednesday might drop a clue to one or more long-rumored features finally coming to the iPhone 14.
And, of course, we’ve seen some deliberately silly suggestions for what the image and theme are hinting at.
Or the Apple logo made out of stars could be simply a cool-looking image. (There are new wallpapers for those who think so.)
The SwitchBot Lock fits over your existing "dumb" lock. Photo: SwitchBot
Users who aren’t ready to to take the plunge into full home-automation system like HomeKit and related accessories have another option to make a dumb lock smarter.
SwitchBot recently launched a new version of SwitchBot Lock. The company said it’s the best way to make a door lock smart without refitting, so users can lock or unlock their door via devices like iPhone or Apple Watch.
Better yet, right now you can get 15% off on Amazon, or about $15 off the $100 price.
Central Park season 3 premieres on Apple TV+ in only a few weeks. Photo: Apple TV+
Central Park is coming back with more musical adventures. Season three of the highly rated animated comedy will return to Apple TV+ in early September, and a trailer offering a glimpse at the upcoming fun premiered Wednesday.
Finally, a new iPhone worth $1,150, if not more. Photo: Neal.Fun Design the Next iPhone
A new interactive website called Design the Next iPhone lets you have a laugh by making whatever monstrosity you want out of Apple’s market-leading handset, due for a major refresh with the iPhone 14 series on September 7.
And each time you make a new design, Apple CEO Tim Cook pops up with some encouraging marketing-speak.
The date's no surprise, but we weren't so sure about the "in person" part. Image: Apple
Apple sent out invitations Wednesday to a “far out” event scheduled for September 7. There’s nothing in the invite to indicate what’s on the agenda, but this will almost certainly be the debut of the iPhone 14 lineup and Apple Watch Series 8.
Unlike such events for the past couple of years, members of the tech press are being invited to attend in person.
That's a classy Apple Watch band from Laut. Photo: Laut
Everybody knows a leather Apple Watch band is a timeless and elegant accessory, just as it has been for watches in general for decades. But not all leather bands are equal.
Laut, for example, offers its Prestige Leather Apple Watch Band made from premium Saffiano leather. It finishes your look in style.
And you can get it right now in the Cult of Mac Store for just $49.99.
Plenty to see here, but the "tower for power" in the corner drew most of the attention. Photo: [email protected]
Some people care deeply about cable management, with nary a cord to be seen in their computer setups. Others couldn’t care less about it, leaving wire-spaghetti all over the place. And folks in the middle want to do it right, but meh, maybe next week, and maybe only somewhat.
Today’s featured MacBook Pro and iPad Pro setup stakes out much of the ground described above. Cable management is in play, but it’s done in a way that drove some neatniks crazy while others applauded the controlled mayhem.
Steelseries said its new Arena 9 is the first 5.1 surround sound system that works via a single USB connection. Photo: Steelseries
Steelseries, known for gaming headsets, has jumped into the desktop speakers pool with a big splash. Its new Arena line of desktop speakers is the company’s first product of that type.
And it includes what the company calls the world’s first 5.1 surround sound speakers you can run with a single USB connection to a Mac, PC, gaming console or TV.
Your iMac can have six more ports without adding a bunch of wires to your desk. Photo: Belkin
Place the new Belkin Connect USB-C 6-in-1 Multiport Hub in the back of an iMac or monitor to discreetly add multiple ports to a computer. It offers a couple of USB-A ports, memory card readers and more.
Renewable AppleCare+ annual plans are now available in Canada, Australia and Japan Photo: Apple
You can now subscribe to and pay for AppleCare+ annually in Canada, Australia and Japan. All Macs, plus Apple’s Pro Display XDR and Studio Display monitors, are eligible for this yearly plan.
It is also possible to renew your AppleCare+ subscription every year after that — there’s no need to stop after three years.