With just hours to go until Apple kicks off its big Peek Performance event, the Apple Store has predictably closed its virtual doors.
“Be right back” reads the message that greets visitors who attempt to purchase anything through the company’s website this morning. When it returns, we expect a whole bunch of new additions, including an iPhone SE with 5G.
Confession time: I’ve got the Sierra Blue blues.
Like so many others, I absolutely love my iPhone 13 Pro. It’s the perfect size, and the amped-up camera works beautifully. (Love those macro shots!) Six months on, the performance, the reliability, that gorgeous ProMotion screen — it’s all fantastic.
But the one thing that fails to surprise and delight me after half a year is the Sierra Blue color I picked. It’s just … meh.
Spring 2022 will bring an array of new Apple products, if the rumor mill proves correct, and we’ll get our first look Tuesday. Numerous leaks point to an improved 5G iPhone SE and iPad Air coming soon. And a new Mac (or multiple Macs) might show up, too. Maybe even a new M2 processor as the lineup completes the transition to Apple silicon.
All of this could be unveiled on March 8, when Apple holds its “Peek Performance” event. Or that could be just the first of multiple Apple spring events.
Although the first leak of the Mac Studio came only a few days ago, it’s already been followed by an unconfirmed report that the mid-range desktop will debut at the March 8 Apple event. A second tipster later said the same.
Renders showing the Mac from several angles have also leaked. And details of a new Apple external display, too.
The days of the iPhone screen notch are numbered. Apple will supposedly begin replacing it with a pair of holes in 2022. And a very reliable source claims the the 2024 iPhone will have all its front-facing sensors behind the screen.
Apple supposedly would like too make the change more quickly, but is waiting on more companies to be able to produce the necessary components.
A MacBook with a broken screen can seem like a nightmare scenario. You’re stuck with a computer you can’t use and a repair bill that can easily exceed $600. But it turns out, for some people, a MacBook without a screen is actually the perfect machine.
Planning to buy some new Apple gear? Sell your old Apple gadgets to Cult of Mac now to earn an extra $20.
Simply use the code UPGRADE at checkout to top-up your buyback quote. The offer is good through the end of March, so enjoy it while you can.
Google says that the latest version of the Chrome browser beats the macOS version of Apple’s Safari in benchmark tests.
The company has worked hard to improve the performance of Chrome because Google wants Mac owners to use its browser so Google can track them for advertising reasons.
As we know from looking at lots of computer setups, having at least two monitors is popular, and so is having at least one of those in portrait mode (vertical). But what if you have dual displays and both are ultra-wide screens? Turned on end, isn’t the one in portrait mode going to be awfully tall?
Today’s featured setup provides an answer to those questions. Here the MacBook Pro-centered setup features two 34-inch displays in different orientations.
Nintendo on Sunday rolled out a somewhat significant update to its Switch Online app that makes it a lot less rubbish than it was before. The version 2.0.0 release brings a refreshed design and the ability to see which friends are online.
Switch Online, which is required if you want to use voice chat inside some Nintendo Switch games, is still nowhere near as useful as its counterparts for PlayStation and Xbox. But it is at least better than it was.
Apple has a whole bunch of exciting Mac upgrades planned for 2022, according to recent rumors. But if it’s a new Mac Pro or iMac Pro powered by Apple silicon you’re after, you could be waiting until next year.
One analyst, who has proven reliable in the past, doesn’t expect to see refreshes to Apple’s high-end desktops until 2023. But he does believe a more powerful Mac mini and a new 27-inch Apple display are coming this year.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We can’t stop speculating about what new Apple gear we’ll see at Tuesday’s big “Peek Performance” event. Best bets are iPhone SE, iPad Air and … some kind of Mac?
Also on The CultCast:
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.
Between air raids and missile strikes, Julia Petryk works in her bathtub in Ukraine. It’s the safest place in her Kyiv apartment.
“The last interview I gave for media was in the bathtub,” she told Cult of Mac in an email. It’s “the safest place in the apartment during bombardment.”
Apple TV+ subscribers have a lot to look forward to in March. A series starring the great Samuel L. Jackson will premiere this month, plus Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway have their own series.
In addition, Snoopy is back on Apple TV+, while Dear… includes a roster of celebes, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jane Fonda, Viola Davis and more.
Among the various calls for help on behalf of Ukraine during the Russian invasion, software company Skylum offered a way for you to donate a surveillance drone that could help safeguard Ukrainian civilians from the ravages of war.
“You can help Ukrainians to protect themselves as your drone will provide real-time pictures of the situation on the ground,” Skylum said in a blog post Thursday.
Reached for comment via email from Western Ukraine, Skylum Marketing Manager Sabina Iliasova told Cult of Mac how drone deployment will work and why it’s so crucial. She is the contact who will handle donations.
Apple CEO Tim Cook had a meeting today with his many bosses: Apple shareholders. He answered questions about dividends, COVID-19 and more.
And a vote at the Apple 2022 shareholders meeting requires the Board of Directors to carry out an audit of the company’s civil rights policies. But several other proposals were voted down.
Gaming giant Razer rolled out a tiny new mechanical keyboard Friday that could be a boon for gamers. It’s a new-and-improved version of the first 60% keyboard released by a major brand. And it’s the first one to use Razer’s proprietary, super-sensitive “analog optical switches” that can be customized in multiple ways just by the force used to press the key.
It’s the updated Razer Huntsman Mini Analog. And if you’re a competitive gamer, you might want to get it before your opponents do.
As the Russian armed incursion into Ukraine continues, several developers have pulled their apps from the Russian App Store. Companies that have done so to date include Ukraine-based Readdle, MacPaw and Ajax Systems, as well as Grammarly and Epam, sources have told Cult of Mac.
The app makers add their voices to numerous other companies taking their business away from Russia amid the conflict.
Apple is reportedly working on a new class of desktop computers. The Mac Studio supposedly will slot in between the Mac mini and Mac Pro.
In addition, an Apple Studio Display is also allegedly in development. It’s an upgrade to the Pro Display XDR.
Spring is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start thinking about switching up your wardrobe. Don’t leave your Apple Watch behind; give it a colorful refresh with a brilliant band from Nyloon.
They’re all made from nylon so they’re incredibly durable and ideal for outdoor activities. They’re also comfortable even on the warmest days — and nicely priced at just $40 or less.
Apple shareholders voted Friday to require an audit looking into whether the company’s policies have a negative impact on the civil rights of its employees and customers.
Apple’s Board of Directors opposed the idea, claiming the company is already committed to respecting civil rights.
Ready to call yourself an audiophile? Sound maven Sennheiser debuts its new IE 600 “audiophile earbuds” on Tuesday. These things are truly wired for sound. As in, they’re literally wired, not wireless. And while they cost less than Sennheiser’s flagship IE 900 earbuds, they’re not cheap.
But at launch you can only get the IE 600s in Europe. The U.S. launch comes in summer 2022.
People love to put the finishing touches on their computer setups. Some love it so much they just keep doing it. Given the temptations of new gear always coming out and the never-ending allure of the glittering gadgets other people put in their fabulous setups, is the work ever really done?
Nope. For many people, setups are never really finished. People think they’re finished, like the owner of today’s featured MacBook Pro setup. But they usually aren’t.
Samsung on Friday promised smartphone owners that it will release software updates that gives them more control over app throttling.
It comes after the South Korean firm was this week caught reducing performance for more than 10,000 apps and games on most of its smartphones. However, the company denies that it messed with “non-gaming” apps.
Shadow Blade+ launched on Apple Arcade on Friday. The platformer is the latest classic game to make its way to the subscription service. Several others classics debuted in recent weeks, and more are expected soon.
This is in addition to original games that also hit Apple Arcade in February.