News - page 29

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: There’s plenty to talk about after an absolutely magical barrage of new Apple products unveiled this week. We discuss the highlights (and lowlights) of all the new Macs and iPads.

Also on The CultCast:

• What’s in the latest iOS 18.4 and visionOS 2.4 betas? Griffin gives us an overview of new features.
• Erfon struggles with yet another Apple buying decision.
• Griffin gives the iPhone 16e a surprise rave 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.

The launch of a device that will be the centerpiece of Apple’s next foray into smart home technology reportedly got put on hold. The delay in the launch of the wall-mounted iPad-like computer is a result of Apple’s problems finishing work on an AI-enhanced version of the Siri voice assistant, according to a reliable source.

Early benchmarks for the Mac Studio with the M3 Ultra processor reveal that Apple’s new top-of-the-line chip brings a 30% performance increase over its predecessor.

The speed boost is even more dramatic over the original version of the Mac Studio from 2022.

Apple confirmed Friday that the smarter Siri promised at WWDC24 isn’t coming together as quickly as anticipated. After touting the minor Siri upgrades that already rolled out, a company statement ended on a depressing note.

“We’ve also been working on a more personalized Siri, giving it more awareness of your personal context, as well as the ability to take action for you within and across your apps,” said Apple spokeswoman Jacqueline Roy. “It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.”

This confirms multiple previous rumors indicating that users pining for a smarter Siri shouldn’t hold their breath.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max expected this autumn will be 5% thicker than the current version, according to a noted tipster.

But that’s not bad news. The extra bulk supposedly is to allow Apple to build a larger battery into its top-of-the-line iOS handset.

The Apple M4 chip going into the new MacBook Air version brings a considerable performance boost. Early benchmark scores show the 2025 version of the macOS notebook runs over 50% faster than the 2024 version.

Steady annual improvements in Apple’s M series chips continue to demonstrate the advantages of the switch away from Intel. If you’re considering an upgrade, checking out the MacBook Air price can help you decide if the latest model is worth the investment. If you’re looking for a breakdown of the latest Mac M4 and whether it’s worth upgrading, this guide has everything you need to know. If you’re comparing the latest models, check out this detailed M4 MacBook Pro comparison to see how it stacks up.

Apple’s recent decision to replace the iPhone SE with the more premium iPhone 16e marks a shift in the company’s approach to the budget smartphone market — and it might be a big risk, according to new research. The new iPhone 16e, priced at $599, represents a pretty big jump from the iPhone SE’s $429 price point. And that raises questions about whether Apple’s strategy will pay off. Will iPhone SE owners buy iPhone 16e?

Apple’s first foldable iPhone may sport a book-style design and a steep $2,000+ price tag. It will apparently sport a 7.8-inch inner folding display, with a 5.5-inch cover display.

Despite its high price tag, the foldable iPhone will seemingly have a strong replacement demand among loyal Apple fans.

YouTube introduced a new, cheaper paid tier in the US called YouTube Lite. While the “Lite” plan is light on perks, it also carries a lower monthly subscription fee of $7.99 per month.

YouTube Premium Lite retains the biggest advantage of paying for YouTube: an ad-free viewing experience. Well, almost.

Apple unveiled the M3 Ultra chip as an option in the new MacStudio desktop Wednesday. As the company’s most powerful silicon chip to date, it brings unprecedented performance to pro users with demanding workflows. The other option in the new desktop machine is the M4 Max chip, which is actually less powerful than the M3 Ultra.

“M3 Ultra is the pinnacle of our scalable system-on-a-chip architecture, aimed specifically at users who run the most heavily threaded and bandwidth-intensive applications,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies.

Apple didn’t launch the 2025 Mac Studio with an M4 Ultra processor — the top-of-the-line version of Apple’s current chip family. And it now seems that chip will never exist at all.

Apparently, Cupertino never intended to produce it.

Apple unveiled the M3 Ultra chip as an option in the new MacStudio desktop Wednesday. As the company’s most powerful silicon chip to date, it brings unprecedented performance to pro users with demanding workflows. The other option in the new desktop machine is the M4 Max chip, which is actually less powerful than the M3 Ultra.

“M3 Ultra is the pinnacle of our scalable system-on-a-chip architecture, aimed specifically at users who run the most heavily threaded and bandwidth-intensive applications,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies.

“Thanks to its 32-core CPU, massive GPU, support for the most unified memory ever in a personal computer, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and industry-leading power efficiency, there’s no other chip like M3 Ultra,” he added.

The long wait for an upgraded Mac Studio finally ended. A version with an M4 Max processor and (surprise!) an M3 Ultra chip launched Wednesday.

“The new Mac Studio is the most powerful Mac we’ve ever made,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. “A complete game-changer for pros around the world — powering both home and pro studios — Mac Studio sits in a class of its own, offering a staggering amount of performance in a compact, quiet design that fits beautifully on your desk. With this new Mac Studio, we’re delivering even more extreme performance with M4 Max and M3 Ultra, support for half a terabyte of unified memory, up to 16TB of superfast storage, and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. Mac Studio truly is the ultimate pro desktop.”

Apple unveiled a revised MacBook Air with an M4 chip inside Wednesday. It comes in a beautiful new sky blue color, at an even lower price point — with the same incredible 18 hours of battery life.

“MacBook Air is by far the world’s most popular laptop,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said in a press release, “and today we’re giving everyone even more reasons to love it, including a big boost in performance with the M4 chip, a new Center Stage camera, and a beautiful new sky blue color.”

The M4 MacBook Air starts at $999 and will become available on March 12.

The new premium Keychron K4 HE mechanical keyboard combines a 96% layout with customizable actuation for Mac power users. The new keyboard integrates Hall effect technology into the popular K4 design. That creates a versatile option for users who demand precision and customizability for both productivity and gaming.

“The K4 HE is a game-changer for professionals and gamers who demand precision and flexibility in their keyboard setup,” Paul Tan, COO of Keychron, said Tuesday in a press release. “With Hall effect technology, users can now customize their typing experience like never before, ensuring every keystroke meets their exact needs.”

Weather-permitting, spring has sprung. And Apple offered a fresh palette of vibrant colors perfect for the season in its new spring collection of iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands Tuesday. The collection features eye-catching new options for iPhone 16 users and Apple Watch enthusiasts, including premium Hermès Apple Watch band editions.

The budget iPad, one of Apple’s most popular tablets, now comes with a faster A16 processor, and the base model packs twice the storage capacity. However, for the most part, the iPad 11 — which Apple quietly released Tuesday — stays the same as its predecessor. While Apple made incremental changes to the iPad lineup, there is growing anticipation around MacBook Air rumors, suggesting a significant update is on the horizon.

And, in a surprise move, the tablet did not join the club of devices that support Apple Intelligence.

Apple’s iPad Air lineup is getting an M3 refresh. The chip upgrade boosts the performance of the latest iPads while promising the same battery life. This enhancement aligns with Apple’s ongoing efforts to integrate advanced technologies, such as Apple Intelligence, into the company’s devices.

“iPad Air is so popular because of its unmatched combination of powerful performance, portability, and support for advanced accessories, all at an affordable price,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. If you’re looking for a comparison with Apple’s flagship models, explore this iPad Pro M3 review for more details.

A week after the first iOS 18.4 beta dropped, Apple released the second beta build. It packs even more changes and brings an iPhone 16 feature to the iPhone 15 Pro lineup.

Below are all the changes we have discovered in iOS 18.4 beta 2 and previous builds so far.

The new iPhone 16e proves about as repairable as other members of the iPhone 16 family, according to iFixit’s teardown of Apple’s new budget phone. Despite its lower price tag, the iPhone 16e packs many of the repairability features of its more-expensive siblings, including the ionic liquid battery adhesive that makes replacement easier.

However, iFixit’s teardown leaves one key question unanswered: Why did Apple omit MagSafe from iPhone 16e?

In a market dominated by high-priced headphones from Apple, Bose and Sony, EarFun made waves Monday with its latest release of over-ear, close-back headphones. They should appeal to Apple users looking for affordable alternatives without sacrificing much quality. New EarFun Wave Life hybrid active noise-canceling headphones promise premium audio features at just $60. That’s a fraction of what you’d pay for many premium cans. And a launch discount brings that down to an absurdly low $42. If you’re searching for offerup premium deals on high-quality audio gear, check out this review of EarFun Wave Life headphones.

Apple CEO Tim Cook just dropped a very broad hint that the M4 MacBook Air is imminent, and maybe an upgraded iPad Air, too. Cook posted on X (formerly Twitter), “There’s something in the Air.”

While there’s plenty of anticipation for the launch, there won’t be much surprise. Rumors started talking about the M4 MacBook Air months ago. The same goes for the M3 iPad Air. If you’re wondering about the MacBook monitor improvements that could come with this release, here’s what we know so far.

Here’s what’s expected.

Despite big promises, the Siri experience in iOS 18 is nowhere as good as it should be. An improved Siri reportedly will arrive with iOS 18.5 in May this year, one that is much smarter. However, don’t expect Siri to become like ChatGPT or Gemini until at least 2027.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: A new leak of CAD files gives us our supposed first look at the full iPhone 17 lineup. And, looking further into the future, it sounds like Apple ironed out the final wrinkle that was holding back a folding iPhone. We discuss the latest iPhone leaks and rumors, digging into what sounds good and what sounds bad. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for an action-packed gaming experience, Smoke Lara takes you on a thrilling adventure—check out our Guardian of Light iPhone review to learn more.

Also on The CultCast:

• What’s new in the first iOS 18.4 beta? Griffin gives us the rundown on new iPhone features coming soon.
• iPhone 15 Pro users can look forward to Visual Intelligence, one of Apple’s more useful AI tools.
• New MacBook Airs should be coming our way in the very near future.

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 next MacBook Air refresh could reportedly happen “this coming week.” While an iPad Air refresh is also in the pipeline, it will arrive a few weeks later.

The company will supposedly launch the iPad 11 alongside the iPad Air refresh.

UPDATE (March 5): As predicted, the M4 MacBook Air launched on Wednesday. In addition, the new iPad Air came out a bit earlier than expected, and the iPad 11 debuted, also.