This week on The CultCast: Waiting for new AirPods? Need that AirPower charging mat? Don’t you dare miss our “More in the Making” hardware event predictions, cause we bring out the crystal ball, and all is revealed.

Then: Seventeen reasons the iPhone XR should be your next phone; the world’s largest Mac collection could be yours for free; and we pitch our favorite games, shows and scooters in an all-new “What We’re Into”!

Our thanks to Casper for supporting this episode. Learn why Casper makes the internet’s favorite mattress, and get $50 towards select mattresses at casper.com/cultcast.

After Apple acknowledged that a small number of its users in China had their iCloud accounts accounts hacked through a phishing scam, a Chinese consumer watchdog thinks the company should pay up.

The China Consumer Association said in a statement that Apple should pay compensation to those affected. Some of those people caught up in the scam lost money since their Apple IDs were used by thieves to take money from paired mobile payment services.

Apple is now selling a USB-C charger for Apple Watch. The 0.3-meter Magnetic Apple Watch Charger is identical in price and design to the USB-A version that’s been available for a while, but adopts the USB-C standard.

Apple has posted its two new iPhone XR ads to YouTube to promote the device on preorder day.

“Introducing iPhone XR” and “Spectrum” run for less than a minute each, but do a good job of highlighting the new handset’s brightly-colored finishes and its biggest features.

On paper, it sounds kind of surprising, but the reports claiming that Apple will include a USB-C port instead of its proprietary Lightning are certainly racking up.

Recently, notable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that this would be the case. Now a new report citing multiple accessory makers at the Global Sources Mobile Electronics Trade Fair in Hong Kong reported that they have heard much the same thing.

Hankering after an iPhone XR? The Apple Online Store is open and ready for preorder business.

Available in six colors, with pricing starting at $749, Apple’s new LCD handset could soon be yours to own.

A highlight of iOS 12 is Siri shortcuts, a way to activate frequently-used tasks with voice commands. Software developers can do this too, and today Apple highlighted some popular applications that have embraced Siri.

Increasing numbers of apps have Shortcuts built in, giving users access to special functions with the voice commands of their choice.

Apple worked hard in recent years to make a waterproof iPhone . The latest models can survive being submerged in up to 6.5 feet of water for half an hour. And last year’s handsets are almost as water resistant. 

One iPhone X user has cause to be grateful. 

Square got its start by letting businesses take credit cards with just an iPhone or Android, and the company now offers multiple payment methods. Today it launched Square Terminal which accepts credit cards and Apple Pay, and can even print  receipts.

This could help spread the availability of Apple Pay, as this new point-of-sale card reader is intended to replace older, simpler ones that can’t accept the iPhone’s payment system.

Not even the fastest Android handset comes close to matching the performance of the iPhone.

The new Asus ROG Phone performs better than every other Android in early benchmark tests. It also scores higher than the latest iPad Pro lineup. When it comes to iPhone XS and XS Max, though, the gaming handset is way behind.

Apple finally made its October keynote official this morning with one of the most unique event invites we’ve ever seen. Instead of just using one standard design, Apple sent nearly every journalist an invite with an Apple logo that was unlike the one sent to others.

We’ve tracked down over 20 variations of the Apple logo on the invites and compiled them below. You can also go to Apple’s updated event website and every time you refresh the page a different Apple logo will show up.

This post is presented by Digiarty Software.

Managing data on iPhone means navigating iTunes on your Mac. For upgrading, syncing or backing up photos, videos and music, its broad controls can leave even the tech-savvy among us feeling clumsy. For more fine-grained control of your iOS data, you’ll want another tool.

The first wave of iPhone XR reviews are in and based on the early impressions, Apple may have a big hit on its hands.

iPhone XR preorders open up at midnight tonight and Apple’s making a big push to get people to upgrade to its cheapest new handset. Instead of just going with traditional news outlets, Apple also gave early iPhone XR units to popular YouTubers, probably in an effort to reach a younger audience.

So far, everyone’s raving about the iPhone XR, even if it is lacking a few features.

Drafts, the most useful app on iOS, is finally available for the Mac — in beta form at least. The beta can be downloaded right now, but you can only use it if you are already a Drafts Pro subscription. The Mac version of this text-wrangling masterpiece is already super-useful, and will sync perfectly with your existing iPhone and iPad versions.

Preorders for the iPhone XR start tomorrow at 12:01 a.m. Pacific. If you want to be sure of getting a new handset — in the color you really want — on day one, you probably need to be quick with your preorder. If not, you could be faced with waiting for Apple to fill the backlog of orders before you finally get a new iPhone sometime near Christmas.

Luckily, we have a guide that will help you preorder your iPhone XR the right way when on October 19.

The next big Apple event everyone has been expecting just became official. Looks like new tablets, laptops and desktops could be unveiled October 30.

What makes this unusual is it won’t be at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, but at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Not satisfied with the iPhone XS Max being a mere smartphone, crazy Russian iPhone modders have gone and added a gorgeous mechanical watch onto Apple’s latest masterpiece.

The Grand Complications collection comes in three options: pink gold, titanium and black and gold, giving owners one of the most unique iPhones in the world. Caviar says the collection was inspired by the idea innovation of the future and their connection to classical traditions of the past.

The iPhone Upgrade Program is Apple’s equivalent of a carrier’s monthly contract. You can upgrade your iPhone every year, and pay a monthly fee instead of buying the handset outright. Usually, the upgrade path is simple — there’s a new iPhone every year, and you can upgrade every year. But the iPhone X came out on November 3, 2017, so iPhone Upgrade Program participants still have at least a couple of weeks left to run on their contracts.

So how do you get the colorful iPhone XR you’re craving on launch day?

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max sales have started off so strongly that they’ve helped Apple’s average selling price reach record heights, new data suggests.

The latest flagships accounted for 16 percent of all Apple handsets sold in the U.S. last quarter, despite being on sale for just ten days of it. Last year’s iPhone X continues to sell well despite being outdated now, while iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were the most popular options.

An alleged hacker who reportedly threatened to sell the personal details of 319 million iCloud users is having his day in court. 21-year-old IT analyst Kerem Albayrak supposedly filmed himself accessing people’s accounts and posted footage showing this online.

He then asked Apple to pay him $174,000 worth of Bitcoin and $1,100 in iTunes vouchers to avoid doing anything with the accounts.

Making money online means knowing how to leverage social media. Whether you’re trying to get an idea out, elevate a brand, or sell a product, social media marketing is essential. So this massively discounted social media certification course is a must-see.

The European Commission has decided that it won’t sue Ireland over delays in recovering a 13.1 billion euro ($15 billion) disputed tax bill from Apple.

The European Court of Justice action against Ireland was initiated in October 2017 after the country failed to get Apple to pay up one year after the European Union handed Apple the massive tax bill.

For the next several weeks, we’re giving away dozens of brand new iPhone XS cases on Instagram. We’re kicking off with a bundle of six sexy cases from Spigen, Urban Armor Gear, and Casemate. The six cases all fit the latest iPhone XS (not the Max), and together are worth a tasty $245.

The latest Apple Pay promotion offers shoppers $25 off Oakley gear.

Apple encourages users to “gear up for the season” in its promotional email. It might also come in handy for those who have already started their Christmas shopping — but there is a catch.

Spotify today rolled out a big update for its iOS app, introducing a refreshed design with personalized search. It also adds a new feature called Artist Radio, which offers an endless playlist of tracks based on your favorite musicians or songs.