Patreon, a service that many authors, artists, etc. use to get funding from fans, has to switch its iPhone/iPad application to Apple’s in-app purchase system by November. The company criticized the requirement on Monday, and pointed out this will add Apple’s 30% App Store fee to all new memberships purchased through the iOS software.
But Patreon isn’t being singled out — Apple makes virtually all applications use its purchasing system. Not that’s everyone is happy about it.
Prices on Apple Watch Series 9 tend to fluctuate, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen a full $100 off a nice range of models with or without cellular coverage and in both 41mm and 45mm sizes. Amazon is running such a sale right now. But models at these prices might not last long. See the links below.
In today’s enviable computer setup, a software engineer drives a Studio Display with an M2 Pro MacBook Pro. But among other impressive peripherals connected in the rig we found a great version of one of Cult of Mac‘s Best Audio Interfaces for Mac. An interface serves as a bridge between your Mac and external audio sources like microphones and musical instruments to make the most of recording and mixing.
A button being added to the iPhone 16 Pro models is designed to act like the shutter button on DSLR cameras, according to information leaking out of Apple. That includes doing much more than simply taking pictures when pushed.
After years of keeping the iPhone buttons to a minimum, the number continues to expand.
Apple does not plan to charge for Apple Intelligence in the next three years. Apparently, the company wants to add more advanced AI features before charging for it.
The Cupertino giant did not talk about eventually charging for Apple Intelligence during its unveiling at WWDC24 earlier this year.
Rumors indicate the iPad 11 is nearly here, and an iPad mini 7 is in development, too. Neither tablet has been updated in years, but that could change this autumn. Finally! We can look forward to better performance and maybe Apple Intelligence.
Here’s what’s likely coming in late 2024 to Apple’s budget tablet, and what we’ve heard about an iPad mini 7 release date.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: It sounds like a whole bunch of Macs powered by Apple’s M4 chip — including a Mac mini that will be surprisingly small — will arrive in the not-so-distant future. We discuss the latest M4 Mac rumors (and can’t help getting more than a little excited).
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 live stream, embedded below.
Some people were skeptical when Apple TV+ turned the 1981 cult classic movie Time Bandits into a comedic adventure series for all ages. But it’s hard to argue with success — for the second week, the show starring Lisa Kudrow is one of the most popular on any streaming service.
And Jake Gyllenhaal’s crime drama Presumed Innocent continues to pull in a huge audience.
Apple plans to expand its Adaptive Lighting feature to Matter-compatible smart lights with the release of iOS 18, which will significantly increase the number of smart lights that can use the popular feature in the Apple Home ecosystem. And among the first to work on it is Nanoleaf, according to a new report.
A Mac or iPhone is a no longer needed to access Apple Maps — a web version reached public beta testing Wednesday. It allows users to get driving and walking directions from a web browser, including Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs.
Update: Several weeks after the initial release, Apple Maps on the web now works on a broader selection of web browsers.
Shrinking, the hit comedy starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford as therapists with problems of their own, returns to Apple TV+ on October 16. Friday’s’s announcement came with a tiny teaser video for season 2.
This is another entry in Apple’s collection of shows with a radical premise: People in sitcoms don’t have to be horrible to each other.
Update: Apple TV+ posted on social media about Shrinking season 2 on August 5, then pulled the post and video shortly afterward. The teaser trailer came back on Friday.
Here’s how to keep track of your mental health using the new mood-tracking feature in iOS 17. Logging how you feel throughout the day with your iPhone should help you identify what’s causing you trouble or what works for you, whether it’s work, family, exercise, sleep or other things.
In order to make any kind of meaningful change, you need to understand fully what helps, what doesn’t, and what you can do. And that means effectively tracking your mental health. Luckily, starting your log is easy. Set it up once, and your phone will ask you every day so you don’t forget.
Let me show you how to start a log of your mental wellness in iOS 17.
This is your last chance to slash up to 65% off these multidevice charging stands from SwitchEasy. The sale ends at 11:59 p.m. Pacific on August 9.
If you own an iPhone, you need a MagSafe charging stand. They’re incredibly convenient, and they work great with StandBy, which instantly turns your iPhone into a smart display.
SwitchEasy offers two great wireless magnetic charging stands in the Cult of Mac Store — a powerful 4-in-1 and a compact 2-in-1 — and both feature a night light. And they’ve got something else in common. They’re both on sale at up to 65% off in our SwitchEasy Sale.
Some great deals on Apple gear only last for a day, like Woot’s nice discounts on 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2021) and Beats Solo3 headphones. Others may last longer, but for an unknown amount of time, like the price war we’ve been tracking between Amazon and Best Buy. Loads of M3 MacBook Pro models are on sale. See some sample below.
What would the computer setup that has everything — in fact, two of many things — be missing? Well, in the case of today’s dual MacBook Pro workstation, it’s not excellent audio gear. Not only does it double up on high-end laptops, Studio Displays, Trackpads and more. It also mounts powerful Yamaha HS7 speakers and an AKG condenser microphone to help provide a fabulous soundtrack.
The big CdkeySales Back to School Sale continues, so don’t miss it. You and your family can bag major bargains on crucial Microsoft productivity software before classes start. So go ahead and nab surprisingly low prices on software like Windows and Microsoft Office. That includes Windows 10 Pro for just $17.05 — and a free upgrade comes with it! Or you can cut straight to the chase and get Windows 11 Pro for only $22.71.
You will find remarkably low prices at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com now and throughout the year. To get the most savings, enter promo code CULT. That cuts an additional 30% off the site’s low prices on genuine software keys. And don’t forget: When you buy Windows 10, you get a free upgrade to Windows 11!
★★★★☆
Mageasy Lift Standing & Folding Folio iPad Case folds into a stand that raises your tablet screen up closer to eye level. It’s a trick that really helps it stand out from the competition (see what I did there?).
It can also be folded into other shapes to provide a range of viewing angles. And when on the go, the case wraps completely around the iPad to protect it.
I tested the Lift with my 2024 iPad Pro.
Desperate dad Matt Damon and ex-con Casey Affleck join forces for the heist of a lifetime in Boston, and guess what — it goes horribly wrong. With high-speed car chases, multiple explosions and Boston accents flying all over the place from a smart-alecky veteran cast, the new trailer for Apple Original Film The Instigators stormed computer screens Thursday in entertaining fashion.
The Instigators debuts in select theaters on August 2 before streaming on Apple TV+ August 9, but you can watch the first trailer now.
UPDATE: With its week in select theaters now past, star-studded Apple Original Film The Instigators starts streaming Friday on Apple TV+. Reviews of the caper-gone-awry flick find a lot to like, particularly in the chemistry between Boston-bred leads Matt Damon, one of the film’s producers, and Corey Affleck, one of its writers. Doug Liman (Swingers, Go, The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) directs.
You’ve just stumbled upon your dream job listing online. The only problem? The application deadline is tomorrow, and your resume is looking a bit outdated. You could rush through editing all your application materials yourself, or you could save time (and effort) with Canyon’s AI job search tools.
This all-in-one job-hunting companion is your no-stress go-to for completing every stage of the job search, from crafting your resume to filling out applications and rocking the interview. Budgets can get tight when you’re searching for a job, but don’t worry. You can get a lifetime subscription to Canyon’s Pro level for just $69.99.
Spotify and Epic Games have criticized Apple for its latest App Store fee and external linking changes in the EU. They claim Apple has again disregarded the “fundamental requirements” of the Digital Markets Act.
On August 8, 2024, Apple announced new EU App Store policies to comply with the Digital Markets Act. This follows the European Commission’s June ruling that Apple violated the act’s steering rules.
If you do any kind of work online, you’ve probably already discovered what casual home internet users are starting to learn: Reliable cloud storage is a necessity, not a luxury. Unfortunately, many of the most secure providers charge luxury prices for their top-tier plans, but not with this 20TB cloud storage deal.
Cult of Mac readers can now get 20TB of lifetime cloud storage through Prism Drive for only $79.97 (regularly $1,494).
Apple is making changes to its App Store policies in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act. It’s essentially easing linking rules for developers, so they can send customers elsewhere than the App Store for purchases. And it’s attaching new fees for sales that result from the links.
Apple is going to shrink the next Mac mini when it adds an M4 processor, according to an often-reliable source of insider information. The desktop could be the size of an Apple TV.
So, Mac micro?
Apple Original Films gave writer, director and producer Jon Watts the nod to write a sequel to action-comedy film Wolfs, with Academy Award winners George Clooney and Brad Pitt — even before the first installment comes out. Wolfs premieres at the 81st Venice International Film Festival ahead of its limited theatrical release on September 20. Then it debuts on Apple TV+ on Friday, September 27. Hey, when Apple plans a Wolfs sequel even before the original proves popular, you know it expects a hit.
Laurene Powell Jobs’ super-yacht recently crashed into another billionaire’s even bigger yacht off Naples, Italy, according to a report. Steve Jobs originally commissioned the $140 million Venus, collaborating on its design. High winds pushed the boats at anchor into each other.
Damage is estimated to be costly, given the yachts’ combined value of $265 million. For the merely wealthy or well-adjacent, that’s like paying through the nose to get a scratch fixed on your Bentley.