This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With Apple’s big Worldwide Developers Conference hurtling at us like an AI-powered hype train, we once again put our professional reputations on the line. That’s right, it’s time to make our WWDC24 predictions.

We’ve got a special wild-card question this time around. And you can play along, if you’ve got the nerve!

Also on The CultCast:

• iPhone 16 Pro could bring some crazy new display tech.
• Marvel Studios’ new Vision Pro app is the kind of content Apple’s headset needs. The “I’m a Mac” guy’s latest PC ad is the kind of marketing the world can do without.
• Invidia’s stock price overtakes $AAPL as Wall Street goes gaga for AI.
• We discuss the latest iPhone 16 rumors as well as some last-minute iOS 18 leaks.

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 reportedly will focus heavily on AI when it announces the next major versions of all its operating systems Monday at WWDC24. Everyone expects an upgraded Siri, summaries that’ll catch you up on a flurry of notifications, image editing that can cut out parts of a picture and the like. But none of that is on my WWDC wish list.

Personally, I’m not convinced that Apple needs to go all-in on AI (or “Apple Intelligence,” as it reportedly will be called). I’d rather see fundamental fixes and long-missing features finally added. Plus, I find Apple’s rumored partnership with OpenAI, of all companies, pretty troubling.

Here’s my WWDC24 wish list of everything I hope Cupertino has been cooking up. Read the full list below or sit back and watch the video.

New artificial intelligence features are likely to make iOS 18, macOS 15 and iPadOS 18 the biggest upgrades to Apple’s platforms in many years. Leaks say AI enhancements are coming to most of Apple’s standard apps, helping users write, summarize information, clean up images and more. At their announcement coming at next week’s WWDC24, these will all come under the heading of “Apple Intelligence.”

Plus, Siri reportedly will get a significant intelligence upgrade.

WWDC24 kicks off on June 10 but you don’t need to wait until then to find out what’s in store for iPhone, Mac and other Apple computers. Leaks already revealed much of what to expect at Apple’s annual developers conference, at least in broad terms. Here’s your WWDC24 spoiler alert: “Apple Intelligence” in the form of AI, AI and more AI.

Here’s what will be on the agenda when Apple unveils iOS 18, macOS 15 and iPadOS 18 next week.

When it’s unveiled at WWDC24’s Keynote on Monday, the new iOS 18 update — codenamed “Crystal” — is expected to be one of Apple’s biggest updates of iPhone software since the handset came out in 2007. Artificial intelligence (AI) should play a big role, along with other new features, redesigned elements and plenty of app updates. See our summary below, with links to Cult of Mac coverage.

Not everybody needs, wants or can afford an Apple display. Luckily, many good options abound for use with a Mac, including the 34-inch BenQ Ultrawide Creator Monitor featured in today’s exceptionally nice M3 Pro MacBook Pro setup. And it’s ideally situated on a handsome Oakywood dual-monitor stand.

iPhone users spent almost $25 billion in the App Store during Q1 2024, according to a market research firm. In contrast, Android uses spent only $11 billion on Google Play in the same time period.

This despite the number of downloads from Google Play more than tripling App Store downloads. Clearly, a great many Android users aren’t willing to pay for apps.

The CdkeySales Mid-Year Sale is in full swing, so now’s the time to score excellent deals on all kinds of Microsoft software. It’s your perfect opportunity to find remarkably low prices on productivity 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 can find surprisingly 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 software keys. And don’t forget: When you buy Windows 10, you get a free upgrade to Windows 11!

Sometimes people take car chargers for granted as merely functional necessities. But Pitaka challenges that with its new MagEZ Car Mount Pro 2 Qi2, a sleek and innovative device that fast-charges your iPhone or other smartphone and streamlines your in-car experience. It takes up little space as it brings your handset’s screen in sight.

As as a Qi2 device, it gives everyone MagSafe-level charging. And the company also makes a MagSafe edition, of course. It’s a great accessory to keep in the car, especially if the car lacks CarPlay on its infotainment screen.

Beats Fit Pro earbuds deliver rich, immersive sound and powerful bass. These noise-canceling earbuds are serious AirPods Pro competitors (see our comparison), and they bring your music, podcasts and calls to life. Grab a pair, and you’ll enjoy every note and beat with clarity and depth, whether you’re using an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy.

Wirecutter recently called Beats Fit Pro “a great choice for Apple fans who want the easy pairing and ‘Hey Siri‘ voice-control convenience of AirPods, but with a more-secure fit and better controls.” And now you can get these high-quality earbuds at a massive discount, thanks to our new, open-box sale.

For a limited time, snag a pair of Beats Fit Pro earbuds for just $109.99 (regularly $199.99).

Knowing how to unsend an iMessage can help you out of a pickle if you accidentally shoot off a text to the wrong person. You also can edit a message after it’s sent to fix a grave typo you didn’t catch. Like if you accidentally text your mom “Finally got laid today!” when you meant to type “paid.”

Keep reading to see how to unsend or edit an iMessage on your iPhone, or watch our quick video tutorial.

Apple plans to release its own Passwords app that will compete with rival password apps like 1Password, LastPass and Dashlane, according to a new report. The new Apple Passwords app will be based on the company’s existing iCloud Keychain technology, but will dress it up and make it more user-friendly.

The standalone Apple Passwords app will sync across devices and add advanced features similar to competitors’ offerings. Apple reportedly plans to showcase it at next week’s Worldwide Developers Conference, then roll it out in iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS 15. Plus, it will work with Vision Pro and Windows computers!

Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse from Ubisoft is a deck building game featuring a crazy collection of characters exploring five outlandish universes. It just launched for iPhone, Mac and more.

It is joined by three classic games that are all now playable via Apple Arcade.

The Apple Design Awards recognized 14 “best-in-class” apps and games, the iPhone giant said Thursday. It will hand out the awards, which celebrate excellence in design and outstanding technical achievement, to winners at WWDC24 on Monday.

“It’s inspiring to see how developers are using our technology to create exceptional apps and games that enhance the lives of users,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “This year’s winners have demonstrated how apps can create powerful and moving experiences — and we’re excited to celebrate their hard work and ingenuity at WWDC this year.”

And this year the awards added a new spatial computing category.

Creative Technology’s new Creative Zen Hybrid SXFI over-hear headphones and Creative Zen Air SXFI true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds offer an immersive, three-dimensional soundscape through Super X-Fi technology, the company said.

That’s another way of saying “spatial audio.” And both noise-canceling devices are affordable. Now available for preorder, the cans list for $99.99 and the buds go for $79.99.

A multidevice charger like the ESR Qi2 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station is a must-have, especially if you own an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. A 3-in-1 charger removes the hassle of dealing with multiple power bricks and cables, which occupy unwanted desk space and power sockets.

ESR recently launched its Qi2 3-in-1 wireless charging station, which stands out for its Qi2 support and detachable Apple Watch charger. Its small footprint, sturdy design and welcome extras make it a solid contender for a prime spot on your nightstand.

The long wait for the port of Assassin’s Creed Mirage playable on iPhone 15 Pro models and top-tier iPads just ended. It is in the App Store now.

This is the latest example of AAA, console-quality games being brought to Apple devices to demonstrate their gaming capabilities.

Prepare to experience excellent audio with the Sony XE300 portable Bluetooth speaker. It features Sony’s unique Line-Shape Diffuser technology, which spreads sound evenly across a wide area. The innovative tech lets the speaker produce room-filling audio without sacrificing clarity.

It’s a high-end speaker that’s about the size of a tallboy, and it’s on sale now for just $79.99 (regularly $199.99). If you want to cruise through the summer with your favorite tunes blasting, you don’t want to miss this new, open-box deal.

iPhone 15 Pro and 2nd gen HomePod are not the only Apple devices to ship with a Thread router. The company has secretly shipped all its recent iPad and Mac models with the smart home radio as well.

Unlike on the iPhones though, the Thread router is not active. This could explain why Apple has not advertised its inclusion in the specs page of its new Macs and iPads.

Apple just made a major change to its standard warranty terms for the iPhone and Apple Watch. Going forward, the company will no longer cover a single hairline crack under its warranty.

Instead, users must pay for the repair or claim accidental damage under their AppleCare plan.

Apple had a great day in the stock market on Wednesday, with its market capitalization once again surpassing the $3 trillion mark. But chip-maker Nvidia had an even better day and passed Apple’s market cap for the first time ever.

The result is that Apple, which spent years as the world’s most valuable publicly traded company, is now in third place. To see how Apple’s apple market cap has evolved over time, check out this detailed analysis.

UPDATE June 6: The funny part about stocks is they go up and down. The market capitalization of both Apple and Nvidia dropped below $3 trillion on Thursday. But NVDA dropped even more so AAPL is once again the second most valuable publicly traded company behind Microsoft.

The iPhone’s StandBy feature is great and all. But anyone who has fumbled around in the dark to turn off their iPhone alarm knows the importance of a good, solid alarm clock. In terms of design and functionality, this LED alarm clock is a keeper. Its mirrored LED screen and futuristic design make it look like something from a sci-fi flick.

With this large-format clock, you’ll know at a glance what time it is and when to wake up. You can now grab this stylish and functional LED alarm clock for only $19.97 (regularly $32).

Those in Europe and Asia eager to get an Apple Vision Pro supposedly won’t have to wait much longer. Consumers in more than half a dozen countries will reportedly be able to buy the AR/VR headset in about a week.

The product launched in the U.S. this winter, but an announcement of broader availability isn’t expected until June 10 at WWDC24.

In a surprising incident at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, an Apple Watch played a pivotal role in helping a determined passenger track down her stolen luggage when Spirit Airlines couldn’t.

You expect this sort of thing from AirTag, a dedicated tracker. But this time, an Apple Watch and the Find My network came to the rescue.

Some people are happy typing away on quiet membrane keyboards like Apple’s Magic Keyboard. Others are obsessed with pimping out their clickity-clackety mechanical keebs with the exact key caps, switches and design flourishes they prefer. Today’s M3 Pro MacBook Pro setup goes for the latter style with a Keychron Q2 custom mechanical keyboard.

It’s an excellent, moderately affordable option in a crowded market.