By Joey Pritikin

Over the last five years, biometrics has evolved from the stuff of crime scene investigation and science fiction movies to a broad set of technologies that make our lives easier, more personal, and more secure. Starting with the Touch ID sensor in the iPhone 5s, Apple led the way in the acceptance and adoption of biometrics.

The latest indications are that Apple is embracing a face-recognition approach that goes beyond a standard 2D, visible-light sensor. When used in a situation where there are only a handful of approved users, like a consumer mobile device, the promise is great.

This week on The CultCast: Even more juicy details leak on iPhone 8, plus a report says Apple’s keynote reveal is right around the corner. Plus: There’s a strange twist in Apple’s autonomous car project; why the 13-inch MacBook Pro might soon get a lot more horsepower; and stick around for an all-new storytime, where we’ll tell you what it’s like inside the eerie darkness of a total solar eclipse.

Telltale’s episodic point-and-click adventure game Batman: The Enemy Within has finally gotten a release date on iOS.

Episodes one and two of the sequel to 2016’s Batman: The Telltale Series will land in the iOS App Store on September 26. Episode one of the five-part series was released on consoles and PC in early August, but mobile gamers must wait a bit to get their hands on the new title.

In the meantime, check out the Batman: The Enemy Within trailer below.

The iPhone 8’s facial recognition feature will work “within a few hundred milliseconds,” be more secure than the existing Touch ID sensor, and even work in the dark, a pair of new reports claim.

In addition to the regular iPhone sensors you’d expect to find, the upcoming handset will reportedly boast a new “structured light” sensor, which uses bounced infrared light to work out the depth of different points on the face.

Apple’s supposedly impenetrable security chip found inside iOS devices has been penetrated.

A hacker has released what is claimed to be a decryption key for the Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) that handles things like Touch ID and password verification. But we shouldn’t worry about the security of our Apple devices being compromised… yet.

By Angela Moscaritolo, DealNews

If you’re in the market for a new iPhone, you may want to wait awhile. Apple’s 10th anniversary iPhone, widely referred to as the iPhone 8, is expected to be released soon. Rumors suggest it’ll boast an all-new design. And if history is any indication, we’ll definitely see discounts on the iPhone 7 once the iPhone 8 makes its debut.

So when should you pounce on that new handset? Read on for our full analysis.

The iPhone SE hasn’t been updated in the 18 months since its release, but according to a new report, Apple manufacturer Wistron is gearing up to produce the next-gen iPhone SE at its factory in India.

The new 4-inch iPhone SE will reportedly be made available in the first quarter of 2018, roughly two years after the first model shipped. It will keep the look of its predecessor, but come with A10 processor, iOS 11, and will boast 32GB and 128GB storage options, with a 1700mAh battery.

Being one of the first to market with new iPhone accessories can mean big business. We won’t get confirmation of Apple’s plans for the iPhone 8 until September, but some companies are already manufacturing cases based on leaks and rumors.

One of those is Nodus. Launched in 2013, the case-maker focuses exclusively on the iPhone, and its plans for Apple’s next big refresh are already well underway. Here’s everything it knows about the iPhone 8 so far, and how it’s fighting to beat others to market.

Apple has been ordered to pay $506 million in damages after infringing a patent owned by the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

A U.S. judge ruled that the Cupertino company was guilty of using processor technology it did not own in its A-series chips for iPhone and iPad. The sum of damages is more than double that awarded by a jury last October.

Apple rolled out its latest iOS 10.3.3 update on Wednesday, and you should install it as quickly as possible if you haven’t already.

This release fixes a serious vulnerability in the Wi-Fi chips used in iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, which allows an attacker to remotely take control of your device over a wireless network.