This week, we’re looking at the RADICAL new design of the iPhone 17 Pro! Love it or hate it? Also, when to expect the first folding iPhone, Apple’s bad AI summaries ruin headlines, and more picks for the best (and worst) of 2024!

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This week’s stories:

iPhone 17 Pro Max renders give early glimpse of next Apple flagship

• With purported details of the iPhone 17 Pro Max appearing online many months before the device’s launch, a Russian YouTube channel prepared renders that reveal what Apple’s next top-tier handset could look like.

First folding iPhone could arrive by 2026

• Hoping to boost sales, Apple could launch its first folding iPhone as soon as 2026, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Apple faces pressure to drop AI news summaries after false headline

• International journalism organization Reporters Without Borders is calling for Apple to remove its new artificial intelligence-powered news notifications, following a complaint from the BBC over a bogus news summary.

Best and Worst of 2024:

• Erfon: Camera Control
• Lewis: AirPods Pro 2
• Griffin: HEETA Scalp Massager
• Erfon: AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation

This week, the 5G OLED MacBooks and iPads of our dreams are on the way… in 2026. Also, the next big leap for Apple Watch Ultra, new features in iOS 18.2, and our first picks for BEST OF 2024!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

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Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/CultCast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

This week’s stories:

Expect 2026 to be a huge year for OLED MacBook and iPad

• Apple reportedly intends to introduce MacBooks and an iPad mini with an OLED screen in 2026 as the switch away from LED continues.

MacBooks with 5G cellular might actually happen

• A 5G MacBook might finally be on the horizon thanks to Apple's plans to introduce its own cellular modem in 2025.

Everything new in iOS 18.2

• iOS 18.2 drops a huge number of new features onto the iPhone. Even if you’re not interested in Apple Intelligence, there’s a lot to unpack in this update.
• YouTube video

Apple Watch Ultra 3 might offer texting via satellite

• Apple Watch Ultra 3 reportedly will let travelers send texts via a satellite connection when cellular communication isn’t available.

Best of 2024:

• Lewis: Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds
• Erfon: Weber 28-inch griddle with hard cover
• Griffin: Apple Vision Pro with Annapro B1 case , Annapro A2 head strap and Mokibo Fusion keyboard

We pit movie against movie and argue which one's best while compiling out top 100 list.

This week we’re talking about what’s in store for the next iPad Pro, when to expect the HomePod with a screen, the RETURN of upgradable Mac storage… and the Touch Bar? Also, an all-new Under Review!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co

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This week’s stories:

Apple’s next iPad Pro upgrade to arrive in second half of 2025

• The next big iPad Pro refresh will arrive in the second half of 2025 at the earliest, according to a new report. The upgraded M5 iPad Pro reportedly will be the first product to use the next-gen Apple silicon chip.

HomePod with a large display is still on the way

• The HomePod with a built-in 6- to 7-inch display that’s been the subject of previous rumors will launch after Apple’s developer conference in June, according to a report on Wednesday from a reliable source.

Upgrading your Mac Studio storage becomes possible

• The French company Polysoft reverse engineered Apple’s proprietary NVMe SSDs for the Mac Studio and put them on the market at prices well below Apple’s.

Apple’s Touch Bar resurrected as Flexbar, a standalone USB-C OLED strip

• Flexbar, developed by Hong Kong startup Eniac Technology, reimagines the controversial MacBook Pro feature as a standalone accessory that promises to deliver on the Touch Bar’s original potential.

Under Review: Carpod Go T3

• The Carpod Go T3 is a convenient way to add a wireless CarPlay tablet to your car — with a responsive 8.9-inch 700 nit display.

This week, the real REAL good Siri could be… 18 months away? Also, we’re talking about the radical new look for the iPhone 17 lineup and an exciting new Under Review!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/CultCast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

This week’s stories:

Deals:

• AirPods Pro 2 for $153.99
• Disney+ and Hulu with ads for $2.99/mo for the first year

iOS 19 could debut a more conversational LLM Siri

• Apple plans to further improve Siri with iOS 19 in 2025 by using advanced next-generation large language models (LLMs).

Apple reportedly delays key iOS 19 features until spring 2026

• Mark Gurman's sources say “a larger-than-usual number of features” of iOS 19 will be delayed from its initial launch in September 2025 to iOS 19.4’s release in spring 2026.

iPhone 17 Air’s slim design could prioritize thinness over features

• Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air could be even thinner than initially rumored.

Apple’s 2025 iPhone 17 Pro could feature major design changes

• Apple plans to make “significant design changes” with the iPhone 17 Pro series next year, according to The Information.

Apple unlikely to launch AirPods Max 2 anytime soon

• Apple is not planning any major upgrades to AirPods Max anytime soon. The company plans to keep the headphones around in its current iteration for the “foreseeable future.”

Under Review: Get Studio Display specs without paying Apple prices

• Asus’ new ProArt 5K desktop monitor costs just half of what you’ll pay for Apple’s Studio Display but offers many of the same features.
• YouTube video

This week: New details on the super slim iPhone 17, what’s coming next for AirTags 2, a hidden MacBook Pro feature Apple didn’t mention — and our hands-on with Image Playground!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

Notion AI can now give you instant answers to your questions, using information from across your wiki, projects, docs and meeting notes. Go to notion.com/cultcast to try the powerful Notion AI today.

1Password Extended Access Management solves the problems traditional IAM and MDM can’t. It’s security for the way we work today. Check it out at 1password.com/cultcast

This week’s stories:

iPhone 17 Air could be Apple’s slimmest iPhone ever

• The rumored iPhone 17 Air might measure just 6mm thick, making it the slimmest iPhone ever.

AirTag 2 reportedly launching in mid-2025 with better range

• Apple’s first AirTag upgrade is another step closer to launch, with the tracking tags reportedly progressing to “manufacturing tests.”

Surprise! M4 MacBook Pro includes quantum dot display

• The latest MacBook Pro screen reportedly includes a quantum dot film. The result is a better-looking display in the new Mac notebook.

Why Apple should start selling Mac mini SSD storage upgrades

• In a surprise move, the M4 Mac mini includes a removable, swappable SSD.

Hands-on with Image Playground, Visual Intelligence and ChatGPT in iOS 18.2

• iOS 18.2 will bring exciting new Apple Intelligence features like Image Playground, Genmoji, Visual Intelligence and ChatGPT integration.
• YouTube video

Bloomberg: Apple considering another run at an actual TV

• If Apple’s smart display on, it will help set the stage for more home devices. It may even revisit the idea of making an Apple-branded TV set, something it’s evaluating.

This week, it’s our hands-on reviews with ALL the M4 Macs and Magic peripherals — the good, the bad and the ugly. Also: Apple’s weird new smart home device coming next March, and Apple’s even weirder new coffee table book…

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co

This week’s stories:

With the M4 iMac, you don’t have to pick between fast or fun

• The desktop computer is an endangered breed, but if you have room for one in your life, the new iMac offers a beautiful design and some impressive performance.
• PSA: Be super-careful opening your new M4 iMac

My MacBook Pro quantum leap from M1 Pro to M4 Pro

• While the M1 Pro and M4 Pro laptops could be the same exact machine judging from the outside — same as all M-series MacBook Pro models — the new one takes some big steps forward in performance.

Mac mini with M4 Pro is mightier and mini-er than ever

• The new Mac mini with M4 Pro chip offers incredible power at an unbelievable price. And on top of all that, it’s super-tiny. What’s not to love?

Reviews for the new peripherals:

• Magic Trackpad
• Magic Keyboard
• Magic Mouse

Apple’s next big thing is a wall-mounted iPad?

• Apple plans to release “a wall-mounted display that can control appliances, handle videoconferencing and use AI to navigate apps” from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
• Nintendo Alarmo

Apple Music turns its 100 Best Albums list into $450 coffee-table book

• Back when Apple Music put out its 100 Best Albums of all time list, some people expressed shock at the No. 1 pick — 1998’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
• And now they might be shocked they’re being asked to pay a whopping $450 for a fancy-schmancy, limited-edition coffee-table book version of the whole list.

This week, reviews are in — and the M4 Macbook Pro performance is absolutely mind blowing. Is it finally time to upgrade from M1? Plus: When to expect the next big MacBook redesign with OLED displays, new features in iOS 18.2, the next big step in Apple silicon… and the Under Review you’ve been waiting for!

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/CultCast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

This week’s stories:

M4 MacBook Pro review roundup: Truly pro at every level

• Apple’s latest M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro refresh brings significant improvements to its professional laptop line, with reviewers praising the upgraded base model and impressive performance gains across the board.

M4 Pro and Max benchmarks show M2 Ultra who’s boss

• Early Geekbench 6 benchmark results show impressive performance improvements for the new M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.

The next major MacBook design refresh arrives in 2026

• Mark Gurman, in his latest Power On newsletter, says the big MacBook Pro overhaul will arrive in 2026 rather than 2025, when some people expected it.

iOS 18.2 beta 2: All the new features and changes

• A couple of weeks after releasing the first iOS 18.2 beta with new Apple Intelligence features, Apple seeded the second beta to developers with several new features.

iPhone 17 could use Apple’s new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip

• Apple might switch to in-house Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips starting with next year’s iPhone 17. The company plans to fully transition to its custom Wi-Fi chips within three years after that.

Under Review: Fujifilm X100VI

This week, they’re here — ALL the M4 Macs. The iMac, the Mac mini, the MacBook Pros, the new accessories. What did we order?

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

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Notion AI can now give you instant answers to your questions, using information from across your wiki, projects, docs and meeting notes. Go to notion.com/cultcast to try the powerful Notion AI today.

This week’s stories:

Mac mini radically redesigned with M4 and M4 Pro chip

• Apple unveiled the radically redesigned Mac mini on Tuesday, with versions powered by the M4 chip and a new M4 Pro chip.
• Hacks and jokes ‘fix’ M4 Mac mini’s odd power-button placement

New M4 iMac delivers major speed boost

• Apple launched an upgraded iMac with an M4 chip and support for Apple Intelligence on Monday, calling it “the world’s best all-in-one for AI.”

M4 MacBook Pros deliver big performance and battery life gains

• While the new laptops sport the same design as their predecessors, they deliver faster performance and a staggering 24 hours of battery life, the company says.

Shocker! Apple doubles RAM in M2 and M3 MacBook Air

• Apple on Wednesday increased the RAM in the base model M2 and M3 MacBook Air from 8GB to 16GB. And the enhancement comes without a price increase.

New Magic Keyboard, mouse and trackpad spell end for Lightning

• Apple’s new Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad showed up for sale Monday. As expected, they switch from Lightning connector to USB-C.

This week, don’t call it an event — but M4 Macs are coming next week! Also, the second wave of Apple Intelligence, all the Apple products coming next spring, their expensive Apple Card mistake, and is production ending on Vision Pro?

This episode supported by:

Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com

Take back control of your personal information and reduce the risk of spam, scams and identity theft with Incogni. Get 60% off an annual plan with code CULTCAST at incogni.com/cultcast

1Password Extended Access Management solves the problems traditional IAM and MDM can’t. It’s security for the way we work today. Check it out at 1password.com/cultcast

This week’s stories:

Apple October Mac event is on… sort of

• Apple let the world know on Thursday that its much-anticipated October event isn’t going to be a traditional one. Instead, it’ll be a week of announcements of new products via press releases.

Apple plans early-2025 M4 MacBook Air refresh, delays next Mac Studio

• While some M4 Macs may arrive in the next week, Apple also gears up for a bigger expansion of its M4 chip rollout, including the M4 MacBook Air coming in early 2025.

iOS 18.2 beta 1: All the new features and changes

• Ahead of iOS 18.1’s public release, Apple released the first iOS 18.2 beta to developers. The second major point release of iOS 18 packs several changes, including new Apple Intelligence features.

Apple and Goldman Sachs hit with $90 million in fines for Apple Card mistakes

• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) imposed nearly $90 million in combined penalties on Apple and Goldman Sachs, the agency said Wednesday.

Apple could soon end production of Vision Pro headset

• Apple reportedly might end production of the Vision Pro by the end of the year. That doesn’t mean the mixed-reality headset is about to be discontinued, however.