Apple is reportedly developing a “command center” for smart homes. It’ll supposedly be an inexpensive, wall-mounted, tablet-like computer used to control smart devices and make video calls. The device also would serve as an access point for the upcoming AI-powered Siri.
This is not much like anything the company offers now, though it does mix in some of the features of an iPad and a HomePod.
You can now enjoy Apple Music Classical on the road per new updates Apple made Tuesday in version 2.1 of the app. It added CarPlay and Siri support to the service, in addition to other minor improvements to raise the quality level.
“Hey, Siri, crank up Brahms’ Sonata for Piano and Violin in G Major, and rip the knob off,” is something you could try saying as you drive around. But will the silence remain?
Accomplished Irish actor Fiona Shaw joined the cast of Bad Sisters in an “inside look” at season two video Apple TV+ released Monday, ahead of the new season’s Wednesday debut. And this Bad Sisters season 2 video, really just a promo, is pretty entertaining.
“Thanks very much for welcoming me into your dangerous, hostile little world,” Shaw quips to the group of woman seated around a table. And later in the chat, she says of the Garvey sisters: “When they’re all together they become a kind of phalanx of meerkats.”
That line provokes gales of laughter from the “Garveys” in a video that is, essentially, a season one recap, a look ahead to the imminent season two and, maybe above all, a celebration of women.
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. That seems like an Apple move, doesn’t it? But if you’re into it, act fast — only 1,500 copies exist.
However, before you do … you know you could buy an M1 or maybe an M2 Mac mini with that $450, right? Just sayin’.
Apple could enter a new product segment in 2026 with the launch of a smart home IP camera that lets users keep an eye on things when they’re away. The company is seemingly looking to start mass production two years from now.
The smart home camera should integrate seamlessly with other devices in Apple’s ecosystem.
With iOS 18.3 due for release in early December, Apple continues beta testing the OS. The third beta build is now out for developers, bringing some small changes and enhancements.
Below is a roundup of all the new features and changes in iOS 18.2 beta 3.
UPDATE: These became available to all beta testers on Tuesday. Just be aware that this is the only second round of public beta testing and the updates are labeled as such. Nevertheless, public beta 2 is the same as developer beta 3.
Share Item Location lets AirTag users securely share the location of their tracking tag with an airline. The goal is to help find and recover lost luggage.
“The Find My network and AirTag have proven to be a powerful combination for users while traveling, providing invaluable location information when bags have been misplaced or mishandled,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, in a press release Monday. “With Share Item Location, we’re excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy.”
Pitaka designed the protective and stylish new MagEZ Folio 2 for iPad Mini 6 and the new iPad Mini 7 with A17 Pro chip, the company said Monday.
“The MagEZ Folio 2 is designed to enhance the portability, versatility and protection of the latest iPad Mini models,” Pitaka told Cult of Mac. “With a focus on flexibility and user convenience, this new folio cover is set to redefine the iPad experience and is available in black, white and blue color options.”
Does “incredible never-before-seen footage of rare and remarkable animal behaviors, highlighting the brilliant intelligence of the natural world” sound good to you? Then get excited for the new 10-part nature documentary series Apple TV+ unveiled Monday with that description, The Secret Lives of Animals.
And no, the series doesn’t come with David Attenborough narration. But you still get a great English accent. SAG Award winner Hugh Bonneville, of Downton Abbey fame, plays that role for this one.
Twelve South introduced PlugBug Travel, a version of its USB-C wall charger with six power adapters so it can be used around the world. Taking it internationally makes its support for Apple’s Find My technology even more useful.
There are versions with two ports and four ports with outputs appropriate for iPhone and/or MacBook.
Anyone hoping to hack into an iPhone now finds it more difficult thanks to a change in iOS 18.1. Whether this is police, foreign espionage agents or criminal hackers, there’s now much less time to crack the security on Apple handsets because of a simple trick.
It’s another example of Apple being serious about protecting user privacy.
Apple could further expand its iPhone manufacturing efforts in India over the next two years. This shift would likely occur if newly-elected US President Donald Trump implements heavy tariffs on Chinese imports.
India is already the second major iPhone production hub for Apple outside China.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The first benchmarks for the M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pros come in amazingly good. And early reviews from the “access media” rave about the new Apple laptops, too. (What else did you expect?)
It might be time for Erfon’s long-overdue upgrade.
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.
November 9, 1994: Gil Amelio, a businessman with a reputation as a talented turnaround artist, joins Apple’s board.
Coming off his impressive revitalization of two other tech companies, National Semiconductor and Rockwell International, Amelio’s appointment at Apple sparks widespread celebration. Many Apple watchers think his arrival means the company’s dark days are over. Sadly, Amelio’s turnaround tricks won’t work in Cupertino.
Carrying out repairs on your new iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro is now easier than before. You can purchase the repair parts and tools for the latest iPhones from Apple’s Self Service Repair store.
The replacement components and tools are available to customers in the US and parts of Europe.
Attention, new iMac owners: The M4 iMac sits upside down inside the box it comes in. This can be an unwelcome surprise if you open the box the wrong way — your new computer could tumble onto the floor on its first day, just like mine did.
Don’t fall for the picture on the front of the packaging, which shows the base of the iMac on the bottom. Follow these instructions on how to open an iMac box to avoid catastrophe.
No sign yet appears of Apple’s annual gift guide. But the iPhone giant has officially extended its holiday return period for most purchases. So the holidays have officially begun! Each year Apple gives purchasers and giftees a little more time than usual to return items.
The bottom line: “Eligible products at the Apple Store Online that are received between November 8, 2024 and December 25, 2024, may be returned through January 8, 2025,” Apple said on its website.
The SSD in the newly launched M4 Mac mini can be removed, but that doesn’t automatically mean it’s upgradable. At this point, it’s unlikely there’ll be an option to drop additional storage to the Mac mini.
Here’s why.
UPDATE: Further testing of the M4 Mac mini finds that the storage SSD can be swapped, unlike Mac Studio. But that still doesn’t mean upgrades are possible at this point.
You can be excused if you don’t know off the top of your head how many external displays your MacBook supports. The number varies by model, processor version, and even whether the laptop is open or closed. Still, there’s a good chance it’s more than you think.
Now that notebooks with the new M4 family of processors are available, here’s an updated guide to how many external screens you can attach to your MacBook.
Apple’s newest M4-equipped Macs — iMac, MacBook Pro and the redesigned Mac mini — reached store shelves Friday. Customers who placed preorders for delivery should receive their new computers today, too.
Apple announced its new Macs in the last week of October through press releases.
The smart home industry’s universal technology standard, Matter, will get a significant update that could make it easier for Apple users to integrate non-Apple devices into their smart home setups, according to a new report. The new Matter 1.4 update introduces several key improvements, some long-awaited — including enhanced multi-admin capabilities and expanded device support.
Concept designer Antonio De Rosa issued a slick new set of designs Thursday for what he’s calling “17 Pro Max: Thinnovation,” despite Apple’s legal department getting in his face a while back over some of his concepts looking “too real.” For the new one, he left out the word “iPhone” and used AI to help avoid copyright infringement, he said. And his passion for the work — and for Apple — outweighed his fear of retribution.
“Call me a fanboy, but I love these products and even the illusion to ‘work’ for any of those,” De Rosa told Cult of Mac. “It makes me feel happy. Maybe I can save them some headaches looking at my works; they could say ‘Naaa, this is ugly, let’s pass on [it].’ Who knows, maybe I’m helping to have less ugly phones.”
The predictions of a MacBook Air in 2027 could turn out to be optimistic, according to sources in the screen panel industry. Prices for the OLED display are high, and there’s reason to question demand for the new type of screen.
An OLED MacBook Pro is expected sooner, however.
Despite nearing its first anniversary, the iPhone 15 was the world’s highest-selling smartphone in Q3 2024. The iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro occupied the second and third positions, respectively.
In total, four iPhones were among the best-selling smartphones in Q3 2024.
Apple reportedly will switch its servers that power Apple Intelligence to M4 chips next year. Currently, these servers use the M2 Ultra, the same chip found inside the Mac Pro and Mac Studio.
Apple is also reportedly in talks with Foxconn to manufacture AI servers to enhance the company’s AI processing capabilities.