The CultCast America's favorite Apple Podcast

This week: Apple’s falling out with Goldman Sachs could mean the end of Apple Card - we’ll fill you in. We’ll also give you the real deal on how NameDrop works and run through the top podcasts of 2023. And finally — could multiple cheaper Apple Vision headsets be in the works?
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Cult of Mac’s watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple’s. See the full curated collection at store.cultofmac.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:
Apple reportedly ending Apple Card partnership with Goldman Sachs
Apple’s partnership with Goldman Sachs for the Apple Card is reportedly coming to an end. The Wall Street Journal says Apple sent a proposal to the bank to exit from the agreement in the next 12 to 15 months. MacRumors: Interesting new features in iOS 17.2 Beta 4
Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to choose the sound used for all incoming notifications aside from texts, mail alerts, and calendar alerts, which already had customization options. With the iPhone 15 Pro models, ProRes video can be recorded directly to an external device. iOS 17.2 appears to include a new pop up message that lets users know that external recording is not working because of a USB-C cable that is too slow. Arm ain’t happy about how little Apple pays for its chip tech
All Apple computers run on chips based on technology licensed from Arm. And it turns out the licensing fee is surprisingly low. Pennies per device. New deal means fully American-made Apple silicon chips
Apple silicon processors that TSMC makes at its Arizona plant will be packaged by Amkor at a nearby facility. Why iPhone NameDrop feature is not a security risk
Parents are mistakenly being warned that they need to quickly deactivate iOS 17’s NameDrop feature on their children’s iPhones. The warnings claim that it’s causing the devices to broadcast their contact information to anyone nearby. This simply isn’t true. MacRumors: Work on Multiple Next-Gen Vision Pro Headsets Ongoing, Including Cheaper Model
DigiTimes claims that there are a total of four different second-generation Vision Pro headsets in development, including a direct successor to the first-generation model and a more affordable model. The nature of the other two second-generation models is unclear.

GOBBLE GOBBLE YAAALL! This week: iPads are going OLED! More HUGE legislation is coming out of the EU, Sonos is taking on Apple and Tim Cook talks about his succession plan. And we wrap up another all-new Under Review!
This episode supported by:
Notion combines your notes, documents, and task or project management into one space that’s simple and beautifully designed, with the power of AI built right inside. Try Notion AI for free when you go to notion.com/cultcast.
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.
Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at store.cultofmac.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:
iPad Air and iPad mini with OLED screens pegged for 2026 release
Add iPad Air and iPad mini to the list of Apple tablets getting OLED screens. At least, that’s what an unconfirmed report coming out of Asia says. And the mini will supposedly get a boost in display size. EU’s proposed right to repair law incentivizes repairs, bans parts pairing
The European Parliament has voted to approve a strong Right to Repair proposal. It aims to make consumer electronic goods more repairable, with companies required to prioritize repairability over replacement. The EU’s draft law prevents parts pairing. Apple notoriously uses this software block to discourage iPhone users from getting their devices repaired by third-party shops. Enter to win a super-protective iPad case from Zugu [Cult of Mac Giveaway]
We teamed up with Zugu to give five lucky winners the chance to win one of these fantastic iPad cases, which come with a great adjustable kickstand and a built-in Apple Pencil holder. MacRumors: Sonos to Launch $400+ Headphones and Set-Top Box, Competing with Apple Devices
Popular speaker company Sonos is planning to enter several new product markets that will see it competing with Apple devices, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Apple CEO Succession Plans 'Very Detailed', Says Tim Cook
In a 45-minute interview for the BBC Sounds podcast Dua Lipa: At Your Service hosted by singer Dua Lipa, Cook admitted that he does not know how long he will remain at Apple. Tim said, “I would say that my job is to prepare several people for the ability to succeed, and I really want the person to come from within Apple, the next CEO. So that's my role: That there's several for the board to pick from.” Under Review:
The Apple II Age: How The Computer Became Personal by Laine Nooney 100W Right Angle USB C to USB C Cable, 2 Pack by SOOPII X-Air Duffel by Waterfield

This week, performance showdown! It's the 14 Vs. the 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pros - can the 14-inch keep up?! Plus: is 8 GB of memory enough for the base MacBook Pro; new features coming to iOS 17.2, iOS 18 and RCS finally coming to iMessage; and the huge iPad Air coming early next year!
This episode supported by:
Factor is America’s #1 Ready-To-Eat Meal Kit, and can help you fuel up fast with ready-to-eat meals delivered straight to your door. Head to factormeals.com/cultcast50 and use code cultcast50 to get 50% off your first box.
Notion combines your notes, documents, and task or project management into one space that’s simple and beautifully designed, with the power of AI built right inside. Try Notion AI for free when you go to notion.com/cultcast.
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.
Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at store.cultofmac.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:
14" vs 16" M3 Max MacBook Pro: Major OVERHEATING Issues!
M3 MacBook Pro 8GB vs 16GB RAM - How BAD is base model?
YouTube videos by MaxTech  
New features coming in iOS 17.2
iOS 17.2 adds a Translate Action button shortcut, the Journal app and spatial video recording from the camera. Spatial video playing on Meta Quest  
Enter to win a super-protective iPad case from Zugu [Cult of Mac giveaway]
The prize in this week’s giveaway is every iPad owner’s dream: an iPad case from Zugu with a built-in Apple Pencil holder. We teamed up with Zugu to give five lucky winners the chance to win one of these fantastic iPad cases.  
Shocker: Apple commits to RCS for better texting with Android users
In what is apparently an enormous change of direction, Apple reportedly plans to add support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) to the iPhone Messages app in 2024. This will enable iPhones and Androids to communicate more securely.  
​​iPhone 16 Likely to Get Exclusive AI Features in iOS 18
Apple at WWDC 2024 will reveal a turbo-charged version of Siri powered by large language models (LLMs) that will debut in iOS 18, but some new cutting-edge generative AI features could be exclusive to iPhone 16 models.  
12.9-inch iPad Air could launch in early 2024
Apple could overhaul its tablet lineup in 2024, delivering the first 12.9-inch iPad Air and upgrading iPad Pro models to OLED displays and the company’s fast new M3 chip.  
Shop a refurbished Mac Studio
Some M1 Ultra Mac Studios are available for steep discounts on the Apple Refurbished Store — while supplies last!  

This week: we’re looking at the cold hard truth of M3/Pro/Max MacBook Pros vs M2 and M1 generation — and there are some surprises. We also have rumors for iOS 18 and Apple is prepping a cutting-edge battery technology that will power your devices by 2025!
This episode supported by:
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.
Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at store.cultofmac.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:
Apple’s new M3 iMac and MacBook Pros hit store shelves
Apple’s new M3 iMac and MacBook Pros are now officially on sale in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and select other countries. If you live in one of those locations, you can pick up the latest iMac or M3-powered MacBook Pro from your nearest Apple Store. The new M3 Max MacBook Pro will go on sale later in November.  
All M3 MacBook pros reviewed: Same cars, better engines
Geekbench 6 benchmark results for the new MacBook Pro models already leaked last week. The results showed that the M3 chip is up to 20% faster than the M2 chip, the M3 Pro is up to 6% faster than the M2 Pro, and the M3 Max is up to 50% faster than the M2 Max and roughly on par with the M2 Ultra chip.  
MacRumors: Apple Silicon Buyer's Guide: Which Chip Should You Choose?
Choosing a new Mac often involves consideration of the many Apple silicon chips now on offer, so our comprehensive guide covers their generations, variations, and performance benchmarks to help you decide which is best for you.  
Apple pauses iOS 18 and macOS 15 development to root out bugs
After reaching Milestone 1, Apple developers reportedly stopped adding new features to Milestone 2 for a week because the code had too many bugs.  
Apple gets ready to make much better batteries
Apple is developing greatly improved batteries for its future devices, according to a new report. It appears the iPhone-maker wants to create a custom process in-house and own it — rather than outsourcing — just like it did with Apple silicon chips.  
This one simple change would make every USB-C cable better
Simple labeling is a big help when you need a certain cable for, say, fast data transfer, but none of your cables comes right out and IDs itself as the right one for the specific job. Does it support fast data transfer? How about fast charging?  

This week: the pros and cons - it's our reactions to the new M3 MacBook Pros and iMac! Plus: a long-rumored health feature will finally debut in the next Apple Watch, and we find out the winner of last week's Scary Fast event predictions!
This episode supported by:
Factor is America’s #1 Ready-To-Eat Meal Kit, and can help you fuel up fast with ready-to-eat meals delivered straight to your door. Head to factormeals.com/cultcast50 and use code cultcast50 to get 50% off your first box.
Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for a private tutor - or fooling yourself with language apps that are little more than games - Babbel’s quick 10-minute lessons are designed by over 150 language experts to help you start speaking a new language in as little as 3-weeks. Get 55% off at babbel.com/cultcast.
PDF Editor ,PDF Book Reader is your do-it-all PDF app, perfect for reading, creating, editing, signing, and scanning PDFs. And CultCast listeners can get a year of all pro features totally free. Here's how:
First, download the app on your device (iPhone, iPad or Mac) Next, click on this link Enter the code CULTOFMAC You'll unlock a free year of pro features Code expires on Dec 1, 2023 or after 10,000 uses!  
This week‘s stories:
Apple M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max boost Mac performance up to 50%
The M2 was a fairly modest improvement over the original version, but the M3 brings more of a boost. Much of that come from a switch from a 5nm production process to a 3nm one. Shrinking the chip’s components allows them to work faster while generating less waste heat. 3 new M3 MacBook Pro models promise blazing speed
The basic new MacBook Pro is a 14-inch model with the M3 chip. “Perfect for aspiring creatives, students, and entrepreneurs, it now starts at $1,599,” Apple said. Orders start Monday for all the new laptops, with shipping starting November 7, Apple said. The base M3 MacBook Pro at $1,599 ($1,499 for education). M3 Pro starts at $1,999 ($1,849 for education). M3 Max starts at $2,499 ($2,299 for education). Good riddance: 13-inch MacBook Pro discontinued
Apple has discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro. It was the last MacBook in the company’s lineup with a Touch Bar, a thin, customizable OLED strip at the top of the keyboard that replaced the usual row of function keys. M1 vs. M3 24-inch iMac comparison: What’s changed?
The biggest upgrade between the 2021 and 2023 24-inch iMac is the switch to the faster M3 chip. Apple claims its newest iMac delivers 2x faster performance. Fail: No USB-C update for Magic Mouse or Keyboard
With the latest iPhones dropping the Lightning port in favor of USB-C, there was speculation (and hope) that Apple would release new versions of the Magic Mouse, Trackpad and Keyboard that also reject the Lightning port. Nope. How Apple’s ‘Scary Fast’ event was shot on iPhone [Updated]
Apple shared a big surprise at the end of the scary fast event - the entire presentation was recorded using an iPhone. This is the first time Apple has used only one of its handsets to film an entire product launch event. Next-gen Apple Watch could offer limited blood pressure monitoring
The 2024 edition of Apple Watch might finally include a feature that been a bit of a holy grail for the wearable: blood pressure monitoring. But a new report says the feature will be limited at first. The CultCast “Scary Fast” Predictions results
Results from the prediction game we played on the show last week!

Next week’s “Scary Fast” event came out of nowhere, a total surprise! And now we know... Apple’s preparing a BARRAGE of new Macs. Get your wallets ready — you’re going to like what’s coming next!
This episode supported by:
Notion combines your notes, documents, and task or project management into one space that’s simple and beautifully designed, with the power of AI built right inside. Try Notion AI for free when you go to notion.com/cultcast.
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.
Cult of Mac’s watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at store.cultofmac.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:
Apple plans ‘Scary Fast’ event for Halloween eve
It’s official, a second Apple product-release event of autumn takes place the evening before Halloween — Monday, October 30 at 5 p.m. PT. Most folks expect some new Macs to shamble forth. Apple drops big hint October event will be Mac focused
Apple invited the world to a product-launch event on October 30. And the invitation strongly suggests that new Macs will be on the agenda. Mark Gurman’s tweets:
“Apple’s iMacs and MacBook Pros are in extremely short supply” “Apple has been testing M3 Max and M3 Pro 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros” “Apple has been planning an M3 iMac for a while […] No other major changes other than the chip” “Inventory of existing high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros — as well as the all-in-one iMac desktop — has dwindled at Apple stores as well as retailers” Monday’s ‘Scary Fast’ Macs could sport M3 chips after all
After Apple invited the world to its Scary Fast product event Monday, speculation turned more seriously to the idea that newly announced Macs might sport faster new M3 chips rather than versions of the current M2 series chips. MacRumors: OLED iPad and MacBook Rumored to Feature Specialized Display Materials
Apple has apparently collaborated with LG Display to integrate new OLED material sets in some of its future devices, including forthcoming iPad Pro and MacBook models. AirPods 4 could deliver active noise cancellation
AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 will get the axe in 2024 to be replaced with a fourth generation that will come in two versions, according to an unconfirmed report from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. One AirPods 4 model will offer ANC and have a charging case that supports the Find My app. A cheaper version will not have either feature. Apple raises rates for Apple TV+ and other services by up to 40%
The cost of watching Apple TV+ series and movies just went up 40%. […] The price for Apple Arcade, Apple News+ and Apple One also increased. But the cost of other services, like Apple Music, remains the same. Extra Ordinary: The CultCast ‘Scary Fast’ Predictions
For (probably) the last time this year, Erfon, Lewis and I will be putting down our predictions for a surprise event on Monday.