Cult of Mac podcast

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The first iOS 27.3 beta brings some pretty massive changes to the iPhone. The redesigned Health app’s back, Apple Fitness+ finally adds a weightlifting workout, and Siri gets potentially awesome new powers.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• We go over some of the most mind-blowing numbers from Apple’s latest earnings call.
• A guy’s DIY project that turns an iMac G4 into a homemade HomeView gets us reminiscing about one of Apple’s most iconic computers of all time. (The mod is pretty slick, too.)
• And finally, we go heavy on the new Gym Strength workout in Fitness+ … and Graham breathes a sigh of relief. His strength-training app, Reps & Sets, didn’t get sherlocked after all!

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in your podcast app of choice. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple just released the first touchscreen Mac in history — and totally soft-pedaled the touchy-feely part!

Instead, the company emphasized the screen quality of the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, including showing how great it works from mountaintops and forests.

Color us shocked! There’s plenty to discuss about this momentous Mac. That screen does look gorgeous. And a lighter laptop is always welcome. But that price … ouch!

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Apple’s chip-and-ship upgrades to the iMac and the entry-level MacBook Pro come with one big surprise (and it’s not the powerful M6 chip).
• The iPhone Duo‘s Crackgate is real. But is it overblown?

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in your podcast app of choice. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The first iPhone Duo reviews are a mixed bag — both the verdicts on Apple’s first foldable and the reviews themselves.

We go over the predictable pros and cons, toss out our own opinions, and highlight some of our favorite reviews.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Speaking of great iPhone Duo reviews, Joanna Stern’s was brilliantly creative. She and a hardware expert deviced a device to fold the Duo automatically — more than 32,000 times!
• Surprisingly, some iPhone Duo ship dates are moving in a positive direction, despite continued concerns about availability when the phone launches.
• We’re less than a week away from seeing the first touchscreen MacBook. Let the last-minute speculation begin!
• And finally, Leander and Graham give me a reason to feel bad about not owning an Apple Vision Pro: They watched Remnants, a spooky VR movie from horror master Ti West that arrived just in time for Halloween.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in your favorite podcasts app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s new HomeView hub is a getting a lot of criticism, especially for its lack of a built-in app store. But the absence of an app store is a feature, not a bug.

The situation is reminiscent of the charging port on the bottom of the Apple Magic Mouse, which is famously misunderstood. The placement of the port was designed to force users to use it wirelessly, just like ditching the headphone jack on iPhone forced users to adopt wireless Bluetooth headphones.

Apple is pulling the same trick with HomeView: The absence of apps forces users to use Siri AI as the primary interface, instead of tapping away on the screen as though it were a mini iPad. It’s genius!

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• HomePod mini gets a big update.
• Apple TV 4K gets a remote you can actually find down the back of the couch.
• Who exactly is the Apple Home Collection for?
• And Apple’s next event looks set for October 28 in LA.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in Apple’s Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s about to make a big push into the smart home arena. We already knew about the impending launch of an intriguing new smart home hub, but the revelation that Apple is working with at least two other companies to produce new devices takes things to a whole new level.

The big question remains: How will Apple differentiate its smart home platform from everything else on the market? There’s plenty to discuss.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Apple will unveil that smart home hub next Tuesday at a special “Apple Experience” for a small group of media and influencers. That likely means no traditional streaming keynote of Apple’s “Welcome Home” event.
• The rumor mill already gave us a pretty thorough idea of what to expect from Apple’s about-to-launch home hub. It sounds like a nice enough device, but software special sauce might make it super-compelling.
• While probably not coming next week, Apple’s also reportedly working on smart cameras you can put in your home. The catch is that they won’t record actual video. Instead, they’ll just gather data for Siri AI to use. Kind of a weird concept … we discuss the pros and cons.
• The first touchscreen MacBook Pro is also rumored to arrive this month. Maybe we should call this wacky month of product launches “Oktoberbest.”

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in Apple’s Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: New Apple CEO John Ternus reportedly wants to make Apple lean and agile. He wants to eliminate bloat — and push out more products at a faster tempo.

Is he tamping out his own “bozo explosion” at Apple? Or is the “hardware guy” just bringing a more engineering-focused eye to Cupertino’s top job? There’s plenty to discuss!

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• The long-rumored (and long-delayed) Apple home hub, which reportedly arrives in a couple of weeks, will lean heavily on the new AI-infused Siri. Is the virtual assistant up to the task?
• And finally, it’s official: AirPods 5 are the “least unrepairable AirPods yet,” according to DIY gurus at iFixit.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in Apple’s Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: That didn’t take long! The iPhone 18 Pro faces more than one problem right out of the gate. First there’s a controversial storage choice that seems to hamper performance of the highest-end models (at least in extreme testing). And then there’s a weird Face ID problem.

So far, no names have stuck for these “-gates” — and maybe there’s not that much to them. The storage problem might be mostly theoretical, and a software fix is on the way for the Face ID glitch. Still, there’s plenty to talk about!

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 face their own reboot problem.
• Apple reportedly built prototypes of a screenless fitness tracker that would compete with Whoop’s fitness tracker and the Oura Ring. We discuss the pros and cons of the approach as well as Apple’s tweaks to its Health app, which is now available in the iOS 27.2 beta.
• The latest Mac mini design makes it harder to upgrade internal storage, and we try to coax a repairability rant out of Charlie.
• And finally, Graham describes the painstaking process of upgrading his strength-training app to get it ready for the iPhone Duo‘s folding screen.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. Or watch the video version, embedded below. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!)

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The iPhone 18 Pro is here, and the iPhone Duo is on the way, but Apple’s far from finished releasing new hardware this year.

There’s plenty of new stuff coming down the pike, and we’re especially excited about a pair of long-rumored additions to the Apple lineup.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• We reveal our favorite iOS 27 features.
• There are several solid reasons to hang onto your iPhone 17 Pro rather than upgrading to iPhone 18 Pro. It’s kinda depressing, TBH.
• And finally, the prospect of a user-repairable iPhone Duo seems incredibly slim.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s Surprise and Shine event is in the books! The iPhone Duo is real, and it definitely folds. New Apple CEO John Ternus didn’t, though. He acquitted himself admirably as he briefly uncapped Apple’s magic product pipeline.

We discuss how things went down and our reactions to iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4 and AirPods 5.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• How does iPhone 18 Pro stack up against iPhone 17 Pro? The new variable-aperture camera sounds impressive, but seriously … how much better do your iPhone pix need to be? And how much are you willing to spend for slightly better snapshots?
• The new Apple Watch models come with a powerful new chip that enables a pair of controversial features: Live Rewind and Siri Recap. Both involve the Apple Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4 quietly listening in the background at all times. And that stirs real privacy concerns.
• Another pair of Apple Watch 12 and Ultra 4 features — your readiness score and Health Age — raise a different kind of question. Namely, just how scientific and useful are they?
• We wrap up the show with a show of hands: Who’s getting what new Apple products? The subject proves dicier than usual.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: New Apple CEO John Ternus steps into his role with a wealth of hardware experience and a supremely promising product pipeline. And he’ll lead his first Apple event next week.

What will he hit us with during the Surprise and Shine event? And how will he change Apple going forward? There’s lots to ponder.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Will the iPhone 18 Pro upgrades be big enough to lure us into upgrading? It looks increasingly unlikely.
• Rumors indicate the first folding iPhone won’t get a certain accessory that practically nobody wanted, but will get a feature that almost everybody loves. So that’s a win.
• What to expect from the next Apple Watch models, which should arrive next week as well.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple sent out invites for its Surprise and Shine event this week, and the big question is, will there actually be any surprises on September 9?

The invite itself doesn’t reveal much, naturally. And a crazy deluge of rumors and leaks already painted a pretty thorough picture of what to expect from the iPhone 18 Pro, the first folding iPhone and more.

Still, it’ll be incoming Apple CEO John Ternus‘ first time running an event, and surely he’ll want to make it special. We discuss how he might make the event shine.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• This week’s rollout of new Mac mini and Mac Studio models gets us wondering if it’s time to upgrade.
• Apple’s new M6 chip sounds pretty amazing, but what about the M5 Pro?
• And finally, Leander shares a tip that will make charging your AirPods easier.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The Apple leaks are getting out of hand! Code in the macOS 26.7 release candidate spills the beans on tons of unreleased Apple products, and that’s just the start.

Tim Cook must be fuming — unless it’s the world’s craziest marketing campaign!

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• How the AirPods with cameras will work (and when to expect them).
• Apple’s rumored home hub will wow us with widgets.
• One more reason not to buy the iPhone 18 Pro: a lack of feature parity with the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Boo! Hiss!
• And finally, Graham gives us an update on the race to get Reps & Sets, his strength-training app, pumped up for iOS 27. Developers face this unwelcome task every year, but AI’s making it easier.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below and also available on our YouTube channel.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: After more than a week spent hands-on with the first iOS 27 developer beta, Griffin and Leander give us a status update on what works and what really, really doesn’t.

The good news is, Siri AI seems legitimately useful. The bad news is that the betas are a little rough around the edges. (After all, betas gonna beta.) Still, there’s plenty to talk about as we go over the best new features.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Some leaked iOS 27 features that never happened might still be on the way. It’s all part of Apple’s secret plan to sell us new hardware this fall.
• Speaking of new hardware, it sounds like 2027 is going to be an absolute doozy for Apple.
• And finally, the inside story of the latest Cult of Mac hack.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: For once, Siri doesn’t leave us exasperated! After a week of WWDC26 surprises, we’re genuinely stoked about the promise of Siri AI.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• The good news doesn’t stop with Siri. Loads of new Apple Intelligence features look useful and thoughtfully implemented.
• Apple faces off against the European Union, and it looks like EU iPhone and iPad users will pay the price.
• We talk about the new features coming in iOS 27, macOS 27 and watchOS 27.
• And finally we wrap up with the results of our WWDC26 predictions game.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: As per tradition, we match wits with our predictions about what we’ll see at Apple’s WWDC26 keynote. Griffin and I are joined by two special guests, Charlie Sorrel and Graham Bower, for this year’s installment of the WWDC prediction game.

What will the new Siri do? Will Apple unveil new hardware? And who, exactly, will get how much screen time?

We chisel our answers into digital stone on 10 tricky questions (which also serve as a jumping-off point to discuss Apple’s future and strategies). And, as always, you can play along! Just be sure to submit your answers (via this Google Docs form) before Monday’s WWDC26 keynote.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• The “dark cherry” color rumored for iPhone 18 Pro looks pretty funky, if the latest dummy models can be trusted. Some of us love it, some not so much.
• With the first folding iPhone on the way, iOS 27 seems primed for true multitasking.
• Apple’s smart glasses reportedly got delayed again. Will they be worth the wait?
• And finally, Graham discusses what it’s like being an extremely late adopter of Apple’s Vision Pro headset.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The new Ferrari Luce is a $540,000 electric vehicle that’s the closest thing to an Apple car we’re ever going to see. That’s no surprise, considering the key role ex-Apple design chief Jony Ive played in crafting the EV.

We discuss the good, the bad and the laughable about the car (and fantasize about sliding behind the wheel).

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• A last-minute bombshell gives us an awfully good look at what the new AI-powered Siri — and the rest of iOS 27 — will look like. It’s filled with major spoilers for the WWDC26 keynote, which is coming on June 8. Tim Cook must be seething!
• A long-overdue tweak in iOS 27 should make it easier to use AirPods‘ advanced features. We’re thrilled. But will the changes go far enough?
• And finally, special guest Christina Warren returns to join in on all the fun. Plus, she gives us an update on what’s going on at GitHub amid the AI frenzy.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

On the latest episode of the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple might go back to the iPhone future, thanks to some metallurgical magic that involves a special titanium alloy.

We discuss the pros, the cons and the possible timeline for such a retro upgrade.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Another recent Apple rumor also sounds like a bit of a flashback: The Apple Watch Ultra 4 might get high-blood-pressure alerts. Um, doesn’t it already do that? Yes, but …
• As per tradition, Apple reveals new accessibility features coming in the next version of iOS. And, as always, they sound pretty incredible.
• Special guest Niléane shows off TinyStart, a “tiny launcher for macOS,
fast and focused on the essentials.”

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: A fresh iOS 27 rumor says the iPhone’s Camera app will get a serious upgrade. And it sounds like the best of both worlds — heavy customization if you want it, status quo if you don’t.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• We also discuss the big changes coming to Siri in the near future (and why it’s a make-or-break moment for Apple AI).
• Griffin walks Leander through a radical makeover of his iPhone‘s Home Screen.
• Apple Watch Series 12 might be the upgrade you’ve been waiting for. And the lack of a rumored feature might be a big positive
• Finally, Griffin reviews a very peculiar piece of exercise equipment.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: We’ve been complaining about just how stupid Siri can be for years, but Apple’s failure to deliver a promised AI upgrade just cost the company a cool $250 million.

We discuss how you can get your sliver of that payout, whether a stupid Siri is a deal-breaker (obviously not, since we all swear by our iPhones), and how Apple can really make things right.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• The MacBook Neo is so popular that Apple totally missed the boat on its projections. Now the company is making an unusual move — and it might mean the budget laptop goes up in price.
• If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to buy a Mac, it’s here.
• After getting banged up for its lack of savvy when it comes to artificial intelligence, Apple looks ready to win the AI wars, thanks to its brilliant strategy.
• And finally, Griffin goes over the pros and cons of an affordable home rowing machine. Come for the review, stay for the extremely weird Ohio hallway.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: A slightly suspect rumor indicates Apple pulled the plug completely on the Vision Pro headset. Can that really be true? What does the future hold for the Vision Pro, visionOS and Apple’s rumored smart glasses?

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• The latest rumor about the 20th anniversary iPhone leaves Leander sputtering. But actually, it looks pretty cool.
• Apple reportedly plans to inject tons of AI into the iPhone’s camera in iOS 27. We could see interesting photo-editing tools as well as Visual Intelligence baked right into the Camera app.
• And finally, Griffin gives us his first impressions of adjustable dumbbells from Feierdun. Nobody could see this coming!

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Holy mackerel, Tim Cook really is stepping down from his CEO role at Apple! And it’s happening sooner than most of us thought. His replacement, John Ternus, sounds like a solid pick — a hardware guy with a long history in Cupertino.

Cook himself says he wants the four-month transition to be “a textbook succession plan, the best in the world.” So the big question is, what will this transition look like for Apple? We’ve got some thoughts. (Lots of ’em, actually.)

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Is Tim Cook the best Apple CEO ever? Well, no, that would be Steve Jobs. Still, Cook’s time at the top has clearly been exceptional.
• Word on the street is that John Ternus might be a bit more Jobsian when it comes to his decision-making. And he’s already promising that Apple will “change the world once again” with its upcoming products.
• New rumors give us something else to ponder: the buzzy color of the iPhone 18 Pro and a key feature coming to the first folding iPhone that we feared we weren’t getting.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: New details emerge about Apple’s smart glasses, including possible shapes, sizes and colors.

Now for the important question: Will we — or anybody else — actually want to wear a pair?

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Apple reportedly plans a last-ditch effort to get its Siri team up to speed on AI-powered coding. Meanwhile, Siri’s worse than ever! Will Apple make the WWDC26 deadline for the Siri upgrade?
• The tech behind the first folding iPhone’s (supposedly) crease-free screen sounds insane.
• A MacBook Pro setup puts the weirdest hinged screens we’ve ever seen front and center.
• And finally, Griffin shows us how to walk back one of macOS Tahoe’s most divisive design decisions.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The MacBook Neo looks like a runaway success. And Apple’s clever use of binned chips in the budget laptop is textbook Tim Cook — magically turning slag into gold.

However, the brilliant tactic might have paid off too well.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Dummy units of the rumored folding iPhone and iPhone 18 Pro give us a better look at what Apple has planned for later this year. But will the foldable be called the iPhone Fold, the iPhone Ultra or something else? And do we really need a folding iPhone?
• Try to buy a Mac mini or a Mac Studio and you’ll likely be waiting quite some time (up to five months!). What’s going on?
• There’s a simple way to add gorgeous moon shots from the Artemis II mission as wallpaper on your iPhone.
• Griffin gives us an update on his AirPods Max 2 review.
• And finally, we check out a gorgeous Mac Studio setup that’s one of the best we’ve seen.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The hoopla surrounding Apple’s 50th birthday makes us reflect on the company’s most important products of all time. Contrary to what you might think, most did not become hits right out of the gate.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• And then there are the personally most important Apple products. We reveal our first, transformative encounters with Apple computers.
• Griffin offers his first impressions of AirPods Max 2. Long story short, the headphones sound awesome, the hardware is interesting and yet perplexing, and the Smart Case is still a disaster.
• Apple killed the Mac Pro on the same day we published a roundup of the best Mac Pro setups. We hope the two events weren’t related.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: New details emerge about a major upgrade that would transform Siri from a laughingstock to a legitimate AI assistant.

Unfortunately, these plans sound mighty familiar. Still, we’re guardedly optimistic that Apple can pull it off this time.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• Now we know when WWDC26 will happen — and it’s time to get excited. This is when we should get our first glimpse of the new, AI-powered Siri.
• Some of us are clearly not excited about Apple adding advertisements to the Maps app in the near future.
• And finally, Griffin runs us through all the exciting new features in iOS 26.4.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.