Lewis Wallace

Major League Soccer returns to Apple TV on Thursday with the resumption of regular-season play after a break for FIFA World Cup insanity. That’s great news for soccer fans new and old.

If you got hooked on the sport after watching World Cup matches during Major League Soccer’s monthlong break, tune into Apple TV for your fix. You should see some familiar faces on the field.

OpenAI’s probable first device will likely be a portable smart speaker with a winning personality and features that make it seem like a living creature. The company envisions a screenless device that will “serve as a humanlike AI companion that lives in the home,” according to a new report citing anonymous sources.

While previous rumors indicated OpenAI wants to build a device to challenge the iPhone, this sounds like more of a threat to Apple’s HomePod, Amazon’s Alexa devices and other smart speakers.

Oh, and the thing might actually move to make it seem more lifelike. (Let’s hope it doesn’t give off an Existenz game pod vibe.)

Apple released the first iOS 27 public beta Monday, giving everyday iPhone users a chance to experience the latest features.

By most accounts, it’s stable enough to download now and run without too much worry. The biggest bummer is that you’ll still need to get in line to experience the new, improved Siri AI.

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.

June 12, 2005: Apple CEO Steve Jobs delivers a brilliant commencement speech to graduating students at Stanford University.

Packed with incredible insights, the motivational speech includes many memorable lines that capture the essence of Jobs’ incredible life — and provide a template for success through following your passions. And he does it all in less than 15 minutes.

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.

The first deal we’ve seen on the MacBook Neo chops $10 off the price of Apple’s entry-level laptop. While Apple’s online store currently shows big shipping delays for the budget laptop, you can get a MacBook Neo faster — and cheaper! — than from Apple itself.

In some locations, and for some models/colors, you can get free overnight shipping. That makes the MacBook Neo, which is already an outrageous deal, even more attractive. With its combination of power, performance and sleek Apple design, it’s an unbeatable laptop for everyday tasks.

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.

Customers are buying Macs in such high numbers that even Apple’s vaunted manufacturing expertise can’t keep up — and current Mac supply constraints could extend for months.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said Thursday that a couple of factors mean the Mac mini, the Mac Studio and the new MacBook Neo laptop might not be easy to find.

Incoming Apple CEO John Ternus promises he will be just as much of a profit-focused bean counter as his predecessor, current CEO Tim Cook.

“As you know, one of the hallmarks of Tim’s tenure has been a deep thoughtfulness, deliberateness and discipline when it comes to the financial decision-making of the company,” Ternus said Thursday during Apple’s earnings call with Wall Street analysts. “I want you to know that it’s something Kevan and I intend to continue when I transition into the role in September,” Ternus added, referring to Apple CFO Kevan Parekh.

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.

John Ternus, the Apple exec slated to become CEO in September, said Tuesday that the company is “about to change the world once again.”

Ternus, currently Apple’s senior vice president of 
hardware engineering, made the pledge to Apple employees during an all-hands meeting. During the talk, Ternus and retiring Apple CEO Tim Cook promised to work together to bring great new products and services to market.

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.

Anker’s new Nano Power Strip (10-in-1, 70W, Clamp) thoughtfully reinvents one of the world’s most common electrical accessories to make it play nice with desks.

It comes with some caveats, but for anyone needing to tame cable clutter, it makes a solid addition to a setup.

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.

Apple officially pulled the plug on the Mac Pro on Thursday, scrubbing its most expensive desktop computer from its website. Links that used to go to the top-end machine now redirect to the overall Mac page.

Quietly killing the machine brings an ignominious end to the $6,999 computer that Apple had not updated in years.

When it released watchOS 26.4 on Tuesday, Apple fixed an annoying recent addition to the Workout app. After you update, you can tap on the big fat workout type icon to start recording a workout quickly and easily.

It’s a small thing, but when you’re dealing with a screen the size of the Apple Watch — and especially when you’re outside in the bright sun, getting ready to jump into a workout — the bigger the tap target, the better.

Apple plans a top-to-bottom revamp of Siri in iOS 27 that turns the beleaguered voice assistant into an AI chatbot at the heart of iPhones, Macs and iPads, according to a new report.

Apple might even launch a standalone Siri app that, like competing apps from ChatGPT and Google Gemini, serves as a central hub for all the user’s interactions with the AI assistant.

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