This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest rumors indicate the iPhone 17 Pro camera will get a major upgrade. Shocker!

Also on The CultCast:

• Just how thin will the iPhone 17 Air be?
• Three lesser Apple products should get big upgrades in 2025.
• The next version of CarPlay might be even more awesome..
• With the Severance season two premiere imminent, the creative Apple TV+ marketing is off the hook.
• Erfon and Griffin get jazzed about the recently hyped Nintendo Switch 2.

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.

The Apple TV+ sci-fi series Silo didn’t lose viewers as it approached the end of season two. It stayed on the lists of the top 10 most popular streaming series maintained by two ratings companies. just as it has since new episodes started appearing in November.

And Apple’s deeply odd workplace drama Severance did well with audiences as its season two premiere approached.

January 18, 1983: Computer manufacturer Franklin Electronic Publishers takes the wraps off its Franklin Ace 1200 computer, an unauthorized Apple II clone that triggers an important legal battle.

Cupertino will soon target Franklin’s line of unlicensed clone computers with a lawsuit. In the resulting trial, a U.S. court will decide whether a company can protect its operating system by copyright.

Rich Communication Services messaging is new to iPhone, and it makes chatting with Android users much more fun. RCS messaging makes features like read receipts, video and file attachments and named group chats — previously exclusive to iMessage (and some apps) — possible between iPhone and Android.

What RCS features can you take advantage of? Keep reading or watch our video guide.

iOS 19 could revamp the iPhone’s Camera app with a design language similar to visionOS. As part of the redesign, Apple might move most controls to the bottom for easy access — and split the camera interface into Photo and Video modes.

The plastic used to make the casing for the upcoming Apple Watch SE 3 will be taken from the ocean, making it environmentally friendly, according to a tipster.

The next-gen smartwatch will supposedly be more colorful so it’ll appeal more to an important demographic.

Apple TV and Apple Music will stream the upcoming FireAid benefit concert to help victims of the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, a new report Thursday. The concert lineup so far includes Billie Eilish, John Mayer, Lady Gaga, Sting and many others.

The concert will rock out in two Los Angeles performance venues near each other, but most people will get to see and hear it via streaming services.

Apple reportedly picked the companies to supply the display for a screen-equipped HomePod scheduled to reach the market later in 2025.

Previous reports say the device will put more emphasis on functioning as a hub for a smart home than current HomePod models do.

For about as long as MacBooks have existed, confusion, questions and angst over how many external displays can run with them have plagued users. But at least some of the guesswork can be swept aside with a capable USB-C dock. In today’s M2 MacBook Pro setup, the powerful Ugreen Revodok connects multiple displays — three, to be precise — and other peripherals.

January 17, 1984: A week before its famous airing during Super Bowl XVIII, Apple’s iconic “1984” commercial debuts as a trailer in movie theaters. To hype its revolutionary new Macintosh computer, Apple buys several months of promotion from theatrical ad distributor ScreenVision.

Cupertino’s sci-fi-tinged “1984” spot — which depicts a sledgehammer-wielding freedom fighter taking on a Big Brother figure supposed to represent IBM — gets such a favorable audience reaction that some theater owners continue to roll the ad after Apple’s contract ends.

After a three-year wait that felt longer than a day working at Lumon Industries, Severance is finally back! The season two premiere, entitled “Hello, Ms. Cobel,” picks up right where we left our favorite corporate drones. In our Severance season 2 episode 1 recap, we look at the fascinating twists and turns that prove the show hasn’t lost its edge. As the season goes on, let’s see if it keeps it.

Meet the Chargeasap Omega, the 200w GaN charger that delivers an upgrade you didn’t know you needed. Powerful and compact (and with four charging) ports, it can charge an iPhone, iPad and MacBook at high speeds.

For a limited time, you can save 18% and grab one of these handy chargers on sale for $129.99 (regularly $159).

Are you into exercise and looking for wireless earbuds that’ll take your workout punishment but not break the bank? Look no further than EarFun OpenJump Open-Ear Wireless Earbuds. They aren’t fancy, but the lightweight, hook-on earbuds deliver comfort, security and solid audio without a premium price tag.

Let’s dive into what makes these earbuds, available now for preorder at a substantial discount, stand out in a crowded market.

Following major criticism from major media outlets, Apple is making changes to how its AI-powered notifications summaries work with iOS 18.3 beta 3.

The newest iOS 18.3 beta disables notification summaries for apps in the news and entertainment categories. It also makes several other changes to highlight the feature being in beta and potentially generating summaries with errors.

The Apple TV+ share of the U.S. streaming market stayed at 7% in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to an analysis. That’s the same share Apple TV+ achieved in Q4 2023, though up slightly from where it stood two years ago.

Still, the service seems to have settled solidly into the “also ran” category in the battle for streaming supremacy. But it’s a role Apple itself seems comfortable with.

Commuters trudging through Grand Central Station in New York City got an eyeful of Apple TV+ series Severance on Tuesday. That’s because employees of the bizarre workplace dramedy’s fictional Lumon Industries appeared to work on Lumon terminals behind glass for all to see in the historic train terminal’s grand halls.

Severance stars Adam Scott, Zach Cherry and Britt Lower entered the fake Lumon workspace Tuesday afternoon. And soon enough, Patricia Arquette and Tramell Tillman appeared. Earlier in the day, other people staffed the workstations.

That promotional stunt and a new “Lumon Is Listening” video, which promotes Lumon’s Severance brain surgery as a work-life balance solution, go hand-in-hand with the show’s own creepy weirdness. Check out the images and video below!

Apple is in ongoing talks with two financial companies to take over Apple Card credit services management from Goldman Sachs, according to a new report. The iPhone giant has been discussing the matter with Barclays and Synchrony Financial for a while, apparently.

News of the talks comes just one day after Goldman Sachs’ CEO said on an earnings call the firm’s Apple Card management, scheduled through 2030, might end sooner than that.

January 16, 1986: Apple introduces the Macintosh Plus, its third Mac model and the first to be released after Steve Jobs was forced out of the company the previous year.

The Mac Plus boasts an expandable 1MB of RAM and a double-sided 800KB floppy drive. And it’s the first Macintosh to include a SCSI port, which serves as the main way of attaching a Mac to other devices (at least until Apple abandons the tech on the original iMac G3 upon Jobs’ return).

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal keeps an iPhone steady during filming so it can be moved to follow the action. Or it can act as a tripod stand and automatically keep the camera pointed at the person being recorded even if they move around. Plus, the accessory can recharge the phone.

“The idea of Flow 2 Pro is simple: Bridge the gap between professional-quality tools and everyday accessibility,” shares JK Liu, founder of Insta360.

Solid certifications like CompTIA, ISC and CISSP can boost your IT career, but the exams to acquire said certifications are tough. If you want to learn the basics, check out the Complete 2025 Cybersecurity Developer and IT Super Skills Bundle. This IT training bundle helps you prepare for multiple certification exams, offering detailed lessons for beginners and advanced learners.

Bonus: This ticket to a high-paying IT career is on sale for just $59.99 (regularly $936).

Apple is not the only company reportedly working on a slim flagship phone for 2025. Samsung is also working on one, and a new leak indicates the company’s iPhone 17 Air rival will have a 6.4mm thick waistline.

Despite the slim profile, Samsung’s super-slim Galaxy reportedly will pack impressive specs, including a 200MP rear camera.

The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin reportedly won’t return to Apple TV+ after all. Apple reportedly canceled Dick Turpin season two, laying the blame on star Noel Fielding.

The comedy series premiered in 2024, and Apple TV+ renewed it for a second season. However, word came Wednesday that The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin stopped mid-production.

Finding an outlet at the airport or keeping devices charged on a trip can feel like a treasure hunt. But this portable USB-C travel hub changes the game. Designed for on-the-go charging, this hub lets you power up multiple devices from just one outlet — no need for extra adapters or clutter. It includes a high-power USB PD slot for MacBooks and iPads, and a built-in wireless MagSafe charger for iPhone, AirPods and more.

Now at a budget-friendly $23.99 (regularly $36), it’s a great travel companion for those who value convenience, functionality and, most importantly, fully charged batteries.

The Apple TV+ marketing department sure kept itself busy Tuesday. A space-suited denizen of the streamer’s hit sci-fi series Silo showed up in the stands at an NBA game ahead of the show’s season two finale, which arrives Friday.

Earlier Tuesday, a Severance office popped up in New York City’s Grand Central Station. The pop-up drew stars from the show as well as plenty of curious commuters ahead of the Severance season two premiere, which also arrives Friday on Apple TV+.

Apple TV+ ran a full-court press on the promo stunts this week, a departure from the norm. What else could be in store?

To help expedite recovery in response to deadly Los Angeles wildfires, Apple gives users simple ways to help LA wildfire victims by linking donation pages in popular apps directly to the American Red Cross, CEO Tim Cook said in an X.com post Wednesday. This follows the iPhone giant’s own donation of an undisclosed amount as well as considerations extended to wildfire victims regarding their Apple Card payments.