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Mac-mentum in 2024?

Mac-mentum in 2024?

A look at what's in store for the Mac next year.

Leander Kahney
December 23, 2024

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Over the past couple of years, Apple has been on a spectacular roll with its desktop and laptop computers.

The industrial design of its machines has never been better. (Without Jony Ive, we've got more ports, no butterfly keyboards, etc.)

And Apple silicon is the bee’s knees: It delivers incredible performance and mind-blowing battery life.

I think the Mac lineup is arguably the strongest in the company's nearly 50-year history. Just take the new M4 Mac mini: It’s never been as good-looking, as well-designed, as fast and as capable — and it’s pretty darn cheap, too!

But what does Apple have in store for the Mac in 2025? The big question is: Can Apple maintain the momentum?

Also in today’s newsletter:

After years of dithering, I’m finally getting into home automation with some smart plugs I bought during the Black Friday sales. Just in time! Apple appears poised to really kick off its smart home initiatives next year.
AirPods with a heart-rate monitor may be coming sooner than you think.
It’s Christmas Eve Eve, but it’s not too late to get a four-pack of AirTags at their lowest-ever price before the big day if you’re an Amazon Prime member. Remember, AirTags are officially the world’s best stocking stuffers.
Apple’s often accused of planned obsolescence, but its latest move to support older iPhones with iOS 19 proves this is baloney. This is the second time Apple’s done this, too.
We got a lot of responses to last Friday’s poll: Do you use ChatGPT? While it seems Cult of Mac readers aren’t yet massive ChatGPT users, some of you have found interesting and useful applications. See the poll results and comments below.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

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What to expect from the Mac in 2025

The Mac seems primed for a slow and steady 2025. The MacBook Air will get bumped to M4 and the MacBook Pros will debut the M5 lineup.

Apple's next big smart home move could bring Face ID to your doorbell

In an aggressive push into the smart home category, Apple works to develop a doorbell with Face ID-like authentication.

Next-gen AirPods Pro might track your heart rate

Apple’s high-end earbuds might gain health-focused features in the not-so-distant future.

^{A message from the}^{Cult of Mac Deals team}

AirTag sale drops Apple Bluetooth trackers to all-time lowest price

You can get a stocking stuffer for a loved one or make the whole family a bit more organized thanks to a sale on Apple AirTag.

Apple M5 processor might put in an early appearance

Get the latest on the upcoming Apple M5 processor: a leaked roadmap reveals when to expect each of the new versions.

iOS 19 might not cut off older iPhones

The next-gen operating system might work with all iPhones that currently run iOS 18, while iPadOS 19 could drop support for 7th-generation iPad.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Price drop: Block ads and data trackers forever with this top-rated service

Snag a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard family plan. The iOS and Mac ad blocker also protects your privacy on Android and PC.

Is this really what iPhone 17 Pro will look like? [The CultCast]

This week on Cult of Mac's podcast: iPhone 17 Pro renders make us ponder whether Apple will (or should) create such a device. Pros and cons!

What to do when your iPhone storage is full

If your iPhone storage is full, you’ll need to quickly clear up space. There are easy ways to free up iPhone storage without losing any data.

Today in Apple history: Apple invents 'slide to unlock'

On December 23, 2005, Apple filed a patent application for its iconic "slide to unlock" gesture for the iPhone.

'Small upgrade, big difference' [Setups]

MacBook Pro user finds right-angle and vertical USB-C cable adapters help quite a bit to clean up cable clutter.

Tweets of the day

A few years ago I found a cursed-looking bootleg Apple 30-pin to 30-pin cable at a flea market and wondered what it's for. Turns out it's for importing photos from one device to another.
(no, this is not how iPod Shuffle are born)
(no, I will not connect two iPods as nunchaku)
— NekoMichi (@NekoMichiUBC)
9:12 PM • Dec 22, 2024

there’s a fantastic bug in iOS that I hope they never patch. if you long press an already-long pressed notification, you can open writing tools and re-write notifications. “Hope you find it!”
— sam henri gold (@samhenrigold)
9:57 PM • Dec 22, 2024

fun fact: Face ID works using infrared light, which allows it to see through helmets!
this is the same reason Face ID works in the dark! pretty cool huh
— System Settings (@app_settings)
6:11 AM • Dec 21, 2024

@business “Face ID Unrecognized, please reset your house-“
— Hina: Winter Soldier 希望 (@HinatasWish)
9:54 AM • Dec 23, 2024

Wallpaper of the day

New wallpaper 🌊
— Aesthetics 𝕏 (@aestheticsguyy)
9:01 PM • Dec 22, 2024

One more thing ...

❝

In ancient Rome, when a victorious general paraded through the streets, legend has it that he was sometimes trailed by a servant whose job it was to repeat to him, “Memento mori”: Remember you will die. A reminder of mortality would help the hero keep things in perspective, instill some humility.

— Steve Jobs, 2011.

Today’s poll

Is Apple design better with or without Jony Ive?

Results from last Friday’s poll: Do you use ChatGPT?

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