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I don’t usually associate the end of the year with Apple rumors, but today there’s a flood of them.
There’s fresh info surrounding several upcoming Apple products, including:
The “HomePad”: The combo HomePod and iPad (possibly, but not definitely, called the “HomePad”) will serve as a smart-home hub. New details hint at why it’ll be a very cool product. I’m very much looking forward to this.
AirTags 2: I tracked down some errant keys the other day using AirTags’ UWB chip, and it magically led me right to them. Almost supernatural! The next version of Apple’s trackers will make precision tracking, and more, even better. How did we ever survive without AirTags and Find My?
Budget iPad: I recently bought Apple’s cheapest iPad, and while it’s fantastic in every way, I now totally regret it and wish I’d held out for the next version, which sounds absolutely great.
Studio Display 2: The upgrade to Apple’s “entry level” monitor (if $1,600 can be called entry level) is also getting trickle-down pro features that’ll make you wonder why anyone would buy its much pricier sibling, the Pro Display XDR.
Also in today’s newsletter:
I’ve used iFixit’s repair guides several times to destroy … I mean, attempt to fix my devices. The company’s got a new app (after a 10-year App Store ban for being naughty!) that uses AI to diagnose and guide repairs. If it works as advertised, it’s going to be absolutely great.
We hands-on reviewed a fab little MagSafe charging bank with a built-in cable, and I was completely surprised at how cheap it is. Looks like a great stocking stuffer.
If you’re looking for gift ideas, check out our updated gift guide. Right after I finish this newsletter, I’m going to add this 1080P portable projector that’s going for just $86 to our guide. In the company Slack, the guys were skeptical, pointing out some inconsistent specs. However, the reviews say the affordable project is great, if you’re cognizant of its limitations. Personally, this is what I want for Xmas (hint, hint!)
Speaking of great gifts, AirPods Pro 3 just dropped below $200! That’s the lowest price ever for the amazing earbuds.
Shazam’s got a curious new feature called Popular Segments that supposedly identifies the best part of a song (or the most popular, anyway). I played around for a few minutes, and it’s great for, well, hearing the best part of a song!
There’s still a lot of hatred for Apple’s new Liquid Glass user interface, but yesterday’s poll shows most of you like it well enough — and some love it. See below. Perhaps people who read the Cult of Mac Today newsletter aren’t the most impartial crowd, but I think it shows that most of the hating comes from a vocal minority. My 84-year-old mom’s a huge Liquid Glass fan!
Don’t miss Basic Apple Guy’s Ugly Christmas Sweater Wallpaper Collection: 2025 Edition — also below.
— Leander Kahney, EIC.
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Tweets of the day
Wallpaper of the day
One more thing ...
People get stuck as they get older. Our minds are sort of electrochemical computers. Your thoughts construct patterns like scaffolding in your mind. You are really etching chemical patterns. In most cases, people get stuck in those patterns, just like grooves in a record, and they never get out of them. It's a rare person who etches grooves that are other than a specific way of looking at things, a specific way of questioning things. It's rare that you see an artist in his 30s or 40s able to really contribute something amazing. Of course, there are some people who are innately curious, forever little kids in their awe of life, but they're rare.
Today’s poll
Would you buy a HomePad?
Results from yesterday’s poll: After using it for a bit, what do think of iOS 26 now?
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