Will Apple's car be this crazy?

January 08, 2022

Apple isn't the only company working on the car of the future. And, unlike Cupertino, other potential players aren't afraid to show off their biggest blue-sky ideas.

Just look at the mind-bending innovations in our roundup of crazy concept cars from CES.

Traditional automakers like Cadillac and BMW -- and tech companies like Sony -- showed off their wildest visions at the big consumer electronics show in Las Vegas this week. And they seem hell-bent on rethinking the car from the ground up.

I'm sure Apple is watching -- and I can't wait to see what Cupertino dreams up for its not-so-secret car project.

But in the meantime, I'll take these innovative ideas for a spin.

– Lewis Wallace, managing editor

News and opinion

In recent years, the world’s largest consumer electronics confab has become quite the major auto show. After all, consumer tech and automotive tech keep blending more and more. For CES 2022, automakers like BMW, Cadillac, Hyundai, Mercedes and Sony — wait, who? — really put some crazy futuristic concepts into high gear.

Two monumental events happened this week. Apple became the first U.S. company to be worth an astonishing $3 trillion. And BlackBerry went poof. Here's how Apple will avoid that fate.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Even more details surface about Apple’s hardware plans for 2022. If last year was “modest” (LOL), this year looks jam-packed with major updates.

Plus, more Apple hardware rumors:

There was a lot to get HomeKit fans excited at this year’s tech showcase. Quite a few companies announced products that will support Apple’s home-automation system, including lights, door cameras and more.

Starting next week, new features will roll out to help subscribers achieve their fitness goals.

A concept designer explores the possibility of an Apple stand-alone camera for professionals. His Apple ProCam is loaded with features, like 8K support and a built-in printer. But is this a product that makes sense for Apple?

How-tos

A newly discovered HomeKit bug can render unsuspecting iPhone and iPad users with a completely unresponsive device. All it takes is for a smart home gadget to be given a super-long name. Once the bug affects an iOS or iPadOS device, the gadget will continually freeze and restart itself.

Answer these six questions and you'll be well on your way to achieving your new year's fitness goals.

Deals

The best New Year’s resolutions are the ones you can actually act on, and there are few better than committing to learning a new skill. Cult of Mac Deals rounded up some of the best e-learning and skill-building courses — and they’re all on sale for $20, no coupon code needed.

Elago's awesome accessories for iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods are now available at 15% off in our big New Year's sale.

With The All-in-One NFT Masterclass for Artists & Entrepreneurs Bundle, you can learn how to make, buy and sell non-fungible tokens on your own. And during our New Year, New Me Sale, the bundle costs only $20.

If you thought drone photography was super-expensive, think again. Right now, you can grab this top-rated Black Drone with Dual HD 4K Camera on sale for just $74.95.

Reviews

The Tragedy of Macbeth is probably the most experimental thing to stream on Apple TV+ so far. The movie hits the streaming service on January 14 after a theatrical run, and you should probably add it to your Up Next queue now.

Apple TV+’s newest animated kids show is all about accessibility. El Deafo, based on the book by Cece Bell, focuses on a little girl who loses her hearing just before the start of school. She goes on misadventures as she learns to navigate the world with the help of her imaginary superhero alter ego.

Setups

For the first computer setup featured in the new year, we look backward. Not to the recently subsided and mostly loathed 2021, but further back to a controversial Apple product launch from nearly a decade ago. And even deeper into Apple’s storied history.

If Apple takes something away, people tend to want it more. We see this in the persistent coveting of space gray peripherals — Magic Trackpad, Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2 — that the Cupertino tech giant stopped selling separately last year after the iMac Pro’s discontinuation.