WWDC, Apple Music Genius, and ads in Apple Maps, on the AppleInsider Podcast
Apple has announced the dates for its annual WWDC and hinted that this is when the new Siri is coming, plus it's released AI features in Apple Music, and says ads are coming to Apple Maps, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.WWDC is comingAs reluctantly predicted, it now looks as if the new and revised Siri will debut in full at WWDC — although we might get some improvements in iOS 26.5. While anyone who finds Siri continues to be broken, will cross their fingers for the update, Apple has released iOS 26.4.Among its updates are the usual exciting new emoji, but also a Genius feature for having Apple Intelligence produce an Apple Music playlist for you. Equally, though, Apple Music continues to step up its human-curated playlists, too. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Studio Display XDR review: An almost pixel perfect monitor for creative pros
Apple's new Studio Display XDR is nearly everything I'm looking for in a display, but there are still compromises, particularly in a cross-platform environment.Studio Display XDR review: The Apple monitor for creative prosThe Studio Display XDR is now Apple's high-end monitor, sitting above the standard Studio Display in Apple's refreshed 2026 lineup. It's a 27-inch, 5K, aluminum and glass beauty that's well-suited for almost any Mac.For the last four years, I've been using Apple's original Studio Display. This upgrade was just what I'd been looking for. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

This Shortcut finds all your long videos to free up iPhone storage
Although I appreciate Apple’s desire to keep the stock Photos app as simple as possible to use, there are a number of surprising omissions. One of them is that there’s no way to sort or filter videos by length or file size. That’s a pretty fundamental missing feature if you’re trying to free up iPhone storage by deleting some of your largest unwanted videos. Fortunately, there’s a Shortcut available to do the job … more…

Read more »

The 3in1 Anker MagSafe Compatible UFO Charger is $20 off
The charger features 15W of fast charging, so you can charge your Apple devices, such as the Apple Watch Series 9 and iPhone 15 Pro, to 30 and 20% in 15-22 minutes. The charger features a portable design friendly for travel, as it does not take up much space, allowing you to bring it anywhere […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Apple Far Off From a Full-Screen Device
Development of an under-display Face ID at Apple is currently dealing with challenges, a report hints that the company will be focusing on minor reductions to Dynamic Island instead of a significant design change for the short term. Development on under-display technology is not going as well as predicted, with doubt being loomed over for […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Studio Display XDR and Studio Display Firmware Update Released
The Studio Display XDR and Studio Display received new firmware updates from Apple. The two monitors came out earlier this month. Studio Display Firmware 26.4 is exclusive to the latest Studio Display models, meaning that older ones cannot receive the update. You can install the firmware update for both Studio Displays by connecting your display […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Sora AI Support Stopped
Support for Sora AI, a video app, has been stopped by OpenAI after just 6 months. No further details were provided by OpenAI on why they are stopping support, but they will be sharing information soon, such as when the API and the app will be shutting down. Resources will be freed up for new […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

The Anker 6in1 USB-C Power Strip is $30 off
The power strip allows you to charge 6 devices simultaneously with 2 USB-C ports, 2 USB-A ports, and 2 AC outlets, perfect for accommodating charging at home or when you are out. It features a stacked architecture and a pop outlet, an ultra-sleek design measuring 0.7 inches thick. The power strip features 140W of charging, […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Apple Prepping For New Wave Of OLED Products
Apple is preparing and making decisive decisions to lessen its dependence on manufacturers in China as new OLED panel products are released. The company has likely sped up its efforts to branch out its sourcing of OLED Panels away from suppliers in China like BOE. Apple shipments have declined by about 40%, and 50% of […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Apple Party Coming to Japan, India, Thailand, and Many More
Apple has kicked off celebrations for its 50th anniversary with events being hosted worldwide with stops in Thailand, the United States, China, and South Korea. The party will continue in Mexico, Japan, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and France. Apple Stores in Canada, Vancouver, and Paris, France, will be hosting special sessions for Today […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

iPad 12 Still Rolling Out This Year
There is still no sign of an entry-level iPad 12; the company has revamped a wide variety of accessories and products this March. The iPad 12 with an A18 chip is ready for release and will still be seeing a release this year. The A18 iPad 12 will have support for Apple Intelligence. The device […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

The AirTag 1 4-pack Is $39 Off
The AirTag is a small accessory made by Apple that you put on your belongings, such as your luggage, car keys, and more. You can track them more easily when they get lost, making the searching process much less stressful. The AirTag features Precision Finding with the use of Ultra Wideband Technology, leading you right […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

John Ternus Well Liked At Apple
John Ternus is widely viewed as the next candidate to become CEO at Apple when the current CEO, Tim Cook, steps down. He is well-liked among the leadership at Apple, as he assisted in reversing product quality at Apple since he took the role of hardware engineering. Ternus has focused on functional improvements and improving […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

2026 WWDC Date Announced
The 37th WWDC or Worldwide Developer Conference will begin on Monday, June 8, and will end on Friday, June 12. Similar to last year’s WWDC, this year will mainly be an online event that will be open to all developers with no cost associated. WWDC always starts with a keynote that occurs on the first […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

Apple AI Advancements To Be Introduced At WWDC
This year’s WWDC will begin on Monday, June 8. The event will highlight the AI advancements made by Apple. We have been waiting for the company to introduce the long-awaited revamped version of Siri since iOS 18, and it may finally happen this year with iOS 27. The revamped Siri will have new capabilities such […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

All iPhone 18 models will get a smaller Dynamic Island, says optimistic leak
It could be wishful thinking, but a tiny new leak appears to suggest that Apple will shrink the Dynamic Island on every iPhone 18.The Dynamic Island is Apple's way of making a virtue out of the necessary Face ID and camera notchSince the very day the iPhone X was launched with its Face ID notch, there have been rumors that Apple will switch to an all-screen display with no visible cutouts. The company is surely working toward this, but the most recent claims have focused on how it might reduce the current Dynamic Island.Now according to leaker Ice Universe, that smaller Dynamic Island is definitely coming to the iPhone 18. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Towers of power: A complete history of Apple’s pro Macs (and Mac Pros)
Macworld Apple’s Mac Pro was once a powerful, expandable, unapologetically ambitious machine—built for hardcore professionals doing serious work, not casual tinkering. But Apple has now put the Mac Pro out of its underpowered misery, discontinuing its tower workstation in favor of something far less imposing. Today, some pro Mac users seem content with a flimsy slab of aluminum like the Mac mini. Wimps. We demand something that looks like it houses a nuclear reactor. It should be bigger than a suitcase, plastered with warning stickers, hotter than a barbecue, and louder than a drag car. In other words, something like the old Power Mac G5. As we mourn the loss of Apple’s beefy, bodacious, behemoth pro Macs, it’s worth remembering the days when “pro” meant towering machines made from more metal than the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and more plastic than a nursery full of Lego bricks. What follows is a chronological look at those systems, focusing on the moments that defined, derailed, or reshaped the lineup. It’s less a trip down memory lane and more a guide to how Apple’s idea of “pro” has continually evolved. Apple I (1976-1977)  Power Computing Apple’s first computer wasn’t technically a “Mac,” of course. The Apple I’s users didn’t work in Final Cut, Aperture or Adobe Creative Suite. Indeed they would have fainted at the very thought of MacPaint. And it’s hard to call them “professional”. Some of them looked like they’d lived wild in a forest for the previous half of their lives—and that was just the guys from Apple. The Apple I was no slouch, but it wasn’t pro by today’s definition. It was invented by Homebrew Computer Club members Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs—and we all know that “homebrew” is by definition not professional. These computer hobbyists weren’t pioneering pro machines, they were turning pro machines into personal computers for the home. We’re including it here as an homage—and plus, the Apple I was certainly big enough to qualify for tower status. It was so open to user tinkering you had to build the case yourself from bits of wood. Apple III (1980-1983)   Power Computing While the Apple I looked like a Victorian dressing table, the Apple II looked like a smart electric typewriter. While used professionally, it doesn’t quite pass the grade at looking powerful enough for true Pro status. The Apple III, on the other hand, looked much more impressive and cost at least $4,000. Rather than allow users to install upgrades within its case you could buy extras that stacked on top of the computer increasing its height to the extent that you had to put extra cushions on your chair. The Apple III Plus featured a built-in clock but even that advanced feature was not enough to save it from the scrapheap. Lisa (1983-1985) Power Computing At $10,000, the pre-Mac Lisa was Apple’s most expensive computer and aimed at large businesses. So far, so pro. Sadly, that’s where its pro credentials fade away as it was a closed all-in-one system that looked like ET’s head rather than an imperial Walker from Star Wars. Just before it was driven off to the landfill, Apple rebranded the Lisa as Macintosh XL, which is certainly a more Pro name. Apple IIgs (1986-1992) Power Computing 1986’s Apple IIgs was the first Apple computer to nail the deep-box look (it had learned well from the Mac) and allowed you to swap in and out various third-party expansions, including 8MB of RAM and a processor upgrade that pumped iron at 18MHz. With an M. Mac II  (1987-1990) Power Computing The original Mac looked way too friendly to be a professional machine. It had a goofy smile and said “Hello.” We had to wait three years before we got the super-expandable Mac II that came in a case the size of a Christmas hamper. It didn’t say Hello. It barged past you, knocking you to the floor, and it didn’t look back to apologize. It boasted six (six!) NuBus slots for extra bits and pieces, such as a new graphics card that could display colors. If you wanted one with 1MB of RAM and a 40MB hard disk it would set you back $5,500. The Mac II had many iterations before it was retired. The Mac IIx and Mac IIcx were in a smaller box with just three NuBus slots but still cost a small fortune. 1989’s Mac IIici was a box so high that it was nearly a cube. If Steve Jobs had still been at Apple I’m sure it would have been. It was the first Mac to have built in-color video circuitry and despite costing $6,700 was one of the most popular Macs ever. Finally, the Mac IIfx was the Daddy of the pro Macs, costing a minimum of $12,000 and accommodating two floppy drives and eight high-speed 64-pin RAM slots. It also had a range of cool codenames, including Stealth, BlackBird, F-16, F-19 and Weed-Whacker. If that’s not pro, we don’t know what is. Quadra (1991-1994)   Apple Frank Casanova, who sported a curious Brian May-like head of hair, was the brains behind the IIfx and his Quadra range continued the pro features. This time around, the case expanded vertically in proper tower fashion, starting with the Quadra 700. The name Quadra was in part chosen from the major quadriceps muscle group to show off its strength. We’ll ignore the wimpy-looking Quadra 605/610, but bow before the 700, mini-tower Quadra 800, and mighty $7,500 Quadra 900/950 machines, which had three internal bays and stood 18.6 inches high—a sequoia among computer saplings. Mac clones (1995-1997) Power Computing Apple made the decision to allow other manufacturers to make and sell Mac hardware too late to stop crappy Windows PCs from taking over the world. And it then made the mistake of letting the Mac clone makers produce pro computers—such as the Power Computing PowerTower Pro—more powerful than Apple’s own and with a proper Pro Power name. On his return to Apple Steve Jobs took one look and quickly killed off the clones, and we were back with a not-so-brilliant range of professional Macs to choose from. (But not for long.) Power Mac (1994-1998)   Apple The first Power Macs looked much like the Quadras they replaced but packed new PowerPC processors. The Power Mac 8500 was big but, at a mere 15 inches in height, no match for the near-19-inch Quadra 900. Even the Power Mac 9500 measured just 17 inches tall, but it was the most expandable Mac yet, with six PCI slots and seven internal drive bays. Seven! Unlike today where Apple hates the thought of users tinkering under the bonnet, the 9500 didn’t even ship with a graphics card. You had to add your own. The later Power Mac 9600 came in a new-look case, which at 9.7 inches was the widest Mac tower ever, and was the easiest to get inside to add up to six drives, 12 memory chips, and six PCI cards. Power Mac G3 (1998-1999) Power Computing The Blue & White Power Mac G3 came in easy-to-open iMac-like colored polycarbonate. The Apple logo was squeezed in between the giant “G” and “3” and reminded many of a child’s toy. And it kind of was. The G3 had just four RAM slots, no SCSI, and a very forgettable keyboard and mouse. Power Mac G4 (1999-2004) Apple Predictably, Apple followed up the Power Mac G3 with the Power Mac G4. (We’ll ignore the very non-tower Power Mac G4 Cube.) Apple went a bit nuts with the Power Mac G4, launching several variations on its tower design, starting with Graphite, moving to QuickSilver, and ending up with Mirrored Drive Doors with faux air holes. However, the Power Mac G4 looked more impressive and boasted internal FireWire, two separate USB buses, and up to 1.5GB of RAM. And some models were so noisy they earned the nickname “Windtunnel”, giving it extra pro points. Finally, in 2000, it became the first PC to feature Gigabit Ethernet as a standard feature. Power Mac G5 (2003-2005) Apple The Power Mac G5 really looked the part of a proper professional Mac. Its industrial aluminum case screamed Pro and it looked as good with its door off as on. Want more Pro cred? The G5 ran so hot, that the case was divided into four separate thermal zones, each with its own cooling system—in case it melted your desk or the whole building. Its nine fans occasionally allowed you to pretend that you worked on the deck of an aircraft carrier in a state of emergency. Mac Pro (2006-2013) Apple At last, a pro Mac actually named Mac Pro. Apple had already started calling its skinny laptops Pro instead of Power, so it was long overdue for the far-sturdier desktop behemoths. The Mac Pro’s aluminum-enclosure design was little changed from 2003’s Power Mac G5 and, at 20.1 inches, was the tallest Mac tower yet. You could take the side off and use it as the roof for a small building. The Mac Pro dumped the G5 processor for Intel’s more pro-sounding dual- and quad-core Intel Xeon chips, with city-sized names such as Woodcrest, Clovertown, and Harpertown. But, aside from the speedy chips and cheese grater design, it was barely updated and lacked then-current technologies such as SATA III, USB 3, and Thunderbolt, despite some of these being available in punier non-Pro Macs. Pro Mac history: 17in MacBook Pro (2006-2012) Apple Apple had been calling its top-end MacBooks “Pro” since 2006, but it was the frankly giant 17-inch model that truly deserved the title. While all the other MacBook Pro models could be used by amateurs who hog tables at Starbucks, the 17-inch MacBook Pro was a beast fit only for the professional—specifically one with a big backpack and strong shoulders. Its “unibody” enclosure was a single piece of aluminum, roughly the size of a jumbo jet’s emergency exit door. It had an option for a matte anti-glare display, for pro designers who flinched at the sight of a glossy screen that everyone else would have cooed over. Proper. Mac Pro (2013-2019) Apple Every now and again Apple design legend Jony Ive would tire of refining the same old Mac cases and enclosures, and demand to be allowed to show off with something so wacky that everyone would resume bowing at his Clarks Wallabees shoes. In 2013, Apple gave him a shot at making the Mac Pro look like nothing else ever designed by anyone on Earth, and he came up with something like a shiny trash can from space. Making it just 9.9 inches tall and just 6.6 inches in diameter—less than an eighth of the size of the old Mac Pro—Ive had outdone himself. Even the silly Power Mac G4 Cube looked sensible next to it. Its very noncylindrical and massive Mac Pro predecessor boasted four hard-drive bays, two optical-drive bays, and four PCI Express slots, and you could even add a RAID card to set up an internal RAID array. Its cylindrical predecessor, on the other hand, had none of these professional expansion muscles, just a handful of slots at the back so the rest of your desk was ruined by a multitude of ugly, non-Apple boxes (that all, of course, cost a whole bunch extra). In our Macworld review we described how the new Mac Pro “may be exactly what you want (a state-of-the-art, multi-core-processor, workstation-GPU computer that doesn’t waste space and resources on expandability you may never use), or nothing like what you need (a workhorse tower with tons of bays and slots for expansion).” Even Ive walked away from the design with nary a glance back at his wonder-child, with the unloved cylinder holding the record for the least updated Apple product of all time at a staggering 2,182 days—just short of the duration of World War 2.  Pro Mac history: iMac Pro (2017-2021) Apple In April 2017 Apple held its hands up about how useless the cylinder Mac Pro design was and promised us a totally redesigned Mac Pro. At the time, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineer, Craig Federighi admitted that “we designed ourselves into a thermal corner.” In the meantime, Apple rolled out the iMac Pro—which looked just like a 27-inch iMac but in a highly attractive Space Gray color with accessories to match. Some (very wealthy) people bought the iMac Pro just to get their hands on the shiny Space Gray mouse. Sadly, it suffered the same non-expandability as the alien wastebasket. Its solid-state drive was non-user-replaceable as the SSD modules were paired cryptographically with Apple’s T2 chip. It never received an update before it was retired in 2021. There were rumors, however, that a new iMac Pro might be in the works. The iMac Pro was certainly powerful, but despite its name, it was still really just a powerful iMac. Mac Pro (2019-2023) Apple Embarrassed by its cylinder Mac Pro, Apple went back to the drawing board—actually 2006’s original Mac Pro drawing board, which itself was just the drawing board used for the Power Mac G5. Apple doesn’t waste its drawing boards. The new Mac Pro was again a hulking metallic beast. Like 2006’s Mac Pro, it had holes at the front; this time with the cheesegrater side for really hard cheese, unlike the 2006 soft-cheesegrater look that could handle only crumbly cheddar. Fully loaded, the new Mac Pro cost nearly $55,000, an expense claim even a hedge fund would choke on, although that did include a set of $400 stainless steel wheels. Mac Studio (2022) Apple It might not have the word Pro in its name, but with an Ultra processor and a dull case, the Mac Studio is every bit a pro device. In 2023, the M1 Ultra was updated to an M2 Ultra, and two years later to an M3 Ultra. An M5 Ultra Mac Studio is expected in 2026, maybe as early as June’s WWDC. If it followed Apple’s other loose naming conventions it might be called a Mac mini Pro or a Fat Mini Pro. It was the fastest processor Apple makes and performed even better than a maxed-out 2019 Mac Pro costing 10 times as much. Until the Mac Pro got its Apple silicon makeover, the Mac Studio was Apple’s fastest Mac and the best option for pros. Mac Pro (2023-2026) Apple Apple took years to update its 2019 Mac Pro with its Silicon processor technology—I pray that no one recently forked out $55,000 for the old one with ye olde Intel inside. Armed with a 24-core CPU, 76-core GPU M2 Ultra processor and 192GB of RAM, Apple said that it was 3x faster than the Intel version that it still looks like—but cost just $12,299 fully equipped as a rack mount or $100 cheaper with stainless steel frame with wheels. That, sadly, was the end of the Mac Pro, when just weeks before its 50th Anniversary celebrations Apple removed the Mac Pro section from its website, though Mac Pros are still available through Apple’s Certified Refurbished store—an ignominious end to an unloved giant. The future of the Mac Pro? It looks like the Mac Studio will be the Mac Pro until someone at Apple is brave enough to build something much bigger, heavier and meaner to be truly worthy of the Pro title.

Read more »

The Mac Pro died so Apple silicon could live
Macworld The Mac Pro, one of Apple’s most iconic computers, seemed to have its days numbered. Earlier this month, the company had already dropped another hint with the discontinuation of the Pro Display XDR, which was replaced by the new Studio Display XDR. But the news is now official. On Thursday, Apple officially confirmed to Macworld that the Mac Pro has been discontinued. The company has also removed the product from its online store, putting an end to the last remaining desktop Mac in Apple’s lineup that still carried the “Pro” name in its most traditional sense. While the move may seem abrupt, especially with Apple’s 50th anniversary just days away, the reality is that the Mac Pro’s fate had been sealed for quite some time. A long goodbye for Apple’s most ambitious Mac The Mac Pro has always represented Apple’s most powerful and flexible computer. From the aluminum towers of the 2000s to the controversial cylindrical design in 2013 and the return to modularity in 2019, the Mac Pro was built for professionals who needed uncompromising performance. When Apple reintroduced the Mac Pro in 2019 alongside the Pro Display XDR, it was a statement. After years of neglecting high-end users, the company was ready to win them back with a truly modular system designed for demanding workflows like film production, 3D rendering, and audio engineering. But that strategy was short-lived. The Mac Studio changed everything Just a year after introducing the redesigned Mac Pro, Apple revealed its plans to shift from Intel processors to its own Apple Silicon chips. In November 2020, the company announced the first Macs with the M1 chip. The M1 was never a chip designed for high-end users, but the leap in performance was so significant that many professionals realized they could do photo and video editing, coding, and other demanding tasks on these Macs without needing a super expensive computer. Apple Silicon has made the Mac Studio as powerful as the Mac Pro.Thomas Bergbold But it was in 2022 when the Mac Pro’s fate seemed to be in jeopardy. The arrival of the Mac Studio reshaped Apple’s professional desktop strategy. While the Mac Pro was still based on an old Intel processor, the first Mac Studio had an M1 Ultra chip that outperformed Apple’s super-expensive desktop tower. Apple’s silicon roadmap has made the Mac Studio powerful enough to replace the Mac Pro for most people. For less than half the price and a fraction of the footprint, customers could finally buy a Mac that was even faster than the Mac Pro. Eventually, Apple put its own chip inside the Mac Pro, but Apple silicon didn’t have the same impact. It ran the same M2 Ultra chip as the Mac Studio, and the main difference between the Mac Pro and the Mac Studio was the ability to add internal storage and PCIe expansion cards. And it still cost thousands more than the Mac Studio. The dreams of a workstation chip or standalone graphics didn’t come to pass. For the vast majority of users, that wasn’t enough to justify the higher price tag. The signs were always there While the Mac Pro hasn’t seen an update since 2023, Apple continued to refresh the rest of the desktop Mac lineup with newer and more efficient chips. By the time Apple refreshed the Mac Studio with M3 Ultra and M4 Max, it became obvious that the company no longer saw a future for the Mac Pro. The Mac Studio powered by the M3 Ultra chip outperformed the Apple Silicon Mac Pro in pretty much every benchmark, but at a fraction of the price. The Mac Pro has been on the way out of Apple’s lineup for a while.Foundry Apple never explicitly said the Mac Pro was going away, but the signs kept piling up. The discontinuation of the Pro Display XDR, the absence of the Mac Pro in marketing materials, and the increasing focus on the Studio lineup all pointed in the same direction. Even rumors suggested that Apple had deprioritized the Mac Pro internally, with plans for future updates reportedly scrapped. Now, with the product officially discontinued, those signals make perfect sense in hindsight. It existed in the Mac lineup, but Apple couldn’t have sold more than a handful of them, if that. The discontinuation of the Mac Pro marks the end of an era for the Mac. For decades, it stood as the ultimate expression of Apple’s desktop ambitions: powerful, modular, and expensive. But Apple in 2026 is a very different company from the one that introduced the Mac Pro in 2006. Today, efficiency and integration matter more than modularity. Apple Silicon has enabled the company to deliver workstation-level performance in smaller, quieter, and more affordable machines. It’s no wonder Apple just launched its most affordable laptop, the MacBook Neo, for just $599. For professionals, the Mac Studio is now the logical choice. And for Apple, simplifying the lineup likely makes more sense than maintaining a niche product with limited appeal. Still, for those who relied on the Mac Pro’s expandability, this change may feel like an ignominious end. The MacBook Pro is the last remaining “Pro” model in Apple’s Mac lineup.Foundry What’s next for pro users? Apple hasn’t announced a direct replacement for the Mac Pro, and it probably won’t. Instead, the company is betting that the combination of Mac Studio, Studio Display XDR, and MacBook Pro will cover nearly all professional workflows. For the few remaining edge cases that depend on PCIe expansion, users may need to rely on external solutions or rethink their setups entirely. The Mac Pro is gone. But in many ways, its legacy lives on in the performance gains that Apple Silicon has brought to every Mac. And for Apple, that seems to be enough.

Read more »

Apple at 50: John Sculley, Apple's most maligned CEO
John Sculley's ten years as Apple CEO saw huge financial growth and innovative ideas like the Newton — but also a financial crash and the ousting of Steve Jobs.John Sculley in 2015 — image credit: Web SummitIf you can just stick around long enough, your reputation is likely to change. Today it's common to see ex-Apple CEO John Sculley praised, or at least described as having been unfairly treated by history.There are reasons to back that up, most specifically to do with how he didn't actually fire Steve Jobs as years of rumors would have it. That's a little bit hair-splitting, though, because the situation between the two men had deteriorated so badly, but it is true. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

7 Apple inventions that reinvented Apple
Macworld As Apple turns 50, it’s easy to focus on the biggest hits, such as the Macintosh, iPod, and iPhone. But the company never relied on a single blockbuster. Instead, its history is paved with a series of ambitious products that arrived at just the right moments. More than the products themselves, Apple’s history can be divided into moments that took the company in major new directions, saved it from bankruptcy, and reinvented its identity. Here are the seven products that helped Apple stay relevant amid a rapidly changing landscape. iMac: The comeback Before Apple introduced the G3 iMac, the company was facing some tough times. Apple was close to bankruptcy with a bloated product lineup and no clear strategy for the future. There was also the whole leadership situation, with a carousel of CEOs after Jobs left in 1985. When Jobs returned to his role as Apple’s CEO in 1997, he completely rethought the company’s strategy. Not only that, he knew that Apple needed a killer product to win back its customers.  The original G3 iMac brought Apple bacl from the brink of bankruptcy.Jason Snell The iMac, introduced in 1998, wasn’t just a new computer. It was a whole new concept that would change Apple forever. Unlike all other PCs at the time, the iMac was made of beautiful translucent, colorful plastic and had a modern all-in-one design. Standards like floppy disk drives and SCSI gave way to more modern technologies such as CD-ROM, USB, and Ethernet. The idea was clear: a computer for the future, ready for the internet, that was so simple to use that anyone would want it. The iMac didn’t save Apple alone, but it helped the company get back on track and, more importantly, reestablished its identity as a company focused on the user experience. iPod: The ecosystem Even before the iPod, Apple had tried to reach markets beyond computers with things like digital cameras, printers, and even a game console. They all failed. But in 2001, the company finally took a step in the right direction to create a true Apple ecosystem. The first iPod was more than a pretty MP3 player. It was a device built to expand beyond the Mac. Users could simply plug them into their Mac and automatically sync their iTunes library. The iPod was Apple’s first ecosystem product.Filipe Esposito The iPod also showed what Apple did best: take an idea that was already on the market and make it even better. MP3 players were already a thing at the time, but the iPod was smaller, better designed, and way more intuitive than anything out there. The Click Wheel made it unlike any other portable music player ever made. Over time, the iPod gained support for Windows PCs, which made even more people want an iPod. It pulled new users into Apple Stores and made iTunes a platform. But more than the music, the iPod paved the way for Apple to create an entire ecosystem of products that worked seamlessly with each other. iTunes Store: The first Service What really helped the iPod become a big hit was the iTunes Store. At the time, Apple was totally focused on selling hardware to make money. But in 2003, the iTunes Store changed that. In an attempt to help record labels combat piracy, Steve Jobs partnered with major record labels to launch the iTunes Store. The idea was to let customers purchase digital versions of their favorite albums at affordable prices. The iTunes Music Store showed the world that Apple was more than a hardware company.Apple Moreover, users could even purchase a single song for just 99 cents, a groundbreaking innovation at the time. And of course, purchased songs were automatically synced to the user’s iPod. The iTunes Store marked the beginning of a new era for Apple. It was a digital service that complemented the hardware, and vice versa. One made you want the other. In 2010, the iTunes Store became the world’s largest music vendor. Now, we have Apple Music, Apple TV, and even the App Store, and it’s all because Apple decided to create its own online music store more than two decades ago. MacBook Air: The laptop of tomorrow One of the most iconic moments in Apple’s history is undoubtedly when Steve Jobs pulled the original MacBook Air out of an inter-office envelope in 2008. He wasn’t just showing how thin the MacBook Air was, but how light, portable, and versatile laptops could be. Unlike other laptops at the time, the MacBook Air was incredibly thin and light. It targeted customers who didn’t need bulky laptops. More than that, it was built with technologies that have become standard today – things like a speedy SSD, multi-touch trackpad, and of course, its all-aluminum design. The MacBook Air set the course for the future of Apple’s portable Macs.Apple Just like Apple did with the first iMac, the MacBook Air was a statement of how Apple believed laptops should be from then on. No more CD trays or legacy ports. Competitors rushed to copy it. Intel built the Ultrabook initiative in response. The MacBook Air quietly reshaped the PC industry at a moment when Apple needed the Mac to remain relevant in a post-iPhone world. Apple Watch: The next chapter The Apple Watch was the first truly new product category introduced under Tim Cook’s leadership as CEO. It was also the first major test to show whether Apple could still innovate without Steve Jobs. The first version seemed to lack a clear focus. Apple tried to promote the Apple Watch as a fashion accessory, an iPhone companion, and also a fitness tracker. It also had a very slow processor and relied heavily on the iPhone to run apps. But despite these issues, the Apple Watch was a success and showed that the company was still in good hands. Apple Watch has come a long way since its debut in 2014.Britta O’Boyle The Apple Watch was so successful that it redefined the idea of a smartwatch. The concept wasn’t new, but most of them were ugly, clunky, and cheap. The Apple Watch was launched with a beautiful OLED display, customizable bands, and a premium finish made of aluminum, steel, and even solid gold. Apple eventually addressed the biggest criticisms and refocused its efforts on making it a fitness and health device. The Watch has now become indispensable for millions of people, thanks to features such as health alerts, 5G, and Emergency SOS right from their wrist.  And perhaps more importantly, it launched Apple’s wearables and accessories segment, which now includes AirPods and Vision Pro. AirPods: The lock-in effect When Apple unveiled the iPhone 7, it was missing a port that had been on every Apple product since its first Macintosh: a headphone jack. In its place, Apple included a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter in the box and released its first pair of wireless earbuds aptly named AirPods. Few Apple products were mocked as quickly as AirPods. The truly wireless design looked strange. People were afraid that they would easily lose their earphones since there was no wire connecting them. AirPods have become as ubiquitous as the iPhone itself.Andreas Bergsman Yet, AirPods became a huge success. Once users experienced instant pairing and automatic device switching without having to worry about tedious Bluetooth settings, there was no turning back. Soon, everyone wanted AirPods. This also led competitors to invest heavily in wireless earbuds. Despite that, only AirPods offered so many convenient features for iPhone users. They served as subtle reminders of the advantages of staying locked into the Apple ecosystem, rather than buying earbuds from other brands. And without a headphone jack on the new iPhone, it was a natural accessory pairing. Apple constantly promotes how well the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods work together. Together, they become a strong reason for iPhone users not to switch to Android, or even to motivate them to buy other Apple products. Today, AirPods are a phenomenon. You see them everywhere around the world, and they have become an important source of revenue for Apple. Apple Silicon: The bet on the future Apple made a bold move when it transitioned Macs from Intel processors to its own Apple Silicon chips in 2020. With the introduction of the M1 chip, Apple didn’t just make faster Macs. It reclaimed control over its roadmap. For a moment, it was almost as if the Mac was becoming a niche product. There were computers with better performance and lower prices. At the same time, Apple relied on Intel to plan what would come next for the Mac. Apple silicon changed the direction of the Mac.Apple Apple Silicon chips have breathed new life into the Mac. These chips have enabled Apple to better integrate hardware and software, which has also enabled new form factors for the Mac. The MacBook Air is now smaller and more powerful than ever, and the new, affordable MacBook Neo runs full macOS on an iPhone chip. The Mac has once again set itself apart from the rest of the industry, not only because it has a better design, but because its entire architecture is more powerful and more efficient. The result is that more and more people have been switching to the Mac in recent years. The Mac regained credibility. Long-time Mac users regained enthusiasm. Apple Silicon Macs are now, in a way, what the first iMac represented for Apple in the late ’90s. What’s next? Looking back, it was hard to imagine that these products would become so important to Apple. The iMac seemed like an optimistic concept, the iPod was too niche, the MacBook Air had too many compromises for its time, the Apple Watch lacked a clear purpose, AirPods seemed like a gimmick, and Apple Silicon was a risky architecture change. And yet, each of them solved a specific challenge Apple was facing at the time and paved the way for the products and services we have today. Of course, the big question now is what the next “quiet savior” will be. Apple is already investing heavily in new areas such as health and spatial computing with devices such as the Apple Vision Pro. Whether any of these efforts will become the next iMac or iPod remains to be seen. Perhaps Apple’s next big thing will come from where we least expect it.

Read more »