Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down
Macworld Apple has formally announced that John Giannandrea, its Senior VP of Machine Learning and AI, is stepping down from his position. He will serve as an advisor to the company before retiring in the spring of 2026. Giannandrea will not be directly replaced by a Senior VP role, but by a Vice President: Amar Subramanya. Subramanya was at Google for 16 years and made a name for himself as a prominent AI researcher. Just this summer, he joined Microsoft as Corporate VP of AI. Now, after just six months, he’s joining Apple. Subramanya was a principal member of the team that created Gemini (released in 2023) and Imagen 3 at Google. In other words, after OpenAI caught the industry off guard with ChatGPT, he appears to have been instrumental in helping Google catch up. Now, he’s at Apple, where the same work is desperately needed. Subramanya will report to Senior VP of Software Engineering Craig Frederighi. He will be responsible for leading Apple’s efforts in Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and AI Safety and Evaluation. Most of those who worked under Giannandrea’s group will now report to Eddy Cue, the Senior VP of Services. Giannandrea was brought into Apple from Google back in 2018, when Apple’s biggest AI effort was the ill-fated Apple Car project. He and his team have been responsible for many of the advancements Apple has made in the field of AI and ML, but he is perhaps also to blame for Siri–Apple’s most visible and important AI product–falling far behind the state of the art. Apple’s press release reads as though Giannandrea will step back from his role right away, staying on to advise during the transition, and will fully retire in the spring of 2026, which is when we expect Apple’s next-gen Siri to be released. That gives Apple several months to get this new AI organization in place and its leadership running well by the time it introduces the new Siri to over a billion users.

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Apple replaces AI chief, taps ex-Googler to fix Apple Intelligence
Apple's AI chief is out after a string of failures. Learn about the new leadership for the company's critical AI development efforts. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Here are the main challenges that Apple’s new AI lead will face from day one
Amar Subramanya will likely become one of the most closely watched hires Apple has made in years. Here’s what he needs to do first. more…

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Apple AI Chief Retiring After Siri Failure
Apple's longtime AI chief John Giannandrea is retiring, with former Microsoft and Google AI leader Amar Subramanya stepping in to take over. MacRumors notes the retirement comes after the company's repeated delays in delivering its revamped Siri and internal turmoil that led to an AI team exodus. From the report: Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and AI Safety and Evaluation. Subramanya was previously corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft, and before that, he spent 16 years at Google. He was head of engineering for Google's Gemini Assistant, and Apple says that he has "deep expertise" in both AI and ML research that will be important to "Apple's ongoing innovation and future Apple Intelligence features." Some of the teams that Giannandrea oversaw will move to Sabih Khan and Eddy Cue, such as AI Infrastructure and Search and Knowledge. Khan is Apple's new Chief Operating Officer who took over for Jeff Williams earlier this year. Cue has long overseen Apple services. [...] Apple said that it is "poised to accelerate its work in delivering intelligent, trusted, and profoundly personal experiences" with the new AI team. "We are thankful for the role John played in building and advancing our AI work, helping Apple continue to innovate and enrich the lives of our users," said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a statement. "AI has long been central to Apple's strategy, and we are pleased to welcome Amar to Craig's leadership team and to bring his extraordinary AI expertise to Apple. In addition to growing his leadership team and AI responsibilities with Amar's joining, Craig has been instrumental in driving our AI efforts, including overseeing our work to bring a more personalized Siri to users next year." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Huge discounts hit iPad, iPad Air, and more for Cyber Monday (from $274)
The Cyber Monday deals for Apple’s entire lineup of iPads have arrived. Whether you’re looking for the ultimate Netflix machine or something with an obscene amount of power, we’ve got you covered. We’re tracking low prices on the base iPad, iPad Air, adorable iPad mini, and powerful iPad Pro. These are the best Cyber Monday prices on iPads that you’ll find. Keep up with all the best Apple Cyber Monday deals in our dedicated roundup right here! more…

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B&H's Cyber Monday sale slashes up to $500 off MacBook Pro, Air, Mac Studio, Mac mini
Time is running out to grab B&H's Cyber Monday deals on Apple computers, with inventory still available at some of the lowest prices on record.Cyber Monday Mac deals end tonight.With some of the steepest discounts available on MacBook Pros, including new M5 models, B&H is a prime destination for Cyber Monday deals on Apple.Shop B&H Cyber Monday deals Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple's head of AI John Giannandrea is retiring
Apple has announced that senior vice president for Machine Learning and AI Strategy, John Giannandrea, is retiring and being replaced by Amar Subramanya, formerly a Microsoft AI executive.Apple Intelligence has a new executive in chargeAfter months of internal reorganizing and speculation around Giannandrea's fate at Apple, the news has finally broken about Apple's plans for its AI group. First, John Giannandrea will step down from his position and serve in an advisory role until the spring of 2026.He will then retire fully from Apple, leaving Amar Subramanya in his place, though the role is changing slightly. Subramanya will be under Craig Federighi as vice president of AI. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Price drop: This app can identify more than 33,000 plant species
iOS plant identifier app Plantum also serves up tips for plant care. Get a lifetime premium sub for just $14.97 (regularly $59.99). (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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This last-minute Cyber Monday MacBook Pro deal will make you happy you waited to buy one
Macworld What Black Friday? The best deal we’ve ever seen for the fully-loadede M4 Max MacBook Pro is happening right now, as the decked-out configuration with 36GB of RAM and 1TB of storage drops to $2.699, a massive $500 discount and an incredible deal for a fantastic machine. We gave the M4 Pro version of this MacBook Pro a 4.5-star rating, appreciating the excellent performance of the laptop, including its new 12MP CenterStage camera. The 14-inch Liquid Retina display is as stunning as ever, boasting sharp images and gorgeously vivid colors. Plus, with three Thunderbolt 5 ports, connectivity is a breeze, whether you’re hooking up a drive or a monitor. And with an M4 Max and 36GB of RAM, you won’t even need to think about getting a new machine for years to come. We wouldn’t wait too long to get our hands on this deal because discounts are shifting fast these days, so hurry up and add the MacBook Pro M4 for $2,699 to your cart at Amazon. That's a 20% discount for the MacBook Pro M4Buy now at Amazon

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Signal Secure Backups Are Now Available on iOS
A user-hostile “lose your phone, lose your account history” architecture may well be “secure” in a technical sense, but it’s the sort of brittleness that’s kept Signal from achieving more mainstream use.

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MagSafe Monday: This new hub is basically a Swiss Army knife for your iPhone or Mac
There has always been this tension with Apple’s devices. Some people want no ports, and some people want them all. I can argue both sides, but the trend is clearly moving toward fewer ports. Satechi’s new MagSafe 7-in-1 hub is one of the first accessories I have used that actually fills that gap in a smart way. It gives the iPhone some of the flexibility of a Mac without adding much clutter or complexity, but can also serve as a portable hub for your Mac as well. more…

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Apple’s AI chief John Giannandrea to retire
Apple today announced John Giannandrea, Apple’s senior vice president for Machine Learning and AI Strategy, is stepping down from his… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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John Giannandrea leaving Apple following AI strategy miss
Apple has announced that John Giannandrea, the company’s Machine Learning and AI Strategy boss, is retiring from the company. The move may not come as a surprise for anyone closely following Apple and its AI missteps over the last few years. more…

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Maclock is an adorable desk clock for 1984 Macintosh lovers
Featuring three display modes, including one with Susan Kare’s original Happy Macintosh icon, this limited-edition scale recreation of the 1984 Mac is too cute to ignore. more…

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9to5Mac Daily: December 1, 2025 – OLED iPad mini, new Macs coming soon
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Roborock: Save up to 50% on Roborock’s flagship vacuums during their Black Friday event — but hurry, these deals won’t last long! more…

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How to make Apple Watch tick like a quartz watch
We mentioned last week that in iOS 26.1, Apple changed how the Clock app icon’s seconds hand moves in low power mode. Instead of continuously moving, the seconds hand ticks with each second like a quartz clock. Analog faces on new Apple Watches have a similar behavior, using a sweeping seconds hand in active mode and a ticking seconds hand in always on mode. If you’re like me and prefer the quartz-like movement, there’s a workaround that can help. more…

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Cyber Monday: Save on Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and more (from $129)
From tracking your fitness to keeping you connected wherever you go, Apple Watch is a must-have this holiday season. For Cyber Monday, we’re tracking huge savings on the entire Apple Watch lineup. This includes the cheapest Apple Watch SE 3 and the flagship Apple Watch Series 11. Plus, last year’s Apple Watch Series 10 is still on the market as an excellent middle ground option. We’re also tracking a $100 savings on the rugged Apple Watch Ultra 3, with its multi-day battery life in tow. Whether you’re a newcomer to the Apple Watch ecosystem or looking to upgrade your aging wearable, there’s a deal in here for you. Keep up with all the best Apple Cyber Monday deals in our dedicated roundup right here! more…

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Apple shares hit new all-time intraday and closing highs
In Nasdaq trading today, shares of Apple Inc. rose to hit a new all-time closing high. Apple’s all-time intraday high was also set today… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Opera rolls out Gemini-powered AI features across its Neon, One, and GX browsers
Following the launch of Opera Neon, the company is now expanding some of its AI features to other browsers, including Opera GX and Opera One. Here’s what’s new. more…

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PSA: Apple’s official 2025 Black Friday Shopping Event ends today
Apple’s annual Black Friday Shopping Event kicked off on Friday, and time is running out to take advantage. The deals officially end tonight at midnight. You can score an up to $250 gift card with purchase of an eligible product, including select iPhones, Macs, Apple Watches, AirPods, and more. Head below for the full details. As always, however, you can save far more in cash by shopping at other retailers. Our friends over at 9to5Toys are meticulously rounding up all of the best Cyber Monday deals. more…

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Apple tops Warren Buffett’s biggest stock holdings; accounts for 21.2% of Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway reported 46 holdings, but its portfolio is quite top heavy with 238,212,764 shares of Apple accounting… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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MKBHD is shutting down his iPhone wallpaper app
Marques Brownlee launched his first iPhone app last year, but it’s now being sunset. Here are the details on MKBHD’s Panels app getting shut down. more…

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iOS 26’s Messages app adds five great new group chat features
iOS 26 is packed full of changes for iPhone users, including five great new group chat features in the Messages app. Here’s what’s new. more…

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Don’t miss out on these 800+ app discounts for Black Friday and Cyber Monday [Updated]
As it’s tradition, many indie (and major) app developers take Black Friday and Cyber Monday to offer steep and rare discounts for their apps. Here’s a list of great deals you should check out. more…

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Amazon, Google’s new ‘interconnect’ might prevent major web outages
Outages at major web hosts can have huge impacts across society, as we see often such as with the recent Cloudflare outage. But a new collaboration between Amazon and Google might just be the start of putting major outages in the past. more…

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Apple fans really want a red iPhone 17 for World AIDS Day
Apple fans want a red iPhone 17 Pro, according to many responses to a recent X.com post from Apple marketing honcho Greg Joswiak. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple TV debuts trailer for holiday special ‘The First Snow of Fraggle Rock’
Apple TV onMonday debuted the trailer for the all-new holiday special “The First Snow of Fraggle Rock,” set to premiere globally on… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Grab an iPad mini with A17 Pro for the lowest price ever ($349) on Cyber Monday
Macworld Been thinking about a new iPad? Unless you really have a need for a big screen, the iPad mini is one of our favorites. And the latest model, with A17 Pro and 128GB of storage, just dropped to its lowest price ever on Cyber Monday. Amazon is selling this iPad mini for just $349, which is $150 off the full retail price and much lower than we’ve ever seen it before. In fact, over the entire Black Friday weekend it was on sale for $399 (a price we have seen before). In our review we gave this iPad mini 4 stars, noting it was a big speed boost from the previous model and supported Apple Intelligence—but that was for a $500 tablet. At $349, it’s a no-brainer. BUY iPad mini at Amazon Best of all, you’re not stuck with the minimum configuration. If you want more storage or another color, you’ll find nearly every configuration is $150 off. So go grab one before Cyber Monday ends at midnight.

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Apple Glasses could be next year’s most attention-grabbing product
Apple has plenty of software and service launches coming in December, but new hardware products likely won’t arrive until next year. Among the company’s rumored 2026 products, there’s one that’s sure to earn a lot of attention: Apple Glasses. more…

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Instantly share photos, videos, links and more with AirDrop
If you want to know the fastest and easiest way to send someone photos, videos, files and so, so much more, you should know how to AirDrop. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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