Today in Apple history: Apple moves into Bandley 1, its first custom HQ
On January 28, 1978, Apple occupied Bandley 1, its first custom-built office, at 10260 Bandley Drive in Cupertino, California. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Is Creator Studio Apple’s Trojan Horse Into Adobe’s Market?
Apple’s new Creator Studio bundles pro-grade tools into a low-cost subscription, changing how creators approach paid software. It won’t displace Adobe overnight, but it could expand the market by lowering the barrier to entry. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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Apple TV has acclaimed London crime thriller coming back soon
Apple TV has been ramping up its slate of crime thrillers recently, and it just set the release date for season 2 of the acclaimed show Criminal Record. Here are the details. more…

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Expect strong iPhone 17 demand, AI talk in Apple's Q1 results call
Wall Street is still underestimating Apple's prospects for 2026, with Wedbush's Q1 forecast expecting discussion about iPhone 17 demand and the AI landscape to dominate Thursday's analyst call.Apple's early promotion of a contextual Siri upgrade - Image Credit: AppleOn Thursday, Apple will be releasing its first-quarter results and holding its usual conference call with analysts. One day before those expectedly huge results arrive, Wedbush has provided its own analysis on the financial side of Apple.For the results itself, the note to investors seen by AppleInsider put Apple as bringing in revenue of $136.68 billion for the quarter, up from $124 billion last year. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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How to upload your own music to Apple Music
If there’s a live concert recording or indie song you want in your library, you can upload custom music to Apple Music really easily. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple Creator Studio now available for $12.99/month or $129/year
Apple Creator Studio, a collection of creative apps designed to put studio-grade power into the hands of everyone, is now available… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple showcases Final Cut Pro upgrades in Apple Creator Studio bundle
Apple showcases Final Cut Pro upgrades in the Apple Creator Studio bundle via the work of rising director and choreographer Kyle Haragami. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Why buy a Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold when you can get all this Apple gear instead?
Macworld While the world waits until September for Apple to unveil its first folding iPhone, Samsung is taking its own folding ambitions to new heights with the Galaxy Z TriFold, a multi-folding phone that opens to a 10-inch tablet. It’s definitely an impressive device. Less than 4mm thick when unfolded, it’s got a 6.5-inch cover display, a triple camera system with 3X optical zoom, a 5,600mAh battery, and super-fast 45W charging. It’s also got a commensurate price tag: $2,899. Apple may have a reputation for luxury prices, but Samsung’s premium devices aren’t exactly cheap. The Galaxy S25 Ultra costs as much as an iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the super-skinny S25 Edge rivals the iPhone Air. Even the cheap S25 FE is still about the same as an iPhone 16e. It sells a $1,499 tablet. You can quibble over the specs, of course, but Samsung’s premium devices are hardly bargains.   So we expected its new TriFold phone to cost a lot. After all, its regular folding phone starts at $1,999. But $2,899 is a shockingly high price for what is essentially a fancy phone. How high? Consider you could buy these Apple products for the same price: M4 MacBook Air: $999 iPhone 17: $799 iPad: $349 Apple Pencil USB-C: $79 AirPods Pro 3: $249 Apple Watch Series 11: $399 Total: $2,874 And that’s at full MSRP. Shop at Amazon or Best Buy, and you can save enough to buy an Apple TV 4K and a 4-pack of AirTags, too. (Though you’ll still need to kick in a few hundred bucks to get an Apple Vision Pro.) When Apple’s folding iPhone arrives in September, it won’t be cheap. It might even be more expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold7. But Samsung fans probably shouldn’t throw any stones.

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Pages, Keynote, Numbers get iOS 26 updates, here’s everything new
Pages, Keynote, and Numbers have just been updated for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The updates adopt a Liquid Glass design and add new features, including many that are exclusive to Apple Creator Studio. more…

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Apple Creator Studio launches today, and it’s an incredible value
Two weeks ago, Apple announced its brand new Apple Creator Studio bundle, offering its suite of creative apps for a single subscription. Apple Creator Studio is set to launch today, and the first reviews and impressions have hit the web. Head below for a full roundup. Apple has also published a new press release highlighting how creators are using the new Final Cut Pro features. more…

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Snag a 13-inch M4 iPad Pro for $399 off with a near-mint deal you can’t miss
This refurbished 13-inch M4 Apple iPad Pro costs just $899.99 while inventory lasts. It packs plenty of power and gorgeous hardware. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Strong iPhone sales expected to power record Christmas quarter for Apple
Apple is set to report its strongest iPhone sales growth in four years on Thursday - and likely the company's best quarterly revenue to date… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple Creator Studio review: Incredible value for most creative pros
The new Apple Creator Studio bundles the company's flagship creative software in a monthly subscription package for the first time. It's a great value, assuming you haven't bought most of them individually.Apple Creator Studio bundles six professional apps in one subscriptionThe iPhone maker has been creating pro creative software for decades. It hasn't been without missteps, though.I've been testing Creator Studio for the past couple of weeks, and so far, it's been a positive experience. Most of the core apps are the same, and Apple has just built upon them with a series of new features and a semi-optional updated pricing model. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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A brief note about one more AirTag 2 difference
It’s been a long time coming, but the AirTag 2 finally launched this week with improved Precision Finding, a longer Bluetooth range, and a louder speaker. It’s otherwise almost exactly the same as its predecessor, but one more difference has been found, and you may want to take note … more…

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Moral low ground: App Store is rife with AI 'nudify' apps
While Grok faced most of the heat in the AI porn backlash, Apple isn't doing itself any favors by allowing dozens of "nudify" apps to stay in the App Store.AI nudity apps are a problem for the App StoreAI-generated porn has become a hot topic. Elon Musk's X is still under fire for allowing its chatbot Grok to edit pictures of people to look like they are naked, and churn out child porn.Though X and Grok received the most attention, Apple is also perpetuating the issue affecting innocent women and children by not dealing with apps doing the same thing in the App Store. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Mac malware is sneaking into some sponsored Google ads
Certain sponsored ads on Google have been trying to lead users on to faked Apple support pages that try to get the user to use the Terminal and install malware on Macs.Malware illustration — image credit: AppleInsiderWhere most malware attacks require a user to download and launch an app, researchers at MacKeeper have demonstrated how a number of sponsored Google ads are providing another route for bad agents.Specifically, during the company's research, searching for the term "mac cleaner" led to some sponsored ads that appeared to be at legitimate addresses such as business.google.com. A user following those links, though, can be taken to a site that has been designed to mimic Apple's support pages. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Listen to the AirTag’s remixed new chime
Macworld The AirTag was announced earlier this week, and as I wrote at the time, it seemed like an opportunity had been missed to properly rethink the product. As announced, the speaker is louder, the effective tracking range has increased, but very little else seems to have changed. But skeptics are sure to change their tune, literally, when they test out the AirTag’s updated sonic capabilities. An early purchaser has posted a comparison of the new and old chime to Twitter/X and, unheralded by Apple, the alert sound has moved up the musical scale from an F to a G. (Being away from my piano, I verified this using Virtual Piano.) The rhythm and tempo of the chime remain the same: a little flourish, followed by three sets of seven notes. You can clearly hear the higher pitch in the recording, but the increased power of the speaker is not really discernible, although those with better ears may disagree. ← AirTag (1st generation) chime→ AirTag (2nd generation) new chimeThe chime has changed from the note "F" to the note "G".「ファ」から「ソ」の音に変わっています。#AirTag pic.twitter.com/yheHAC6YJU— Karagana🐦 (@Krgn1002) January 28, 2026 It’s not clear why those 21 notes have changed from an F to a G. There could be a scientific reason, since higher notes tend to be easier to discern (or harder to ignore) for various anatomical and evolutionary reasons. But going up by a single note surely wouldn’t make much of a difference in that regard, and it could just be a product manager’s whim, or the usual urge to create a detectable difference between otherwise identical generations of a product. It could just be a way of showing off that you’ve got the latest AirTag, in other words. The new AirTag is available now. Retailer Price $29 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket

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Identity, Data Security Converging Into Trouble for Security Teams: Report
A new Netwrix report warns that converging identity and data security, combined with AI-driven automation, is expanding attack surfaces and reshaping cyber risk, insurance, and defense strategies. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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As 37 US states respond to Grok CSAM problem, Apple really needs to act
At least 37 attorneys general for US states are responding to the ongoing problem of the Grok chatbot creating child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). It follows the app being banned in two countries and investigations being opened in both the UK and EU, but both Apple and Google have so far ignored requests for them to temporarily remove Grok and X from their respective app stores … more…

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Apple pulls select iOS updates due to connectivity issues
Apple this week released an array of iOS updates, including iOS 26.2.1, iOS 18.7.4, and more. Now, however, it appears that Apple has pulled some of these new updates due to problems with network connectivity in Australia. more…

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Long-awaited 'Ted Lasso' season 4 finally gets a vague premiere date
Once the worst-kept secret in television, Apple TV is teasing the return of "Ted Lasso" for a fourth season in the summer of 2026, with a reveal of new photos from the production.New assistant coach Tanya Reynolds (left) with Jason Sudeikis — image credit: Apple"Ted Lasso" is the show that made Apple TV a hit, and from the moment it completed its "final" season, there was demand for more. Apple CEO Tim Cook was among those calling for it, and finally in 2025, star/co-creator Jason Sudeikis confirmed its return.Now Apple TV has announced an approximate air date for the new season, a window, with it committing to a summer 2026 release. While there is as yet no more precise date, Apple also shared new images from the production. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Leaker makes unlikely claim about improved iPhone 18 telephoto performance
A leaker better known for posting about Android smartphones has made a claim potentially pointing to improved telephoto performance in the iPhone 18 lineup. The combination of the vagueness of the report and the rather unlikely nature of it means there’s probably nothing to the claim, but we note it just in case there is some element of truth behind it … more…

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How to type @, #, €, £ and other special characters on a Mac
Macworld Whether you have just switched from a PC to a Mac and have discovered that the ” and @ keys aren’t where you were expecting, can’t find the euro sign, pound sign, or hash key on your Mac keyboard, or you need to type some unusual or special characters, symbols or accents for work or travel, we are here to help. In this article, we’ll describe the easiest way to type @ # € £ and other special characters such as ® © ™ Æ on your Mac. These symbols that you may find yourself needing to type again and again on your Mac, may be hidden from view, or not where you expect them to be, on your keyboard. Don’t worry though, we’ll let you know what you need to do to type them. Special character locations at a glance Character US Mac KeyboardUK Mac Keyboard€Alt/Option + Shift + 2 Alt/Option + 2 £Alt/Option + 3Shift + 3 #Shift + 3 Alt/Option + 3@Shift + 2 Shift + 2 ©Alt/Option + GAlt/Option + G®Alt/Option + RAlt/Option + R™Alt/Option + 2Shift + Alt/Option + 2°Shift + Alt/Option + 8Shift + Alt/Option + 8√Alt/Option + VAlt/Option + V Why keyboard key layouts are different The first problem is that different keyboards position certain keys in different locations, so any guide about where those keys can be found may be wrong, if your particular keyboard isn’t allowed for. Because we have an international readership we include details of where each of the special characters can be found wherever you are in the world and whether you have a Mac or PC keyboard. The location of the special characters may depend on where you are based in the world because keyboard layout differs by country, with certain characters getting more prominence on the keyboards of the people who use them more. You’ll find QWERTY keyboards for English speakers, while French speakers get a AZERTY keyboard, and Germans get QWERTZ, for example. Keyboards have completely different key layouts depending on the country, so we’ve included the location of these special keys for a variety of keyboards. Even U.S. and U.K. keyboards have a number of surprising differences in terms of key placement. Australians tend to use the American keyboard layout. Alt and Option confusion Another source of confusion is the fact that some Mac keyboards label the Alt key Option while others call the Option key Alt (depending on your viewpoint). On a Mac keyboard the key has a symbol that looks like this: ⌥ This means that some guides you will read will talk about an Option or Alt key you can’t see on your Mac. The key is one and the same. See: Where is the Option key. And if you are using a PC keyboard with your Mac the Alt key will do the job of the Option key, while the Windows key will do the job of Command, and you will no doubt be very confused. Also read: Option key secrets: Get more from your Mac with these hidden shortcuts. The alternative name for Option is Alt and everyone is confused.Foundry Where are the hidden characters on my keyboard? To type many of the special characters you are looking for you may need to press the alt or option key. So, before we begin, here is a handy overview of the hidden characters that you can type using Option/Alt. The first example is the U.S. keyboard, the second is a U.K. keyboard. If you want to see an overview of a different keyboard on your screen we’ll include the steps to see it below. The ‘hidden’ keys on a U.S. Apple keyboard.Foundry The ‘hidden’ keys on a U.K. Apple keyboardFoundry FAQ 1. How to type Euro symbol on a Mac keyboard – € On a U.S. keyboard to type euro you need to press: Alt/Option-Shift-2 = € On a U.K. keyboard to type euro you should press: Alt/Option-2 = € European keyboards give more prominence to the Euro sign, but the location of the euro key, and the combination of keys required, depends on the country. On French Apple Magic Keyboards you’ll find the Euro sign (and dollar sign) next to the return key. On German, Italian, Swiss and Spanish keyboards the euro sign is typed by pressing option/alt and the E key. Portuguese keyboards have the Euro sign on the number 3: press option/Alt and that key. For Norwegians and the Danish the euro is typed by pressing option/Alt and the number 4. And Dutch keyboards have the euro on the number 2. 2. How to type the pound sign (£) on a Mac keyboard Not only is typing a pound sign tricky because the location of the key will differ depending on the keyboard, but also the word itself has a different meaning depending on where you are. For U.K. residents the word pound represents the currency: £. However, some countries call the hashtag or hash key a pound. If you are in the U.K. the hashtag sign shares the 3 key with the pound sign (£) but on other country’s keyboards the U.K. £ sign is found elsewhere On a U.K. keyboard you need to type £ you need to press shift+3 = £ On a U.S. keyboard you need to type £ you need to press Alt/Option-3 = £ The £ key may not even be illustrated on the U.S. keyboard! On French and Swiss keyboards, the £ is found above the right-hand shift key, beside the enter/return key. Italian keyboards have the £ on the number 3, like U.K. keyboards. 3. How to type a # (hash) On a U.S. keyboard to type # you need only press Shift-3 = # On a U.K. keyboard to type # you should press Alt/Option-3 = # The hash sign on French keyboards is found to the left of the number 1. German keyboards have the hash key beside the return key. Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish and Portuguese keyboards have the hash key on number 3. Italian keyboards have the hash key (cancelletto) just above the lower right shift key. Also see: How to type a hashtag (#) on Mac 4. How to type ‘at’ – @ This @ key is a point of confusion for PC users coming to Mac keyboards because the ” key and @ key switch places. On a U.S. or U.K. keyboard you’ll find the @ key on the 2 key. You need to press Shift-2 = @. Spanish and Swedish keyboards also have the @ on the 2. On Danish, Norwegian, Portuguese, and Swiss keyboards the @ key is next to the return key, above the right-hand shift key. French keyboards have the @ sign to the left of 1. German keyboards have the @ key on L. Italian keyboards also have the @ next to the L. 5. Where is the ” key? On a U.S. or U.K. keyboard you’ll find the “ key will be down on the right where the ‘ key is located. On German, Danish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swiss, Swedish and Italian keyboards the ” key is on the 2. French keyboards have the ” on 3. 6. Where are © ® and ™ The various copyright and trademark signs can be commonly used in certain lines of work. Luckily there is an easy way to type them on a Mac keyboard. You might think that logically the Copyright sign would be hidden on the C key, but you’d be wrong. The C key is the home of various accented Cs. If you want to type a © you need to press Alt/Option and G. Alt/Option-G = © If you want to type the Registered Trademark symbol less Option/Alt and R: Alt/Option-R = ® As for the ™ how you type depends on the keyboard: On a U.S. keyboard to type ™ you need to press: Alt/Option-2 = ™ On a U.K. keyboard to type ™ you should press: Shift-Alt/Option-2 = ™ Want to type the Pi (π) symbol? We have a tutorial that explains how to do that here: How to type the Pi (π) symbol on a Mac or iPhone. 7. Where is Æ If you want to take your inspiration for children’s names from Elon Musk, who has a child called X Æ A-12, later renamed the equally odd X Æ A-Xii, you will need the illusive Æ key. If you want to type Æ just press and hold the A key. You’ll see a range of options appear in a box – just select the one you want or press 5. 8. How to type degrees If it’s getting really hot or really cold where you are you might want to tell someone. In which case a degree sign could be handy. Here’s how to type a ° Shift-Alt/Option–8 = ° 9. How to type the Apple logo  You might wonder what circumstances would cause you to need to type an Apple logo, but with Apple naming a few products with the Apple symbol if might be that you need to type TV or Watch. If you do, the key combination is as follows: Shift-Alt/Option-K Read: How to type  on an iPhone. 10. How to type a check mark or tick This is a handy one – the V almost looks like a tick or check mark, add an Option/Alt and that’s what you get. Option/Alt-V = √ 11. How to type tilde and more There are a few keys that are hidden in plain sight. We’ll mention them here just in case you are struggling to find them: ~ (aka the Tilde sign) – It’s on the left by the Shift key/ – on the right by the Shift key – on the right above the Shift key| – press shift and (beside enter/return) 12. How to type accents on a Mac keyboard If you are trying to type accents on an English keyboard if can be a bit daunting – if you are using a keyboard that’s designed for that language it will be considerably easier to type accents, for obvious reasons. To type an accented letter all you need to do is press and hold the relevant key. When you do so a menu will appear with the various accented characters to choose from.For example, if you press and hold the E key then you will eventually see this menu pop up. You can choose the version with your pointer, or by pressing the corresponding number.You’ll find accents associated with the following keys: e, y, u, i, o, a, s, l, z, c, n. 13. How to type emoji on a Mac You might think that emoji are restricted to iPhones and iPads, but they aren’t. It’s possible to access emoji on your Mac. When you are using a word processor or similar program you can press Control-Command-Space to bring up the Emoji pallet. Read our guide to using Emoji on the Mac here. How to type special characters on a Mac You may recall the Character Viewer – a tool which you could expand to find various characters to be added to text documents. It predated Emoji and since Emoji arrived it seems to have been hidden away, but it’s still there. As above, press Control-Command-Space to bring up the Emoji pallet then click on the icon in the top right of the Emoji box to bring up the Character Viewer. Here you’ll find more than Emoji: there are also Arrows, other currency symbols, Maths Symbols, and more. This is where you will find currency symbols such as ¥ ¢ ₽ ₩ ₱ ₹ ﷼ Maths symbols such as xxx ∄ ℇ ℏ ≥ ≯ ∑ √ ∱≉ There are also some pictographs that predate emoji including all of these How to see the Keyboard overview on your screen #id697a061b6f010 .jw-wrapper::before { content: "" !important; } To see the keyboard overview for any language follow these steps: If you have a symbol indicating US/UK or another language in the menu at the top of your screen (next to the spotlight icon) click on that. You will see options to Show Emoji & Symbols and Show Keyboard Viewer. Click on Show Keyboard Viewer. You can click on the Option key (the ⌥ key next to the Command key) on that overlaid keyboard to see what characters will appear when you press that in conjunction with another key. If you press the shift and option keys you will other options available to you. If you don’t see the symbol in your menu go to System Setting > Keyboards and make sure Show Input menu in menu bar is selected. A bonus is the fact that when you type with this keyboard viewer on view you will see various suggested autocomplete words that you might want to use. If you find yourself using different characters often you might like to try an app like PopChar X from Ergonis. The app makes it really easy to access the various characters that are available in the different fonts on your Mac. You can purchase it here for $29.99/£30.85. Wondering how to copy and paste on a Mac? You may also find our iPhone keyboard typing tips useful.

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iPhone 18 Pro could get a teleconverter for greater zoom
A new rumor claims that Apple is considering adding a DSLR-like teleconverter to the iPhone 18 Pro, increasing the cameras' focal length and zoom.The current iPhone 17 Pro Max's camerasPrevious rumors about the iPhone 18 Pro have included the claim that it will feature a variable aperture camera. Now a new report from leaker "Smart Pikachu" on Weibo backs up the variable aperture camera — but also introduces a totally new rumor.While the claim offers no details, it says that a teleconverter is being evaluated. That would be a kind of magnifying lens that increases the camera's focal length. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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AI is forcing me to buy a new MacBook Pro
Macworld Ever since I bought it from Apple’s refurbished store, my MacBook Pro with M1 Pro chip has served me well. But these days I’ve been thinking about upgrading it. The upcoming MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips (which could be released soon) are looking mighty tempting, and the rumors are encouraging. The main aspect is the noticeably improved performance that we should get with the new chips. Rumors suggest that GPU performance could be on par with Nvidia’s RTX 4070 graphics card, and combined with increasing support for high-end games like Cyberpunk 2077, this feels like a strong reason to upgrade. But there’s another reason that’s compelling me to upgrade sooner rather than later. I can’t help but think that this might be the perfect time to upgrade–and waiting too long could prove to be costly. Prices are exploding If you’ve been paying attention to the wider tech world in recent months, you might have noticed that the prices of computing components–particularly memory, but also storage, graphics cards, and more–are going through the roof. Apple’s Mac prices have yet to be affected by skyrocketing RAM prices, but that could all change this year.Christoph Hoffmann Many RAM sets have doubled in price or more in just a couple of months. PC users are frantically buying up stock before prices rise even further, which they’re expected to do over the course of 2026. Why the sudden panic? It’s all to do with AI. (What else?) With AI booming and companies either starting up or expanding operations everywhere you look, huge data centers are being constructed to meet the demand for AI compute. All those data centers need computing power, and that means they need memory. RAM manufacturers are switching their production processes towards the kind of high-capacity memory needed for AI and away from consumer kits, pushing prices up for ordinary users as production dwindles. In other words, AI has caused a massive shortage that isn’t expected to improve for at least a year. If this all concerns PC components, why should Apple users be worried? Well, Apple needs to buy memory for its laptops and desktops, too. What happens in PC land has a knock-on effect for Apple fans. Apple has traditionally been very good at insulating its devices against inflation. Look at the Mac mini, for example, which launched in 2005 at a price of $499–over 20 years of inflation later, it costs just $100 more. But there’s talk that even Apple will have to raise its prices in the wake of this global component shortage. And Apple has shown it’s not afraid to raise prices when global events demand it. Returning to the Mac mini, Apple pushed its price up in the U.K. after Brexit, for example, as it did with every other product it sold at the time. That means that the upcoming MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could be the last chance to get a MacBook Pro at a reasonable price for some time. And that’s a risk that’s been seriously playing on my mind. What about the 20th anniversary MacBook Pro? The M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro isn’t the only high-level MacBook we’re expecting this year. Claims have been made that by late 2026 (or possibly early 2027), a new model–the so-called 20th anniversary MacBook Pro–with an OLED display could hit store shelves. That OLED screen could give the device a massive visual boost, and it’s also rumored to come with touchscreen functionality. While I’m not a fan of touchscreen displays (I agree with Steve Jobs’ assertion that they’re “ergonomically terrible”), I’m open to being proved wrong. The M6 MacBook Pro is expected to feature several hardware changes, and a price increase seems unavoidable.Foundry The problem, though, is that this edition might come right as price increases start to bite. Throwing an OLED display into a device when memory prices are at their most extortionate seems like a recipe for sky-high costs. Which brings me back to the M5 Pro and M5 Max and their tantalizing performance. I love gaming, and I have a PC alongside my MacBook Pro for exactly that reason. While I mostly game at home on my PC, I want to be able to carry on while I’m traveling using my MacBook Pro. My M1 Pro chip has fulfilled this role well over the years, but it’s starting to show its age. Considering how well Apple’s modern Pro and Max chips perform when it comes to gaming, I’d love to be able to put them through their paces on the go with a new laptop. In an ordinary year, new chips like that could be enough to convince me to upgrade. But with the ongoing memory shortage and the threat of out-of-control price rises, that consideration has taken on a new urgency. If you’ve been considering buying a piece of Apple kit, now is the time to think very seriously about investing. No one can know for sure what will happen, but if any of the uncontrollable price rises on the PC side of the aisle are reflected in Apple’s ecosystem, things could get messy. Apple is a big company with sizeable cash reserves, and it might decide to eat some of the memory cost. But I’d be surprised if prices remained entirely unaffected. If you weren’t considering an upgrade to your Mac or other Apple kit, there’s no need to rush in and buy something you won’t need in the near future. We don’t know what the situation will look like in another 12 or 15 months. But if you’ve been eyeing an upgrade, this might be the time to make a move before it’s too late. I know I am.

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Apple reportedly takes a margin hit to keep iPhone and Mac prices flat
Memory prices are exploding thanks to the AI boom, yet Apple is apparently betting it can ride out the storm without raising prices (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple fans might want to brace for higher Mac prices this year
Macworld These early days of AI development are filled with promises, potential, excitement, hallucinations, and abominations. These early days are also costing us a lot of money, too. Take RAM, for example. Prices have skyrocketed because demand has skyrocketed, thanks to AI infrastructure needs. So far, the Apple consumer hasn’t been affected, but that could change soon. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently posted an analysis of the RAM market and how Apple could handle the situation surrounding its most important product, the iPhone. The TLDR version: Kuo thinks Apple will do what it can to “at least keep the starting price flat” for the iPhone 18 release this fall. According to Kuo, Apple may be willing to take a hit to its margins in the short term to tempt buyers as Android manufacturers increase their prices. The lost revenue could be made up through its Services division, he suggested. A few quick thoughts on Apple/iPhone memory price hikes:1. The 1Q26 LPDDR price hikes mentioned in the news are pretty close to what I’ve heard. NAND flash increases, however, are a bit lower.2. iPhone memory pricing is now negotiated quarterly instead of every six months, so…— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) January 27, 2026 Apple’s Services have been posting record quarters for some time now, and its margins are probably quite favorable for Apple (and mostly unaffected by rising component costs). So Kuo’s idea makes sense, but–stepping outside of Kuo’s analysis now–can Services revenue really grow enough to offset the increased cost? It’s hard to tell what’s going to happen, not just with the RAM market, which Kuo expects to continue throughout 2026, but with anything in the supply chain. (Kuo reports that “other components could also run short as the AI server boom continues to squeeze the rest of the supply chain.” And I’m not even considering any possible tariffs.) Even without knowing Apple’s strategy, budgets, and internal numbers, it seems like hardware price increases must happen at some point, and the Mac seems like a product where Apple could raise prices. If Apple is adamant about keeping iPhone prices flat, Macs are a big enough market to help maintain Apple’s overall profitability, but small enough so that any negative response or a decrease in sales can be absorbed in the short run. Plus, it’s the only product where RAM is sold separately, so Apple has some flexibility with pricing. It also seems like ideal timing for a Mac price increase in the second half of this year. Apple reportedly will be releasing a revamped MacBook Pro with M6 chips, OLED touchscreen displays, and a thinner design. Higher prices for these laptops won’t fly under the radar, but they would certainly be camouflaged by the dramatic product changes. So if you’re planning on buying a Mac later this year, be prepared. Or buy one now. And if nothing happens, well, then, take that cash you saved and buy yourself some new AirTags.

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Apple TV shares first look at Ted Lasso season four, airing this summer
The hit comedy Ted Lasso is (almost) back. Apple TV has announced that season four will being airing later this year. The highly-anticipated summer release sees the return of star Jason Sudeikis as Ted, Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard, Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca, Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent, and more familiar faces. In this season, Ted Lasso is set on a new mission, as coach of a women’s team. Production is still ongoing right now, but Apple is confident enough to confirm the summer 2026 release date anyway. more…

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Getting Microsoft Office for life now costs less than one year of Microsoft 365
Macworld TL;DR: A Microsoft Office lifetime license is now only $99.97. Microsoft 365 costs $99.99 per year, every year. That’s a price you’re never done paying. It might be worth it if you use all the little bonuses Microsoft throws in, but if you just want the core apps, then it might be time to switch. For $99.97 (reg. $249.99), you can get a Microsoft Office lifetime license, but this sale won’t last much longer. Get Word, Excel, and more for life This license comes with Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook OneNote The apps install directly on your computer, so you can keep working even when you are offline. You still get updates, including feature updates, without turning this into a subscription. These are the updated versions of the core set of Microsoft apps. Performance is improved, especially in Excel when you are working with large data sets or many workbooks. A modern Fluent Design interface brings a unified look across apps, with better touch and pen support and easier navigation. There are new collaboration and AI features too. Co-authoring in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint lets multiple people work on the same file at the same time. Built-in chat and comments, version history, and integration with Microsoft Teams help keep feedback and meetings tied to your documents. AI features support intelligent suggestions, natural language tools for summarizing and translating, and data analysis and visualization in Excel, along with accessibility improvements like better image descriptions. Right now, it’s only $99.97 to get a Microsoft Office lifetime license for PC or Mac. Offer ends soon. Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC Lifetime LicenseSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook 'heartbroken' after repeated ICE killings in Minneapolis
After increased criticism of his silence, an internal memo from Apple CEO Tim Cook sent to employees says he spoke with the President about the shooting of Alex Pretti and hopes for "deescalation."Apple CEO Tim CookOn Saturday, after the tragic shooting of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis, billionaires, executives, and members of the Trump administration attended a screening of the "Melania" film, including Tim Cook. The screening was seen as insensitive and observers said it should be canceled, but it wasn't, and Cook's presence and total silence on the ongoing situation increased frustrations with Apple fans.After a weekend filled with protests and continued violence in the streets of Minneapolis, many wondered if Cook and others would speak out, and finally, Cook shared his thoughts on Tuesday evening via an internal memo. While the memo isn't public, the text was shared by Mark Gurman on social media. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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