Apple was ready for the RAM crisis
Macworld Over the decades, the evolution of computers has been easy to follow: They’ve become steadily more powerful to keep pace with the need for more advanced applications. We’ve seen computers equipped with faster processors, more storage, and, most of all, more RAM. This trend has accelerated even further recently, with companies pushing on-device AI capabilities into their devices, and Apple is no exception. However, the increasing demand for RAM is having another effect on the market. While once plentiful and affordable, RAM is more expensive than ever, and it’s becoming harder to get, even at exorbitant prices. But instead of dealing with constraints by upping prices, Apple is showing the industry how its years-long effort to control every component inside its devices has given it a unique advantage over every other PC maker, clearly evidenced by the recent launch of the MacBook Neo. The importance of RAM in today’s world First, let’s take a closer look at why RAM or memory is so important. Essentially, RAM is a type of short-term memory with ultra-fast speeds, much faster than SSDs. When you open an app on your phone or laptop, it’s stored in RAM to ensure that the processor can handle it more quickly as you continue to use it. That’s why, generally speaking, having more RAM means your devices can run faster, enabling more apps and tasks to operate at the same time without slowing down. As such, RAM has also become extremely important for artificial intelligence. Since RAM is much faster than internal storage, devices also store AI parameters in RAM for quicker access. In other words, the more and faster the RAM, the greater the device’s ability to handle AI tasks locally. That’s why AI companies have been buying up as much DDR5 RAM, the same that’s used in Apple devices, as they can for their servers. It’s also why we’ve seen consumer desktops and laptops gaining more RAM in recent years, including Apple, which only recently increased the base RAM for Macs to 16GB and the iPhone and iPad to 8GB. The AI boom has put more pressure on chips to increase RAM limits.Apple More RAM isn’t a viable option anymore For years, the strategy of adding more hardware resources to handle software demands was a simple solution to complexity. But as modern workloads have become increasingly memory-intensive in recent years, suppliers have been unable to keep up with demand. As a result, RAM has become much more expensive, and PC makers have been forced to shift their strategy. The situation became so dire that Apple had to discontinue the highest-end Mac Studio with 512GB of RAM, while other versions with higher amounts of RAM are also facing significant shortages. And it’s hard not to conclude that the timing of the Mac Pro’s discontinuation wasn’t tied to the RAM crisis as well. The RAM crunch has also been affecting the 16GB Mac mini, which is currently sold out at the Apple Store and unavailable at Amazon. Higher-end models with more memory are severely constrained as well. This situation would (and has) put tech companies in a bind. They need better hardware to meet the growing demand for AI tasks, but there simply isn’t any more RAM on the market. Fortunately for Apple, it had already found the solution years before. Apple chips were made for a RAM-scarce world In theory, there’s no way to simply replace RAM with something else. However, Apple has found the next best thing: a way to optimize both its hardware and software to run smoothly even on devices with the bare minimum of RAM. When Apple introduced the first Mac with the M1 chip, it wasn’t a mere swap from Intel to its own chips, but also a radical change to how its computers work. That’s because Apple silicon chips are classified as a system on a chip, which means key components, including the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, SSD, and even the RAM, are all on the same pool, sharing the same resources. And that makes a big difference in everyday use. The M-series chips have a complete package right on the chip.Apple Thanks to the SoC’s unified memory, all components can quickly access the same data without having to copy it between different modules. This drastically reduces latency and improves performance when running resource-intensive tasks without needing loads of additional memory. At the same time, Apple leverages its hardware and software integration to further optimize memory usage. For instance, macOS features a very aggressive memory compression system that significantly reduces the amount of RAM used by inactive apps running in the background. The chips also utilize something called “memory swapping.” Admittedly, this isn’t a term Apple invented, but nowhere else is it used so seamlessly thanks to the way Apple silicon chips are designed. If your Mac runs out of RAM, the system can temporarily store memory data directly on the SSD. Because both the RAM and the SSD are connected to the same SoC, data transfer is nearly instantaneous, allowing the computer to run smoothly even when you’re using all available RAM. When it comes to AI, the built-in Neural Engine also helps macOS process machine learning parameters and tasks, freeing up RAM. Essentially, this makes a Mac with 8GB of RAM feel like it has twice that. While pro users will still need more, which Apple happily sells, the MacBook Neo proves once and for all that for everyday users, 8GB of unified memory delivers much more than the same 8GB of RAM in a traditional PC laptop. The ‘RAM tax’ is already here The timing couldn’t be better. In March, Apple introduced its most affordable laptop ever, the $599 MacBook Neo, while the rest of the industry struggles to stay afloat due to the RAM crisis.  Microsoft recently announced significant price increases for the Surface lineup, with some flagship models now costing $500 more than they did at launch due to increased costs for memory and other components. For instance, the 13-inch Surface Laptop now starts at $1,149 with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM. That’s $50 more expensive than the base 13-inch MacBook Air model with similar specs. Unlike the MacBook Neo, Microsoft doesn’t even offer an option with 8GB of RAM. The MacBook Neo arrive at a time when PC makers are raising prices.Foundry Meta also recently raised the prices of its Quest headsets by up to $100. The company likewise blamed the “global surge in the price of critical components.” Apple isn’t immune to price increases for components, of course. The M5 MacBook Air, which was introduced last month, is in fact more expensive than the M4 model, starting at $1,099 with 512GB of storage rather than $999 with 256GB of storage. Still, it’s unlikely Apple has any plans to change the MacBook Neo’s starting price of $599 anytime soon. That, of course, is because Apple has established that an entry-level Mac can run just fine with only 8GB of RAM thanks to its system-on-chip architecture. And even in the higher-end models, Apple silicon chips are so efficient that Apple is under less pressure to keep raising baseline RAM—and prices—as aggressively as competitors. Even with just 8GB of RAM, the MacBook Neo performs better than PC laptops with twice the memory.Eugen Wegmann Efficiency will become a growing priority As expected, Apple’s competitors finally seem to be catching on. Last month, Microsoft pledged to improve the quality of Windows with a series of improvements that will make Windows faster and more reliable by scaling back AI and freeing up RAM for other parts of the system, which should definitely improve performance on less powerful devices. Whether by coincidence or not, the announcement came about a week after Apple unveiled the MacBook Neo. Apple isn’t reacting to this shift. It’s already there. Not because Apple devices don’t benefit from more RAM, they absolutely do, but because they rely less on memory specs to deliver a consistent experience. It’s no longer just about how much RAM a device ships with, but how well it uses every gigabyte. Apple might not have designed the M1 chip with a RAM shortage in mind, but all this technology is now proving more useful than ever. This gives Apple a significant advantage over its competitors, who are unable to achieve the same level of integration with separate parts.

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AirDrop is now widely available on Android phones, and I’m here for it
We can argue endlessly about how innovative Apple is as a company, and indeed many people do. Personally, I would argue that some of its greatest innovations have been in the seemingly smallest of features, and AirDrop is one of these. AirDrop is a really simple and convenient way to move a document from one of our Apple devices to another, as well as to exchange files and information with other iPhone users. The introduction of NameDrop in iOS 17 was a particularly great application of the tech in my view … more…

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John Ternus faces critical decisions on iPhone pricing and US manufacturing – FT
Incoming Apple CEO John Ternus is going to be facing two critical decisions soon after he takes the helm, says a new Financial Times report. First, how to respond to a massive increase in memory prices, with Apple’s RAM costs increasing by more than 400% by next year. Second, how to shape the company’s manufacturing plans across China, India, and the US … more…

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Sorry, Intel’s new chip won’t help PCs beat MacBook Neo
Macworld The MacBook Neo has shaken up the affordable laptop market, with PC manufacturers trying to figure out what they can do to compete with Apple’s laptop. One way is to offer better performance with a cheap processor, and Intel’s latest chip appears to do just that. TweakTown reports that benchmark results are appearing for Intel’s new Wildcat Lake Core Series 3 CPU, a chip designed for affordable mobile devices. In PassMark’s multi-thread test, the Wildcat Lake Core 5 320 chip was 21 percent faster than Apple’s A18 Pro, a chip released in September 2024 and used in the MacBook Neo. In single-thread results, the Intel and Apple chips were basically the same. So, it looks like PC makers have another viable chip offering–TweakTown calls Wildcat Lake’s performance “particularly impressive” compared to the MacBook Neo. On multi-thread performance alone, Intel’s new CPU makes good progress catching up to Apple’s older chip. “Impressive” is a bit much, in my opinion, for a difference that is slightly noticeable in real-world usage, but still, it shows that Intel has responded to Apple’s threat. While performance is an important consideration when buying a cheap laptop, there are other factors that PC makers at this price point still haven’t figured out how to compete on. Most notably, PC laptops in this market (even some priced several hundred dollars more than the Neo) are made of plastic, which, apparently and mind-bogglingly, some PC users actually prefer over aluminum, environmental concerns be damned. And the build quality of these laptops, with their creaks, stiff hinges, and flimsiness, makes the MacBook Neo feel downright luxurious. You’ve also got battery life. MacBook Neo’s 16-hour battery life might pale in comparison to the Air and Pro, but it’ll still comfortably get you through a school day. PC laptops, on the other hand, are notoriously inefficient, especially when not plugged in, so it’ll be interesting to see how long the first crop of Wildcat Lake Core 5 320 laptops lasts. I’m gonna guess not great. Then there’s the whole Windows versus macOS thing that, well…the debate is an old one. But I’ll just say, if you like spending time figuring out how to strip out bloatware, ads, and other grossness from your new laptop’s operating system, then Windows 11 is for you. While you’re doing that, I’ll be doing real work on my MacBook Neo.

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Apple’s biggest win last week made the fewest headlines
Macworld There was big news from Apple’s boardroom last week. As you know, Tim Cook’s getting kicked upstairs and John Ternus is going to assume the mantle of Apple CEO. But that’s not the news I’m talking about. The other big news is that Johny Srouji is being named Chief Hardware Officer. Nobody outside of those who follow Apple or the chip industry closely has ever heard of Srouji. (For that matter, they hadn’t heard of Ternus, either.) But this is not a minor executive promotion. The fact that Apple made the announcement simultaneously with Cook’s departure and Ternus’s elevation shows that. Srouji’s promotion–and more importantly, retention– is vitally important for Apple. The importance of Apple silicon Calling Srouji the “father of Apple silicon” doesn’t go quite far enough, but it’s a good start. Apple began using the phrase “Apple silicon” to refer to Macs running Apple-designed M-series processors, but the Apple silicon story goes all the way back to the 2010 launch of the first Apple-designed processor, the A4, which powered the iPhone 4 and the original iPad. Srouji led the team that designed the A4, and has led Apple’s chip efforts ever since. Through the decade of the 2010s, it became clear that one of Apple’s enormous advantages in the smartphone market was that it designed its own processors. Because Apple creates its own chips for its own products, it’s able to make decisions about the specs and features of those chips that fit perfectly with the plan for the products they’re going to be used in. (Contrast this with companies that have to buy off-the-shelf chips from vendors like Intel and Qualcomm, where the chips are designed to appeal to a broad selection of clients. Every Apple chip is made for specific Apple products, and that’s it.) Johny Srouji led the development of the A4 in the iPhone 4.Caspertheghost/Wikipedia Apple being able to dictate the features of its own chips might be an advantage enough, but it turns out that Apple’s chips were also faster than the competition. A lot faster. Every summer, Qualcomm would release a new chip that they would boast about, offering performance similar to iPhone chips. Then, in September, Apple would introduce a new iPhone powered by a chip that offered performance that would blow Qualcomm away. In the most dynamic and profitable tech market, the smartphone, Apple basically lapped the competition. Next up, Apple used the iPad Pro as a testing ground to see if it could scale its phone-class processors to provide the kind of power that might drive a full-on computer. In 2018, Apple introduced an iPad Pro powered by the A12X processor, which scaled up the processor cores to create a much more powerful device–a hint of things to come. It followed that up with the 2020 introduction of an iPad Pro powered by the A12Z processor, which Apple explicitly boasted was more powerful than most PC laptops currently being sold. In hindsight, that was one of Apple’s biggest tells ever. Are you getting it yet? Apple silicon is powerful enough to run full-on computers, not just iPads and iPhones! And with the release of the M1 later in 2020, the prophesy was fulfilled. Apple’s advantage on smartphones and tablets has become Apple’s advantage, well, everywhere. (Even in low-cost laptops, as it turns out.) Keep Srouji happy! This brings us back to the man in charge, Johny Srouji. Apple’s chip efforts have gotten a lot of notice in the industry. Key members of the team left Apple to create their own startup, which was in turn bought by archrival Qualcomm. Srouji is in his early 60s and may be considering one last big career move before retirement. Apple’s hardware won’t be where it is today without Johny Srouji leading the way.Apple Amid all of that, Srouji’s longtime boss, Tim Cook, started planning his departure. One of Srouji’s peers at the Senior Vice President level, John Ternus, was going to be the new CEO–Srouji’s boss. I don’t know anything about the personal relationships between these people, but it’s human nature to react a bit negatively to the prospect of losing your longtime boss and having him replaced with someone you see as your peer. This transition, necessary though Cook feels it is, put Srouji’s standing at Apple at risk. This is almost certainly the reason why Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in December that Srouji was considering leaving Apple. That report seemed like a real red alert, because–see above–Srouji is the leader of one of Apple’s strongest groups, providing it advantages across its entire product line. Gurman’s report said that Srouji “recently told Cook that he is seriously considering leaving in the near future,” but it’s not hard to read between the lines and assume that, in a moment of change, Srouji was pondering how much Apple valued his contributions. Two days later, Srouji released a designed-to-leak memo to his staff, saying he didn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. Here’s what obviously happened. Cook and Ternus, like everyone else, recognized Srouji’s importance to Apple and offered him a new role. And in this case, the role–becoming Apple’s Chief Hardware Officer–was one that seems to have satisfied Srouji. (He’s the first person to be in charge of that entire group since Bob Mansfield retired in 2012.) With Ternus becoming CEO, his entire hardware division has been handed to Srouji. It’s an enormous portion of the company, and it belongs to Srouji now. Srouji now seems to have gotten what he wants. The next question is, how will Ternus’s former division respond to their new manager? Gurman reports that Srouji has a “hard-driving approach” and that the hardware division is in for a “cold shower.” Look, different managers have different styles. Conflicts are inevitable. Srouji’s new division will need to adapt to him, and he’ll need to adapt to them. Ternus will no doubt be well aware of how the transition in his former division is going, and Srouji reports to Ternus. They’ll all need to work it out, and change can be difficult, but in the end, it can also be refreshing to be guided by some new perspectives. The most important thing is that, in a moment of transition that could have had some brutal side effects, Apple has retained one of its top players. I’m looking forward to seeing what Johny Srouji will do with an even larger portion of Apple as his responsibility.

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These MacBook refurbs are only $290
Macworld TL;DR: Get a MacBook Air while they’re under $300. Affordable MacBooks are hard to find right now, but it’s not impossible. If you need a reliable computer that can handle the basics, check out this refurbished 2020 MacBook Air. The grade “B” refurbished rating means it only shows very light wear, but the price still dropped from $999 down to $289.99. This MacBook Air runs on a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz, paired with 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. That combination is powerful enough for everyday tasks like web browsing, video streaming, document work, and light productivity without issues, but you might struggle if you try more demanding work like video editing. The SSD keeps app launches and load times quick, and the 8GB of RAM is enough to keep several apps running at the same time without things slowing down. The 13.3-inch Retina display has True Tone technology, which adjusts color temperature based on ambient light for more comfortable viewing in different settings. Touch ID handles logins with a single fingerprint, and the backlit Magic Keyboard makes typing comfortable in low-light environments. Battery life is rated at up to 11 to 12 hours for typical use, enough to cover a full workday without having to track down a charger. A USB-C power adapter is included in the box. It’s only $289.99 to get a MacBook Air, but that won’t last much longer. Apple MacBook Air (2020) 13″ i3 1.1GHz 8GB RAM 128GB SSD (Refurbished)See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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App Store policy must change as Epic convinces US Circuit Court to reverse stay
Apple will have to comply with previous mandates as it takes its fight with Epic Games back to the Supreme Court, so expect App Store changes soon.Epic's '1984' ad depicting Apple as Big BrotherThe Apple vs Epic saga is years long and could easily fill a book at this point, but it hasn't ended yet. The latest update comes after Apple won a stay against enforcing App Store changes as it appealed the Supreme Court.That stay was short-lived, as Epic immediately appealed the stay and 9to5Mac shared that it has won. The US Ninth Circuit Court has reversed the stay it placed on enforcing a mandate that would require Apple to change how it charges developers for external purchases. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Court reverses pause on Epic Games ruling ahead of Apple’s Supreme Court bid
Epic Games just convinced the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to reverse a prior decision that temporarily paused enforcement of a ruling requiring Apple to loosen certain App Store rules while it sought Supreme Court review. Here are the details. more…

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First two episodes of Widow’s Bay now available on Apple TV
Widow’s Bay, Apple’s newest horror-comedy starring Matthew Rhys (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, The Post) is now available to stream on Apple TV. Here’s what to expect. more…

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Keychron Q1 Ultra 8K review: mechanical keyboard performance multiplier
There seems to be no ceiling for mechanical keyboards and the Keychron Q1 Ultra 8K is proof. It features an all metal build, wireless options, ZMK, 8KHz polling, and layer after layer of foam.Keychron Q1 Ultra 8K reviewKeychron continues to pump out new keyboards at a breakneck pace. The Q1 Ultra 8K is the latest model to sit at the top of Keychron's lineup, replacing the Max.I've reviewed a lot of Keychron's keyboards, and with the exception of the unique Q3 Pro SE, I believe the Q1 series is my favorite layout. I love that it has all the keys I need while remaining compact yet dense. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Vibe coding platform Lovable now available for iPhone
Lovable, one of the most widely used AI-assisted programming tools, launched an iOS app that creates web apps based on natural language prompts and even voice-based interactions. Here are the details. more…

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Three Apple TV series land six Gotham Television Award nominations
"Pluribus," "Margo's Got Money Troubles," and "Mr. Scorsese" have all been nominated for Gotham Television Awards, which could contribute to Apple's growing trophy cabinet.Apple TV gets six nominations across three propertiesApple TV debuted in 2019 with a handful of exclusive, original shows and films. While it took some time for it to gain momentum, it is regularly celebrated across the awards industry.The latest nominations come from the Gotham Television Awards, which will be held on June 1. Three Apple TV shows received six nominations total. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple TV scores six Gotham Television Award nominations, here’s the list
Just days after picking up several nominations for the 2026 Peabody Awards and the News & Documentary Emmy Awards, Apple celebrated today another six nominations across three of its original series for the 2026 Gotham Television Awards. Here are the details. more…

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Apple Vision Pro Used In World-First Cataract Surgery
Apple's Vision Pro has been used in what's described as the world's first cataract surgery performed with the headset. MacRumors reports: [New York opthalmologist] Dr. Eric Rosenberg of SightMD completed the initial procedure in October 2025 and has since performed hundreds of additional cases using ScopeXR, a surgical platform he co-developed for Apple's mixed reality device. ScopeXR streams live feeds from 3D digital surgical microscopes directly into the Vision Pro, which lets the surgeon view the operative field in stereoscopic 3D while overlaying preoperative diagnostic data. The platform also supports real-time remote collaboration, allowing surgeons to virtually join procedures and see exactly what the operating surgeon sees. "We are now able to bring the world's best surgeon into any operating room, at any hour, from anywhere on the planet," said Dr. Rosenberg in a company press release. "From residents performing their first cases to surgeons facing unexpected complications, this technology democratizes access to expertise and that will save vision." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Write a book in minutes with this AI-powered publishing tool
Aivolut Books lets you turn an idea into a cohesive, Amazon-ready book in minutes. Get a lifetime subscription to the AI book generator. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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UBS boosts Apple price target to $287 ahead of earnings
Apple investors have reason to feel encouraged today. As the tech giant prepares to report its Q3 2026 earnings on April 30, UBS has raised… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple Vision Pro used for hundreds of cataract surgeries in the last year
The Apple Vision Pro continues to prove its potential in the medical field, with the headset now seeing use for cataract surgeries in New York.The Apple Vision Pro has proven to be a useful tool for cataract surgery.Priced at $3500, the Apple Vision Pro was never going to be a hit consumer product. Still, Apple's spatial computing device has found limited success in the healthcare industry, a market the company had in mind from the get-go.Surgeons have praised the Apple Vision Pro for its high-resolution images and ergonomics. The headset has been used in all sorts of medical and surgical procedures, including colonoscopies, a shoulder arthroscopy, and it's now even proven to be useful for cataract surgeries. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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California bid to curb Big Tech self-preferencing fails after Apple-backed lobbying blitz
A California bill aimed at stopping trillion-dollar tech companies from favoring their own products has failed after an intense opposition campaign. Here are the details. more…

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iOS 26.4 gave CarPlay two new features, with another big one coming
iOS 26.4 recently gave CarPlay two new features, while also laying the groundwork for another big upgrade coming soon. more…

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‘Widow’s Bay’ is Apple TV’s weirdest, boldest series yet – Collider
“Widow’s Bay” is a quaint island town 40 miles off the coast of New England. But something lurks beneath the surface. Mayor Tom Loftis… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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