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- Friday October 24
- 10:30 amThe iPad Pro has finally fulfilled its destiny, with a little help from the M5
Macworld It’s not quite right to say that for the first five years of its life, the iPad was an iPhone (or an iPod Touch) with a really big screen meant to be a lean-back consumption device. After all, the very first iPad shipped with a productivity accessory in the form of the Keyboard Dock. But ten years ago, Apple got serious. It shipped the very first iPad Pro, and began a decade-long conversation about whether the iPad could be used for work and even whether or not it was a computer. Today, the M5 iPad Pro and iPadOS 26 have settled a lot of old scores. But it’s been a long, strange journey from “Hey Siri” day in San Francisco to now. A big screen and accessories What made the original iPad Pro was its size and its collection of accessories. Though Apple would later add a smaller model, the first iPad Pro had a 12.9-inch diagonal screen, providing more space than ever before on an iOS device. What can you do with all that space? Shortly before the iPad Pro shipped, Apple shipped iOS 9, which added iPad multitasking for the first time in the form of Slide Over and Split View. Yes, it would take a decade for Apple to toss that approach entirely away and start again with iPadOS 26, but the ability to run two iPad apps at once, on that big screen, was a big deal. The other thing you can do with an iPad that’s bigger than ever before is attach a keyboard to it, and so Apple introduced the Smart Keyboard alongside the iPad Pro. By today’s standards, it was rudimentary–a thick multi-fold case with membrane keys and no trackpad. In fact, at the time, I felt that you’d be better off just using a case and a Bluetooth keyboard when you wanted to write on the iPad! But the most important thing about the Smart Keyboard is that it existed. Its existence meant that Apple felt that toting around a keyboard and using an iPad as an almost-laptop was an endorsed use case. It mattered. The other iPad Pro accessory introduced a decade ago was the Apple Pencil. Yes, today it’s easy to look at that original model (with its Lightning plug hidden underneath a cap!) and think about how far we’ve come. But the Apple Pencil was a game-changer. For years, artists had gravitated toward the iPad as a way to be freed from PC graphics tablets and work anywhere, at any time. This led to a cottage industry of styluses that tried to emulate the iPad’s finger-sensing touchscreen. They worked, to a degree, but it couldn’t be clearer that it was a use case Apple just didn’t endorse. Thiago Trevisan/Foundry The Apple Pencil changed everything. It allowed precision input on the iPad for the first time, with low latency. Not only were all the artists who had struggled to work on the iPad rewarded with a product designed just for them, but it also showed that Apple wanted the iPad to be used as a professional tool for those who make their living by holding a pencil (or equivalent). I’m someone who hates writing by hand, but the Apple Pencil even changed how I work. That’s because the Pencil didn’t just support drawing, but (after a few software updates) supported driving the iPad’s entire interface. I discovered that I loved using the Apple Pencil to edit podcasts. Using thoughtful iPad apps like Ferrite Recording Studio made even an inveterate stylus-hater like me into a true believer. The Apple Pencil is a great way to drive all sorts of apps. There’s nothing like it on any of Apple’s other platforms–and it all started with the iPad Pro. New sizes and changes Over the years, the iPad Pro and its accessories have evolved in numerous ways. For the last five years, the Magic Keyboard has provided iPad users with not just a keyboard, but full-on mouse pointer support. (It’s hard to even remember the Mouse Wars, but there was a time when saying that a pointing device might be useful on an iPad was controversial!) The Apple Pencil has also gotten better, with magnetic on-device charging and improved precision. And the iPad Pro itself has never been more impressive. Since the dawn of the Apple silicon era five years ago, it’s been powered by the same chips found on Macs. (You could argue that two special iPad Pro chips, the A12X and A12Z, were the testbed for the M series.) At this point, there’s no performance difference between a MacBook Air and an iPad Pro, because they generally run the same chips. And the tandem OLED iPad Pro display introduced in 2024 with the M4 model is legitimately the best display on any iPad, Mac, or iPhone, ever. The biggest change in the iPad Pro over the last decade has probably been where it sits within the iPad product line. The original iPad Pro started at $799–pricey! Today’s large iPad Pro starts at $1299… but there’s another option. The iPad Air is now basically what the iPad Pro used to be. (The large model even starts at the same price, $799.) The iPad Air supports the Apple Pencil Pro and a Magic Keyboard and offers a pretty great value… just without that OLED display with ProMotion, Face ID, ProMotion, and a few other niceties. The iPad Air is for a different audience than the iPad Pro, but it supports Apple Pencil and can do a lot of the same things.Britta O’Boyle In a decade, the iPad product line has progressed to the point where the iPad Air can possess a load of features that debuted in the iPad Pro in a lower-priced, “mainstream” iPad. Meanwhile, the iPad Pro itself has shot into the stratosphere, with cutting-edge processors and an outrageously good display, not to mention the thinnest body in any Apple device ever. Where the iPad Pro goes next is anyone’s guess, but it’s hard to deny that it’s changed the perception of what iPads are capable of. And thanks to the numerous multitasking upgrades in iPadOS 26, it feels like the iPad’s software has also embraced all the possibilities an iPad Pro offers. It took a little too long, I think. But a decade on, it feels like today’s M5 iPad Pro is fulfilling the original model’s destiny. Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5, 2025) Price When Reviewed: $999 Best Prices Today: $999 at Amazon$999 at Apple$999 at Apple United States Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (M5, 2025) Price When Reviewed: $1,299 Best Prices Today: $1,249 at Amazon$1279 at B&H£1299 at Apple10:09 amLog your weight in Apple Health quickly and cheaply with this iPhone-compatible smart scale | 9 to 5 MacLog your weight in Apple Health quickly and cheaply with this iPhone-compatible smart scale
After my last WiFi-enabled smart scale broke and refused to connect to the Internet anymore, I sought something simpler and cheaper to replace it. The old scale had all sorts of fancy service integrations that I never used. I just wanted something that would track my weight and report the measurements to the Health app on my iPhone. The Eufy C20 smart scale is what I landed on and I’m very happy with it — and it’s pretty cheap too. Here’s how it works … more…09:15 amApple removes the Tea women’s dating app from the App Store, citing data breaches, privacy concerns | PowerPageApple removes the Tea women’s dating app from the App Store, citing data breaches, privacy concerns
Following a significant amount of hype this summer and three serious data breaches, Apple has pulled the women’s dating safety app Tea from the App Store, citing that the app had failed to meet requirements that mandate content moderation and user privacy. The app, which is designed to protect women, has been effectively removed from […] Source09:00 amWest Virginia launches support for Digital IDs in Apple Wallet app
You can now use your digital ID in Apple’s Wallet app and on your Apple Watch to prove your identity in West Virginia. As of Thursday, the feature is available to residents of West Virginia. To set it up, open the Wallet app and tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner. Next, select […] Source08:07 amMacworld Podcast: M5 MacBook Pro review
Macworld Apple has released a new laptop, the M5 MacBook Pro. In this episode of the Macworld Podcast, we take a look at it, talk about our impressions, and whether it’s worth buying or not. Tune in and find out more! This is episode 956 with Michael Simon, David Price, and Roman Loyola. Watch episode 956 on YouTube Listen to episode 956 on Apple Podcasts08:00 amSave $186 on Microsoft Office 2019 for Mac
Macworld TL;DR: Lock in forever access to productivity apps with a $42.99 Microsoft Office 2019 lifetime license for Mac (MSRP $229). Why pay $120+ to Microsoft 365 every year just to use Word and Excel? Unless you’re one of the few people that actually enjoy the spontaneous updates and AI integrations, it’s smarter to grab an Office lifetime license while they’re 81% off. While it isn’t the latest version, Office 2019 includes every staple app: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote at one of the greatest prices available today. And, unlike Microsoft 365, you’ll never have to worry about renewals or additional fees after the inital purchase. Once you buy it, you’ll receive your digital license key and download link instantly, so you can install the suite and start working in minutes — no waiting for a box to arrive or dealing with complicated setup. At just $42.99, this Microsoft Office lifetime license pays for itself in under five months. Start saving today before codes sell out (MSRP $229). Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for MacSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.05:23 amOpenAI acquires ex-Apple Shortcuts team to supercharge ChatGPT for Mac
OpenAI has acquired a startup founded by former Apple engineers behind Workflow — the app that became Apple Shortcuts. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)02:23 amBen Stiller’s touching documentary about his parents now available on Apple TV
Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, Ben Stiller’s documentary about his parents, is now available on Apple TV. Here’s what to expect. more…02:02 amApple decries ‘intense lobbying,’ threatens to turn off App Tracking Transparency in Europe | 9 to 5 MacApple decries ‘intense lobbying,’ threatens to turn off App Tracking Transparency in Europe
In a statement to the German Press Agency, Apple claimed that it may have to turn off App Tracking Transparency in Europe as a result of “intense lobbying efforts”. Here’s why. more…01:33 amYouTube video player redesign & new icons roll out to Android, iOS
Following the announcement last week, the video player, icon, and app-wide redesign is now widely rolling out to YouTube for Android and iOS. more…01:24 amHow iCloud backups helped expose a mob-and NBA-linked poker cheating scandal
Digital evidence stored in iCloud played a key role in exposing a multistate poker-rigging scheme tied to organized crime and NBA players. Here's how, and what evidence was uncovered.iCloud data helps crack NBA and mob poker schemeFederal investigators used photos and data stored in iCloud accounts to uncover a multistate poker-rigging scheme involving NBA players and organized crime. Prosecutors said the group relied on modified shuffling machines and subtle signals to manipulate high-stakes games across state lines.The iCloud data included imagery of key evidence such as an X-ray table used to rig poker games, several DeckMate shufflers disassembled to show their circuit boards, and a computer program that tracked information from the altered machines, reports The New York Post. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our ForumsThursday October 2310:29 pm9to5Mac Daily: October 23, 2025 – A20 chip rumors, more
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 Backblaze: Never lose a file again. Use code “9to5daily” at checkout for 20% off or try for free. more…10:23 pmPrice drop: Use OpenAI to find hot stocks to invest in
Build an optimized portfolio, track performance and fine-tune your investments with a lifetime subscription to this AI investing app. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)10:19 pmApple warns Europe could force it to turn off key privacy feature
Apple may be forced to disable its app tracking transparency feature in Germany and other European countries amid regulatory scrutiny and industry lobbying.Apple may have to turn off its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature in Germany and other European countries. The company says regulatory pressure and lobbying from the advertising industry could force the change, affecting how users control app tracking.ATT is a feature that gives users the option to control whether or not an app can track them across the internet and services. Unsurprisingly, many users take advantage and select "ask app not to track" when prompted."Intense lobbying efforts in Germany, Italy and other countries in Europe may force us to withdraw this feature to the detriment of European consumers," Apple said in a statement seen by DPA International, first spotted by MacRumors. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums10:08 pmWith new acquisition, OpenAI signals plans to integrate deeper into the OS
The acquired firm was working on a tool to control macOS directly with AI.10:00 pmApple Loses Landmark UK Lawsuit Over App Store Commissions
A UK tribunal ruled that Apple abused its dominant position by charging app developers unfair commissions through its App Store, potentially costing the company hundreds of millions in damages. It marks the first major tech "class action" victory under the UK's collective lawsuit regime. Reuters reports: The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled against Apple after a trial of the lawsuit, which was brought on behalf of millions of iPhone and iPad users in the United Kingdom. The CAT ruled that Apple had abused its dominant position from October 2015 until the end of 2020 by shutting out competition in the app distribution market and by "charging excessive and unfair prices" as commission to developers. Apple -- which has faced mounting pressure from regulators in the U.S. and Europe over the fees it charges developers -- said it would appeal against the ruling, which it said "takes a flawed view of the thriving and competitive app economy." The case had been valued at around $2 billion by those who brought it. A hearing next month will decide how damages are calculated and Apple's application for permission to appeal. "This ruling overlooks how the App Store helps developers succeed and gives consumers a safe, trusted place to discover apps and securely make payments," an Apple spokesperson said. Read more of this story at Slashdot.09:31 pmCounterpoint: Mac shipments up 15% in Q3, nearly double overall PC growth
A new report from Counterpoint Research shows Apple outpacing the overall PC market in sales growth during the third quarter. Here are the details. more…09:15 pmNew Dual Knit Band helps Apple Vision Pro feels noticeably lighter on your head
Apple's new Dual Knit Band delivers a more comfortable fit for Apple Vision Pro users. It features upper and lower straps that are 3D… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.09:03 pmThe M5 MacBook Pro runs hotter than the M4 it replaces
Macworld The M5 MacBook Pro is a nice upgrade over the M4 model it replaces, offering significant boosts in graphics and SSD speed, but it also comes with an increase in operational chip temperature. While testing the new MacBook Pro against the old, Vadim Yuryev of Max Tech found the gains that the M5 offers, but also showed that the new chip runs hotter and consumes more energy than the M4. Yuryev shows that during more intensive tasks, such as during CInebench’s 3D rendering test, the M5 has to throttle its performance to manage its temperature. The fan–both laptops have only one fan– runs much faster on the M5, too. Yurvey also uses a thermal camera to see the hot spots for each laptop, and notes that the M5 MacBook Pro runs at a temperature a little higher than the M4. Is the higher running temperature a problem? Not necessarily. The system does a good job of handling the chip so it can maintain a certain performance level and operate safely. But what it does show, as Yuryev points out, is that the one-fan design of the M5 MacBook Pro isn’t optimal and that a second fan or a different cooling implementation would better serve the chip. It feels like the M5 has the potential to do more with better cooling. Why didn’t Apple do that? Probably because of cost. The M5 MacBook Pro is Apple’s entry-level pro machine that starts at $1,599. The Pro and Max variants, meanwhile, start at $1,999 and come with a second fan. The M5 variants of those chips will likely arrive next spring. Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5, 2025) Read our review Price When Reviewed: $1,599 Best Prices Today: $1,584 at Amazon | $1599 at Apple | $1599 at Apple United States08:48 pmApple amongst US tech giants backing Trump's White House ballroom reno
Apple is among the major tech companies donating to fund President Trump's 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom that demolition has already started for, a project the President says will be privately financed.Apple CEO Tim Cook and President Donald TrumpApple is among several prominent tech companies that have made donations to help fund President Trump's ballroom project. Apple was found among the usual suspects, including tech giants Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft.The proposed ballroom will come in at an impressive 90,000 square feet. Trump has stated that the project will cost "about $300 million," although the administration had previously suggested a budget of $200 million. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums