Are new Macs on the way? Here’s what Apple is releasing in April
Macworld The biggest Apple event in April is definitely the company’s 50th anniversary. We have a lot of features related to the event, which took place on April 1. Other than the possibility of some M5 Mac refreshes, there’s not much else expected in April. The OS 26.5 updates will continue their beta tests, with a small chance of going into wide release late in the month. But we no longer expect any sort of Siri overhaul until the OS 27 releases later this year, leaving precious little in the OS 26 updates. There will be new Apple TV shows and Apple Arcade games, of course. But when it comes to new hardware, again, all eyes are now on WWDC in June rather than April or May. New hardware releases Though they were announced in March, the AirPods Max 2 only started to ship at the start of April. The new model takes the existing AirPods Max hardware (including the same colors) and upgrades the audio processor from the H1 to the H2, bringing with it some new features and improvements to noise cancellation. However, there’s a lot of other hardware still rumored to arrive in the first half of 2026, any of which could arrive this month: M5 Mac mini: Apple updated its M4 laptops to M5 processors, but its desktops still run M4 chips. The Mac mini is already low on stock or sold out everywhere, so it’s probably first in line to get an update. M5 Ultra Mac Studio: Now that the Mac Pro is retired, the Mac Studio takes the crown as Apple’s fastest and most powerful desktop Mac. Apple is expected to update the current model with an M5 Ultra chip, which will bring a significant performance boost over the M3 Ultra. That might not arrive until WWDC, though. M5 iMac: Like the other desktop Macs, the iMac also still has an M4 processor. However, Apple has skipped iMac generations before, most recently with the M2, so it’s possible it doesn’t get an update until the M6. Other products are seemingly close to release, but are waiting on the new Siri: a new Apple TV 4K, new HomePod mini, and a smart home hub many are calling “HomePad.” All of these products are dependent on new Siri capabilities that are nearly two years late, and with all the new Siri features now seemingly bumped back to the OS 27 releases this fall, these products might sit on the back burner until the fall. Apps and software updates The beta testing period for iOS 26.5 (and other 26.5 releases) has begun, and still no sign of the new Siri, even in a limited capacity. There are very few new features in the OS 26.5 releases so far—more RCS encryption testing and support for ads in Maps—and we don’t have big expectations for the final release. It will most likely arrive in early May, though it could arrive in late April. Services Apple TV+ Here are the shows, series, and movies we expect to release on Apple TV+ in April. If you want to know what’s coming later, check our full guide to upcoming Apple TV+ content. Your Friends and Neighbors (season 2): Jon Hamm is back to rob his rich neighbors in season 2. April 3 Outcome: A dark comedy starring Keanu Reeves as a hated celebrity trying to make amends for being so awful. April 10 Margo’s Got Money Troubles: A college dropout turns to camming when she needs money for her new baby. April 15 Criminal Record: A character-driven drama set in the heart of contemporary London. April 22 My Brother the Minotaur: When a minotaur raised by humans starts dreaming of his mythical past, he sets out on a wild adventure. April 29 Widow’s Bay: A horror-comedy about a sleepy island fishing town full of superstition and curses. April 29 Apple Arcade Apple releases most Apple Arcade games on the first Friday of each month. Check our Apple Arcade FAQ for a full list of Apple Arcade games and more details on the service. Occasionally, games are released with no forewarning, but you’ll usually see next month’s releases listed in the Coming Soon section. Dredge+: An absolutely fantastic Lovecraftian horror fishing game. April 2 HYKE: Northern Light(s): Top-down 2D pixel are RPG. April 2 My Very Hungry Caterpiller+: A colorful early education game for kids. Date Unpacking+: A simple cozy game in which you unpack boxes to set up and decorate rooms. April 2

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Deals: M5 Pro MacBook Pro up to $284 off, Apple Sport Bands for $15, Powerbeats Fit, Nomad iPhone 17 cases, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by the most affordable new 2026 M5 Pro MacBook Pro at $149 off (Amazon all-time low, or $284 off open-box) alongside another shot at $300 clearance price drops on M4 MacBook Air. We also have official Apple Watch Sport Bands at just $15 Prime shipped today, Amazon all-time lows on Apple iPhone 17e Cases, the Beats Powerbeats Fit at up to a massive $127 off, and Nomad leather iPhone 17 Pro/Max cases at 20% off with a FREE screen protector. Head below for a closer look. more…

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Save $400 on 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro with 20C GPU, 1TB SSD this weekend
Amazon is blowing out M4 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro inventory this weekend, with a staggering $400 discount on the upgraded spec with a 20-core GPU and 1TB SSD.Save $400 on a blowout 14-inch MacBook Pro with 20-core GPU - Image credit: AppleShoppers on the hunt for the greatest MacBook Pro savings can snap up a $400 discount with a closeout deal on the last-gen M4 Pro 14-inch model with multiple upgrades.Buy 14" M4 Pro/24GB/1TB for $1,999 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple cheaped out on the iPad charger: Best options
Here's why Apple's iPad charger is bit rubbish — way underpowered for the job. There are much better options. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Scott Forstall among many former Steve Jobs-era Apple execs at Apple Park this week
One year after becoming Apple CEO in 2011, Tim Cook made waves by firing Scott Forstall, a top lieutenant to the late Steve Jobs. Thirteen years later, Forstall and several other former Steve Jobs-era Apple executives were spotted at Apple Park. more…

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U.S. economy added 178,000 jobs in March, well above expectations
The U.S. Labor Department on Friday reported that employers added 178,000 jobs in March. That figure was well above the expectations of… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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When you’re about to hop on public Wi-Fi, do this before logging in
Lock down your devices with a VPN and a password manager with the FastestVPN & Security Lifetime Bundle bundle for just $39.99. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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CarPlay got two brand new apps this week that are big iPhone hits
CarPlay has been around for so long that it’s rare to see brand new apps debut from big-name companies. The most noteworthy CarPlay apps have typically been on the platform for years already. But this week, CarPlay got two brand new apps that are big iPhone hits: ChatGPT and Google Meet. more…

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Apple's iPad is still showing the world how to do tablets, 16 years later
The iPad was mocked at launch, has been threatened by rivals throughout, and yet still remains the best-selling tablet ever made, 16 years after it first shipped to customers on April 3, 2010.It's easy to name alternatives to the iPad, you could be here all day listing myriad Android tablets. But it's impossible to name even one true iPad competitor.For after all of these years since it launched, and after all of the rival devices that have launched after that moment, there isn't any one tablet that sells enough on its own to compete with the iPad. Its competition is the mass of cheaper rivals, which is not to be ignored, yet none of them have come close to the success of the iPad.The closest is surely the Microsoft Surface, but if that's the best and the best-known rival, it doesn't appear to be doing all that well. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Today in Apple history: ‘Magical’ first iPad debuts in stores
On April 3, 2010, Apple’s first tablet hit store shelves after months of anticipation. The first iPad quickly became a major success. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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∞ The Dalrymple Report: Ear Monitors and Apple at 50
Dave and I are back and this week we talk about Future Sonics Ear Monitors, how they sound, where they came from and why they are so important for your hearing. We also talk about Apple's 50th birthday. Such an incredible story of a company that changed the world, with so many different products. Follow this podcast Brought to you by: Squarespace: Check out squarespace.com/DALRYMPLE to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code DALRYMPLE. Show Notes: Future Sonics Ear Monitors Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference returns the week of June 8 Apple rings opening bell at NASDAQ Apple celebrates its 50th anniversary with special animated homepage Apple’s special 50th anniversary merch for employees Chris Espinosa, featured by New York Times Paul McCartney Blazes Through Career-Spanning Set at Apple Park for 50th Anniversary Celebrations When Steve Jobs came back to Apple Shows and movies we're watching Surface, Apple TV Launch of the Artemis II space craft Sinners, HBO

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Apple at 50, Siri, Apple Vision Pro, and vibe coding, on the AppleInsider Podcast
Apple has marked its 50th anniversary, although arguably a year too soon but we'll get into that, plus there's good news for users of the Apple Vision Pro, hopeful news about Siri, and bad news for certain vibe coders, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.Looking back at Apple's history — image credit: AppleThe fiftieth anniversary celebrations are, quite reasonably, marking the half century since the partnership of Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, was founded on April 1, 1976. But the Apple we know today, the corporation, was created in 1977.It seems unlikely that Apple will do another round of parties and events, but we'd be up for it if they did. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Top 8 clean setups: Great cable management pays off
Untangling cord spaghetti may seem tedious, but the result? Glorious. Take tips from the best cable management we've seen in setups. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Top 8 clean setups: Great cable management pays off
Untangling cord spaghetti may seem tedious, but the result? Glorious. Take tips from the best cable management we've seen in setups. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Is Apple One worth it for you?
Apple offers a broad range of services nowadays, ranging from Apple TV to Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, and more. In addition to those individual services, Apple offers an a compelling Apple One bundle where you get access to different subscription offerings at a discount. Is Apple One worth it? Here’s what you need to know. more…

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Apple at 50: Michael Spindler, the CEO who brought in the clones
He's Apple's Chief Operating Officer who became the CEO — but he's not Tim Cook. Instead, this was how Michael Spindler replaced John Sculley, and made himself ill trying to save the company in the 1990s.Apple CEO Michael Spindler — image credit: AppleMichael Scott was the first Apple CEO, brought in by Mike Markkula, who became the second CEO when Scott was shown the door. Markkula was then responsible along with Steve Jobs for recruiting John Sculley, until he was also shown the exit sign.But while it was Sculley who made Spindler Chief Operating Officer, and then it was the board that made him CEO, Markkula was again behind all of this. It was Markkula who recruited Spindler to join Apple in September 1980. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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'The Bonfire of the Vanities' series headed to Apple TV
Maybe the third time is the charm. Writer/producer David E. Kelley is adapting Tom Wolfe's "The Bonfire of the Vanities" novel into a series for Apple TV, with "The Batman" director Matt Reeves.Apple TV is dramatizing "The Bonfire of the Vanities" — image credit: AppleDavid E. Kelley is still best known for "The Practice" and "Ally McBeal" shows, but he's also the writer of Apple TV's "Presumed Innocent" and "Margo's Got Money Troubles." Now according to Deadline, he's dramatizing Tom Wolfe's famous 1987 novel of greed and Wall Street money.Not to spoil the story, but as excellent as it is, Wolfe's novel feels as if it fades out rather than have a big finish, which has made it difficult to successfully adapt. It was filmed in 1990, with Tom Hanks starring and Brian DePalma directing from a screenplay by Michael Cristofer, but that was a flop. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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The Tim Cook era: Apple’s most important products from 2016-today
Macworld On April 1, 1976, three visionaries decided to start building computers at a humble, California-based garage. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak took care of marketing and hardware, while Ronald Wayne briefly assisted with administration. Success was far from guaranteed at the time, and Apple Computer Company had to undergo multiple evolutions before earning its current status as the most influential corporation. And it’s not even close to slowing down. In the last 10 years alone, Apple has put out one of the most dramatic iPhone redesigns, a couple of groundbreaking gadgets, plus a ton of other advancements in tablet and desktop computing. Here’s a look at the most noteworthy products released between 2016 and today: September 2016: AirPods Roman Loyola/IDG When Apple made the controversial decision to remove the headphone jack from the iPhone 7, it created a problem that needed a solution. The wireless AirPods were more than that. While they were the butt of more than a few jokes after their debut, AirPods popularized the wireless earbud format, pushing rivals to develop their own copycat models. Apple has since rounded out the lineup with the higher-end AirPods Pro and over-ear AirPods Max, along with tight ecosystem integrations, including Hearing Protection, Spatial Audio, Find My, and other handy perks that contribute to their undeniable popularity. September 2017: iPhone X Foundry Everyone knew something big was coming at the 2017 iPhone event, but no one was prepared for Apple to reinvent the phone again. To mark the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, Apple unveiled the iPhone X with a “One more thing” announcement, and it was worth the fanfare. The revolutionary redesign did away with the classic Home button and thick bezels and made way for Face ID, gesture navigation, and the first Liquid Retina display with rounded corners and an edge-to-edge aesthetic. The iPhone has been through numerous updates since the iPhone X’s unveiling, but the impact of the all-screen design and multi-touch navigation continues to be felt across all of Apple’s product lines. September 2018: Apple Watch Series 4 Apple In 2018, the Apple Watch Series 4 debuted, featuring the first major design overhaul. The smartwatch offered larger size options and a sharper display with rounder corners and slimmer bezels.  But the biggest chance wasn’t the design. The Apple Watch Series 4 leaned heavily into health, with a new electrical heart rate sensor, the first ECG sensor, Fall Detection, the ability to detect Atrial Fibrillation, and other fitness enhancements. The Apple Watch Series 4’s design still feels fresh today on the SE 3, and its focus on wellness is on full display on the latest Apple Watch Series 11. October 2018: 3rd-gen iPad Pro Foundry When the first iPad Pro arrived in 2015, it was basically a larger version of the iPad we already knew. In 2018, it came into its own with a transformative design upgrade.  Smaller, skinnier, and drop-dead gorgeous, the 3rd-gen iPad Pro was the start of a years-long tablet redesign that dropped the Home button, slimmed down the bezels, and adopted the iPhone X’s Liquid Retina display. Apart from the all-screen look, the iPad Pro also adopted the universal USB-C port and introduced the Apple Pencil 2, which magically attached to the top edge when charging. October 2020: M1 Macs Jason Cross/Foundry 2020 was the year that changed everything for the Mac. While Apple had been through processor changes before, the Mac’s transition from Intel chips to Apple silicon wasn’t a mere chip upgrade. The shift unlocked higher power and efficiency levels, making Macs significantly more reliable and efficient, and dramatically boosting performance and battery life.  Apple launched the M1 chip in three existing Macs—the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini—to showcase its raw power. But it wasn’t just speed—Apple silicon also introduced support for iOS apps on the Mac and made it easier for developers to optimize their iPhone apps for the Mac. Today, M chips can also be found in higher-end iPads, unlocking unrivaled capabilities in impossibly thin tablets. April 2021: AirTag Foundry Despite its small size, the launch of the AirTag in 2021 had a remarkable impact on how we keep track of our personal belongings. For just $29, any iPhone user can find the exact location of a tagged item—as long as another Apple user is in its vicinity. Thanks to a network of billions of iPhones, the Find My network is the most reliable of its kind, outdoing third-party solutions like Tile and others.  Countless stories have been shared about how AirTag was able to locate misplaced baggage while traveling, stolen cars, bikes, wallets, and even pets. It may not be the fanciest Apple product, but it has certainly been one of the most valuable introductions of the past decade. June 2023: Vision Pro David Price / Foundry After years of rumors, Apple finally kick-started its spatial computing era with the Vision Pro. Announced at WWDC 2023, the headset utilizes several cameras and sensors to 3D-map and analyze users’ surroundings. It then generates a virtual reality where users get to pick the level of immersion.  With visionOS, users can place floating app windows and widgets anywhere in their view, turning any room into a large digital canvas. While its $3,499 price tag has barred most iPhone users from even considering buying one, the Vision Pro gives us an early glimpse of Apple’s vision for the future of computing. March 2026: MacBook Neo Foundry Perhaps the most recent impactful Apple release of the past 10 years is its newest: the low-cost MacBook Neo. Starting at $499 for students and educators, this MacBook is the cheapest, most accessible laptop Apple has ever made.  While some power users will naturally complain about its A18 Pro iPhone chip, the device isn’t for them. It’s Apple’s first laptop made for switchers, students, and kids who need a reliable machine for web browsing, checking emails, handling documents, and light photo or video editing. Given Apple’s established reputation and the MacBook’s premium build, Neo is bound to disrupt the affordable laptop market for years to come. This is part five of a five-part series exploring 50 years of Apple product releases. You can catch up on anything you missed here: (1976-1985; 1986-1995; 1996-2005; 2006-2015).

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Who’s in Apple’s top 10? Here’s the full list of the most influential people of all time
Macworld April 1 marks Apple’s 50th anniversary, a milestone it couldn’t reach without the help of some very talented people. So we decided to put together a list of the 50 people who made Apple the company it is today. Some worked there for just a year or two; others for almost the entire half-century, while others never actually worked for the company at all. But all influenced Apple’s journey in some profound way. This is all, of course, deeply subjective. It is very unlikely that every reader will agree with the author’s selections, far less with his rankings. Which is fine, we welcome the conversation. Our only rule is that if you complain about someone’s exclusion, tell us who you would cut to make room. We’ve reached the top 10: What did we get wrong? Drop us a message on Bluesky or Threads. 50-41 50. Katie Cotton Apple PR legend Katie Cotton joined Apple in 1996, shortly before the return of Steve Jobs, and worked closely with him for the next 15 years. For better or worse, she was instrumental in shaping the company’s communications strategy and famous culture of secrecy, fiercely controlling Apple’s portrayal in the press. As we wrote upon her retirement in 2014, she “largely turned public relations on its head.” Cotton sadly passed away in 2023, but like Jobs himself, her legacy lives on in Apple Park.

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Enough looking back, what do Apple’s next 10 years look like?
Macworld It’s unusual for a major technology company to not only survive and grow for a half century, but to steadily increase its cultural relevance and market dominance. A lot of time has been spent this week looking back at the last 50 years and the products, people, and events that make Apple special. It naturally leads one to ask: What about the next 50 years? Honestly, it’s impossible to predict. Even the most respected futurists and prognosticators have all been proven wrong, time and again, when trying to guess what the world will be like in half a century. Nobody predicted the technology landscape of 2026 back in 1976. But we can at least look forward 10 years. A decade feels like an eternity in tech, but it’s a horizon we can at least see from here. Out with the old guard Apple has gone through a number of leadership changes over the years, but executive turnover has been relatively low lately. The next decade is likely to be different. By the time 2036 rolls around, the Apple Leadership page is going to look very different. Tim Cook has been rumored to be on the verge of retirement for a while, likely to be replaced by hardware chief John Ternus. Maybe that will happen in a year, maybe two, or three, but no way does Cook go another 10 years without retiring. Apple’s John Ternus could be the next CEO once Tim Cook retires.Apple/Youtube That will mean a new CEO and a new Senior VP of Hardware, but there are a number of other executives who are likely to make their exit as well: Services and Health VP Eddy Cue is 61 and has been with Apple since 1989. Software boss Craig Federighi is 57 and worked at NeXT, joining Apple when it was acquired, then left, before coming back again 17 years ago. Greg “Joe” Joswiack, who replaced Phil Schiller as marketing VP in 2020, is 62 and has been with Apple since 1986. COO Sabih Khan just replaced Jeff Williams last year, but is 60 and has been with Apple since 1995. Retail chief Dierdre O’Brian is also 60 and has been with Apple since 1988. Chip architect Johny Srouji is 62 and has been at Apple since 2008, when he joined to lead development of Apple’s first in-house system-on-chip, the A4. In other words, most of the key players at the top of Apple’s org chart are going to be 70 or older in 2036 and will have been with the company for decades. Smart money says most will retire before Apple’s 60th anniversary. Nobody can really tell you what this wholesale change in Apple leadership, from the CEO down, is going to mean for the direction of the company. Apple has cultivated a strong corporate culture, but new leadership always comes with changes in priority and process. The iPhone still reigns supreme The tech media is always looking for the next big thing, and is quick to proclaim that we’ll all be using some totally different gadget in just a few years. In reality, it takes a long time to shift the habits and preferences of billions of people. Software and services can move quickly. Social media took over society in record time. AI is spreading like wildfire. But hardware is slower. Facebook was so sure that we’d all be strapped into VR headsets all day that it bought Oculus for a whopping $2 billion. That was 12 years ago, and VR is still a niche technology. Laptops overtook desktops as the dominant computing platform 20 years ago, and both are still used every day, with hundreds of millions of sales per year. Apple will surely enter new product categories over the next decade, but the iPhone will still reign supreme.Apple So yes, Apple will introduce new hardware. Smart glasses. A cheaper Vision headset. All sorts of smart home accessories, from robotic hubs to cameras and more. Some might even sell very well. But the iPhone will remain at the center of the Apple universe. Its form factor will evolve—some will fold (horizontally or vertically), the camera bump will change size and shape, the button layout will get tweaked, and the holes in the screen for cameras will move and resize. In a recent interview, Tim Cook said, “The iPhone is going to be around for a very long time. There’s so much left we can do with the iPhone. And I think it’s going to continue to be the center of people’s digital lives.” Spatial Computing stalls When Apple announced Vision Pro, it coined a new buzzword for AR/VR experiences: Spatial Computing. At the time, Tim Cook hailed it as the next step, the next evolution of personal computing after desktop, laptop, and mobile. Then, generative AI blew up and everything changed. The fact is, even without the pivot to AI, spatial computing is sort of a solution in search of a problem. Mixed reality is great for consuming entertainment, sports, or playing games. It’s a lot less useful for all the everyday tasks that we use our MacBooks and iPhones for. Like transparent displays, VR/AR is one of those things that looks cool in the movies but doesn’t quite hold up in real life. Spatial Computing has a long way to go before it hits the mainstream.Foundry I’m sure if you walked through the Apple offices in Cupertino, I’m willing to bet you’d would find that the vast majority of employees are not at their desks with Vision Pro headsets on. If it delivered a real productivity boost, even a small one, Apple employees would all be wearing them while working. We haven’t seen any evidence of that. Apple will get better at VR. Lower-cost headsets will come in the next decade, and the software will get better. But Spatial Computing will still be something that people do on the side, primarily as a way to consume and not create. At best, these Vision products will end up like iPads: a popular secondary device you use when you want to do specific things or escape for a while. AI software begets AI hardware The real growth category for Apple will be AI-powered hardware accessories. Apple, like every tech company, is investing heavily in a wide variety of AI initiatives and partnerships. Right now, none of it is great. Eventually, some of these bets will pay off, and Apple’s AI will stop being a joke and start being a real strength. But Apple doesn’t want to sell software, really. It was to sell things that run Apple’s software. That’s much harder to compete with at Apple’s level and a lot more profitable. That’s how Apple’s AI future is really going to manifest: in new AI-first products. Apple intelligence will surely spawn a variety of new products over the next 10 years.Foundry Apple will likely start simple, with new smart speakers and cameras that can recognize what they’re looking at in order to trigger actions. Privacy will be Apple’s selling point: processing done on-device, or in special cloud infrastructure that minimizes data collection. But before the decade is out, Apple will introduce real assistants. Siri with an actual personality. A tabletop display/camera/speaker on a robotic arm that moves and gestures like it’s alive. Perhaps the most successful “AI accessory” Apple sells will be smart glasses, which could show up in its first iteration as soon as next year. As opposed to more complicated, difficult, and expensive augmented reality glasses that have to integrate 3D graphics into the space around you, smart glasses have either no display or a “heads-up display” fixed in place in front of you. Like the Meta Ray-Ban glasses, but with Apple design, branding, software, and services, and Apple’s reputation for privacy and security. Apple will profit from selling a variety of AI-first devices, but more importantly, they’ll make the lock-in effect to the Apple ecosystem stronger than ever. A whole category of products that exist as a medium to interact with advanced AI and other Apple services–that’s Apple’s next big growth area. What Apple won’t do Just as important as looking at what Apple is going to do and change in the next decade is considering where things will stay the same. Services, for example, will expand as expected. Particularly in Health, though it wouldn’t surprise me to see a paid AI service from Apple, or a bigger subscription play in sports. But major new service initiatives into areas in which Apple isn’t already involved–like when the company launched a streaming TV service–are probably not in the cards. Apple’s services expansion will be in existing areas of focus, from tools for creative professionals (hello, Apple Creator Studio) to music, TV, health, maps, sports, and news. Apple probably won’t figure out how to do games over the next 10 years.Foundry Apple still won’t figure out premium gaming. The iPhone will dominate mobile gaming, of course, but Apple doesn’t know or isn’t willing to do what it takes to make the Mac a popular gaming device, or the Apple TV box, or anything else that relies on a steady stream of day-one AAA titles. Apple doesn’t “get” gaming, and there’s no sign that it’s about to. The company will also not change its stance on its draconian control over its software ecosystem. Every ounce of freedom that users get to use Apple’s products the way they want, to run the software they want, paid for the way they want, will be gained under duress. Developers will get to make and distribute software without Apple’s explicit blessing only under court order. Apple considers the ability to develop and sell software for its products to be a gift it benevolently bestows upon the world, and that attitude isn’t going to change in 10 years. And despite the increasingly important role of social networks in society, Apple won’t start its own. Trading in personal information is anathema to the company’s values, and even though Apple’s meager official social media presence will increase a lot in the next decade, it won’t ever run its own service. Apple can still surprise us A lot of what Apple will get up to over the next decade has already been telegraphed, through interviews, leaks, and product roadmap so predictable that relatively minor changes, like a cheaper MacBook, are hailed as massive company shifts. But Apple can still surprise us. The touchscreen Mac we all thought would never happen now appears to be on the way. MacBook Neo could be the start of a series of Apple “budget” products—real budget products, not the iPhone “e” line that still costs twice what a budget smartphone does. Apple is not exactly a surprising company. Innovative, but rarely first. But ten years is a long time, and plenty of time for something new to come out of left field. After all, five years ago nobody was even thinking about generative AI, and now the entire tech industry, including Apple, is spending unlimited money, power, water, and other resources to cram it into everything. The most surprising change in Apple over the next ten years will probably come from a global shift that nobody is even aware of yet.

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