Chance Miller

Apple has officially updated the App Store Guidelines to comply with the injunction handed down yesterday in its legal case with Epic Games. According to the new App Store rules, “there is no prohibition on an app including buttons, external links, or other calls to action” in the United States.

During today’s earnings call with analysts, Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed the company’s delay of its more personal Siri features that were announced as part of Apple Intelligence last year. Cook assured analysts that the company is “making progress” on shipping these features to consumers…

Benjamin and Chance react to the huge developments in the Epic vs. Apple case, with Apple now compelled to allow free rein links out to the web, with no commission. Also this week, we get our best look yet at the super-slim iPhone 17 Air, there are intriguing rumors about iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, and Apple quietly launches a bizarre new microsite on its website. 

And in Happy Hour Plus, understandably, Chance gives up on Mac support for HomePod audio output. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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As we inch closer to the release of the iPhone 17 in September, Apple is ramping up its supply chain production. According to a new report from Digitimes today, Apple and its supply chain partners recently completed the Engineering Validation Test (EVT) process for the iPhone 17 lineup…

Last year, a rumor suggested that the iPhone 17 Pro might have a more durable and anti-reflective display technology. As it turns out, that might not be the case after all…

Apple’s Beats brand brought the iconic Beats Pill back from the dead last summer. Now, the company is refreshing the lineup with two new colors for Beats Pill shoppers: Navy Blue and Blush Pink.

Another interesting tidbit from today’s announcement from Beats is that the new Beats Pill is its best-selling speaker. The company says that Beats sold more Beats Pill (2024) units in the first nine months since launch compared to all past Beats Pill launches.

Apple is preparing another leadership shakeup, this time for its secretive robotics team. Bloomberg reports that Apple is shifting its robotics team from AI chief John Giannandrea to John Ternus, its Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.

This move comes just a month after Apple removed Siri from Giannandrea’s oversight after Tim Cook “lost confidence in the ability” of the former Google executive to “execute on product development.” Siri is now led by Mike Rockwell, the creator of Apple Vision Pro, who reports to software boss Craig Federighi.

Benjamin and Chance reflect on the history of the Apple Watch on its ten year anniversary. Also, the EU slaps Apple with its first ever fines under the DMA. Rockwell is said to already be making waves with big Siri leadership changes, and Chance appreciates the flexibility of modern Photographic Styles.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin dives into the bizarre UI world of the five-levels-deep iCloud+ settings screen. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook is being pressed for information on his collaboration with the Trump administration surrounding tariffs. In a letter sent today, Senator Elizabeth Warren said that Cook’s work with Trump “creates the appearance of impropriety.” This comes after Warren and other senators questioned $1 million donations made by Cook and others to Trump’s inauguration fund in January.

“The circumstances surrounding Apple’s exemptions raise fresh concerns about influence-peddling by huge well-connected corporations, and their ability to gain special favors from President Trump,” Warren wrote.

iOS 18.5 is the next software update coming for iPhone users. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s new in iOS 18.5 and when it will be released. Plus, what comes next…

In February 2022, a hostage situation unfolded at an Apple Store location in Amsterdam when a gunman demanded a $227 million ransom in cryptocurrency. The hostage and other Apple Store visitors escaped the situation safely, while the gunman died from injuries sustained when he was hit by a police vehicle.

Netflix subsequently announced its plans to create a thriller based on the situation, called iHostage, which debuted this week.

As part of the production of iHostage, Netflix recreated the Amsterdam Apple Store from scratch – and has shared a behind-the-scenes video of what that process entailed.

While Apple has delayed some of the most ambitious Apple Intelligence features, the company isn’t shying away from promoting the ones that have shipped to iPhone users. In a new ad that debuted today, Apple promotes the “Clean Up” feature in the Photos app.

For the vast majority of people, CarPlay is a must-have. Apple’s in-car experience provides a vastly superior infotainment experience than most options from carmakers. There’s quick access to your favorite apps, integration with Siri, seamless connectivity, and more.

Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks for making sure you’re getting the most out of your CarPlay experience…

Over the week, the Trump administration announced a set of exemptions for its tariffs imposed on products imported into the United States from China. The exemptions cover product categories like smartphones and laptops, giving Apple a huge reprieve for the iPhone, Mac, and more. In comments earlier this week, Trump bragged about how he “helped” Apple with these exemptions.

A new report from The Washington Post dives into the inner workings of the Trump administration, particularly as they relate to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Benjamin and Chance talk about the news and rumors of the week, including a report that iPadOS 19 will gain Mac-like productivity and multitasking features, the claim that Tim Cook is laser focused on beating Meta to AR glasses, and there’s profiles about some of the internal management dysfunction in the AI groups. Also, Apple has kicked off a rare sales promo at its stores in celebration of Earth Day.

And in Happy Hour Plus, Benjamin used public EV charging for the first time this past weekend, and hit a rather unfortunate snag. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join.

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Following the release of iOS 18.4 earlier this month, iPhone users reported several different connectivity problems with CarPlay. Now, Apple has released iOS 18.4.1, which includes a fix for at least one of the reported CarPlay problems…

Apple released iOS 18.4.1, and in addition to CarPlay bug fixes, the update also patches two security vulnerabilities that Apple says were actively exploited in the wild. The security fixes are also included in macOS Sequoia 15.4.1, tvOS 18.4.1, and visionOS 2.4.1.

Alongside iOS 18.4.1, Apple has released updates for the rest of its platforms today as well. These updates include macOS 15.4.1, tvOS 18.41, and visionOS 2.4.1.

Apple is out with a pair of new ads highlighting the MacBook Pro today. The ads are part of the “Mac does that” campaign and focus on the MacBook Pro’s nano-texture display and all-day battery life.