I’m under no illusions that John Ternus’ Apple will be the exactly same as it has been under Tim Cook. Initially though, there will be few, if any, changes. Ternus is not an outsider with wild anti-Apple ideas intended to wake a sleeping giant. He's been here for decades, through all the major releases that made Apple, well, Apple. Claims that he's arriving in September to revive Apple's design excellence are, if not off base, then just wrong-headed.

First of all, the argument presupposes that there is something fundamentally lacking in Apple's Industrial design: Jony Ive was obviously lighting in a bottle, and current design lead Molly Anderson is a pale, albeit also British, imitation. (Granted, Anderson has not been in the position that long, taking over from Evans Hankey, who left in 2023.)

But accepting that presumption is to ignore all the beautifully designed products that have arrived under Cook's leadership, with and without Ive, and also often under the watchful eyes of Ternus.

Remember the Pro — oh

But since Ive's skills as a designer are so vaunted, let's start with a failure. Perhaps you remember the Mac Pro. No, not the cheese-grater design unveiled in 2023. While that had its detractors, it was miles above the trashcan design unveiled in 2013.

It was the ultimate expression (at least in PC terms) of Ive's "form meets function" obsession. The internal structure was sort of a triangle of boards that seemed perfectly wrong for a squat, circular enclosure. Ive's fingerprints were all over the impractical system, one that Craig Federighi later admitted to me (during a mea culpa meeting on the Pro) had boxed Apple into a thermal corner. It was hard to upgrade and was roundly rejected by pro system users.

Ive was also responsible for the Apple Pencil. With it, his penchant for skeuomorphism extended from app design into the physical world. The Apple Pencil fully resembled a white plastic version of a real, pencil, and to accommodate that, it had, under a custom cover, a hidden Lightning charging plug. You even needed a special adaptor to charge it. Later, wirelessly charging Apple Pencils, which I think Ive also designed, fixed this mess.

Naturally, Ive's hits far outweighed his misses, and many big ones came during the Cook-Ive collaboration period, including the iPad Air, the Apple Watch, and AirPods (which started awkwardly but gradually improved).

The more divisive Apple Vision Pro was likely designed under Hankey and Anderson's watchful eye. I do think it's a pleasant intersection between the needs of extremely high-end innovation and aesthetic appeal. Goggles will be goggles, after all.

Even iPhone design has remained, if not excellent, interesting.

The iPhone is still beautiful...discuss

When Apple introduced the first iPhone in 2007, there really was no other handset quite like it. Apple set the bar and, over the years, every other manufacturer followed. It became harder and harder for Apple to differentiate its metal and glass slab from its competitors. The ever-larger camera arrays have provided a sort of design challenge and an opportunity at the same time. Hankey and Anderson, at least, came up with a giant island that's quite recognizable from a distance. And let's not discount color. The orange was a stroke of genius and the new MacBook Neo's playful Blush and Citrus colors are lively, proving Anderson knows how to marry form with expression.

Ternus' role as hardware lead means he's been seeing these designs for years. My sense in sitting down with him after the launch of the iPhone Air is that he is intimately involved with the process of shoving all that technology into ever-thinner, but shockingly strong frames. He gets that you need to marry engineering skills with industrial design to get a durable and usable product that's still attractive.

When I think about what Ternus will do when he finally takes over in September, I am reminded of relay race runners. Cook continues to pace around the track while slowly holding out the baton behind him. Ternus is nearby, running just behind Cook with one hand outstretched. Neither man will stop. The handoff will happen in a few months, with everything still in motion.

The process of finishing the rumored iPhone Ultra (the folding phone) continues as we speak, and Ternus is not going to suddenly pull a Steve Jobs and throw the design into a fish tank, to see if bubbles rise, thus proving they could make it smaller. He won't demand that all plastic be replaced with glass, or even that one more color be added to the mix.

When, as the recent Bloomberg report claims, Ternus said of Apple's design history and appeal to customers, "We’re going to make sure that stays the case,” he's not talking about making huge changes to achieve that goal.

Ternus will stay the course and support Anderson. He may hire more design support and, down the line, Ternus will look for his signature initiative or product; he will want to have his own iPhone or iPod. But that's a natural inclination for any incoming CEO. Job one, though, is staying the course, shepherding the in-the-pipeline products to market and ensuring that Apple remains Apple.

I think Ternus knows exactly how to do that.

Tim Cook has long taken a strong stance against the infringement of Apple users' privacy – and the general erosion of privacy. That's been the case whether he's shown support for end-to-end encryption or if he's railed against the monetization of user data.

The rise of data protection

Almost a decade ago, the European Union (EU) introduced the most radical reformations to data protection laws in a generation with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Several months later, the (now outgoing) Apple CEO spoke at the 40th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners with a speech that targeted Apple's fellow technology rivals with both barrels.

He pointed out that billions of dollars were changing hands – and countless decisions were being made based on data points harvested from our interactions on digital platforms. These may include clicks of a Like button but also the information we have shared, often without understanding the full implications.

Your very own digital profile

Cook projected a dystopian future in which each person would be represented by a digital profile that's been devised based on analysis of the countless data points systems have gathered.

The purpose of this form of behavioral profiling, he suggested in his speech, could range from more effectively monetising your information to targeting you with more extremist content in one direction or another.

For example, we've since seen the way that social media platforms and similar sites have been highly effective in populist political movements, including the U.K. 'Brexit' decision to leave the EU. There are also fears this sort of power has been weaponized, to use Cook's phrase, by foreign adversaries.

Nearly 10 years on from the introduction of GDPR, there are fears that the rise of AI – which is turbocharging some of the fears the outgoing Apple boss raised – is undermining the laws and that newer, more modern regulations are needed.

• Apple's CEO has warned that "price increases are unavoidable" for its products
• That means more expensive Macs, iPhones and iPads for starters
• Price hikes will likely be substantial, and there are concerns that product lines could be adjusted as seen recently with the Mac mini – is the entry-level MacBook Neo to suffer the same fate?

CEO Tim Cook has warned that Apple is going to substantially hike prices on its products due to the RAM crisis.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal (as spotted by Wccftech), Cook said: "Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable. We're doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we've been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable."

The spiralling costs of both memory and storage (SSDs) means that Apple needs to put up prices, and the hikes will be "substantial" the report suggests (as did Cook's previous comments whereby the CEO said that from June, Apple will be facing "significant" cost increases for memory and this will "drive an increasing impact" on Apple's products).

So, this wasn't unexpected, but now it's crystal clear that these price increases are coming due to the "unsustainable" situation around memory chip supply (which is being eaten by AI and data centers to the detriment of consumer products).

What we don't know is the magnitude of these price increases, or what products they might apply to, as Cook didn't furnish us with any specific info along those lines.

It's a safe enough bet that Apple's core products are going to get pricier, though, meaning the iPhone, iPad and Macs. The WSJ even theorizes that the iPhone Pro 18 might cost from $1,299 in the US based on some rough maths.

Analysis: time to buy a Mac?

How soon these price hikes might happen is another key question, of course, but given Cook's previous comments about June, Mac rises could be imminent, as the WSJ indicates – particularly given that we've already seen the Mac mini get pricier at its baseline level. If you recall, Apple discontinued the most affordable entry-level model with 256GB of storage, effectively making the cheapest Mac mini a third more expensive.

The upshot is that if you're thinking of buying a Mac, now seems to be the time to pull the trigger, before these devices get pricier. Any deals that pop up on MacBooks for Prime Day could well be worth pouncing on, and there's already been a discount applied to the MacBook Neo (in the UK).

Grabbing that deal might be a particularly smart move to make, actually, because if the Mac mini is anything to go by, the current base version of the MacBook Neo may not survive the coming quarter. As one of a few such comments on this Reddit thread puts it: "The $599 MacBook Neo was fun while it lasted."

As to what all this means more broadly for Apple pricing moving forward, another interesting point that Cook brings up in the interview with the WSJ is that he says Apple is willing to use its "balance sheet to help be a part of the solution."

By that, the CEO doesn't mean Apple is about to fund the building of its own chip production facilities, and Cook explicitly states that. What it indicates is that the company is going to invest in this side of the tech industry, but exactly how is up for debate.

Some (like Jukan on X) theorize that what Cook is referring to is Apple prepaying to secure more memory supply – and that'll require a serious amount of upfront cash to compete with the major AI players. Others believe this could mean that Apple might help fund expansion plans for memory chip makers as part of some kind of deal to lock in more favorable longer-term pricing for iPhone, iPad and Mac memory supply.

Meanwhile, Jukan also highlighted a message from President Trump on Truth Social which states that "Apple has agreed to work with Intel to design and build its chips in America", as has been previously rumored as a way of diversifying away from Apple's reliance on TSMC.

Tim Cook said before that Apple is exploring a "range of options" in terms of dealing with the RAM crisis, and it seems there's a lot going on behind the scenes right now. Hopefully we'll learn more about the details soon enough, but for now, I'm nervously watching what happens with the MacBook Neo and other Apple laptops.

Although the need for data privacy seems to have been almost entirely undermined in the contemporary technology landscape, it was a hot topic a decade ago.

Apple, at the time at least, maintained a houlier-than-though stance compared with some of its competitors like Google and Facebook – but also took a strong stance against governments around the world threatening to undermine encryption.

Security versus privacy

The debate of national security versus privacy is one that has raged for a couple of decades now, and one that's likely to continue raging into the next.

Speaking at the EPIC Champions of Freedom event in 2015, Tim Cook laid into Silicon Valley rivals that were "gobbling up everything they can learn about you and trying to monetise it".

But he also highlighted the dangers of national governments undermining the privacy of the company's users (with encryption in use on iMessage and FaceTime) by stressing how any backdoors imposed on encrypted systems would be exploited.

A matter of when, not if

End-to-end encryption still faces the same threat from national governments in 2026 and beyond. Worries over the UK's Online Safety Act, for example, center on the provision for the government to scan encrypted messages.

In the US, meanwhile, there are mixed signals. In 2024, for instance, the government encouraged users to use encrypted channels to communicate with each other in light of a massive cyber attack.

Cook's warning likened the introduction of a backdoor to leaving the key under the mat, extending this analogy to suggest that cybercriminals will exploit it. In cybersecurity terms, we now understand that it's a matter of when, not if, attackers can take advantage of exploits. With the advent of AI-enabled cybercrime, attackers may strive to break any backdoor access.

The Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is an underwhelming name for an event that has hosted some of the biggest moments in Apple history — and the next installment kicks off later today.

From Steve Jobs' shock 2005 announcement that Macs would be switching to Intel chips to Tim Cook revealing the Vision Pro in 2023, the event has become a must-watch for tech fans of all stripes, whether you're a developer or not.

The first WWDC back in 1983 was a secretive event that gave insiders a first look at the Apple Lisa. But it wasn't until Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 that the event really started to build into the software and tech showcase it is today.

With outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook preparing to host his final WWDC today, before handing the reins over to John Ternus, we've made a chronological trip down memory lane showing classic photos from the event's modern era to give you a taste of its biggest moments — and also test your Apple memory...

The second Steve Jobs era

The Tim Cook era

Not enough nostalgia for you? Play our Apple quiz...

• Apple has sent out invites for WWDC, kicking off on June 8 with a keynote
• ‘Coming Bright Up’ tagline strongly hints at major Siri AI upgrades
• Expect the AI-powered Siri and Apple Intelligence to headline the event

While we’ve known Apple’s WWDC 2026 was set for the second week of June, we’ve been waiting for the Cupertino-based tech giant to formally announce its opening keynote, among other events, and give us our first tease at what’s coming in the form of an invite.

Most importantly, Apple has confirmed that its WWDC 2026 keynote will kick off at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET / 6 pm BST on June 8, 2026 (3 am AEST, June 9, 2026). This will likely be a pre-recorded special event, like we’ve seen from Apple in the past, but media, creators, developers, and other guests will watch it on a big outdoor screen at Apple Park.

It’s also expected to be Tim Cook’s last event as Apple CEO, with John Ternus taking over on September 1, 2026. In classic Apple fashion, the event will be livestreamed, and TechRadar will, of course, be live-blogging it.

And from the invite itself, I think it’s fair to say that Apple thinks WWDC will be pretty bright this year. Unlike past Apple events, there’s no tagline on the invite itself, but on the developer webpage, it reads “Coming Bright Up.” The invite itself features “WWDC 26” in a silver font with some shading, wrapped in a brightly glowing circle.

That circle could hint at a few things — Apple might have decked out its circular campus with glowing, bright LEDs, and the Special Event is taking place at Apple Park for guests, but it’s more likely hinting at features. It’s essentially two glowing circles — one exterior and one interior — and I’d bet it’s a tease for Apple Intelligence and potentially a glow around Siri, maybe even a new design.

I asked TechRadar’s Editor-at-Large, Lance Ulanoff, and he hinted it might be Siri within the Dynamic Island — and while we won’t know until Apple makes it official, it’s no coincidence that both of our minds went to Siri and how it might be integrated across the next generation of all of Apple’s platforms.

Apple has made it no secret that WWDC 26 will likely be the kickoff and formal update around Apple Intelligence and the more personal, AI-powered Siri, which has been delayed for many months. It was first teased and announced at WWDC 2024, and since then, it has never shipped, was rumored to be delayed, and then was formally pushed back by Apple.

Since then, CEO Tim Cook and other executives, including incoming CEO John Ternus, currently SVP of Hardware, and Greg Joswiak, SVP of Marketing, have all hinted that work is going well. Apple has also partnered with Google to use Gemini’s foundational models to help power its next-gen Apple Intelligence, and likely the new Siri.

Rumors have also heated up, teasing how the new Siri will work, how it will impact a range of applications, and how it represents the next leap for Apple Intelligence.

Either way, it’s highly expected that WWDC 2026 will be the launch point for Apple’s next-generation Siri, which will hopefully deliver on some of the original promises from 2024 and level them up to catch up with the likes of Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT. Privacy and Apple’s Private Cloud Compute will likely remain a key focus, and we’ll see how it's integrated with other updates.

Beyond Siri, you can expect the next generation of all of Apple’s platforms, including iOS, watchOS, macOS, iPadOS, tvOS, homeOS, and visionOS, which should all jump from 26 to 27 as Apple continues with its new naming convention.

We’ll have lots more to unpack in the next few weeks before the event, and then on June 8 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET / 6 pm BST (3 am AEST, June 9), TechRadar will be the place to be for our live coverage of Apple’s Special Event and our analysis in the hours, days, and weeks afterward.

In the meantime, vote in our poll below to let us know what you’re most excited for at WWDC 2026, and feel free to comment below with what you’re hoping to see.

• Tim Cook said he regretted the shaky launch of Apple Maps in 2012
• The Apple CEO said the company learned from its mistakes
• Yet it comes as Apple’s Siri revamp looks to be delayed by over two years

Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple CEO after 15 years at the helm, and after all that time you’d imagine there might be a moment or two that he looks back on with regret. As it turns out, there is, as he recently revealed to Apple employees in a leaked town hall meeting — but I’m wondering if he might have made a different choice.

Speaking to Apple employees, Cook picked the disastrous Apple Maps launch in 2012 as his “first really big mistake,” according to reporting from Bloomberg. And it’s not without good reason: in many places around the world, Apple Maps’ initial release was so bad — with incorrect directions, mislabeled places, inaccurate satellite imagery, and much more — that Cook was forced into a contrite and very rare public apology. Scott Forstall, the Apple exec in charge of Maps, was pushed out of the company entirely.

According to Bloomberg, Cook summed up Maps’ calamitous opening salvo this way: “The product wasn’t ready, and we thought it was because we were testing more of local kind of stuff.” In other words, it seems as though Apple couldn’t see the forest for the trees — it was so focused on getting details right in areas local to the company that it neglected to see the bigger picture and the broader problems that affected the service.

That said, like any good mistake, Cook said that the Apple Maps roll-out proved to be a “valuable experience” for the company. “We apologized for it, and we said, ‘Go use these other [mapping] apps. They’re better than ours.’ And that was some humble pie,” he added, before continuing: “But it was the right thing for our users. And so it’s an example of keeping the user at the center of the decisions that we made… Now we’ve got the best map app on the planet. We learned about persistence, and we did exactly the right thing having made the mistake.”

Cook said that other missteps, like the abandoned AirPower charger and the scrapped self-driving car project, were on his list of regrets. Yet he added that Apple had mostly avoided the product recalls and cancelations that have dogged other firms in recent history.

Analysis: Has Apple actually learned it lesson?

While Cook may cite Maps’ bumpy start when the product “wasn’t ready” as being a “valuable experience,” it’s not the case that Apple has managed to avoid repeating the same error. In fact, we got a reminder of that just this week when Google revealed that the revamped version of Siri — powered at least in part by Google Gemini — would be arriving later in 2026.

Why is that a problem? Well, Apple initially revealed the new version of Siri in June 2024, whereupon the company promised that Apple Intelligence would enable Siri to understand your personal context, work within apps, and more. Yet we won’t be getting any of that for many more months. Even when those features do arrive, they’ll be over two years later than promised.

If you say that releasing a product too early was a serious mistake but claim that it taught you valuable lessons, you have to actually prove that in practice. The Siri debacle — where Apple was clearly caught flat-footed by the emergence of ChatGPT and panicked, passing off something that was evidently nothing more than a set of flashy mockups as the real deal — suggests that Apple hasn’t entirely taken the Maps fiasco on board.

Of course, that’s not to say that this is a common problem for Apple. The company has been remarkably consistent when it comes to announcing a product or feature and then actually following through with it. But it’s frustrating to see Tim Cook discuss a clear example of a half-baked product that was rushed out of the door during the exact same week that we get a timely reminder about an overhyped Siri overhaul that was nowhere near ready when it was shunted out into the world.

No tech leader is perfect, and compared to some of his ghoulish contemporaries, Tim Cook looks close to angelic. But as both Apple Maps and Siri go to show, if you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk too.

The first time I interviewed John Ternus was a decade ago to discuss the new MacBook. Like the MacBook Neo before it, this tiny, 12-inch, 2-lb laptop was a departure for Apple. It was packed with unusual and innovative design decisions, and John Ternus, who will step in as Apple's CEO in September, was anxious to talk about it.

By then, Ternus had already been at Apple for 15 years and was heading up Mac and iPad hardware. He struck me as smart, affable, and, with some quick wit.

Thinking back to that meeting, and subsequent chats, including our most recent sit-down shortly after Apple unveiled another hardware design stretch — the iPhone Air — I realize that in my quest to understand the kind of Apple CEO Ternus will be, I may already have all the information I need.

There were a handful of exchanges in which Ternus' way of thinking and working, and his view of the company he'll soon helm, were on full display.

The reveals started with that MacBook chat, in which Ternus explained the laptop's then-unique speaker and antenna design. The challenge was to somehow fit excellent speakers and antennas into a really small space.

"We realized we could not create a great antenna and a great speaker because we'd be compromising," Ternus told me in 2015. "Both of those elements need space. Antenna elements are small, but they need cavity; they need space to resonate."

I don't know if this was Ternus's idea, but he fully supported bringing Apple's antenna and speaker teams together to create a new solution.

"We absolutely married them together to make this happen," Ternus explained.

I recall Ternus then somewhat gleefully showing me the unusual configuration as he told me, "We ended up with a group of antenna engineers who know more about speakers than any other antenna engineers and a group of speaker engineers who knew more about antenna design than just about anyone else in the world."

A decade later, Ternus told me and Tom's Guide Global Editor in Chief Mark Spoonauer this: "As we develop new technologies and pieces, we often take inspiration for things across other product lines."

It's clear that the collaborative spirit, one that occasionally throws open the doors between departments and allows the best ideas to flourish and generate new concepts, will continue under Ternus' leadership.

A steady hand

Perhaps Ternus appreciates that collaboration so much because it provides a level of stability he may crave.

"One of the amazing things for me is how stable things stay from first models that we make to the products that we ship,” he told me in 2015.

It's clear from these exchanges that Ternus is probably not prone to wild flights of fancy and does not enjoy harsh left and right turns along the product development path.

The sentiment is echoed somewhat in what Ternus shared with Spoonauer and me last year after the iPhone Air launch: "I think the reality is that the best invention in engineering comes from constraints."

Now, I get that Ternus was referring to the physical constraints present in the ultra-thin iPhone Air, but there is also a hint there that Ternus might like to set up product development frameworks and then work within them to achieve the best results from the design and engineering teams.

What "no" means at Apple

There is, however, evidence of flexibility. In 2015, Ternus explained a particular ethos at Apple revolving around the word "No."

“There’s ‘No’s’ in some way. There’s ‘No’s’ about what we do, but in terms of how we do it — going and making the best product, there really aren’t a lot of ‘No’s.’ That’s one of the great joys of working here. [For] something really compelling, we can afford to make it happen.”

The other thing I picked up from that comment is just how much Ternus loves Apple. According to his LinkedIn profile, it's really only the second place he's ever worked. Maybe even more so than Tim Cook when he took over as CEO in 2011 (after about 14 years with the company), Ternus is a product of Apple.

Discipline, Collaboration, long-term integration, saying no at the right times so you can say yes, all elements that should make John Ternus a particularly product-focused CEO who knows the Apple way and how to get things done.

He may have a blind spot or two when it comes to pure-play business, the supply chain, and geopolitical pressures, but when it comes to the gadgets consumers care about most, they probably couldn't ask for a better replacement for Tim Cook.

Tim Cook’s reign as Apple boss is coming to an end. The long-time leader of one of the world’s largest tech companies is stepping down on September 1 and installing the company’s hardware chief John Ternus as his replacement. A new Apple era is almost here.

Ternus has been at the company for around 25 years, so we’ve had plenty of time to get acquainted with him. That hasn’t stopped fevered speculation surrounding what he might do to shape Apple in his own image. Yet there are plenty of ways that things will stay very much the same with this old hand at the wheel. If you’re curious to see what lies in store under Ternus’s watch, read on to learn five ways that Apple probably won’t change — and two ways that it might.

Hardware and software integration

Apple is world-famous for the way it controls the whole widget, to paraphrase Steve Jobs. The company makes its own hardware and software and integrates them together incredibly well. Could that change under Ternus’s leadership?

Don’t bet the farm on it. Given that Ternus has been part of the Apple furniture for a quarter century, building hardware and software that work together impeccably is now part of his DNA. And while he might currently be the firm’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, he’s also played a role in much of Apple’s software. He strongly pushed for the creation of iPadOS, for example, and took on the role of “executive sponsor” for design in recent months, which unsurprisingly includes software. If you’re expecting him to break with Apple tradition when it comes to integration, you’ll be disappointed.

Emphasis on design

As executive sponsor for design, Ternus is becoming intimately attuned to the design situation at Apple. His role involves explaining current projects and sticking points to Apple’s board, requiring a deep understanding of how the cookie crumbles at a company defined by design.

According to Bloomberg, Ternus and Cook held a staff meeting after the CEO transition was announced. There, Ternus reportedly told employees: “We’re going to keep focusing on design, because design is core to what we do at Apple. Apple’s brought truly incredible design to more people than any company in history.”

What’s more, there’s no way Ternus could have ascended to the lofty heights that he has without a proven grasp of Apple’s design inclinations. With that being so, the likelihood of him suddenly rewriting the playbook in this area is next to zero.

Durability over repairability

In his role as head of Apple’s hardware, Ternus has been repeatedly questioned about the company’s policies on product repairability. And on this subject, he’s been clear that Apple prioritizes durability rather than repairability, with the logic being that a product that lasts a long time doesn’t need to be repaired.

Speaking to TechCrunch, Ternus explained: “Repairability in isolation is not always the best answer.” As he went on to describe, “The reality is repairability is a means to an end. The goal is to build products that last, and if you focus too much on [making every part repairable], you end up creating some unintended consequences that are worse for the consumer and worse for the planet.” One example could be a removable part that introduces a new point of failure, thereby negatively affecting the device’s longevity in the long run.

Given Ternus has long been responsible for setting Apple’s hardware priorities, you can expect this emphasis on durability over repairability to remain. Although he has insisted that “We want to make things more repairable,” the focus will continue to be on making long-lasting products that, with any luck, won’t need to be repaired during their lifespans.

Privacy and security

Steve Jobs liked to insist on user privacy, but it was under his successor Tim Cook that the company really made this a defining trait. Now that John Ternus is next in line, you might be questioning whether that commitment to privacy and security will endure.

The good news is that it almost certainly will. In the comments reported by Bloomberg, Ternus told Apple staff that he will continue to work on these efforts, with no change in policy on this front. As before, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise – you don’t get as far within Apple as John Ternus has without believing in the program.

Environmental policy

In those same remarks cited by Bloomberg, another core Apple policy that Ternus pledged would not change is its stance on the environment. During Cook’s time in charge, Apple has made strenuous efforts in this area by reducing packaging and cutting emissions, so much so that Apple aims to ensure that both the company and its entire supply chain are carbon neutral by 2030.

Speaking to Apple employees, Ternus explained that: “there are some things that can never change and won’t change,” with action on the environment being one of them.

A renewed focus on hardware

Despite all those aspects that Ternus has promised will remain the same, there are a few areas where the new CEO might want to put his own stamp on affairs. Naturally, given his background, one of those could be a renewed focus on hardware. After all, Ternus has headed up Apple’s hardware division for many years now, so it seems reasonable to assume he’d bring plenty of that acumen to the table.

Tim Cook cut his teeth in operations and was not, by all accounts, a product person. John Ternus, though, most definitely is, and he’s been ultimately responsible for ensuring Apple’s physical products are up to scratch for years. With that in mind, we might see the company double down on hardware quality and innovation, which could be just what troubled devices like the Vision Pro need going into the future.

A drive into home tech

Before he got started in the world of work, Ternus studied mechanical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. There, his senior project was a mechanical feeding arm designed for use by people with quadriplegia. I say this because it coincides nicely with a product that Apple is rumored to be working on: a smart home display that’s mounted on a robotic arm.

This device is just one of Apple’s mooted smart home products that are reportedly just around the corner. These devices were initiated under Tim Cook, but with Ternus heading up the company, we might see a new push into this arena. Given the parallels between his senior university project and at least one of Apple’s smart home devices, that could be a fitting change for Apple to embrace.

• Tim Cook makes first public comments after announcing CEO transition
• He's not disappearing
• Cook wants you to know John Ternus like he does

Has it only been 24 hours since Apple announced that Apple CEO Tim Cook would be stepping down in September and John Ternus would take over as CEO? Barely, but with just that much time to digest, Cook is opening up about the change, Ternus, and what it means for the future.

Cook, who is set to become Executive Chairman in September, made his first public comment in an X post on Tuesday afternoon. In it, he thanked everyone for the "outpouring of love" and belief in him. However, the most important part might be this line: "This is not goodbye."

Cook is not making a clean break from Apple, a company he's long said he cannot imagine life without. Instead, he's now making it clear that he plans to stick around.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman added some color to all this with reports on what Cook, 65, had said earlier today during an all-hands meeting in Steve Jobs Theater. "I am healthy. My energy is high, and I plan to be in this new role for a long time," Cook reportedly told the group.

That meeting also answers the 'Why now?' question. Gurman reported that Cook said in order for him to make the change, business had to be "great," the roadmap "incredible,” and Ternus “ready."

Apparently, all that is true today. For Apple fans, the bit about the incredible roadmap is worth cheering. After all, that might include folding phones, AR glasses, and more innovation (play some more Apple Studios movies on par with F1).

In Cook's post, he said that this isn't goodbye, but a "hello to John [Ternus]". Put simply, Cook is ready to be Ternus' Jiminy Cricket, close at hand with sage advice but without standing out in front.

No one knows how long Cook will remain as Executive Chairman, and some worry about a Disney / Bob Iger situation. Iger famously stepped down from the CEO post to become Exec Chairman, and then, when his replacement faltered, he was quickly brought back as CEO.

Cook made it clear during his speech, however, that there can only be "one CEO at a time." He has no plans, it seems, to get in the way or come back, but, as he noted in his X post, Cook can't wait for you to get to know John Ternus as he does.

Cook is unlikely to address the topic again before WWDC 2026 in June, and even then, it's unlikely he'll want to distract from the company's big platform announcements. Still, how Cook and Ternus act during that developer event — who appears and carries the show — will speak volumes.

When Tim Cook officially relinquishes his Apple CEO role in September, he'll leave his successor John Ternus with a $4 trillion dollar house that's largely in order, but perhaps missing a few key features and upgrades.

Ternus, who has been with Apple for 25 years, most of them in a hardware leadership role, will first have to address a software problem: AI. Apple, which is used to being a tech and innovation leader, is inarguably behind when it comes to artificial intelligence, and whatever Apple does or doesn't do in the space will likely be laid at the feet of Ternus, even as he's trying to get those feet under the CEO's desk.

There isn't enough Apple in AI

To be fair, Ternus didn't create this issue, and, as with much of what Apple will do over the next 12 to 18 months, what it does next in the AI field has been preordained. Apple's Siri solution is based on a pre-arranged agreement with Google to use its Gemini foundational models to produce the vastly improved and more conversational version of its assistant (as well as other parts of Apple Intelligence, I bet).

We'll learn more about that at WWDC 2026, which just became far more interesting event than it already was, because it occurs in the liminal space between the Cook and Ternus eras. Cook will surely still be visible and may launch the keynote, but I expect Ternus to pop up in far more videos, especially any that point to a big and bold future.

There are, as I see it, three big initiatives looming in front of Ternus. One is the aforementioned Siri upgrade, a project which Ternus might be least comfortable with, considering his hardware background (I've only ever spoken to Ternus about hardware).

The challenges of AR and folding

The second will be iPhone Fold. Most rumors point to this being the year we see it, and to September's iPhone 18 launch being the occasion of its unveiling. Obviously, this is in Ternus' wheelhouse. When it was time, last September, for an on-Apple campus podcast about the new iPhone Air, it was Ternus who sat a seat away from me (and Apple Global Marketing lead Greg Joswiak, who playfully threw his Air at me).

Ternus lacks Cook's charming Alabama accent, Steve Job's mercurial nature, and the quotability you might want in the leader of one of the world's biggest companies; but he's smart, and he knows his stuff. He is interesting.

What I expect to see when Ternus finally unveils the iPhone Fold is a gearhead's passion. I think he'll love that moment when he shows the world how Apple did folding better than anyone who's done it before (if that's the case).

Ternus' third big project will be wearables. Not the Apple Watch or even an Apple Ring, but smart glasses — unless Ternus moves away from that arena.

The still-struggling Apple Vision Pro (loved for technology, less so for its price tag, and largely ignored by consumers) was really Cook's baby, and AR remains, I think, a passion of his.

What if Ternus isn't as excited about 'Apple Glasses' — wearable, lightweight frames that combine AI, info feeds from your phone, and visuals that meld real with virtual? Could Tenrus kill the product before it sees the light of day?

Highly unlikely. Ternus has worked under Cook for more than 15 years (and under Steve Jobs for a decade before that). He's surely infected with the passions of both men, and I bet he'll be honored to carry Cook's AR football into the end zone.

Apple Glasses could become Ternus' own signature product, since it'll be a platform on which he and the company can build.

Who is Ternus, really?

There are larger questions, though, about Ternus. I don't think he's a supply-chain genius as Cook was, and that's a skill he'll need, especially in the face of uncertain geopolitical times, and unceasing pressure from the White House to move even more manufacturing to the US.

Ternus, as far as I know, has never been to the Trump White House, and does not have the same relationship that Cook appears to enjoy with the President. It's unclear if Ternus shares Cook's innate diplomacy, and I suspect this will be one of his greatest challenges as he assumes command in September.

No matter what happens, the company is Ternus' from September, with Cook remaining close by as Executive Chairman, and no doubt whispering in his ear until he's on solid ground, and truly ready to start building his own Apple legacy.

The online world is buzzing with the news that Apple is going to have a new chief executive later this year. Tim Cook has announced that in September, he'll be handing over the reins to John Ternus, who is currently Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple.

In short, Ternus is head hardware honcho across all Apple's products, but not for much longer, as the big promotion is less than half a year away.

You may not know a whole lot about Ternus, as he hasn't been in the limelight as much as some of Apple's other major execs. Cook said of his replacement: "John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor."

What he is, by all accounts, is a reliable presence, and a steady hand — with a similar temperament to Tim Cook — to take over the rudder of the company and steer it through whatever choppy waters the RAM crisis may bring for the remainder of this decade. He's also 50 years old, which, interestingly enough, is the exact same age at which Cook took the top job at Apple back in 2011.

However, while there are clear similarities between the two execs, there are notable differences, too, which we're going to explore in this list of surprising and perhaps even weird ways that Ternus definitely isn't Cook.

1. The hardware guy who started in VR

While John Ternus may have a measured and more risk-averse demeanour (as Bloomberg reports), which is close to Tim Cook's nature, one clear difference is that he's an engineer at heart. Ternus has been intimately involved with the ins and outs of hardware in his career, and the hope of many is that the presence of an engineer in the CEO job is going to be reflected in the design and implementation of future Apple products.

Given his background, when it comes to top-level decisions, Ternus should be in a better position to understand the nuts and bolts of what Apple is trying to do with its hardware. And interestingly, his first job after leaving university was with a VR company. From 1997 through 2001, before he joined Apple, Ternus was a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems, working on VR headsets. Bear in mind that this was still early days for VR, of course.

For one thing, this experience should give Ternus a unique position and understanding to help develop the Vision Pro headset, which has certainly had its issues (notably the price tag, though it's making strides of late as an entertainment powerhouse).

2. Robotic arm

Before Virtual Research Systems, Ternus attended the University of Pennsylvania, where his senior project was a mechanical 'feeding arm', as Apple Insider reports. This was an invention for quadriplegics that could be controlled by their head movements.

It's interesting to note that Apple has a rumored project in the works, which consists of a robotic arm with a screen attached, and Ternus would be a very well-informed CEO for this venture. Mind you, Apple's tabletop robot is just a theory and is likely years away (if it ever comes to fruition). But still, it's another interesting element of potential product-based synergy with the appointment of Ternus.

3. Rush to the top

As highlighted on Reddit, apparently, Ternus is a fan of the rock band Rush. This comes from what's reportedly his yearbook quote: "Some are born to move the world to live their fantasies."

It's a lyric taken from the song "Losing It" by Rush, and seemingly, Ternus isn't the only Rush fan at Apple. Apparently, Craig Federighi may also enjoy hearing "The Spirit of Radio" or similar (as per Wikipedia), possibly singing the prog rock band's hits at office karaoke parties. (But not Tim Cook — well, I'm guessing, and presumably not all of Apple's top execs are Rush addicts, unless that's a hitherto hidden qualification for entrance to the C-suite inner circle).

4. The other side of Ternus

If you think Ternus might be a typical hardware nerd, think again. As Fortune reports, he was quite the swimmer in his youth, and Ternus was an 'all-time letter winner' for the men's swimming team at the University of Pennsylvania.

Bloomberg also highlighted that he's a keen cycling enthusiast, and very much into car racing, seemingly taking Apple colleagues to upstate Washington for a spot of off-road rallying now and then. Underneath that calm exterior, then, there appears to be something of an adrenaline junkie.

5. Ternus has a LinkedIn page — of sorts

Unlike Tim Cook, Ternus does have a LinkedIn profile — but you've got to wonder why, seeing as it's been left as a truly barebones effort.

Again, this was picked up by an eagle-eyed Redditor, who spied the page for Ternus, which is as sparse as can be (and is barely ever looked at by the incoming CEO, by all accounts — although most denizens of Reddit consider that to be a good thing, mind).

There wasn't even a photo on the profile page when the Redditor took a screenshot, but interestingly, now there is — maybe Ternus will populate it a bit more thoroughly going forward. Or maybe the exec will just delete it. Watch that space.

• Tim Cook to step down as CEO in September
• John Ternus will assume the CEO role
• Cook to become Executive Chairman

The whispers were true. Long-time Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down in September of this year, and Apple Hardware lead John Ternus will become CEO.

Apple announced the news that Cook would step back after 15 years as CEO on Monday, in a press release in which Cook said, "It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company."

Of Ternus, he said, "John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honor. He is a visionary whose contributions to Apple over 25 years are already too numerous to count, and he is without question the right person to lead Apple into the future."

Ternus, who has increasingly moved from the background to become a visible presence at product launches (such as the recent MacBook Neo launch) and WWDC, said in the release, "I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward."

Though rumors have been swirling for a year or more about who would succeed Cook and, lately, if it would be Ternus, today's announcement comes as something of a surprise. Just weeks ago, Cook was opining in interview after interview about Apple's 50-year history, his time with the company, and his potential future. It sounded like he might be at the helm for another few years at least.

Now, while Cook may speak at the upcoming WWDC in Cupertino, California, in September, it will be Ternus who will introduce the expected iPhone 18, rumoured iPhone Fold, and hoped-for AR glasses, rumoured to be called Apple Glass.

Just last month, Cook told Good Morning America's Michael Strahan that he "can't imagine life without Apple," which many took to mean that Cook was hoping to remain as CEO for the foreseeable future. However, viewed in retrospect that comment aligns with his new reality. By moving to Executive Chairman when Ternus take over as the new CEO in September, Cook gets to step back from the intense pressure of being CEO of one of the world's most valuable and high-profile companies, while still being a part of a business he clearly loves.

The Cook era

Apple's announcement means we can now start to fully assess Cook's tenure as CEO. One news anchor asked me to grade him. I gave Cook a "B+," but in truth it might be an A-.

From a revenue and company-value standpoint, Cook over-delivered, transforming one of the buzziest tech companies from a $350bn success story under Steve Jobs, who died in 2011, into a $4 trillion monster.

Cook's legacy will surely be Apple's expansion of its Services operations, once a relatively small part of the company but now a fast-growing multi-billion-dollar revenue engine that might someday eclipse iPhone revenues. Cook can also be credited with shepherding the Apple Watch into existence, and steering Apple toward a health and wellness focus.

From a management perspective, Cook has been nothing like the mercurial Jobs, and his openness about the need for Apple to embrace diversity and inclusion, and his revealing of his own sexual orientation, proved a watershed moment for C-suite executives at Fortune 50 companies.

Where Cook has stumbled has been in the area of eye-popping innovation. The Apple Vision Pro headset was his biggest swing, but it hasn't proven to be a commercial success, although its influence might be seen in the highly anticipated upcoming 'Apple Glass' AR glasses, which will still have Cook's fingerprints all over them (even if Cook was reportedly never one to get into the nitty gritty details of device-building like his predecessor).

Cook has also not managed to wrangle the AI beast for Apple. Even though the company launched Apple Intelligence, it has fallen far behing Google, OpenAI, and others in the pure-play AI race. Again, we expect this to change at WWDC 2026, when the company finally launches the revamped Siri, albeit built on Google foundational models.

Ternus is well known as a hardware maverick, and I've had conversations with him on and off since 2015 or so. He's engaging, smart, and Apple to the core. Will he steer the company more toward bigger hardware swings, or will he take the lesson of the wildly successful MacBook Neo and look to give Apple consumers more of exactly what they want?

I guess we'll be waiting until September, and likely beyond, to find out.

Remember the Macintosh Portable? Or the circular ‘Hockey Puck’ mouse? How about the unsolicited rollout of U2’s thirteenth studio album to 500 million iTunes subscribers?

These are just a few of the things Apple has got wrong in its otherwise illustrious 50-year history. But while marketing blunders and product misfires are inevitable in the pursuit of innovation, Tim Cook hasn’t overseen all that many of either during his time as CEO.

The mild-mannered executive has prioritized supply chain efficiency and steady growth over radical new ideas in his 14-year tenure at the helm of Apple, and in a revealing new interview with Esquire, Cook gave a rare insight into the way he and his team workshop the many big, bold ideas that spring from within the walls of Apple Park.

“You have to recognise that [crazy] ideas can come from any employee,” Cook told Esquire. “And users can have great ideas as well. You have to have a ruthless filter, because you can’t do everything. You can’t spread your energy like a peanut-butter spread. If you do, you’ll do nothing at the quality level that we desire.

“We say no to a thousand things to get to that one thing,” Cook continued. “If you were to parachute into an Apple meeting, the debates that go on here are just incredible.”

Taken in isolation, that response reads like a measured take from a cautious and considered CEO. And indeed Cook’s caution — his focus on consistently ‘safe’ product launches and the consolidation of Apple’s lucrative Services segment — has seen Apple balloon into a multi-trillion-dollar company.

But his “ruthless” approach to running Apple appears markedly different from the more carefree, inventor-ish leadership style adopted by legendary founder Steve Jobs. That’s not to say Jobs wasn’t ruthless — he absolutely was, as any half-decent Steve Jobs biography will tell you — but his obsessive interest in the hardware itself, in moving technology forward, presented as a willingness to try new things. Is it any surprise that our list of never-released Apple gadgets features more products that were canned by Cook than by Jobs?

Put it this way: can you imagine Tim Cook narrating Apple's iconic 1997 ‘Think Different’ commercial? “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers,” Jobs himself says in a never-aired version of that same montage. “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

Cook is a very different type of CEO from his predecessor, and his latest comments confirm an assumption about the way he runs Apple. I wonder how many of the “thousand things” he’s said no to have been ideas related to the foldable phone market. Or physical TVs. Or smart rings. Or driverless cars. How long has Apple been talking about — but not moving on — AI?

I don’t mean this as a criticism. AI notwithstanding, Cook has been right to withhold Apple from markets that haven’t yet proven mainstream enough to warrant entering. And of course, he has overseen the development of some radical new products in his time as CEO (the first Apple Silicon MacBook Air M1 was a game-changer, and AirPods, which were widely ridiculed on release, are now among the world's best-selling headphones).

Apple is getting bolder, too. The Vision Pro headset wasn’t a commercial success, but it remains the gold standard for virtual reality technology. The iPhone Air didn’t set the world alight, but it’s still one of the most exciting phones you can buy right now. And all signs point towards Apple finally releasing a foldable iPhone later this year.

Are these examples of Tim Cook loosening the reins? I don’t think so. Instead, it’s that “say no to a thousand things to get to that one thing” approach in action. Apple is typically late to the party, but it always arrives wearing the best outfit, and I’m glad we’re finally getting more than just iterative upgrades from a company that once laughed in the face of boring.

I've met Apple CEO Tim Cook a dozen times, over the years. We've grabbed selfies and chatted a bit, but I must admit that I don't really know him. It's not like I expect us to be friends, but I think Cook's enigmatic nature is a core part of his identity, and has made him, in some ways, the perfect CEO for Apple.

Celebrating the company's 50th anniversary has, however, tested Cook's cipher-like aspect, forcing him to give interview after interview in which he's been peppered with questions not just about Apple's long history but about its motivations, past and present.

Cook told me a few weeks ago that Apple doesn't like looking back (though it's clearly made a huge exception this week). The same could be said of Cook. In 2019, Leander Kahney released a lengthy and authorized Tim Cook biography. It was a good and interesting read, featuring interviews with many past and current Apple executives, including former Apple Vice President of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson and Apple's current Global Head of Marketing Greg Joswiak. Notably absent from the time: an interview with Cook.

While the long-time tech executive was happy to let others talk about everything from his stepping in as Apple CEO in 2011 to how other team members reacted to his leadership, Cook remained mum.

Cook finally opens up

So a recent Esquire interview conducted at Apple Park shortly after the MacBook Neo launch is notable for what Cook reveals.

Writing about Kahney's book, I said "Cook is increasingly focused on Apple being a force for good." Diversity, equality, ecological impact, accessibility, health — these are all things Cook and Apple take seriously, which is why Cook's recent interactions with the Trump White House, an administration that seemingly stands in opposition to some of those things, have been so confounding for Apple fans.

Cook hasn't just supported the administration's America First manufacturing push, an effort that many support, though they also believe there are significant challenges involved in, say, ever bringing iPhone assembly to the US (it's currently made in China, Vietnam, and India). Apple has committed billions to bringing portions of the process to the US, and as part of Apple's engagement with the administration we've witnessed Cook appear at Trump's second inauguration, show up at the White House with a golden gift for the president, and sit alongside Trump as the President calls him "Tim Apple."

Witnessing this, some might have assumed that Cook and Apple tacitly support other Trump policies around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), immigration, education, and women's rights. Cook has never said as much, and Apple's DEI programs remain in place (other companies quietly folded them when Trump's second term commenced).

Where Apple and Tim Cook stand

In the Esquire interview, though, Cook finally addresses the relationship — or at least how Apple's values square with his working with the US President.

"I think you should interact and engage with everyone," he said. "I’ve interacted with both political parties in the U.S. and the people in the middle. I’ve interacted with governments all around the world, some that I have very different views on. But I think until you engage, you never know — you never understand — where somebody else is coming from. And you have no influence at all."

Apple, Cook explained, still believes in the environment, education, accessibility, "treating everybody with dignity and respect."

Without mentioning Trump by name, Cook acknowledged that people might see him meeting with someone who has "a different view than him," but Cook believes that's a good thing to do. He added that when people don't discuss their differences, their positions "just become hardened. And I don't think that's good."

Not quite satisfied that Cook has addressed the question of whether his and Apple's dealings with someone who may not share their views might suggest a degree of flexibility in those views, Esquire asked pointedly, "So, lest there be any confusion: Your values are the same as the day you got here?"

Cook replied, "Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. They’re the same."

The mystery of Tim Cook

The answer is at once revealing and inscrutable. Cook doesn't outright say, "I believe in climate change," for instance. But you could infer as much. It's wild to compare Cook and Apple's founder and former CEO, the late Steve Jobs, who wore his heart on his sleeve and didn't suffer fools.

I returned to that biography, where I tried to learn exactly who Tim Cook is and what we might understand about his values. In a way, you could say he shares Apple's values listed above. But in the book, two key elements stood out that might help us understand just how deeply he holds these values.

One was the story he often recounts of seeing the Klu Klux Klan burn a cross on the lawn of an African American family's home in Alabama. Cook once described it as an image that "was permanently imprinted in my brain, and it would change my life forever.”

The other was his sexual orientation. Kahney's biography doesn't offer any insight into what it was like to grow up gay in Alabama, but I think it's fair to assume that Cook's desire to see everyone treated with dignity and respect is rooted in some way in that personal experience.

The takeaway here is that perhaps Cook has not become someone else, but that his personality is so rooted in pragmatism that he sees no other way to navigate our rapidly changing and unpredictable world. Cook and Apple will talk and work with friends and, perhaps, foes, with the hope of reaching understanding — but first and foremost with the goal of delivering Apple's products, and disseminating its values, around the world.

Not many of us feel celebratory when we turn 50, but Apple is in good spirits today — the tech giant was founded on April 1, 1976, and it's feeling uncharacteristically nostalgic with some star-studded 50th anniversary festivities.

In those 50 years, Apple has left a massive mark on the tech world, so we'll be covering all of today's events and surprises in this liveblog, alongside our own musings on Apple's biggest successes and failures over the past half century.

What started with the original Apple Computer later brought countless other devices like the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, iPad, AirPods, the full expansion of the Mac lineup, and even the Vision Pro — not to mention a polishing cloth — and a growing suite of services.

Join us here for a look back at Apple's historic run, a gaze into what the future might hold, and the landmark gadgets that made Apple what it is today (plus the ones it'd rather you forgot about).

Apple is also preparing its own celebration at its main Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, after kicking off the 50th anniversary at Apple Grand Central in NYC and countless other stores across the globe. So to follow all of the action, join us here in this liveblog...

Apple's 50th anniversary — read our coverage

• 'A complete disaster': The 11 worst Apple gadgets of the past 50 years, according to you
• I saw Steve Jobs give his last WWDC presentation — and that was when I knew Apple could last for 50 years and beyond
• ‘A genuine masterpiece’: The 15 best Apple gadgets of the last 50 years, according to you
• How Apple accidentally destroyed the record business — and why I wish we'd stuck with iPods
• 'You've tarnished Apple's reputation': 11 things Apple got horribly wrong over the past 50 years
• I’ve used a Mac in every decade since the 1980s — Apple’s 50-year journey still feels magical
• 'The Apple graveyard': 7 mythical Apple products from the past 50 years that never saw the light of day
• 12 irresistibly boxy and beige Apple accessories that'll transform your shiny new gadgets into retro tech in seconds

Apple Park is getting ready for big celebration

Apple, it seems, is saving the best and biggest for last, as just hours after hands-on with the AirPods Max 2 dropped, it seems that Apple Park is getting ready for a true party to celebrate the 50th Anniversary. Likely one that will start in the evening and continue into April 1, 2026.

Judging by a post on Reddit (r/apple), the Rainbow Stage is being put to good use in the center of Apple Park, and employees – including CEO Tim Cook and SVP of hardware John Ternus – will be treated to a performance by none other than Paul McCartney.

Paul live at Apple from r/PaulMcCartney

The festivities did kick off earlier in the day, though, as the NASDAQ brought the opening bell to Apple Park and let Apple CEO Tim Cook ring it, ultimately starting the 50th celebration very early in the morning California time.

Apple Park has some special displays

Apple Park is clearly getting in the spirit of the 50th anniversary as the team at Apple has set up some pretty neat displays around the campus, according to images shared on X (formerly Twitter).

First up is a real-life version of the 50th Anniversary Apple logo as a statue in a spot in the main ring building. It's the classic Apple colors mixing together as if drawn with an Apple Pencil on an iPad within the logo, and it looks pretty sizable.

Elsewhere within Apple Park, there's a walk down Mac memory lane showing off the many versions of the iMac. It starts with the iMac G3 and works its way to the modern iMac with the M4 chip inside.

And similarly, potentially closer to Cafe Mac, Apple has every iPhone on display from the original, first-generation to the most recent iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone Air.

Test your Apple knowledge

If you're keen to test your knowledge about Apple and the many, many devices and software it has shipped since its inception in 1976, look no further than TechRadar's Big Apple 50th anniversary quiz.

It was crafted and created by our Editor-in-Chief, Marc McLaren, and let us know how you do in the comments below.

Apple employees are scoring some free 50th gifts

Apple's no stranger to serving up some exclusive swag, usually in the form of pins or clothing, to its employees, and it's safe to say the 50th stuff is pretty sweet.

According to a post on X, Apple employees are receiving a poster, a t-shirt, and an epic enamel pin to commemorate the 50th Anniversary.

A message from Tim Cook

Apple's CEO has just posted the post on X above to kickstart the 50th anniversary celebrations — it's a rewind through most of Apple's big releases from the last half century.

I couldn't help but notice an appearance from the Apple Card, which seems an odd inclusion among such illustrious company. It also reminds me of the time that Tim Cook reportedly saw his application for an Apple Card rejected in 2019.

The music in this promo clip is something of a mystery though. Any ideas what tune is lurking behind the distortion? Let me know in the comments below.

A glimpse into Apple's musical past

Apple has lined up quite the headliner for its Apple Park celebrations, with Paul McCartney due to take the stage later for a private gig for Apple employees — and that's got us musing about Apple's musical past over the last 50 years.

If you remember the pre-iPod era, or if you just want a taste of what life was life before Spotify, make sure to read TechRadar contributor Carrie Marshall's excellent account of how Apple completely changed music in the early 2000s — and why it's an era she still misses.

• Read the full story: How Apple accidentally destroyed the record business — and why I wish we'd stuck with iPods

What's happened so far?

Apple actually kicked off its 50th anniversary celebrations way back on March 13, with a performance from Alicia Keys at the Apple Grand Central store in New York.

Since then, Tim Cook has been on something of a global tour, most notably in China. I'll bring you photos from those recent celebrations — plus some videos from Paul McCartney performing at Apple Park.

The spectacular show below took place during Shanghai Fashion Week and was created by designer Feng Chen Wang for Apple's 50th anniversary celebrations. I'll take the luminous green dressing gown, thanks.

Below that, you can see Feng Chen Wang greeting fans at the Apple Jing’an Store, with futuristic fashionistas dotted among the crowd.

More recently, the Apple celebrations took over London's Battersea Power Station (below) with a surprise concert from Mumford & Sons.

Below that, you can see a video from the show, if you're a fan of the so-called 'Stomp, clap, hey' folk rock era from the early 2010s.

That private Paul McCartney show

Apple's big 50th birthday party at Apple Park actually took place last night, with Paul McCartney being the impressive (and very apt) headliner.

There are several videos floating around from Instagram, showing what it was like inside the private event. This one, for example, shows the queues before it kicked off and Tim Cook introducing McCartney before his set.

"Over the past few weeks, we’ve been celebrating with people who 'Think Different'. People whose creativity has shaped culture and changed the world. It only felt right to invite someone who’s done exactly that," Cook said.

‘Steve loved, I mean loved, The Beatles. And he often said he built Apple to be like them. A team where great people come together, challenge each other, and create something greater than any one person could do alone," he added.

According to Setlist FM, it was quite the concert too, encompassing 25 songs from across The Beatles' and McCartney's solo career.

What's your Apple era?

Before we delve further into Apple's celebrations and its 50-year history, it's time to pause for an important question — which Apple era do you belong in?

We've set up a short quiz to help you figure this out below. I'm pleased to announce that I'm firmly in the 'Trendsetter' category centering around Apple's golden era, which I think also just means I'm really old.

Have a play and let us know if you agree with your result in the comments...

Apple's homepage is looking different

If you head to the Apple homepage today, you'll be greeted with the rather lovely animation above — which takes you through the Macintosh, macOS, iMac, iPod and more.

You can sense Apple's hesitation to plunge too deep into nostalgia, with the message below the '50 years of thinking different' header stating: "At 50 years, it’s only natural to look back. But Apple has always looked forward, building tools and delivering experiences that enrich people’s lives."

It's hard not to read that in Tim Cook's voice — but unfortunately, there are no special 50th anniversary discounts when you go further into the store.

This slightly beats our office Christmas party

Here's another impressive view from inside the big Apple Park show last night, courtesy of Apple developer Steven Peterson.

It shows some serious pyrotechnics accompanying the coda to McCartney's live version of 'Live and Let Die'.

Is it curmudgeonly to suggest that a drone light show might have been a better fit for Apple's 2030 environmental vision? Maybe — you can't say that on Apple's birthday...

Tim Cook gets reflective

Esquire landed an engaging interview with Tim Cook ahead of Apple's 50th anniversary, where he talks about everything from Steve Jobs to working with the Trump administration.

Cook is too well media-trained to reveal anything hugely insightful, but he is in a more reflective mood than we typically see him.

On Jobs, he said: "I think about him often — and in the last few months, thinking about the fiftieth anniversary, even more so, honestly,” Cook says. “You think about the things he believed in. He believed in the simple, not the complex. He believed in collaboration, that if you put a small group of people together, the output of that small group would be much greater than any individual among them.”

The slightly thornier questions around Trump are met with a masterful neutrality, and echo his previous "I'm not political" comments. "The Trump administration is very accessible," he said. "So you can talk with them about your point of view on things. They may not agree, but you can engage. You can be heard. You may not, in the end, be able to convince," he added.

The Apple gadgets we never got

Like Tim Cook, we've been in a reflective mood today about Apple's last 50 years — in particular about the rumored Apple gadgets that never arrived.

And there's been a lot of those — from the Apple Car to AirPower wireless charging and a mysterious mash up of a computer, a fax machine, scanner and telephone called the Paladin, we've rounded up the company's biggest gadget unicorns below.

• Read the full story: 'The Apple graveyard': 7 mythical Apple products from the past 50 years that never saw the light of day

Tim Cook's been busy

Hypebeast has combined another nice visual trip through Apple's history with some celeb birthday messages below, with Tim Cook making a surprise appearance at the end.

At this rate, I'm half expecting Cook to pop up from behind my TV later and exclaim "here's to 50 more years of thinking different'...

One more thing...

Apple has had a serious knack for both 'breakthrough' marketing slogans and, thanks to Steve Jobs, memorable turns-of-phrase. But they haven't always worked in favor of Apple.

We thought it'd be fun to tell the story (below) of Apple's last 50 years through those well-worn phrases, from its early slogans ('The computer for the rest of us') to the episodes ('You're holding it wrong', 'Bendgate' and more) that its detractors love to hark back to. Just be wary of the 'reality distortion field'....

• Read the full story: 'You’re holding it wrong': 11 iconic phrases that define Apple's last 50 years, from genius highs to embarrassing lows

Watch our favorite Apple keynote moments

If you're anything like us, there's likely an Apple keynote that stands out the most to you – maybe it was the iPhone reveal, the original Macintosh, or the iPod.

Whatever your favorite is, take a stroll down Apple keynote memory lane and see our favorite picks of the best moments that Steve Jobs introduced.

Tim Cook shares a note with Apple employees recognizing the 50th

Thanks to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, we're getting a look at Tim Cook's memo celebrating Apple's 50th anniversary that was shared with employees earlier today. In it, he reflects on the first 50 years, a quote from Steve Jobs that's been on his mind, and teases that 'what comes next' is what excites him most.

Apple's 50th Anniversary swag apparently shows up on eBay

It was only a matter of time.

From all indications, Apple’s big 50th Anniversary bash featuring a live performance by Sir Paul McCartney was an exclusive, employee-only affair. That also means that the only people who got the really cool swag were Apple employees.

To refresh your memory, the swag included a t-shirt, a poster, and a “50” enamel pin.

Well, guess what just showed up on eBay? One of the pins. There are some huge caveats here. First of all, this might be a fake. It could also be someone grabbing someone else’s pin image and posting it, in hopes of luring unsuspecting bidders. Who knows what the winning bid will actually receive?

But what if it’s real? Would you pay $100 for a souvenir pin? Even a really cool one like this, complete with paperwork that indicates the date of Apple’s founding? Maybe. As of now, the pin has no bids but six watchers, who probably know better.

• Apple CEO Tim Cook is opening up about his relationship with President Trump
• Cook is reiterating Apple's commitment to US manufacturing
• We finally know if Cook plans to stay or go in the near term

Apple CEO Tim Cook is finally opening up about his relationship with the Trump White House, and about his future — and his responses are likely to cheer some and frustrate others.

Cook, who's been with Apple for 28 years and has been CEO for 15 years, has been opening up in a series of interviews to mark the occasion of Apple's 50th Anniversary.

Cook is not really the navel-gazing type, and neither is Apple as a whole, a point Cook reiterated to me when I spoke to him at the first in-person 50th Anniversary celebration at New York City's Grand Central Station.

But now Cook is being pressed in interviews about the past, present, and some controversial topics, including his dealings with the Trump Administration, tariffs, and whether or not Cook plans to step down as CEO (and possibly install Apple Hardware Lead John Ternus).

In a chat with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan, Cook did his best to explain his sometimes seemingly chummy relationship with President Donald Trump, who famously once called Cook "Tim Apple".

Cook attended the Trump inauguration last year and, in August, famously presented Trump with a 24-karat-gold and glass trophy to commemorate the launch of Apple's American Manufacturing Program. It featured the Apple logo in glass, Trump's name, and Cook's signature.

More recently, Cook attended the Melania Documentary screening at the White House on the same day that US Border Patrol Agents shot and killed protester Alex Peretti.

Strahan pressed Cook about that apparent closeness with the administration and the criticism Cook received over it. Without addressing that criticism directly, Cook explained his approach to the Trump White House.

"What I do is I interact on policy, not politics. I'm not a political person on either side. I'm not political. And so I'm kind of straight down the middle, and I focus on policy," said Cook.

Cook added that he's pleased he can "talk to the President about policy."

The distinction Cook makes is important. Instead of focusing on controversial topics, perhaps the stances the White House takes on topics like DEI, Immigration, and the war in Iran, Cook is focusing on policy decisions that directly affect Apple and its products.

Whether or not you buy that Cook is essentially apolitical, lives in the middle, and can so neatly silo policy and politics, Cook's statements and actions make his strategy clear.

As Cook told Strahan, "We're a very proud American company and want to do as much here as we possibly can." Apple has, in recent years, been moving some component manufacturing for iPhone glass and some Apple silicon to the US, though iPhone assembly still happens outside the US.

For Cook and Apple, it seems, "policy" equals "business". It's fairly clear Cook is not talking to Trump about issues of affordable housing, hunger, and gas prices. Instead, he's laser-focused on the things that impact your iPhone. MacBook and iPad.

It's a narrow view that may not assuage all his critics, but at least Cook has provided some clarity on how he runs a company that, according to its stated company values, views business as something that "can and should be a force for good” while dealing with a US administration that some view as working in the opposite direction.

Cook's close relationship with the White House may soon be tested. When Strahan asked him about the $3.3 billion in US tariffs Apple has paid in the first three quarters of the fiscal year, and if he would, as some companies are doing, sue to get the funds back, Cook didn't exactly say Apple won't.

"Well, we're monitoring the situation as to and to see what the courts will rule there, and we'll decide accordingly," said Cook.

That's not exactly a no.

Cook will, it seems, have time to figure it out. When asked by Strahan if he's ready to step back, Cook said talk about that was just rumor, and that, "I can't imagine life without Apple."

Standing a few feet behind Apple CEO Tim Cook, I watched as he rocked back and forth, clearly enjoying Alicia Keys' surprise Grand Central Station performance on Friday to kick off Apple’s global in-person celebrations of its 50th anniversary.

After a brief introduction by Apple Radio One’s DJ Ebro Darden, Keys sang as she played on a pink piano positioned just outside the Apple Store, right below the Apple logo and in front of hundreds crowded around her on that landing and the hundreds more in the Grand Concourse below.

It was an unusual kickoff in that Cook never spoke, only briefly taking that stage after Keys wrapped her multi-song, roughly 45-minute performance that covered hits like Fallin', Girl on Fire, and Empire State of Mind.

Keys chatted up the crowd, thanked Grand Central for hosting, and Apple for their support before inviting Cook onstage. Keys and Cook stood together as he waved to the crowd and then quickly returned to his spot beside the platform.

As I looked around, I saw various Apple execs like Global Marketing Lead Greg Jozwiak (Joz) and Apple Hardware Lead John Ternus, swaying, mouthing the lyrics, and grinning ear to ear. There was no product to hawk (unless you count Apple Music, where Alicia Keys’ songs are on offer). Instead, this felt like a great exhale by one of the world’s biggest and most important companies, which officially turns 50 on April 1, 2026.

I’ve long felt that Apple didn’t want to do this: properly celebrate the milestone. There would not be, it seemed, any kind of big-tent event similar to what Microsoft did last year for its 50th. But perhaps that made sense. After all, Bill Gates is still around to pop up on stage and explain what he was thinking and doing in 1975.

Co-Founder and ex CEO Steve Jobs’ absence — he died in 2011 — is still keenly felt by those at Apple who knew him, and perhaps no one wanted to have that kind of celebration, which would so clearly highlight the emotional hole in the center.

Still, it was clear Apple had to do something and do it in a very Apple way.

After Keys wrapped up and we were all ushered from the stage and Concourse landing, I walked into the Apple Store where Cook and Keys were chatting about the event. Leaning in their heads, they were talking about her performance and the moment, then, taking note of all the media and invited guests around them, turning to the crowd to embrace and smile for pictures.

“Happy to see all the iPhones out there,” said Cook. Keys laughed, “Of course, could you imagine someone holding up something else?”

They both laughed, and the Keys thanked everyone and left.

Suddenly, I found myself next to Cook.

I congratulated him on the milestone and told him he finally seemed to be embracing the celebration.

“Well, you know how we hate to look back,” he told me, smiling, adding that they’re, as ever, focused on the future.

Obviously, Cook has in recent days been acknowledging the past and Apple's storied history, most recently in an interview with David Pogue and a letter marking Apple's Anniversary. Clearly, he and Apple are getting better at this.

Cook told me, as I’ve heard him tell others, that they’ve developed a new muscle: the ability to look back and celebrate.

We talked for a bit more, and I noted how this event felt authentically Apple and, in a way, simple. Cook agreed, and we remarked on the choice of Keys and her tight relationship with Apple.

In that moment, Cook seemed almost satisfied, and I wondered if I was witnessing a shift. While he joked about the next 50 years, Cook might be thinking about the short term, say the next five years, where a transition from CEO to something like Executive Chairman is likely.

Most of us won’t see Apple’s 100th anniversary, but I do wonder if Tim Cook will ring in the 60th or leave that task to the next line of Apple leadership, people like John Ternus, who stood just feet away, clearly enjoying the show.

Here's a surprising fact: CEO Tim Cook has now been with Apple longer than its iconic co-founder and former CEO, the late Steve Jobs, which means it's now conceivable that the person with the greatest influence on what the Cupertino tech giant has become in 50 years and what it will be in the next 50 is Cook. But then that's probably not how Cook, who's been with the company for 28 years, sees it.

"He’s a once win a thousands years kind of person...and I loved him," said Cook in a recent interview with CBS News' David Pogue (author of Apple: The First 50 Years). The company, which is almost allergic to looking back, has been, as Cook put it, forced to develop a new muscle and find ways to celebrate the milestone, which includes the interview, Pogue's upcoming book, and still unannounced potential festivities and content on the official anniversary date, April 1, 2026.

Cook covered a range of topics, including what's special about the company (people and culture), and acknowledged that his tenure covers more than half the company's history. Still, I took note of his reflections on how and why he chose to join Apple in 1998, and it mostly boiled down to Steve Jobs, who died in 2011, and his vision.

"The company had drifted without Steve," said Cook. Steve Jobs founded Apple in 1976 with Steve Wozniak, but was forced out just a decade later. He would not return until 1997, and the company was not in good shape.

"It was bleak, to be honest," Cook told Pogue, recalling worries about making payroll and whether or not the company would succeed.

Tough times and an inspirational leader

I remember those days and how Jobs secured $150 million in funding from, of all places, Microsoft to keep the company afloat. In 2012, when I had a chance to ask Cook about his decision to join Apple, he revealed that when he initially got the headhunter call to interview, he said no because he hadn't been at Compaq that long. What's more, Compaq was a huge PC company, and, at the time, well, Apple was struggling.

Cook eventually relented and took a redeye to meet Jobs on a Saturday.

"The honest-to-God truth is five minutes into the conversation, I'm wanting to join Apple," Cook told me back then.

I heard echoes of that comment in the tale Cook shared with Pogue about the original interview process that brought him to Apple,

"I was taken, in first meeting with him, and I wanted to throw caution to the wind and join," he told Pogue.

Jobs was always a charismatic showman on stage, but what could he have said in that first meeting that so inspired Cook? It was, it turned out, all about a fresh and operable counterintuitive strategy.

At a time when everyone else in the tech industry was targeting the enterprise, "he was taking Apple deep into consumer at a time when I knew that other people were doing the exact opposite," he told me in 2012, adding that Jobs even revealed a bit about the product that would eventually become the iMac.

"I've never thought following the herd was a good strategy. You know you're destined to be average at best doing that, and so I saw brilliance in that," Cook added in that 2012 conversation.

The best possible advice

When Jobs asked him to become CEO, he also gave Cook a great gift, telling him, "Never ask what I would do, just do the right thing," Cook recalled to Pogue. It took off Cook's shoulders the burden of "What would Steve do?"

Still, Cook admits he thinks about Steve Jobs every day and made it clear that this is still the company that the two Steves built in a garage 50 years ago.

"[Jobs] principles are the DNA of this company, 50 years after its inception, and I hope 100 years and 200 years into the future," Cook told Pogue.

Perhaps that's why there's always been something different about Apple and its customers.

What's next?

"Apple was the only technology company that I knew of, including the one I was working at," Cook said in 2012, "and had worked at where if a customer got angry with the company, they would yell and yell loudly, but they would continue to buy."

"At Compaq, if people got angry at Compaq, they would just buy from Dell. At Dell, if they got angry at Dell, they would just buy at that time from IBM, and so people were moving freely to and fro, but an Apple customer was a unique breed, and there was this emotion that is so — you just don't see it in technology in general. You could see it and feel it in Apple customers, and so I knew that was different."

Perhaps Cook is finally in a reflective mood because his long journey might be coming to an end. Rumors continue to swirl about his succession plan, with most pundits pointing to Apple Hardware lead John Ternus as a likely successor (Apple COO Sabih Khan is a dark horse candidate). Cook previously said he wouldn't leave "until the voice in my head says, 'It's time." However, Cook was notably absent from the recent MacBook Neo unveil, and Ternus was front and center

Whatever the near future holds, Cook sounds ready to look back on Apple's first half century, "It's of great value to look back and feel grateful for the journey, to feel grateful for all the characters who have been part of that journey."

• Tim Cook teases 'a big week ahead' in a post on X
• Apple's already confirmed an experience happening on March 4
• Cook notes that the news will start on Monday, March 2

Ahead of Apple’s confirmed March 4, 2026 experience – which invited media, creators, and guests, including TechRadar – CEO Tim Cook is teasing “a big week ahead.”

That’s quite the tease, and Cook goes further in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “It all starts Monday morning!” This suggests we may see several days of announcements leading up to the March 4 experience rather than a single event. That will likely be where Apple showcases the full new lineup, rumored to include new iPads, a follow-up to the iPhone 16e, and several new Macs.

The latter is expected to take center stage, potentially headlined by the long-rumored low-cost MacBook, and the attached video teaser Cook shared certainly seems to support that theory. Here’s the full post from Tim Cook on X.

This isn't the first time Cook has teased products and news on X either. In 2025, he teased both the arrival of the iPhone 16e and new iPads and MacBooks by saying something was in the “Air.”

This time around, rumors of a new entry-level iPad and iPad Air, a successor to the iPhone 16e, and several new Macs have been circling. The attached video shows a hand playing with a shape to form an Apple logo in the same silver color that many Apple products come in, including Macs.

I mean, it's hard not to see the surface as the rear of a top lid on a MacBook Air or Pro, as well as the top of a Mac mini or Mac Studio. Though one could also say the hand playing around with the logo elements to make the final shape is hinting at gestures, I don't think that's the focus here ... at least not yet.

Leading the rumor pack is the purported arrival of the low-cost MacBook. This long-rumored device would represent a new entry-level option in the all-in-one, portable Mac family, and at a significantly lower price point. It's likely to arrive at $699 with a similar form, hopefully paired with a much more colorful build, and rather than an M-series processor, it'll use an A-series chip that can still run macOS, and likely pretty well.

Adding to the rumored fun color options for this low-cost MacBook is the fact that the press invites for the March 4, 2026, event featured Apple logos in several colors – yellow, blue, and light green. Beyond a low-cost MacBook, it's likely that Apple will use next week to roll out the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips into the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.

For the iPad, we're expecting a pretty similar update to what the entry-level iPad and the iPad Air received in early 2025. That would be a processor upgrade for both: the iPad Air would get the M4 chip – offering even more performance in a great build – and the new base iPad, which would be the 12th gen, would get an A18 chip. That would speed things up from the A16 chip and also enable Apple Intelligence support.

Lastly, we're pretty confident based on reports and rumors – and timing – that the iPhone 17e will arrive next week. This mid-range iPhone would succeed the iPhone 16e and likely keep the same overall build, but speed things up with the A19 processor. That same chip powers the iPhone 17 and should offer a fast experience, even if it's a slightly less powerful variant – think losing a core or two.

Of course, there's always a chance we could see something else unveiled, and Tim Cook is teasing that it'll be a big week. Might that mean we see a next-generation Studio Display? Or potentially upgrades to the MacBook Air, Mac mini, or Mac Studio? Time will certainly tell, and we only have a few days until Monday, March 2, 2026, when TechRadar will report on it all, along with our expert analysis. Let us know in the comments below what you're most excited to see.

• Apple plans to build some Mac Mini computers in the US
• Tim Cook made the announcement while showing off some behind-the-scenes manufacturing video
• AI may be one of the driving forces here

The suddenly hot Mac mini will soon be made in the United States. Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the move on Tuesday in a post on X.

"As part of our $600B commitment, Mac mini will be produced in the US for the first time later this year!" wrote Cook.

The $600B investment he refers to is the billions Cook promised US President Donald Trump last year he'd be funneling into US manufacturing efforts as part of a new "American Manufacturing Program" (AMP). He made the promise while also presenting Trump with a golden plaque featuring the words "Made in America."

This Mac mini news, though, may be far more valuable to American consumers interested in buying one of Apple's increasingly popular tiny desktop computers.

A mini piece of the pie

The Mac mini has accounted for only about 1% of Apple's Mac sales in recent years, but the mini's star is on the rise. According to recent reports, 2024 M4 Mac minis have been selling out (along with Mac Studios). Why? Blame AI. The tiny box computer is considered a perfect fit for handling localized agentic AI tasks, and so they're apparently flying off the shelves.

Now, it's unclear if all those sales are helping the Mac mini draw closer to, say, it's best-sellign MacBook Air or MacBook Pro counterparts. That seems unlikely, but the US production, set to begin at a new Houston, Texas, facility later this year, should increase mini-production levels.

An entire production facility devoted to just one thin slice of Apple's Mac market doesn't make much sense. However, AI's appetite for hardware goes far beyond the mini. Apple will also be building AI servers that should help support the company's growing Private Cloud Computer and other AI aspirations.

How mini are these operations

Tim Cook's post offers scant details on exactly when the facility will open and become operational, or how many Mac minis it will produce each quarter. It's likely the factory will only build a fraction of all the Mac minis Apple produces for sale. Perhaps, it will build all those sold in the US, while other global manufacturing facilities serve the rest of the world.

However, we do now know a bit more about how Apple builds products through its supply chain and with its manufacturing partners, thanks to a new video report from The Wall Street Journal.

The report focuses largely on Apple's efforts to get its Apple Silicon built in the US. Apple does not produce any chips; it relies on a series of partners to produce the high-powered silicon. However, it's clear from the video that Apple's fingerprints are all over the process.

When asked by The Wall Street Journal, "Who is the most demanding customer you have?" the Global Wafers exec answered quickly, "Apple."

Apple's deep involvement and its size give it the power to push partners like these chip supply chain partners to move more operations to the US.

iPhone next?

Apple's promise to begin building some Mac minis in the US this year does not signal a massive shift to making all Apple products in the US. And when Apple executives were asked by The Wall Street Journal about making the iPhone in the US, they gave a circuitous answer about future innovation, but offered no insight into future iPhone build operations.

Ultimately, the Mac mini's new manufacturing home represents a small but perhaps important return to US manufacturing for Apple, which famously built the original Macintosh in Fremont. California.

There's no indication Apple is planning a broad return to US manufacturing, but the push for US-based operations for chip manufacturing is perhaps a stronger possibility because of the growing need for chips (and memory) in the US.

For now, the majority of silicon and RAM are made outside the US. Once again, the global AI race is creating unprecedented demand, shortages, and the need for, in the US, closer-to-home supply chains.

In a way, this Houston-based operation is also a proof of concept. If it goes well, and Apple can also bring some Apple Silicon manufacturing to the US, we may finally see a wider swath of Apple products arriving without the support of imports and the potential burden of tariffs.

Will that mean cheaper Mac minis and eventually other products? Only time will tell.

• Apple's just promised that future iPhone and Apple Watch models will feature US-made Glass
• It's not an entirely built-in the USA iPhone or Apple Watch
• It's part of a larger $600 billion investment in the US economy from Apple

While it’s not an iPhone that’s entirely made in the U.S.A., Apple is making some pretty major hardware-related news alongside a fresh commitment from the Cupertino-based tech giant to invest a total of $600 billion in the U.S. economy within the next five years.

Apple, in a just-announced partnership with Corning, will aim to make and produce all of the glass covers for the iPhone and Apple Watch in the United States – specifically at Corning’s facility in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. It’s part of a new $2.5 billion commitment from Apple and means that once in place, all the glass for the iPhone and Apple Watch models sold globally will be made in the United States.

Apple’s partnership with Corning is far from new. While Apple rarely explicitly names who makes which components, it’s long been known that they use some custom form of Corning Gorilla Glass. Corning has always been a US-based company. The news that all iPhone and Apple Watch glass manufacturing is coming to the US inadvertently reveals that Apple may have been using multiple glass suppliers, including some from outside the US. That all changes now, though.

Most recently, this facility has been producing glass that’s named ‘Ceramic Shield’ for Apple’s iPhone lineup. The Harrodsburg, Kentucky, facility will exclusively be used for making glass for Apple devices going forward. The release notes that this decision will increase Corning’s manufacturing and engineering workforce here by 50% and that a combined Apple-Corning Innovation Center will open nearby.

At a joint conference held at the White House and attended by Apple CEO Tim Cook, US President Donald Trump stated that this is a "smart glass production line" and will ultimately create 20,000 new American jobs.

Cook actually gave Trump a present, well, a gift from Apple – a piece of Corning Glass with ‘Trump’ engraved on it, and a base made from 24 karat gold sourced from Utah. It might be the first unboxing on the Resolute Desk, at least performed by Apple’s CEO.

The bigger picture: Apple’s upping its promised US investment

While this is the major hardware-related news as part of Apple’s commitment, the company did promise an additional $100 billion investment United States. Previously, the total investment was $500 billion, and that jumps to $600 billion, which should be complete within four years.

Alongside the new partnership with Corning, Apple’s also committed to working further with other US manufacturers like Coherent, GlobalWafers America (GWA), Applied Materials, Texas Instruments (TI), Samsung, GlobalFoundries, Amkor, and Broadcom. This is dubbed Apple’s American Manufacturing Program and will result in a tangible 450,000 jobs created in America across 79 factories.

Beyond the fact that all glass for the iPhone and Apple Watch will be made in the United States, Apple also hopes to create an end-to-end silicon supply chain in America. Apple already expects this supply chain to build over 19 billion chips by the end of 2025 here. Speaking at the White House, Cook said, “American innovation is central to everything we do," and it’s clear that the tech giant is further investing to ensure that will be the case going forward, especially from a building perspective.

Apple's decision to shift some component manufacturing to the US may have just saved it from a 100% tariff on chips and semiconductors that Trump announced during the press conference. Trump said, for companies like Apple, "if you're building in the US or have committed to building in the US, there will be no charge."

Apple has also started construction on a 250,000-square-foot facility in Houston, Texas, that’s focused on building advanced Apple servers, and is expanding a data center that supports services like Apple TV+ and Apple Music in Maiden, North Carolina.

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• Apple claims it’s “making good progress” on its upcoming Siri features
• But many forums are overflowing with posts from frustrated Siri users
• Cook says Siri’s upgraded features will arrive at some point in 2026

It’s no secret that Apple’s Siri voice assistant is lagging behind its rivals, and that idea was reinforced by Apple’s inability to deliver on its Siri promises from summer 2024, with its most interesting new ideas still nowhere to be seen a year later. Yet that situation doesn’t seem to be bothering Apple CEO Tim Cook, who says the company is “making good progress on a more personalized Siri” (via MacRumors).

The announcement came during Apple’s recent earnings call, where Cook explained that he expects the new Siri features – infused with Apple Intelligence – to be available “next year.” That’s something Apple has said before, but it likely won’t placate users who are impatiently awaiting improvements to the virtual helper.

Indeed, you can see that playing out on forums and communities across the internet. The Siri subreddit, for example, is full of posts decrying the state of Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) helper. Browse it today and you’ll find posts titled “Siri is a complete disappointment,” “Okay, Siri can’t even set timers anymore,” and “Siri isn’t Siri anymore.” It makes for pretty grim reading, and it seems to have only become worse in recent months.

While Siri wowed the world when it launched in 2011, it was swiftly overtaken by its rivals – even before AI assistants like ChatGPT came along. With the advent of AI, Siri’s weaknesses have been roundly exposed, prompting Apple to scramble to upgrade it. Unfortunately, we still haven’t seen the results of that work, and while Tim Cook might seem optimistic, users are clearly exasperated.

Slow progress

Right now, Siri can perform a few basic tasks for you, such as setting timers and telling you the weather forecast. For more advanced requests, it can hand over to ChatGPT, but that just goes to highlight its own limitations by way of comparison.

To put that right, Apple is working on a few new features that it unveiled at its WWDC 2024 back in June 2024. Back then, Apple said that Siri would soon come with better awareness of on-screen content, an understanding of your own personal context, and powerful tools for performing actions within apps.

But in March 2025, Apple told pundit John Gruber that “It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features,” with the firm adding that it would be rolling out “in the coming year.” While there was some hope that that would mean the features would arrive later in 2025, Apple confirmed at WWDC 2025 that it is aiming for a 2026 launch.

Considering how lackluster many of Siri’s features feel compared to its competitors, that could feel like a long wait. Tim Cook might be sanguine about Siri’s prospects, but if Reddit posts are anything to go by, it might take more to placate some increasingly exasperated Apple fans.

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As WWDC 2025 (Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference) comes into view (it takes place on Monday, June 9) there is a lot riding on Apple to get it right with Apple Intelligence this time after the fallout from last year’s WWDC when Apple promised a lot of new features, but failed to deliver the really important ones, like a new AI-powered Siri.

Last year, Apple made the classic mistake of demonstrating features that it hadn’t really got working as if they were real. When it became apparent that Apple wouldn’t be able to get the features ready in time, Tim Cook's technology giant had to pull them from release and was left with AI-flavored egg on their Genmoji-shaped faces.

To be fair, Apple did manage to release some of its Apple Intelligence features, like the writing tools, ChatGPT integration, notifications, and the aforementioned Genmojis, but these new AI features already seemed out of date when they launched because of the warp speed of AI innovation.

While Apple was trying to get us excited about emojis featuring our faces, the rest of the world was chatting with AI using their voice in Gemini Live and ChatGPT’s voice mode.

Apple’s development speed, with its traditional once-a-year operating system update, suddenly looked glacial compared to OpenAI and Google, which seem to have taken over the job of writing our future.

In some ways, WWDC 2025 is Apple’s chance to balance the books, reset its ambitions for AI, and show us how, by focusing on great hardware and software integration, it can still be relevant in the modern age of AI, because it can. After all, Google Gemini or ChatGPT runs just as well on an iPhone 16 as it does on a Pixel 9 or a Samsung Galaxy S25.

Thanks to the ever-reliable Marc Gurman and his Power On newsletter, there are some Apple Intelligence features that we think are definitely going to be announced at WWDC 2025, so let’s take a look at those first:

1. Opening up Apple Intelligence to third-party developers

Apple will be opening up its existing Apple Intelligence models to third-party developers. This will let iPhone app developers access the AI features on iPhone that we're already familiar with, like writing summaries, or even use Apple's models to create their own innovative AI features.

Apple’s existing AI models have about 3 billion parameters, which sounds like a lot, but that’s far less than the cloud-powered AI's from OpenAI and Google. However, Apple's models are perfect for lightweight tasks that can be done on the iPhone without needing to access the cloud.

2. A new AI battery management system

A new battery management system doesn’t sound like the most interesting thing in the world, but anything that helps us get more life out of an iPhone battery sounds like a good idea.

Details are sparse at the moment, but the idea would be that Apple Intelligence will analyze how you use your device and make clever adjustments to help you conserve energy.

3. Live language translation with AirPods

Now this one sounds genuinely exciting! It’s tied to an update to the AirPods software and iOS 19 (or iOS 26, its new name), but it is going to use AI to help in live language translation through your AirPods.

This may sound more like science fiction than reality, but if Apple can get this working flawlessly, it could be a feature that sets Apple apart from its competitors.

In addition to all these new AI features, we’re expecting Apple to quietly rebrand a lot of its existing features in apps like Safari and Photos as “AI-powered.”

What I'd like to see

So, that’s what Marc Gurman thinks we’ll get for sure, but Apple will be bound to have a few surprises for us up its sleeve on the day. Here’s what I hope we’ll see as well:

1. AI background noise reduction

Surprisingly, one of the biggest cheers from the crowd at the last Samsung AI event was when it demonstrated how AI could effortlessly reduce the background noise, like wind or chatter, in videos using a tool called Audio Eraser.

I think people cheered because they could actually see an example of AI that they’d actually use! Apple has this feature already for the iPhone 16, but it's only available if you edit a video clip, and it's tucked away in various settings and not easily accessible.

If Apple can make it easier to use and work on any audio or video clips, then I think it would have a guaranteed hit on its hands.

2. Tighter AI integration

If we can’t have an AI-powered Siri quite yet, then at least make it easier to integrate existing AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini into iOS.

Yes, Siri currently calls on ChatGPT when a question becomes too complicated, but the process feels a bit awkward and slow.

How about integrating ChatGPT more directly into iOS so that you can use it for performing functions on the iPhone, like opening apps and finding options in Settings?

3. Better AI image tools

I’m sorry Apple, but you are lagging behind Google and Samsung significantly in the area of AI image manipulation. When we compared Galaxy AI’s photo editing tool to Apple Intelligence’s Clean Up, the results weren’t even close.

People expect so much more from AI these days. We want to be able to produce photorealistic images from prompts, not cute AI graphics in Image Studio that don’t look realistic. And when we edit photos, we want the ability to be able to remove objects from an image and add new ones flawlessly using AI.

Apple needs to step up its game significantly here, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask that it does it at this year’s WWDC 2025.

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• The US has expressed concerns about Apple's AI deal with Alibaba in China
• Around one in five of Apple's sales are in China – its second-largest market
• Apple has also been slammed for manufacturing in India, not the US

The Trump administration and Congress are concerned about Apple's deal with Alibaba to power some of the AI features on iPhones in China, noting potential privacy concerns (via The New York Times).

Worries about data sharing and national security implications have been raised, with the potential legal requirements for Apple and Alibaba to adhere to Chinese regulator rules central to the discussion.

Moreover, only Alibaba has publicly confirmed the agreement, with Apple remaining silent – this could indicate potential uncertainty or an unfinished deal, or it could just be a typical Apple move of keeping developments under tight wraps until the final moment.

US worried about Apple's deal with Alibaba for AI tools

The deal is being scrutinized amid ongoing US-China tensions, with concerns about aiding China's AI development and improving Chinese military AI capabilities both noted.

"Alibaba is a poster child for the Chinese Communist Party’s military-civil fusion strategy, and why Apple would choose to work with them on A.I. is anyone’s guess," Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois proclaimed.

Apple has already dropped a deal with Chinese chipmaker YMTC over pressure from the US, and the Cupertino tech giant is also facing challenges from the trade war-induced tariffs and supply chain shifts out of China, with industry experts warning of sharp price hikes for consumers partaking in the next refresh cycle.

However, China is the company's second-largest market, accounting for around one-fifth of its sales, highlighting the importance of a deal so as not to miss out against local smartphone makers.

The US administration has considered restricting US companies from doing business with the likes of Alibaba and other Chinese firms, but no details have been confirmed.

Although the company has sought to diversify its supply chain, President Trump has criticized Tim Cook for increasing production in India, urging domestic US manufacturing instead – one of the President's ultimate goals.

Ultimately, Apple risks issues whichever way the deal swings, either missing out on millions of Chinese sales or potentially serious implications within the US. Apple had a 13% smartphone market share in China during the first three months of 2025 (via Canalys), putting it several paces behind Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO and vivo.

"The US smartphone market is expected to experience considerable volatility over the next two to three quarters, impacted by inventory corrections and weakening consumer confidence," Canalys Research Manager Le Xuan Chiew explained.

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• Tim Cook just teased that something's in the AIR this week
• It's not an event invite, but rather a video teaser for something new
• If rumors are right, we could see a new MacBook Air with M4 or a new iPad

Hot off the heels of fresh rumors about a MacBook Air refresh with the latest, super-speedy M4 chip, Apple CEO Tim Cook is teasing that there is something in the ‘AIR’ this week. It’s likely a very smart choice of words, but this all but confirms that there is at least an Apple launch on the horizon.

As with the tease for what turned out to be the iPhone 16e, Tim Cook took to X (formerly Twitter), writing “This week.” and then a six-second teaser video. While it doesn’t show any product, it flashes one word individually at a time, writing out: There’s something in the AIR. And that points to two of Apple’s products – the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air and the iPad Air.

Hinting at speed is the fact that something slides through the word Air, causing a ripple effect. That could be a new MacBook Air or an iPad Air, likely with some improved performance courtesy of Apple Silicon.

The teaser, which was posted at 10:54AM ET on March 3, 2025, comes a day after Bloomberg's Mark Gurman shared that Apple's planned refresh for the MacBook Air with the M4 chip could come as soon as this week.

Apple initially launched the M4 chip in May of 2024 with the iPad Pro and then brought it to the iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) in October of 2024. So you could say it's about time to arrive in Apple's most popular and portable laptop, the MacBook Air.

We're not expecting a wildly different design with the new MacBook Air, but the M4 chip could speed up tasks thanks to an improved CPU and GPU, and it could also be better at Apple Intelligence thanks to bigger leaps with the Neural Engine. It should also help stretch the battery life even further.

Tim Cook also chose an important set of words that have some history at Apple. You might recall that before Steve Jobs pulled the original MacBook Air out of the manila envelope, the event was teased with the sub-line, "2008 There's something in the air." This time around, there is extra emphasis on the AIR.

Considering that this tease from Apple doesn't specify one new addition to the family, we could be getting more than one new product from the Cupertino-based tech giant.

According to recent reports, Apple is also preparing an upgraded iPad Air and a new entry-level iPad, likely the 12th gen. Apple refreshed the iPad Air, bringing down Face ID and a design that was more similar to the iPad Pro in May of 2024, but it could be improving performance by either the M3 or M4 chip, as well as new accessories.

Regarding the base entry-level iPad, it should also see a speed improvement, but rumors suggest that will be about it. In the same report as the MacBook Air, Bloomberg noted that the iPad launches could be further out.

We'll know more soon, though, as Apple says the news will be made this week. Of course, stick with TechRadar for the latest as we break down whatever Apple has in store. In the meantime, I'm asking Siri to play a Phil Collins classic – In The Air Tonight.

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Are you ready to meet Apple’s latest and greatest? Well, the rest of my colleagues and I are after an especially active few days for rumors, and Apple’s CEO Tim Cook just teed up that it’s debuting something new next week on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

Don’t call it an Apple Event, though. The post on X (formerly Twitter) ends with #AppleLaunch. The post reads, “Get ready to meet the newest member of the family.” Simply, pretty leading, and heavy with the tease.

Could it be the much-rumored iPhone SE fourth-generation? Or potentially new Macs, a second-generation AirTag, a new iPad, or something entirely new? Aside from the text, the only other hint is this six-second teaser video.

It's set to some joyful backing music, but the real star is the Apple logo with various shades of silver, black, and some color flowing through it. This could be light reflecting off the surface or edges of the forthcoming product as it flows through space.

Additionally, there is a circular ring around the Apple logo, which might just be to set it within the space of this launch teaser but it could also hint at the top of a HomePod or HomePod mini, which is circular with the set of LEDs in the center. There are also rumors of a new AirTag, which is a circular product as well.

The leading rumor though is likely that of the iPhone SE fourth-generation, which Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims that this is teasing a launch of.

Considering Tim Cook writes, "the newest member of the family," it appears to be hinting at one product being unveiled versus an entire next-generation lineup. That gives some credence to the iPhone SE and likely pushes out the wait for the M4-powered MacBook Air' (remember, it's a 13-inch and a 15-inch) or new iPads a bit more.

Judging by the latest rumors, though, I think we have the highest chance of seeing the next-generation iPhone SE. Teasing with this colorful video, potentially showing us the new edges, does align with leaks promising a large redesign that resembles an iPhone 14.

The iPhone is still a central part of Apple's lineup, and a new model – even a more affordable one – is a big deal. It would make sense that Apple wants to build up the hype around it further. The next-gen iPhone SE is expected to offer a bigger display with Face ID, a faster processor that can handle Apple Intelligence, and an entirely new design.

It's likely that alongside whatever Apple announces, the company should seed the first beta to developers of iOS 18.4, which brings with it the next set of Apple Intelligence features, including the actually smarter Siri.

Of course, it could also be ushering in something entirely new, which would be a surprise. It's all speculation for now, but either way, TechRadar will be closely analyzing this teaser further, and come February 19, 2025, we'll be breaking down all the news as it hits.

But, do you have a take or a theory? Let us know in the comments below what you think the February 19 Apple Launch will bring us.

This story is developing...

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• Tim Cook sat down with Wired for a wide-ranging interview
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I like Tim Cook. The now long-time Apple CEO is gracious, smart, and as close to a human sphinx as you can imagine. He rarely drops major news, either casually or when the media are grilling him.

Cook did not disappoint in his latest wide-ranging interview with Wired's Steven Levy. One of the best in the business, Levy peppered Cook with questions about everything from the iPhone's 16's new Camera Control button to Apple Intelligence, the company, and his own legacy. Cook didn't exactly break news, but there were areas where he revealed a bit more about himself and some of Apple's strategic decisions relating to AI, mixed reality, and what comes next for Cook himself.

Apple Intelligence, Apple's brand of AI that Cook insists is not a pun, has been slowly rolling out to supported iPhones, iPads, and Macs, with each iteration getting a bit closer to what Apple promised during its June WWDC 2024 keynote. Cook didn't walk through any new features, though he does have a point of view on the fine line between utility and taking over. Cook tends to believe that AI is an assistant (like a copilot, I guess) and is not straight-up doing things for you.

However, Cook's perspective on charging for additional and maybe more powerful AI Apple Intelligence features was more interesting. It's not a discussion they've been having on the Apple Campus.

"We never talked about charging for it," Cook told Levy. Now, that doesn't mean it's off the table, but since Apple and Cook view Apple Intelligence as similar to multitouch on the iPhone, AI is likely a feature that adds value to all the other products and services Apple charges for. Apple could simply raise the prices on them to cover the cost of building and supporting Apple intelligence features.

Vision Pro realities

Apple has been mum on Vision Pro sales. The powerful VR and mixed-reality headset is undoubtedly the apex of Apple's consumer electronics capabilities and the company makes you pay dearly for it – $3,500 – which may account for consumer apathy.

Cook didn't speak directly about sales performance, but he's still bullish about the headset. I think, though, he may have acknowledged that the pricey wearable is not for everyone. Here's how Cook characterized it to Levy:

"It’s an early adopter product, for people who want tomorrow’s technology today."

Cook insisted that the ecosystem is flourishing, which may be a sign of product category health, but then he added one encouraging bit of almost news about what might come next.

Levy asked about Meta Orion and Snap AR glasses. These lighter and more glasses-like wearables focus on AR experiences, and I wondered if Vision Pro's next iteration could be headed in that direction.

"Yes," Cook told Levy, "It’s a progression over time in terms of what happens with form factors."

I think the market cannot wait to try out those next form factors.

After Cook

Some believe that Apple Hardware lead John Ternus is the next likely Apple CEO, but for Ternus to step in, Cook would have to step away. The current Apple CEO, however, did not paint a picture of someone running out of steam or one who is becoming less engaged with the brand.

The Apple-Tim Cook love affair is still very much alive. Cook is not planning his exit and told Levy that he would not "do it until the voice in my head says, 'It's time."

Cook said he loves the job and can't imagine his life without it. Put another way, Tim Cook will be steering the Apple ship and building upon his legacy, which Cook wants to be health. "We have research going on. We’re pouring all of ourselves in here, and we work on things that are years in the making," Cook told Levy.

I think it will likely be Apple Silicon for many years to come, though.

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The iPhone 16 series is here, and as our reviews of the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max show, Apple has delivered an impressive refresh for its smartphone lineup.

The iPhone 16 sits at the low end of the new lineup in terms of both specs and price, but it still manages to raise the bar for base-model iPhones with fresh design updates, intuitive new controls, and the promise of Apple Intelligence.

This year’s standard iPhone also represents one of the most significant upgrades on a previous model that we’ve seen in years. The iPhone 15 is still a solid contender, but there’s certainly more separating the two latest iPhones than in previous years.

So, what are these differences, and which iPhone is right for you? In this guide, we compare the iPhone 16 to the iPhone 15 to see what sets them apart.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Specs comparison

This guide comprises an in-depth breakdown of all of the key features of both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15, but if you’re short on time, check out the table below for a spec-by-spec comparison:

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Price and availability

The iPhone 16 is available now, starting at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399 for the model with 128GB of storage. The model with the maximum 512GB of storage will set you back $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,949.

That’s not necessarily cheap, but it is in-line with our expectations – for example, the Samsung Galaxy S24 starts at the same price. We’re also happy to see that Apple hasn’t increased the price of the iPhone 16 compared to the iPhone 15.

In fact, Apple has reduced the starting price of the iPhone 16 by AU$100 in Australia as compared to the iPhone 15.

The iPhone 15 remains on-sale from Apple directly, starting at $699 / £699 / AU$1,249. This follows Apple’s typical pattern of leaving the previous year’s base-model up for sale with a discount.

Third-party retailers may choose to discount this price further, though we haven’t seen much activity yet at the time of writing. The iPhone 15 will not support Apple Intelligence in any form when the latter launches in October 2024 (more on this later), which may have an impact on demand and therefore pricing.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Design and display

The iPhone 16 brings subtle but welcome design updates that set it apart both visually and functionally from the iPhone 15.

Most visually striking are the rear cameras, which Apple has returned to the vertical alignment last seen on the iPhone 12 in 2020. This enables Spatial Capture of video and photos for viewing with the Apple Vision Pro headset.

Otherwise, the phones are ergonomically similar, with identical dimensions and the same squared edges that round slightly into the display and rear panel. The aluminum rails and textured glass back panel are the same across these devices too – the only difference is the iPhone 16 comes in more vibrant colors.

The iPhone 16 also has the new Camera Control touch-sensitive button on the lower-right side of the device, which can act as a shutter, sense scrolling motions for zoom and focus, and activate the camera app from the lock screen.

Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 feature the Action button introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro, which replaces the mute switch and can be assigned to one of many functions, as well as customizable shortcuts comprised of several actions chained together.

The iPhone 16 has the same USB-C port as the iPhone 15, situated on the bottom edge of the phone. File transfer speeds have stayed the same between the two generations, at a frustratingly slow 60MB per second.

Both phones are equipped with the exact same display: a 6.1-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2556 x 1179 and a 60Hz refresh rate, with the now-familiar Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the screen. These displays have a peak indoor brightness of 1,600 nits and a pixel density of 460ppi.

As our reviews for both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 found, these are great displays limited by a slow refresh rate, but for the purposes of this article, there’s nothing to compare as they are legitimately identical.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Cameras

As mentioned, the cameras on the iPhone 16 are oriented vertically as opposed to the diagonal orientation of the iPhone 15’s camera system. Other than that, these are the same cameras – despite what Apple would have you believe.

Apple has taken to calling the 48MP f/1.6 main camera on the iPhone 16 lineup the Fusion Camera, but continues to call the 48MP f/1.6 main camera on the iPhone 15 just that – the Main camera. We’ve looked into whether these cameras are functionally different elsewhere on TechRadar, but a closer look at the specs sheet suggests that they are, in fact, the same.

We aren’t a fan of this move by Apple – this arbitrarily different branding intentionally obscures the camera capabilities of the iPhone 15 and may push camera-focused customers to buy an iPhone 16 unnecessarily.

Regardless of branding irregularities, the Fusion Camera title refers to the iPhone 16’s ability to take 12MP photos at 2x zoom by cropping into the center of the 48MP sensor, although, as you may have guessed, the main camera on the iPhone 15 has this ability as well.

The secondary camera on both phones is a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera, and both have the same 12MP f/1.9 TrueDepth selfie camera – no differences here.

The iPhone 16 does, however, introduce a new way of controlling the camera: the aptly named Camera Control. This capacitive button is inset on the lower right side of the phone, and can respond with a physical click or haptic feedback, and supports touch gestures.

A full press of the Camera Control takes a photo, while light presses can be used to open menus and select functions via scroll gestures, like scrolling back and forth or zooming in and out.

Once Apple Intelligence launches in October, the Camera Control will also be able to activate Visual Intelligence, which uses the cameras to scan the environment and provide contextual information from Google or ChatGPT.

The iPhone 15 lacks the Camera Control and will not receive any support for Apple Intelligence, including Visual Intelligence. So, that's an obvious win for the iPhone 16.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Performance

The internal hardware and promised software capabilities of the iPhone 16 are where we see some of the biggest upgrades on the previous generation.

The iPhone 16 comes equipped with the A18 chipset, which boasts a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine for AI and machine learning processing.

The iPhone 15, for comparison, uses the A16 Bionic chipset, with the same number of CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine cores.

However, it’s rare for Apple to jump ahead by two chipset generations in a single year, and if the company’s internal benchmarks are to be believed, the A18 offers some impressive performance improvements.

Apple claims the A18 has a 30% faster GPU and 40% faster GPU than the A16 Bionic, which should be broadly noticeable – these figures point to more than an incremental upgrade, and those who use their iPhone for heavy multitasking, gaming, or media editing will want to take note of these improvements. The iPhone 16’s GPU also brings support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a way of rendering light increasingly used by modern games.

The iPhone 15 is no slouch when it comes to performance, though, and day-to-day tasks, photography, media consumption, and most games run fine on its still-modern hardware – as our review says, the iPhone 15 has “more than enough power for most iPhone owners.”

The iPhone 16 comes with 8GB of RAM, as compared to 6GB on the iPhone 15. This increase enables the iPhone 16 to run Apple Intelligence, and the lesser RAM on the iPhone 15 is a key reason why it will not support Apple’s AI feature set.

During the iPhone 16 reveal event, Apple CEO Tim Cook called the iPhone 16 series the “first iPhones designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence”, and this new suite of AI tools and features has been central in Apple’s marketing of the new smartphones.

Apple Intelligence isn’t out just yet, and we’ve been slightly let down by its somewhat rudderless rollout, but the fact is the iPhone 16 will eventually support Apple Intelligence while the iPhone 15 never will. That makes it an open-shut case for AI fans deciding between the two phones.

Both phones run iOS 18, with five years of promised support from launch (meaning updates until at least 2028 for the iPhone 15 and 2029 for the iPhone 16).

If you’re not sure whether Apple Intelligence is important enough to warrant the extra $100, check out our dedicated Apple Intelligence hub for all you need to know about Apple's upcoming AI suite.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Battery

Apple is notoriously protective of its products' battery details, and never releases specific battery capacity or detailed charging speeds.

Apple’s internal benchmarks rate the iPhone 16 as sustaining 22 hours of video playback, compared to 20 hours for the iPhone 15.

GSMArena reports that the iPhone 16 has a battery capacity of 3,561mAh and that the iPhone 15 has a battery capacity of 3,349mAh, though we don’t know the exact source of these figures and Apple will likely never confirm them.

Given the identical dimensions of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15, any improvement in battery life necessarily involves a better use of internal space, improved battery technology, or better power efficiency.

As for charging, we’ve seen suggestions that the iPhone 16 supports 45W charging, but Apple’s website only mentions charging with a “30W adapter or higher”.

The iPhone 16 also supports 30W “or higher” MagSafe charging and Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W.

For the iPhone 15, Apple’s website mentions support for adapters rated “20W or higher”, as well as 15W MagSafe chargers and Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W.

iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Verdict

The iPhone 16 represents one of the most substantial updates to Apple’s base-model smartphone in years – as our review puts it, the company is “elevating the base to new heights” with this year’s release.

If you’re into AI, this is one of the easiest decisions Apple has ever presented you with – we can't recommend a phone based on unreleased features alone, but the fact remains that the iPhone 16 will get Apple Intelligence eventually whereas the iPhone 15 will never be supported.

However, you don’t have to be an AI power user to get the most out of the iPhone 16’s improved internals: the A18 brings some of the most significant performance gains we’ve seen in a single iPhone generation (that is, if you take Apple’s testing at face value). A bump up to 8GB of RAM from the 6GB found in the iPhone 15 provides a welcome boost to multitasking, as well as enabling AI.

Despite what Apple would have you believe with the new Fusion Camera branding, the camera systems on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 are the same. The iPhone 16 still benefits from the new Camera Control capacitive button, which our review found to be an intuitive addition for photography and content creation.

Design-wise, people will know you have the newest iPhone thanks to the vertically aligned cameras, but otherwise, there’s little separating the two. Both have the same dimensions, the same display, and the iPhone 16 is just one gram lighter. Apple Intelligence aside, both also run iOS 18 with the promise of several years of further iOS updates.

Ultimately, the iPhone 16 is an impressive showing from Apple. This is the closest an iPhone has ever come to its Pro counterpart, and the performance gains mean it will probably feel fast and responsive for years to come.

The iPhone 15 remains a solid phone, especially for those who aren't concerned with AI or photography, but until its price falls a little further, the iPhone 16 will be the clear winner for many Apple customers.

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The iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max have been officially revealed, promising the biggest step forward for Apple’s smartphone software experience in years. 

Apple revealed the iPhone 16 lineup at the “It’s Glowtime” event on September 9, and also showcased its forthcoming Apple Intelligence AI features which will begin rolling out in October. 

Apple CEO Tim Cook called the iPhone 16 series the “first iPhones designed from the ground up for Apple Intelligence”, and the company showed several short videos to demonstrate the day-to-day uses of its new AI tools.

Amongst the features shown was Visual Intelligence, activated by the new Camera Control capacitive button, which analyses the images in the field of view of the camera app to provide contextual information about the user’s surroundings. 

Apple’s livestream showed a supposed user walking around town, using Visual Intelligence to pull up a restaurant menu and find more details about a concert flyer. 

However, the example that has stirred the most reactions has to be our protagonist using their iPhone 16 to scan a passer-by’s dog, to find the breed of the canine companion through an AI-assisted web search. Online commenters have been going barking mad (sorry) trying to figure out why the user wouldn’t just ask the dog walker themselves.

As tech reviewer and YouTuber Rjey Tech writes on X (formerly Twitter): “'What kind of dog is that?’ Instead of asking the owner, pull out your iPhone and ask Apple Intelligence."

Others weren’t so quietly sarcastic. App developer kitze referred to “AI morons” silently pointing iPhones at strangers’ puppies. 

Most reactions haven’t been quite so strong, but there’s certainly a consensus of confusion regarding Apple’s choice of demonstration.  

Will Apple Intelligence be useful?

While most commentators – us included – recognize that Apple’s iPhone 16 demonstrations aren’t quite true-to-life, the dog-scanning discourse highlights concern over whether Apple Intelligence brings meaningful upgrades to the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. 

After all, Apple’s annual September events are the most important product launches in its calendar, so fans expect the company’s A-game all the way through.

So, a somewhat unrealistic demonstration can leave commentators like FlightRadar24’s Jacob Rabinowitz thinking that Apple can’t bring any tangible use cases to mind. 

It’s too early to draw conclusions about Apple Intelligence, but we think it’s most likely Apple was just having a bit of fun – and let’s face it, cute dogs are good for business.

On the other hand, Apple are always keen to emphasise the constant presence of its products in people’s lives, so there is something to glean about how the company may be envisioning a normalisation of AI in day-to-day interactions. 

Visual Intelligence will be available later this year as part of a staggered rollout of Apple Intelligence features. 

We’ll have the latest Apple Intelligence news as we hear it, and for our first impressions of a key new iPhone, do read our hands-on iPhone 16 Pro review.

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Are you excited for today’s Apple event? We are, and we know exactly how to help you watch it live. Apple events have become something of a tried and tested formulae: Tim Cook says hello, he shows off the beautiful Apple campus, then Apple wows you with as much futuristic technology as it possibly can in about an hour until your credit card is basically falling out of your wallet. 

So, how can you survive an Apple Keynote without succumbing to the charms of the Cupertino captains of industry? Well, you can play a bit of Apple bingo. So, pour yourself a cold one and take a sip of the beverage of your choice whenever you hear an Apple executive mention the following words, or the following things happen.

1. Apple Intelligence

No points will be awarded for a mention of Apple Intelligence, since it’s a given, but award yourself 1 point for every time it gets a mention, and if you get over 30, you can legitimately strike it off your Apple Event bingo card.

2. Genmoji of Tim Cook

Apple got very excited about the Genmoji feature, that uses Apple Intelligence to generate emojis that look like your friends and family, or anything you want, at its WWDC 2024 event, and we’d expect Apple to be all over it today. If we get a Tim Cook Genmoji, then consider it a win.

3. Live demo catastrophe

Apple events usually run like clockwork, but who can forget Steve Jobs getting annoyed that the WiFi wasn’t working because too many bloggers were clogging it up at the launch of the iPhone 4 in 2010? Any live demo always has the potential to go wrong, especially if it involves cutting-edge technology like AI, as it did so spectacularly for Google at the launch of the Pixel 9 range.

4. Random celebrity appearance

There was a point in the 2000s when John Mayer appearing at Apple events started to become a regular fixture, but Apple are still cool enough that most celebrities are happy to be associated with the brand, meaning we could get a drop-in from pretty much anybody - film stars, pop stars, YouTubers, etc. If Apple build it, they will come. Just please Apple, don’t let it be Bono.

5. A giant iPhone 16, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max

Well, it’s what we’re all here for, so Apple better announce the iPhone 16, but how many versions will we see? And just how large will the iPhone 16 get? The days of phones that easily fit in your pocket seem to be gone forever. I, for one, welcome our new giant-handed overlords.

6. AirPods Max 2

Would a September Apple event be complete without some new AirPods? We don’t think so. We have some idea of what to expect from Apple today, and new USB-C connected AirPods are looking likely.

7. Vision Pro

Remember the Vision Pro? It was recently lauded as the future of computing, but now it’s starting to feel like it’s been kicked to the kerb by the new Apple Intelligence-powered Siri on your iPhone or Mac. The massive battery you had to lug around with you didn’t help, but we’d be surprised if Apple didn’t try to remind everybody about Vision Pro at least once during the event.

8. Apple Watch Ultra 3

Apple released a new Apple Watch Ultra 2 a year ago, and it basically looked exactly like the last one, so unless Apple has something radically new to offer we can’t see why it would do another minimal upgrade for an Apple Watch Ultra 3, but you never know, stranger things have happened. 

9. Siri getting ChatGPT

With Siri getting the full AI treatment in iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, we can expect to see an Apple exec having a conversation with the new iPhone 16 today and delving into the possibilities that ChatGPT offers as a built-in Siri companion. How will the two AIs get along? Let's hope the iPhone 16 is big enough for both of them.

10. One more thing

The tradition of a “One more thing” section of an Apple event was started by Steve Jobs, and while we don’t always get one from Tim Cook, we sometimes do. Get ready to cheer if you hear those three magic words because it usually means something good is on the way...

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Apple has announced its Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri will step down from his role on January 1, 2025.

Maestri, who has served as Apple’s CFO since 2014, will not be leaving the company, but rather will lead the Corporate Services team, including information systems and technology, information security, and real estate and development.

Kevan Parekh, currently serving as Apple’s VP of Financial Planning and Analysis, has been named as Maestri’s successor.

Apple’s next CFO

Parekh joined Apple in 2013 and has been a key figure in the company’s finance leadership. CEO Tim Cook commented: “For more than a decade, Kevan has been an indispensable member of Apple’s finance leadership team, and he understands the company inside and out. His sharp intellect, wise judgment, and financial brilliance make him the perfect choice to be Apple’s next CFO.”

Cook described Maestri as an “extraordinary partner in managing Apple for the long term.” Under Maestri’s leadership, Apple revenue doubled, with services revenue increasing fivefold. Apple’s third-quarter revenue, for the three months ending June 29, stood at $85.8 billion.

It has also regained its position as the world’s most valuable company, with a market cap of $3.454 trillion, after being overtaken by Microsoft and Nvidia. Apple and Microsoft have long been in a brawl for prime position, with Nvidia only recently stepping into the ring.

Moreover, the announcement comes amid a broader trend of CFO transitions at major tech companies – Alphabet and Meta have also recently appointed new leaders, potentially indicating a new era across Silicon Valley.

Apple stock has remained consistent since the announcement, however with the upcoming launch of new iPhone models, investors will be watching closely.

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We’ve learned from Tim Cook’s comments and countless reports that Apple is working on AI features for all of its devices and platforms. And we’re almost certain that the technology giant will unveil it during the opening keynote of WWDC 2024. 

Now, though, we have an idea of how Apple will be branding the AI features – and no, it won’t be artificial intelligence or “Absolutely Incredible,” as Greg Joswiak, Apple’s SVP of Marketing, teased in a post on X (formerly Twitter). 

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, it will be called “Apple Intelligence,” which certainly has a nice ring to it. It’ll apparently be the central location to opt-in to the new features built into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. As predicted, it will likely be all about integrating AI functionality into current apps and services, ones that someone could use daily and provide value. 

As Gurman notes, “the company is less focused on whiz-bang technology — like image and video generation — and instead concentrating on features with broad appeal.”

These will likely become summarization powers for navigating a crowded inbox or getting the gist of a webpage on the fly. Similar to Samsung’s Galaxy AI or Google’s Gemini feature set, they will extend to summarizing notes, automatically transcribing voice recordings, and even providing a simple digest of notifications.

In Messages, suggested replies should get an upgrade, and Siri will seemingly get the equivalent of a new brain, hopefully making it much more useful. The upgrade could integrate a large-language model to let the virtual assistant control functions and features within apps and multi-step queries. Bloomberg’s latest reporting also notes that Apple will partner with OpenAI and that its tools will be used to power some features.

The report notes that “Apple Intelligence” features will be entirely opt-in and not turned on by default – additionally, they may be labeled as “a beta version.” This hint suggests that Apple plans to improve them over time and potentially add additional features. 

It seems you’ll need a Mac or iPad with an M-Series chip or newer. For the iPhone, it will reportedly be supported on forthcoming models introduced in 2024 as well as the iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max. The A15 Bionic or later will likely be the requirement, but it will be interesting to see if it’s needed for all features or just specific elements. 

Like other services, the processing will either be on a device or cloud-based computing; the latter would be a change for Apple, which always focuses on users' privacy and security. To that point, the report notes that WWDC will focus on what “precautions” Apple is taking, such as “security features on the chips that it’s using in its data centers,” and that user profiles based on customer data will not be built.

With either processing route, it’s clear that privacy will be front and center, and Apple will use it to differentiate itself from competitors. It could also help push more folks to actually opt-in to Apple Intelligence, and that, paired with actually useful features that are viewed as helpful, could help to turn the tide here. After all, useful upgrades to applications and tools we use daily can help speed through workflows and make tasks easier.

We’ll have to wait and see what Apple unveils at WWDC 2024’s kickoff and how it positions AI, err, Apple Intelligence. You can see the five things we expect Apple to unveil, including a round-up of all of our news leading up to the kick-off at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST on June 10 (3am AEST, June 11).

If you’ve been waiting for a Calculator app for iPad, it seems this is the year. VisionOS 2.0 will also bring more environments to Vision Pro, and we'll also apparently get new Mac, iPhone, and iPad wallpapers, a dedicated app for managing passwords, and the ability to create emojis on the fly.

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Apple's iPhone 16 Plus is available now, and we think it's Cupertino's best rendition of a larger yet affordable iPhone. As you'll see in our iPhone 16 Plus review, the new Plus takes all the excellent bits of the standard iPhone 16 and puts it in a package that's almost iPhone 16 Pro Max sized but nowhere near as expensive. 

So now you can get a big-screened iPhone with upgraded specs, the new Action Button and Camera Control button, some subtle design changes, and more power. The latter means it's ready for Apple Intelligence features when they roll out; Apple's forthcoming suite of AI features is already being marketed as the key upgrade that separates the iPhone 16 Plus and its siblings from last year's iPhone 15 family.

As mentioned, the iPhone 16 Plus is available now, so be sure to check out our iPhone 16 deals roundup to find the best price on Apple's new large iPhone. 

So without further ado, read on for all the key things you need to know about the iPhone 16 Plus. 

iPhone 16 Plus: what you need to know

• The iPhone 16 Plus was announced on September 9 and released on September 20
• Starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,599 for 128GB of storage
• The camera app now has a dedicated Camera Control button
• It inherits the Action button from the iPhone 15 Pro
• Apple Intelligence is coming in beta in October, with a full launch in December
• Siri will integrate ChatGPT, and the camera is getting new Visual Intelligence features
• The iPhone 16 Plus uses the new A18 chipset
• It comes in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options
  • ... and it has 8GB of RAM
• Its cameras are aligned vertically, for Spatial Capture of photos and videos
• It has a 48MP main camera and 12MP ultrawide camera
• The iPhone 16 Plus ships with iOS 18
• It comes in five colors: ultramarine, teal, pink, white and black

Price and release date

• The iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,599
• The iPhone 16 Plus released on September 20, with units shipping and hitting store shelves simultaneously

The iPhone 16 Plus released on September 20, with units shipping and hitting store shelves simultaneously. It was previously available to preorder from Friday, September 13.

However, dates for some configurations of the iPhone 16 Plus are now slipping beyond that. This makes sense, as the iPhone 16 Plus is reportedly proving far more popular at launch than its predecessor.

The iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,599 for the model with 128GB of storage.

The iPhone 16 Plus launches at the same price as its predecessor, the iPhone 15 Plus, except for a AU$50 reduction in Australia. 

We've rounded up full iPhone 16 Plus pricing information below.

iPhone 16 Plus specs

• Like the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus ships with the A18 chipset
• Apple is claiming 30% faster CPU performance and 40% faster GPU performance
• RAM has been upgraded from 6GB to 8GB, to power Apple Intelligence

The iPhone 16 Plus sees Apple bring some key spec boosts to its cheapest large-format phone. We've rounded up the most crucial ones below.

iPhone 16 Plus: key upgrades

• New Action Button
• New Camera Control touch-sensitive button
• New A18 chipset 
• Vertically-aligned cameras for Spatial Capture of videos and photos
• Apple Intelligence is on the way, starting in October (beta release)

Despite looking similar to last year's iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 16 Plus brings a suite of external and internal upgrades to Apple's cheapest large phone.  

Most visually striking are the vertically aligned cameras, re-oriented from the diagonal arrangement found on base-model iPhones since the iPhone 13. This is to allow for Spatial Capture, the same photo and video format used by the Apple Vision Pro headset.

The mute switch is gone, replaced by the iPhone 15 Pro's multi-purpose Action Button, which users can assign to one of several functions in Settings. 

The all-new Camera Control button gives tactile control over the camera app, acting as a dedicated focus and shutter button, with a capacitive surface allowing for touch gestures. 

Under the hood (screen?) Apple has given the iPhone 16 Plus some key spec boosts. While these are incremental as usual, the software power these upgrades unlock makes them some of the most meaningful iPhone spec increases in years. 

The new A18 SoC replaces the A16 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 15 Plus, which Apple says brings a 30% performance boost, though we'll test this for ourselves in our review. The A18 supposedly brings a 40% increase in graphics performance, too.

All that said, an early benchmark suggests the A18 chipset might only provide a more modest boost. 

In any case, we also know that the iPhone 16 Plus ships with 8GB of RAM, the same as the rest of the iPhone 16 lineup, as this is the minimum amount required to run Apple Intelligence features.

Speaking of which, the iPhone 16 Plus' biggest upgrade will be on the software side: Apple Intelligence brings a ChatGPT-powered Siri that can execute commands across different apps as well as text summarization and generative image creation. Apple Intelligence will not be available at launch, though, with Apple confirming a beta release in October and full launch in December.

The Camera Control button will also enable Visual Intelligence, using AI to analyse the images seen through the viewfinder and find relevant information online. 

Apple Intelligence will mark Apple's entry into the AI race, so far populated by packages like Google Gemini and Samsung Galaxy AI. You'll need an iPhone from the iPhone 16 lineup or an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max to use these new features. 

We found that the iPhone 15 Plus had the best battery life of any iPhone, so we're eager to test the iPhone 16 Plus for ourselves to see if Apple has managed to continue this trend. 

The iPhone 16 Plus is available with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. The first units shipped on September 20, following a week of preorders starting September 13. 

Camera Control takes charge

• Camera Control button gives the camera app a button that can do much more than just take photos
• The brand-new button comes to all iPhone 16 models 
• Blends a tactile button and haptic feedback, and also detects touch gestures

The iPhone 16 Plus, like the rest of the iPhone 16 lineup, gets the brand-new Camera Control button as standard.

The Camera Control is a tactile button that also senses touch input through a capacitive surface, allowing for clicks, half-presses, swipes, and double taps to perform a whole range of camera functions. 

These include clicking the button to open the camera app, swiping to zoom in and out, and holding a half press to access more options. 

The sensation of the physical button is augmented by Apple's Taptic Engine, providing additional haptic feedback.

The Camera Control also ties in to Visual Intelligence, itself part of the Apple Intelligence suite of AI tools.

Visual Intelligence uses the camera to identify and provide contextual information about things in the user's environment.

For example, pointing the camera at a dog and activating Visual Intelligence will bring up information about the dog's breed from the internet, a similar premise to Google Lens.

Action Button has arrived

• The iPhone 16 Plus gets the Action Button from last year's Pro models 
• User-assignable to several simple features or complex customisable shortcuts

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have both inherited the Action Button from last year's iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. 

The Action Button replaces the mute switch present on every base-model iPhone since the very first iPhone in 2007. 

In settings, users can assign the Action Button to one of several functions or customisable shortcuts, such as turning on the flashlight, changing focus modes, or (somewhat redundantly) opening the camera.

And, yes, you can still use it as a mute switch if you like. 

A nice bright display

• 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display
• 2796 x 1290 resolution
• 2,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness; 1,000 nits typical peak brightness
• Can get as dim as 1 nit

The display on the iPhone 16 Plus seems to be the same as the one on last year's iPhone 15 Plus, bar one very minor adjustment.

Like its precursor, the iPhone 16 Plus comes with a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2796 x 1290 and 60hz refresh rate.

This display supports the P3 color gamut, with a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 and a peak outdoor brightness of 2,000 nits. Peak brightness indoors is set at 1,000 nits.

The only difference we can see between this display and last year's is that the iPhone 16 Plus can reach a minimum brightness of 1 nit.

Other than that, this is the same great panel that graced the iPhone 15 Plus  –  albeit without a high refresh rate. 

Upgraded cameras

• Apple is now calling the main camera on the iPhone 16 Plus the Fusion Camera 
• The Fusion Camera has a 48MP sensor and ƒ/1.6 aperture with a 26mm focal length
• The second camera is a 12MP ultrawide with a ƒ/2.4 aperture and 13mm focal length
• Apple considers the Fusion Camera to have a 2x telephoto zoom, though this is actually just a crop of the central 12 megapixels in the 48MP frame

The iPhone 16 Plus makes a major design change with it's camera system, returning to the vertical alignment not seen since the iPhone 12 and ditching the square camera island found on every mainline iPhone since the iPhone 11.

The iPhone 16 Plus has a 48MP main camera, which Apple calls the Fusion Camera, which achieves a 2x telephoto effect by cropping into the central 12MP of the camera sensor. 

The second camera is a 12MP ultrawide with a 120° field of view.

The main camera is capable of 10x digital zoom. 

Besides their orientation, these cameras are pretty much the same as last year's  – but it's that vertical alignment that unlocks a new feature altogether.

Thanks to the side-by-side cameras, iPhone 16 Plus can record 3D photos and video through the Spatial Capture feature.

This is the same format used by the Vision Pro headset, which suggests Apple are beginning to push the iPhone and Vision Pro into eachother's orbit.

A18 chipset

• A18 chipset replaces the A16 Bionic found in the iPhone 15 Plus 
• Apple claims the new chipset has a 30% faster CPU and 40% faster GPU

The A18 chipset found in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus offers some major performance improvements, if Apple's claims are to be believed.

The A18 is comprised of a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine for machine learning and AI processing. 

As usual, Apple hasn't given out its frame of reference or testing methods for its percentage-based performance improvement claims, and we are still in the process of testing the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus for ourselves. 

That said, Apple says the A18 offers 30% faster CPU and 40% faster GPU performance than its predecessor. 

The A18's GPU also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a way of rendering light that is increasingly used by modern games.

And the A18 chipset includes 'Secure Exclave', which helps ensure the camera and microphone indicators aren't disabled by malicious apps.

As for battery life, Apple never shares the exact battery capacity of any of its products. That said, the company claims the iPhone 16 Plus can sustain 27 hours of video playback or 100 hours of audio playback, which suggests a battery life in between that of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

It also appears the iPhone 16 Plus will charge at up to 45W, which is a big boost on last year, while wireless charging tops out at 25W.

Apple Intelligence

• Apple Intelligence is coming to iPhone 16 Plus in October, with further features in the following months 
• iPhone 16 lineup will be empowered by new AI tools, just not at launch

Software-wise, AI leads the way when it comes to notable upgrades for this year's iPhone lineup. Apple Intelligence will not be present at launch, but the new AI feature-set is coming to iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max in a free update.

Apple Intelligence will begin rolling out with a beta release in October, before a full release in December. 

Apple Intelligence features include text summarisation and rewriting, audio transcription including phone calls, and notification prioritisation with AI-generated summaries.

Further features will roll out as part of a staggered launch, including generative image creation, generative emoji creation termed Genmoji, and a screen-aware Siri able to complete complex commands across various apps. 

Siri is also due to get access to ChatGPT, and you'll be able to write to Apple's personal assistant rather than rely on voice detection. 

Porsche has just unveiled its most dynamic Taycan so far - the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. This takes the Taycan Turbo S, gives it more power, reduces the weight and primes it for the track. There are two versions of the new car, the Taycan Turbo GT and the Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach package, which loses the backseats and gains a rear wing to make it a record-breaking track car. 

The unveiling of any new Porsche model wouldn't be complete without some mention of its performance credentials and a portion of the launch presentation included coverage of a record-breaking lap from the Laguna Seca raceway in California. 

It seems that Porsche CEO Oliver Blume couldn't make it to The Golden State himself, so instead, he watched it using Apple Vision Pro. Cut to Tim Cook congratulating Porsche on their record-breaking new car, one of many examples of Porsche and Apple's strong ongoing partnership.

Blume wasn't just watching a video feed on Apple Vision Pro, however. He was in a full-on spatial computing mode, virtual track map, multiple windows of telematics, video feed from the car on the track – even the driver's heart rate was displayed. A celebration of cutting-edge tech at a corporate level? You bet. 

"What an amazing experience it was to join the team virtually along with Apple Vision Pro. Thanks to our custom race engineer cockpit app, it felt like I was right there in Laguna Seca with Lars [Kern, Porsche development driver]," said Blume.

"It has been great to bring the best of German engineering and Apple's inspiring product innovations together."

Cue Tim Cook's surprise cameo. "Congratulations to you and the Porsche team on the new record you set with this incredible new vehicle. It's these kinds of extraordinary milestones that show the world what can happen when a team of incredibly dedicated people come together to break new ground on a big idea," said Cook.

"Porsche has always been known for excellence," continued Cook, "and we're proud to see a number of our products play a role in what you do. And it's so great to see Apple Vision Pro helping reimagine track experiences."

The mutual backslapping continued for a little longer, before Blume dropped the next nugget: "We appreciate the great partnership we have established over the years, starting with the My Porsche app on Apple CarPlay and now we're taking it one step further with Porsche's Apple Vision Pro race app to bring the best user experience to our employees and customers."

The appearance of Apple Vision Pro went virtually unnoticed, however. There was no mention of any Apple Vision Pro app in the press materials and when asked at the launch site in Leipzig, there was no more information forthcoming. Porsche it seems, aren't saying any more about it.

Chalk it down as the ultimate tease perhaps: there doesn't seem to be a name for the app that was used – Oliver Blume himself referred to it in two different ways – but it does demonstrate that Porsche and Apple are continuing to work on technologies together beyond Apple CarPlay and the customisation of the Porsche digital displays.

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Apple Vision Pro is finally out in the real world, at physical Apple Stores across the US, giving most people their first opportunity to touch, feel, and experience what Apple likes to call Spatial Computing.

It felt almost odd to be standing in the rain outside of Apple's glassy Fifth Avenue flagship store on Groundhog Day and not be wearing my Apple Vision Pro. I'd barely removed the mixed reality headset in my first two days of testing the Vision Pro and the real world felt a bit flat. Until that is, Apple CEO Tim Cook opened the swinging glass doors and opened the proverbial floodgates to new and soon-to-be-new Apple Vision Pro owners.

It is something of a tradition for Cook to usher in every new product at Apple's Central Park-adjacent location but this moment was different, maybe bigger. It has been almost a decade since Apple launched a new product category (see the Apple Watch) and so expectations were high.

The crowd gathered outside was not what I'd call iPhone size – the miserable weather might have been a factor there – but there were dozens of people somewhat evenly split between media and customers.

A cluster of blue-shirted Apple employees poured out of the store, which featured the giant white outline of a Vision Pro on the storefront, and started clapping and cheering (I'd heard them practicing cheers and getting amped up from inside the store), doing their best to substitute any enthusiasm the crowd might've been lacking. This, too, is tradition and I find it almost endearing but also just a tiny bit cringe-worthy. It's just a gadget – a very expensive one – after all.

At precisely 8AM ET, Cook appeared behind the glass doors (someone had previously double-checked and triple-checked that the doors were not locked so Cook didn't have to bend down and release a latch). He swung open the door and gave a big wave.

Soon customers who had preordered the $3,499 (to start) spatial reality computer were filing into the store (many pausing to take a selfie with Cook), while I waited outside, getting drenched and wondering if the Vision Pro is waterproof (it's not).

Inside the store, which sits below ground level, the floor was packed. Vision Pros were lined up on stands similar to what I'd seen at launch. Below each one was an iPad, describing the experience you were about to have. Some people were seated on wooden benches near the back of the store, wearing Vision Pro headsets and gesturing to control the interfaces.

Oddly, though, not a lot of people were trying Vision Pros, but that was probably because Tim Cook was still in the room.

The scrum around him was dense, so much so that I noticed some nervous-looking Apple employees trying to gently clear a path and give the Apple leader some air. Cook, ever the gracious southern gentleman, smiled for countless photos with fans. He even signed a few things.

I stepped forward and Cook's eyes caught mine. He smiled broadly and said hello. We shook hands and I congratulated him on a successful launch. Then I gave him my brief assessment of the product: "It's incredible." He brightened even further, "I know!" he shouted back over the din.

There wasn't much more to say, really, and I left him to get sucked back into the crowd while I took another look at the Vision Pro sales setup. In the meantime, customers were leaving with large Vision Pro boxes they'd pre-ordered. Thousands of the mixed reality headsets are in stores and arriving at people's homes (in the US only). This will be their first experience with Vision Pro.

The good news is, as I told someone else today, there is no learning curve. The setup is full of hand-holding and using the system generally only requires your gaze and very simple gestures.

There will be comments about the weight and getting the right, comfortable fit on your head, and some may be frustrated with the battery pack and that they have to keep Vision Pro plugged in if they want to use it for more than two hours at a time.

Still, the excitement I saw at the store this morning and in Tim Cook's eyes may be warranted. This is not your father's mixed reality.

Booking your demo

For the next few days, all demos will be first-come-first-serve in the stores. However, if you can wait until after Feb 5, you can book your in-store demo by visiting the Apple Store site, navigating to the Vision Pro section, and selecting "Book a demo." Apple will guide you to sign in with your Apple ID. You must also be at least 13 years old to go through the experience.

Demos take about 30 minutes. An Apple specialist will guide you through the setup processes, which is fairly straightforward.

You'll choose a store near you, a date, and an available time. If you wear glasses, Apple should be able to take your lenses and do a temporary measurement to give you the right lenses for the demonstration (you'll be buying your own Zeiss inserts if you buy a headset.).

After that, you can go home and figure out how to save up $3,500.

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It feels like everyone is putting the squeeze on me, or at least on my wallet. Every one of the best streaming services that I use is raising its prices, and while I generally just grimace and take it, last night I said, "Nope."

In case you missed it, Apple is a streaming company, too. Its Apple TV Plus service currently offers some of the best series and movies among all the streamers. Hijack was a hoot. Coda was an emotional triumph. Shrinking is some of Harrison Ford's best work, and The Morning Show is soapy but gripping.

A year ago, when Apple raised the price from $4.99 to $6.99 I took note, but I also appreciated that it was still a bargain compared to Max or Netflix. Then, this year, Apple raised the price again to $9.99 / £8.99. I was annoyed but assumed I'd probably eat this extra cost, too.

However, it's not that simple. You see, I'm an Apple One customer, and I have been since it launched in October 2020.

Apple One, a comprehensive, money-saving subscription plan for all its services, was a natural extension of Apple's multi-year push into the services business. It's been adding them like charms on a Pandora bracelet for years, and now we have six:

• iCloud Storage
• Apple Fitness Plus
• Apple TV Plus
• Apple News
• Apple Arcade
• Apple Music

Since I used at least half of these services, I appreciated Apple's effort to bundle and maybe save me some money. To be honest, I signed up for the Apple One Premier tier because, at the time, I was running into a storage crunch (we share the iCloud storage across my entire best iPhone-owning family) and realized that I just kept paying more and more for space, while still paying for Apple Music Family Plan separately (I initially had a free Apple TV plus account thanks to a newly purchased iPhone).

There were obvious efficiencies with Apple One, plus I'd get to use all those other Apple services.

Fast forward three years and I rarely use anything beyond the storage and Apple TV Plus, and with the latter, use is intermittent, since there aren't always great things to watch, or I'm knee-deep in a months-long binge on another platform (Peaky Blinders, anyone?).

The cost of it all, by the way, has been on my mind because I'm in the middle of a post-cable breakup that was sparked by the realization that everything was costing too damn much, and for so much that I do not even watch.

I want to be clear: the Apple One bundle price for all these services is still a good deal, especially if you use all of them. If you paid for each of them individually (with the 2TB storage tier), it would cost you $66.94 / £64.94.

Getting the bad news

When I started paying for Apple One Premier tier in 2020, it cost $29.95. Now, that was a great price for all those services. When it jumped to $32.95 a couple of years later, I still thought it was a good deal. Yesterday, I got an email telling me it would pole vault to $37.95 / £36.95.

The missive was short and to the point. Apple thanked me for subscribing, described the hike, and told me it would be automatic unless I canceled at least one day before the official price hike on December 9.

I must have stared at that email for 10 minutes trying to decide what to do. Since 2020, Apple One has seen an approximately 27% price hike, and I'm beginning to wonder if Apple is now actively testing its customers' threshold for economic pain.

Surely, Apple CEO Tim Cook has taken a look around and realized that everyone is getting away with it. Netflix is inflicting significant price hikes on its customers and growing its subscriber base in the process. Amazon charges $139 /  £95 a year for Amazon Prime (still a great deal in my books) but has been raising the subscription price on an almost yearly basis.

Apple must realize that with services it has a business with the rare combination of price insensitivity and almost guaranteed annuities, because people rarely unsubscribe from anything. Raising prices seeming comes with no downside.

If, however, I'm a microcosm, then the actions I took next should give Apple and Cook pause.

In the 10 minutes that I pondered my next move, I took a hard look at which of all those Apple services I use on a daily or at least weekly basis. If I had to do it by weekly percentages, it would look like this:

• iCloud storage: 100% (used by my whole family)
• Apple TV+: 25%
• Apple Arcade: 0%
• Apple News: 15%
• Apple Fitness+: 0%
• Apple Music: 20%

These rough estimates made my next move crystal clear, and I have to thank Apple for making it so easy to unsubscribe from each service individually. It's a rare circumstance where the provider makes the choices obvious and painless.

I unchecked all services except for iCloud and Apple TV Plus, and the only reason I kept the streaming service is because I know we plan on watching Lessons in Chemistry next week.

Going forward, it's very possible I'll be unsubscribing to Apple TV Plus and resubscribing when there's something I really want to see. This is my new plan for all streaming services, by the way. That's why I'm currently unsubscribed to Max.

I'm not mad at Apple for trying to make an extra few bucks, but do think the casual way it told me I'd be paying $60 more a year was pretty cheeky. Of course, I won't be paying that and now, with this little exercise, I'll be saving almost $20 a month.

It's unlikely I'll miss those services (maybe Apple Music's voluminous access to all Taylor Swift's music, a little bit) but I know I won't be missing another $5 a month out of my wallet. That's good enough for me.

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Tim Cook may end up being the real AR/VR genius and all because he's thinking differently than Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

For Zuckerberg, augmented reality and virtual reality are deeply intertwined with the Metaverse.

Remember when we were all talking about the Metaverse? Okay, maybe not all of us. Maybe not even most of us, but Zuckerberg was consumed with the concept as recently as 2021 when he renamed Facebook Meta to reflect the over-arching Metaverse strategy.

Never one to think small, Zuckerberg explained in a blog post announcing the company's renaming:

The metaverse will feel like a hybrid of today’s online social experiences, sometimes expanded into three dimensions or projected into the physical world. It will let you share immersive experiences with other people even when you can’t be together — and do things together you couldn’t do in the physical world. It’s the next evolution in a long line of social technologies.

Zuckerberg is a little less hot and hyperbolic on the subject of the Metaverse lately. A more recent Facebook post is now steering the team toward the new hot thing, AI. 

But with billions of dollars already sunk into his Metaverse dream, Zuckerberg is, for better or worse, irrevocably married to the concept.

The Apple perspective

Unlike the myriad companies who were swept up in Zuckerberg's Metaverse quest, Apple has remained not so much above the fray but operating in a separate universe, maybe the Appleverse.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has never written a full post or given a rousing speech about AR and VR but he has left a breadcrumb trail of ideas over the years about Apple's interest. He's called the technology "important" and even said the company was "high on AR for the long run."

Still, even just two months before WWDC 2023 and on the precipice of what may be the company's biggest product reveal in more than a decade — and one that may deal with AR and VR, no less — Cook seems hesitant to summon up a grand vision for what may turn out to be his signature product.

In a wide-ranging interview with GQ Cook steered clear of pre-announcing anything but said in reference to AR/VR. "It could empower people to achieve things they couldn’t achieve before."

Ooh, now we're off to an exciting start. Sure, Cook won't spill tea on the nitty-gritty details of what might be Apple Glasses or some other form of AR/VR wearable plan, but when you talk about doing something we haven't done before, the next part has to be exciting. Or not.

"We might be able to collaborate on something much easier if we were sitting here brainstorming about it and all of a sudden we could pull up something digitally and both see it and begin to collaborate on it and create with it."

Um, yes, sure, that's something you'd expect to be able to do with AR or even an immersive VR environment. It's also kind of boring. Where are the visions of legless avatars high-fiving on a molten lava landscape, or family members with dinosaur arms parasailing over the red surface of Mars?

Those flights of fantasy, though, are not the Tim Cook we know. He's a pragmatist and his product vision is usually tied to the real world and not a projection of what the mid-21st century might look like through the best AR or VR headset.

This, naturally, is why Cook's vision may ultimately be more compelling and successful than Zukcerbergs's.

Build different

The foundation of the Metaverse was changing everything. Zuckerberg didn't just show us how we'd live in the Metaverse at work. His presentations had us living, working, playing, buying, selling, and surfing a new kind of Internet all through the (not his) Metaverse.

It was an overwhelming vision and one that few consumers could grasp or get excited about.

Maybe Apple and Cook's vision for AR/VR isn't exciting, but it's surely tangible. Apple likes to own the full stack, from chips to hardware and software but the strategy also works because they build nearly perfect platforms for ideas of almost any scale.

Apps on the first iPhone were fairly simple affairs but they've grown in power and complexity in answer to leaps in the iPhone's hardware and OS.

Apple's AR/VR plan will be similar. A robust hardware and software platform that will include some basic features but also support third-party apps that will slowly extend its capabilities. I don't expect major leaps here (maybe it won't replace TVs right away) but the early apps should be effective enough to create some baseline FOMO for people who don't yet own Apple's AR/VR hardware.

It's a simple, straightforward plan that works to Apple and Tim Cook's strengths. This will be an important product but it won't be propped up with empty promises and hyperbole. Instead, Cook will explain it simply and let the technology speak for itself - in a normal tone of voice, of course,

A live stream of an old interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook made its way onto the YouTube front page by masquerading as an official company cryptocurrency event.

As reported by The Verge, cybercriminals used the buzz around Apple’s latest product launches to trick victims into thinking they were watching Tim Cook talking about the current state of Web3, with the end goal of peddling a crypto scam. 

Reaching thousands of viewers who had probably been following the genuine coverage of Apple’s Far Out event, in which new products including the iPhone 14 and the Apple Watch 8 were unveiled, the stream directed viewers to a site soliciting funds from cryptocurrency enthusiasts looking to boost their investment.

Live YouTube crypto scams

The title of the stream, “Apple Event Live. Ceo of Apple Tim Cook: Apple & Metaverse in 2022 [sic]”, as well as a suspicious URL in the video description, may have raised suspicions among discerning viewers, but social media’s role in crypto scams has led to them becoming a billion-dollar market, preying on those without the savvy to identify warning signs.

The Verge also reported on a separate concurrent stream running the exact same playbook, claiming to feature Cook and Elon Musk in conversation about the metaverse. In reality, the feed was a republished version of an online discussion between Musk and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Like the fake crypto stream, it also reached more than 10,000 viewers.

Bad actors hosting YouTube live streams that repurpose interviews with well-known figures in tech are nothing new, going to various lengths to take large quantities of Bitcoin from viewers.

These scams are typically touted as ‘get-rich-quick’ or giveaway schemes and often attempt to piggyback on the reputation of an unsuspecting public figure to lend an air of authenticity.

They can also be perpetrated across the full range of media platforms, appearing in fraudulent ‘sponsored’ ads, as well as other visual content. In April, Facebook’s parent company Meta was hit with a lawsuit in an Australian court after failing to quell the rise of these scams across its services.

To avoid falling for scams like these, web users are advised to think critically about the links they click on while browsing. Consumers should consider investing in a firewall, beyond the basic one provided by their operating system, while business owners should invest in strong endpoint protection to protect their entire network of devices.

• We've made a list of the best antivirus software right now

Apple has become the latest tech company to require its workers to return to the office.

As of September 05, the Cupertino-based firm will require its corporate workers visit the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as a third regular day that should be determined by workers and their supervisors.

Silicon Valley-based employees will be among the first to be affected, before the company’s policy rolls out more widely.

Previously, Apple had decided that the third day should be a Monday, however it appears that the company is willing to extend a certain level of flexibility to its employees.

Apple return to office

Apple first expressed an interest in returning to the workplace back in June 2021, when it toyed with the idea of implementing a three-day-a-week policy, however rising Covid-19 cases reduced this to a two-day hybrid working policy.

News of the new three-day policy comes just weeks after the company relaxed its office common area face mask policy, and several months after the relaxation of face masks at individual desks.

These changes, and June’s WWDC event, signal some return to normal for the company, though rumours suggest that Apple’s September event, which is expected to reveal new iPhones and Apple Watches, is being pre-recorded.

Overall, Apple’s return to work policy has proven more strict that those of Microsoft, Amazon, and Google’s parent Alphabet, which have until now been fairly open to remote working setups.

In May, a group of employees published an open letter expressing their distaste and accusing Apple of being driven by a "fear of worker autonomy" and a "fear of losing control". Later, the company's head of AI made for the exit, reportedly over a connected dispute.

Apple’s plans remain far less strict than those of Tesla’s Elon Musk, though, who a couple of months ago told all workers to return to the office or face the sack.

• Arm yourself against hybrid working with the best online collaboration tools

Via Bloomberg

Some of the world's top TV and film editors are not happy with Apple’s handling of Final Cut Pro - and they’re letting the company know about it. 

In an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, over 100 production professionals are calling on the company to publicly commit to building the video editing software into an industry-standard tool. 

The frustrated filmmakers praise Final Cut Pro (FCP) as “the biggest leap forward in editing technology since the move to digital” - before lambasting  the company for failing to support the tool’s integration into professional film and TV production. Effectively, the authors believe FCP is strong enough to compete with the likes of Avid, but isn’t living up to its full potential. 

Oscar-worthy?

Published on GoPetition, the letter states :“If Apple renewed its public commitment to the professional filmmaking industry and its visionary product, we believe an increasing number of editors would discover the joys of using Final Cut Pro.” 

Ending with a pointed coda, the group bitterly notes that despite Apple TV+ recently becoming the first streaming platform to win the Best Picture Oscar, it’s unlikely the crew behind CODA would’ve chosen to edit the hit film with Final Cut Pro. 

‘Plans for the future’

In a supporting statement, Galliano Olivier, editor on the French drama Marianne, explains: “In France, it is extremely difficult to get permission to edit TV with Final Cut Pro. You can’t use it without fighting producers, directors, post-production supervisors, sound editors.” 

Knut Hake, editor for Netflix exclusive Bloody Red Sky, agrees, suggesting a public beta program for the video editing tool “would make a big difference for workflow consultants, systems integrators and third-party developers… it would make it much easier for people to fit Final Cut into their plans for the future.”

In a bid to increase platform adoption and tempt new editors over to FCP, the co-signatories also request the introduction of industry-specific features that have long been missing from the NLE software. 

However, Apple may need to do more than release a few patches to make Final Cut Pro the professional editing software of choice. Steve Sanders, editor-in-chief for Fox’s War of the Worlds, highlights another major problem: lack of collaboration. He said, “editing big productions needs collaboration. Different users have to be able to access the same library at the same time. There is no way around this. Avid Media Composer does it and even DaVinci Resolve does it. Apple still targets the single user. They have to change that.” 

The editors’ open letter comes just days after Apple released its latest version of Final Cut Pro. But it’ll take more than voice isolation, duplicate detection, and Mac Studio optimization to legitimize FCP in the eyes of the industry.  

•  See why Apple’s MacBook Pro tops our list of the best video editing laptops 

Apple CEO Tim Cook has some privacy concerns. In a speech at Tuesday's IAPP Global Privacy Summit, Cook spoke about the importance of privacy, but also delivered a warning regarding ongoing legislation that could regulate the App Store.

Cook kept his speech vague. He never called out any specific pieces of legislation or lawsuit; in fact, he only went into detail when promoting Apple’s privacy efforts. 

However, if you’ve paid attention to what the United States and the European Union have been doing to Big Tech, you’ll understand his posturing.

Sideloading fears

Cook claimed during the speech that efforts to regulate and enforce healthy competition on the Apple App Store will have negative effects on privacy and security. 

"...policymakers are taking steps, in the name of competition, that would force Apple to let apps onto iPhone that circumvent the App Store through a process called sideloading," said Cook

Apple has a pretty tight grip on what’s allowed on its App Store and has even dealt with lawsuits and kicked certain apps out for breaking its App Store rules.

The European Union recently passed The Digital Markets Act which will force Big Tech to open up their messaging services to work with smaller platforms and points to iMessage as an example. The EU is also pressing for third-party app stores, which is essentially circumventing the App Store and sideloading apps onto the iPhone and iPad.

Cook stated sideloading will have profound consequences.

He claimed that, by sideloading, “data-hungry companies” will be able to skirt hardware security and rules to track people without their consent. It would create vulnerabilities that weren’t there before when Apple had complete control over its online store.

Cook backtracked a little by saying the tech giant does believe in competition and wants to foster that environment, but doesn’t want to undermine user privacy.

Apple’s ongoing security efforts

Cook also pointed out the efforts Apple has made to ensure user privacy. He specifically mentioned that the iPhone automatically encrypts personal data and data stored on the iCloud, which is also end-to-end encrypted. Not even Apple knows what’s in it.

And in 2021, Apple added the ATT (app tracking transparency tool) that forces other apps to ask permission to track user data. Apple is arguably doing more than most tech companies when it comes to user privacy.

However, who's to say that Apple can’t roll out new protections while also fostering a more competitive environment in the App Store at the same time? Plus, Apple users aren’t inherently better protected against bad actors.

AirTags, for example, can be used to track people. And this isn’t malware, it’s a design flaw. Granted, Apple knows about this and is working on fixing this flaw through, for now, software notifications.

Cook's concerns may not be completely unwarranted, but there's still no hard proof that giving people the option to sideload, however risky, will be the end of user privacy.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has told employees globally that their return to offices, originally slated for February 1 2021, has been pushed back to a “date yet to be determined.”

The February 1 timeline has been pushed back by Apple several times after the Covid-19 pandemic forced the world’s workforces to stay away from offices. 

With the Omicron variant — which appears to be highly transmissible — on the rise, Apple was left with no choice but put the moves on hold. 

Apple WFH

“We are delaying the start of our hybrid work pilot to a date yet to be determined,” Tim Cook said in the memo. “Our offices remain open and many of our colleagues are coming in regularly, including our teams in Greater China and elsewhere.” Cook pointed to “rising cases in many parts of the world and the emergence of a new strain of the virus.” 

Cook encouraged Apple employees to get a booster shot of the vaccine, one day after Google told employees that they must comply with its vaccine policies by January 18 or face losing pay and, eventually, their jobs.

The news wasn’t all bad for Apple employees, though. Alongside working for one of the most recognisable and beloved technology companies, all employees will receive a $1,000 bonus to cover work-from-home needs, including retail workers. “These funds are intended to help you with your home workspace and can be used as you see fit. You will be receiving more information about this shortly,” Cook said. 

Apple has previously told employees that work-from-home will be available on Wednesdays and Fridays, depending on the teams, with employees expected to be in offices on the remaining workdays. 

• The best hybrid working tech: Everything you need to work from home

Via Bloomberg

The days of working from home exclusively are coming to an end for Apple employees who will be required to return to the office on February 1 of next year.

According to a new report from The Information though, the iPhone maker will implement a new hybrid work pilot at that time which will allow employees to work remotely one or two days each week.

In March of next year, these employees will then work at the office on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from home on Wednesday and Friday. However, according to a memo sent out to staff by Apple CEO Tim Cook, there are a number of teams at the company that will not be able to participate in its hybrid work pilot as their roles require “a greater need to work in-person”.

A decent compromise

By implementing a new hybrid work pilot, Apple will be able to better cater to the needs of a number of its employees who went so far as to threaten to leave if forced back to the office.

Back in July, an internal survey at the company of 1,749 employees revealed that 36.7 percent of them said they were worried that they would have to resign if Apple didn't allow for location-flexible work options. The employees who participated in the survey then sent the results to Tim Cook and SVP of retail and people Deirdre O'Brien along with a video that included personal testimonies from 24 staff on why they believed remote working options are important to them. 

Now though with its new hybrid work pilot, Apple is taking a page out of Microsoft's book as the software giant sees the future of work as truly hybrid. However, the company still believes that “in-person collaboration is essential” to both its culture and future.

As part of its new hybrid work pilot, Apple employees will be able to work remotely for four weeks out of the year and according to Tim Cook, this will provide them with more opportunities to travel, be closer to their loved ones or just to shake up their routines.

We'll likely hear more about the results of Apple's new hybrid work pilot once it's implemented in February of next year.

We've also rounded up the best hybrid work tech and best video conferencing software

Via The Information

Executives from some of America’s biggest and most influential technology companies are heading to the White House to discuss cybersecurity with US President Joe Biden.

Citing White House sources that wished to stay anonymous, Reuters reported Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella will be among those attending the meet. 

Executives from Google, IBM, Southern Company and JPMorgan Chase have all been invited, the sources claimed, but final participation has not yet been confirmed.

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An all-out cyber war is currently raging in the digital realm, with Russia, China, the US, Israel, and other nation-states, all accusing each other of various attacks and incidents. 

The recent ransomware attack against major meat supplier JBS, which ended up with the victim paying $11 million in ransom, was blamed on Russian state-sponsored attackers REvil, by the White House. In similar vein, the attack against Colonial Pipeline, in which the oil distributor paid $4.4 million, was blamed on DarkSide, a cybercriminal group not directly affiliated with the Russian government, but still located in Russia and of Russian origin, given that ransomware itself is in Russian.

A malicious program called Stuxnet, which was discovered in 2010, and which wreaked havoc within Iran’s nuclear power program, was later said to have been jointly built by the governments of the United States and Israel.

Performance controls

Late last month, President Biden signed a national security memorandum which launched a new public-private initiative to create “performance controls” for cybersecurity, at some of the country’s most critical infrastructure companies, such as water treatment and electrical power plans. 

Called the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Initiative, the move is described as “a voluntary, collaborative effort between the Federal Government and the critical infrastructure community to significantly improve the cybersecurity of these critical systems.”

It does that “by encouraging and facilitating deployment of technologies and systems that provide threat visibility, indications, detection, and warnings, and that facilitate response capabilities for cybersecurity in essential control system and operational technology networks.”

•  Here’s our rundown of the best antivirus software out there

Via: Reuters

Apple boss Tim Cook has dropped some hints as to the state of the company’s much-anticipated Apple Car project.

In an interview with the New York Times, Cook was expectedly evasive when probed about Apple’s autonomous vehicle plans, but nonetheless acknowledged the existence of in-development self-driving technology.

“In terms of the work that we’re doing [in that field], obviously, I’m going to be a little coy on that,” Cook said, before adding, “The autonomy itself is a core technology… If you step back, the car, in a lot of ways, is a robot. An autonomous car is a robot. And so there’s lots of things you can do with autonomy. And we’ll see what Apple does.”

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Cook was then pushed on the question of whether the Apple Car – officially known as Project Titan – would end up being a fully-fledged vehicle or software-based project. “We love to integrate hardware, software, and services, and find the intersection points of those because we think that’s where the magic occurs. And so that’s what we love to do. And we love to own the primary technology that’s around that.”

While Cook and Apple are evidently reluctant to share details surrounding their plans for autonomous technology, his failure to deny that the project will focus on a self-driving car suggests Apple is still entertaining the prospect of producing an on-the-road vehicle, rather than merely an in-car operating system to be distributed among existing auto manufacturers.

Tellingly, Cook also caveated his comments by saying: “We investigate so many things internally. Many of them never see the light of day. I’m not saying that one will not.” It’s clear, then, that something is going on over at Apple – we just don’t know exactly what yet. 

An unhappy marriage

Ironically, Cook’s suggestion that Apple “love[s] to own [its] primary technology” points to the central problem the company has faced in its failed efforts to partner with an auto manufacturer on its vehicle project.

Despite being widely-considered the most successful business in the world, Apple's expertise lies in tech development, not automotive manufacturing. That means it needs help from another organisation if it hopes to build a road vehicle, but it would seem that the big car brands have been unwilling to become a bit-part supplier – in the same way Foxconn is to Tesla – on a vehicle that would ultimately bear the Apple name.

This seems to be the reason why Apple’s partnership talks with the likes of Hyundai, Kia and Nissan came to an abrupt halt. As for the latter, a recent report from the Financial Times suggests "contact was brief and the discussions did not advance to senior management levels following divisions over branding" – which tells you everything you need to know about the point of contention between both Apple and the manufacturers it hopes to partner with. 

Tim Cook’s latest comments – while undoubtedly significant given the relative silence surrounding the project until now – still don’t suggest the Apple Car vision will become a reality any time soon. 

Company analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed that the Apple Car might not be launched until 2028 or later, given the continued impasse in negotiations, so expect to be waiting a long while to see it on the road.

• Kia won't be making the autonomous Apple car, but it might make the Apple scooter 

Via Digital Trends 

After making the transition to working from home earlier this year, Tim Cook has revealed that Apple employees won't be returning to the office anytime soon.

As first reported by Bloomberg, Cook said in a recent virtual town hall meeting that it “seems likely” that the majority of the company's teams will continue to work remotely until June of next year. 

This will likely present challenges for Apple as it has historically had a very office-centric culture. However, in his speech to employees, Cook implied that the company's success during the pandemic could open up more remote working opportunities for its staff when they do return to the office in 2021.

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No replacement

Unlike other tech companies such as Twitter which have announced that they will allow their employees to work from home indefinitely, Tim Cook has been vocal about his desire for Apple staff to return to the office. However, he did acknowledge the progress the company and its employees have made when it comes to working remotely in his virtual town hall speech, saying:

“There’s no replacement for face-to-face collaboration, but we have also learned a great deal about how we can get our work done outside of the office without sacrificing productivity or results. All of these learnings are important. When we’re on the other side of this pandemic, we will preserve everything that is great about Apple while incorporating the best of our transformations this year.”

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also isn't a big fan of remote working due to the fact that online meetings using video conferencing software just aren't as engaging as in-person meetings.

The transition to working from home has been quite difficult for some employees which is why Apple and even Google will be giving their staff an additional paid holiday in January.

• We've also highlighted the best online collaboration tools

Via Bloomberg

Apple CEO Tim Cook has opened up about his plans for the future and some of his most personal values.

Speaking at the Dreamforce 2019 event in San Francisco today, the Apple chief revealed some of his most pertinent drives, including how he sees the future of the iPhone maker evolving in the near future.

In a revealing fireside chat with Salesforce co-founder and CEO Marc Benioff, who himself was an intern at Apple back in the 1980s, Cook covered topics ranging from Steve Jobs, the environment, and gay marriage, as well as a look at Apple’s internal motivations.

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Innovation

“So many people confuse innovation with change...many think innovation is change, but it's about making things better, not just merely changing something”, Cook declared.

“We've never set the objective to be first, we've always set the objective to be the best,” Cook added, “that north star has helped guide us through the temptations, we just want to make the best products.”

Cook noted how Apple’s business has become inherently enterprise-focused in the years since it released the first iPhone back in 2007, with the company’s devices now a popular sight in businesses across the globe.

Apple and Salesforce revealed a large-scale partnership at last year’s Dreamforce, with the first fruits of the collaboration being unveiled earlier this week with the launch of an iOS and iPad-exclusive version of the latter’s Trailhead GO app.

Looking forward, Salesforce looks set to continue as an important enterprise partner for Apple, with Cook noting that “I couldn’t be happier” with the work the software giant has done.

With all Fortune 500 companies now using some form of Apple products, one such advocate is Benioff himself, who revealed to Cook that he completely relies on his iPhone to work.

“I don't even own a computer anymore, I don't need one,” Benioff revealed. “The phone has really become an extension of my office wherever I am.”

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Apple CEO Tim Cook has called for greater regulation and protection of how data is collected and utilised by organisations across the world.

Speaking at an event in Brussels today, Cook praised the effect that GDPR is having since its introduction back in May, but warned that more still needs to be done in order to halt the effect of "weaponised" data.

Hailing the "successful implementation" of GDPR, Cook said it was time for the rest of the world to follow the EU's lead in introducing similar legislation, noting that, "we at Apple are in full support of a comprehensive federal privacy law in the United States.”

In a later tweet expanding on his speech, Cook added that, "GDPR has shown us all that good policy and political will can come together to protect the rights of everyone."

• What is GDPR? Everything you need to know

Apple data privacy

The Apple chief also called for new digital privacy laws in the US to protect against such unsanctioned data collection, which he says is harming everyday society as we know it, creating a, "data industrial complex" where, "our own information, from the everyday to the deeply personal, is being weaponized against us with military efficiency."

“These scraps of data...each one harmless enough on its own...are carefully assembled, synthesized, traded, and sold," he noted.

“Platforms and algorithms that promised to improve our lives can actually magnify our worst human tendencies,” Cook said.

“Rogue actors and even governments have taken advantage of user trust to deepen divisions, incite violence, and even undermine our shared sense of what is true and what is false. This crisis is real. It is not imagined, or exaggerated, or crazy.”

“Users should always know what data is being collected and what it is being collected for,” he added. “This is the only way to empower users to decide what collection is legitimate and what isn’t. Anything less is a sham.”

• Looking to protect your privacy online? Check out our list of the best VPN services

Tim Cook is reportedly concerned about the inclusion of adult content in Apple’s burgeoning offering of original programming, and objected to scenes of sex and drug use in a commissioned biopic of rapper and producer Dr Dre.

The Wall Street Journal (subscription required, but Business Insider also has the story) reports that the Apple CEO saw footage from the six-part series Vital Signs back in 2017 and thought it too gratuitous for Apple's platforms – the series appears to have been put on ice amid reports of reshoots, and there's no word about a release date.

The content Cook reportedly took issue with – depictions of sex, violence, and drug use – are pretty common fare in today’s television landscape, particularly in a music industry biopic, so we’re not sure what Cook expected. But Apple seems to be aiming for clean, family fare, and is still figuring out what its own programming is going to look like going forward.

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The technology giant began shipping Apple TVs under Steve Jobs back in 2006, and has been looking to expand into its own original television programming in the vein of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO.

That’s a difficult task from the get-go, given the glut of streaming services competing for viewers’ attention. Apple will also face particular competition from Disney, which is set to launch its own family-friendly streaming service, Disney Play, some time in 2019.

Apple has already released its first original reality show, Planet of the Apps, which sees app developers compete for funding from a Dragons' Den-style panel, and the James Corden-hosted Carpool Karaoke.

Something old, something new

Apple’s great strength is its brand image, which keeps consumers coming back to it year after year for each new generation of iPhones, Macbooks, and Apple Watches with the promise of trend-setting technological innovation. 

Apple-made programming that plays it too safe might not capture its fans’ imaginations in the same way, while sending the message that the once-visionary brand isn’t as forward-thinking as it seems.

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