References to two unreleased controllers that identify as Apple hardware in code were spotted in the macOS 26.7 release candidate by MacRumors reader Pdfu. Apple's first macOS 26.7 release candidate came out in mid-August, and it was full of references to unreleased Apple devices, from iPhones and Macs to new home accessories. Pdfu has continued to dig into the RC, finding new details that were previously overlooked.


There are GameController profiles for two hardware devices identified as T6502 and T1057, which Pdfu suggests could be Apple gaming controllers in development. The two controllers have different haptic designs and standard controller components, like a D-pad, dual thumbsticks, shoulder buttons, Home and Menu buttons, and analog triggers. T1057 also has accelerometer and gyroscope support, while T6502 doesn't.

The code includes dedicated hardware plug-ins for each device as well, which suggests these are actual devices instead of placeholder code.

There have been rumors about a possible Apple game controller over the years, but nothing has ever materialized.

The code found in the first macOS Tahoe 26.7 RC could point to an Apple controller in the works, but it could also be referencing internal test hardware Apple uses for testing game controller code and support. Apple removed the code in the second ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.7 RC.

Apple has had multiple opportunities to release a game controller. The company could have launched one alongside any version of the Apple TV, when Apple Arcade came out, or when the Vision Pro launched, but it didn't. Instead, Apple focused on building extensive support for third-party controllers.

In 2015, Apple required ‌Apple TV‌ games to support the Siri Remote as a gaming controller, but gave that up in a matter of months. With the Vision Pro, it partnered with Sony to add Vision Pro support to the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers instead of designing its own controller.

Console makers have mastered the controller, and many people already have Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo controllers. There's little improvement to be made on controller ergonomics, but if Apple is working on a controller, features like Find My and instant cross-device pairing could set it apart from competitors.

All of the references can be found in blacktop/ipsw-diffs on GitHub, with Pdfu's highlights available in the forum post.
This article, "macOS 26.7 Code Hints at Two Unreleased Apple Game Controllers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Acer recently came out with a new 6K 31.5-inch display, the ProDesigner PE320QXT. It's a touchscreen display that's able to work with a Mac using touch drivers, and it's aimed at professional creators. It's fun to use, but there are some compromises, and this is not the display to get unless you really want touch integration.


This is a big, heavy display. It's thicker than my Apple Studio Display, and it's thicker than any other display I've tested, likely because of the touch layer. It does have a tapered design so the sides aren't quite as thick as the middle, but this isn't a modern-looking monitor. It doesn't resemble something designed in 2026, especially with the button-based controls and the thick bezels. If someone told me this was a display from 2006, I'd believe it. With its stand, the ProDesigner weighs about 22 pounds, and it takes up a lot of room on my desk.

The display uses an IPS panel and has a resolution of 6016 x 3384, and it can connect to a Mac using HDMI or USB-C. I tested it on a 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro running macOS Golden Gate and an M4 MacBook Air. By default, macOS uses a 3008 x 1692 scaled resolution, which is a good compromise between display quality and sizing. It can be set at higher resolutions, including the full 6016 x 3384, but window sizing and text get smaller as resolution goes up.


Text is crisp and everything looks sharp at the default resolution, but brightness is limited to 400 nits and contrast is just fair, not outstanding. My office is bright, and in the daytime, 400 nits is a little too dim, especially if I'm simultaneously using the ‌MacBook Pro‌'s much better mini-LED screen or a ‌Studio Display‌ with the Acer ProDesigner. Brightness does go up to 600 nits for HDR content, but I wouldn't recommend it for HDR movies because it doesn't have the local dimming you get from mini-LED or OLED.

Though brightness wasn't where I wanted it to be, quality and color were excellent. With some displays, it's unpleasant to use them with a ‌MacBook Pro‌ because of the pixel density mismatch, but 6K resolution makes a difference when using the display next to a ‌MacBook Pro‌. Text and interface elements don't look soft or low-resolution. Acer says the display is Calman-verified for color accuracy with support for 99 percent of the Adobe RGB and P3 color gamuts. I don't have a colorimeter or a reference display for testing, but colors were saturated and seemed similar to those on my ‌MacBook Pro‌. I did notice a little light bleed at the edges of the display when viewing a dark image in a dark room, but it's not something I noticed in regular use and the display otherwise looked uniform.


One of the main concerns with any kind of color work is the glossiness of the display. This is one of the most reflective displays I've used, and it is problematic when viewing dark content in a room with bright light. If you have lights behind you, they're going to reflect and make it harder to see what you're working on. Acer says it's an anti-glare display, but I disagree.


This is a display with a 60Hz refresh rate, and I do notice the lower refresh rate when scrolling through webpages because I'm used to my Mac's 120Hz option. This isn't a display I'd choose for games because of it, but games do look good thanks to the resolution.

Controls

Acer doesn't have a native macOS app for controlling the display, so there's no way to control brightness from the Mac unless you download third-party display software. I use BetterDisplay, and it works well.

Without third-party display software, you're limited to the brightness controls on the monitor itself. There are five buttons on the bottom right of the display. On-device controls are not as convenient as software-based controls, and it takes too many button presses to adjust brightness. I need to press one button to toggle the brightness setting, then use a different button and press several times to adjust up or down.

The brightness control is right next to the power button, so I've accidentally turned the display off several times. It's hard to imagine a control scheme that would be less ergonomic than the one Acer chose. You can tediously control all of the display settings with the physical buttons, or use third-party software to solve the problem.

Stand

The ProDesigner uses a folding stand made for switching between an upright and a tilted, low-angle orientation, with the latter meant to be used for drawing, sketching, and other tablet-style work. Since the stand is meant to tilt into a tablet position, it doesn't have much height adjustment, with about six inches of range. If you need the display to be taller, you'll need a monitor riser.


It is easy to pull it down into more of a tablet mode, and when it's oriented like that, it's like using a giant iPad or drawing tablet. It can be adjusted to several different angles, and it swivels 360 degrees so you can find the best position for whatever you're doing. The stand mechanism feels well-designed and there's little friction when making changes.


I didn't think attempting to draw or write on a display this size was going to be comfortable, but being able to angle the display helped. I had no issue when using it at my desk, though it does take up a lot of space. This isn't a situation where you can pick up your drawing surface and pop over to the couch to draw. You need the right setup for this display and its large stand.

The stand design makes the most sense if you're often using the display in touch mode, and less sense if you just want a display. It doesn't have the range of height adjustment of a standard desktop display because of the mechanism to shift it into a tablet position.

Ports and Charging

The display connects to a Mac over USB-C and offers 90W passthrough charging. That's not enough power to reach the 140W maximum charging speed of a 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, but it was enough to keep my Mac topped up over the course of the day, even while gaming.

It has two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, a USB-C port with power delivery, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, a USB-B upstream port, and a 3.5mm jack. There is no Thunderbolt support, so you can't daisy-chain displays.

Touchscreen and Software

macOS doesn't have native touchscreen support, so third-party software is required to make the Acer display's touchscreen function. Acer suggests the UPDD Touch Software driver from Touch-Base, and it allows for 10-finger touch input.


You can use all of the Mac gestures you're familiar with on the ProDesigner, but it's clear this is a display that wasn't built with the Mac in mind. The UPDD software requires per-app customization of touch gestures for some workflows. It's nice that the customization is available, but the software can be confusing. I don't know who is going to want to put in the work to get this running in a way that doesn't involve at least some frustration. In an app like Pixelmator Pro, I'd have to manually tweak the gestures to be able to use it efficiently, and the same goes for most apps. Apps on the Mac just weren't built for touch input.

With the UPDD software, touch input works, and works well. Finger taps are accurate, and Acer has a stylus that goes along with the display (that is a separate purchase). With the stylus, fine-line writing and drawing are supported, and features I'd expect with a stylus, like palm rejection and tilt, are available. Using the stylus is similar to using an ‌iPad‌ with an Apple Pencil that has hover. I can see the mouse cursor when the stylus is close to the screen so I can tell what I'm doing. Using touch or the stylus didn't seem laggy, and writing on the display was responsive.


Touch works on macOS, and I can tap with a finger to launch apps, change settings, adjust windows, and control on-screen elements, but it's not a feature I need or want. It would take me months, if not years, to get as fast with touch gestures as I am with a trackpad, and I'd never be able to replace the keyboard.

The display's touch feature is useful for drawing and sketching, and likely convenient for workflows like video editing, but I'm not sure it has appeal beyond that. There aren't many Mac tasks that are easier to do or more accessible with touch controls. Also, a display this big and this glossy really shows fingerprints.

Webcam and Speakers

There is a built-in 8-megapixel webcam, and it is higher quality than the camera in my ‌MacBook Pro‌ (not hard to achieve). Since I don't do a ton of video calls, it's not a super important feature for me, but someone who is often in video meetings might appreciate it more.


The camera can tilt for adjusting the angle depending on where you're positioned, but it is a wider angle than I'm used to with a webcam and the framing is awkward. When the camera is not in use, there's a physical cover for privacy purposes.

The speakers are fine, but nothing special. I wouldn't use them over standalone speakers or a Mac's speakers. Voice calls and short video content sound fine, but music sounds one-dimensional.

Bottom Line

Acer's ProDesigner PE320QXT wasn't built for the Mac, and it's obvious. It requires a lot of software to work, and it's software that Acer didn't even design. You can use it with the Mac, but the Mac was an afterthought.

The touch hardware works well, and if you want a 31.5-inch drawing surface, this display does that. You can make this work with a favorite creative app, and it's a lot of fun to have such a big digital canvas. There are rumors that Apple is working on a touchscreen ‌OLED‌ MacBook, so macOS could get more touch-friendly in the near future and that might change how useful the display is.

macOS wasn't built to be used with a touchscreen, and I would bet money that no Mac user is going to speed up an established and comfortable Mac workflow with Acer's display.

The only reason to choose this display over another 6K display is the touch feature. If you want a big touch surface, the ProDesigner is a good option and it's priced well for what it is. If you need a Mac display for any other purpose, you're probably better off getting something else.

How to Buy

The Acer ProDesigner PE320QXT can be purchased from B&H for $1,299.99.
This article, "Review: Acer's 6K Touchscreen Display Turns Your Mac Into a Giant iPad, Sort Of" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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For this week's giveaway, we've once again teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an M4 iPad Air, an Apple Pencil Pro, and an Astropad Rock Paper Pencil kit to use with it.


The $49.99 Rock Paper Pencil is a screen protector and ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip combo that makes writing on your iPad feel like writing on a piece of paper instead of a slippery glass display. It's a more comfortable and natural writing and drawing experience.


A non-adhesive paper-textured screen protector attaches to the ‌iPad‌'s display, with a custom tip added to the ‌Apple Pencil‌. The paper-like feel of the screen comes from a microscopic texture that adds friction to improve control.


Astropad this week launched the fourth iteration of Rock Paper Pencil, and it now comes with tips that have a different feel. There's a new graphite tip that's meant to feel like writing with a 2B pencil, which Astropad says is ideal for sketching and shading. It even sounds like writing with a pencil on paper when you use it. There's also a ballpoint tip that feels like using with a smooth gel pen. It's ideal for writing and linework. Two of each kind of tip are included in the kit.


When you want to use your ‌iPad‌ for watching videos or playing games, you can take off the screen protector and store it away in a protective sleeve. It attaches to the ‌iPad‌ with Astropad's NanoCling technology, so there's no adhesive to deal with.


For those who dislike the unnatural feel of writing or drawing on a glass surface with a plastic ‌Apple Pencil‌ tip, Rock Paper Pencil is worth checking out.

Rock Paper Pencil is compatible with all of Apple's M2, M3, M4, and M5 iPads, as well as many older iPads.

We have a Rock Paper Pencil kit, an M4 ‌iPad Air‌, and an ‌Apple Pencil‌ Pro for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.The contest will run from today (September 4) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 11. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after September 11 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
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Aqara today introduced five new Matter-enabled smart lights compatible with Apple Home. The lights support Thread and Zigbee as well, and can be paired with Aqara sensors and switches.


The Floor Lamp T1 is a tall, rod-shaped light with a wall-wash effect. It has 18 controllable zones that can be set to different colors, and it supports 2000K to 9000K white light at up to 1,000 lumens.

Aqara's LED Downlight T2 has a thin profile for low ceilings or retrofitting. It supports 16 million colors and 2000K to 9000K white light. The trimmable LED Strip T2 has 108 LEDs per meter and is ideal for use under cabinets and along shelves. Aqara says it delivers even light without visible hotspots. The light strip has 18 controllable zones every three meters for smooth color gradients.

The Outdoor String Lights H1 are weatherproof for use on patios and decks. The lights have individually controllable zones with the same white light range as the other lights, and can adjust based on time of day, environment, and triggers from other smart home devices.

Aqara also announced the Permanent Outdoor Lights H1 that can be used all year. The lights feature independently controlled LEDs and can be extended or cut to fit any roofline.


Aqara is showing off the new lights at IFA. Pricing and launch timing are not yet available.
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We're less than a week away from the debut of Apple's first foldable iPhone, and rumors have been picking up as the event date approaches. Here's the latest.

• MagSafe - Even though foldable iPhone dummies we saw earlier this year didn't have a MagSafe ring, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims all signs indicate MagSafe charging will be supported.


• Crease - Some of the early language about the foldable iPhone's crease suggested Apple might have found a way to make it invisible, but later rumors are more realistic. The crease is minimal, but Apple hasn't found a magic way to get rid of it.


• Touch ID - Touch ID is still expected for the foldable iPhone. Apple didn't have room for the Face ID hardware because the device is rumored to be just 4.5mm thick. There will be volume buttons at the top of the iPhone Ultra, with a ‌Touch ID‌ side button for unlocking.


• Software - iOS 27 makes it clear Apple is making sure apps will work with the foldable iPhone. There's a big push for app resizability and layout flexibility. The iPhone is expected to support multitasking, sidebars, and side-by-side app usage.


• Cameras - Camera rumors haven't changed. We're expecting a two-lens camera setup with Wide and Ultra Wide lenses.


• Chips - Early rumors said Apple would transition to the C2 and move away from Qualcomm, but it looks like Apple might still use Qualcomm modems in the United States. It hinges on whether the C2 supports mmWave 5G. The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ will also adopt Apple's A20 Pro chip, the same as the iPhone 18 Pro models.


• Colors - The foldable iPhone is expected in white/silver and dark blue.


• Apple Pencil - Apple tested an Apple Pencil with the foldable iPhone, but it's probably not going to launch.


• Launch Timing - Rumors on ‌iPhone Ultra‌ launch timing and production have been mixed, with some sources reporting delays. Gurman says he will be "very surprised" if the device doesn't launch at the same time as the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models or "very close to it." It's still possible supplies could be constrained, leading to long waits for those who don't pre-order early.


• Price - The ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is expected to cost over $2,000, possibly up to $2,500 depending on storage capacity.

Apple will introduce the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ and the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models at its "Surprise and Shine" event that will be held on Wednesday, September 9.
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Anker today announced the launch of Anker MindBase, an AI home hub meant to work with almost 100 Anker devices and Matter-enabled smart home devices from other companies. It works alongside HomeKit, and is equipped with an AI Core compute card and the on-device Anker TrueSmart AI Agent.


In addition to working as a smart home hub, the MindBase supports up to 48TB of local storage, and it functions as a NAS. It can be used for storing files, photos, and videos locally. MindBase integrates with Anker security cameras, and Anker plans to sell a MindBase Security Kit that includes a new TrackLight Cam S1, S4 Video Doorbell, and Smart Security Shield sensor.

Anker says on-device AI evaluates events in real time to assess risk and respond through observation, lighting, verbal warnings, or active deterrence. The sensor can be placed at the edge of a property, using radar to detect strangers from up to 15 meters away.


Anker is also debuting several new home security products.

• Eufy Video Doorbell S4 - The Video Doorbell S4 is a wired doorbell and security camera combo. It has a 9-megapixel lens with 3K resolution and a 180-degree field of view.


• Eufy Window Camera E10 - The E10 is a camera that mounts on the inside of a window for use in rentals. It has a 25-degree adjustable tilt with anti-glare optics, and it records in 2.5K resolution.


• Eufy Fall Detection Sensor - The Fall Detection Sensor is a non-wearable sensor that uses mmWave radar sensing to detect falls without using a camera. It can be mounted on the wall and supports two-way communication.


• Eufy NVR Security System E50 - The E50 pairs an 8-channel network video recorder with four hybrid bullet pan-tilt-zoom dual-lens camera. There's a 2K resolution wide-angle bullet lens and a motorized 4K resolution PTZ lens.

The E50 system is available on the Eufy website starting at $999. The Video Doorbell S4 is priced at $300 and will be available in late September. The Window Camera E10 will be available later this year for $70. Availability and pricing have not yet been announced for the MindBase and Fall Detection Sensor.
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Aqara today introduced five new Matter-enabled smart lights compatible with Apple Home. The lights support Thread and Zigbee as well, and can be paired with Aqara sensors and switches.


The Floor Lamp T1 is a tall, rod-shaped light with a wall-wash effect. It has 18 controllable zones that can be set to different colors, and it supports 2000K to 9000K white light at up to 1,000 lumens.

Aqara's LED Downlight T2 has a thin profile for low ceilings or retrofitting. It supports 16 million colors and 2000K to 9000K white light. The trimmable LED Strip T2 has 108 LEDs per meter and is ideal for use under cabinets and along shelves. Aqara says it delivers even light without visible hotspots. The light strip has 18 controllable zones every three meters for smooth color gradients.

The Outdoor String Lights H1 are weatherproof for use on patios and decks. The lights have individually controllable zones with the same white light range as the other lights, and can adjust based on time of day, environment, and triggers from other smart home devices.

Aqara also announced the Permanent Outdoor Lights H1 that can be used all year. The lights feature independently controlled LEDs and can be extended or cut to fit any roofline.


Aqara is showing off the new lights at IFA. Pricing and launch timing are not yet available.
This article, "Aqara Debuts Five Matter Smart Lights With Apple Home Support" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Govee today introduced three new lighting products, including theSky Ceiling Light, COB Strip Light 2 Pro, and Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro.


Govee says the $400 Matter-enabled Sky Ceiling Light is a "mood-responsive" light that uses AI Lighting Bot 2.0 to set the color of the light based on the user's mood or request. The light has a 478nm sky-blue spectrum for use indoors when daylight is limited, which Govee claims supports the body's "natural vitality and rhythm." It also offers white light across a 1,000K to 10,000K temperature range, with up to 7,000 lumens.

The $170 COB Strip Light 2 Pro displays custom light scenes using AI text prompts. Govee says users can curate ambient lighting for gaming, parties, movie nights, and more. The light strip has 1,344 LEDs and 16 ICs per meter, plus a triple-layer groove design for smooth output in single-color and multi-color modes.

Govee's Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro feature a dual-layer design with two independently controlled ICs per light head, which allows the top and bottom zones to show different colors and effects at once. Like Govee's other lights, the Outdoor Lights 2 Pro can be controlled with AI Lighting Bot 2.0 and are priced starting at $500.

The Sky Ceiling Light and COB Strip Light 2 Pro will be available from Govee on September 4, while the Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro will launch on September 7.
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An original Apple–1 Computer could sell for between $500,000 and $800,000 when it is auctioned off this October.


There are fewer than 75 Apple–1 Computers known to exist, and a smaller number that are operational. The "Hatfield" Apple–1 is number 48 on the Apple–1 registry, and it is in working condition.

The machine was purchased by Fred Hatfield, a computer enthusiast and employee of Computer Data Systems. It is signed by Steve Wozniak and comes with a letter written to Hatfield and signed by Steve Jobs. Jobs authorized a trade-in for the newly released Apple II after Hatfield complained about the Apple–1 software, but Hatfield declined the offer because he would have needed to pay $400 for the upgrade.

Hatfield sold the Apple–1 in 2013 for $40,000. At the time, it was non-functional, but the buyer fixed it, got it signed by Wozniak, and sold it at auction for $671,400. It's now going up for sale again.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak produced 200 Apple–1 computers in 1976. The device was originally offered as a bare circuit board to be sold as a kit and completed by hobbyists, but Jobs sold 50 fully assembled Apple–1 machines to California-based retailer The Byte Shop. The Byte Shop resold the assembled machines for $666.66.

The Hatfield Apple–1 will be available for public and private viewing at locations in Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, and New York, with dates and information listed on the auctioneer's website. Bids will be accepted from October 4 to October 14.

Functional Apple–1 computers have sold for over $900,000 at auction in the past, though pricing varies based on condition and provenance.
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Apple today shared a short video featuring an Apple Watch user named Amanda who says her device saved her life.


In 2024, Amanda began receiving alerts about an abnormal heart rate. Her watch alerted her about changes to her resting heart rate and her overnight vitals, prompting her to visit her doctor.

She ended up being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive cancer. After treatment, she is in remission.

"I absolutely believe that if it wasn't for my Apple Watch, I wouldn't be talking to you," she said.

The Apple Watch regularly monitors heart rate and can send alerts when a high heart rate is detected during rest. It also notes low heart rates and irregular heart rhythms, plus the ECG app can detect atrial fibrillation.
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Apple today informed developers that universal Mac App Store apps that require macOS 13 or later can remove support for Intel-based Mac computers.

We're reaching out to let you know that universal macOS apps on the Mac App Store that require macOS 13 or later can now remove support for Intel-based Mac computers.

By removing support for Intel-based Mac computers, you can simplify your development and optimize your download and on-device size.

Apps that drop Intel support will no longer deliver updates for those machines, but Intel Mac users will be able to keep using the last compatible version of an app. Apple did not previously allow ‌Mac App Store‌ apps with Intel compatibility to drop support.

macOS Tahoe is the last version of macOS that will run on Intel-based Macs. macOS Golden Gate is limited to Apple silicon Macs with an M1 chip or later.

Apple is also phasing out support for Rosetta 2, the feature that lets Intel-based apps run on Apple silicon Macs. Rosetta will stop working for most apps after ‌macOS Golden Gate‌, and apps that use it won't launch. Apple is making an exception for some older unmaintained gaming titles that rely on Intel-based frameworks.
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It's been almost 12 months since Apple launched the iPhone Air, and because MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has been using it daily since launch, he decided to do a one-year review covering what it's like using Apple's super-thin iPhone on a long-term basis.


The ‌iPhone Air‌ is the thinnest iPhone Apple has released to date, and the form factor doesn't get old. It's pocketable, can be used with one hand, and it's much lighter than the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. There's not much compromise on screen size since it has a 6.5-inch OLED display.

Apple used a smaller battery in the ‌iPhone Air‌, and it doesn't last as long as the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models. Some people might be able to get through the day on a single charge, but others will need an external battery pack like the one Apple built for the ‌iPhone Air‌.

There's a single camera, which is one of the compromises with Apple's super-thin iPhone. You only get the Wide lens, with no option for the Ultra Wide or Telephoto lenses that come with the other iPhone 17 models. No Ultra Wide also means no macro images.

Price was and continues to be the biggest ‌iPhone Air‌ issue. At $999, it's more expensive than the ‌iPhone 17‌, which has two cameras and nearly the same processor, and only $100 less than the three-camera ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌. The ‌iPhone Air‌'s price wasn't worth it to a lot of people, and rumors suggest that it didn't sell well.

Make sure to watch Dan's video to see all of his thoughts on the ‌iPhone Air‌.
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Apple has set new CEO John Ternus' target compensation at $58 million, according to an updated SEC filing [PDF]. Tim Cook's target compensation is $47 million in his new role as executive chairman.


Ternus' fiscal 2027 compensation includes a $3 million salary and an annual equity award with a target value of $55 million. A quarter of the award is time-based and will vest semiannually over four years. The rest of the restricted stock units (RSUs) will vest based on Apple's total shareholder return relative to other companies in the S&P 500, which is how Cook's RSUs have worked for many years. For fiscal 2026, Apple granted Ternus a prorated RSU award with a target value of $2.5 million.

Cook's new salary will be $2 million, but he's also earning an equity award with a target value of $45 million in fiscal 2027. Half will be granted in the form of time-based RSUs that vest over four years, and the other half will vest based on Apple's stock performance. Should Cook retire on or after the first anniversary of the grant date, his equity will vest, but he won't receive the shares until the originally scheduled vesting dates.

Target compensation figures for Ternus and Cook do not include performance-based bonuses, so the final amount each earns in fiscal 2027 could change.

In 2025, Cook earned $74.3 million, including a $3 million salary, $12 million in performance-based cash awards, and $57.5 million in stock awards.

Ternus' previous pay as Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering was not publicly shared, so this is the first look at his compensation.
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Apple Maps users in the United States will now see "Lake America" instead of "Lake Ontario" for the Great Lake on the border of Ontario and New York.


The updated name is currently rolling out to iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. The Maps app still has the Lake Ontario label for the body of water, but tapping it now says "Lake America." Apple will likely change the label in the next few hours.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week issued an executive order changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America. The U.S. Geographic Names Information System updated the database with the new name, and Google Maps adopted it earlier this week.

As with Trump's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, ‌Apple Maps‌ users in the United States will see the lake listed as Lake America. Canadians will see the Lake Ontario name, and users outside of the U.S. and Canada will see both names.

According to Axios, Trump directly asked Apple to rename Lake Ontario "Lake America" in the Maps app. Trump announced the name change after the ongoing trade war escalated with both countries announcing additional tariffs.

Once popular mapping app MapQuest refused to change the name of Lake Ontario, and its stance has caused it to surge on the App Store charts. MapQuest is the number one free app on the iPhone at the current time.
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Anthropic today introduced Claude Fable 5.1 and Claude Mythos 5.1, which the company says are the "world's most advanced models for coding and knowledge work."


According to Anthropic, Claude Fable 5.1 sets a new standard for coding, knowledge work, and long-running problem-solving tasks. It achieves similar or better results than Fable 5 at low or medium effort, and has much higher performance at higher effort tiers. It outperforms Fable 5, Opus 5, and OpenAI's GPT–5.6 Sol across multiple benchmarks.

Fable 5.1 and Mythos 5.1 are the same model, but with different safeguard levels. Fable 5.1 is available to everyone, but Mythos 5.1 is limited to U.S. companies and individuals participating in Anthropic's trusted access programs. There's a new Life Sciences Verification Program that allows Mythos 5.1's advanced biology capabilities to be used for scientific research, with open enrollment for scientists coming soon.

Safeguards for Fable 5.1 have been improved, and Claude Code users should see around 60 percent fewer cybersecurity false positives. Anthropic says Fable 5.1 can now be used to discover software vulnerabilities, but not develop exploits for them. Fable 5.1 includes invisible watermarking for text generated by Claude, and Anthropic is rolling out a detection API in a private preview. The API is available to eligible organizations as required by EU law.

Fable 5.1 costs approximately 25 percent less than Fable 5 for typical workloads, and up to 45 percent for highly agentic work, because of a reduction in cache-read pricing. Base pricing remains the same. It is available today on all platforms.
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Apple's foldable "iPhone Ultra" will likely support MagSafe charging, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in an interview with Tom's Guide.


‌iPhone Ultra‌ dummy models that surfaced in April didn't include a ‌MagSafe‌ ring, while dummies of the iPhone 18 Pro did. Leaked cases for the device did have a ‌MagSafe‌ ring, making it unclear whether it would support ‌MagSafe‌ charging.

"All indications that I've heard is that ‌MagSafe‌ is in for this foldable phone. They were able to get it into the iPhone Air, and I don't see why they wouldn't be able to get it into the foldable," said Gurman.

Leaving out ‌MagSafe‌ was plausible because the ‌iPhone Ultra‌ is supposedly super thin, measuring 4.5mm when open. The device does not have room for Face ID camera hardware, and it is rumored to use Touch ID instead.

Gurman recapped several other ‌iPhone Ultra‌ rumors:

• $2,000+ price tag


• 5.5-inch outer display (when closed)


• 7.8-inch inner display (when unfolded)


• Short and wide passport-style design


• Latest Apple modem (likely C2)


• Latest Apple chip (A20 Pro)


• Wide and Ultra Wide camera lenses


• No telephoto lens


• Durable hinge, minimal but not invisible crease


• Apple has "gone to great lengths" to make apps automatically resize to fit different displays

Apple will announce the foldable iPhone alongside the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models at its "Surprise and Shine" event set to be held on Wednesday, September 9. While there have been rumors that the foldable iPhone could be delayed and launch after the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models, Gurman says he would be "very surprised" if the foldable did not come out at the same time as the Pro iPhones or "very close to it."

"Either on the same launch date, a dual launch, or coming out within weeks later. This idea of a late October, November launch, massive delays, supply chain issues, I don't believe to be the case," he said.
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Former Apple CFO Luca Maestri is taking another step back from the company, reports Bloomberg. Maestri left his role as CFO in January 2025, but stayed at Apple to run the company's Corporate Services teams.


Maestri stepped down from that position in recent weeks, and Bloomberg says he is still at Apple but has no responsibilities other than hosting a class at Apple University. Maestri reported to former Apple CEO Tim Cook, but he does not report to new Apple CEO John Ternus. Maestri is slowly withdrawing from Apple, and visits the office about once a week.

Corporate services includes information systems and technology, information security, and real estate and development. The team is being taken over by Kevan Parekh, who became Apple's CFO after Maestri stepped down.

Bloomberg says Cook liked to keep departing executives in smaller roles, but Ternus may not continue that practice.
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John Ternus officially became Apple's CEO today, with Tim Cook transitioning to a new role as Executive Chair. Ternus sent his first memo as CEO to employees this morning, praising Cook and sharing his excitement for Apple's future.


MacRumors obtained a copy of the memo, which you can read in full below.

Team,

Today, on my first day as CEO, I just wanted to send a quick note to thank everyone for the warm wishes. I also want to extend my deep appreciation to Tim for sharing so much of his knowledge and experience during this transition, and more importantly, for everything he contributed to Apple over the years. We're so lucky to have had a CEO who led with his values and with such decency and humanity. We are all better for it, and I'm so grateful he'll be our executive chairman.

I'm honored to be stepping into this role at what is truly the greatest company in the world, and I am so excited about everything we have in store. We have a huge launch next week that's going to be phenomenal. Thanks for everything you've all done to make it possible.

I'm just as excited about what lies beyond that, including the incredible products already in the works and the ones we haven't even imagined yet that we'll dream up and create together. There's no team in the world I'd rather build the future with.

More to come. In the meantime, thanks for your excellent work!

John

Ternus is a longtime Apple employee, having first joined the company in 2001. Prior to becoming CEO, he was senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, so he has a product-focused background instead of the operations background Cook has. Apple's leadership team has been reorganizing during the transition from Cook to Ternus, and the full effect of the changes will play out over the next several years.

Johny Srouji is now Apple's chief hardware officer, taking over the Hardware Engineering team that Ternus previously led. Former engineering VP and Ternus lieutenant Laura Legros is returning to Apple, and the product design team was restructured.

On his last day as CEO, Cook told employees he took "enormous comfort" in handing leadership of Apple to "someone as brilliant and wonderful and capable as John."

Ternus has been on stage during Apple events before, but the September 9 "Surprise and Shine" iPhone event will be his first as Apple CEO.
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Mozilla today said it is adding an ad blocker to Firefox for iOS, allowing users to block many third-party ads and ad-related trackers.


The ad blocker uses the EasyList filter list and Apple's WebKit Content Blocker technology, which is the same content-blocker API Safari ad blockers use. App Store ad blockers only work with Safari, so Mozilla built the feature directly into the app.

Firefox won't block ads served by the site you're visiting, and ads shown in search results will still appear. Sponsored shortcuts and other sponsored content shown by Firefox when you open a new tab are separate from ads and won't be blocked.

Ad blocking is turned off by default, and it can be turned on in the Firefox app by going to Settings > Browsing > Ad Blocker.
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Qualcomm is increasing prices for its chips by double digits starting tomorrow. Qualcomm announced the impending price hike back in July, letting customers know prices would go up for chips shipped after September 1.


Qualcomm said it cannot continue to absorb increasing supplier costs. "We're just passing through big cost increases that we have," said Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon in an interview with Reuters.

Apple has been transitioning to its own modem chips, but it is still sourcing modem chips from Qualcomm for the iPhone 17 models. Apple will discontinue the iPhone 17 Pro models when the iPhone 18 Pro is released in September, but it is likely to keep the ‌iPhone 17‌ in the lineup.

Apple's iPhone 17e and iPhone Air use its C1X modem, and rumors suggest some ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models and the foldable iPhone could use a new Apple-designed C2 chip with faster 5G speeds. Apple may still rely on Qualcomm for modem chips in the United States, according to leaked iPhone 18 Pro documents from Tata Electronics.

Prices have gone up for DRAM and storage due to supply issues, which has affected most device manufacturers. Apple raised prices of Macs and iPads in June, and the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ models are expected to be more expensive than their predecessors.

Amon also said in July that Qualcomm is expecting the revenue it earns from Apple to decline faster than previously anticipated, dropping approximately 50 percent from the September quarter to the December quarter. He blamed supply constraints, which will reduce the share of Qualcomm components used in the iPhone 18 lineup.

In addition to supplying modem chips to Apple, Qualcomm makes mobile chips for Samsung and other smartphone manufacturers. Qualcomm is raising prices across its lineup, and increases will be negotiated with customers individually.
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Apple today released the sixth public betas of iOS 27, iPadOS 27, tvOS 27, and macOS Golden Gate, allowing anyone with a compatible device to download and test the new software. The sixth betas come a week after Apple seeded the fifth betas and a few hours after the eighth developer betas.


You can get started by signing up on Apple's beta website and then opting in to the public beta by opening up the Settings app on your device, selecting General, and choosing Software Update.

We are nearing the end of the beta testing process, and no notable new features were found in today's developer betas. We are expecting the release candidate versions of the software next week following Apple's September 9 iPhone event.

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Apple today submitted new evidence in its lawsuit against OpenAI, with the hope that the new information will persuade the judge to grant an expedited discovery process.


Apple filed a theft of trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI employees Chang Liu and Tang Tan in July, accusing them of using multiple methods to steal data from Apple. Liu kept an Apple-issued MacBook after he left for OpenAI, and Apple got it back after the lawsuit was filed. Apple now says forensic analysis of the laptop has uncovered more evidence of Liu's use of Apple information and his attempts to hide what he'd done.

From the lawsuit:

• Mr. Liu not only downloaded a confidential Apple circuit schematic but also used it in his work at OpenAI;


• Far from his unauthorized access to Apple's third-party cloud storage being unknown to him, Mr. Liu and others at OpenAI were well-aware of that access;


• Mr. Liu, upon learning of Apple's internal investigation of him, sent instructions for destroying evidence to an OpenAI colleague who confirmed she would comply; and


• Mr. Liu used a tool in his work at OpenAI that has the same name as an internal Apple engineering application used for Apple development work.

Liu downloaded the circuit schematic from Apple in March, two months after he left the company. Liu used the schematic to run a simulation using electrical engineering tool LTspice, and then messaged people telling them he ran the simulation for power conversion development work. Liu described how he trained an AI agent to run LTspice.

According to the filing, he said he was "[f]eeling AI all day long," and that "[i]n the past hour," his AI "agent learned how to run LTspice, look at result, tune compensation parameter." "I try to make a behavior buck," he wrote. "With voltage outer and current inner. Everything ideal. It still took me a day.. now it's two hour. Including learning fresh."

"Oh man! Why do they even need you then?" the person Liu was talking to reportedly replied.

Liu used the Apple schematic on a Mac mini that later synced to the MacBook he took from Apple, which is why Apple knows about it. Apple now wants to investigate the ‌Mac mini‌ and other devices Liu still has in his possession.

Apple says the "shocking evidence" is proof that its trade secrets are in active use and evidence is being destroyed, which is why expedited discovery is needed.

Apple initially asked for expedited discovery earlier this month, also requesting an injunction preventing OpenAI from using its trade secrets. OpenAI responded by asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming the accusations were "meritless." OpenAI also published a public statement calling the lawsuit "careless, aggressive and oddly personal" and stating that it does not "have, nor want, any of their trade secrets" because it is "much more interested in building innovative products and technologies that push the frontier."

Judge Edward J. Davila is set to hear arguments in the case on October 1.
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Apple's AirPods with cameras could improve spatial audio on the iPhone and other Apple devices by detecting the position of the display the wearer is looking at. Details on the capability were found in macOS Tahoe 26.7 code, and shared on the MacRumors forums by member Mactracker.


Sensors in the current AirPods power a spatial audio head tracking feature, and cameras could take that further. Code suggests the camera-equipped AirPods will find the physical screen the wearer is watching content on, comparing the screen's direction with the direction estimated by the motion sensors in the AirPods.

The AirPods may be able to identify laptops, displays, smartphones, tablets, and TVs, even detecting multiple displays and narrowing audio to the one the wearer is looking at. Screen detection will work behind the scenes and may pause when the wearer is in motion.

Devices with Face ID already use the ‌Face ID‌ sensors to assist with head tracking, but if the user also has AirPods with cameras, the AirPods will prefer camera input over ‌Face ID‌.

Code also references a server-based visual reasoning feature, further reinforcing rumors of Visual Intelligence support. The AirPods will reportedly send camera data to Apple's servers for ‌Visual Intelligence‌ requests.

The ‌macOS Tahoe‌ 26.7 release candidate that came out in August leaked a long list of references to unreleased Apple products, including the AirPods with cameras. Though multiple references to the AirPods were found, rumors suggest the product isn't going to launch until fall 2027.
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Apple today added three Macs to its list of obsolete products. The 2018 Retina MacBook Air, the 13-inch 2018 MacBook Pro with four Thunderbolt 3 ports, and the 13-inch 2017 ‌MacBook Pro‌ with two Thunderbolt 3 ports are now considered obsolete.


The three products were previously part of the vintage list, but have been moved. Apple adds a product to the vintage list when it's been five years since it was last distributed for sale, and it becomes obsolete at the seven-year mark.

Vintage products can still be repaired at Apple retail locations and by Apple Authorized Service Providers if Apple has the parts available. Devices that are obsolete are generally not eligible for repair, and Apple stops making repair components.

Apple has a battery-only repair policy for Mac laptops for up to 10 years after the Mac was last distributed for sale, so 2017/2018 ‌MacBook Pro‌ and 2018 ‌MacBook Air‌ owners may still be able to get battery replacements.

The 2018 ‌MacBook Air‌ was the first in the Air line with Touch ID and a Retina display. Prior ‌MacBook Air‌ models had a non-Retina display with much lower resolution and less vibrant colors. 2018 was also a redesign year for the ‌MacBook Air‌, with Apple introducing smaller bezels and a thinner, lighter chassis.

Apple's 2017 ‌MacBook Pro‌ used Intel's Kaby Lake processors, and it was a minor processor update with few other changes. The 2018 refresh added True Tone display support for the first time and a third-generation keyboard with butterfly keys.
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Apple today provided developers with the eighth beta of macOS Golden Gate, with the update coming a week after Apple seeded the seventh beta.


Developers can download ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ by going to System Settings > General > Software Update. Beta Updates will need to be enabled, and a free developer account is required.

‌macOS Golden Gate‌ includes multiple design improvements. Liquid Glass opacity has been improved to increase readability, there's a slider for controlling the level of transparency, and changes to shadowing make it easier to tell when a window is active. Apps now have uniform toolbars, edge-to-edge sidebars, and less rounded corners, and there are fewer icons in menu bars.

Siri has been transformed into ‌Siri‌ AI, a chatbot-style assistant that combines general world knowledge, your personal data, and onscreen awareness to answer questions about anything and find information for you. ‌Siri‌ lives in Spotlight, and you can ask questions with the new Search or Ask interface.

There's also a ‌Siri‌ app where you can chat with ‌Siri‌ and view past conversations, and on newer Macs, you can set a custom voice for ‌Siri‌ with personalized pace and expressivity. Visual Intelligence is now on the Mac so ‌Siri‌ can answer questions about what's on your screen, and a Write with ‌Siri‌ feature lets ‌Siri‌ generate text or give feedback on your writing.

There are AI photo editing tools in the Photos app, AI tab organization in Safari, an option to use AI to automatically update weak passwords in the Passwords app, and a revamped Image Playground app that can generate photorealistic images.

More on all of the new features in ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ can be found in our macOS Golden Gate roundup.
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Apple today seeded the eighth betas of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming one week after Apple released the seventh betas.


Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.

‌iOS 27‌ introduces Apple's smarter version of Siri, ‌Siri‌ AI. ‌Siri‌ AI is a chatbot similar to ChatGPT, incorporating general world knowledge, personal data from apps like Messages and Mail, and onscreen awareness to answer questions and find information for you.

There are new Apple Intelligence features in apps like Photos, Safari, Shortcuts, Wallet, and Passwords, plus Apple added a standalone ‌Siri‌ app that houses ‌Siri‌ conversations. Write with ‌Siri‌ is available systemwide for generating text or offering feedback on your writing, and Visual Intelligence has been relocated to the Camera app with a new ‌Siri‌ mode.

Apple improved the look of Liquid Glass and added a slider for customizing transparency. There are multiple performance improvements to speed up iOS, so everything feels faster, even on older iPhones. Apps launch quicker, AirDrop transfers are faster, the keyboard pops up more quickly, and devices are better at transitioning between Wi-Fi and Cellular to keep you connected.

For more on what's new in ‌iOS 27‌, we have a dedicated iOS 27 roundup.
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Apple today seeded the eighth beta of watchOS 27 to developers, with the update coming a week after the launch of the seventh beta.


The beta can be downloaded through the Watch app on the iPhone with a free developer account. The Apple Watch will need to be on the charger, connected to Wi-Fi, and have a battery level of 50 percent or above for new software to be installed.

‌watchOS 27‌ introduces Siri AI, the smarter, more capable version of ‌Siri‌. ‌Siri‌ can hold back-and-forth conversations, plus it has access to general world knowledge and your personal data to answer questions and find information. ‌Siri‌ AI on Apple Watch requires an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, including the iPhone 15 Pro and later.

There's a Dynamic app grid that highlights ‌Siri‌ suggested apps, and more intuitive Smart Stack Suggestions. You can find your parked car, see pinned messages, get noise alerts, and view identity and transit cards.

Liquid Glass has been updated to improve legibility, and Workout Buddy works on the Apple Watch even when an iPhone isn't nearby. Workout Buddy also gains new metrics like progressive increases to distance, pace, or duration. Apple added a new all-in-one Find My app with support for Precision Finding, and there are performance optimizations that improve battery life.

More on what's new in ‌watchOS 27‌ is available in our watchOS 27 roundup.
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Apple today seeded the eighth beta of tvOS 27 to developers for testing purposes, with the update coming a week after Apple released the seventh beta.


The beta can be downloaded and installed through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A free developer account is required.

tvOS 27 has few new features compared to the other 27 software updates, but it does add a redesigned Podcasts app, options for larger text, and a more responsive Control Center.

AirPlaying to an ‌Apple TV‌ from another Apple device is faster, and apps and animations are smoother. You can also now see AppleCare coverage details in the Settings app.

More on the features in tvOS 27 can be found in our Apple TV roundup.
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Apple today provided developers with the eighth beta of an upcoming visionOS 27 update for testing purposes. The beta comes a week after Apple released the seventh beta.


visionOS 27 can be installed by opening the Settings app, going to Software Updates, and opting into Beta Updates.

visionOS 27 introduces Siri AI, the smarter and more capable version of ‌Siri‌ that's similar in capability to chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude. On the Vision Pro, ‌Siri‌ can answer questions about anything the wearer is looking at, and there's a new ‌Siri‌ orb that can be placed anywhere in wearer's virtual space.

Panorama photos can be turned into spatial environments, and there's a new Icelandic Thórsmörk environment that features dramatic mountains, valleys, and glaciers, along with the northern lights. Web Environment support allows developers to create 360-degree environments in Safari for a more native Vision Pro browsing experience.

App windows are now curved to provide a more immersive workspace, and Control Center has been reorganized to make system controls easier to find. Apple added a smaller widget size, and notifications automatically expand when the wearer looks at them.

More on what's new in visionOS 27 is listed in our Vision Pro roundup.

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Apple's Phil Schiller is no longer going to run the App Store or oversee product events, reports Bloomberg. Schiller isn't leaving Apple, but he is narrowing his responsibilities and working on unspecified projects.


Employees at Apple told Bloomberg that 66-year-old Schiller appears to be taking another step toward retirement.

Schiller was Apple's marketing chief until 2020, when he stepped down and took on the title Apple Fellow. At the time, Schiller said he would stay at Apple for "as long as they will have me," but added that he wanted to make time for family, friends, and personal projects.

As Apple Fellow, Schiller continued to oversee the ‌App Store‌ and Apple events, but the role may not have left him with sufficient time for his own endeavors. In 2024, The Wall Street Journal said Schiller was working close to 80 hours a week. He has been in charge of the ‌App Store‌ during some of its most tumultuous years, including Apple's ongoing struggles to comply with the Digital Markets Act in the European Union, the company's legal battle with Epic Games, and multiple other changes demanded by regulatory action in countries like Brazil and Japan.

Schiller first joined Apple in 1987, left in 1993, and came back to the company in 1997 when Steve Jobs returned to Apple. He has been at the forefront of some of Apple's biggest product launches, including the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. He plans to remain at Apple, and he will keep his Apple Fellow title.

Schiller is stepping down from overseeing the ‌App Store‌ and Apple product launches just as John Ternus is set to take over as Apple CEO. Today is Tim Cook's last day as CEO, with Cook transitioning to Apple Chairman.

Apple is moving the ‌App Store‌ to Eddy Cue, who oversaw it until 2015. Cue is Apple's services chief and will reportedly be taking a more influential role under Ternus' leadership. Carson Oliver, who has long been on the ‌App Store‌ team, will oversee its day-to-day operations.

Schiller deputy Nola Weinstein will lead the Apple events team, reporting to vice president of communications and public relations Kristin Huguet Quayle.
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