Zac Hall is a Senior Editor, covering Apple, AI, and the modern technology landscape.
He joined 9to5Mac in April 2013, originally as a writer and copy editor.
He later served as Lead Editor from May 2016 through December 2020, before shifting focus to creating the Space Explored website.
In 2015, Zac began co-hosting 9to5Mac Happy Hour, establishing the format of the site’s premier podcast, which he hosted for eight years.
In 2018, he created 9to5Mac Daily, providing audio recaps of Apple and technology news each weekday. He also created and hosted multiple seasons of the 9to5Mac Watch Time podcast, a health and fitness-focused interview series.
Zac currently focuses on writing for 9to5Mac. He is based in the lovely Gulf Coast town of Ocean Springs, MS, where he lives with his brilliant kids and Nova, his adventurous Cavachon rescue pup.
Contact: zac@9to5mac.com
Intel in the U.S. is expected to make at least some upcoming Mac and iPhone chips for Apple. That recent development may have been the key to a major tariff exemption on semiconductors Apple received almost a year ago.
Expand Expanding Close
Meta AI joined the image generation space this week. However, it did so with a controversial default setting that users found upsetting.
Expand Expanding Close
Speaking of AI-powered browser capabilities on the Mac, Anthropic is highlighting Claude Code’s in-app browser on the desktop today.
Expand Expanding Close
Apple Watch is losing its Walkie-Talkie app in this fall’s watchOS 27 software update. Will you miss the Apple Watch push-to-talk functionality?
Expand Expanding Close
OpenAI is pulling the plug on its dedicated web browser, ChatGPT Atlas. Instead of investing in an AI browser with a small user base, the company is improving agentic web use features inside the new ChatGPT desktop app.
While ChatGPT Atlas may not have gained much traction, AI browsers can be useful for automating tasks like research, browser tidiness, and more. Here are options available on the Mac.
Expand Expanding Close
GymKit has been one of Apple Watch’s smartest fitness features since it launched in 2017. Tap your watch to compatible gym equipment, and Apple Watch shares your heart rate while the machine sends back metrics like distance, incline, pace, and calories.
With iOS 27, Apple is expanding that idea beyond Apple Watch. I tested the new GymKit on iPhone and AirPods Pro 3 experience with a GymKit-compatible treadmill. It basically gives you the Apple Watch GymKit workout tracking experience, just without the watch. This could be useful in a lot of scenarios.
Expand Expanding Close
Do wireless CarPlay adapters actually work? Many years ago, I bought a new car that came with wired Apple CarPlay. I really wanted wireless CarPlay, but replacing the whole entertainment system didn’t make sense. Fortunately, there are popular solutions for turning standard CarPlay into wireless CarPlay, and they work with iOS 27 and Apple’s latest iPhones.
Expand Expanding Close
Netflix is reportedly struggling with a decline in engagement. Live TV and content bundles may be the solution, executives believe, according to a new report.
Expand Expanding Close
ChatGPT Atlas, OpenAI’s standalone desktop browser, is being sunset in favor of the new ChatGPT desktop app.
Expand Expanding Close
OpenAI held its second livestream this week today at 10 am PT. The video teased that the company was “introducing the next chapter for ChatGPT” today. OpenAI has openly discussed bringing Codex workflows into the main ChatGPT app for some time now.
Today’s release includes a new ChatGPT Work agent, an upgraded ChatGPT desktop app with Codex included, and a new hosted sites service for OpenAI customers.
Expand Expanding Close
The Information reports that Apple may be interested in PrismML’s technology. The firm is focused on shrinking AI models that generally require servers to function, offering on-device functionality with comparable intelligence.
Expand Expanding Close
A shiny new model isn’t the only upgrade coming to ChatGPT this week. In addition to GPT-5.6’s release tomorrow, OpenAI is announcing an all-new ChatGPT voice mode experience as well.
Because ChatGPT works with CarPlay, today’s release also is a major upgrade to the CarPlay voice mode experience as well.
Expand Expanding Close
OpenAI unveiled GPT-5.6 at the end of June, but the public release was held back while the U.S. government reviewed the new AI models. Now the company has shared an update on when customers will be able to use the upgraded model: this week.
Expand Expanding Close
Fresh off its polarizing disco ball icon fix, Spotify is continuing to listen to users with easy-win changes. Starting today, the company is giving users a highly requested feature that has sparked feedback for years: vastly expanded pinning.
Expand Expanding Close
My new favorite Apple Watch and Apple Health metric is one that has been quietly working in the background for years. Specifically, it’s a bit of a hidden Apple Watch feature for tracking a great healthy habit: Time in Daylight.
Expand Expanding Close
Notion Mail is out, Notion Agents is in. Last month, Notion announced that it’s discontinuing its year-old email app. Today, the company released a brand-new iPhone app called Agents.
Expand Expanding Close
Earlier this year, Meta replaced its Llama AI models with Muse Spark, part of its newly built Meta Superintelligence Labs effort.
Today Meta is releasing its first image generation tool from Superintelligence Labs as part of the Meta AI app. The company says its new image-gen tools also power creative experiences in Instagram and WhatsApp with more to come.
Expand Expanding Close
Heads up, parents. Microsoft just released an update to their Xbox Family Settings app for iPhone and iPad that adds new console parental controls.
Expand Expanding Close
Anthropic announced today that it is expanding Claude Cowork capabilities from the desktop app to the web and mobile.
Claude Cowork on mobile and the web will start as a beta feature with a gradual rollout on select paid plans.
Additionally, Anthropic is extending Claude Fable 5 access to all paid plans for a few more days.
Expand Expanding Close
There’s a new version of Pocket Casts out for podcast listeners today, and it includes three new features. One in particular will be of interest to drivers with CarPlay.
Expand Expanding Close
Apple is no longer signing iOS 26.5 and iOS 26.5.1, preventing downgrades to these software versions from newer releases. The move comes after a critical security fix was issued for iPhone last week.
Expand Expanding Close
Apple’s upgraded Siri AI experience and the standalone Siri app have arrived on the Apple Watch with today’s watchOS 27 beta 3 release.
Expand Expanding Close
Today’s macOS 27 Golden Gate beta 3 release includes two new wallpaper and screen saver options for your Mac.
Expand Expanding Close
Apple released iOS 27 beta 3 today, giving developers the second follow-up update since iOS 27 debuted at WWDC. Developers can download the new beta now, ahead of this month’s expected public beta release.
iOS 27 is a major iPhone update centered around Siri AI, Apple Intelligence, Liquid Glass refinements, and a long list of quality-of-life changes. Here’s what we’ve found so far in iOS 27 beta 3.
Expand Expanding Close