9to5Mac

Latest

Eddy Cue just explained why Apple’s credit card charges feel so random

As part of Apple’s 50th anniversary celebrations yesterday, Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services and health, appeared on the TBPN, “Technology’s Daily Show”, podcast.

Cue discussed a wide range of topics during the interview, including a fascinating look at how Apple managed to make money selling songs on iTunes for $0.99.

Expand Expanding Close

Apple says payments fully blocked in Russia following government diktat [U]

Apple pulls the plug on all payments in Russia following government diktat | Photo shows Russian banknotes and credit cards

Apple says that all payment processing in Russia has ceased, meaning that it’s no longer possible for residents of the country to make app purchases or renew subscriptions. This includes subscriptions to Apple services like iCloud+ and Apple TV.

The move followed a diktat from the Russian government, and saw the closure of a loophole that allowed customers to make payments to Apple indirectly …

Expand Expanding Close

United Airlines app streamlines AirTag tracking, tells you TSA wait times

United Airlines app streamlines AirTag tracking, tells you TSA wait times | Photo shows a 787-9 leaving the runway on a flight to London

The United Airlines app has been updated with streamlined access to AirTag baggage tracking. The app now makes it easier for you to share the location of an AirTag with United’s customer service staff.

Additionally, with a partial government shutdown leaving TSA checkpoints understaffed, the app will now provide you with estimates of the wait time for security at your departure airport – alongside a number of other useful enhancements …

Expand Expanding Close

Apple @ 50: How Apple transformed a cheap commodity into its signature luxury

top of a MacBook lid showing the Apple logo

This story is part of 9to5Mac’s series celebrating Apple’s 50th anniversary.

Aluminum was once a cheap metal to consumers, primarily used in soda cans, kitchen foil, cookware, and window frames. It also lived a double life as an industrial material used in aerospace. It was simultaneously a disposable commodity in everyday products and an engineering marvel that helped get humans to the moon.

That is of course until Apple decided to make aluminum their signature material, in the blink of an eye aluminum became a consumer luxury the second Steve Jobs revealed the 12” and 17″ PowerBook G4s in 2003. What followed was 23 years of ultra premium aluminum devices that completely changed the way we live.

Expand Expanding Close

Tim Cook explores rare iPod, iPhone prototypes in new interview [Video]

Apple’s 50th anniversary celebration continues, this time with a fascinating new video from The Wall Street Journal.

In the video, WSJ columnist Ben Cohen to takes a walk down memory lane alongside Tim Cook, including rare Apple prototypes and other archival material that even Cook himself had never seen before.

“A lot of this I’ve seen for the first time in preparing for the 50th anniversary,” Cook said.

Expand Expanding Close