Spotify has crossed 300 million paying subscribers, a major new milestone for the audio subscription service as it competes with Apple Music.
Expand Expanding CloseSpotify reaches huge subscriber milestone as Apple Music readies iOS 27 upgrades
Author
Zac Hall is a Senior Editor, covering Apple, apps, and AI. His work is regularly featured by Techmeme.
He joined 9to5Mac in 2013. He later served as Lead Editor from 2016 through 2020, before 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 hosted multiple seasons of the 9to5Mac Watch Time podcast, a health and fitness-focused interview series.
Zac is based in the lovely Gulf Coast town of Ocean Springs, MS, where he lives with his brilliant kids and Nova, his loyal Cavachon rescue.
Contact: zac@9to5mac.com
OpenAI explains what will happen when ChatGPT Atlas shuts down this weekend
It’s the end of a very short road for ChatGPT Atlas, OpenAI’s dedicated web browser for Mac. OpenAI has shared details about what happens when ChatGPT Atlas shuts down this weekend.
Expand Expanding CloseOpenAI rebuts Apple trade secrets allegations in new response with receipts
Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI last month, accusing the firm behind ChatGPT of stealing trade secrets related to hardware development. Nearly a month later, OpenAI has published a detailed response to many of Apple’s claims in the form of a blog post.
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Wikipedia for iOS just added a fun, new app widget for your Home Screen
If you’re anything like me, you can relate to spending way too much time going down the rabbit hole of random articles on Wikipedia. Now there’s officially an app, err, widget for that.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Health adds two-way Apple Health syncing on iPhone for Fitbit
Back in May, the Google Health app launched alongside the new line of affordable Google Fitbit Air health trackers.
Google Health initially included one-way Apple Health integration. The app could read and import health data recorded by an iPhone, Apple Watch, and other HealthKit-connected apps, but it couldn’t write Fitbit data back to Apple Health.
Today’s Google Health iOS app update adds the missing half of that connection.
Expand Expanding CloseApple launches second legal challenge to UK iCloud backdoor order, per report
Apple’s effort to fight back against a UK-mandated “backdoor” to encryption continues, according to a new Financial Times report.
Tim Bradshaw reports that Apple filed a new legal challenge in July against an attempt by the UK government to force access to encrypted user data.
Expand Expanding CloseiOS 27 breaks 15 years of muscle memory on iPhone and iPad
Since iOS 5 in 2011, the iPhone and iPad have included Notification Center, a central place to find alerts from various apps in chronological order.
Starting with iOS 27, Apple is making a major change to how users open Notification Center on iPhone and iPad.
iOS 27 is currently in beta, and the behavior has changed slightly between the first two releases. However, the four developer beta and second public beta show this change will ship this fall.
Expand Expanding Close‘Antizuck’ iOS app that claims to detect nearby smart glasses tops App Store chart
Vibes around Meta’s AI glasses are off lately. So much so that one of the top three paid iPhone apps today is dedicated to detecting when someone nearby may be using smart glasses.
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Fortnite returns to iPhone in Brazil with Epic Games Store launch
Fortnite is back on the iPhone in Brazil today with the launch of the Epic Games Store. However, Epic Games is calling foul on the nine-step process required for access.
Expand Expanding CloseOpenAI makes two GPT-5.6 models cheaper, expanding usage in ChatGPT
OpenAI is making two of its GPT-5.6 models more affordable today, and the benefits extend beyond API customers.
Expand Expanding CloseYahoo Weather iOS app overhauled with new features and enhanced radar and maps
Yahoo Weather for iPhone and iPad was recently updated with a major overhaul that focuses on new features and an overall redesign.
Expand Expanding CloseSpotify for iOS adds new music feature that can improve your running game
Spotify is launching a brand-new music feature that aims to make you a better runner. The new Running Mode feature works by personalizing playlists to your running goals, music taste, and tempo.
Expand Expanding CloseBest Apple Watch for kids and which to avoid
Apple Watch for kids is becoming an increasingly attractive idea for parents. If you are considering an Apple Watch instead of an iPhone for your child, here is what you should know first.
Expand Expanding CloseSupport for school cellphone bans reaches new high, where do you stand?
As back-to-school season gets underway, more Americans now say they support keeping students away from their phones throughout the entire school day.
Expand Expanding CloseGranola meeting notepad comes to watchOS as Apple Watch becomes an AI device
Granola, the AI-powered meeting notepad best known for its Mac app, is expanding to Apple Watch today.
Expand Expanding CloseApple just hit $5 trillion market cap for first time
Apple crossed a market capitalization of $5 trillion for the first time ever during intraday trading on Tuesday. Apple is only the second publicly traded company ever to cross the threshold.
Expand Expanding CloseX Money officially launches in the US with Apple Wallet support after invite-only beta
X has officially launched X Money, which includes Apple Wallet support, moving the service beyond its invite-only beta and beginning a rollout today.
Expand Expanding CloseApple fixes over 75 security issues with your iPhone and 150+ for Mac, update now
Following the release of iOS 26.6, iPadOS 26.6, and related software updates, Apple has detailed a huge number of security fixes included in today’s new OS versions.
Expand Expanding CloseiOS 26.6 now available for iPhone with these changes
Apple has officially released iOS 26.6 for iPhone users. The update is lighter on new features than iOS 26.4 and iOS 26.5, but it includes important bug fixes, security updates, and prepares your iPhone for iOS 27.
Here’s everything you need to know about iOS 26.6.
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Pocket Casts just released a brand-new Apple TV app
Pocket Casts is making the jump to the biggest screen in the house. The podcast player launched an Apple TV app today, giving listeners a native way to keep their queue going from the couch.
Expand Expanding CloseThreads adds private Meta AI chats without cluttering your feed
Meta AI is coming to Threads DMs, giving users a private place to chat with the assistant without placing its responses in the public feed.
Expand Expanding CloseSnapchat’s newest feature turns Snap Map into a live Spotify listening feed
Snapchat is giving Snap Map a musical upgrade through a new integration with Spotify. The new feature, simply called Now Playing, lets Snapchat users display what they’re listening to in real time.
Expand Expanding CloseApple overtakes Nvidia as world’s most valuable company as it barrels toward $5T
Update: 10 days later, Apple and Nvidia have once again swapped rankings with $AAPL overtaking $NVDA. Apple has yet to cross the $5T market cap threshold, though intraday trading has the company around $4.944T.
Apple has officially reclaimed the world’s most valuable company title based on market cap. The company overtook Nvidia during intraday trading on Friday with its stock up 17 points this week.
Expand Expanding CloseHere’s where you can use your iPhone as your driver’s license or ID
Apple announced plans to let iPhone users add a driver’s license or state ID to Wallet back in 2021. The rollout started slowly, but it has picked up significantly over the past year. Apple also now offers a second option that does not depend on your state at all.
Today, there are two distinct ways to carry an ID in Apple Wallet:
- An eligible driver’s license or state ID issued by a participating state
- A passport-verified Digital ID created from an unexpired U.S. passport
The two options coexist in Wallet, but they have different requirements and are not accepted everywhere. Here’s what each one does, where you can use it, and which states could be next.
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