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
Apple is releasing the iPhone 15 Pro on Friday, and with it comes new pro-grade video capture features. Ahead of the launch, Apple has released updates to Final Cut Pro on the Mac and iPad that ensure compatibility with the new phones.
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watchOS 10 includes a new Snoopy face for Apple Watch, and the comic strip-inspired clock is full of surprises. In a new interview this week, the team behind the Snoopy face discusses the process behind making such a fun addition to Apple Watch.
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iPhone 15/15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro/15 Pro Max come out on Friday, and the first press reviews are hitting today. All four phones pack loads of changes ranging from the camera system to USB-C and much more. Here’s what the early reviews and hands-on videos have to say so far…
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GM continues to hire current and former Apple employees as it rejects CarPlay from its EVs. General Motors has hired former directors of Apple Pay and iCloud to work on GM’s new software and services division, according to a source who shared hiring details with 9to5Mac.
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Ready to make your Apple Watch feel brand new? That’s what watchOS 10 will do for you, and the software update is now available to everyone.
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Auto-correct is about to get a whole lot better on iPhone. That’s because Apple overhauled how auto-correct works in iOS 17, and that software update is now available for iPhone. iOS 17 also includes loads of new features like interactive widgets, StandBy mode, Live Voicemail, FaceTime voice and video mail, and much more.
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Cultured Code is out with a big update for its awesome task manager app Things. The new version is packed with features that take advantage of iOS 17, watchOS 10, and iPadOS 17.
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Ah, yes, the product from Apple’s September event that we’ve all been waiting to know more about: AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C. The reviews are in for Apple’s most USB-C AirPods yet…
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More than a decade ago, Steve Jobs likely had something in mind for the iPhone camera that was finally realized this week. iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro have the ability to capture depth data from photos with people or pets, allowing you to adjust the focus after the shot. That’s a concept that was reportedly on Jobs’ radar before his death in 2011.
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Apple began selling iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro at 8 am ET today, and ship dates for Pro and Pro Max models started slipping into October within 30 minutes. Pro Max models were first to reach November ship dates in just two hours. Likely a sign of high demand, the process has understandably frustrated buyers who couldn’t gain access to Apple’s online store during the first half hour or longer of pre-orders.
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iPhone 15 went USB-C, and so did the wired earbuds that used to come in the box. Nothing weird about that. Something perhaps more unexpected? Apple’s $19 USB-C EarPods apparently support lossless audio playback that works with Apple Music.
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Apple introduced Emergency SOS via satellite as a free-for-two-years safety feature enabled by the iPhone 14 last year. The two years free deal is sticking around with the new iPhone 15. Apple also announced that the total number of supported countries will expand to 16 before the end of 2023.
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Presenting yourself on a video call with a device that has a front-facing camera is easy. Doing that on a mixed reality headset? Not so much. Apple’s solution for FaceTime is a virtual representation of yourself called a Persona. Unlike Memoji characters, your Persona is meant to realistically portray you.
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Apple announced this week that it will no longer sell leather accessories including iPhone 15 cases. The company has a new material in its place that Apple calls FineWoven. Starting today, customers are starting to receive the first FineWoven iPhone 15 cases and share close-up shots including the images above from @tech_instigator.
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In an environment where so much information leaks, it’s always nice to actually learn something new from an Apple event. Last year, the whole software aspect of the Dynamic Island was one of those things. This year, the surprises are all about the iPhone 15 Pro camera system.
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With Apple’s “Wonderlust” event behind us, let’s take a look at the 2023-2024 iPhone lineup in full. The four new models in the iPhone 15 line are the stars of the show, but the changes that happen down the line are also worth mentioning.
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As Apple was unveiling the iPhone 15 yesterday, parties in the EU were working to have the iPhone 12 banned.
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Premiere Apple TV+ series For All Mankind will return for its fourth season later this year. The 10-episode run of the alternate history sci-fi drama will begin on November 10. A new teaser clip and first look images from season four dropped today.
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Apple doesn’t talk much about Apple Watch on-device storage, but the new Series 9 and Ultra 2 have an awful lot of it. In fact, the new Apple Watches double the already high amount from the previous versions.
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Apple has been rumored to be planning a price increase for its Pro models for years now. Several analysts expected iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max to cost $100-$200 more without changing storage options. Here’s what actually happened.
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Apple has officially announced the iPhone 15 lineup, and with the new hardware comes the first charging port change since the iPhone 5 in 2012. To help ease the transition from Lightning to USB-C for iPhone accessories, Apple is selling a $29 adapter.
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Apple has announced the official release date for watchOS 10. The major software update for Apple Watch will be available starting Monday, September 18.
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Apple has officially announced the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max during its “Wonderlust” fall event. The new Pro models use a brushed titanium case in place of stainless steel.
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The decision to upgrade to the new iPhone each year can feel torturous. Replacing a perfectly fine iPhone with one that’s better in one or two ways can feel like some kind of moral failure.
To be clear, it’s not that any one person or force makes me feel bad about upgrading. Nevertheless, I question whether or not I’ll upgrade each year before buying the new thing as soon as it can be physically obtained.
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