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
Apple’s hardware price increases in June were costly and unwelcome. They were also just the start of a wave of higher prices on Apple products and services. Over the last few weeks, Apple has been raising prices in all areas for different reasons.
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When Apple moved the iPhone to USB-C, it left behind more than just the Lightning port. New iPhone comes with a USB-C charging cable, but many cars still use USB-A ports for CarPlay.
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Roblox says it will soon bring game creation to mobile for the first time. This will allow users to create new playable experiences directly inside the iPhone and iPad app.
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While Apple’s latest AppleCare+ price increase for Mac and iPad is small in isolation, it makes AppleCare One an even better value. Apple increasing the price of Mac and iPad hardware also makes warranty coverage a stronger consideration.
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1Password is launching a new Claude integration for Mac users today. It’s designed to let Anthropic’s AI agent sign in to websites without seeing your password or two-factor authentication code.
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Apple published its 2026 sales tax holiday page this week, outlining when customers in 10 U.S. states can buy select products without paying state sales tax.
Customers can shop tax-free online or in-store, but the dates, devices, and price limits vary dramatically.
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Last month, OpenAI teased Codex-branded hardware. Today, the company has released its collaboration with Work Louder: a $230 Codex Micro keyboard product.
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PrismML is back in the news today after the AI startup’s CEO told CNBC that Apple is looking at the company’s technology. The company has also released its Bonsai 27B model that it says runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
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Anthropic is providing free access to premium Claude AI features to K-12 teachers in the United States. The effort is part of a new Claude for Teachers initiative.
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watchOS 27 packs some great new features. Here’s everything new coming to Apple Watch this fall so far.
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The watchOS 27 public beta is now available for Apple Watch. It gives users an early look at the software update coming to everyone this fall.
watchOS 27 includes one potentially transformative addition: Siri AI on your wrist. Apple also added a dynamic app grid, a one-handed tap gesture, and a more proactive Smart Stack. In addition, the update brings several health and fitness upgrades.
Here’s how to install the beta, which watches can run it, and what you should try first.
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The first iOS 27 public beta is now available for iPhone. It gives users an early chance to try Apple’s biggest software update of the year.
Siri AI is the headline feature. The release also includes a redesigned Screen Time experience, Liquid Glass refinements, performance upgrades, and dozens of quality-of-life changes.
Here’s how to install the beta, what’s new, and which features you should try first.
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Update: A new iOS 26.6 public beta is out now, joining iOS 27 public beta 1 today.
While iOS 27 is very much the new focus for pre-release software, Apple is still preparing iOS 26.6 as the next iPhone update. Apple has released the fifth iOS 26.6 developer beta. iOS 26.6 beta has been in testing since the end of May.
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It’s not every day that a new Apple TV app arrives for tvOS. WordPress just released WordPress TV, bringing video content to the big screen.
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Smart scales that sync with iPhone and iPad offer a convenient way to monitor personal health metrics.
Prices span from under $30 for basic features to around $500 for models with clinical-grade body scans and easy-to-recommend solutions in between.
For anyone who wants weight and related data to appear in the Health app, the key requirement is choosing a scale that supports Apple Health.
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Update 7/13: Fable 5 access on all paid plans has been extended once more through Sunday, July 19.
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.
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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.
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Meta AI joined the image generation space this week. However, it did so with a controversial default setting that users found upsetting.
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Speaking of AI-powered browser capabilities on the Mac, Anthropic is highlighting Claude Code’s in-app browser on the desktop today.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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ChatGPT Atlas, OpenAI’s standalone desktop browser, is being sunset in favor of the new ChatGPT desktop app.
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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.
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