Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin Mayo

bzamayo

Follow Benjamin on Threads to keep up with his latest projects. Benjamin blogs about Apple news and rumors and posts insightful product and app reviews. Read his work on 9to5Mac and his personal blog.

Benjamin Mayo also creates apps for iOS as a professional indie developer and contractor; more details here. Email to discuss making your iOS project.

on Twitter and follow @bzamayo on Threads.

Connect with Benjamin Mayo

Apple to add AI search partners to Safari as Google usage falls

Apple is going to add AI search providers to the Safari browser on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Bloomberg reports Apple SVP Eddy Cue made the disclosure in court testimony today, stating “we will add them to the list — they probably won’t be the default” in reference to providers like Perplexity and Anthropic.

Cue also revealed that the number of searches through Safari fell for the first time ever in April, suggesting users are looking to AI sources as alternative ways to find information.

Expand Expanding Close

The Netflix CEO just appeared in the latest episode of Apple’s hit comedy series

The Studio on Apple TV+

Apple’s hit comedy ‘The Studio’ is making waves across Hollywood for its incisive and hilarious portrayals of all-too common movie biz scenarios, covering topics like the excessive use of ‘I.P.’, keeping overzealous directors in check, and the efforts execs go to overthink casting choices. As well as funny storylines, the show includes a laundry list of star-studded cameos.

The latest episode, which premiered last night, is all about the frenzy of awards season. Incredibly, The Studio managed to get Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos to appear in a scene, in a talking role. You can watch it now on Apple TV+.

Expand Expanding Close

Kuo: Apple already working on updated iPhone Air model with larger screen

Apple’s flashiest new iPhone launch this year will be the iPhone 17 Air / iPhone 17 Slim, a new entrant in the lineup featuring a striking 5.5mm thin chassis.

The Air is expected to replace the current Plus SKU, with a price point in the range of $900-$1000. Based on numerous leaked schematics, the iPhone 17 Air will sport a 6.6-inch display, nestling between the Pro and the Max in terms of size. But Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is already working on a future generation Air with a bigger screen.

Expand Expanding Close

Apple to shake up iPhone release calendar with base iPhone 18 launch in spring 2027, six months after Pro models

Corroborating The Information reporting from over the weekend, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has laid out his predictions for the next few years of iPhone launches in a post on Craft today. Most notably, Apple will move away from releasing all of its flagship phones at the same time in the fall, a rigid calendar that has been in place since the iPhone 4s in 2011.

Going forward, Apple is moving to launching its cheaper budget iPhones in the first half of the year, and Pro models in the fall. This means you will see versions of the iPhone 18 and iPhone 19 arrive in the first and latter half of the same year, across 2027, respectively.

Expand Expanding Close

Apple gross margin on services rises to a new record high

Apple posted its quarterly earnings last night, with generally strong performance. One standout point was the company’s ability to continue to expand its gross margin on the ever-growing services division.

In fact, Apple recorded a new all-time high for gross margin on services this quarter, at 75.7%. That figure is based on costs of $6.46 billion on sales of $26.64 billion.

Expand Expanding Close

Spotify has just submitted its app update including links out to the web for payment, here’s how it will change the experience

Following the Apple vs Epic ruling this week, developers are racing to take advantage of their new ability to link out to their own website to collect payments from user, with Apple no longer able to force them to use its in-app purchase system.

Spotify has just announced that it has submitted its app update to Apple for approval, including these changes. In a blog post, it details how it has been able to make the user experience better for users upgrading from free to paid memberships.

Expand Expanding Close

Apple says Trump import tariffs will increase its costs by $900 million this quarter

On the quarterly earnings call today, Apple gave some color on the impact of tariffs on its business. Most notably Apple CEO Tim Cook said that in the current quarter, April through June, the company will see costs of about $900 million assuming the current tariff policy remains for the whole quarter.

Apple warned the figure could change — higher or lower — if administration changes tariff policy unexpectedly over the course of the quarter. It also said that costs in future quarters could be higher, still.

Expand Expanding Close

Epic win: Apple forced to give developers (almost) free reign to link out and avoid paying Apple’s 30% cut

Apple has just been handed perhaps the most bullet-proof injunction ever, affecting the App Store in the United States, as a result of the ongoing dispute between Apple and Epic Games.

Apple has said it will appeal, but comply in the meantime — and the judgement explicitly spells out how to do so, with seemingly little wiggle room. There’s one small concession that app developers must conform to, but otherwise they get free reign …

Expand Expanding Close

By 2027, Apple to import all iPhones sold in the US from India, rather than China

iPhone 16

In the wake of the recent tariffs debacle, both Bloomberg and The Financial Times are reporting that Apple aims to manufacture import almost all of its iPhones sold in the United States from India, rather than China, by the end of next year.

This means Apple would need India to make more than 60 million phones a year, in order to satisfy its domestic sales. Overall India iPhone assembly would have to approximately double to meet this target, to about 80 million per year.

Expand Expanding Close

Get Apple TV+ for $2.99 and catch up on these great shows

This is your last chance to take advantage of the Apple TV+ offer, where new and eligible returning subscribers can get Apple TV+ for $2.99/mo for 3 months, a 70% discount compared to the regular $9.99 per month price.

The deal, which was launched earlier this month, ends today on April 24. If you haven’t already, here’s some exclusive TV show suggestions to catch up on that you might have missed if you’ve churned out of Apple TV+ for a while …

Expand Expanding Close

Apple fined 500 million euros by EU under the Digital Markets Act, forced to make changes to App Store policies

App Store European Union

Apple has today received a 500 million euro fine (about $570 million) from the EU commission under the Digital Markets Act. The commission said the fine relates to Apple’s App Store anti-steering policies. It is being forced to make changes, or else face further fines.

The DMA requires that app developers should be able to inform customers of alternative purchasing options outside of the App Store, and direct customers to those alternative payment options, free of charge. Apple’s rules currently do not allow for this …

Expand Expanding Close

Report: Apple to launch new recycling promo, offering up to $20 discount on AirPods and other accessories

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is set to launch a new trade-in promotion at its stores this week. Gurman says Apple will offer a 10% discount (up to $20 off) on the purchase of new Apple accessories, including AirPods, AirTag, Apple Pencil and more, when the buyer recycles an item that otherwise would not be eligible for trade-in credit.

He says the scheme will be officially announced tomorrow, and run for a month. It sounds like this promotion is timed to commemorate Earth Day, which is officially held on 22 April this year.

Expand Expanding Close

Apple rebrands Search Ads business as ‘Apple Ads’

Apple today announced that it has officially rebranded Search Ads as ‘Apple Ads’, reflecting the expanding scope of Apple’s advertising business.

When Apple first launched ads in the App Store, they were only shown as promoted search results, hence the name ‘Search Ads’. But the company now offers advertising placements in many more places beyond just the Search tab, so the old name had become a bit anachronistic.

Expand Expanding Close

Jon Hamm stars in new series Your Friends & Neighbors, streaming today on Apple TV+

Apple launches its latest prestige series today, Your Friends & Neighbors starring Jon Hamm in the lead role. The mix of drama and comedy sees Hamm playing a disgraced former hedge fund manager called Andrew Cooper, who turns to a life of crime to preserve his lavish lifestyle.

The first two episodes are available to stream right now on Apple TV+, with the remainder of the season airing weekly. Apple is running a special promo where new subscribers can get Apple TV+ for $2.99 per month for 3 months, enough to cover the full run of Your Friends & Neighbors.

Expand Expanding Close

iPhone Battery: what does ‘Slow Charger’ mean and how to fix

If you go to Settings -> Battery on your iPhone, you can see a lot of stats about the performance and health of your battery. This includes a charge graph that plots the battery percentage of the iPhone over the last twenty four hours, so you can track how it charges and how quickly it depletes. The chart is colored differently based on several factors, but what does ‘Slow Charger’ mean?

Expand Expanding Close

Trump tariffs attack key parts of the Apple supply chain, Apple stock drops 7% in after-hours trading

The full extent of the U.S. government’s impeding tariffs were revealed by the Trump administration today in a press conference. The hefty tariffs threaten economic trade on a massive scale with implications on almost all big US companies, including Apple.

The Apple supply chain relies on manufacturing and assembly of its devices in countries like China, India, Malaysia and Vietnam. All of these regions are now facing huge tariffs, which ultimately increases the cost of production and undermines Apple’s margins and potential profitability.

Expand Expanding Close

iOS 18.4 includes a new location services privacy setting for your iPhone

The just-released iPhone software update has a bunch of headline features including Priority Notifications, new emoji, Sketch in Image Playgrounds and more, but iOS 18.4 also has some more under-the-radar changes.

As spotted by Mysk, iOS 18.4 adds a new setting buried in Location Services called ‘Improve Location Accuracy’. For some users, including myself, it was on by default. Here’s what Apple says this toggle does …

Expand Expanding Close

Apple TV+ kicks off baseball season with a new documentary on the 2024 World Series

Apple is celebrating the return of baseball with a new documentary, Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series, streaming today on Apple TV+. The service’s Friday Night Baseball double-header games also start again this evening.

Fight for Glory goes behind the scenes of the 2024 World Series, with exclusive access to the Yankees and Dodgers as they revive Major League Baseball’s most iconic playoff rivalry.

Expand Expanding Close

Hilarious new comedy series ‘The Studio’ streaming now on Apple TV+

Today, Apple debuts its highly-anticipated hot new comedy series The Studio, streaming now on Apple TV+. The show stars Seth Rogen as a Hollywood exec in control of a studio that is struggling to stay relevant.

The show is a comedic satire of the quirks of the industry, from the relentless pursuit of IP to the ongoing clash of artistry and business incentives. The show also features a laundry list of cameo appearances throughout.

Expand Expanding Close

Apple Maps Look Around cars will now also take photos to help train Apple Intelligence models

You may have seen Apple Maps survey cars in your area before. As they drive around, the cars take photos and 3D scans to generate ground truth data that can be used to improve map accuracy and offer features like Look Around, Apple’s equivalent of Google Street View.

But now the data collected from these cars will also have another purpose. In an updated disclosure on the Apple Maps Image Collection website, Apple says that starting this month, imagery from its vehicle surveys will also be used to train generative AI models, like those used for Apple Intelligence features such as Image Playground and Clean Up.

Expand Expanding Close

Apple Maps bug randomly showing airport baggage claim pins

A strange Apple Maps bug is showing point-of-interest pins for a smattering of airport baggage claim stations across the United States, while the map is zoomed far way enough that otherwise almost no landmarks, let alone airports, are marked.

The random baggage claim pins appear across Apple Maps on iPhone, iPad and Mac. This is obviously a glitch with the data being served by the Apple Maps backend, and should be fixable by Apple with a server update.

Expand Expanding Close

Hit Apple TV+ drama Severance officially renewed for season three

Apple TV+ has officially renewed its hit sci-fi drama series Severance for a third season, on the heels of the second season finale dropping today.

Writing on scripts for season three has already been underway for some time. Executive producer and director Ben Stiller has promised fans that there won’t be a three year wait this time between seasons, although filming on season three has not yet commenced.

Expand Expanding Close