Author

Avatar for Mark Gurman

Mark Gurman

Mark is an award-winning journalist who worked at 9to5Mac for over six years. He covers Apple and other topics related to the consumer technology industry.

Mark is regarded as one of the go-to reporters for all Apple-related matters, one of Wired‘s top 16 people to follow in technology, and one of TIME Magazine‘s top 25 bloggers of 2013Mark has also been profiled by CNN Fortune multiple times, NPR, the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, the Huffington PostBusiness Insider, Columbia Journalism Review, MarketplaceHaaretz, and USA TodayMark was also recently named to the 2015 Forbes 30 under 30 List.

In 2012, Mark published the first photos of the iPhone 5, broke the news about Apple’s switch to an in-house Maps application, revealed the first 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, forecasted that Apple would update the iPad’s software with Siri support, and accurately revealed the iPad mini’s higher-than expected price point.

In 2013, Mark published the first photos of the original iPad Air, provided the first details about Jony Ive’s end-to-end iPhone and iPad software update called iOS 7, provided information about OS X Mavericks, and detailed Apple’s early work on the Apple Watch.

In 2014, Mark revealed Apple’s work on a new Health application for iOS 8 and the Apple Watch, Ive’s redesign of OS X called Yosemite, and details about the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Mark started out 2015 with a significant scoop detailing Apple’s yet-to-be-released 12-inch MacBook with a Retina display, thinner design, and more advanced trackpad and keyboard. He has continued the year by reporting on several details about iOS 9, including the new Proactive Assistant, redesigned Siri, upgraded Maps with transit functionality, new system font, split-screen iPad apps, Swift 2.0, as well as predicting a performance focus for both that software upgrade and OS X El Capitan. Mark finished the year by reporting the majority of the details about the new Apple TV, iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, Apple Watch updates, the iPad Pro, the iPad mini 4, and iMacs.

Mark started out 2016 with exclusive reports on Apple’s work on a pair of completely wireless Beats headphones for the iPhone 7, details on the iPhone SE, iPad Pro 9.7-inch, Apple Watch updates, Apple’s March product event, new Apple retail initiatives, and Tim Cook’s Town Hall meeting with Apple employees.

Mark has also written long-form features on “Apple Anonymous,” a group of retail employees who discuss work over Twitter and the fascination of watches by Apple executives. Most significantly, in fall 2014, Mark published an extensive profile of Apple’s PR and Communications department that was compiled over two months into nine chapters. Mark also provides analysis on relevant technology industry topics, such as Apple’s recent executive shakeup. Mark kicked off his writing career at the end of 2009, and he had his first significant break in 2011 with a story detailing Siri and the iPhone 4S.

You can follow him on Twitter.

Apple Music Connect social network to be demoted in iOS 10 overhaul

Site default logo image

Screenshot 2016-05-06 08.22.01

Apple Music Connect, a social interaction feature between artists and listeners that was a cornerstone of the Apple Music launch last summer, will be demoted in an iOS 10 overhaul this fall. Apple Music Connect was designed as a major component of the Apple Music service that would spur usage by allowing artists to share photos, videos, and audio while on tour in addition to allowing Apple Music listeners to comment and like posts. Instead, the feature has been lightly used in comparison to other Apple Music features, and some users have even discovered ways to disable the Connect feature.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple VP of Online Retail Bob Kupbens leaves company

Site default logo image

359746398_1280x720

Bob Kupbens, the Vice President in charge of Apple’s growing online retail business, resigned from the company last week to take on a new position elsewhere, according to multiple sources. Kupbens joined Apple in 2014 and has been in charge of all online-based Apple retail initiatives, ranging from the recently redesigned online store, its integration into the main Apple website, the online iPhone upgrade program and newfound connectivity with Apple’s physical retail stores.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple Music’s iOS 10 overhaul detailed: black & white UI, ‘huge artwork’, lyrics integration

apple music

Nearly a year after Apple Music’s debut, Apple is preparing to announce its streaming music service’s first end-to-end overhaul, according to multiple sources familiar with the changes. The changes are expected to be shown off at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in mid-June, and Apple currently plans to launch the updated service across its product lines that currently support Apple Music this fall as part of new operating system versions. The updated version of Apple Music has been in the Apple product development pipeline since the end of last year, and work in earnest on the updated service began at the end of February, according to sources.


Expand
Expanding
Close

News Hub/Live Blog: Apple’s iPhone SE, 9.7-inch iPad Pro & Apple Watch bands event

Site default logo image

IMG_0045

It’s March 21st, the day of Apple’s March 2016 media event. As we’ve been reporting over the past several months, Apple is set to debut a new 4-inch smartphone called the iPhone SE, a 9.7-inch version of the iPad Pro, and new Apple Watch bands. You can read our extensive roundup to see all of our expectations. It is still to be seen if Apple CEO Tim Cook takes the stage to discuss the Apple/FBI case, which goes to court tomorrow morning. In this News Hub, we will be live blogging all of the major announcements and highlighting all of our site-wide coverage of the event. The event begins at 10 AM Pacific Time/1 PM Eastern Time, but we’ll be updating this post with the latest details before the event as well.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter for instant updates and read on for the latest in our News Hub:


Expand
Expanding
Close

9.7-inch iPad Pro to start at higher $599 price, come in 32 GB & 128 GB capacities

Site default logo image

With the iPad Pro name and features, the new 9.7-inch iPad will be Apple’s first to come with a starting price higher than $499. The smaller iPad Pro will start at $599 and include 32 GB of storage, according to sources. The $599 base configuration is for a WiFi-only model, while higher-priced versions with 128 GB of storage and the ability to connect to LTE cellular networks will also be offered. Apple will announce the new iPad at its event on Monday, March 21st.


Expand
Expanding
Close

iPhone SE design ‘identical’ to 5s with matte edges, will include 12 MP camera & 4K video

Site default logo image

5s

In January, we reported that Apple would be launching a new 4-inch iPhone in March with a design “nearly identical” to that of the iPhone 5s from 2013. Since then, several rumors and teases from various case makers have teased that the new 4-inch iPhone may have a design that looks a bit closer to the iPhone 6 in both shape and look. Checks with additional sources indicate that the iPhone SE, to be launched at Apple’s March 21st event next week, will look “almost exactly the same” as the iPhone 5s…


Expand
Expanding
Close

Coming at Apple’s March 21st event: 4-inch iPhone SE, 9.7-inch iPad Pro & new Apple Watch models

Site default logo image

CUPERTINO, CA - OCTOBER 16: Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an event introducing new iPads at Apple's headquarters October 16, 2014 in Cupertino, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

If Apple’s most recent hardware events were about going bigger (larger iPhones, a jumbo iPad, and a new Apple TV), Apple’s March 21st event is about going smaller. Apple yesterday officially sent invites to its much-anticipated event to be held at its Cupertino campus with the tagline “Let us loop you in.” The event, which was originally internally scheduled for a week earlier, will focus on Apple’s new 4-inch iPhone SE, a smaller, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, and new Apple Watch bands. The company will likely also reveal the final versions of iOS 9.3, tvOS 9.2, watchOS 2.2, OS X 10.11.4, and an iTunes update. We’ve reported nearly the entirety of what’s expected to come at the event, so read on for a full roundup of everything we’re likely to see. (Updated March 18th with the latest information):


Expand
Expanding
Close

New 9.7-inch iPad Pro may best 12.9-inch model with 12MP camera, 4K video

Site default logo image

ipadpro-21

While Apple’s upcoming 9.7-inch iPad Pro will mostly match the 12.9-inch version in terms of functionality, there likely will be one key difference. Internal prototypes of the smaller model include a 12 megapixel rear camera comparable to the sensor in the iPhone 6s, according to sources. The 12.9-inch model that shipped this past November has an eight megapixel rear camera.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Photos show Apple preparing to build store inside new World Trade Center hub

Site default logo image

WTC2

While Apple has not yet officially announced that it will open up a store in the World Trade Center’s new transportation hub in New York City, there have been reports that such a store has been in the plans for the past two years. Today, a source who has been inside of the yet-to-be-opened Oculus shopping section of the hub has sent us photo evidence that Apple is preparing to open up a store in the shopping area. Above is a photo from this week showing the space for the store, but formal construction has not yet begun, according to the source.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple likely to drop the ‘5’, call new 4-inch model the ‘iPhone SE’

Site default logo image

maxresdefault

In January, we reported that Apple is preparing a new 4-inch iPhone that is essentially 2013’s iPhone 5s with upgraded internals. At the time, we heard that Apple would call the device the “iPhone 5se” based on it being both an enhanced and “special edition” version of the iPhone 5s. Now, we are hearing that Apple appears to be going all in on the special edition factor: sources say that Apple has decided to drop the “5” from the device’s name and simply call it the “iPhone SE.” This will mark the first iPhone upgrade without a number in its name and would logically remove it from a yearly update cycle.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple to launch 9.7-inch iPad Pro, not Air 3; Smart Keyboard & Apple Pencil support likely

Site default logo image

Apple will further differentiate the next-generation 9.7-inch iPad from its predecessor by making it part of the new iPad Pro line, according to sources. Much like the MacBook Pro comes in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, the iPad Pro will soon come in 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch variations. This trend follows Apple not calling its 12-inch MacBook a new Air despite developing the product as an apparent successor to the MacBook Air.


Expand
Expanding
Close

iPhone 5se drawings: nearly identical to 5s with slightly curved edges

Site default logo image

iPhone5se

We have been reporting since earlier this year that Apple is preparing to launch a new 4-inch iPhone called the iPhone 5se. Our sources have said that the new device is essentially the 2013 iPhone 5s with significant internal hardware and software upgrades. Earlier rumors about a next-generation smaller iPhone model called the device an “iPhone 6c” and said that it would look similar to the iPhone 6 in appearance.

Today, a case maker source provided us with schematics that line up with what we have been hearing from our sources who have used the iPhone 5se: the device looks nearly like a 5s.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple plans Siri for Mac as tentpole feature for this fall’s OS X 10.12 launch

Site default logo image

SiriFullMac

Apple currently plans to use its next major release of the Mac operating system, known as OS X 10.12, this fall to continue to expand Siri across its product lines. Last year, Apple implemented Siri as cornerstone features of both the Apple Watch and new Apple TV, and for 2016, Siri is planned to finally make its way to the Mac.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple releases Smart Keyboard software update to fix connectivity issues

Site default logo image

pic

Multiple users of the iPad Pro Smart Keyboard have noted that a software update has begun rolling out to fix connectivity issues. As noted by iMore, Apple has posted a support document on its website detailing the update’s intended purpose:

If your iPad Pro wakes up from time to time when it’s connected to a Smart Keyboard, here’s what to do. To solve this issue, disconnect the Smart Keyboard from your iPad Pro, and then connect it again. When iOS asks if you want to update the Smart Keyboard, tap Update.

The now solved issue revolves around the iPad Pro waking from sleep randomly when connected to a Smart Keyboard, but Apple does not say that it has addressed other Smart Keyboard issues such as an issue where the Command-Tab shortcut does not always navigate to the app-switcher.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple Stores ready pair of improvements to in-store Genius Bar support services

Site default logo image

store

Apple is readying a pair of notable improvements for Apple Store Genius Bars to be rolled out over the next couple of months, according to sources. Currently, Apple Stores allocate a fixed amount of time to each customer per Genius Bar appointment: 10 minutes for iOS devices and 15 minutes for Macs. If a customer’s issue requires more than that time amount, the customer is typically asked to book a successive appointment.

Apple has relied on this system in order to fit in as many Genius Bar appointments per day at each store and maintain a uniform experience. However, Apple has realized that not all technical support problems are the same and is preparing to officially allow for longer Genius Bar appointments.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple looks to boost iPhone sales with reward program for retail staff

Site default logo image

In an effort to keep up iPhone numbers ahead of a quarter in which Apple expects sales to drop year-over-year for the first time, Apple will encourage Apple Store employees to sell more iPhones through a new rewards program. Apple informed retail staff of the new program today, and it will take place between February 21st and March 26th, according to sources.


Expand
Expanding
Close

4-inch iPhone 5se & iPad Air 3 planned to go on sale March 18th

Site default logo image

Apple is currently on target to start selling its next iPhone and iPad models the same week that the new products are introduced in March. Apple is currently planning to introduce a new 4-inch iPhone dubbed the “iPhone 5se” and a new iPad Air at an event on Tuesday, March 15th, then put the products up for sale online and in retail stores as early as Friday, March 18th, according to sources. Apple is unlikely to offer pre-orders for the new devices, according to sources who cautioned that the plans could still change.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Rose Gold coming to iPhone 5se like iPhone 6s, not ‘bright pink’, plus next iPads & MacBooks

Site default logo image

iphone_6s_review_54

In January, we reported that the upcoming 4-inch iPhone 5se would be released in the same colors as the iPhone 6s: Silver, Space Gray, Gold, and Rose Gold. That is still the case, according to sources. This weekend, reports have emerged with claims that the new device will be offered in a new “bright” or “hot” pink color option, but sources say that the iPhone 5se’s coloring is identical to the iPhone 6s’s in appearance.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

iTunes Movie Trailers app gets iPad Pro display support, but no iOS 9 enhancements

IMG_0043

Apple today has updated its iTunes Movie Trailers application with support for the higher-resolution display of the iPad Pro. The general interface, movie posters, and video playback now appear properly on the larger display. Unfortunately, this video-oriented Apple app did not gain iOS 9’s split-screen or picture-in-picture support this time around. Apple says that the update however includes the usual performance and bug fixes. The app and update are free on the App Store.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple launching new broken iPhone upgrade, screen protector installation programs

Site default logo image

IPhone-lineup-2016

Apple is gearing up to launch a pair of new retail initiatives centered around the iPhone: an upgraded iPhone trade-in program for iPhones with damaged screens, cameras, or buttons, and a new program that allows Apple Retail Stores to install screen protectors on iPhones.

The Apple Store Reuse and Recycle iPhone trade-in program currently allows a customer to bring in an older iPhone model and trade it in for credit toward the purchase of a new iPhone model. The main exception since the launch of the program is that this does not apply toward older iPhones with cracked displays, or broken cameras and buttons. That’s about to change …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Tim Cook holds company-wide Town Hall, talks iPhone dependence, benefits, pipeline & India

Site default logo image

In the days following Apple’s record Q1 earnings announcements, Apple CEO Tim Cook and other top Apple executives held a Town Hall meeting at the Infinite Loop headquarters in Cupertino to reveal new announcements and take attendee questions.

Multiple sources in attendance at the event said that Cook as well as newly appointed Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams each spoke and made announcements and teases related to new employee benefits, future iPad growth, Apple Watch sales, future retail stores in China, Apple Campus 2, and the future product pipeline.

Cook also fielded questions from the audience, attempting to reduce concerns related to the company’s iPhone dependence, discussing porting more Apple services to Android, growth in India, and releasing cheaper iPhones to appease growing markets.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple Watch officially launching in Greece, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman & Qatar next week

Site default logo image

Screenshot 2016-02-03 10.38.21

Israel is not the only country getting an official Apple Watch rollout next week. Notices on Apple websites around the world indicate that the Apple Watch will launch in BahrainKuwait, Oman, and Qatar on February 11th, while the device will also launch in Greece on February 12th. Given that Apple does not have official stores in those regions, much like in Israel, these launches will take place through official Apple distributors.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple eyes March 15 event for iPhone 5se, iPad Air 3 & Apple Watch updates

Site default logo image

Apple is currently aiming to unveil the new 4-inch the iPhone 5se, the iPad Air 3, and new Apple Watch band options at an event on Tuesday, March 15th, according to sources. We previously reported that Apple was on track to launch the new products during the week of March 14th. As the scheduled event is still a month-and-a-half away, the date could conceivably still shift or turn into an online announcement. The media event would be Apple’s first since September, and much like the fall event, is planned to touch on three major product categories for the company.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple likely to debut iPad Air 3 at March event; new Apple Watch models revealed

Site default logo image

Apple is planning to introduce new iPad hardware at an event in mid-March, according to sources, with the most likely device being a new iPad Air. This new iPad with a 9.7-inch screen, presumably to be called the “iPad Air 3,” will be launched alongside the a new 4-inch iPhone known as the “iPhone 5se” and a series of new Apple Watch models. Apple is currently planning to hold its keynote during the week of March 14th, but the final date is still in flux, according to sources.


Expand
Expanding
Close