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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 2013. Mark has also been profiled by CNN Fortune multiple times, NPR, the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, the Huffington Post, Business Insider, Columbia Journalism Review, Marketplace, Haaretz, and USA Today. Mark 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.
iPhone 6 with larger, sharper 1704 x 960 resolution screen in testing
Apple is preparing to release a new iPhone with a larger screen later this year, and while multiple reports have indicated that the screen will be larger, the exact dimensions of the screen and its resolution have so far been guesswork.
Some industry watchers have speculated that Apple could stretch the iPhone software’s interface and retain the iPhone 5s’s screen resolution of 1136 x 640. This approach would allow all iOS software and App Store apps to function normally on the iPhone 6 without work from developers. The downside of this approach would be that the iPhone 6’s display would fall below Steve Jobs’ somewhat arbitrary 300 pixels per inch definition of ‘Retina’ for a phone.
Just like with the transition to the iPhone 4’s Retina display in 2010 and the transition to the iPhone 5’s taller screen in 2012, Apple is preparing major resolution changes for the iPhone 6 that will require software changes by both Apple and developers, according to people briefed on the specifications of the new device…
Apple adds iOS Developer interface design guidelines book to iBooks
Apple has added the iOS Human Interface Guidelines for App Store app designers to the iBookstore. Previously, the guidelines were solely available from the online Apple developer portal, and the addition to the iBookstore makes the guidelines for designing iOS 7 apps more easily accessible.
Federico Viticci notes at MacStories that the book is properly optimized for viewing on the iPad:
The 20 MB guide is compatible with iPads as well as Macs running iBooks on OS X Mavericks, and it takes advantage of the app with inline video playback, two-page page layouts, and built-in annotations (plus, of course, font size and color controls for reading settings).
The book can be downloaded for free on iOS or OS X.
Apple's “iOS Human Interface Guidelines” is now available on the iBookstore: https://t.co/3UKBgttv5L
— Dave Addey (@daveaddey) May 13, 2014
@viticci Yep, just released today. The team here have done a *really* nice job of it, too.
— Dave Addey (@daveaddey) May 13, 2014
Apple plans to match Microsoft Surface with split-screen iPad multitasking in iOS 8
iOS 8 is likely to supercharge the functionality of Apple’s iPad with a new split-screen multitasking feature, according to sources with knowledge of the enhancement in development. These people say that the feature will allow iPad users to run and interact with two iPad applications at once. Up until now, each iPad application either developed by Apple or available on the App Store is only usable individually in a full-screen view.
Dr. Dre & Jimmy Iovine could hit the WWDC stage in early June as Apple execs
If the Apple acquisition of Beats Electronics actually moves forward, co-founders Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine could see their grand introductions as Apple executives at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in early June. That’s at least according to Billboard, which has a great track record in covering the music industry…
Microsoft for Office for iPad shows continued growth with 27 million downloads to date
Microsoft announced today at the TechEd Conference that Microsoft Office for iPad, which includes Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, has been downloaded from the App Store 27 million times to date. The statistic was first shared on Twitter by Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrot and noted by Business Insider:
Twitter officially rolling out ‘mute’ function to its mobile and web apps, enhances iPad app
<a href="https://twitter.com/missambear/status/461870350301941760">Images from @missambear</a>
After a limited test period, Twitter has officially begun rolling out mute functionality to its iOS, Android, and Web applications. The mute feature allows users to block out Tweets and Retweets from individual people in their timelines without actually unfollowing those users.
In the same way you can turn on device notifications so you never miss a Tweet from your favorite users, you can now mute users you’d like to hear from less. Muting a user on Twitter means their Tweets and Retweets will no longer be visible in your home timeline, and you will no longer receive push or SMS notifications from that user. The muted user will still be able to fave, reply to, and retweet your Tweets; you just won’t see any of that activity in your timeline. The muted user will not know that you’ve muted them, and of course you can unmute at any time. To mute a user from a Tweet on your iOS or Android device or on Twitter for web tap more and then mute @username. To mute someone from their profile page, tap the gear icon on the page and choose mute @username.
It appears the feature is rolling out over-the-air, so an update from the App Store or Google Play is unlikely to be required at this time. The feature will roll out to all users over the coming weeks, according to Twitter.
In other Twitter news, the social network has brought some new features to the iPad:
Apple warns developers of scheduled four hour iTunes Connect maintenance happening May 14th
Apple has notified developers via email that iTunes Connect, the website used to manage and submit applications, will be down for maintenance on May 14th. According to the notice, maintenance will began at 8 AM Pacific Time and last for approximately four hours. Apple does not specify if any user-facing changes will be made, but perhaps Apple is making preparations for some announcements coming in just a few weeks at the 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Apple-partner Vimeo revamps its iOS app with new design, faster video loading
Vimeo has updated its iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch application with a new, lighter design as well as some helpful new features. The “friendlier” design is easier to navigate, lighter, and cleaner and features more user-interface elements to blend into the design aesthetic of iOS 7. Vimeo became an iOS partner last year with integrated Vimeo video uploading in iOS 7.
Here’s a video of Dr. Dre and Steve Jobs video chatting about iTunes and the iPod
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaxZ8XsN0xo
In light of the impending Apple/Beats deal, above is a video of Dr. Dre and Steve Jobs video iChatting at an Apple event (a decade ago!) about the iPod and iTunes. It seems that the relationship goes back quite a few years, and the Steve Jobs biography has a great quote about that:
“Perhaps the oddest meeting was when Dr. Dre came to visit Jobs at Apple headquarters. Jobs loved the Beatles and Dylan, but he admitted that the appeal of rap eluded him. Now Jobs needed Eminem and other rappers to agree to be sold in the iTunes Store, so he huddled with Dr. Dre, who was Eminem’s mentor. After Jobs showed him the seamless way the iTunes Store would work with the iPod, Dr. Dre proclaimed, “Man, somebody finally got it right.”
Apple in final talks to acquire Beats Electronics for $3.2b, deal could be announced next week
Mockup of Tim Cook, Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine, and Eddy Cue
According to the Financial Times, Apple is in late-stage talks with Beats to acquire the music streaming and headphone maker for a deal worth $3.2 billion. The deal could be announced as soon as next week, according to the report. The report adds the senior management from Beats will report directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook. The Beats headphone brand has been marketed by artist Dr. Dre for several years, and the company most recently launched a cross-platform streaming music service that has seen some success. Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times are both corroborating the report.
Apple is closing in on its largest ever acquisition with the planned $3.2bn purchase of Beats Electronics, the headphone maker and music streaming operator founded by music producer Jimmy Iovine and the hip-hop star Dr Dre. The deal could be announced as early as next week, people familiar with the negotiations said, but they cautioned that some details had yet to be agreed and talks could still fall apart.
The potential $3.2 billion deal would mark Apple’s largest acquisition of another company ever, and would be a stark contrast from Apple’s former reluctance to making large acquisitions. Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said that Apple is on the “prowl” for more deals, and this Beats acquisition would certainly prove that…
San Francisco MOMA to honor Apple’s Jony Ive with Lifetime Achievement award
Jony Ive, Apple’s revered Senior Vice President of Design, is set to receive a Lifetime Achievement award from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). The 2014 SFMOMA award will be presented to Ive on October 30th, and Ive will follow a legendary list of previous recipients that includes Star Wars creator George Lucas. In a statement, the Museum calls Ive “our generation’s most innovative and influential figure in the field of industrial design:”
Apple loses top North America sales VP Zane Rowe, Japan & Korea sales head Doug Beck to subsume role
Just hours after disclosing the upcoming retirement of Communications VP Katie Cotton, Apple has disclosed that Vice President of Sales for North America is, too, leaving Apple. Apple VP Doug Beck, who currently runs sales for Japan and Korea, will add North America to his portfolio of responsibilities. Apple told the WSJ:
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AppleCare employees get new Mavericks 10.9.3 13D62 build with release imminent
AppleCare employees today received a new build of the upcoming OS X Mavericks 10.9.3, according to sources. The build number is 13D62, which indicates a jump from the previous AppleCare seed of 13D59. The current beta for developers is 13D55…
Apple appears set to open store inside World Trade Center for 2015 grand opening
Last fall, reports indicated that Apple was in talks to open up a store inside of the upcoming New York-based World Trade Center shopping mall. Now, a pair of reports are indicating that Apple has, in fact, signed a lease with the mall and that the store is scheduled to open with the new mall in 2015.
The NYPost first reported last month that a deal was struck:
Apple, Canali, Hugo Boss, John Varvatos, Mont Blanc and Breitling have all signed deals for the WTC’s main hall, according to sources.
TheRealDeal reported some additional details behind the deal this week. According to the publication, Apple was unhappy with the design of the lower-level of the mall in which its store will be located:
Apple plans ‘enormous’ iPhone upgrade event this week to boost sales
Apple is planning to hold an “enormous” iPhone-related event in its stores this week in order to boost sales, according to a source with knowledge of the initiative. Beginning May 8th, the source said, Apple will be contacting upgrade-eligible iPhone users with older iPhone models via email to come into their local Apple Store to update to a new iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c…
Reuters summarizes a year’s worth of our Apple iWatch, Healthbook, & medical hires reporting, adds fresh insight
Reuters is out today with a story headlined “Apple on medical tech hiring spree, a possible hint of iWatch plans.” The article is mostly a summary of nearly a year’s worth of our reporting here at 9to5Mac, but does add some fresh 3rd party analysis into Apple’s impact on the biomedical field. Starting from the beginning of the reporting’s details:
Reuters, today:
Apple Inc is building a team of senior medical technology executives, raising hackles in the biotechnology community and offering a hint of what the iPhone maker may be planning for its widely expected iWatch and other wearable technology.
iWatch’s novelty emerges as Apple taps sensor and fitness experts:
Apple has begun assembling a team of hardware and software engineering, medical sensor, manufacturing, and fitness experts, indicating the company is moving forward with a project to build a fitness-oriented, sensor-laden wearable computer, according to our sources.
Going point-by-point:
Researcher claims iOS 7 (including current 7.1.1) does not encrypt email attachments, Apple aware of issue
Security researcher Andreas Kurtz has discovered that versions of iOS 7, including iOS 7.1.1 (the current release), iOS 7.1, and iOS 7.0.4 do not encrypt email attachments in the bundled Mail application. This is an issue itself, but more worrisome as iOS, according to Apple, is supposed to encrypt email attachments. Here’s a page from Apple’s website indicating that:
First OS X Mavericks 10.9.4 ‘Epic’ build seeded inside Apple as 10.9.3 release approaches
Even as the redesigned OS X 10.10 approaches, Apple is continuing work on OS X Mavericks. According to multiple sources, Apple has provided its employees with the first seed of OS X 10.9.4. Codenamed “Epic,” 10.9.4 will continue to bring bug fixes and various stability enhancements to Mavericks…
Swiss-based watchmaker Swatch anticipating Apple’s market entry by fighting for ‘iWatch’ trademark
Swiss-based watch maker Swatch is not thrilled about an impending Apple wearable device or the rumored name “iWatch.”:
Angela Ahrendts officially starts role as Apple’s new Senior VP of Retail and Online Stores
Angela Ahrendts has officially taken the reins of Apple’s new Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores. Ahrendts’s last day as the CEO of Burberry was yesterday, and Apple’s website has been updated to reflect Ahrendts beginning her work at Apple today. Her biography, which can be found on Apple’s executive leadership website, explains her role at Apple:
OS X Mavericks 10.9.3 release nears with bolstered 4K display support
Nearly two months after providing developers with the first beta, Apple is closing in on releasing OS X Mavericks 10.9.3 to the public. OS X 10.9.3 will mark the third point-release update to OS X Mavericks, which arrived on the Mac App Store last October. Earlier this week, Apple provided build 13D55 of 10.9.3 to developers, and Apple, today, provided employees with a newer 13D57 build. In addition to the increase in seed frequency, today’s internal seed includes a set of release notes. The inclusion of release notes in beta OS X releases typically indicates that a public release is close…
OS X 10.10 emphasis planned for WWDC, iOS 8 features pushed to iOS 8.1, new Apple TV still in the works
Apple may be planning to give the next version of the Mac OS X operating system, 10.10, a larger presence than iOS 8 at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, according to sources with knowledge of the plans. Because OS X 10.10 will feature an end-to-end redesign, not dissimilar from the scope of the changes to the iPhone and iPad operating system with iOS 7 last year, Apple wants to heavily promote the new system to developers. Apple has also been allocating iOS user interface resources to OS X teams in order to finish up the new OS X design in time for WWDC, and 10.10 development is said to be “steaming forward…”
New MacBook Air temporarily unavailable from Australian Apple Online Store due to price glitch (Update: fixed)
If you’re in Australia, you’ll have a difficult time buying a new MacBook Air right now from Apple’s official online store. Apple has thrown up the “currently unavailable” label on the MacBook Air line, and it’s unclear when the machines will be available again for sale from the Australian store.
Readers have informed us the Airs have been temporarily pulled because of a pricing glitch in the online store that allowed customers to purchase a MacBook Air with unlimited built-to-order customizations for the price of each corresponding base model. It’s unclear if Apple will honor custom orders at the base prices. We’ll update when the Airs are once again available from the Australian Apple Online Store. Other countries do not seem affected.
Update: The same glitch appears to be affecting the New Zealand store. Unlike the Australian store, however, the glitch in New Zealand store affected the entire MacBook lineup.
Update 2: The glitch seems to be fixed on both the Australia and New Zealand stores. All affected computers are once again available for purchase.