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Mark Gurman

@markgurman

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.

Connect with Mark Gurman

iPhone 5S will come in gold & likely sport fingerprint sensor, iPad iOS 7 running behind

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Gold iPhone image created by <a href="http://www.shoplemonde.de">Shop Le Monde</a>

As Apple’s September 10th event iPhone event approaches, we’ve learned some additional details and have independently heard some of the already-floating around information regarding the upcoming announcements.

We’ve long been expecting Apple to launch an iPhone 5S at this upcoming event, an iPhone that looks almost identical to the iPhone 5 but with improved internals. For past iPhone “S” upgrades, like the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S, Apple has retained the same design and colors as the previous models. Black and white units in both of those cases.
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But, we’ve heard, 2013 will be a bit different. Color will be a differentiator. Much like the much-rumored plastic iPhone will see Apple expand its color palette for iPhones, the iPhone 5S will move beyond the black/slate and white/silver options offered for the iPhone 5…


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Apple Stores to push Macs to businesses with new Parallels/Windows 8 demos

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Parallels Desktop 7 and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion on a MacBook Air

Apple is pushing its business-focused Apple Retail salespeople to sell Macs to businesses currently running in Windows environments, according to Apple retail employees briefed on the new initiative. Apple Retail Stores, in their business/professional sections, will now have a 27-inch iMac prepared with the Parallels Virtualization Software and Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system.

Select Apple Retail employees will also be trained on the Parallels and Windows software, and special Parallels demos have been created for Apple Stores. The goal of this new initiative is to push employees to be able to show businesses that currently work on Windows that all purposes of Windows could either be replaced or used (with Parallels) on a Mac computer.

For a number of years, Apple has pushed reasons how a Mac could replace a PC. This was heralded mainly via Apple’s Mac vs. PC ads. This new retail campaign, instead, focuses on the Mac operating system and Windows working together. Apple wants to leave no room for business customers to not know that they could switch to a Mac computer…


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Key Nike FuelBand developer and fitness expert Jay Blahnik confirmed to join Apple, likely working on iWatch

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Jay Blahnik, a globally recognized fitness expert and instrumental consultant in the development of several Nike fitness products, has confirmed his new role at Apple. In July, we reported on unconfirmed whispers out of the fitness industry that Blahnik had been hired at Apple, likely to work on the iWatch. We’ve also since confirmed with additional sources that he has joined Apple, and these people say that Blahnik will be working on the iWatch team


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Apple starts new campaign to push businesses to convert tools to iPad apps

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Apple has replaced its iPad in Business apps website with a new site that is much simpler and more direct. The new page highlights multiple specific use cases for which a business could use an iPad, then presents specific applications to complete those tasks. The old website was more cluttered and less specific. The iPhone version of Apple’s business apps website still showcases the older format…


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Apple third-party USB adapter trade-in program launches globally, discount prices listed

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Apple has updated its third-party USB adapter trade-in program page to note that the program is worldwide. Apple originally only noted support for the program in China and the United States.

The company then updated the page to share that customers in Australia ($14 AUD), Canada ($11 CAD), France (10 €), Germany (10 €), Japan (¥1,000), and the United Kingdom (10 €) are eligible as well.

Now that the program has officially begun, Apple has providing special discount pricing for official Apple USB charging adapters for several more countries (shown above). Not all of the countries have official Apple Retail Stores, but the program will take place at select authorized resellers as well.


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Apple says developer website will go offline for ‘brief scheduled maintenance’ August 17 at 6 PM

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Apple has informed developers via email that the Developer Website will be offline beginning August 17th at 6PM PST for “brief scheduled maintenance.”

In the past, Apple has not informed developers about upcoming brief maintenance periods, but perhaps Apple is being more transparent in light of the recent hacking attempt and extended downtime for the developer programs.

Apple has also recently launched a website for users to monitor the available of Apple developer services.


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Apple opens graphics card replacement program for some mid-2011 iMacs

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Apple has opened up one of its rare replacement programs for the graphics card in some mid-2011 iMac configurations, according to a notice issued to Apple Support employees. The iMac in question is the model released in May 2011 with Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt ports. This iMac was sold between that month and October 2012 when Apple launched thinner models with new internals. Apple says that AMD Radeon HD 6970M cards (both 1GB and 2GB configurations) in select versions of these 2011 iMacs could fail:


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Apple seeds iTunes 11.1 beta 2 to developers

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Apple has seeded a second beta of the upcoming iTunes 11.1 to developers. iTunes 11.1 includes Apple’s iTunes Radio functionality, and it will likely be rolled out publicly alongside iOS 7. Today’s update follows the general release of iTunes 11.0.5 with an iTunes in the Cloud fix, so perhaps this iTunes 11.1 beta is the same type of update.


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Sketchy claim of 128GB iPhone SKU in Germany’s ‘Media Markt’ retail chain emerges

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A reference to a 128GB version of the iPhone has been listed inside of German retail chain Media Markt’s inventory system, according to Macerkopf. The reference appears to be related to an “iPhone 5” and a specific SKU code is not listed.

The claim that this could point to a 128GB version of the iPhone is sketchy because it is unclear if these retailers have any inside information from Apple on upcoming product releases.

However, the SKU shot is interesting in light of yesterday’s claim that the next-generation iPhone will come in a 128GB capacity. The reference in Media Markt’s system is said to have surfaced prior to the recent analyst report.

We previously noted in our roundtable of expectations for the new iPhones that the “iPhone 5S” could come in a 128GB option. Apple will hold its iPhone event on September 10th.


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Best Buy launches another iPhone trade-in special, $200 off iPhone 5 through Sunday

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Best Buy has launched yet another iPhone trade-in special, this time only lasting a few days. The program, which lasts from today through this Sunday, allows an iPhone 4S customer to trade-up to an iPhone 5 at a minimum $200 discount and an iPhone 4 for an iPhone 5 at a minimum $100 discount. The money comes in the form of a Best Buy gift card and is exclusively for Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and Sprint on-contract iPhone 5 models. Before making any trade-in decisions ahead of Apple’s September 10 iPhone event, you’re going to want to read our extensive article about getting the most money via trade-in programs.


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Video hands-on with Apple’s new iOS 7-inspired iCloud website

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmB7u2BLJU4

Earlier today we noted that Apple has updated its iCloud Beta website with a completely overhauled design. The new site inherits the design direction of iOS 7 as its drops metaphoric design elements in favor of more whitespace and less glitz. Above is a video of the new site in action courtesy of Nick Pomes. 


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Investor Carl Icahn takes ‘large position’ in AAPL, stock goes up

Billionaire investor, who gained increasing fame in recent months due to his attempted take over of Dell, has announced via Twitter that his firm has taken a “large position” in Apple:


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Larry Ellison, long-time friend of Steve Jobs, says ‘we already know’ Apple without Jobs (updated)

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUdYebAN-Fs]

Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle, longtime close friend of Steve Jobs, and former Apple Director, shared with CBS’s Charlie Rose what he believes post-Jobs Apple will look like. As quoted by AllThingsD:

“Well, we already know,” Ellison told Rose. “We saw — we conducted the experiment. I mean, it’s been done. We saw Apple with Steve Jobs. We saw Apple without Steve Jobs. We saw Apple with Steve Jobs. Now, we’re gonna see Apple without Steve Jobs.”

Ellison’s quote seems to be referring to Apple’s history with Steve Jobs (the time in which the company launched the iPhone, iPad, and iPod, for example) in comparison to Apple’s darker years with leadership from the likes of John Sculley and Gil Amelio.

Now, with Steve Jobs’s hand-picked successor Tim Cook and the rest of the leadership team with Jony Ive, Craig Federighi, and Eddy Cue at the helm, Ellison seems to think that the pattern of dark days under leaders other than Jobs will repeat itself.

Updated with larger embed via CBS news below, which includes his thoughts on Larry Page being evil and the quote above being put into better context:


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Bloomberg: Thinner iPad 5, Retina iPad mini this year & Sept. 10 iPhone event

Bloomberg has corroborated multiple reports regarding Apple’s next iPad and iPhone models.

Apple also plans to introduce a new iPad mini, the first with a high-resolution screen, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the development is private. The new iPad models are set to be introduced in the last three months of the year, one of the people said.


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Apple to support third-party USB power plug trade-ins beyond U.S. & China

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Image via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanghaidaddy/4444779602/in/photolist-7LLE85-bjGce9-7LLExS-7X3TR7-9WWqCL-bepqXP-9XBTYw-7VzKHA-bepqTv-bepqP2-bepqJc-bepqD6-bepqxF-7zrnxR-7zv8s1-cSjqLL-81gkaM-9w9Hfc-bDqzWX-ercVuv-eNUGCf-bfoHWa-9aXhCK-8T4TuB-byHASi-ebuyCS-a65L1S-dBQrY9-e39tKK-aqUYwc-drrKYZ-8xouBm-8xov7q-azkgHt-a65L3f-a62UpF-a62UoB-a62UmB-a62Unn-a65L4s-dRhAY6-dyRScD-dyXkiq-ddkczz-9iCbpz-9iFiQC-7TmVNY-9nuiGM-dHJig2-dHJhxp-dHJhG8/lightbox/">Flickr</a>

Last week, we reported that Apple, will soon kickoff a trade-in-program for third-party or counterfeit USB power adapters in its retail stores and select authorized resellers. The program will allow anyone with an unofficial USB power adapter for iOS Devices to exchange that adapter for an Apple-built unit at a discounted price of $10 dollars. The program comes in response to a couple of controversial situations in which people in China reportedly passed away or became injured due to faulty, counterfeit charging adapters…


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Apple Store app now offering free book amid iBooks retail push

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The iPhone Apple Store app has been updated over-the-air today to offer a free iBook download to customers. The book is Away in My Airplane by Margaret Wise Brown. According to a note sent to Apple retail employees today, the free book download is meant for employees to have context when discussing and pushing the iBooks app and iBookstore to customers.

As we reported last month, Apple will be pushing free content to the Apple Store app in order to entice customers to download the app. Apple Store employees are also instructed to ask new iOS Device customers to install the app. In turn, if more people have the Apple Store app on their devices, Apple could sell them more products.

The new book offer expires on August 28th, and it is exclusive to the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, and Sweden, according to an Apple employee.

As part of a general iBooks push, Apple started providing its retail employees with free book titles in order to boost familiarity of the service.

The Apple Store app received its first free piece of content in the form of the Color Zen iPhone app earlier this month.


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Norwegian government blocking Apple from capturing 3D Flyover Maps data in Oslo

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Oslo, Norway in Apple Maps (No 3D available)

Update: From a 9to5mac Reader in Norway:

Regarding the issues where the Norwegian government is blocking Apple from mapping the capital, Oslo, in 3D: it seems the law that is being sited actually was withdrawn in 2005, but issues with an old computer system in the police department blocks the update from being put to use! http://www.osloby.no/nyheter/Loven-som-hindrer-Apple-a-flyfotografere-Oslo-ble-vedtatt-opphevet-i-2005-7277631.html

Apple is being blocked from capturing 3D, aerial footage of Norway capital Oslo for its iOS and Mac Maps applications, according to Norway-based newspaper Aftenposten. As part of removing Google Maps from iOS, Apple, last year with iOS 6, launched its in-house Maps app with 3D “Flyover” data being a premier feature. Flyover allows users to see a 3D representation of many cities across the globe.

According to today’s report, Norway’s National Security Authority is not allowing Apple from capturing the 3D data needed for the feature. Apple uses small aircraft equipped with advanced camera systems and actually flies them around buildings. The data is then processed at Apple and formatted for the Maps app…


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Review: Twelve South HiRise stand for iPhone 5, iPad mini

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Product:

The Twelve South HiRise, which was announced last week, is an aluminum stand and docking/charging station for Apple devices that include a Lightning dock connector. The HiRise supports the iPhone 5, fifth-generation iPod touch, seventh-generation iPod nano, and the iPad mini (the 4th-generation iPad is too large). Unlike the typical iOS Device dock, the HiRise, as the product name implies, raises your device a few inches high in the air. Twelve South also ships versions of the HiRise for the MacBook (review) and iMac (review)…

Features/Performance: 


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Pixar’s John Lasseter accepts Disney Legends award for Steve Jobs [Video]

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RcicFebqRE&w=640&h=360]

One of Pixar’s early employees, John Lasseter, accepted a Disney Legends award for Steve Jobs. The awarded was accepted and presented yesterday at Disney’s D23 conference. The Disney Legends award is granted to key people in the growth and success of Disney. As Pixar’s creator and a former Disney Director, Jobs certainly made a positive impact on Disney. Lasseter’s speech recounts several encounters and experiences that he shared with Jobs over the course of their time together. A video from another angle is below:


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‘iPhone 5S’ (plus gold model), ‘iPhone 5C’ will actually be names of next iPhones?

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iPhone 5S/5C physical mockups

<a href="http://9to5mac.com/2013/08/10/new-mockups-claim-to-show-iphone-5s-and-iphone-5c-designs-gallery/">iPhone 5S/5C physical mockups</a>

Apple’s next two iPhone models will be named iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, according to a report from Japan-based Macotakara. With repeated reports and rumors of the next-generation iPhone retaining the same design as the iPhone 5, the “iPhone 5S” name has long been claimed and regarded as the name of the new flagship iPhone. Apple’s iPhone 4S and iPhone 3GS retained the designs of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3G, respectively.

However, because of Apple’s surprise naming scheme for the third-generation iPad (The new iPad), an outright claim of the name “iPhone 5S” may be important to some interested in the upcoming device.

As for the “iPhone 5C,” this name gained attention when purported packaging materials for the upcoming, lower-cost, plastic iPhone surfaced in photos online. It is unclear what the “C” in “5C” could stand for, but speculation and logic points to the “C” standing for “color.” Like recent iPod touch models, this plastic iPhone is rumored to come in a series of colors…


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T-Mobile USA ends $0 down payment promotion for iPhone 5 and 4S, still active for iPhone 4

At the end of July, T-Mobile USA kicked off a new promotion that would allow customers to purchase an iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S at $0 down at pay for the phone over 24 months for $27 each month (for iPhone 5). Today, the promotion has ended, according to TmoNews and confirmation provided to AllThingsD. The offer, interestingly, is still available for iPhone 4 and other smartphones. T-Mobile customers who want an iPhone 5 will now have to pay the older price down of $145.99 and monthly payments of $21. The old price officially goes into effect August 10th (tomorrow).


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President Obama meets with Tim Cook, other execs over government surveillance

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U.S. President Barack Obama met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and other technology company executives today to discuss government surveillance, according to a report from Politico. Earlier this week, according to the report, the President and his staff began holding confidential meetings about surveillance tactics and topics such as the recent NSA-related controversies with company executives and other members of pertinent organizations.

Those invited were mostly senior executives, including Cook, Stephenson and Cerf, as well as representatives of groups like the Center for Democracy and Technology and Gigi Sohn, the leader of Public Knowledge, according to three sources familiar with the meeting. Each declined comment for this story.

The report names AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson and former Google Vice President Vint Serf as the other technology community members involved in the meetings. Serf recently was appointed by President Obama to the National Science Board, and Serf is also known as a pioneer of the internet…


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New photos of next full-sized iPad’s display panel emerge, again point to thinner bezels [Gallery]

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All the way back in January, we posted the first photographs of the back shell for the next-generation full-sized iPad with Retina Display. According to these photos, the next 9.7-inch iPad will look like a larger iPad mini, complete with thinner bezels. Since then, videos and some photos of the front panel and digitizer for the future product have also emerged.

Today, a series of new shots have emerged at repair shop MacFixit’s website (via MacRumors) of the front panel and digitizer. The site provides the following tidbits about the part:

– The display area is the same as the iPad Retina.

– The edges of the frame are narrower using the same style as the iPad mini.

– The ITO (Indium tin oxide) is the same as the iPad mini.

– There is now 2 connectors instead of 1.

– The connectors have been changed from FFC (Flat Flexible Cable, like the iPad 2/3/4) to FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits, like the iPhone 4/5).

Recent reports have pointed to the new tablet launching in early September. A full gallery of all the photos are below:


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A look at what an iOS 7-inspired OS X could look like [Gallery]

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In light of the upcoming launch of iOS 7, designer Stu Crew and other designers have imagined what a version of the OS X operating system with iOS 7 design principles could look like. Crew’s design matches iOS 7 by removing the heavy, metaphoric textures from OS X. The image above showcases a look at a desktop with many of the apps, and you can see how Finder, Calculator, Contacts, and iTunes received inspiration from iOS 7.

With iOS 5, iOS 6 and OS X Lion, OS X Mountain Lion, Apple moved to unify both the feature-sets and user-interfaces of its mobile and desktop operating systems. This fall, due to a leadership change at Apple, iOS and OS X will see different design philosophies. iOS 7 is “flat,” lacks heavy textures, while OS X retains its long-existing silver/metal design, keeps the green felt in Game Center, but drops the leather in Calendar and Contacts.

With integrated experiences and uniformity embedded into Apple’s DNA, it would not be surprising to see OS X look like iOS again in coming years. Below is a full gallery from Crew (in addition to some more mockups from other designers) of what an iOS 7-inspired OS X could look like.


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