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.
TwelveSouth’s iPhone 5 BookBook
TwelveSouth is holding a giveaway in celebration of today’s date: 12/12/12. The giveaway has one winner, and this winner can choose their prize from any of the products in TwelveSouth’s product line. We will select a winner in week. To enter, choose the product you would like to win and post it in the comments below.
In line with the delivery dates that we reported on earlier this week for early 27-inch iMac orders, customers have begun receiving their new computers. Video hands-on:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5Nkjj_n2kU]
Multiple readers have reported that their iMac deliveries, with reader Kayvon sending in the photo above of his new 27-inch iMac. We’ve also heard that display units for Apple retail stores of the new 27-inch iMacs have begun arriving at a small amount of locations, but have yet to be installed.
FreedomPop has announced its new Freedom Hub Burst wireless router that brings 4G connectivity to homes. The 4G comes via a wireless router that looks much like the ones that homes would typically connect to the internet via. The Hub Burst router supports up to 10 devices. The device connects to Freedom Pop’s 4G service and the service is contract-free. 1GB of data will be provided free each month with purchase of the Hub Burst (the company is yet to announce a price), and users will be able to purchase additional data. The Hub Burst ships in February and pre-orders have begun.
Twitter has announced that it is bringing Instagram-like photo filters to its iOS application. The application update includes a slew of interesting filters, cropping tools, an auto-enhance button, and other tools that make it easy to edit your photos just before tweeting them.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2giNzaZunqE]
The above video from Twitter outlines the new app update’s capabilities.
AllThingsD reported the imminent launch of photo filters this past weekend. The iOS application is yet to be released, but the complementing Android version has been pushed out.
References to unreleased Microsoft Office applications for iOS devices have appeared on Microsoft’s support website, as noted by MacRumors and Mac4Ever. Microsoft’s French support site for an article pertaining to Excel references an Excel for iPad app. However, the same English-localized support document only references an Excel product for desktop computers. The above references for Excel for iPad, PowerPoint for iPad, and Office Mobile for iPhone were also located on Microsoft’s support website.
Last month, photos of a purported build of Microsoft’s upcoming iOS Office app leaked out. It seems that, given the reportedly basic iPhone editing functionality of said build, that these may be photos of the “Office Mobile for iPhone” references on Microsoft’s website. Full-fledged iPad Excel and PowerPoint iPad apps were not discussed in The Verge report regarding leaked iOS Office app screenshots, but screenshots from a report from The Daily earlier this year appear to have shown more functional Microsoft iPad apps.
Microsoft is reportedly set to begin rolling out its iOS Office applications sometime in early 2013, possibly in February or March.
According to Bloomberg, Apple and Google are teaming up on a $500 million bid to acquire Kodak’s patent portfolio.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Google Inc. (GOOG) have joined forces to offer more than $500 million to buy Eastman Kodak Co. (EKDKQ)’s patents out of bankruptcy, said two people with knowledge of the situation. The two companies, competing for dominance of the smartphone market, have partnered after leading two separate consortia this summer to buy Kodak’s 1,100 imaging patents, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the process is private.
Prior to this new bid, several reports had claimed that Apple and Google were leading separate groups of several companies that wanted to acquire Kodak’s patents. Kodak’s patents have become available for acquisition following the company’s move into bankruptcy earlier this year.
Bloomberg‘s report also notes that Apple’s previous consortium of potential bidders, prior to this new bid with Google, included Microsoft and Intellectual Ventures Management. Google’s competing group of bidders included RPX (one of Google’s Asia-based Android device manufactures).
Notably, Kodak was reportedly interested in selling 10% of its patent portfolio in the summer of 2011 (prior to declaring bankruptcy). These were photo-viewing patents covered in Kodak’s 2010 patent lawsuit against Apple. Interestingly, earlier this year, Apple prepared to countersue Kodak over patents.
Apple has released an updated version of OS X Server (version 2.2) that introduces a new software update caching system and various fixes. The new caching function, called the “Caching service” caches software updates and app updates for faster downloading. Several issues with the Server application, Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Messages, and Profile Manager are also addressed.
Apple’s changes list:
Some of the improvements included in this update are:
Caching service
Server app
Adaptive Firewall
Calendar service
Mail service
Contacts service
Messages service
Profile Manager
Today, Apple has rolled out a number of fixes for its professional video editing Mac applications. Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5, and Compressor 4 update release notes are below:
Final Cut Pro X version 10.0.7
Motion 5.0.6
This update improves overall stability and performance including:
Compressor version 4.0.6
This update improves overall stability and performance including:
T-Mobile USA has announced that it has struck an agreement with Apple to begin supporting Apple products in 2013. Deutsche Telecom Rene Obermann made the announcement to analysts today.
The company also confirmed the announcement in a press release today:
In addition, T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market together in 2013.
Deutsche Telecom also notes that this new agreement with Apple would affect the company’s cash flow:
The Group’s free cash flow is expected to decrease to around EUR 5 billion in 2013 (scheduled figure for 2012: around EUR 6 billion), primarily as a result of the increased capital expenditure and the systematic implementation of the Challenger strategy in the U.S. market, including the agreement with Apple. The Group’s free cash flow is expected to be around EUR 6 billion in 2015 (including MetroPCS).
It is currently unclear which products this deal will cover. Apple currently sells both the iPhone and the iPad on either Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint on the U.S., but it is unclear if T-Mobile USA will get both the iPhone and iPad, or only one of those products.
Late last month, Merrill Lynch analyst Scott Craig claimed that T-Mobile USA would announce an iPhone deal with Apple on either December 6th or 7th.
In the middle of last month, T-Mobile had alluded to the iPhone being too expensive to carry:
Make no mistake about it: We would love to carry the iPhone. However, we want the economies to be right for us, said T-Mobile COO Jim Alling, who, according to Fierce Mobile, spoke candidly during a discussion at the Morgan Stanley Twelfth-Annual Technology, Media, and Telecoms Conference in Barcelona, Spain.
Throughout the year, we have been reporting that T-Mobile had been lighting up iPhone-compatible 4G networks. Notably, T-Mobile used the Moscone West Center as a testbed for this network during Apple’s early-June Worldwide Developers Conference.
Following Tim Cook’s announcement that Apple will exclusively produce one of its Mac computer product lines next year in the United States, Foxconn has said that it will be expanding its North America-based operations.
A Foxconn spokesperson spoke to Bloomberg on the matter, explaining that its customers are pushing for its products to be built in the U.S.:
“We are looking at doing more manufacturing in the U.S. because, in general, customers want more to be done there,” Louis Woo, a Foxconn spokesman, said in a phone interview. He declined to comment on individual clients or specific plans.
“Supply chain is one of the big challenges for U.S. expansion,” Woo said. “In addition, any manufacturing we take back to the U.S. needs to leverage high-value engineering talent there in comparison to the low-cost labor of China.”
Foxconn’s statements are not necessary tied to Apple, so this may mean that companies other than Apple are also pushing for more U.S.-based manufacturing.
As Tim Cook explained in his interviews today, some of Apple’s products are already partially built in the United States. For example, the latest Apple A-Series chips are built in Texas while Corning builds its iOS device glass in Kentucky.
Cook said Apple plans to invest $100 million in more U.S.-based production in 2013. The Apple product production in the U.S. news comes soon after reports about increased iMac production in the U.S. emerged.
Apple has launched a new version of its 12 Days of Christmas app for the 2012 holiday season. The application works on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
The app will begin functioning on December 26th, the day after Christmas, and will provide a free iTunes gift each day until January 8th.
Apple says the free gift selection will range from applications, songs, music videos, TV episodes, and books.
The app is available for free outside of the United States.
Apple has seeded a new build of the upcoming OS X 10.8.3 to developers. This build comes in at version 12D38, which is 6 builds newer than the previous 12D32 release. Thanks, D!
YouTube has updated its iOS application with support for the iPad and the iPhone 5’s taller display. Also, the new application includes support for AirPlay, more advanced playlist management, improved voice over support, and more.
According to YouTube, users will also find improved performance and faster video loading with this new update.
The iPad YouTube experience is completely optimized for the tablet’s larger display. Google launched its YouTube application shortly before iOS 6 became available. Versions of iOS up to iOS 6 included an Apple-built YouTube player.
If you have ever wanted to anodize your iPhone or iPad mini’s silver or slate designs into another color, take a look at AnoStyle. The company offers the ability to change the color of your iPhone 5 or iPad mini into red, pink, yellow, gold, orange, blue, teal, violet, copper, green, blue steel, or bronze. The process of applying the color is done exquisitely, so it looks great.
AnoStyle explains its process (which requires your iPhone or iPad to be sent in):
Our process does not involve simple painting or covering. Rather, we use a process called anodization, and we’ve found a unique method that allows us to deliver the best results each and every time. Anodization actually involves a specialized chemical process that creates the desired color change. This means under normal use, our AnoStyle™ products won’t chip or wear like traditional paints and coatings do. Once the color transformation is complete, we run your device through our 21-point test to ensure that it is working perfectly.
BGR shows how their gold unit came out. iPhone 5 color anodizing costs $249 and the iPad mini conversions run for $299.
Apple has seeded the third beta of the upcoming iOS 6.1 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch to developers. The update is currently available over-the-air through Software Update in the Settings app. Thanks, D!
Following up its popular BookBook case for previous generations of the iPhone, Twelve South has released a new BookBook that is designed to fit the taller and thinner iPhone. The case, which we have been testing for approximately a week, not only is redesigned to fit Apple’s new iPhone design, but adds some new features as well. The TwelveSouth BookBook iPhone 5 case rolls two unique iPhone case ideas into one: an iPhone case that looks like a mini, vintage book cover, and an iPhone case that includes the functionality of a basic wallet.
Build quality and protection:
Apple’s entry level configuration of the new 21.5-inch iMac is now shipping in 7-10 business days from Apple’s online store. That shipping time is up from the 1-3 business days that the product was quoted as shipping in yesterday. The 27-inch iMacs were initially said to ship in 2-3 weeks, but they have since been pushed back to 3-4 weeks for new orders.
Notably, 3rd party vendors like Amazon are still guaranteeing delivery by December 4th while MacMall says 5-7 days. Check for lowest prices/ship times on our iMacs product page.
Update: Both 21.5-inch iMacs are now up to 7-10 days for shipping.
According to Apple’s online store, the new 27-inch iMacs are now scheduled to ship in 3-4 weeks. That will make a Christmas delivery even more difficult (and unlikely) compared to the 2-3 week shipping times that Apple quoted this morning. The 21.5 inch models are still quoted as shipping in 1-3 business days.
As sales of Apple’s thinner iMac begin, Kodawarison shares photos of a new iMac that it has begun taking apart.
The website does not provide any technical detail or explanations of its basic iMac teardown, but the photos of the internals show the intricacy of the computer’s internal design.
A reseller posted the image image to its Facebook page (thanks Westin)
According to Apple retail contacts, Apple’s thinner, redesigned 21.5-inch iMacs have begun arriving in small quantities to select U.S.-based Apple Stores, not to all stores, ahead of the Friday, November 30th launch. It is possible that stores that have yet to receive shipments will see their deliveries during the day tomorrow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r3-pRIt51Y
The new 21.5-inch iMac will be available to order through Apple’s online store tomorrow as well per Apple’s announcement earlier this week.
Apple CEO Tim Cook previously said there would be iMac shortages into the new year:
On the iMac we’ll be constrained for the full quarter in a significant way… there will be a short amount of time to manufacturer and ramp those and i expect demand to be robust… we will have a significant shortage
Additionally, readers in Australia share that they have managed to purchase the computers at Australian stores this morning (seen in the image above). However, the new iMac is not on sale through the Australian online Apple Store yet.
The new 27-inch iMac will go on sale in December.
The new models include an all-new design with a complex manufacturing process, improved screen design, and a much thinner and light form-factor. The computer lacks an optical drive to make this happen.
dbrand, a company that creates and sells custom vinyl skins for a variety of devices, has agreed to hold a giveaway for 9to5Mac readers. The giveaway:
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post with the vinyl of your choice. The winners will be chosen next Friday and will be notified.
Apple will begin selling an unlocked version of its iPhone 5 through its online store as soon as 9 PM tonight, according to our retail sources. The unlocked iPhone 5 price range will likely be $649, $749, and $849 depending on a choice of either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage.
Additionally, Apple’s chain of retail stores will begin selling the unlocked devices soon, but have yet to be provided a start sales date. However, the unlocked iPhone 5 units have begun arriving at Apple’s stores.
We’re also hearing that Apple will expand its Apple Store Personal Pickup program to allow customers to reserve devices at any time of the day, not just after 10 PM.
With additional reporting by Dan DeSilva.
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Alongside the new iTunes 11 desktop app, Apple has released a new version of its Remote iOS app. Remote is Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch app that allows you to control iTunes and Apple TV media playback. The new update introduces a completely revamped interface for the iPad.
The old Remote app on the iPad featured a UI akin to that of iTunes 10, and this new version looks much like the new iTunes 11 computer app.
Like the new iTunes 11 app, the new Remote app features the handy new UpNext feature, improved search results, and an expanded view for your media content. Like iTunes 11, a new icon is also present. The update is free on the Apple iOS App Store. (Image: Thanks Patrick!)
Awesome touch in the new iTunes 11 iTunes Store: Apple will now allow you to redeem iTunes gift cards using your computer’s camera. It seems like a newer type of Apple gift card will be required.
Reader Ryan Jones put the new feature to the test and he reports that it worked well and quickly (image above).