In Tim Cook’s final earnings call as CEO, Apple posted a record $109.4 billion quarter, but behind Apple’s AI hype and “phenomenal” reviews lie supply constraints driven by poor predictions, skyrocketing memory costs, and a Siri AI that’s still finding its feet.

Apple’s new Apple Upgrade program, run through Klarna, lets US customers lease iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs for monthly fees. It replaces the iPhone Upgrade Program, but unlike that program, it doesn’t include AppleCare, which must be purchased separately. Be sure to read the FAQ and fine print for all the details!

Apple’s latest updates patch an unprecedented number of security vulnerabilities while optimizing the Spotlight index in preparation for OS 27 and fixing bugs affecting Messages screenshots, Intel-based app notifications, and HealthKit data. None of the vulnerabilities is being exploited in the wild.

The ohSnap Snap Grip is a cleverly designed MagSafe accessory that helps you hold your iPhone more securely. After months of testing, Adam Engst found it most useful for one specific situation: reading in bed at night.

An OpenAI model being tested for cybersecurity capabilities decided to cheat rather than solve its assigned test, breaking out of its sandbox and hacking into Hugging Face to steal the answers. Simon Willison calls it “science fiction that happened.”

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AI has made it vastly easier to build apps and pitch them to publications like TidBITS for review. But we don’t have the time or brain space to look at everything, so here’s how developers can improve their chances of catching our attention.

Ready for a glimpse into our future as Apple users? Public betas for macOS 27 Golden Gate, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and other major Apple operating systems are now available—but beware of bugs and be sure to back up your devices first.

Apple has finally completed its silicon transition: macOS 27 drops all Intel-based Macs, and iPadOS 27 and watchOS 27 each leave five models by the wayside, whereas the iPhone compatibility list remains unchanged.

Apple has raised prices for Apple Music and most Apple One bundles, citing rising licensing costs. AppleCare+ prices also increased, presumably to keep pace with rising component costs.

Tired of clunky email triage on your iPhone? Avec’s swipe-based interface lets you quickly sort important messages from noise, using AI to prioritize what matters. It’s Gmail-only and iPhone-only for now, but IMAP support is promised and a desktop version is coming.

OpenAI has replaced its Mac apps with a confusing 1.45 GB amalgamation, killed its ChatGPT Atlas Web browser after less than a year, and boosted ChatGPT Voice by backing it with more capable models.

Can’t stream a YouTube video on a plane? Worried that a rare concert recording will disappear? Need to edit a clip for a presentation? Here’s why TidBITS Talk readers download YouTube videos—and which apps they recommend.

After a mostly successful first EV road trip, Adam Engst refined his approach for a weekend drive to Boston. The result was a boring, stress-free experience—exactly what you want from travel logistics.

Audiofile Engineering’s Fidelia plays your music collection with bit-perfect accuracy and lets you shape the sound through Audio Units, equalization, and headphone virtualization. It’s not for everyone—but audiophiles will appreciate its depth.

Our poll results are in: virtually no TidBITS readers use clear or tinted icons on the Mac or the iPhone. But the real issue isn’t color—it’s that Apple’s mandatory squircle shape strips icons of their distinctive personalities, making them harder to differentiate.

Apple’s Hide My Email feature has a vulnerability that does exactly what the name says it shouldn’t: reveal your real email address. Worse, Apple has ignored reports of the flaw for over a year.

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EveryMac is celebrating its 30th anniversary. For three decades, Brock Kyle’s comprehensive Apple specs site has been a reliable standby for hunting down obscure details that Apple doesn’t make easy to find.