💲AAPL
Apple introduced the first iPod 23 years ago today and its landing page pitch was glorious. /@TrungTphan/
🟩 SP5 > Apple > Latest > AAPL 0.00%↑
☑️ #251 Jun 12, 2025
Sci-Fi ;-)
@ShawnDeveloping: This is the liquid glass I want
🙂
☑️ #250 Jun 9, 2025
WWDC25: Platforms State of the Union | Apple
developer.apple.com > @AppleDeveloper : Tune in for a deep dive into the newest advancements on Apple platforms. Don’t miss the WWDC25 Keynote, starting on June 9, 2025 at 10 a.m. PT
+ Related content:
news.ycombinator.com > @joshstrange (5/31/25): This WWDC is going to be a make or break moment for Apple and the fact that they’re too cowardly to show up to the talk show and/or are using this as a retribution does not bode well.
Apple developer relationships have never been more strained than they currently are, and at least some of us were hoping that, in light of all of Apple’s, current legal battles, they might be willing to bury the hatchet and try to actually improve developer relations. This move doesn’t preclude that, but it certainly makes it seem less likely.
Apple is petty, they always have been (see Nvidia) but it’s a lot easier to be petty when you have hardware, software, and developers on your side. Right now, Apple only has hardware on their side. Their software has been in a state of decline and their developer relations are at an all time low.
Bold move Cotton.
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☑️ #249 May 27, 2025
Tim Cook between Globalstar and Starlink
theinformation.com: [Excerpt] Apple’s Satellite Ambitions Threatened by Elon Musk, Internal Resistance.

Apple started the satellite project development in 2019 and in 2022 Elon Musk made an aggressive partnership offer. Apple declined Starlink partnership and signed with Globalstar that included a $1.7B investment ($1.1B for new satellites)
+ Related content:
phind.com (Phind-70B): [Sources not verified. Do your own research]: Elon Musk and internal “resistance”.
Elon Musk's Opinion and Actions
Elon Musk has taken several positions regarding Apple's satellite strategy:
Made an aggressive partnership proposal in 2022:
Offered $5 billion upfront payment.
Requested $1 billion annually after exclusivity period.
Gave Tim Cook 72 hours to decide.
After being rejected, Musk took competitive actions:
Challenged Globalstar's spectrum allocation rights.
Filed objections against Globalstar's satellite launches.
Reportedly expressed concerns about having to compete with Apple directly.
Internal Apple Concerns
Several issues have emerged within Apple regarding their satellite strategy:
High-profile executives including Craig Federighi oppose the plan
Concerns exist about regulatory implications
Questions raised about whether Apple might be classified as a telecommunications carrier
Internal criticism suggests Globalstar's network is "slow and outdated" compared to competitors
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☑️ #248 May 18, 2025
Apple Faces Severe Penalties in Epic v. Apple Case for Violating Injunction and Perjury
perkinscoie.com: [Excerpt] Apple’s Deceptive Conduct With the Court.
The court held two hearings related to Apple’s post-injunction conduct. During the period between those hearings, Apple was ordered to produce numerous documents it had previously claimed were privileged. These documents indicated that many of Apple’s previous statements in court were false; for example, the court found an Apple executive perjured himself in the initial hearing. The executive testified in the first hearing that Apple’s 27% commission was the result of a 2024 report by an external consultant; however, documents produced between the hearings showed Apple made its policy decisions in 2023—before the report was commissioned. The court also found that Apple had willfully over-withheld documents for privilege. Apple attempted to blame the privilege assertions on its document review vendors, but the court was unconvinced and noted that the privilege errors “flow[ed] in one direction.”
+ Related content:
documentcloud.org: Epic v. Apple Contempt order.
Epic Games, Inc. v. Apple Inc., Case No. 4:20-cv-05640-YGR (N.D. Cal 2020)
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☑️ #247 May 16, 2025
@Fortnite : Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.
+ Related content:
@Fortnite (5/925): We’ve submitted Fortnite to Apple for review so we can launch on the App Store in the U.S.
🙂
☑️ #246 May 13, 2025
The Apple Collection
rarehistoricalphotos.com: [Excerpt] The Bizarre Apple Clothing Line from 1986 You Probably Never Knew Existed.
Surprisingly, Apple didn’t go it alone. The company tapped reputable outdoor brands like Patagonia and The North Face to help manufacture some of the apparel, lending a touch of quality to an otherwise eccentric venture.
These collaborations produced items like button-up shirts and poly-cotton vests—pieces that, despite their association with a tech company, held their own against the loud backdrop of color and branding that defined the rest of the collection.
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☑️ #245 May 13, 2025 🔴 rumor
Apple to Support Brain-Implant Control of Its Devices
wsj.com [Excerpt] iPhone maker works with startup Synchron on new brain-computer interfaces to assist people with disabilities.
Apple has worked on the new standard with Synchron, which makes a stent-like device that is implanted in a vein atop the brain’s motor cortex. The device called the Stentrode has electrodes that read brain signals. It translates the signals into selecting icons on a screen. Apple took a similar step in 2014 when it launched a technology standard for hearing aids to communicate with iPhones via Bluetooth, a standard most hearing aids have since adopted.
The company has implanted its Synchron Strentrode device in 10 people.
+ Related content:
synchron.com: [Excerpt] Innovating an Industry.
Since 2012, we have been developing a solution that avoids the need for open brain surgery by using a minimally-invasive procedure.
businesswire.com: Apple’s new BCI Human Interface Device protocol marks the creation of a new input category powered by thought, enabling hands-free, voice-free digital control through Synchron’s BCI system. NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Synchron, a category-defining brain-computer interface (BCI) company, today announced it will be the first BCI company to achieve native integration with a new BCI Human Interface Device (BCI HID) profile announced by Apple on May 13. This marks a major milestone in accessibility and neurotechnology, where users implanted with Synchron’s BCI can control iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro directly with their thoughts without the need for physical movement or voice commands.
With the announcement of the new protocol from Apple - BCI HID for short - neural interfaces are now formally recognized as a native input category coming to Apple devices. This advancement enables hands-free, voice-free digital access for individuals with motor impairment such as ALS, stroke, or spinal cord injury. Synchron’s BCI system will seamlessly integrate with Apple’s built-in accessibility features, including Switch Control, giving users an intuitive way to use their devices and laying the foundation for a new generation of cognitive input technologies.
apple.com (5/13/25): [Excerpt] Universal Music Group and Apple Music announce Sound Therapy.
Available exclusively on Apple Music, Sound Therapy blends songs subscribers already know and love with special sound waves designed to enhance users’ daily routines, while retaining the artist’s original vision. Backed by scientific research and powered by UMG’s proprietary audio technologies, Sound Therapy harnesses the power of sound waves, psychoacoustics, and cognitive science to help listeners relax or focus the mind.
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☑️ #244 May 7, 2025 rumor
Apple is actively looking into adding Al search options to the Safari web browser
Apple Inc.'s Senior Vice President of Services Eddy Cue made the disclosure Wednesday during his testimony in the US Justice Department’s lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.
Apple has been considering various options:
Anthropic PBC, OpenAl Inc.
Perplexity Al
Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Basic Technology Research Co., Ltd.
Grok
Google remains the best when it comes to search engine competition
"We were never interested in doing a search engine because we were very happy partnering with someone. We can't do everything, so we have to choose the things that we do,"
Google LLC antitrust trial
He further shared that Apple is
"actively" looking into adding artificial intelligence (Al) search options to the Safari web browser. Cue revealed that the firm has been considering various options for this, including Anthropic PBC, OpenAl Inc., Perplexity Al, Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Basic Technology Research Co., Ltd., and Grok.
+ Related content:
cnbc.com: [Excerpt] Alphabet shares sink 7% after Apple’s Cue says AI will replace search engines.
The Apple executive was testifying in a federal court in Washington as part of the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Alphabet. Last year, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that Google has illegally held a monopoly in the online search market, and now the judge is looking to determine what penalties or actions should be taken against the search company.
blog.google: [Excerpt] Here's our statement on this morning’s press reports about Search traffic.
We continue to see overall query growth in Search. That includes an increase in total queries coming from Apple’s devices and platforms. More generally, as we enhance Search with new features, people are seeing that Google Search is more useful for more of their queries — and they’re accessing it for new things and in new ways, whether from browsers or the Google app, using their voice or Google Lens. We’re excited to continue this innovation and look forward to sharing more at Google I/O.
💲 EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENT: May 1, 2025
Apple reports second quarter results
Services revenue reaches new all-time high
EPS sets March quarter record
⇢ Some reactions:
2025 Q2 Appel Results > Year-over-Year iPhone revenue change and iPhone revenue.
☑️ #243 Apr 24, 2025 🟥 0-shot prompting
[Topic] Apple has initiated a major transformation of its Siri management team following delays in Apple Intelligence features, marking a strategic shift in the company's AI development approach
phind.com (Phind-70B): [Sources not verified. Do your own research] Mike Rockwell's appointment as Siri chief represents Apple's most significant attempt yet to revitalize its struggling voice assistant, marking a fundamental shift in strategy and commitment to bringing Siri up to par with modern AI assistants.
Here's why his leadership represents a genuine commitment to improvement:
Severity of Current Challenges [ainvest.com]
Siri faces critical performance issues that necessitate radical change:
30% failure rate in dual-system architecture
Significant lag behind competitors in natural language understanding
Delayed "Apple Intelligence" features pushed to 2027
Disjointed command processing causing inconsistent performance
Strategic Leadership Transition
The organizational restructuring places Siri under Rockwell's leadership, who previously headed Apple's Vision products division. While Rockwell lacks traditional AI expertise, his appointment reflects Apple's recognition that Siri's challenges extend beyond pure technological innovation. [techtimes.com]
The organizational structure change is described in news.ycombinator.com and pymnts.com, while Rockwell's reporting to Craig Federighi is mentioned in.
Old structure
[CEO Tim Cook] --> [John Giannandrea] --> [Siri Team]
New Structure
[CEO Tim Cook] --> [Craig Federighi] --> [Mike Rockwell] --> [Siri Team]
[CEO Tim Cook] --> [John Giannandrea] --> [Other AI Initiatives]
As shown in the organizational structure above, Apple has created a more streamlined structure for Siri's development, placing it directly under Craig Federighi's oversight with Mike Rockwell at the helm. While John Giannandrea maintains responsibility for other AI initiatives, this separation allows for focused attention on Siri's development challenges. [pymnts.com]
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☑️ #242 Apr 23, 2025
Commission finds Apple and Meta in breach of the Digital Markets Act
Non-compliance decision on Apple's steering terms
Under the DMA, app developers distributing their apps via Apple's App Store should be able to inform customers, free of charge, of alternative offers outside the App Store, steer them to those offers and allow them to make purchases.
The Commission found that Apple fails to comply with this obligation. Due to a number of restrictions imposed by Apple, app developers cannot fully benefit from the advantages of alternative distribution channels outside the App Store. Similarly, consumers cannot fully benefit from alternative and cheaper offers as Apple prevents app developers from directly informing consumers of such offers. The company has failed to demonstrate that these restrictions are objectively necessary and proportionate.
As part of today's decision, the Commission has ordered Apple to remove the technical and commercial restrictions on steering and to refrain from perpetuating the non-compliant conduct in the future, which includes adopting conduct with an equivalent object or effect.
The fine imposed on Apple takes into account the gravity and duration of the non-compliance.
Today, the Commission has also closed the investigation on Apple's user choice obligations, thanks to early and proactive engagement by Apple on a compliance solution. You will find more information on these decisions here.
+ Related content:
ec.europa.eu (update; 5/26/25) (pdf): COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 23.4.2025
Apple is fined 500 million euros, if Apple does not comply within 60 days, it can be fined up to $50 million per day.
Case DMA.100109 – Apple – Online Intermediation Services – app stores – AppStore
ec.europa.eu (4/23/25): Commission closes investigation into Apple's user choice obligations and issues preliminary findings on rules for alternative apps under the Digital Markets Act.
The Commission takes the preliminary view that Apple failed to comply with this obligation [to allow third party app stores] in view of the conditions it imposes on app (and app store) developers. Developers wanting to use alternative app distribution channels on iOS are disincentivised from doing so as this requires them to opt for business terms which include a new fee (Apple's Core Technology Fee). Apple also introduced overly strict eligibility requirements, hampering developers' ability to distribute their apps through alternative channels. Finally, Apple makes it overly burdensome and confusing for end users to install apps when using such alternative app distribution channels.
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☑️ #241 Apr 14, 2025
Understanding Aggregate Trends for Apple Intelligence Using Differential Privacy
machinelearning.apple.com: [Excerpt] Improving Text Generation with Synthetic Data.
For Apple Intelligence features like summarization or writing tools that operate on longer sentences or entire email messages, the methods we use to understand trends in short prompts like Genmoji aren’t effective, so we need a new method to understand trends while upholding our privacy standards, which means not collecting any individual user’s content. To address this challenge, we can expand on recent research to create useful synthetic data that is representative of aggregate trends in real user data, without collecting any actual emails or text from devices.
Synthetic data are created to mimic the format and important properties of user data, but do not contain any actual user generated content. When creating synthetic data, our goal is to produce synthetic sentences or emails that are similar enough in topic or style to the real thing to help improve our models for summarization, but without Apple collecting emails from the device. One way to create a synthetic email message is to use a large language model (LLM).
Creating a single synthetic email on one specific topic is just the first step. To improve our models we need to generate a set of many emails that cover topics that are most common in messages. To curate a representative set of synthetic emails, we start by creating a large set of synthetic messages on a variety of topics. For example, we might create a synthetic message, “Would you like to play tennis tomorrow at 11:30AM?” This is done without any knowledge of individual user emails. We then derive a representation, called an embedding, of each synthetic message that captures some of the key dimensions of the message like language, topic, and length. These embeddings are then sent to a small number of user devices that have opted in to Device Analytics.
Participating devices then select a small sample of recent user emails and compute their embeddings. Each device then decides which of the synthetic embeddings is closest to these samples. Using differential privacy, Apple can then learn the most-frequently selected synthetic embeddings across all devices, without learning which synthetic embedding was selected on any given device. These most-frequently selected synthetic embeddings can then be used to generate training or testing data, or we can run additional curation steps to further refine the dataset. For example, if the message about playing tennis is one of the top embeddings, a similar message replacing “tennis” with “soccer” or another sport could be generated and added to the set for the next round of curation (see Figure 1). This process allows us to improve the topics and language of our synthetic emails, which helps us train our models to create better text outputs in features like email summaries, while protecting privacy.
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☑️ #240 Apr 14, 2025
Value-at-Risk: Apple
@Spreadcheat: AAPL VaR of -12% is well below the average of -4.5%. this is the second time it has reached this low since 2009 😱 -18% during pandemic, and -8% is an average dip. every single dip is a profitable cycle 📈
⚡️
@Spreadcheat : the more the VaR deviates from the mean the greater the returns 🤫
+ Related content:
docs.google.com: HLM.Spreadcheat
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☑️ #239 Apr 12, 2025
Trump exempts phones, computers, chips from new tariffs
@TradingThomas3: Apple was getting bid up like crazy yesterday, don’t tell me this wasn’t leaked, all bunch of crooks.
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☑️ #238 Apr 5, 2025
The bill for an iPhone 16 Pro
https://x.com/JoannaStern/status/1908520186031841399 : Trump's tariffs could increase the cost of an iPhone Pro by almost $300. Who pays for it? Us or Apple
⚡️
@JoannaStern: New @WSJ column here:
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☑️ #237 April 1, 2025 🔴 rumor
Visa Offers Apple Roughly $100 Million to Take Over Credit Card From Mastercard
wsj.com: [Excerpt] Visa, Amex and Mastercard are all competing to be the network for Apple’s credit card.
Why do the networks want Apple?
Apple is one of the biggest co-branded credit-card programs, and networks make money when more purchase volume is flowing over their rails.
But there’s a much bigger picture with Apple. The tech giant is increasingly becoming the epicenter of many consumers’ daily payments and other financial habits. Big banks and networks for years have been wary of Apple’s ambitions and have developed a frenemy relationship, taking steps to keep the tech giant from making more inroads in consumer finance, while seeking to be close to Apple.
The network that locks in this deal is expecting to stay close to Apple’s future payments efforts.
Mastercard, for example, has explored using its fintech, Finicity, which has software that plugs into consumers’ bank accounts with their permission, to enable consumers to see their deposit-account balances within the Apple ecosystem, according to people familiar with the matter.
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☑️ #236 Mar 26, 2025
Apple will use Maps Image Collection to train its AI models
maps.apple.com [Excerpt] Apple collects imagery for the purposes of improving its Maps product and blurring algorithms, and uses blurred imagery to improve other Apple products and services.
In addition to improving Apple Maps and the algorithms that blur faces and license plates in images published in Look Around feature, Apple also will use blurred imagery collected during surveys conducted beginning in March 2025 to develop and improve other Apple products and services. This includes using data to train models powering Apple products and services, including models related to image recognition, creation, and enhancement.
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☑️ #235 Mar 26, 2025
Spoilers ahead! See how the Apple Original series Severance was edited on Mac.
@Apple: Behind the Mac: Editing Severance | Apple
Warning: This film contains spoilers of Season 2 of the Apple Original show Severance. Director Ben Stiller and lead editor Geoffrey Richman break down the important relationship between editing and storytelling as they dive into how the thrilling season finale of Severance was edited on Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Pro.
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☑️ #234 Mar 24, 2025
The first China Clean Energy Fund has exceeded its set target by building more than 1 gigawatt of wind and solar projects in 14 provinces of China
@5524254784 [Tim Cook]: 我们自豪地宣布在中国启动新一期清洁能源基金!目前,我们在中国的供应链已有三分之二使用可再生能源。新基金将进一步助力我们在 2030 年实现 100% 可再生能源运营的目标。We’re proud to announce a new clean energy fund in China! Two thirds of our supply chain here is already running on renewable energy and this will help further our goal of running on 100% renewable energy by 2030. 网页链接
apple.com.cn: [CN > EN] [Excerpt] Apple launched a new RMB 720 million investment fund to accelerate the development of clean energy in China.
The first China Clean Energy Fund has exceeded its set target by building more than 1 gigawatt of wind and solar projects in 14 provinces of China. This industry-first investment fund has helped expand the access to renewable energy for suppliers of all sizes and enable the development of new projects nationwide. The second phase of the China Clean Energy Fund will replicate this method to support new renewable energy projects, including those in the early development stage.
apple.com (9/24/19): [Excerpt] Apple-launched China Clean Energy Fund invests in three wind farms. A Combined 134 Megawatts Supplied to China’s National Power Grid.
Rising from the hills of Dao County in Hunan Province, China, beyond the city of Yongzhou, a dramatic sight appears on the horizon. Here, the massive blades of wind turbines from the Concord Jing Tang and Concord Shen Zhang Tang wind farms turn rhythmically in the sky. Developed by the Concord New Energy Group Limited, each farm generates 48 megawatts (MW) of clean energy. Along with a 38 MW farm in bordering Hubei province developed by Fenghua Energy Investment Group Co., Ltd., these three clean energy projects are the first investments of the China Clean Energy Fund.
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☑️ #234 Mar 20, 2025
Widespread deception
axios.com: [Excerpt] Apple sued for false advertising over Apple Intelligence.
"This drove unprecedented excitement in the market, even for Apple, as the company knew it would, and as part of Apple's ongoing effort to convince consumers to upgrade at a premium price and to distinguish itself from competitors deemed to be winning the AI-arms race."
"Contrary to Defendant's claims of advanced AI capabilities, the Products offered a significantly limited or entirely absent version of Apple Intelligence, misleading consumers about its actual utility and performance. Worse yet, Defendant promoted its Products based on these overstated AI capabilities, leading consumers to believe they were purchasing a device with features that did not exist or were materially misrepresented."
+ Read the lawsuit (documentcloud.org)
+ Related content:
cand.uscourts.gov > Find a Case
dockets.justia.com > Search for Cases
clarksonlawfirm.com > In the Media
Clarkson Law Firm has also sued Google and OpenAI over their AI practices.
🙂
☑️ #233 Feb 25, 2025 🟥 0-shot prompting
[Topic] Speaking at Apple's annual shareholder meeting which was celebrated online, Tim Cook said on Tuesday that the company plans to be the largest consumer of TSMC in Arizona
labs.perplexity.ai (DeepSeek R1-1776): [Sources not verified. Do your own research] I remember that TSMC started construction on their Arizona fab in 2021, with plans to start production by 2024. The initial phase was a $12 billion investment for a 5nm facility. Then later, they announced a second fab for 3nm chips, increasing their total investment to $40 billion. That second fab is supposed to start production in 2026.
Apple has been TSMC's biggest customer for advanced nodes like 5nm and 3nm. For example, Apple's A-series and M-series chips are made by TSMC.
But does that make them the largest consumer?
I need to look up any official statements or reports. In December 2022, there were reports that Apple committed to taking a significant portion of the output from TSMC's Arizona plant. Some sources said Apple would use chips from Arizona for their devices, reducing reliance on Asian fabs. However, TSMC has other customers like AMD, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, etc., but Apple is usually the first to adopt new nodes and buys a large volume.
In May 2023, during Apple's earnings call or an event, Cook might have reiterated their partnership with TSMC and their plans for US manufacturing. Also, when President Biden visited the TSMC site in December 2022, Apple's CEO was there, indicating their involvement.
But specific data on the percentage or volume Apple will consume from the Arizona plant isn't publicly detailed. Companies usually don't disclose exact figures unless required. However, given Apple's size and their historical relationship with TSMC, it's plausible they'd be the largest customer.
Another angle: TSMC's Arizona fabs are expected to produce around 20,000 wafers per month starting in 2024 (first phase) and more with the second fab. If Apple is using most of that capacity for their chips (since each iPhone requires many chips), they could easily be the top consumer.
But wait, other companies like AMD or Qualcomm might also source from Arizona. However, given Apple's volume and their exclusive use of TSMC's latest nodes (while others might use older nodes or split between TSMC and other foundries like Samsung), Apple would likely dominate the new Arizona facility's output.
Apple has historically consumed ~25% of TSMC’s total advanced node capacity (e.g., A-series/M-series chips on 5nm/3nm) but has dominated the earliest production runs (~80–90% of initial output).
Competitors like AMD and NVIDIA use mixed foundries or older nodes.
+ Related content:
sec.gov : 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders
@Quartr_App(1/22/25): The story of TSMC is unbelievable. Founder Morris Chang pioneered the semiconductor foundry model and revolutionized the industry by unbundling the semiconductor value chain.
Curious how $TSM became the world's largest foundry? @AcquiredFM
has the full story, don't miss it.
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☑️ #232 Feb 24, 2025
Apple will spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years
apple.com: [Excerpt] Teams and facilities to expand in Michigan, Texas, California, Arizona, Nevada, Iowa, Oregon, North Carolina, and Washington
Plans include a new factory in Texas, doubling the U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund, a manufacturing academy, and accelerated investments in AI and silicon engineering
Doubling Apple’s U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund
As part of this new investment, Apple is doubling its U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund, which was created in 2017 to support world-class innovation and high-skilled manufacturing jobs across America. The growing commitment will increase the fund from $5 billion to $10 billion, focused on promoting advanced manufacturing and skills development throughout the country.
The fund’s expansion includes a multibillion-dollar commitment from Apple to produce advanced silicon in TSMC’s Fab 21 facility in Arizona. Apple is the largest customer at this state-of-the-art facility, which employs more than 2,000 workers to manufacture the chips in the United States. Mass production of Apple chips began last month.
Silicon used by Apple is designed to bring Apple users incredible features, performance, and power efficiency across their devices. Apple’s suppliers already manufacture silicon in 24 factories across 12 states, including Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, and Utah. The company’s investments in the sector help create thousands of high-paying jobs across the country at U.S. companies like Broadcom, Texas Instruments, Skyworks, and Qorvo.
To date, Apple’s U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund has supported projects in 13 states — including Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Indiana — that have helped build local businesses, train workers, and create a wide range of innovative manufacturing processes and materials for Apple products.
+ Related content:
1CoastalJournal: STOCK NEWS: $AAPL • Today’s Apple announcement appears to be a recycled press release from 2021. (Which original release was back in 2018.
⚡️
@1CoastalJournal: Also: BTW: As of today, Feb24, 2025, $AAPL North Carolina campus in Research Triangle Park (RTP) have been put on HOLD. In 2024, the company announced a pause in the construction, which had initially been unveiled in April 2021 with the promise of creating 3k jobs
apple.com (4/26/21): [Excerpt] Apple commits $430 billion in US investments over five years. The accelerated commitment will fund a new North Carolina campus and job-creating investments in innovative fields like silicon engineering and 5G technology.
Creating American Jobs with Manufacturers and Suppliers Nationwide. Apple’s $430 billion US investments include working with more than 9,000 suppliers and companies large and small in all 50 states, supporting American job creation across dozens of sectors, including silicon engineering, 5G, and manufacturing.
To foster innovation and growth in the sector, Apple launched its $5 billion Advanced Manufacturing Fund in 2017. Awards from the fund have led to breakthrough innovations in laser technology, sustainable material development, 5G infrastructure, and other cutting-edge fields.
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☑️ #231 Feb 19, 2025
iPhone 16e with the new Apple C1, the first cellular modem designed by Apple
+ Related content:
apple.com: [Excerpt] Apple debuts iPhone 16e: A powerful new member of the iPhone 16 family.
Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, delivering fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity. Apple silicon — including C1 — the all-new internal design, and the advanced power management of iOS 18 all contribute to extraordinary battery life.
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☑️ #230 Feb 13, 2025
Alibaba’s Apple partnership confirmed
@WorldGovSummit: The Culture of Survival and Innovation Joseph Tsai, Co-founder and Chairman, Alibaba Group Moderated by Jeffrey Katzenberg, Founding Partner, WndrCo.
Alibaba’s Chariman and co-founder Joseph Tsai during the World Government Summit 2025 in Dubai:
"They talked to a number of companies in China. In the end, they chose to do business with us. They want to use our AI to power their phones. We feel extremely honored to do business with a great company like Apple,"
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☑️ #229 Feb 5, 2025 🔴 rumor
Apple M5 mass production starts... 'AI performance upgrade with a new process'
etnews.com: [Excerpts] [Translated text] Apple M5 chip packaging is handled by Taiwan's ASE, America's Amco, and China's JCET. The first mass production began by ASE, and the mass production of Amco and JCET will also be carried out sequentially.
It is said that the TSMC SoIC-MH packaging process was applied from the M5 Pro product. It is a method of vertically lattering semiconductor chips. Through this, it is expected to raise heat control and performance once again.
Hybrid bonding, which directly connects wafers or chips to copper, is applied for vertical layering, and it is known that Dutch Bessh equipment was used.
Femtosecond laser technology was first applied to M5 chip cutting (grooving). Semiconductor damage and pollution were minimized with a laser at intervals of 1 in a second of 1000 trillion. It is analyzed as to ensure quality and improve yield. It is confirmed that the femtocho grooving equipment is supplied by Eotechnics.
The semiconductor substrate to install the M5 chip on the main board of the device was also changed. The performance of ABF (Ajinomoto Build-up Film), an insulating and adhesive used to build up substrate circuit layers, has been greatly improved. Ajinomoto, an exclusive supplier of ABF, plans to supply the next generation ABF that can be thinner and more layered to manufacture M5 chip substrates.
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☑️ #228 Jan 30, 2025
Apple now wishes to appeal. Apple files emergency motion to become defendant in US vs. Google
storage.courtlistener.com (pdf): APPLE INC.’S EMERGENCY MOTION FOR STAY, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, FOR MISCELLANEOUS RELIEF AND MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT
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u/1vuio0pswjnm7: The title is not accurate. This is a motion for a stay pending an appeal.
Apple already moved to intervene ("become a defendant") back on December 23, 2024. It was not an emergency motion. That motion was denied on January 27, 2025. Read the Opinion:
https://ia800602.us.archive.org/6/items/gov.uscourts.dcd.223.. (pdf)
Apple now wishes to appeal.
The top comment states "When they asked to file some briefs they were denied."
In fact, the court will allow Apple to file an amicus brief:
"The court hereby grants Apple permission to participate as amicus curiae and file a posthearing brief alongside the parties. If Mr. Cue is called to testify at the evidentiary hearing, Apple may also submit an affidavit from one additional fact witness that addresses facts not covered by Mr. Cue's testimony. If Mr. Cue is not called to testify, Apple may submit two affidavits from fact witnesses, in addition to a post-hearing brief."
+ Related content:
courtlistener.com (): UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. GOOGLE LLC, 1:20-cv-03010, (D.D.C.)
Document Number: 1160 (updated; 2/2/25): [Excerpt] ORDER denying 1158 Apple's Emergency Motion for Stay, or in the Alternative, for Miscellaneous Relief. See the attached Order for additional details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 2/2/2025. (lcapm2) (Entered: 02/02/2025) Before the court is Apple Inc.’s Emergency Motion for Stay, or in the Alternative, for Miscellaneous Relief, ECF No. 1158 [hereinafter Apple’s Mot.]. Apple asks the court to stay these remedial proceedings pending its appeal of the court’s Order denying Apple’s Motion for Limited Intervention, ECF No. 1153.
Document Number: 1158 (updated; 1/30/25): [Excerpt] Although Apple understands that this Court intends to adhere to the “strict confines of the [C]ourt’s Scheduling Order,” Order Denying Limited Intervention at 16, Jan. 27, 2025, ECF No. 1153, Apple has no choice but to move for a stay of these proceedings to protect its rights pending appeal.
Document Number: 1153 (updated; 1/27/25): [Excerpt] On December 23, 2024, Apple Inc. moved to intervene as a defendant for the limited purpose of participating in the remedial phase of this litigation. Apple’s Mot. for Limited Intervention, ECF No. 1111 [hereinafter Apple’s Mem.]. Apple seeks intervention as of right or, alternatively, permissive intervention to protect its “property interest in its existing contract with Google and in its ability to enter into future contracts with Google.” Id. at 6.
Document Number: 1111 (12/23/24): [Excerpt] APPLE INC.’S MOTION FOR LIMITED INTERVENTION.
Apple Inc. (“Apple”) hereby moves to intervene as a defendant for the limited purpose of participating in the remedial phase of the above-captioned suit pursuant to Rule of Civil Procedure 24. Counsel for Apple has conferred with counsel for Plaintiffs United States of America, et al.,Case 1:20-cv-03010-APM Document 1111 Filed 12/23/24 Page 2 of 27
counsel for Plaintiffs State of Colorado, et al., and counsel for Defendant Google LLC, pursuant to Local Civil Rule 7(m). Google takes no position on this motion. Plaintiffs do not currently have a position; they anticipate taking one after reviewing Apple’s motion and accompanying papers.
💲 EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENT: Jan 30, 2024
Apple reports first quarter results (FY 2025)
All-time records for total company revenue and EPS.
Services revenue reaches new all-time high.
⇢ Some reactions:
@Geiger_Capital: Apple Q1 revenue is $124.3 Billion. 2022 Q1 revenue was $123.9 Billion.
0.3% revenue growth over 3 years.
(We’ve had ~15% inflation since then)
iPhone sales are negative YoY.
This is not a growth company. AAPL 0.00%↑
@charliebilello (update; 2/1/25): Apple has bought back $673 billion in stock over the past 10 years, which is greater than the market cap of 488 companies in the S&P 500. $AAPL
2025 Q1 Appel Results > All-time revenue record at $124.3 billion
☑️ #227 Jan 26, 2025 🟥 Zero-shot prompting
[Topic] iPhone sales in China are testing the company's global resilience
lmarena.ai (DeepSeek R1): [Sources not verified. Do your own research]To construct a short-term forecasting model for iPhone sales in China, we integrate key factors from the provided context into a structured framework. Below is a conceptual model using a multiplicative adjustment approach based on identifiable variables:
Short-Term iPhone Sales Forecast Model (Conceptual)
Time Horizon: Next 1-2 quarters (Q1-Q2 2025)
Key Variables:
Baseline Sales (B): Use Apple’s Q4 2024 sales in China as the baseline (assumed leading position).
Price Cut Impact (P):
Apple reduced iPhone prices below 6,000 CNY.
Assumption: Price elasticity of demand (PED) = -1.2 (1% price drop → 1.2% sales increase).
Example: A 5% price cut → +6% sales boost.
Trade-In Subsidy Effect (S):
China’s subsidy incentivizes upgrades.
Assumption: Subsidy drives 3-5% incremental demand (based on historical subsidy programs).
Competitor Erosion (C):
Domestic brands (Huawei, Xiaomi, etc.) are gaining ~2-3% premium market share per quarter.
Assumption: Direct negative impact on Apple’s sales: -2.5% per quarter.
Seasonality (Q):
Post-holiday (Q1) typically sees a 10-15% sales dip vs. Q4. Adjust with a -12% seasonal factor.
Tech Nationalism Sentiment (N):
Anti-Western sentiment may reduce sales by 1-2% (soft adjustment).
Formula:
Forecasted Sales = B × (1 + P + S - C - N) × (1 + Q)
Example Calculation:
Baseline (B) = 1 million units (Q4 2024).
Price Cut (P) = +6%
Subsidy (S) = +4%
Competitors (C) = -2.5%
Nationalism (N) = -1.5%
Seasonality (Q) = -12%
Forecasted Sales (Q1 2025):
= 1M × (1 + 0.06 + 0.04 - 0.025 - 0.015) × (1 - 0.12)
= 1M × 1.06 × 0.88 ≈ 932,800 units (-6.7% QoQ decline).
Sensitivity Analysis:
Upside Scenario: Stronger subsidy uptake (S = +7%) offsets competitors → sales stabilize.
Downside Scenario:Aggressive competitor pricing (C = -4%) → steeper decline.
Limitations:
Relies on assumptions without granular data.
Excludes macroeconomic shocks (e.g., recession, supply chain disruptions).
Recommendations for Refinement:
Incorporate real-time sales data and consumer sentiment metrics.
Monitor competitor pricing and promotional campaigns.
This model highlights Apple’s resilience from price cuts/subsidies but warns of sustained pressure from local rivals and nationalism. Short-term sales may dip moderately, but proactive pricing could mitigate losses.
🙂
☑️ #226 Dec 24, 2024 🟠 opinion
The M series chips
@Nexuist: Still in awe at the M series chips. The whole world spent 15 years thinking Intel was dumping dozens of billions of dollars into R&D to eek out incremental returns on SoTA architecture and then Apple pulled off the covers and discovered they had everyone sitting around farting
⚡️
@morteymike: I worked on the M series while at Apple. The main advantage that stuck out to me was actually that they were able to acquire dozens of top Intel engineers 5-10 years ago as Intel started struggling and making poor decisions. For example, Intel had a couple sites around the country with top talent and decided to shut these sites down. The reason? Intel wanted their talent more centrally located near headquarters, and they thought their engineers would be willing to relocate closer to headquarters and stick with the company. Apple discovered this, recruited all of these people, and opened new engineering facilities in these locations (and probably paid better). The result? They now had most subject matter experts from Intel without having to train or discover the engineering techniques themselves. The engineers then had freedom to create (Intel was tied down by corporate BS) and this was the fuel needed to blow Intel out of the water.
🙂
☑️ #225 Dec 11, 2024
9 consecutive ATHs
@Barchart: Apple $AAPL has now made a new all-time high in 9 consecutive trading days. Beast mode continues!!
🙂
☑️ #224 Dec 11, 2024 🔴 rumor
Apple Is Working on AI Chip With Broadcom
theinformation.com: [Excerpt] Apple is developing its first server chip specially designed for artificial intelligence, according to three people with direct knowledge of the project, as the iPhone maker prepares to deal with the intense computing demands of its new AI features. Apple is working with Broadcom on the chip’s networking technology, which is crucial for AI processing, according to one of the people. If Apple succeeds with the AI chip — internally code-named Baltra and expected to be ready for mass production by 2026 — it would mark a significant milestone for the company’s silicon team.
+ Related content:
Baltra
The chip, known internally as Baltra, could be used for inferencing, which has the chip capable of processing new data and then hands them off to the large language models to produce an output, a task different than training models.
🙂
☑️ #223 Dec 11, 2024
iOS 18.2 and Sequoia 15.2: Tap into ChatGPT with Siri and Writing Tools
apple.com: [Excerpt] Apple is enabling ChatGPT access in Siri and Writing Tools experiences within iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, allowing users to access its expertise — as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities — without needing to jump between applications. With the ChatGPT integration, Siri can suggest a user access ChatGPT for certain requests, and Siri can provide the response directly.
With Compose, users can ask ChatGPT to generate content for anything they are writing about from the systemwide Writing Tools. They can also use ChatGPT’s image-generation capabilities to add images alongside their written content.
Users can choose whether to enable ChatGPT integration, and are in full control of when to use it and what information is shared with ChatGPT. By default, a ChatGPT account is not required to use this integration. When using ChatGPT without an account, OpenAI will not store requests, and will not use the data for model training. Additionally, users’ IP addresses are obscured to prevent their sessions from being linked together. For those who choose to connect their account, OpenAI’s data-use policies apply.
+ Related content:
@wsj (10/23/24): Apple’s Craig Federighi Explains Apple Intelligence Delays, Siri’s Future and More | WSJ.
🙂
☑️ #222 Dec 6, 2024 🔴 rumor
Apple’s in-house modem system
bloomberg.com: [Excerpts] Apple Plans Three-Year Modem Rollout in Bid to Top Qualcomm.
Company plans first modem in 2025 and high-end version in 2026
Initial chip, in iPhone SE, won’t match Qualcomm capabilities
Sinope, 2025
The first Apple modem will also only support four-carrier aggregation, a technology that combines bands from several wireless providers simultaneously to increase network capacity and speeds. Modems from Qualcomm can support six or more carriers at the same time.
Ganymede, 2026
In 2026, Apple looks to get closer to Qualcomm’s capabilities with its second-generation modem, which will start appearing in higher-end products. This chip, Ganymede, is expected to go into the iPhone 18 line that year, as well as upscale iPads by 2027
The big difference is that Ganymede will catch up to current Qualcomm modems by adding support for mmWave, download speeds of 6 gigabits per second, six-carrier aggregation when using Sub-6, and eight-carrier aggregation when using mmWave.
Prometheus, 2027
In 2027, Apple aims to roll out its third modem, code-named Prometheus. The company hopes to top Qualcomm with that component’s performance and artificial intelligence features by that point. It will also build in support for next-generation satellite networks.
+ Related content:
bloomberg.com: [Excerpts] Apple Explores Macs, Headsets With Built-In Cellular Data.
For years, Apple engineers and designers complained that the Qualcomm modem and related parts took up too much space in the iPhone. So the company designed the new modem, code-named Sinope, to be more tightly integrated with other in-house components. That means it requires less space and less battery power.
By using its own modem, Apple is able to create a smartphone that’s about 2 millimeters thinner than an iPhone 16 Pro, while still having room for the battery, display and camera system. Over time, the shift could allow for other new designs. That includes foldable devices — a concept Apple continues to explore.
🙂
☑️ #221 Dec 4, 2024 🔴 rumor
Apple’s intention to invest $1 billion in Indonesia
bkpm.go.id: [Pending press release] Indonesian Investment Minister Rosan Roeslani said Thursday that Apple plans manufacturing plant investment.
"We will discuss with them some more ... our hope is for everything to be announced in the next week after receiving a written commitment from them,"
Apple has faced a recent ban on its iPhone 16 due to failure to meet the "local content" requirements.
+ Related content:
@NikkeiAsia (12/3/24): Indonesian Minister of Investment Rosan Roeslani has said tech giant Apple has expressed an intention to invest $1 billion in the country, 10 times the amount it offered last month, in a bid to overturn a ban on iPhone 16 sales.
🙂
☑️ #220 Nov 30, 2024
Digital payments
u/xyst: Received an e-mail stating T&C updated recently:
We’ve made a few updates to the Apple Pay & Wallet Terms & Conditions. Here’s a summary of the key changes:
We have simplified our Terms and Conditions for Apple Pay and Wallet so that your review and agreement of these Terms and Conditions is effective across all of your Apple devices.
For our US customers, Apple Pay is a service provided by Apple Payments Services LLC, a subsidiary of Apple Inc.
Our Terms and Conditions now include standard assignment provisions.
Anybody here understand the reasoning behind this? Is the recent litigation against banks and Apple Pay a possible reason (ie, reducing impact to LLC)? Or is this a direct cause of the CFPB ruling to bring oversight to digital payments [1]?
[1] https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-final...
+ Related content:
apple.com: Apple Pay & Wallet Terms and Conditions.
consumerfinance.gov (11/21/24): [Excerpt] CFPB Finalizes Rule on Federal Oversight of Popular Digital Payment Apps to Protect Personal Data, Reduce Fraud, and Stop Illegal “Debanking”.
Today's rule represents the latest step to strengthen oversight of large technology firms in consumer financial markets. The CFPB warned Big Tech firms in 2022 about their obligations under consumer protection laws when using behavioral targeting for financial products. The CFPB also issued a report about how funds held in some popular apps are not protected by federal deposit insurance, and advised consumers to regularly move their funds to an insured account. The CFPB also published research about regulations imposed by Apple and Google in the “tap-to-pay” market.
🙂
☑️ #219 Nov 27, 2024
Has Apple senior leadership tried visiting one of their stores recently?
@_saagarjha/status: Has Apple senior leadership tried visiting one of their stores recently? It’s such a miserable experience. I wanted to get a pair of AirPods so I went to grab a box from the wall (now labelled “Self Service” and with an App Clip code to pay, lol). Surprisingly there is only one?
⚡️
2/13 I look closer.
It’s not a real AirPods box.
It’s a fake labeled “display only”. In the self-service area. Next to all sorts of other boxes you can just pull off the shelf and buy. In true Apple fashion, the label is on the underside so you can’t see it until you pick it up.
3/13 I trudge over to the store greeters, who are thankfully unoccupied because it’s not that busy today. They point me to another dude all the way across the store. Apparently *he* is the AirPods salesman. If you want stuff for your ears, you talk to him. Nobody else.
4/13 I make my way in that direction and as if on cue this guy starts walking away. No matter. I’ve done enough boss fights to know that this must be the phase where you chase after them. I have trained for this moment. I will not be bested in speed.
5/13 The guy has his back to me and stops to straighten a keyboard for the new Mac mini. A fatal mistake; in a flash I am on him. He turns and I do not hesitate.
“Hi, I’d like to buy AirPods? Can you help me with that?”
6/13 He freezes for a moment. I have caught him unawares, and he’s only gotten halfway through putting his Apple Retail smile back on his face. But he’s trained for this, and it’s only a fleeting instant before he regains his composure and the artificial grin with it.
7/13 “Absolutely! Just wait here and let me get someone who can help you out!”
I was complacent. The information was bad, and I was a fool to have trusted it. *Of course* this guy would have backup. Only an idiot would stand their ground and face me alone. Bah, I’ve ruined it!
8/13 I sputter something about ANC but he’s already gone. The seconds turn to minutes as I’m left to stew in my own thoughts. How to challenge such an opponent? The boxes taunt me from the shelf, as if reveling in my failure. There’s nothing to do but wait. Maybe doomscroll a little.
9/13 I spot her out of the corner of my eye. She hasn’t made herself obvious yet, but her armament makes it clear who she is here for. She wields weapons in triplicate, slowly but deliberately combing the aisles to locate my presence. I know her stratagem, I am ready. I call her over.
10/13 The first move is hers: I can’t show my hand early.
“Hi! I didn’t know which one you wanted, so I brought them all. Here’s the AirPods Pro, and here’s the two AirPods models.”
With the last word, her gaze flits over to me, scanning for weakness. I will not give her an opening.
11/13 “Yeah, with noise cancelling. Mhm.”
I know her attack and I move to counter. I know all about these AirPods already. Nonetheless, she makes a final, desperate attempt.
“So the AirPods are actually new, but AirPods Pro have rub–“
I cut her off. It’s time for the finishing blow.
12/13 Yeah, I want to buy the AirPods with ANC.”
It’s a direct shot at full power. There’s nowhere to hide; she knows it’s finished as well as I. The rest is just a formality. I make my move–not to my pocket, but to my watch. I have bested this ordeal, and I *will* be getting my 3%.
13/13 Total time, ten minutes. Could be worse for a glitchless run, but definitely not what I was hoping for. I take some small solace in playing with the Mac minis. They are cute, but definitely not something I came equipped to handle. That will have to wait for another day.
🙂
☑️ #218 Nov 26, 2024
Mercedes-Benz introduces new App for Apple Watch
media.mbusa.com : [Excerpt] Mercedes-Benz is enhancing the digital customer experience with the introduction of its popular Mercedes-Benz app features on the Apple Watch – responding to customer demand. This new integration allows owners to interact with their vehicles seamlessly, without needing to access their smartphone. Key functionalities and features include real-time access to vehicle range based on its current location, as well as battery or fuel levels. The Mercedes-Benz app on Apple Watch also enables users to remotely locate their vehicle and lock or unlock it from a distance. In addition, owners can use the app to check that the vehicle's windows are properly closed after leaving the car.
🙂
☑️ #217 Nov 22, 2024
CMA publishes provisional findings in Mobile Browsers and Cloud Gaming market investigation
gov.uk [Excerpt] Findings by an independent inquiry group suggest Apple’s policies are holding back innovation in the browsers we use to access the web on mobile phones.
The CMA opened its investigation following its Mobile Ecosystems Market Study in 2021, which found that Apple and Google have an effective duopoly on mobile ecosystems, including operating systems, app stores and web browsers on mobile devices. This puts Apple and Google in a position to set the rules on how mobile browsers can work on iOS and Android devices respectively.
The group has provisionally found that Apple’s rules restrict other competitors from being able to deliver new, innovative features that could benefit consumers. Other browser providers have highlighted concerns that they have been unable to offer a full range of browser features, such as faster webpage loading on iPhone. Many smaller UK app developers also told us that they would like to use progressive web apps – an alternative way for businesses to provide apps to mobile users without downloading apps through an app store – but this technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices. In addition, the group has provisionally found that a revenue-sharing agreement between Google and Apple significantly reduces their financial incentives to compete in mobile browsers on iOS.
🙂
☑️ #216 Nov 22, 2024 🔴 rumor
A19 processor
@dnystedt: Apple has already locked up TSMC’s 2nm output for 2025 and is widely expected to use the advanced process for its next-generation A19 Pro processor, media report, which will go inside the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The report cites investment bank analysts. 1/3 $AAPL $TSM #iPhone #iPhone17 #semiconductor #semiconductors https://udn.com/news/story/7240/8371364
⚡️
2/3 Another report says: Apple’s iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will both use a next-generation made using TSMC’s latest 3nm process, N3P, citing Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu. -iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max will use the A19 Pro, also made on N3P -iPhone 16 uses the A18 chip, made on TSMC’s N3E process -iPhone 15 Pro uses the A17, made on TSMC’s N3B process. $AAPL $TSM #iPhone17 #iPhone #semiconductors #semiconductor https://news.xfastest.com/apple/146273/apple-iphone-17-n3p/
3/3 In September, media reported that the iPhone 18, due out in 2026, will have the first TSMC 2nm chip inside.
🙂
☑️ #215 Nov 12, 2024
Commission and national authorities call on Apple to stop geo-blocking practices on Apple Media Services
ec.europa.eu: [Excerpt] Today, following a coordinated investigation at European level, the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network of national consumer authorities and the European Commission notified Apple of several potentially prohibited geo-blocking practices that the CPC Network has identified on certain Apple Media Services, namely App Store, Apple Arcade, Music, iTunes Store, Books and Podcasts. The network requested Apple to align their practices with the EU's anti-geo-blocking rules.
The CPC Network's action against Apple is led by the competent national authorities of Belgium (Directorate General for Economic Inspection), Germany (Bundesnetzagentur) and Ireland (Competition and Consumer Protection Commission), under the coordination of the European Commission.
+ Continue reading
🙂
☑️ #214 Nov 9, 2024
Mini history
@BasicAppleGuy: Mini Mac mini port history
+ Related content:
@hardwarefyi (update; 11/14/24): An interesting design detail on the Mac Mini’s power supply unit (PSU): star shaped solder joints. The star-shaped solder pad design dates back to a 2005 patent (WO2005122655A2) which introduced it as a way to streamline assembly for boards combining SMD and through-hole (TH), leaded components. A popular theory suggests the star shape is an optimized stencil design for the pin-in-paste reflow process used with through-hole (TH) components. Since TH components need more solder than SMDs, the stencil is enlarged beyond the pad size to allow extra paste, which wicks into the through-hole. The star pattern could distribute paste efficiently, reducing overall use and cutting costs
🙂
☑️ #213 Nov 4, 2024
European Digital Markets Act (DMA): Apple’s Non-Confidential Summary of DMA Compliance Report
@EU_Commission: Apple published a compliance report detailing the measures taken to ensure iPadOS complies with the #DMA.
We will now assess whether they meet the obligations.
Read the public version of the report: digital-markets-act-cases.ec.europa.eu/reports/compliance-reports
⚡️
@EU_Commission: Apple must ensure its iPadOS complies with the obligations under the Digital Markets Act.
Among others, Apple must:
Allow users to set their default web browser
Permit alternative app stores
Ensure accessory devices can access iPadOS features ↓
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/mex_24_5662
+ Related content:
apple.com/legal/dma: [Excerpt] This page includes information relevant to the EU Digital Markets Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/1925 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2022 on contestable and fair markets in the digital sector and amending Directives (EU) 2019/1937 and (EU) 2020/1828) (the DMA).
The European Commission has designated Apple as a gatekeeper under the DMA in relation to iOS, App Store, and Safari on 5 September 2023, and in relation to iPadOS on 29 April 2024.
europa.eu (4/29/24): Commission designates Apple's iPadOS under the Digital Markets Act.
💲 EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENT: Oct 31, 2024
Apple reports fourth quarter results (FY 2024)
iPhone drives record September quarter revenue
Services revenue reaches new all-time high
⇢ Related content:
⇢ Some reactions (Before & After):
@KoyfinCharts: $AAPL Over the last 10 years, Apple has repurchased $690 billion in stock and has reduced its outstanding sharecount by 36%
☑️ #212 Oct 30, 2024
The new MacBook Pro
@Apple: The new MacBook Pro | Built for Apple Intelligence | Apple.
🙂
☑️ #212 Oct 30, 2024
Dramatization. Do not attempt
@Apple: M4 chip | No Sweat | Apple.
🙂
☑️ #211 Oct 29, 2024
The new Mac Mini
+ Related content:
Apple’s all-new Mac mini is more mighty, more mini, and built for Apple Intelligence
@VadimYuryev: WHAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!
The M4 Mac mini is STILL only $599 with 16GB of RAM and the full 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU M4 chip.
I was expecting them to raise the price by $100. I can't believe how GOOD this value is!!!
🙂
☑️ #210 Oct 24, 2024
Stay tuned
@gregjoz: Mac (😉) your calendars! We have an exciting week of announcements ahead, starting on Monday morning. Stay tuned.
+ Related content:
@gregjoz (10/28/24): With the power of M4, the capabilities of Apple Intelligence, an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, and gorgeous colors, iMac is better than ever. apple.com/newsroom/2024/10/apple-introduces-new-imac-supercharged-by-m4-and-apple-intelligence/
🙂
☑️ #209 Oct 24, 2024
Security research on Private Cloud Compute
security.apple.com: Apple Security Bounty for Private Cloud Compute.
To further encourage your research in Private Cloud Compute, we’re expanding Apple Security Bounty to include rewards for vulnerabilities that demonstrate a compromise of the fundamental security and privacy guarantees of PCC.
Our new PCC bounty categories are aligned with the most critical threats we describe in the Security Guide:
Accidental data disclosure: vulnerabilities leading to unintended data exposure due to configuration flaws or system design issues.
External compromise from user requests: vulnerabilities enabling external actors to exploit user requests to gain unauthorized access to PCC.
Physical or internal access: vulnerabilities where access to internal interfaces enables a compromise of the system.
Because PCC extends the industry-leading security and privacy of Apple devices into the cloud, the rewards we offer are comparable to those for iOS. We award maximum amounts for vulnerabilities that compromise user data and inference request data outside the PCC trust boundary.
+ Apple Security Bounty (max. bounty):
Remote attack on request data
Arbitrary code execution with arbitrary entitlements
$1,000,000
Access to a user's request data or sensitive information about the user's requests outside the trust boundar
$250,000
Attack on request data from a privileged network position
Access to a user's request data or other sensitive information about the user outside the trust boundary
$150,000
Ability to execute unattested code
$100,000
Accidental or unexpected data disclosure due to deployment or configuration issue
$50,000
🙂
☑️ #208 Oct 23, 2024 🔴 rumor
Apple Sharply Scales Back Production of Vision Pro
theinformation.com: [Excerpt] Apple has sharply scaled back production of its Vision Pro mixed reality headset since the early summer and could stop making the existing version of the device entirely by year end, according to multiple people directly involved in building components for the device.
The move suggests that Apple has enough inventory built up to meet demand for the foreseeable future. It follows Apple's decision earlier this year to focus on building a model that's cheaper than the current version-which retails for $3,500—for possible release by the end of 2025, as The Information has previously revorted.
+ Related content:
@EugeneNg_VCap: Apple Vision Pro apps.
🙂
☑️ #207 Oct 22, 2024 🔴 rumor
Report: CFPB Set to Fine Goldman Sachs $50 Million After Credit Card Probe
pymnts.com: [Excerpt] Goldman Sachs disclosed in August 2022 that it was cooperating with an investigation by the CFPB into its credit card business, PYMNTS reported at the time.
The investment banker said in a regulatory filing that the CFPB probe was looking at its “credit card account management practices, including with respect to the application of refunds, crediting of nonconforming payments, billing error resolution, advertisements, and reporting to credit bureaus.”
At the time, Goldman Sachs offered two credit cards via partnerships with Apple and General Motors, but it was unclear which card was the focus of the investigation.
The federal investigation into Goldman Sachs’ credit card business apparentlyexpanded by February 2023.

+ Related content:
wsj.com (10/22/24): Goldman Sachs Faces CFPB Fine Over Credit-Card Business. An enforcement action is expected as soon as this week pertaining to bank’s Apple credit-card program.
🙂
☑️ #206 Oct 21, 2024
Tim Cook on Why Apple’s Huge Bets Will Pay Off
wsj.com: [Excerpt] The CEO of the world’s most valuable company led two of the biggest product launches of his tenure this year—and believes they will be as life-changing for the rest of us as they are for him.

🙂
☑️ #205 Oct 15, 2024
ChatGPT + iPad mini
apple.com: [Excerpt] With ChatGPT integrated into experiences within iPadOS 18, users have the option to access its expertise, as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities, within Siri and Writing Tools without needing to jump between tools. And privacy protections are built in so a user’s IP address is obscured, and OpenAI won’t store requests. Users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and ChatGPT’s data-use policies apply for those who choose to connect their account.
+ Related content:
bloomberg.com (update; 10/20/24): [excerpt] Apple’s New iPad Mini Highlights the Company’s Secret AI Advantage. And yet, Apple Intelligence won’t actually launch until about five days after the new iPad hits stores on Oct. 23. That means early buyers will need to install the software upgrade at home, potentially irking some customers. But given how easy Apple operating system updates are these days, it’s not a big deal.
The bigger obstacle is that the first Apple Intelligence features are underwhelming — with the more impressive capabilities coming later. In the iPad mini marketing on Apple’s website, the company spotlights four features; three of them aren’t launching until between December and March.
🙂
☑️ #204 Oct 7, 2024
Submerged, the first scripted film in Apple Immersive Video
@Apple: Submerged — Official Trailer | Apple Vision Pro.
A WWII submarine crew combats a harrowing torpedo attack in this adrenaline-pumping thrill ride. From filmmaker Edward Berger, director of the Academy Award® winning All Quiet on the Western Front.
+ Related content:
Apple debuts the first scripted film captured in Apple Immersive Video and reveals new immersive films for Apple Vision Pro: [Excerpt] New episodes, films, series, and concerts captured in Apple Immersive Video are set to debut later this year, with more coming early next year.
@Apple: The Making of Submerged | Apple Vision Pro. A behind the scenes look at Submerged, the first scripted film in Apple Immersive Video. Join Academy Award® Winners Edward Berger and James Friend on set as they break down the entire filmmaking process for Apple Vision Pro. From writing and directing, to cinematography and production design, take a deep dive into a new format of storytelling.
🙂
☑️ #203 Oct 10, 2024
Apple TV+ is launching on Prime Video in the US
Apple TV+ will be available on Amazon's Prime Video in the United States starting in late October, with an add-on subscription of $9.99 per month, Amazon said in a statement on Thursday.
The company added Prime members will not have to download any additional app beyond Prime Video.
The subscription can be canceled at any time, Amazon stressed.
"As we continue to expand our offering and make it easy for customers to personalize their streaming experience directly in one app, we are proud to welcome Apple TV+ and its popular and critically-acclaimed shows, films and events to Prime Video," Mike Hopkins, senior vice president and head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios,
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☑️ #202 Oct 8, 2024
Catastrophic hack of AT&T and Verizon is proof Apple is right about iPhone encryption
bgr.com [Excerpt] What seems clear is that the Chinese hackers breached the surveillance systems that carriers like AT&T and Verizon have in place to comply with court orders related to criminal and national security investigations. It’s essentially a backdoor that only certain people have access to. These would be so-called “good guys” who work in the interest of regular users.
The involved parties have yet to comment on the alleged Salt Typhoon campaign, which is under investigation. As expected, China has already denied involvement in the attack.
🔹Related content:
U.S. Wiretap Systems Targeted in China-Linked Hack (10/5/24): [Excerpt] For months or longer, the hackers might have held access to network infrastructure used to cooperate with lawful U.S. requests for communications data, according to people familiar with the matter, which amounts to a major national security risk. The attackers also had access to other tranches of more generic internet traffic, they said.
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☑️ #201 Oct 7, 2024
M4 MacBook Pro?
@markgurman: Unconfirmed but looks fairly legitimate: a Russian YouTube channel claims to have the yet to be announced M4 MacBook Pro and gave it a full unboxing and hands-on. We’ve seen prototypes leak early but never a full retail Apple device weeks in advance.
🔹Related content:
@VadimYuryev: BREAKING: Apple's M4 chip is now confirmed to be the fastest mass production chip in the world in terms of single-core performance!
Cinebench 2024 Single-core:
Lunar Lake: 121 X
Elite 84-100: 133
M3 Max: 141
Intel i9-14900KS: 143
M4: 174
INSANELY Fast!
🟩 SP5 > Apple > Latest > AAPL 0.00%↑