Less than a month after its initial announcement, ChatGPT has started rolling out ads for users on its free and Go tiers. For now, the ads will only appear for 18+ users in the US.
With this move, ChatGPT becomes the first major AI chatbot to introduce advertising.
On the latest episode of the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple makes a pretty bold move by adding third-party AI coding tools to Xcode. This will make it easier for professional developers to deal with drudge work.
It also makes it simpler for beginners to write their own apps. With AI in Xcode, anyone with a good idea can make their coding dream come true. And this raises all kinds of questions …
Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:
Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
iOS 26 is the most controversial iPhone update in many years. That includes dislike of the Liquid Glass design, but there are also plenty of reports of performance problems. That makes iOS 27 such an important update — Apple needs to fix bugs and maybe even find a way to deal with those unsatisfied with the new look of the operating system.
Early reports indicate Apple made fixing iOS 26 problems a focus of the next major update. But which models get iOS 27? And who gets left out in the cold? Here’s what we know now.
“Love is a many-splendored thing,” goes the old saying — like a multifaceted, intricately cut diamond. Fortunately, your valentine probably doesn’t expect a diamond for a gift on February 14 (hopefully, for the sake of your wallet). But you can still spend loads of cash on Apple’s picks for Valentine’s Day gifts. We selected a bunch below.
February 9, 1993: NeXT Inc., the company Steve Jobs founded after being pushed out of Apple, quits making computers. The company changes its name to NeXT Software and focuses its efforts entirely on producing code for other platforms.
In a mass layoff, 330 of NeXT’s 500 employees lose their jobs in an event known internally as “Black Tuesday.” Cruelly, many people hear of their fate on the radio.
Apple Creator Studio and Adobe Creative Cloud take very different approaches to creative software. One focuses on deep hardware integration and streamlined workflows, while the other prioritizes breadth, flexibility and industry-standard tools.
Both of these subscription app bundles promise powerful creative capabilities. However, which one actually makes more sense depends on your requirements, capabilities and workflow.
Our guide to Apple Creator Studio versus Adobe Creative Cloud will help you decide which bundle is right for you.
Apple TV continued its awards season momentum at the 78th Annual Directors Guild Awards Sunday night, taking home wins for breakout comedy series The Studio, acclaimed documentary series Mr. Scorsese and commercial “I’m Not Remarkable.”
For Apple enthusiasts, one Mac is great — but two or more? That’s when things get seriously interesting. Years of Cult of Mac Setups coverage has showcased hundreds of impressive workstations. But these top 10 multi-Mac setups stand out as particularly fascinating examples of how power users leverage Apple’s ecosystem to its fullest potential.
From new M4-powered machines paired with vintage “trash can” Mac Pros to dual MacBook configurations seamlessly integrated with desktop Macs, these workstations demonstrate that having multiple Macs isn’t just about redundancy. It’s about optimizing workflow, separating concerns and yes, indulging in a bit of Apple-fandom excess.
Reports of Apple launching new M5 Pro-powered MacBook Pros have been circulating for a while now. With shipments of the M4 Pro/Max models delayed by a few weeks, all signs point to an imminent launch.
But exactly when will Apple make its move? Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has now offered a more concrete timeline.
February 8, 2010: Apple CEO Steve Jobs reportedly flips out over a tweet sent from an iPad by an editor at The Wall Street Journal.
The reason? Apple showed the iPad to top staffers at the news outlet months ahead of its official release. While Jobs already unveiled the device to the public a couple of weeks before, the suggestion that people outside Apple gained early access to the tablet apparently upset him.
The iPad tweet quickly disappears.
With Apple reportedly redesigning the MacBook Pro, it’s time to bring back the beloved glowing Apple logo on the back of the laptop.
Not only is it an iconic look, reviving a signature feature from the MacBooks of old would make a statement that Apple has returned to making laptops as good as the ones made back in the days when you could easily recognize a MacBook from across the room by its glowing Apple logo.
The Keychron K8 is a customizable, no-nonsense mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable switches, wireless flexibility and a premium build.
It’s wildly customizable, so you can make it work (and look) the way you want it to. Plus, it’s on sale now from Cult of Mac Deals for just $79.99 (MSRP $109.99).
February 7, 1981: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is involved in a serious plane crash in California, resulting in his first lengthy leave of absence from the company.
At the time, Wozniak is flying a turbocharged, single-engine, six-seat Beechcraft Bonanza A36TC. In the plane with Woz is his fiancé, Candi Clark, her brother and her brother’s girlfriend. Fortunately, nobody dies in the crash, although Woz suffers minor head injuries.
All the tiny signs, symbols and icons on the Apple Music app’s Now Playing screen lack labels — and it’s not obvious at all what they do. Do you know what tapping the infinity symbol does? How about the two wavy lines?
This quick guide runs through all the Apple Music buttons and controls, so you can get acclimated to its interface. Keep reading or watch our short video.
Apple AirTag deal alert! Now that second-gen AirTags are here, the original model is on close-out. A four-pack of these essential Bluetooth trackers now costs a whopping 35% less than the list price on Amazon right now.
That means you can currently pick up an AirTags four-pack for $64, or $35.99 off. That’s $16 apiece — not the usual $29.
Apple built a reputation for meticulous design consistency, but a growing number of users keep noticing cracks in that polished facade. A recent social media discussion highlights how longtime Apple fans wonder why delete buttons vary so much across iOS apps.
“Steve Jobs would be absolutely livid about the state of Apple UIs today,” wrote one irate user about the steadily less-consistent state of the iOS user interface.
February 6, 1985: Frustrated by Apple’s shifting priorities, co-founder Steve Wozniak leaves the company to pursue outside interests.
His departure — which comes the same year that Steve Jobs leaves Apple to form NeXT — represents yet another big change for the company. The move mostly stems from Woz’s dissatisfaction with how management treated the Apple II division. However, his desire to start a new company also plays a role.
Apple pulled back on its ambitious plans for an AI-powered virtual health coach service, shifting focus to integrating planned features gradually into its existing Health app, according to a new report.
Apple will reportedly unveil the iPhone 17e on February 19, exactly a year after the iPhone 16e and less than two weeks from now. It will apparently announce the device through a press release, with no press event planned.
The refresh focus will seemingly focus on incremental upgrades rather than major design changes.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said he’s excited about the “new categories of products and services that are enabled through AI” during a meeting with company employees Thursday.
He didn’t go into specifics, but some of the new AI-powered devices reportedly on drawing boards at Apple headquarters have already leaked out. Here’s what’s coming.
February 5, 2008: Six months after the first-gen iPhone went on sale, Apple releases a new version with a whopping 16GB of storage.
“For some users, there’s never enough memory,” says Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of worldwide iPod and iPhone product marketing, in a statement. “Now people can enjoy even more of their music, photos and videos on the most revolutionary mobile phone and best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world.”
When it comes to the best smartphone battery life, nothing beats the iPhone 17 Pro Max. That’s the judgement of a comparison of 35 smartphones from a range of companies. But the Apple model that comes in second might surprise you.
Not a single Samsung model showed up on the Top 10 list, but OnePlus did fairly well.
Apple currently weighs the option of using a more durable display protection solution for its first foldable iPhone, according to a new report. The tougher film would offer better scratch resistance than what Samsung currently uses in its Galaxy Z Fold and other devices.
Anker Solix adds an ambitious new entry to the residential energy storage market with the Solix E10 whole-home backup system, the company said Wednesday. Anker’s direct challenge to established players like Tesla’s Powerwall, the new system offers homeowners multiple ways to maintain power during outages while potentially reducing energy costs.
★★★★☆
Stop connecting your Mac to TVs with a cumbersome cable. The Belkin ConnectAir Wireless HDMI Display Adapter saves you from needing to stretch a wire across your living room, classroom or conference room.
All it takes is plugging one component into the USB-C port on your Mac, iPad or iPhone and the other component into the HDMI port on any TV. Now you’re ready to watch a movie.
I put the new accessory to the test, including its promise of plug-and-play connectivity. Here’s how it performed.