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How indecision and hubris killed the Apple car

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A Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle
One Apple car prototype reportedly looked something like one of Canoo's microbus-style vehicles.
Photo: Canoo

The history of the Apple car is littered with wild prototypes, astonishing hubris and a deadly dose of crippling indecision, according to a damning report that offers the best picture yet of the secretive Project Titan.

It sounds like many Apple employees — and even key execs — viewed the self-driving car project as a doomed effort nearly from the start.

“The big arc was poor leadership that let the program linger, while everyone else in Apple was cringing,” said an anonymous Apple executive who worked on Project Titan.

If you want to know how a massive research and development project can crash and burn, this new behind-the-scenes account of Project Titan will show you how. It’s filled with gory details of unachievable goals, chaotic management, bad decisions (and sometimes no decisions at all).

Today in Apple History: CarPlay goes for its first drive

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Apple CarPlay in 2014 Volvo
At launch in 2014, CarPlay appeared in Volvo cars, as well as Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari models.
Photo: Volvo

March 3: Today in Apple history: CarPlay goes for its first drive March 3, 2014: With the CarPlay launch, Apple introduces iOS functionality for iPhone users behind the wheel via the car’s in-dash screen.

Showcasing the new car infotainment platform at the Geneva International Auto Show, Apple calls CarPlay “a smarter, safer and more fun way to use iPhone in the car.” Vehicles from Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo are the first off the line to incorporate it.

Apple adds M3 MacBooks and iMac to Self Service Repair program

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Apple's Self Service Repair Program includes M3 MacBook models as iPhone.
Apple's Self Service Repair Program now includes M3 MacBook models as iPhone and other products.
Photo: Apple

The Apple Self Service Repair program just expanded to include MacBooks and iMacs with the M3 processor released in 2023.

The program provides customers access to parts and tools they need to fix their own devices, and already includes many models of iPhone plus earlier Macs. But there are some big gaps.

Apple Arcade’s future: Kids win, but devs fear ‘smell of death’

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Apple Arcade's future is kids games with big names
Games with an established brand aimed at children -- like SpongeBob -- are apparently the future of Apple Arcade.
Photo: Apple/Nickelodeon

Apple Arcade now focuses so heavily on family-friendly titles from well-known franchises that some indie game developers feel abandoned, according to a new report. Some even predict doom — or at least creative stagnation — lies in Apple Arcade’s future if things don’t change.

Cupertino’s shifting priorities leave the developers, who Apple once wooed for the service, with few incentives for creating new Apple Arcade games.

New Apple Sports app gives fans scores and stats for free

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New Apple Sports app
Apple has a new iPhone application for sports fans of all types.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

The new Apple Sports app for iPhone gives fans access to real-time scores, stats and more for their favorite teams across a wide range of sports leagues. The free app launched Wednesday on the App Store.

“We created Apple Sports to give sports fans what they want — an app that delivers incredibly fast access to scores and stats,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, in a statement.

Apple Vision Pro is a magical delight, but I don’t recommend it [Review] ★★★★

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Vision Pro Review: Apple Vision Pro reflected in a mirror.★★★★
Vision Pro is amazing, but I can't recommend you get one.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple Vision Pro is the most amazing technology I’ve experienced in my life. Thanks to the headset’s intuitive interface, it’s as close to mind reading as you can get.

It’s given me magical, highly emotive experiences I haven’t felt with any other technology. Immersive 360-degree videos make you feel like you are actually there — it’s a cliche, but it’s true.

I’m absolutely, unabashedly delighted with Vision Pro. But would I recommend you get one?

Hell no!

Original games for adults and kids launch on Apple Arcade

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'BEAST: Bio Exo Arena Suit Team' is a shooter designed for kids and adults to enjoy.
BEAST: Bio Exo Arena Suit Team is a shooter designed for young and old to enjoy.
Photo: Oh BiBi/Apple Arcade

February brings BEAST: Bio Exo Arena Suit Team, a 3v3 online action game with animal heroes piloting powerful mechanized armor, to Apple Arcade.

Adults might prefer Words in Progress, a puzzle game, which is also newly available for iPhone, Mac and more.

iPhone up, China down: 7 nuggets from Apple’s earnings call

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Photo of an glass Apple Store with the words
Apple eked out a win thanks to strong iPhone sales last quarter. But not everything was rosy.
Photo: Karl Baron/Flickr CC/Modified by Cult of Mac

Apple’s holiday quarter financial results offer good news for investors. iPhone is doing great! And CEO Tim Cook talked about AI. But there’s rotten news coming out of China.

We pored over the results, and listened to the call Apple executives held Thursday with Wall Street analysts, so you don’t have to. Here’s the information you ought to know.

Apple Vision Pro’s biggest problem: It’s highly addictive!

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Screenshot of Apple's 'guided tour' of Vision Pro.
The biggest problem with Vision Pro? It makes the real world boring.
Photo: Apple

Apple has a huge problem with the Vision Pro that no one has talked about: It’s highly addictive!

The astonishing visuals that Apple’s new headset pumps directly into your eyeballs make the real world seem dull, according to Nick Bilton, a Vanity Fair reporter who got behind-the-scenes access for a cover story published Thursday.

In fact, Bilton says Vision Pro is “like a drug” that offers a “dopamine hit.” And an unnamed source in Bilton’s story likens the Vision Pro to “tech fentanyl.”

Here’s a great take on Apple’s plans for opening up the App Store

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Riley Testut pictured in his office
Riley Testut, creator of the original alternative app marketplace.
Photo: Riley Testut

iOS developer Riley Testut, the brains behind AltStore (the original alternative App Store), has a great take on Apple’s plans to open up the App Store in the European Union

This is “everything I’ve been wanting for the past few years,” he said after Apple laid out its plans last week. “Even reading the announcement I was tearing up.”

Testut, who lives in Texas, has a vested interest in Apple loosening its grip on the App Store to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. He’s the co-creator of AltStore, a hacky skunkworks project that enables sideloading of iPhone and iPad apps. Now he’s working to transition AltStore into an officially sanctioned app marketplace that complies with Apple’s new rules.

In an exclusive interview with Cult of Mac, Testut talks about the hidden upside for iPhone owners around the world; the downsides of Apple’s strict new framework and fees; and the joys of making AltStore one of the first legit third-party app marketplaces in the EU.

Testut’s take on Apple’s plans for opening up iOS is perhaps the best to date, and well worth a read.

You can also watch the full interview on YouTube.