John Buck published a book covering the “Apple Technology Group,” a division within Apple that operated back in the 1980s and 1990s and experimented with many forward-looking bits of technology that we take for granted today.
On this week’s MPU, David and I spoke to John about the book and some of the amazing history that took place within this group.
This story by Cabel Sasser is just wild.
With Myke on vacation, Stephen and Federico discuss what’s going on with iPadOS, then cover the news from Google I/O and OpenAI’s recent event.
This is from a lovely blog post by David Smith:
This last year has been a complicated one as an indie app developer. I’ve been in this community for long enough to know that there are always ebbs and flows in sentiment, and this year has lots of reasons to be feeling the ebb side of things. From new policies which introduced tremendous uncertainty and undermine our importance to the ecosystem, to challenging platform launches…there’s a lot to feel conflicted about this year.
But as I wandered through the woods somewhat surprisingly my feelings kept coming back to how excited and eager I was to once again head to Cupertino. I’ve learned that whenever I’m surprised by a feeling, it is a good idea to interrogate it because it’s an opportunity to learn something about myself.
What I came to realize was that the reason I was excited about WWDC had very little to do with the actual announcements themselves, but instead it was all about the people I’ll get to spend the week connecting with.
Separating the Apple community from the company is something that feels more important than ever, and something I hadn’t thought about super clearly before reading this.
MacRumors, on Threads, just four days ago:
Apple’s thinnest device ever.
#ipadpro #bendgate
Tim Hardwick, writing on MacRumors today:
Despite videos indicating that the 2018 iPad Pro models bent more easily than other models, Apple said the bend did not worsen over time or negatively affect the iPad’s performance, and that concerns over the device’s durability were unfounded.
Nevertheless, some iPad owners were understandably upset to find defects in devices that cost hundreds of dollars. Apple naturally wants to avoid a similar scenario with its latest 2024 models.
To allay concerns, in an interview with Arun Maini, Apple’s senior VP of hardware engineering John Ternus reveals that Apple has added a new protective “cowling” over the main logic board. This metal cover not only helps with heat dissipation, but also “effectively creates a central rib that runs through the whole thing and tremendously improves the stiffness of the products,” according to Ternus.
And:
If early reviews are anything to go by, a handful of outlets have noted that the devices do feel particularly durable despite their impressive thinness. Do you have lingering doubts? Let us know in the comments. Pricing on the M4 iPad Pro begins at $999, and it can be purchased from Apple’s website.
Speaking of Jason, I re-read his original iPad Pro review this weekend, and this part really jumped out at me:
But let’s pull back and get the big picture. No, keep pulling back, this thing’s huge. The iPad Pro is a tremendous piece of hardware. It’s the fastest iOS device ever. The screen is spectacular—at 2732 by 2048 pixels, it’s got more pixels than the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro. It weighs a pound and a half and still managed 10 hours of battery life. On the hardware design front, Apple’s firing on all cylinders.
But.
Speaking of Federico, he just published a banger of an article over on MacStories, discussing all the ways that iPadOS is still a mess, 14 years after the launch of the original iPad and 9 years after the launch of the first iPad Pro:
I started using the iPad as my main computer when I was stuck in a hospital bed and couldn’t use a laptop. I kept using it because once you get a taste of that freedom, it’s hard to go back. I will continue using it because none of the alternatives match Apple’s hardware quality, app ecosystem, and pure delight. But loving something doesn’t mean ignoring its flaws. And iPadOS is a flawed operating system that still doesn’t get the basics right and, as a result, drags down the entire product line.
I’m looking forward to the new iPad Pros, but I can’t shake the feeling that the same old iPadOS cycle is about to begin all over again.
I hope the iPadOS team at Apple reads every word of this then prints it out and tapes it to the wall.
Federico and I joined Jason on this week’s perfectly-numbered episode of Upgrade:
The new iPad Pro is here, and Jason is joined by Federico Viticci to discuss the new model, Jason’s review, and the limitations of iPadOS. Stephen Hackett also joins the show not to crush some creative dreams, but to answer your questions.
On Upgrade+, Jason and I ranked every model of iPod nano.
Calling all crossword fans! Black Ink, the beloved Mac app for solving crosswords from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and more, is now available for iOS. Download it from the App Store and enjoy nearly-endless crossword-solving fun on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro.
If those sources aren’t enough, Black Ink now supports two excellent games from Lex Friedman: Lex’s Puzzles, and Lex’s Minis. Lex’s Minis are free for anybody to download and solve, while Lex’s Puzzles (full-sized 15×15) require a Lex.games subscription.
Not so sure about your solving ability? Don’t worry, Black Ink is ready to assist. If you’re stumped, just use one of its built-in features to offer hints or even to reveal a square you are really stuck on.
Rediscover your love of crossword puzzles with Black Ink. It’s free to download and all of its premium features are unlocked with a one-time payment.
Federico and Myke are back from Apple Battersea to join Stephen in grading the group’s picks for this week’s iPad event.
Tripp Mickle, Brian X. Chen and Cade Metz:
Apple is expected to show off its A.I. work at its annual developers conference on June 10 when it releases an improved Siri that is more conversational and versatile, according to three people familiar with the company’s work, who didn’t have permission to speak publicly. Siri’s underlying technology will include a new generative A.I. system that will allow it to chat rather than respond to questions one at a time.
[…]
Apple executives worry that new A.I. technology threatens the company’s dominance of the global smartphone market because it has the potential to become the primary operating system, displacing the iPhone’s iOS software, said two people familiar with the thinking of Apple’s leadership, who didn’t have permission to speak publicly. This new technology could also create an ecosystem of A.I. apps, known as agents, that can order Ubers or make calendar appointments, undermining Apple’s App Store, which generates about $24 billion in annual sales.
While “AI apps and agents” are a ways off — ahem — Apple’s not wrong to think defensively about the iPhone as newer, younger technologies come on the scene.
There is one part of this article that jumped out at me, though:
Apple’s top software executives decided early last year that Siri, the company’s virtual assistant, needed a brain transplant.
The decision came after the executives Craig Federighi and John Giannandrea spent weeks testing OpenAI’s new chatbot, ChatGPT. The product’s use of generative artificial intelligence, which can write poetry, create computer code and answer complex questions, made Siri look antiquated, said two people familiar with the company’s work, who didn’t have permission to speak publicly.
I would bet money that Apple has known Siri needed serious work long before ChatGPT showed up on the scene. If not, then, in the words of Elon Musk… concerning.
Apple has apologized after a commercial meant to showcase its brand-new iPad Pro drew widespread criticism among the creative community. In a statement provided to Ad Age, Tor Myhren, Apple’s vice president of marketing, said the company “missed the mark.”
“Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world,” Myhren told Ad Age. “Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”
As of this writing the ad is still up on Apple’s YouTube channel.