Apple Maps is renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America. Change is rolling out now.

US: Lake America
Canada: Lake Ontario
International: Both names

Pu believes the softer-than-expected demand is due to limited spec upgrades and higher pricing, particularly for the larger storage tiers. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the U.S. and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299, with prices as high as $2,399 and $2,499 for the 2TB models, respectively.

Pu also expects the iPhone 18 Pro Max to lose some buyers to the iPhone Duo, whose pre-orders begin on October 16, with availability from October 23. Prices for the Duo start at $1,999 for the 256GB model, rising to $3,199 for the 2TB option.

It’s going to be a compromised, more expensive product, that has more weaknesses than strengths, and is just a worse version of an iphone that just converts into a worse version of a smaller iPad.

My iphone pro max screen is big enough for 95% of use cases… if I want a bigger screen I just use my iPad or Apple Vision Pro, and if I need to multitask or do proper work, I use my MacBook Pro…

It seems like they want this to do ALL of the things, but it’s just not going to do any of them as well.

​

>“We really worked on the torque profile very heavily, and that means changing a lot of the mechanical properties of the hinge to have it feel solid, like a high-end automobile's car door, when you shut it. That was design intent, so people would have a feeling like, ‘Oh, it's okay. This is well crafted, and it's safe for me to use and not worry about it.’

>And then, as you said, we have a lot of use cases where the Duo is [in a half-folded state]. And so we also had to think, ‘Can people interact with this [device] and not have it feel floppy?’ So getting those torque profiles right at both those ends, as well as in the middle — not having it feel like you're pulling something open, and not feeling as if it's floppy — we spent a lot of time optimizing that. So thank you for noticing, because a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into that.”

>“Hold us accountable to that, please […] The choice of a matte finish — apart from it being beautiful — is part of that equation. When you look at glossy displays, their specularity makes it very easy to pick up topology differences. That’s part of the reason we picked the matte finish — it’s not only beautiful in terms of preventing glare, but it’s also more forgiving of [topology] changes over time.”

Team,

Today is my last day as CEO of Apple. This is a moment I always knew would come one day, and yet it is still hard to believe it has arrived and I am writing these words. I love this company and the team behind it, and I couldn’t let this day pass without sending a note to you, to tell you how grateful I am for the outpouring of affection you’ve sent my way, for the way you’ve shown up each and every day, and most of all, for the privilege of a lifetime serving as your leader.

The truth is, whatever there is to say about my success, I know it is all because of you. You have brought out the best in me. In all my life, I have never seen or been with such an extraordinary team of people before, and every day I get to see more examples of that.

There is something truly special about Apple. I am most proud of what an annual report could never capture. This place is proof that culture triumphs over everything. We share a belief that what we build matters, and that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. That purpose is part of what makes this place extraordinary. Apple helps nurture it, but I believe it lived within each of you long before you arrived here. It is what brought you to this company and what continues to drive the work you do every day. Together, we have created something far greater than any one of us could have imagined or accomplished alone. And that’s the secret to our success. We bring out the best in each other. We lift each other up. We have made it possible to leave our “dent in the universe,” as Steve once described it, because of who we are and what we believe, because of what we value and how we see the world. How fortunate we are. How fortunate I am.

As you know, I am not leaving Apple. But I am stepping away from a role that I have loved deeply. I will miss this work in ways I can only begin to imagine, even as I remain completely at peace with my decision. I will miss leading you and being with you for every step, even as I take enormous comfort in handing the helm to someone as brilliant and wonderful and capable as John. Few people understand what it takes to build products that change the world the way John does and I could not be more excited for his leadership.

I hope you know how much I appreciate you and what an honor it has been to be your CEO. Most of all, I hope you will continue to be proud to be part of this remarkable place we call Apple and always give it your very best. When we bring our whole selves to this work, with care for one another and for the people we serve, there is no limit to the profound difference we can make.

I look forward to seeing you in my new role at Apple Park and around the world.

With all I have and all I am, I am always

Yours,

Tim

iPhone owners are sticking with the platform at a higher rate than a year ago, with new research firm CIRP putting iPhone loyalty at 87% for the first quarter of 2026.

Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI today, accusing the company of trade secret theft. Specifically, Apple alleges that its former employees have stolen trade secrets “for the benefit of OpenAI.”

“This case is about Apple’s former employees stealing Apple’s trade secrets for the benefit of OpenAI. Apple brings this suit to put a stop to it,” the lawsuit says.

In a statement to 9to5Mac, an Apple spokesperson said:

“At Apple, our teams are constantly developing breakthrough technologies to create the best products and services in the world, and protecting their work and intellectual property is something we take very seriously. Recently, significant evidence has emerged suggesting individuals employed by OpenAI wrongfully took Apple’s secret and confidential information regarding our unreleased technologies, processes, and products. We will always defend our teams’ hard work and innovations, and we are taking all appropriate steps to do so.”

Update 3:30pm PT: In a statement to Bloomberg, an OpenAI spokesperson said:

“We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.”

Last March, RevenueCat released part one of its State of Subscription Apps 2026 report, offering interesting insights into the sustainability of the subscription app market.

Now, the company has published part two of its report, which focuses on subscriber retention and the challenge of winning users back after they cancel.

According to the report, “more than half of trial cancellations now happen on the first day,” with the churn rate dramatically dropping below 10% for apps with 30-day and 14-day trials after Day 2.

Perhaps more importantly, the report shows that winning back users who cancel annual subscriptions is a tough task. RevenueCat says that “annual reactivation sits at just 5%,” while “monthly subscribers come back at 4× the rate.”

MapQuest is in the spotlight this week after refusing to change "Lake Ontario" to "Lake America" on its map, following an executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump last week. As of Monday morning, the MapQuest app is the top free iPhone app on Apple's App Store charts in Canada, and fourth on the equivalent U.S. chart.

Will this affect the cheaper entry priced iPhones in Spring ?

Looks like there’s no way to finance a new phone over 24 months unlocked.

Team,

Today, on my first day as CEO, I just wanted to send a quick note to thank everyone for the warm wishes. I also want to extend my deep appreciation to Tim for sharing so much of his knowledge and experience during this transition, and more importantly, for everything he contributed to Apple over the years. We’re so lucky to have had a CEO who led with his values and with such decency and humanity. We are all better for it, and I’m so grateful he’ll be our executive chairman.

I’m honored to be stepping into this role at what is truly the greatest company in the world, and I am so excited about everything we have in store. We have a huge launch next week that’s going to be phenomenal. Thanks for everything you’ve all done to make it possible.

I’m just as excited about what lies beyond that, including the incredible products already in the works and the ones we haven’t even imagined yet that we’ll dream up and create together. There’s no team in the world I’d rather build the future with.

More to come. In the meantime, thanks for your excellent work!

John

I find it amazing how Such small things transform the industry. I’m sure Samsung fan boys are raging lol

Apple has raised the price of Apple Music today in the United States and other countries. Apple has also increased the price of select Apple One bundles.

Apple Music * Individual: $11.99 (up from $10.99) * Family: $19.99 (up from $16.99) * Student: $6.99 (up from $5.99)

Apple One * Individual: $19.95 (unchanged) * Family: $27.95 (up from $25.95) * Premier: $39.95 (up from $37.95)

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman offers a detailed recap of the foldable iPhone. In particular, he says he has “spoken to several people” who have used the device. Those people say they like these things in particular:

1. How well it fits in a pocket. Rumors say it has a 5.5-inch outer display.
2. The durability of the hinge.
3. The new “iPad-like app layouts” that take full advantage of the inner display, which reports suggest measures around 7.8 inches and is wider than it is tall.
4. How well it serves as a “camera viewfinder.”

Last March, Apple was hit with a class action lawsuitafter delaying the launch of the “more personalized Siri” that was first announced at WWDC 2024.

Apple agreed to settle the case in December, and the full settlement terms are now available.

Apple is set to pay $250 million to settle the lawsuit, equating to an estimated $25 per device. That number could reach up to $95 per device, depending on how many users submit claims.

Ads in Apple Maps are live in the United States and Canada, which means iPhone and iPad users will see them when searching for locations and when viewing Suggested Places.

Apple announced plans to bring ads to the Maps app in March, and said the feature would roll out starting in late summer. Apple confirmed to 9to5Mac that ads began showing up for users over the last few days, with ad placement to ramp up in the coming weeks.

There is no option to turn off ads in the Maps app, but ads are clearly labeled with a blue "Ad" tag. Apple says ads you interact with in the Maps app are not associated with your Apple Account, and data is not shared with third parties.