Apple
Apple business and news from across the web.
Latest coverage
Evening Reading - June 17, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers several gaming news items including the launch of Pokemon Champions on mobile, Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions' early access, and Epic Games' stance on generative AI in Unreal Engine 6. It also notes the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 5's first new heist in years and the porting of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 to PlayStation consoles.
Evening Tech Bits
Tim Cook stated that Apple anticipates unavoidable price increases due to a memory crunch. Separately, a breakthrough in quantum error correction is expected by 2028.
Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook says price increases are unavoidable due to rising memory costs
Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that price increases for products like the iPhone are unavoidable due to rising memory costs driven by the demand for artificial intelligence. While Apple is attempting to mitigate these increases for consumers, the situation has become unsustainable. The company also announced a $100 billion share buyback program.
Tim Cook says Apple price increases are 'unavoidable' due to memory crunch
Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that price increases for Apple products are unavoidable due to a global memory chip shortage. This 'RAMaggedon' is impacting the cost of components and will likely lead to higher prices for consumers.
The iPhone Air 2 will reportedly land next spring with a second camera
Apple is reportedly planning to release an 'iPhone Air 2' next spring, which may feature a second camera. This ultralight model could become a permanent addition to Apple's smartphone lineup.
'It feels to many like a tidal wave is sweeping over the AAA game business,' says Epic CEO Tim Sweeney in his…
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney described the current AAA game business as facing a "tidal wave" due to escalating development costs and a high failure rate for major releases. He contrasted this with the success of platforms like Roblox and proposed Epic's vision of a connected metaverse ecosystem built on Unreal Engine as a more developer-friendly alternative.
Widow's Bay is an early contender for show of the year, and the devastating finale sets up more horrors for season…
Widow's Bay, an Apple TV+ series set in a seemingly charming but cursed New England island town, is being hailed as a contender for show of the year. The series masterfully blends horror and comedy, earning praise from industry figures like Guillermo Del Toro and Hideo Kojima for its unique tone and compelling narrative. The season finale sets the stage for more supernatural horrors in a confirmed second season.
A new flip phone that blocks social media at a system level is coming out, and you'll never guess which retro…
Commodore has announced the Callback 8020, a $500 Linux-based flip phone designed for digital minimalism. It blocks social media and web browsers at a system level, comes pre-loaded with classic Commodore 64 games and Snake, and runs a custom OS developed by the Sailfish OS team. Pre-orders open June 30th with a $50 discount.
There are stirrings in the VR industry that much better displays could be in the pipeline
Industry insider reports suggest that Samsung Display is preparing to mass produce high-brightness Micro-OLED displays for VR headsets starting in 2028. This advancement in display technology, also seen in devices like the Apple Vision Pro and Pimax headsets, promises improved clarity and pixel density over traditional displays. While the technology is still developing, it indicates a significant potential shift in the VR hardware landscape.
Italy is probing Apple over iCloud services like iPhone backups
Apple is under investigation in Italy concerning its iCloud services, specifically regarding iPhone backups. This marks another instance of the company facing scrutiny in the European Union over its practices.
Evening Mobilization
Apple has explained the reasons behind the significant overhaul of Siri in iOS 17, detailing the development process and the challenges involved in its major update. The company highlighted the complexity of integrating new AI capabilities and improving user interaction.
Morning Mobilization
Meta has reportedly tapped a Pentagon supplier to prototype face recognition technology for its smart glasses. Separately, Apple's strategy for its upcoming iOS 17 may involve continued support for older iPhone models.
AMD just proved what everyone already knew about Apple Macbook Neo
AMD has demonstrated that the Apple MacBook Neo is largely unsuitable for PC gaming, with only five out of twenty tested popular PC games running natively. In contrast, a budget Windows laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 220 processor could run all twenty games. This comparison was highlighted in an AMD promotion emphasizing the gaming capabilities of its Ryzen AI processors.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer targets online gaming in under-16 social media ban
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to ban social media and restrict online gaming features for individuals under 16. The proposed legislation aims to prevent children from communicating with strangers through in-game chat or livestreams, with specific measures to be implemented by game developers and regulated by Ofcom. The government intends to pass these regulations before the end of 2026, with enforcement expected in early 2027.
Hideo Kojima shares big praise for Apple TV's surprise hit Widow's Bay
Game developer Hideo Kojima has praised the Apple TV+ series "Widow's Bay," calling it incredibly good and binge-worthy with excellent pacing and a perfect balance of horror and humor. He recommended the show to fans of Stephen King and horror, comparing it to "Jaws" and "Twin Peaks." Kojima's positive review was influenced by a recommendation from Guillermo del Toro.
Apple reportedly has three more iOS 27 features coming in the fall
Apple is reportedly planning to release three additional features for its upcoming iOS 27 operating system in the fall. The company is keeping details about these new features under wraps for now.
AI Yi-Yi!
Apple's Camera Chief believes Artificial Intelligence can grant users enhanced capabilities. Separately, developers have released 'unblockable' ASCII video streaming software, raising concerns about the potential for unstoppable advertisements.
The Morning After: Apple's quest to make AI useful to its users
Apple's recent Worldwide Developers Conference focused on integrating Artificial Intelligence in a practical manner for users, rather than introducing numerous flashy features. The company aims to make AI useful and accessible within its existing ecosystem.
Apple says Siri AI won't suck up to you
Apple's SVP of engineering discussed the design philosophy behind the new Siri, emphasizing that it was not engineered to be sycophantic. The conversation focused on the AI's intended user interaction and capabilities.
I'm glad Apple isn't hyping up agentic AI (yet)
Apple is currently focusing on delivering practical features with its Siri AI rather than heavily promoting agentic AI. This approach is seen as a positive step, prioritizing usable functionality over speculative hype.