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After Google renamed Lake Ontario to align with President Trump's push to call it 'Lake America,' MapQuest publicly refused to make the same change on its maps. That stance went viral on social media, driving MapQuest's mobile app to the top navigation app spot on Apple's US App Store and into the top ten overall, with strong gains in Canada as well.
Apple will reportedly launch new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models next week, powered by the new A20 Pro chip and a C2 modem. Rumored upgrades include a redesigned main camera module, a smaller Dynamic Island, new color options like dark cherry, and larger batteries, with the Pro Max expected to get exclusive camera and battery advantages.
Tim Cook is completing his final day as Apple's chief executive after 15 years in the role, with John Ternus set to officially become CEO the next day. Cook will transition to executive chairman of Apple's board, continuing to manage the company's relationships with President Trump and the Chinese government while supporting Ternus in other areas as needed.
Apple streamed a live MLB game between the Red Sox and Yankees as an Apple Immersive experience on Vision Pro, using 3D 8K footage with a 180-degree field of view for Friday Night Baseball. Reviewers from Macworld, Daring Fireball, and Six Colors all praised the broadcast, comparing it favorably to actually sitting in the stadium. Commentators also noted Apple's choice to stick with a single fixed camera per half-inning, rather than cutting between many angles, made the experience feel more natural and immersive.
Phil Schiller is relinquishing his roles overseeing the App Store and Apple's product events, according to Bloomberg. He will retain his Apple Fellow title and continue working on unspecified projects, while the App Store division moves under services chief Eddy Cue, with Carson Oliver remaining in charge of daily store operations.
Apple's earlier-than-usual update to the Mac mini and Mac Studio was driven by unexpected demand from businesses using the machines to run AI models, according to The Information. The company touted the ability to cluster multiple Mac Studios for larger AI workloads, but reportedly lacks a dedicated enterprise engineering team or developer relations staff, and has declined requests from businesses to access its Private Cloud Compute infrastructure directly.
Tim Cook has stepped down as Apple's chief executive, marking his final day in the role after leading the company for over a decade. In a farewell memo to employees, Cook expressed gratitude for their work and reflected on Apple's culture, though he noted he is not leaving the company entirely.
Following an executive order from Trump renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America, Google Maps updated its labeling based on user location, showing 'Lake America' to US users while Canadian and international users still see 'Lake Ontario'. Apple Maps, however, has not made any change and continues to display the lake's traditional name to all users, including those in the US.
CarPlay received three notable app upgrades in August: MLB's app now lets users browse games and hear live radio feeds with in-car score displays, Meta AI joined ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok as a chatbot option (though still in limited testing), and The Weather Channel's Storm Radar app added live weather maps, radar layers, and route-based alerts. These updates arrive ahead of Apple's broader CarPlay overhaul expected with iOS 27 in September, which will add a dedicated Siri app and AI features.
A CNET editor recalls testing the iPhone 7's IP67 water resistance rating a decade ago by submerging it in a swimming pool beyond Apple's recommended limits. The phone largely survived the dunk with minor cosmetic damage, marking a major shift from earlier iPhones that could be ruined by any water exposure.
Apple revealed refreshed Mac mini and Mac Studio models about two weeks before its September 9 event instead of unveiling them on stage. According to The Information, the company moved up the announcement because demand for these machines for AI workloads exceeded expectations, leaving some configurations backordered for months.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple considered building a shortened Apple Pencil for its upcoming iPhone Ultra but abandoned the idea. Gurman cites three reasons: awkward ergonomics from side-mounting, tension with Steve Jobs' original stance against styluses, and the risk of the pencil scratching the display.