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Apple’s Founding Papers Return to Auction, Could Fetch Up to $4 Million

Posted on November 26, 2025 by faz_business

Christie’s is preparing to auction off the original partnership contract that created the Apple Computer Company on April 1, 1976, valuing it in the region of $2-4 million.

apple computer corporate founding documents%402x
The original three-page document served as the contract among Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ron Wayne. The agreement established initial shares at 45% for Jobs, 45% for Wozniak, and 10% for Wayne.

Additional papers documenting Wayne’s withdrawal as a partner just 12 days after the company was formed are also included in the auction package. Wayne initially received $800 for his 10% share of the company, and later received an additional $1,500 payment.

Wayne later stated he withdrew because he knew the venture would be a “roller coaster” and that the high-stakes ride was not for him.

If Wayne’s original 10% stake had somehow remained untouched, it would be worth about $409 billion today based on Apple’s $4 trillion valuation. That’s only a playful comparison, mind, since decades of stock splits, new share issuances, and structural changes mean that early 10% slice has no realistic connection to Apple’s modern share count!

Christie’s will offer the founding contract and Wayne’s withdrawal agreement as a single lot on January 23, 2026.

In the early 1990s, Wayne sold the physical copy of the founding contract for $500. Apple’s founding corporate papers were last sold at auction by Sotheby’s in December 2011. That lot also included Wayne’s withdrawal, and it was sold to a private collector for nearly $1.6 million.

(Via Arirang TV.)

This Free App Unlocks AirPods Features on Android Devices

Posted on November 21, 2025 by faz_business

AirPods have always worked with Android phones, but with limited functionality and a less seamless listening experience. A new app called LibrePods is changing that.

librepods android
The free app unlocks features on Android that are typically reserved for Apple devices, including ear detection that pauses music when you remove an earbud, Head Gestures for answering calls, and Conversational Awareness that lowers volume while you’re talking. It also enables switching between noise control modes, checking accurate battery levels, and customizing accessibility settings.

To make it all work, developer Kavish Devar reverse-engineered Apple’s proprietary protocols to make AirPods identify a connected Android device as an iPhone or iPad, which tricks them into sharing device status information normally locked to Apple’s ecosystem.

There are some caveats, though. LibrePods currently requires a rooted Android phone with the Xposed framework installed, thanks to what Devar calls “a bug in the Android Bluetooth stack.” OnePlus and Oppo devices running ColorOS or OxygenOS 16 can use the app without rooting, however some features like Transparency mode customization still need root access.

The app supports all AirPods models, including AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Pro 3 (excluding heart rate monitoring), though not all features are unlocked on earlier AirPods. Interested Android owners can view more details about the project on its GitHub page or directly download the APK file.

(Via Android Authority.)

iOS 26.1: Bring Back the Tap-to-Stop Alarm Button

Posted on November 6, 2025 by faz_business

Apple has changed how you dismiss iPhone alarms in iOS 26.1, and your morning muscle memory may have needed tweaking as a result. By default, the Clock app now requires a slide gesture to stop an alarm from the Lock Screen, replacing the previous tap-to-stop button that was redesigned in iOS 26. Snoozing still works with a simple tap, but turning off an alarm entirely demands the extra swipe motion.

The change appears designed to prevent accidental dismissals when you’re reaching for your phone in the morning. By requiring a more deliberate action, you’re less likely to silence your alarm when you meant to hit snooze. If you don’t like the change, you can revert the alarm interface back to the previous Stop button by following these steps.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Tap Accessibility.

Under “Physical and Motor,” tap Touch.

Swipe to the bottom of the menu and toggle on Prefer Single-Touch Actions.

The change will take effect the next time you set an alarm. If you want to revert back to the slider, simply toggle off Prefer Single-Touch Actions.
This article, "iOS 26.1: Bring Back the Tap-to-Stop Alarm Button" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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HBO Max Password Sharing Crackdown Getting Serious in September

Posted on August 8, 2025 by faz_business

HBO Max is planning to crack down more aggressively on password sharing, according to Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming CEO JB Perette (via The Verge). Perette shared the info during an earnings call, where he said HBO Max users will be encouraged to pay a $7.99 per month fee to add viewers that are outside of their household.

“In September, you’ll actually start to see the messaging — which right now has been a fairly soft, cancelable messaging — start to get more fixed and such that people have to take action,” said Perette.

Warner Bros. began discouraging password sharing earlier this year after introducing the $7.99 per month sharing fee. As of right now, the restrictions on password sharing have not been enforced, and paying the extra fee is voluntary.

HBO Max with ads is priced at $9.99 per month, while the Standard plan with no ads is $16.99 per month. There’s also a Premium plan with 4K streaming that’s priced at $20.99 per month.

HBO Max customers that opt to add an extra member to their plan will need to pay the $7.99 per month fee, which provides the added member with their own account, password, and profile. Only one additional member can be added to an account.

At $7.99 per month, the extra member add-on is only $2 cheaper than the ad-supported plan, but the extra member is able to share the plan of the main subscriber. So if the subscriber has the 4K Premium plan, the extra member can access 4K streaming for the $7.99 per month price.

HBO Max will use account information, IP address, device ID, and user activity to determine if accounts are used by people in more than one household.

Cracking down on password sharing has been successful for Netflix and Disney, so it is no surprise to see other streaming services do the same thing. Netflix experienced strong subscriber growth and an increase in revenue when it stopped allowing customers to share their accounts.

Earlier this year, Warner Bros. Discovery changed the name of the streaming service, abandoning “Max” and going back to HBO Max. The service was branded as Max two years ago, but it turned out that eliminating the well-known and widely recognized HBO name was a mistake.

Is your iPhone compatible? Here’s a list which devices can download it today

Posted on July 31, 2025 by faz_business

All the new features iOS 26 has to offer.

iPhone devotees, listen up: Tons of new updates are coming to Apple’s operating system this fall that you’ll be excited to try out. But instead of being named iOS 19, it’ll be called iOS 26. The biggest change? The new Liquid Glass design (think Windows Vista, but arguably more thoughtful), which looks to be Apple’s largest visual update in years. We spent two weeks test-driving it — you can check out our detailed hands-on iOS 26 preview, or you can try it out yourself by downloading and installing the public beta, available now. Before you dive in, we’ll help you answer this question: Will my iPhone be able to run iOS 26?

Last year, Apple didn’t nix any iPhones from its eligibility list, but that’s not the case for 2025 — a few models are getting cut this time. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to get the boot in 2023, and this year the 2018 models are getting left behind. If you have an ineligible device, you won’t be able to download iOS 26 when it becomes available this fall.

We’ll get to the bottom of which iPhones will support iOS 26 this year. To see what’s coming with the latest OS and more, check out everything announced at Apple’s WWDC June 9 event.

These three iPhones won’t be compatible with iOS 26

Unlike last year, several iPhone models won’t be eligible to download the newest iOS when it makes its debut this fall. This trio of models first released in 2018 won’t be coming to the iOS 26 party:

iPhone XR
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max

iPhones compatible with iOS 26

While we don’t yet know the new iPhones Apple will be dropping this fall — though there are iPhone 17 rumors — we do know, per Apple’s site, that the phones listed below will be compatible with iOS 26. Basically, if you have an iPhone that was announced in 2019 or later, you’re in the clear:

What if I don’t want to buy a new iPhone?

If you want to continue using your older iPhone that isn’t supported by iOS 26, that’s fine. However, you’ll miss out on security updates which could potentially put your phone at risk for malware and other threats. Additionally, some apps may stop working if they require a certain version of iOS or later. And of course, you won’t be able to access the latest features iOS 26 offers.

When will iOS 26 become available?

Apple usually rolls out its latest iOS in mid-September, just a few days before the new iPhones hit store shelves. Last year, it released iOS 18 on Monday, Sept. 16. Expect a confirmation of the release date at the iPhone 17 event, expected in early September.

iOS 26 features we’re excited about

Liquid Glass design: Your home screen is getting revamped with new app icons, including dark mode and all-clear options. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design. Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive.

Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music.

Live Translate: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translate will translate your conversation in real time.

Polls feature: Coming to group messages in the Messages app, chat members will be able to create polls. This can help prevent the unwanted 30+ messages when it comes to deciding which restaurant you’re meeting at this weekend.

Apple Executives Won’t Be Appearing at This Year’s WWDC Episode of The Talk Show Live

Posted on May 30, 2025 by faz_business

Since 2015, Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber has hosted a special live episode of his The Talk Show podcast from WWDC each year, with senior executives from Apple routinely participating as guests for the episodes. While the executives typically do not break major news during these appearances, the lively conversations have offered some interesting insights and perspectives on various topics surrounding Apple’s WWDC announcements.

The Talk Show Live From WWDC 2024
In announcing ticket sales for this year’s live episode going live today, Gruber has revealed that Apple declined his invitation for executives to appear on this year’s episode, for the first time in the decade of this tradition.

Gruber did not share a reason for Apple declining this year’s invitation, and Apple likely did not provide one to him, but it’s easy to surmise that it was probably due to Gruber’s recent comments sharing his belief that “Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino” in the wake of Apple Intelligence Siri delays.

In his March blog post, Gruber faulted himself for not seeing the “red flags” that were appearing as early as last year’s WWDC, with Apple apparently showing off planned ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features that were not actually functional at the time and some of which may not even yet be functional.

He faulted Apple for showing off what amounted to vaporware at last year’s WWDC, a significant departure from Apple’s history over the past several decades of almost always shipping features close to their suggested timelines even when they have been pre-announced before they are fully ready.

Gruber’s comments were notable given his status as one of the most well-known Apple pundits, not to mention the fact that Apple had chosen him to be the one to share the news days earlier that the Apple Intelligence-powered ‌Siri‌ revamp had been delayed.

It’s hard not to view Apple’s move as a form of retribution for Gruber’s criticism, and also potentially an acknowledgement that Gruber would be liable to ask Apple executives some difficult questions about what occurred to force the ‌Siri‌ delay and where things go from here.

Data Broker Hack Exposes Location Info From Millions of iPhone Users

Posted on January 13, 2025 by faz_business

Data broker Gravy Analytics has been hacked, and location information from millions of iPhone and Android users is at risk, reports TechCrunch. Gravy Analytics’ parent company Unacast disclosed the data breach earlier this month [PDF], and said that its AWS cloud storage environment had been accessed by an unauthorized person using a “misappropriated access key.”

“Some files” were obtained, and preliminary findings suggest those files “could contain personal data” collected from users of third-party services that use Gravy Analytics. According to 404Media, hackers are claiming to have customer lists and location data from smartphones that shows peoples’ precise movements, with millions of users affected. Some of that data, which does indeed include the historical location of smartphones, has been published on private forums.

Gravy Analytics says that it tracks more than a billion devices around the world daily, and security researchers that saw a sample of the data collected by Gravy Analytics confirmed that the information can be used to track a person’s recent locations, with no anonymization.

In December, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prohibited Gravy Analytics and its subsidiary Venntel from selling, disclosing, or using sensitive location data in any product or service. The FTC warned that the two companies exposed consumers to privacy harms that could include disclosure of health information, political activity, and religious practices, and put people at risk of stigma, discrimination, violence and other harms.

The order required Gravy Analytics to delete all historic location data and any data products developed using data collected from consumers, but it was apparently too late because the company’s systems had likely already been breached at the time.

Gravy Analytics collects location data through a real-time ad bidding process that allows companies competing to buy an ad to see customer IP address and more precise location data if enabled. Gravy Analytics’ database had location data from ‌iPhone‌ apps that include FlightRadar, Grindr, and Tinder, and while the apps did not have a direct relationship with the data broker, user location information was collected through their ads.

Turning off app tracking in the Privacy and Security section of the ‌iPhone‌’s Settings app keeps ads from being able to obtain a unique device identifier to link location data to a specific device, and preventing apps from using precise location data is also a way to preserve more privacy.

Baptiste Robert, CEO of security firm Predicta Lab, told TechCrunch that ‌iPhone‌ users that had app tracking disabled did not have their data shared.

Apple may update Find My to let you share locations of lost items

Posted on November 6, 2024 by faz_business

Apple could soon let users share the location of lost or missing items — such as an iPhone, Macbook, or something with an Airtag attached — via the Find My app with people who are not in their contacts using a link.

Macrumors spotted the updated feature in the iOS 18.2 developer beta, and noted that Apple says it’s intended to help locate your lost items by sharing the location with people such as a cab driver or an airline employee.

The Find My app on the iOS 18.2 developer beta has a new “Share Item Location” option, which gives you a shareable link to the location of the missing item. People can open the link on any device (including non-Apple devices) to try and track it. The link automatically expires after a week or when the item is back with you.

There’s also a “Share Contact Info” option that lets any phone connect with an item and open a website, which will show your phone number and email — if you’ve added those details to the item’s contact page. Seemingly, this is meant to help the person who finds the item contact you.

Find My already lets you share an item’s location with people in your contacts.

The update would also let users look at statistics like how many people visited the link.

Apple’s own research sheds light on Siri’s AI laggardness

Posted on October 20, 2024 by faz_business

With the introduction of the new iPad Mini, Apple made it clear that a software experience brimming with AI is the way forward. And if that meant making the same kind of internal upgrades to a tablet that costs nearly half as much as its flagship phone, the company would still march forward.

However, its ambitions with Apple Intelligence lack competitive vigor, and even by Apple’s own standards, the experience hasn’t managed to wow users. On top of that, the staggered rollout of the most ambitious AI features — many of which are still in the future — has left enthusiasts with a bad taste.

Now, it appears that the reason behind the delays has something to do with quality and performance, as per Apple’s own testing. “The research found that OpenAI’s ChatGPT was 25% more accurate than Apple’s Siri, and able to answer 30% more questions,” says a Bloomberg report.

Updated interface of Siri activation. — Apple

To recall, Apple’s position with Siri is quite unique. For example, Siri is getting enhanced natural language understanding and deeper integration with apps as well as local files. However, there are tasks it can’t quite accomplish, and for such situations, the queries will be seamlessly offloaded to ChatGPT.

That’s part of a deal Apple inked with OpenAI. Now, it would make sense that Siri can’t quite pull the same kind of internet-connected tasks as ChatGPT, primarily because Siri and ChatGPT are two entirely different products. However, Apple is deploying OpenAI’s tech stack in more places than just Siri.

According to OpenAI, the ChatGPT will also lend a hand to users with “image and document understanding.” The Writing Tools – which have already arrived in tools like Notes and Safari — are also tapping into the ChatGPT kitty. Moreover, image generation will also be handled by OpenAI’s tech.

With such deep reliance on ChatGPT, one might think that’s because Apple isn’t quite there on the leaderboard with its own AI tech stack, something that could rival the likes of Google’s Gemini or Meta. That assumption won’t be entirely implausible, and even Apple’s team seems to agree with the status quo.

“In fact, some at Apple believe that its generative AI technology — at least, so far — is more than two years behind the industry leaders,” adds the Bloomberg report. Yet, it’s not merely about advancements, but also the pace of rollout.

Choice between Siri and Apple Intelligence — Siri will offload queries to ChatGPT for chores it can’t handle. Apple

Take a look at Galaxy AI, Samsung’s take on an AI ecosystem that has already appeared on a wide array of its phones and computing machines, with some help from Google’s Gemini stack. Chinese smartphone makers have already been offering generative AI features like image generation and a next-gen assistant for a while now.

At this point in time, it seems almost certain that Apple’s strategy with Apple Intelligence was hurried, apparently in a bid to quell investor concerns that the company was lagging in the AI race. So far, whatever little we have seen from Apple’s “AI revolution” has been far from revolutionary.

The best implementation of Apple Intelligence so far has been notification summaries and prioritization, but those are more utilitarian features than something that would reimagine the software experience for users. It would be interesting to see how Apple injects fresh energy into its AI approach next year.

But so far, the company hasn’t made any such announcements, and even the promises it made at its developers conference earlier this year are yet to materialize.

These Are Apple’s Oldest Products Still Sold Today

Posted on August 29, 2024 by faz_business

For over two decades, the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide has served as a valuable resource for keeping track of when Apple products were last updated.

Below, we have highlighted five current-generation Apple products that have not received hardware upgrades in several years. We also provide some purchasing recommendations based on both rumors and our own opinions.

This list excludes previous-generation Apple products still sold, such as the iPhone 13, along with various accessories and cables.

Pro Display XDR

Apple released the Pro Display XDR in December 2019, so it will be five years old later this year. The high-end monitor starts at $4,999 and features a 32-inch screen size with 6K resolution, but it lacks a built-in camera and speakers.

In December 2022, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said Apple was working on multiple new external monitors, including an updated version of the Pro Display XDR that will be equipped with an Apple silicon chip, just like the Studio Display with the A13 chip. However, it’s unclear when the new Pro Display XDR will be released or what other new features it will have.

Age: 4 years and 8 months

Recommendation: Given how expensive the Pro Display XDR is, it is worth waiting for the next model at this point. Also consider the Studio Display, which is over two years newer, more affordable, and has a built-in camera and speakers.

HomePod mini

Released in November 2020, the HomePod mini is also nearly four years old. The smaller Siri-enabled smart speaker has not received any hardware updates since launching, although it did get Blue, Orange, and Yellow color options in November 2021, and Space Gray was replaced with a virtually-identical Midnight finish a few months ago.

In February 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass shipments of a second-generation HomePod mini would begin in the second half of 2024, but it is unclear if that info is still accurate, as there have not been any recent HomePod mini rumors.

Age: 3 years and 9 months

Recommendation: Given there was a rumor that a new HomePod mini might be released later this year, it might be best to hold off for three to four more months to see if that happens. However, given the HomePod mini is a modest $99, there is not too much harm in purchasing one now if you don’t want to wait.

AirPods Max

Released in December 2020, the AirPods Max will turn four years old later this year. Apple’s over-ear headphones have not received any hardware updates since, and remain priced at $549 on Apple’s online store, with five color options available.

Age: 3 years and 8 months

Recommendation: We recommend waiting for the AirPods Max with a USB-C port to launch later this year, but the headphones will still more or less be four years old beyond that change, so you may wish to consider newer competing options, such as the Sony XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and Sonos Ace. Amazon does have the AirPods Max on sale for $399 if you are interested in purchasing them now at a discount.

iPad mini

Apple released the current iPad mini in September 2021, with new features at the time including a larger 8.3-inch display, a USB-C port, a Touch ID power button, the A15 Bionic chip, 5G support on cellular models, a 12-megapixel rear camera with Center Stage support, compatibility with the second-generation Apple Pencil, and more.

In November 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass production of the next iPad mini would begin in the second half of 2024. More recently, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said inventory of the current iPad mini‌ was starting to dwindle at Apple Stores, which could be a sign that the device will be updated in the near future.

Rumored features for the next iPad mini include a newer chip, upgraded cameras, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support, new color options, and a fix for the so-called “jelly scrolling” effect on the current model’s display.

Age: 2 years and 11 months

Recommendation: At this point, we suggest waiting for the new iPad mini that is rumored to launch later this year.

AirPods 3

Released in October 2021, the third-generation AirPods are nearly three years old.

Two new fourth-generation AirPods models are expected to be unveiled at Apple’s special event on September 9, with both options rumored to feature a tweaked design with better fit in the ear, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C port. The higher-end AirPods 4 are also said to feature active noise cancellation, and a speaker in the charging case that can play a sound for Find My location tracking.

Age: 2 years and 10 months

Recommendation: Do not buy! Apple is expected to announce the fourth-generation AirPods in less than two weeks.

Tag: iOS

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