Apple achieves record revenues in John Ternos' first earnings report; iPhone Duo wait reaches 89 days; Samsung mocks its cracked screen; iPhone hack bypasses lock screen and survives update; Apple allocates AI budget to its employees; Apple unveils a home robot with a 360-degree rotating screen; $6.3 billion Binance heist began with a fake Mac tool; Anthropic raises $17 billion in a single quarter; and other exciting news on the sidelines…
Apple achieves record revenue in Ternos' first results
On November 2, Apple announced its fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter results, reporting revenue of $114.5 billion, a 12% increase year-over-year, net income of $30.7 billion, and earnings per share of $2.10. This is the highest figure for a September quarter in the company's history, while services revenue reached an all-time high of $31.6 billion.
iPhone sales reached $57.6 billion, a 17% increase, while Mac sales reached $10.8 billion, a 24% increase. In contrast, iPad sales declined 10% to $6.2 billion, and wearable and home device sales fell 8% to $8.3 billion. Sales in Greater China grew 21%, and full-year revenue reached a record $478.8 billion.
These are the first results announced by John Ternos as CEO since taking over from Tim Cook on September 1. Apple expects revenue growth of between 7% and 10% in the holiday quarter, with profit margins declining to 45-46% due to higher memory costs. The company also announced a deal with the Philippine Department of Education to supply 170 MacBook Neo computers.
Five new Apple devices arrive tomorrow
Apple will begin selling five new devices on Friday, November 6, after opening pre-orders last week: an iPad Mini with an OLED screen and A20 Pro processor starting at $699, an iMac with an M6 processor starting at $1,499, and a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 processor starting at $1,999.
The two stars are the 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreens, starting at $2,899, and the 16-inch MacBook Pro, starting at $3,399. These are Apple's first touchscreen MacBooks. Most models arrive on launch day, but the base 14-inch touchscreen model in Space Black will have a three- to four-week shipping delay.
iPhone Duo: 89-day wait and robots snatching up stock
Getting hold of the iPhone Duo remains difficult. According to UBS data, the average wait time is 89 days in more than 30 regions, although it's down seven days from the previous week. Apple executives said on the earnings call that the device is currently "supply-constrained" and that they cannot predict when supply will balance demand.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple initially planned to release the Duo in November only in the US and China, but launched it on October 23 in over 70 countries without sufficient stock. He added that bots used by speculators were snapping up any available stock from stores within seconds. The device starts at $1,999.
Apple alerts its stores about internal Duo screen cracks
Apple sent an internal memo to its stores and authorized service centers explaining how to inspect for internal screen cracks in the iPhone Duo and instructing them to repair or replace affected devices according to standard procedures. The memo states that only a small number of devices are affected, and there is no recall or general repair program.
Apple acknowledged the issue on October 26, stating in its earnings call that a “very small percentage” of devices were returned due to the screen. An iFixit teardown on October 25 pointed to a possible hinge defect, but this remains unconfirmed.
Samsung mocks the Duo screen, and Fold 8 sales rise.
Samsung capitalized on the cracking controversy in an Instagram advertising campaign across Canada, Malaysia, Australia, and Saudi Arabia. The campaign's slogans included "Folding is nothing new to us" and "Switch to the Galaxy Z Fold8." In the Saudi Arabian ad, a crack appears on the Fold8's screen, but it turns out to be just a background image.
In Korea, Galaxy Z Fold8 sales surged by more than 20% in the week of October 23-29, according to the Korea Herald. It is priced there at 2.28 million won, compared to 3.29 million won for the Samsung Duo. However, the newspaper stated that there is no conclusive evidence that Apple's issues are the cause, as carriers have also increased their support for the Samsung device during the same period.
iPhone 18 Pro jailbreak bypasses lock mode and remains stable after update
On November 3, the ethical hacking group Calif released a video showing a jailbroken iPhone 18 Pro despite Lockdown Mode being enabled. Even more surprisingly, the jailbreak remained even after the device was updated to iOS 27.2. The attack begins with a malicious PDF file sent via AirDrop and accepted by the user.
The team wrote, “The lock screen helps, until it stops helping.” They confirmed that they report vulnerabilities to Apple and will not release a jailbreak tool to the public. This is the same team that jailbroken the iPhone Duo on its launch day.
Apple warns users in 99 countries about spyware.
Apple has sent a new wave of threat alerts to users in 99 countries, warning them of a potential mercenary spyware attack—a costly and often targeted attack. Apple does not identify the attacker or confirm that any devices have been compromised.
In Germany, the Federal Office for Information Security said that members of parliament and other prominent figures had received alerts and were advised to assume their systems may have been compromised. Government spokesman Stephan Cornelius said Berlin was taking the matter “very seriously” and declined to say whether Chancellor Friedrich Merz was among those targeted.
Apple puts its employees on an AI budget
Bloomberg reported that Apple cut the daily AI budget for some of its engineers from $300 to $200 in October, and it could drop as low as $100. Non-engineering departments are typically capped at $100 per day, and some teams may receive as little as $25.
Apple offers its employees cloud, ChatGPT, Gemini, and other models, and is asking some teams to switch to cheaper models or to on-device AI. This move comes as the company hires external consultants to review productivity, under Ternos, who wants to reduce administrative bloat.
Siri AI is more advanced in iOS 27.3
On November 3, Apple released the first beta version of iOS 27.3, which allows Siri AI to perform more complex tasks within 15 apps, including Mail, Calendar, Files, Photos, and Safari. For example, it can unsubscribe from mailing lists, recall a recently sent message, close duplicate tabs, and delete files that haven't been opened in a while.
Siri AI also supports new languages: Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Turkish, and Norwegian. Apple has enabled any developer to connect their app to Siri AI via App Intents, with new “skills” that combine multiple actions into a single experience.
Apple's intelligence reaches China with the Alibaba model
Apple has announced that its smart features are now available to users in China, more than two years after their initial launch in the US. This is in partnership with Alibaba, whose Qwen model powers parts of Siri, writing tools, and visual intelligence. Testing began with a developer beta on November 4th, with a public release planned for December alongside iOS 27.3.
Features include real-time translation in Messages, FaceTime, Phone, and via AirPods, writing tools, a photo cleaning tool, Genmoji, and Mail and Notification summaries. However, Siri AI and WWDC 2026 features are not available there, and the features only work on iPhone 15 Pro and later.
Apps can now try to prevent you from unsubscribing
On November 4th, Apple announced a new feature for developers called "Retention Messages." These messages appear to subscribers when they attempt to cancel an auto-renewing subscription and may contain text, images, or a special offer. Developers can configure these messages through App Store Connect, specifying who can see them and the interval between messages.
Apple has also launched an API that allows developers to choose the appropriate message for each subscriber based on their subscription details, and access it upon request. This means you might soon see a discount offer before you even complete cancellation.
Three new iPads in the first half of 2027
Mark Gurman of Bloomberg said Apple plans to release the iPad Air, iPad Pro and regular iPad in the first half of 2027. The iPad Air will get an OLED screen for the first time and is likely to switch to the M5 processor.
The regular iPad gets an A19 processor and 8GB of memory enabling Apple Intelligence, along with N1 and C1X chips, marking its first update since early 2025. The iPad Pro gets a vapor chamber and an M6 processor. This is all information from Gurman that has not been confirmed by Apple.
Apple expects 16 million MacBook Neo sales in 2027
Apple has informed its suppliers that it expects to ship 16 million MacBook Neo devices in 2027, double the roughly 8 million expected in 2026. Mark Gurman says the second generation of the device is coming in early 2027.
The MacBook Neo was released in March 2026 for $599 with an A18 Pro processor and achieved the best sales week among first-time Mac buyers. Specifications and pricing for the new generation are still unknown.
Apple's home robot with a 360-degree rotating screen?
Apple is working on a device described as HomeView Ultra, a 9-inch screen on a 360-degree rotating arm, according to Mark Gurman, with a design reminiscent of the iMac G4 or the iconic Pixar lamp. The device is supposed to be able to perceive its surroundings and act autonomously, such as turning on lights or telling a cat to get off a table.
The report states that the hardware has been nearly ready for about two years, but there are internal disagreements regarding the software features of the first generation. The target release date is 2027, with a price tag of around $1,000, but it may be delayed until 2028. Apple has also reportedly tested a wheeled robot, a flying robot for indoor use, and a robot for folding clothes. All of these reports have not been confirmed by Apple.
Memory suppliers retaliate against Apple
The Wall Street Journal published a report stating that flash memory suppliers, who have suffered for years from Apple's pressure, are now "getting their revenge" due to the memory shortage caused by the AI data center boom. Two years ago, Apple was purchasing roughly twice the amount of flash memory purchased by Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Google combined; now, these companies are purchasing twice Apple's share.
Despite this, Apple still profits significantly from storage upgrades. According to the newspaper, upgrading an iPhone 18 Pro to 1TB costs $600, while the direct cost to Apple is estimated at $192. SK Hynix says the shortage will continue until 2030.
The Supreme Court sets a date for Apple's appeal in the Epic case.
The U.S. Supreme Court has set January 11, 2027, as the date for oral arguments in Apple's appeal against the court's contempt ruling in its case with Epic Games. Epic has until November 13 to submit its response, and Apple has until December 14 to reply.
The court is considering one question: whether Apple can be found in violation because it violated the “spirit” of the court order. Apple had charged a commission of up to 27% on purchases made through external links and was found in contempt in April 2025. The U.S. Department of Justice supported some of Apple’s arguments.
Russia places Apple on government surveillance list
The Russian communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has added Apple and Microsoft to its register of “information dissemination providers.” This requires them to store messages, including audio and video, for security services and to retain user identification data and transmission logs for three years, or face fines and service restrictions.
The list already includes WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat, and Google was added in January. Russia blocked FaceTime in December 2025, while Apple stopped selling it there in March 2022.
Leaks: iPhone 18 with a larger battery and a higher price
According to leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the regular iPhone 18 will have a larger battery than the 3,692 mAh battery in the iPhone 17, a 6.3-inch 120Hz display, a 2nm A20 processor, and a dual 48MP rear camera. Its price may also increase. It is expected to launch in the first half of 2027 alongside the iPhone 18e and iPhone Air 2.
As for the iPhone 18e, leaker Fixed Focus Digital claims the only confirmed upgrade is the new processor. Digital Chat Station also claims that next year's 20th-anniversary iPhone will retain a notch in the screen, meaning the Dynamic Island will remain. All of these are unconfirmed rumors.
Did a $6.3 billion theft start with a fake Mac tool?
Binance said its losses from the hack that began on October 29 amounted to approximately $6.34 billion, of which it has frozen around $2.85 billion. TRM Labs estimates the losses at $6.36 billion, roughly four times the $1.5 billion Bybit hack in February 2025, and attributes it to the North Korean group TraderTraitor.
The series of attacks began in June with a modified version of the Homebrew tool, followed by a “job interview” in September, and then a breach of an internal AI tool on October 20. The 9to5Mac writer suggests the initial attack targeted Macs, as the malware targeted Apple’s Homebrew pipeline, though Binance did not explicitly mention Macs. The platform announced it had reimbursed 98% of the affected assets.
Anthropic achieves $17 billion in one quarter
Anthropic, the developer of Cloud, revealed in a redacted version of its S-1 IPO filing that its third-quarter revenue was $17 billion, compared to $11.6 billion in the second quarter and $1.4 billion a year earlier. However, it posted a net loss of $23.3 billion, largely due to the accounting treatment of convertible bonds.
Notably, the document warns that the company “may very soon” announce its policy definition for responsible expansion into the self-accelerating stage of artificial intelligence, while emphasizing that it has not classified any of its current models as having crossed this threshold.
ChatGPT reaches 1.2 billion weekly users
Adam Frey, ChatGPT's consumer product manager, said at an OpenAI dinner in New York on November 2 that ChatGPT's weekly users jumped from 1 billion to 1.2 billion in about 60 days. He added that its search volume is "about one-fifth" that of Google, noting that OpenAI calculates any search query on the web.
Users create 1.5 billion images weekly, and 250 million people use voice mode each week. OpenAI also announced the integration of the Chat and Work tabs into ChatGPT, while Codex remains a separate experience with the same usage limits.
Google bans Chinese company that planted a backdoor in 1.3 million devices
Google's Threat Intelligence Group announced the dismantling of the XCPE network, which infected more than 1.3 million Android TV boxes, and expects that shutting down its servers will disconnect at least another 10 million compromised devices. The network had been active since at least late 2024.
Google says it has high confidence that the Chinese manufacturer Videostrong intentionally built the backdoor and sold access to it to criminals, so it has banned it from approved Android devices and from pre-installing Google apps. The Japanese National Police and security companies including Lumen and HUMAN participated in the operation.
Meta acquires AI programming firm Conductor
Meta acquired Conductor, a startup that enables the simultaneous running of multiple AI programming agents from Anthropic, OpenAI, and others, for an undisclosed sum. Its CEO, Charlie Holtz, will join Meta's Superintelligence Labs to work with Alexander Wang and Nat Freedman.
Conductor stopped new registrations on November 4, its cloud service went read-only on November 13 with a refund, then shut down on November 20, while its local app was discontinued in early 2027.
Marvel buys Lumentum for $115 billion
Marvel announced the acquisition of Lumentum, a company specializing in optical components for data centers, in an all-stock deal valued at $115 billion, the largest deal of 2026. Lumentum shareholders will receive 4.5 shares of Marvel for each share they hold, and own about a third of the combined company.
The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2028. The market reacted negatively, with Lumentum shares falling 18.6% and Marvel shares dropping 12.7%. Marvel CEO Matt Murphy says the combined company will serve a $550 billion market.
Samsung smart glasses may arrive in December
The Korean website ChosunBiz reported that Samsung will launch its Android XR smart glasses in mid-December in the US and South Korea, before Christmas. They will come in Gentle Monster and Warby Parker designs, all with front-facing cameras and powered by the Gemini assistant.
The price hasn't been announced yet, but Samsung said in July that it would be "reasonable within the premium segment." The company describes the glasses as an extension of the phone experience, not a replacement device. The release date remains a media report and has not been confirmed by Samsung.
Miscellaneous news
Apple spent approximately $45.77 billion on research and development in fiscal year 2026, an increase of $11.22 billion (32%) from the previous year, or about $125 million per day. The company is now spending roughly $1 on R&D for every $10 of revenue.
Apple acquired Ascend.io, a California-based company specializing in data engineering automation using artificial intelligence agents. The deal appeared in a notice to the European Commission on October 30. The price was not disclosed, and the company's website announced it was ceasing operations after ten years.
Some Apple Watch users experienced a glitch after the daylight saving time change, where the watch displayed an hour behind in always-on display mode only when the wrist was lowered. Apple stated that the solution was to change the watch face and then switch back to the original one, or to restart the watch. The glitch also disappeared on its own at midnight and did not affect alarms.
◉ In a similar issue, Google's Nest Hub devices and Nest thermostats displayed incorrect time in some Canadian provinces after the time change, causing alarms to ring an hour late and disrupting schedules. Google stated that the problem affected a small number of devices and that they were working on a fix.
Apple revealed that the new iPad mini has an 18.9 watt-hour (4,900 mAh) battery, slightly less than the 19.3 watt-hour battery in the previous generation, but battery life estimates remain unchanged. The device is 15% thinner and lighter, and features an 8.5-inch OLED display.
The HomeView device arrives on November 13th for $299, running a six-month-old operating system (version 26.5), and requires an update to 27.2 upon setup. Leaker @itspdfu revealed settings that suggest it can function as a HomeKit security camera with four modes, a feature Apple has not officially announced.
Apple has launched a Gym Strength beta program in Fitness+, which offers customized 4-week strength training plans from over 350 exercises on more than 30 pieces of equipment. It requires iOS 27.3 and is included in the $9.99 monthly Fitness+ subscription.
Developer Aaron Peris discovered a Selfie Sing feature in Apple Music in iOS 27.3, which records karaoke-style selfies for sharing on TikTok and Instagram. The horizontal lyrics display with extended animated cover art, similar to the iPhone Duo, is also available on all iPhones.
Sales of the iPhone 18 Pro in China rose 29% in the first three weeks compared to the iPhone 17 Pro, according to Counterpoint, while they declined 4% in the US and 27% in Japan. Globally, the increase was 3.1%, with the Pro Max version accounting for 56% of sales in the category.
◉ TrendForce predicts that Apple will ship around 5 million iPhone Duos in 2026 with a 24.8% share of the foldable phone market, and that its share will rise to 29.8% in 2027. In contrast, Samsung will decline from 35.1% to 31.9% and Huawei from 24.8% to 21.3%.
◉ Eye Security researchers have revealed that an outdated Popcorn Time app left a critical vulnerability on between 250 and 350 Macs because its update tool ran with full privileges over an unencrypted connection. To eliminate the vulnerability, delete the PT.updd file from the /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools folder and the PT.updd.plist file from the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder.
◉ Mark Gurman said that Apple will likely focus on touch-screen versions in the higher-end MacBook Pro category, and may later discontinue the M5 Pro and M5 Max models with mini-LED displays that currently sell for $400 less. He did not specify a date for this.
◉ John Ternos was asked on the earnings call about merging the Mac and iPad systems after adding the MacBook Pro Touch and Dynamic Island, and he replied: “We don’t have any major changes planned right now, and we’re not going to talk about them anyway.”
◉ Startup Enough is raising funds on Kickstarter for a small Android phone with a 5.3-inch screen, similar in size to the iPhone 13 Mini, with a replaceable battery and updates until 2032. It is priced at $599, and shipping is expected to begin in May 2027.
Carl Pei, founder of Nothing, said the company's first product, "fundamentally AI-powered," will ship next month, and that it "has no new screen and couldn't possibly be an app." He did not reveal the nature of the device yet.
Microsoft said that Windows 11 devices with 8GB of RAM are up to 20% faster and up to 40% faster at multitasking with the 26H2 update. Among the improvements, the Edge browser now puts inactive tabs to sleep after 15 minutes instead of two hours.
Tesla launched its unattended Robotaxi service in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 2nd, making it the seventh city to offer the service. The service area covers approximately 143 square miles and utilizes Model Y vehicles.
Sony's operating profit rose 45% in the second quarter to 622.3 billion yen ($3.95 billion), boosted by the Spider-Man movie and PlayStation, and it raised its annual forecast by 9%. However, PS5 sales declined to 2.6 million units compared to 4 million a year earlier.
On November 18, Voyager 1 will reach a distance of one light-day from Earth, approximately 25.9 billion kilometers, meaning its signal will take 24 hours to reach us. It was launched in 1977 and had a design lifespan of only five years.
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