Charles Martin

Weekend editor

Charles Martin is a Contributing Editor for AppleInsider, and former editor for the late, lamented MacNN. He is a writer, performer, podcaster, and broadcaster, specializing in smart tech and bad jokes. He lives in Victoria, BC.

Latest Articles from Charles Martin

AirPods Max headphones unlikely to get any further upgrades

Apple updated its AirPods Max with USB-C and new color options in September 2024, but is reportedly not planning any further changes to the headphones.

Charles Martin | 1 week ago

Siri engine to be fundamentally revamped across 2025, early 2026

Apple is in the process of overhauling Siri to catch up to AI engines like ChatGPT, but the revamp will emerge in stages across 2025 and into 2026.

Charles Martin | 1 week ago

Apple slashes MacBook Pro speaker repair costs

Apple will dramatically reduce the cost of speaker repair in the Apple Silicon 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro, ending the longstanding need to buy a whole replacement top case.

Charles Martin | 1 week ago

Tap to Pay on iPhone, Apple Watch arrives in New Zealand

Apple has now brought its Tap to Pay easy-payment technology to New Zealand. Merchants can now use an iPhone or Apple Watch to accept payments from contactless debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, or other digital wallets.

Charles Martin | 1 week ago

Apple TV+ abandons Clooney and Pitt's 'Wolfs' sequel

A planned sequel to the Apple TV+ original movie "Wolfs" has reportedly been dropped, marking another unexpected turn for both this film series, and for how it appears Apple is changing its movie ambitions.

Charles Martin | 1 week ago

How to enable and use RCS for secure cross-platform messaging

Apple's messaging app Messages has adopted a new cross-platform messaging standard called RCS. Here's how to be sure you have it enabled on your iPhone, and what new features it gives you when messaging people on other platforms.

Charles Martin | 2 weeks ago

Apple drops the Lightning adapter that still let iPhones use wired headphones

Users who haven't got around to buying Apple's short Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter after eight years are now out of luck, as the iPhone 7 accessory appears to be discontinued.

Charles Martin | 2 weeks ago

Rumors of an Apple-made TV set are back again

Apple is said to be considering making a television set, over a decade after it abandoned that idea in favor of creating the Apple TV set top box.

Charles Martin | 2 weeks ago

Tata takes control of Pegatron's sole iPhone plant in India

India's Tata Electronics is reportedly buying a 60 percent stake in Taiwan-based Pegatron's only India iPhone facility, strengthening Tata's position as Apple's main supplier partner in the country.

Charles Martin | 2 weeks ago

AirTags 2 to bring better location tracking in 2025

Apple's AirTags will get its first-ever hardware update a new report claiming the tracked will gain finer location accuracy.

Charles Martin | 2 weeks ago

Apple's in-house chip design is the 'secret weapon' behind industry-beating performance

Apple executives believe that by designing their own Apple Silicon chips and AI, the company now has a significant advantage over traditional chipmakers that have to cater to a wide range of markets and customers.

Charles Martin | 2 weeks ago

Scammers posing as Apple Security steal thousands from Wichita senior

A GoFundMe account is accepting donations to help a Wichita, Kansas woman who fell for a common online scam that began with a text message to her iPhone.

Charles Martin | 2 weeks ago

How to use Search and other new features in the iOS 18 Journal app

The release of iOS 18 brought a number of new features to Apple's Journal app, including the new ability to search and sort entries.

Charles Martin | 2 weeks ago

Apple starts supplying replacement parts for iPhone 16 repairs

Repair parts for the iPhone 16 lineup are now available to order in the US and other countries, including for those wanting to fix their iPhone for themselves.

Charles Martin | 3 weeks ago

Apple Vision Pro 2 with M5 chip likely to arrive before budget models

Apple is likely to launch a refreshed Apple Vision Pro headset before a cheaper version of the product arrives, according to a new report.

Charles Martin | 3 weeks ago

iPhones on iOS 18.1 will automatically reboot and lock down after being idle for a while

A hidden feature in iOS 18.1 will automatically reboot a locked iPhone when it is asleep but hasn't been unlocked for a while, presumably as a security measure.

Charles Martin | 3 weeks ago

Review: Hohem iSteady MT2 Camera/Smartphone Gimbal Kit

If you've ever used a smartphone gimbal before, the Hohem iSteady MT2 is a more solid — and professional-grade — handheld gimbal camera mount that enables smooth motion, AI tracking, and digital control for your iPhone, DSLR, or other cameras.

Charles Martin | 4 weeks ago

MacBook Pro line could get a major redesign in 2026 for 20th anniversary

Apple will update the current MacBook Pro again in 2025, but those waiting for a significant redesign may have to wait a little longer.

Charles Martin | 1 month ago

Apple Vision Pro rumored to get M5 in 2025, but lower cost model is delayed

Apple Vision Pro may get an M5 upgrade in 2025, but the expected lower-price headset has been delayed, and may offload processing to the iPhone to cut costs.

Charles Martin | 1 month ago

iOS 18.2 with Image Playground and Visual Intelligence expected in early December

A new report suggests that the actual launch date for iOS 18.2 will be the first week of December, featuring new graphics tools including Image Playground and Genmoji.

Charles Martin | 1 month ago

Apple launches rear camera repair program for some iPhone 14 Plus models

Apple has determined that "a very small percentage" of iPhone 14 Plus units have a rear camera issue, and has launched a repair program to fix it.

Charles Martin | 1 month ago

Apple TV+ subscribers to get last games in MLS season pass for free

Apple has dropped the price of the 2024 Major League Soccer season pass from $14.99 to free for Apple TV+ subscribers, or $9.99 for non-subscribers.

Charles Martin | 1 month ago

A new project is trying to preserve click-wheel iPod games

Gaming on the iPod barely predates the iPhone's arrival in 2007, but fans have launched a project to be sure they can still play the games into the future.

Charles Martin | 1 month ago

Apple still suppresses employees discussing pay equity, says Labor Board

The US National Labor Relations Board is again accusing Apple management of illegally deterring employee discussions of pay and bias issues, part of a general anti-union campaign by the iPhone maker.

Charles Martin | 1 month ago

Berkshire Hathaway continues dumping AAPL to build up cash reserves

Financial firm Berkshire Hathway has spent a year reducing its shares of AAPL stock, which once took up half of chairman Warren Buffett's entire portfolio.

Charles Martin | 1 month ago

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Charles Martin

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