Apple CEO Tim Cook is touring Shanghai, China this week, meeting with retail employees, suppliers, developers, the film industry, and others. He has been sharing photos from his trip on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
Cook's visit is timed with the upcoming grand opening of Apple's new Jing'an store in Shanghai on Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m. local time.
"Located next to the landmark Jing'an Temple, Apple Jing'an is a must-see destination in Shanghai," said Apple. "Approaching the store through a grove of maple trees that line the upper plaza, visitors are treated to a stunning view of the temple. As customers descend down the stairs, they pass by terracing, double-curved walls that extend forward in a circle to form amphitheater seating that will host Today at Apple sessions specially created for Apple Jing'an to celebrate the community and its creators."
A custom wallpaper with a flower-like Apple logo is available for download for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the store's page.
Those who attend the grand opening of Apple Jing'an will receive a custom tote bag, pin, and Apple logo sticker, according to Michael Steeber's weekly newsletter about Apple's retail stores. His newsletter provides a closer look at the store's design.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...
In 2018, Apple moved its iCloud operations and encryption keys to China. In 2020, Apple opened its first cyber security-based data center in Guizhou, which hosted iCloud services to comply with a new ruling requiring companies to store data in China. The data center is owned and operated by the Chinese government, and state employees manage it and have direct access to the data. They also censor apps to please the government.
In 2018, Apple moved its iCloud operations and encryption keys to China. In 2020, Apple opened its first cyber security-based data center in Guizhou, which hosted iCloud services to comply with a new ruling requiring companies to store data in China. The data center is owned and operated by the Chinese government, and state employees manage it and have direct access to the data. They also censor apps to please the government.
Much privacy, Mr. Cook.
I don't get it. So basically Chinese asked to control their own data. What's wrong with that? I can imagine some Chinese politicians love apple but don't want their icloud backup accessible by CIA. I am pretty sure it's just for Chinese icloud accounts
