Several news outlets have reported on the newly released Beta compilers from IBM.
XL C and XL C++ for Mac OS X (download here) are PowerPC 970 optimized versions of IBM's compilers which have been show to improve Power4's SPEC performance (PDF) significantly.
Some early benchmarks (Ars Thread) demonstrate significant performance boosts -- up to +210% in Scalar performance in one particular PowerMac G5 Fortran application -- with more modest improvements in other measures. The code utilized in this benchmark appears to be the Jet3d codebase used in the early "NASA" G5 Benchmarks.
Apple today dramatically increased device prices across multiple product lines.
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After temporarily taking it down earlier today, Apple's online store is back up with a series of product price increases. The changes are as follows:
HomePod mini: $129, up from $99 (+$30)
HomePod: $349, up from $299 (+$50)
Apple TV: $199, up from...
The lower-end iPhone 18 models set to launch in spring 2027 will feature 9GB DRAM, up from 8GB, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo says the A20 chip Apple plans to use for the devices will have 1.5GB x 6 dies for a total of 9GB RAM, instead of 2GB x 4 dies as the current lower-end iPhone 17 models use.
By lower-end iPhones, Kuo is likely referencing the iPhone 18 and the iPhone...
Despite price increases across the Mac line, Apple is still planning to release a new Mac Studio as soon as this year, reports Bloomberg.
Apple plans to introduce a new M5 Ultra chip as the final option in the M5 family before it transitions to the M6, M7, M7 Pro, and M7 Max. The M5 Ultra will come in a new version of the Mac Studio, which hasn't been updated since March 2025.
The Mac...
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a ~5.5-inch outer display and a ~7.8-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
