Apple has announced the opening of a new Design and Development Accelerator in Shanghai as part of an effort to support engineering talent and boost growth in China's iOS developer community.
Located in Pudong District, the Accelerator is being launched to give Chinese developers a chance to work closely with Apple experts to enhance their app development skills, learn how to take advantage of the latest Apple software and hardware, and get tips on app marketing and distribution.
"Developers here in China are leading the world with some of the most popular apps on the App Store, and we are proud to be providing this additional support for them," said Enwei Xie, Apple’s head of developer relations, Greater China. "From education to health to entertainment, the innovation we see here is incredible and we can't wait to see what these talented developers will come up with next."
The first Accelerator program focused on how to implement Apple's augmented reality technologies, with an in-depth look at the latest updates to ARKit 3, AR Quick Look, Reality Composer, and RealityKit. According to Apple, the range of activities includes lectures, workshops, labs, guest speakers, train the trainers, and networking on a regular basis.
Apple says Greater China has over 2.5 million app developers, and since 2010, local developers have earned over 200 billion RMB through App Store sales, with over 30 percent of those earnings made in the past year alone.
Shanghai's Accelerator follows a similar scheme Apple launched in 2017 in Bangalore, India. To attend programs, attendees must be registered members of the Apple Development Program and have an Apple ID registered in the region.
Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch.
Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More
Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
Monday January 26, 2026 6:07 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced the second-generation AirTag, with key features including longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker.
For those who are not familiar, the AirTag is a small accessory that you can attach to your backpack, keys, or other items. Then, you can track the location of those items in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and iCloud.com.
The new...
Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by Juli Clover
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released.
iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Sunday January 25, 2026 6:02 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
2026 promises to be yet another busy year for Apple, with the company rumored to be planning more than 20 product announcements over the coming months.
Beyond the usual updates to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches, Apple is expected to release its all-new smart home hub, which was reportedly delayed until the more personalized version of Siri is ready. Other unique products rumored for ...
Sunday January 25, 2026 11:46 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display models in the first half of this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman added that redesigned MacBook Pro models with an OLED touch screen "should be hitting toward the end of 2026," meaning that the MacBook Pro line would be upgraded twice this year.
First up...
Helping China win the technology competition. Remember. every time you purchase an Apple product you are helping China, not the US. Straight out "sell them the rope to hang you by".
Sure. Because no Americans make their living developing the OS, engineering the hardware, etc. And those American engineers who don’t exist don’t spend the paychecks they don’t receive in the US, thus keeping other Americans employed.
The only jobs that matter are jobs putting things together, right?
Apart from a lucky and talented few there are not many that can live on App Store income in the USA, whereas Singapore is expensive in terms of cost of living, the neighboring countries are not.
And there must be 3 dozen Xiaomi and Huawei corporate spies (infiltrators) embedded within that Apple app design group in China. Makes their job of pilfering Apple's software IP and ideas so much easier.
The more, the merrier. Why this is looked at in a negative light is beyond me. Increasing iOS development in the most populous country on earth seems like a winning strategy. Similar to increasing iOS development in the 2nd most populous country on earth as mentioned in the story.
