Sami Fathi

Sami was an editor and news reporter at MacRumors from February 2021 until January 2023.

Sami Fathi's Articles

blackberry dead smartphones

Classic BlackBerry Smartphones Are Officially Dead

Tuesday January 4, 2022 1:51 am PST by
As of January 4, 2022, all classic BlackBerry smartphones running versions of BlackBerry OS will no longer work for calls, text messages, data, and emergency functionality, essentially making them unusable. BlackBerry announced the news in September 2020 as part of a broader company shift to focus on enterprise security and solutions. "As another milestone in the BlackBerry journey, we will...
apple celebrates m1 year

Apple Engineers Celebrate End of First Year of Apple Silicon Transition With Special T-Shirt

Monday January 3, 2022 5:31 am PST by
Apple is gifting engineers and staffers who worked on the M1 chip a unique t-shirt to commemorate the end of the first year of the Mac's transition to Apple Silicon, according to an image shared on Twitter by an Apple engineer. Andy Boretto, who works at Apple as a senior software engineer, tweeted an image of a special t-shirt with the ‌M1‌ chip and its accompanying glow, alongside a card...
ipad pro carrier subsidies

Verizon and T-Mobile Discontinue iPad Rebate Program Following Widespread Customer Complaints [Updated]

Monday January 3, 2022 4:02 am PST by
Verizon and T-Mobile have discontinued their iPad rebate program in partnership with Apple following widespread customer complaints that the program was ineffective, flawed, and rarely worked as intended. In recent weeks, complaints from customers have emerged across social media regarding Verizon's and T-Mobile's rebate programs. If it worked according to plan, the program would give...
What Else Apple 2021 2

The Top 6 Apple Rumors From All of 2021

Thursday December 30, 2021 9:26 am PST by
2021 was a whirlwind of a year when it came to Apple rumors. Many of the rumors this year turned out to be accurate, like the MacBook Pro getting a notch, but some failed to materialize, like the flat-edged Apple Watch Series 7. With the year now drawing to a close, we thought it would be fun to look back at six of the biggest Apple rumors of 2021. 1. MacBook Pro With a Notch Out of all...
apple card 1 iPhone 13

New Apple Card Customers Can Get 5% Cash Back on Apple Purchases

Monday December 27, 2021 7:53 am PST by
This week through January 31, new Apple Card customers can receive 5% Daily Cash back for purchases made through Apple compared to the 3% reward typically offered to customers. New ‌Apple Card‌ customers who create an account between December 26 and January 31 will be eligible for the 2% higher cash back on iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, iPad, and other purchases when paid in full. Customers will...
apple privacy

More Users Trust Amazon and Google to Handle Their Personal User Data Than Apple, Survey Suggests

Wednesday December 22, 2021 6:29 am PST by
According to a new survey, more users trust Amazon and Google to handle their personal user data and internet browsing activity than Apple, while users overwhelmingly distrust Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. The survey conducted by The Washington Post sampled over 1,000 internet users in the U.S. about how much they trust Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Google, Microsoft,...
imac roundup

Report: Redesigned 27-Inch iMac to Feature LCD Display, Not Mini-LED [Updated]

Wednesday December 22, 2021 1:01 am PST by
The upcoming 27-inch iMac redesign will not feature a display with mini-LED but will instead keep the LCD panel previously used, according to industry sources cited today in a report from DigiTimes. The report said that while "speculation about the next-generation 27-inch ‌iMac‌ coming with a miniLED display" has been circulating for some time, the new all-in-one desktop machine will, in fact, ...
Apple Retail Holiday Products iPhone iPad MacBook Watch AirPods AirTag HomePod

Apple Offers Free Two-Hour Holiday Delivery on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch Orders

Wednesday December 22, 2021 12:29 am PST by
Apple is offering customers free two-hour delivery on orders of Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watch orders in select cities ahead of the holiday season, looking to make it more convenient for customers to purchase last-minute gifts. The new offer, which runs from December 22 until December 24, gives customers the option to receive their order on a wide range of Apple products within a...
Intel Not Mac Pro Feature

Macs With Intel Processors Still Coming Amid Transition to Apple Silicon

Tuesday December 21, 2021 9:55 am PST by
While Apple is rapidly transitioning its Mac lineup from Intel processors to its own Apple silicon, it's worth highlighting as 2021 wraps up that the relationship between Apple and Intel hasn't been entirely severed as reports indicate Apple still has one more Intel-based Mac in its pipeline that's yet to be released. With the Mac Pro, Apple is not expected to entirely transition its most...
apple ar headset concept 1

Artistic Renders Offer Best Look Yet at Apple's Upcoming AR/VR Headset

Tuesday December 21, 2021 6:05 am PST by
As 2022 is shaping up to finally be the year Apple announces its long-awaited and rumored AR/VR headset, a new set of artistic renders have offered us our best look yet at what Apple's first headset will look like, based on credible reports citing sources from within the company. The renders, created by concept maker Ian Zelbo, are based on details provided in a report from The Information...
iphonesefront

iPhone SE 3 Reportedly Entering Trial Production Phase With Launch Set for Early 2022

Tuesday December 21, 2021 3:37 am PST by
Trial production of the third-generation iPhone SE is set to get underway in the near future as Apple's suppliers and supply chain increase preparation for mass production of the new handset ahead of a launch reportedly set for early next year. MyDrivers reports today that trial production, a stage in the supply chain ahead of when the device is mass produced, is set to start soon, according ...
appleparknovember

French News Channel Gets Rare Access Into Apple Park, 'One of the Most Secret Places on the Planet'

Monday December 20, 2021 1:45 am PST by
French news channel TF1 has gained rare and exclusive access into Apple Park, calling it "one of the most secret places on the Planet" while speaking to top Apple executives, such as its senior vice president of marketing, Greg Joswiak, and more. In Cupertino, California, ‌Apple Park‌‌ is rarely accessible to anyone who isn't an Apple employee. Before the global health crisis, Apple held...
applesilicon

Apple Silicon Roadmap Based on 18-Month Upgrade Cycle, Claims Report

Monday December 20, 2021 12:59 am PST by
Apple plans to update its Apple silicon chips every 18 months, compared to the annual upgrade cycle of the iPhone and Apple Watch, according to a new report from the Taiwanese Commercial Times. The report, which largely echoes previously reported information, said that industry sources have pointed towards an 18-month upgrade cycle for Apple silicon chips. With that, the report claims that...
facebook

Facebook Crowned 'Worst Company of 2021' by New Survey

Sunday December 19, 2021 2:47 am PST by
Facebook, otherwise known as Meta, has been crowned the worst company of the year, following a turbulent 12 months of controversies, public backlash, and an eventual entire rebrand of the social media giant, according to a survey conducted by Yahoo Finance. Yahoo Finance every year crowns the best company of the year, with Microsoft taking the top spot for 2021. This year, however, Yahoo...
iOS 15 General Feature Purple

iOS 15.3 Beta Leaks With Only Minor Changes as Apple Prepares for More Feature-Packed Updates in the Spring [Updated]

Friday December 17, 2021 6:18 am PST by
What appears to be the initial beta of the upcoming iOS and iPadOS 15.3 update has leaked, revealing that the next major iPhone and iPad update is likely to be focused on bug fixes, performance improvements, and security enhancements, rather than larger features destined to be part of software updates in the upcoming spring. The build of the iOS 15.3 beta, obtained by MacRumors, includes...
woolnut airpods max review

Review: Woolnut's Leather Case for AirPods Max is a Suitable, But Not Perfect All-In-One Travel Solution

Thursday December 16, 2021 7:22 am PST by
Apple's AirPods Max Smart Case is sufficient for the high-end headphones in day-to-day use. When traveling or out and about, however, the case can be problematic given the headphones' canopy remains exposed and prone to be easily damaged when put in a bag or handled with little care. Woolnut's Leather Case aims to provide customers an easy way to store their ‌AirPods Max‌ while traveling or as...
apple fitness workout

Apple Fitness+ Turns One Year Old

Wednesday December 15, 2021 8:48 am PST by
Apple Fitness+, Apple's paid fitness subscription service, officially turned one year old this week. The service was announced in September 2020 and launched on December 14, 2020. Fitness+ was initially only available to customers in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US, but last month Apple expanded the service to many more countries. Apple Fitness+ is centered...
airpods max b

AirPods Max Launched One Year Ago Today

Wednesday December 15, 2021 6:54 am PST by
A year ago today, Apple made AirPods Max available to purchase a week after announcing its first over-ear headphones via a press release on its website. ‌AirPods Max‌ are Apple's first AirPods branded over-ear headphones and are undoubtedly a premium option for customers looking for over-ear headphones in the market. Rumors had initially indicated the headphones would be called "AirPods...
ios15

iOS 15.2 Makes It Easier to Reset Your Locked Device Without Needing a Computer

Wednesday December 15, 2021 1:15 am PST by
iOS 15.2, released this week, introduces the ability for customers to reset and erase their locked iPhone or iPad without needing to connect to a Mac or Windows PC. As outlined in a support document (via 9to5Mac), iOS and iPadOS 15.2 add a new "Erase Device" option for when a device is locked out as a result of multiple failed attempts to enter the device's password. By pressing "Erase...
universal control wwdc

Apple Officially Delays macOS Monterey Universal Control Until Spring 2022

Monday December 13, 2021 9:55 am PST by
Apple has officially delayed Universal Control, a hallmark feature of macOS Monterey and iPadOS 15 announced in June, until Spring 2022. In an update to the iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey feature pages, Apple now indicates that ‌Universal Control‌ will be "available this spring." ‌Universal Control‌, which allows users to use one mouse and keyboard across all of their Macs and iPads, has been...