2025-01-30 22:05:57
Apple has been ranked as Fortune's Most Admired Company for the 18th consecutive year.
The Fortune rankings are based on a survey of 3,380 business leaders across a range of industries, who assess companies on nine criteria, including innovation, investment value, social responsibility, and the ability to attract talent. Apple once again secured the top spot, followed by Microsoft and Amazon, both of which have consistently ranked among the top three in recent years.
The 2025 rankings highlight the continued dominance of the technology sector, most notably with Nvidia making a significant rise to fourth place for the first time, driven by its growing influence in artificial intelligence and GPU development. The company has benefited considerably from the explosive growth of AI, with its chips serving as the backbone for generative AI models developed by OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft.
While technology companies continue to dominate the upper ranks, other industries remain well represented, with Berkshire Hathaway, Costco, and JPMorgan Chase rounding out the top seven. Meanwhile, ServiceNow, Taiwan Semiconductor, and Novo Nordisk made their debuts in the top 50. Another notable trend in this year's Fortune rankings is the increasing consolidation of American corporations at the top, with all ten of the most admired companies based in the U.S. for the second year in a row.
2025-01-30 18:41:30
Since iOS 18 was released in September 2024, Apple has introduced an unprecedented number of new features and improvements across several point updates. With iOS 18.1, 18.2, and 18.3, users have seen a host of tweaks and changes designed to enhance everything from the Mail app to Camera Control on the iPhone 16.
Below, we've listed 50 of the features and changes that have been rolled out through these recent updates. Keep reading to see if you picked up on them all. You can make sure your iPhone is running the latest iOS 18.3 update by going to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update.
2025-01-30 17:54:50
TSMC founder Morris Chang has revealed that Apple CEO Tim Cook rejected Intel as an iPhone chip manufacturing partner in 2011, and told him that "Intel just does not know how to be a foundry."
In a new YouTube interview with Acquired, Chang recounts how Apple briefly paused discussions with TSMC in February 2011 when Intel's CEO approached Cook about manufacturing Apple's iPhone chips. At the time, Intel was already supplying processors for Apple's Mac lineup.
Despite the existing relationship, Cook ultimately chose TSMC over Intel after just two months of consideration. According to Chang, Cook's decisive comment about Intel's foundry capabilities came during a private meeting at Apple's headquarters in March 2011.
"I wasn't too worried," Chang said, explaining that TSMC had advantages over Intel in manufacturing capabilities and customer trust. "I knew a lot of Intel's customers in Taiwan, and none of them liked Intel. Intel always acted like they were the only guy for microprocessors."
Chang said that TSMC's success was built on its responsive approach to customer needs. "When the customer asks a lot of things, we have learned to respond to every request," he explained. "Some of them were crazy, some of them were irrational, but we respond to each request courteously. Intel has never done that."
The decision proved pivotal for both companies. TSMC went on to become Apple's exclusive chip manufacturer, producing all Apple silicon chips, including those for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Meanwhile, Intel's foundry business struggled for years to gain traction with external customers. Only recently did the company revamp its manufacturing strategy with the establishment of Intel Foundry, set up to produce integrated circuits for external clients. In September 2024, for example, Intel's foundry business secured Amazon’s AWS cloud services unit as a customer for custom AI chips.
2025-01-30 17:21:30
Microsoft has announced an update to Windows 11 that allows iPhone users to access their devices directly from the Start menu, bringing feature parity with its existing Android phone integration.
The new functionality lets you view your device's battery status, cellular connectivity, and recent activities without leaving the Windows environment. You can also access messages, calls, and file sharing capabilities directly from the Start menu interface.
Setting up the integration is straightforward. Just open the Start menu and select "iPhone" from the right-side pane, then follow the on-screen instructions to establish the connection between your iPhone and PC.
The feature is currently rolling out to Windows Insiders in both Dev and Beta channels. To access the new functionality, you must be running Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 4805 or higher in the Beta Channel, or Build 26120.3000 or higher in the Dev Channel. Additional requirements include Phone Link version 1.24121.30.0 or higher and a PC with Bluetooth LE capability.
Note that not all Windows 11 users will have immediate access to the feature. Microsoft says the integration is not supported on PCs running Windows 11 Pro Education or Education SKUs.
2025-01-30 07:11:18
On January 27, Apple released iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3, which means we're now ready for a new round of beta testing. The next betas are rumored to have important new Siri Apple Intelligence features, so when can we expect the software?
There are typically few pauses between beta updates, and Apple often seeds a new beta just a day or two after new software comes out. That's not always the case, though, and sometimes we're left waiting for a couple of weeks. With significant features coming in iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4, there's a possibility that there could be a delay before the betas are introduced.
In past years, there have also been some .4 updates with key features, and historical release cycles can give us some insight into when we might see the .4 betas this year.
2025-01-30 04:23:41
Apple Pay now supports Citi Flex Pay, allowing U.S. Citi credit card holders to pay for Apple Pay purchases over time with the Flex Pay option.
Citi Flex Pay is available for Apple Pay purchases over $75. The default payback period is three months, but there are longer payback durations available with a monthly fee. Flex Pay can be used when making purchases on websites or in apps.
To use Citi Flex Pay, an eligible Citi credit card needs to be added to Apple Pay. When making a purchase, select the Citi credit card and then tap on "Pay Later." From there, select a Citi Flex Pay option.
Apple previously had its own buy now, pay later service called Apple Pay Later, but it was discontinued last year. Apple now partners with third-party providers for pay over time options. Apple's other U.S. partners include Affirm, Klarna, and Synchrony.
