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iPad Air

398 'iPad Air' stories October 2013 - July 2014
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iPad Air 5

The iPad Air was first introduced in 2013 along the iPad mini 2 and the cylindrical “Trash Can” Mac Pro. With a 9.7-inch display, it was really thin and light, weighing only 469 grams – over 25% lighter than its respective predecessor, the iPad 4. But that’s history. Today, iPad Air is even larger, slighty lighter, and more powerful with Apple’s M-Series chips.

The current (6th generation) iPad Air with M3 was unveiled on March 4, 2025 via a press release and became available a week later on March 12, 2025. Along with the new M3 chip, Apple also gave us a new Magic Keyboard to go along with it and an updated version of the base iPad.

Pricing was unchanged for the new iPad Air, with the 11-inch model starting at $599 and the 13-inch model starting at $799. The device is available in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options.

6th gen iPad Air with M3 and its new Magic Keyboard.

Here are some iPad Air with M3 performance stats from Apple:

  • 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU
  • Support for dynamic caching, along with hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing
  • 2x faster than iPad Air with M1
  • 3.5x faster than iPad Air with A14 Bionic chip
  • 40% faster graphic performance than iPad Air with M1
  • 60% faster for AI-based workflows than the M1 iPad Air

You can now purchase the new iPad Air on Amazon.

Be sure to check 9to5Toys first for iPad, and other Apple deals happening across the web.

Asus reportedly sold more tablets than Apple in Japan during first half of 2014

Avatar for Chance Miller Jul 17 2014 - 12:21 pm PT
12 Comments
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Image via <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml1LzNFn8kc">TechSmartt</a>

According to figures released by market research company BCN, Asus sold more tablets than Apple during the first half of 2014 in Japan. Asus’ market share rose 8 percent year-over-year during the first half of 2014, the report claims, giving it a 38.9 percent portion of the tablet market in Japan. Apple, on the other hand, holds a 36.4 percent share (via Nikkei). This is the first time Asus has ever held the top spot in Japan, according to the report.
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9to5Toys Lunch Break: iPad Air from $400, Pixelmator Mac app $16, Samsung EVO 1TB SSD $400, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Jul 16 2014 - 9:30 am PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Apple Deals: 

Mac graphics editing app Pixelmator drops to $16, down from $30

Samsung 840 EVO Series 1TB 2.5″ SATA III Solid State Drive $400 shipped (orig. $850)

Other new deals:

More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promotions:

Android/Microsoft deals:

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9to5Toys Last Call: Target stores 20% off electronics, Samsung 4TB external $115, iPad Air 32GB $490, more

Avatar for Jul 14 2014 - 9:33 am PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Save 15% on electronics at Target stores: Sonos, GoPro, Beats, Nest, FitBit, iPads, more

USB 3.0 External Storage:

Apple iPad Air 32GB WiFi (Space Gray or Silver) $490 shipped (Reg. $599)

Games/Apps: Plex for iOS $2 (Reg. $5), 12 month PlayStation Plus $40, iOS freebies, more


Other new deals:


More deals still alive:

  • Home Deals: Cuisinart Citrus Juicer $20 (orig. $55), kitchen items, more
  • Fashion: Levi’s jeans/apparel additional 50% off + free shipping, J. Crew Factory extra 50% off sale items, more
  • Jabra REVO wireless Bluetooth headphones $115 shipped (orig. $249)

New products/ongoing promotions:

Android/Microsoft deals:

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9to5Toys Last Call: $100 GC w/ iPads, Aros smart AC $249, 15″ Retina MacBook Pro $300 off, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Jul 7 2014 - 9:30 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple Deals:

 

 

Smart Home Deals:

Home theater 1080p 3D projectors: BenQ $699 (Reg. $1,099), Optoma $869 (Orig. $2,499)

Last chance on discounted Mac apps: Name Your Own Price Bundle ($12 minimum to unlock all 10 apps) featuring Path Finder 6, Fantastical, Gemini, Tangerine, Flux 4 and more

Other new deals:

  • New! Canon PIXMA Wireless Inkjet All-In-One printer w/ AirPrint: $99 shipped (Reg. $200)
  • New! Clearance Cases at Best Buy for the iPad Air $10-$15 (Reg. $30-$50)
  • New! Headphones: MEElectronics Bluetooth over-ears $40 (orig. $120), more
  • New! Daily Deals: Klipsch KMC BT Speakers $165-$205, Logitech iPad KB Cover $25, more
  • New! Games/Apps: Infamous Second Son $40, Weathercube free (Reg. $4), more iOS freebies

More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promotions:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

New video compares iPad 6 mockup to iPad Air, showing slight design changes and Touch ID ring

Avatar for Dom Esposito Jun 24 2014 - 9:45 pm PT
18 Comments

A new video published by TLDToday closely examines an iPad 6 dummy unit created around rumors and speculation. The video shows off some design changes and the notable addition of a Touch ID ring. At this point in time, there’s no official news on Apple’s plans to include Touch ID with the upcoming second-generation iPad Air, but it would definitely make sense.

In the video below, the iPad Air is compared to this rumored “iPad 6” dummy showing very small changes between the two. At first glance, the dummy appears to be thinner than the current generation iPad Air, but as we’ve seen in the past these dummy units aren’t exactly 100 percent accurate…


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9to5Toys Last Call: Speck MacBook cases $24, Seagate Slim 1TB portable HDD $55, Logitech iPad Air KB case $35, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Jun 23 2014 - 9:38 am PT
1 Comment

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Apple deals:

Kindle Tablets (certified refurb):  Kindle e-Reader $45 (Reg. $59), 16GB 8.9″ Fire HD $139 (Reg. $199)

Apple iPad mini Smart Cover (multiple colors) as low as $17 from Best Buy (58% off)

Mac $400 Bundle for $10: Fantastical, Gemini, Flux 4, PathFinder 6, Tunes cleaner, DVD Ripper, more

Other new deals:

More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promotions:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

A day in the life of a cycle-touring holiday with Apple (and Garmin) tech

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jun 23 2014 - 7:03 am PT
17 Comments
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Having just returned from a 12-day cycle-touring holiday (you missed me, right?), it occurred to me how much the activity has changed over the years. The basics are still the same, of course: turning the pedals makes the scenery pass slowly by, and by the end of the day you’re 40 or 50 miles away from where you had breakfast. But what used to be a very low-tech activity, involving little more than a paper map and compass, has now turned into something of a technofest – at least for me and a fellow geek friend who joined me. And my MacBook Air, iPad and iPhone are all integral parts of the trip …

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9to5Toys Last Call: Logitech Ultrathin iPad keyboard (refurb) $20, WD 2TB portable HDD combo, Blu-ray/iTunes movies, more

Avatar for Jun 17 2014 - 9:30 am PT
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Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

Bose Soundlink Mini portable Bluetooth speaker (refurb): $135 shipped (Reg. $200 new)

Apps/games:

Apple iPad Air 16GB WiFi $400 (Reg. $499), iPad mini w/ Retina display 32GB WiFi $430 (Reg. $499)

Best Buy slashes $100 off new MacBook Air, deals as low as $650 with .EDU email

Other new deals:


More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promotions:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

 

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How-to: Request an iTunes purchase refund if you have a legitimate reason

Avatar for Jun 14 2014 - 12:00 pm PT
8 Comments

When you purchase an item from the App Store or iTunes, it is possible to obtain a refund on items purchased within the past 90 days if you have a legitimate reason. For example, you might buy the live version of a song when you meant to get the studio version. It is certainly possible to download the wrong app inadvertently, especially on an iOS device.

In this article, I will outline the process of how report a problem (and request a refund) with items purchased in the App Store or iTunes.


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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air $400, 2-pack 128GB USB3 flash drives $80, Weight Gurus smart scale $24, more

Avatar for Jun 11 2014 - 9:23 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

  • Home Deals: Dyson vacuums (refurb) $199, up to 50% off Panasonic electric shavers, patio furniture, kitchen items, more

iPad Air $400 shipped (Reg. $499), iPad mini at Target and Best Buy Stores $199 (Reg. $299)

More iPad deals:

PNY Turbo Plus USB 3.0 flash drives (2-pack) $80 shipped (Reg. $125)

Weight Gurus Smartphone-Connected Digital Bathroom Scale $24 shipped (Reg. $40)

$80 iTunes gift card for $65: save nearly 20% on future app, music, movie purchases

Other new deals:

  • New! Games/Apps: Rocksmith 2014 w/cable $40, iOS freebies, more
  • New! Daily Deals: Panasonic Lumix 16.1MP Camera: $110, Universal Car Mount: $8, more
  • New! Macphun’s Creative Kit+: SnapHeal Pro, Intensify, Focus Pro, more $99 ($260 value)
  • New! Certified Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Gear Smart Watch $90 shipped (Reg. $300)

More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Review: TwelveSouth HoverBar 3 positions your iPad right where you want it

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Jun 3 2014 - 6:00 am PT
8 Comments
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There are times when an iPad can act as a handy sidekick to your Mac, but with a typical iPad stand you end up looking a little like a nodding dog as you look up at your monitor and down at your iPad. The TwelveSouth HoverBar 3 is designed to solve that, positioning your iPad display right next to your iMac or Apple Thunderbolt/Cinema Display.

The HoverBar can also be used on its own to position an iPad more comfortably, especially when using it to watch movies … 
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IDC lowers tablet shipment forecast, expects a 5.5-inch iPhone could cannibalize iPad sales

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 29 2014 - 9:50 am PT
4 Comments

Yet another lowered forecast for tablet shipments this year comes today from IDC following a similar move from Morgan Stanley earlier this month. IDC announced today that it’s lowering its tablet shipment 245.4 million units down from a total 260.9 million units, which is around 12.1% year-over-year growth for the category vs the 51.8% growth last year. We’ve seen how much growth potential there is for tablets vs PCs and smartphones, but IDC’s report notes that tablets might see increased competition from the phablet category this year. The report classifies phablets as smartphones with 5.5-inch to 7-inches and IDC thinks Apple’s new larger iPhone could eat into some of its iPad sales:

“Two major issues are causing the tablet market to slow down. First, consumers are keeping their tablets, especially higher-cost models from major vendors, far longer than originally anticipated. And when they do buy a new one they are often passing their existing tablet off to another member of the family,” said Tom Mainelli, Program Vice President, Devices & Displays at IDC. “Second, the rise of phablets – smartphones with 5.5-inch and larger screens – are causing many people to second-guess tablet purchases as the larger screens on these phones are often adequate for tasks once reserved for tablets.”

IDC notes that the share of smartphone shipments captured by so called phablets doubled from 4.3% in Q1 of 2013 to 10.5% in Q1 of this year. representing 30.1 million units shipped. “As large phones clearly impact near-term tablet growth, IDC expects the market to rebound by shifting its focus back toward larger-screened devices.”

Apple extends education pricing to iPad, offering discounts of $20-30

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy May 28 2014 - 4:10 am PT
7 Comments
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If you’re eligible for education pricing, iGeneration noticed that the discounts available on Macs through the Apple Store for Education have now been extended to iPads. The discounts are modest, ranging from $20 to $30, but it all helps.

Education pricing is available to pretty much everyone working or studying in higher education: students, faculty, staff – even parents of students – as well as employees of K-12 schools.

Discounted iPad prices for the base spec 16GB wifi models are:

  • iPad mini: $279 ($20 off)
  • iPad mini with Retina display: $379 ($20 off)
  • iPad Retina display (4th Gen): $379 ($20 off)
  • iPad Air: $469 ($30 off)

The discounts appear to be rolling out internationally, already available in some countries but not yet all.

If your college belongs to the Apple on Campus program, the same modest discounts on iPads appear to be available, in contrast to the significantly better discounts offered on Macs.

As always, we recommend tuning into 9to5Toys to find the absolute best prices on iPads and all other Apple gear. For example, we recently featured a 16GB iPad Air for $400 ($100 off), 16GB Retina iPad mini with LTE for $355 ($174 off), and a 64GB iPad mini (1st gen) for $349 (orig. $599).

 

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Review: Traditional handmade BUKcase for iPad and iPhone beat expectations

Avatar for Sarah Guarino May 24 2014 - 1:00 pm PT
4 Comments

BUKcase creates handmade cases for Apple products. Each of their products is made-to-order by local master bookbinders in Manchester, England, who use local materials and traditional machinery. Each product comes with a unique personal ID number and a birthday.

To make its products more unique, BUKcase even offer custom engraving options. Since appearing on the television show Dragons’ Den, (the British version of Shark Tank), the company has had tremendous sales growth despite the lack of funding. We had the opportunity to review several of their products below…


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How-to: Conserve battery power on your iOS devices

Avatar for May 24 2014 - 12:00 pm PT
19 Comments

Since the introduction of smart devices, battery power has been and still remains a precious commodity. In this article we will review many of the features and settings of iOS devices that impact battery life, and make recommendations about how to conserve power.

One important thing to keep in mind is that battery life is complex, and the impact of one setting for a specific user may not always reflect the impact of that same feature on another user’s device. It’s also important to note that after you make any changes, be sure to charge your iOS device on a wall charger overnight. This full charge is often needed before any changes will be effective.


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9to5Toys Last Call: Nest Thermostat (2nd gen) $224, Nikon D3200 w/ Adobe LR 5 $330, iPad Air 16GB WiFi $400, more

Avatar for May 19 2014 - 10:12 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:


Readdle’s Calendars 5 for iOS is available for free for the first time ever (Reg. $7)

 

Samsung Smart HDTVs: 46-inch $427 (Reg. $750), slim 48-inch $571 (Reg. $830), 48-inch $735 (Reg. $900)

Games/Apps: Battlefield 4 $25, Logitech PowerShell iOS controller $50, 60% off Tropico titles + DLC for Mac, iOS freebies, more

REI Anniversary Sale knocks 20% off one full-price item, get a GoPro HERO3+ Black for $320 (Reg. $400)


Other deals from today:

More deals still alive:

  • Home Deals: GreenWorks Li-ion cordless blower $60 (Reg. $100), Dyson DC26 Vac (refurb) $180 (Reg. $400), kitchen & patio items, more
  • Headphones: BlueAnt Embrace over ears $32 (orig. $200), Scosche RH over ears $60 (Reg. $149), Powerbeats by Dre. (refurb) $44 (Reg. $149)
  • iClever Aluminum USB 3 4A hubs: 7-port: $25, 4-port: $13 shipped AC
  • Display Deals: Dell 24″ UltraSharp $260 shipped (Reg. $350), three 23″ HP monitors $315 shipped (Reg. up to $480), HDTVs, more
  • HDTV Deals: Samsung 46″120Hz: $512, Samsung 60″: $899, Panasonic 39″ Smart TV $400, more
  • Belkin QODE Bluetooth Portable Keyboard Case for iPad mini: $35 shipped (Reg. $80)
  • uNu Aero 2,000mAh iPhone 5/5s battery case w/ wireless charging pad: $60 shipped (reg. $100)
  • Home Deals: Philips Automatic Espresso Machine $360 (Reg. $1600), KitchenAid Stand Mixer $230 (Reg. $350), more
  • Apple iPad mini 32GB WiFi (black or white): $300 shipped (orig. $429)
  • Bose OE2i On-Ear headphones w/ mic & controls $100 (orig. $180), more from Plantronics and Beyer Dynamic

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

  • ZTE is selling the Firefox OS phone direct via Ebay for $100 shipped

Detailed iPhone 6 mockup compared to iPad Air, iPad mini, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 4s, and iPod touch (4K video)

Avatar for Dom Esposito May 14 2014 - 6:33 am PT
28 Comments

Lately, there has been a storm of rumored iPhone 6 images, renders, schematics, and videos. We’ve seen just about everything that the rumor mill has to offer at this point. All of the mockups that have been floating around may not match up with Apple’s official iPhone 6 design, but they are definitely convincing to an extent.

We recently put together a video comparing an iPhone 6 mockup to the iPhone 5s and fifth generation iPod touch, but what about Apple’s other iOS devices? In the video below, we compare this alleged iPhone 6 design to the iPad Air, iPad mini, iPhone 4/4s, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, and iPod touch. Hopefully this massive comparison will put an end to any other questions regarding the rumored iPhone 6 design, but based on the mockup units we’ve obtained the iPhone 6 is going to be a very large device and possibly feature a sharper 1704 x 960 resolution display.


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Flat iPad sales are here to stay, suggests Morgan Stanley

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy May 12 2014 - 6:21 am PT
11 Comments

Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty suggests that weak iPad sales may be here to stay, reports Business Insider.

We lower our 2014 tablet growth forecast to 12% from 26% on the back of increasing penetration rates and the lack of new, differentiated products […]

Few suppliers were able to communicate a credible argument for a growth re-acceleration this year, however Android appears to be faring better than iOS tablets on the back of lower price points and broader product portfolios.

Huberty says that slow growth is expected despite the fact that tablets are expected to continue to cannibalise the PC market, as more consumers replace PCs with tablets.

Tim Cook would probably disagree. Commenting on the sales slowdown, Cook observed that the iPad was the fastest-growing product in Apple’s history, selling twice as many units as the iPhone and seven times as many as the iPod in the same time periods.

Despite an overall trend for flat iPad sales, Canalys recently reported that Apple remains the world leader in combined PC and tablet sales.

Despite court battles, Apple switches back to Samsung as main iPad display supplier

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy May 12 2014 - 4:05 am PT
4 Comments
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The court battles between the two companies doesn’t seem to have harmed Samsung’s position as a key supplier of components to Apple. DisplaySearch figures show that Apple switched from LG to Samsung as the primary supplier of its display panels for iPad Air and iPad with Retina display last quarter, reports CNET.

Samsung Display reclaimed its position as the top iPad display panel supplier, shipping 5.2 million units of 9.7-inch panels with a resolution of 2,048×1,536, accounting for 62 percent of total shipments of that display size and resolution […]

LG Display […] saw its share of that display size/resolution plunge to 38 percent in the first quarter from about 61 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 …


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Apple’s iPad maintains a narrowing lead, still almost a third of all tablets sold

Avatar for Zac Hall May 1 2014 - 7:03 am PT
7 Comments
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Research firm IDC is out today with new data on the state of the tablet and 2-in-1 market in the first quarter of 2014. As you might expect after Apple’s most recent earnings report, Q1 unit shipments of iPad were down by 3 million from 19.5 million to 16.4 million between 2013 and 2014. For its part, Apple attributes its Q1 2013 iPad sales as inflated due to demand for iPad mini in Q4 2012 being fulfilled in the following quarter when supply was less constrained.

That may be, but the iPad also saw a drop in tablet market share between the first quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014. According to IDC’s data, Apple dropped from 40.2% market share in Q1 2013 to 32.5% market share in Q1 2014 while Samsung saw unit shipments increase as well as marketshare. Despite Samsung’s gains, though, Apple still dominates the tablet market more than any other one company leading Samsung by 10 percentage points in market share.
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Review: Kensington Keyfolio Exact Plus backlit keyboard case for iPad Air

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Apr 29 2014 - 8:19 am PT
13 Comments
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGvBySddOD8]

Having remarked that I don’t generally favor hiding iDevices in cases, I find myself reviewing the second iPad case in a week …

There’s no shortage of Bluetooth keyboards available for the iPad Air, and we previously did a roundup of some of the early contenders from Logitech, Belkin and ZAGG. However, only the ZAGG offered a backlit keyboard for use in the dark, so when Kensington joined the fray, I decided to give it a try … 
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Re/code conference will feature interviews w/ Apple execs Craig Federighi and Eddy Cue

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Apr 28 2014 - 11:37 am PT
6 Comments
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Re/code have just announced that their upcoming Code Conference will feature interviews with Apple’s SVP’s Craig Federighi, head of software engineering, and Eddy Cue, lead of Internet Software and Services. This will take place on the second day of the event, May 28th.

9to5Mac will be live there to cover the event. Re/code will also be posting videos of the interviews throughout the conference. The equivalent conference (the D conference) has historically had a strong Apple presence. The show hosted interviews with Steve Jobs sporadically over his career and played host to Tim Cook for the last two years.


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