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The Independent 's David Phelan on Wednesday interviewed Apple's executive chairman Tim Cook at Apple's U.K. headquarters in the Battersea Power Station, and one of the topics they discussed was John Ternus taking over as Apple's CEO. Ternus, who was previously Apple's hardware engineering chief, succeeded Cook as Apple's CEO on September 1 . Cook said the transition "started years ago." "It's been an interesting transition," said Cook. "We really set out to have the best transition ever, a textbook example that people could look back to and learn from. It actually started years ago. Obviously, these things are not quick things and I feel so great about how things are going. I think everything has gone sort of exactly the way I had envisioned it. And it feels fantastic. Because Apple deserved the best." Cook said that he stepped down on September 1, just eight days before Ternus unveiled the iPhone Duo , in part to give Ternus some immediate momentum. "I wanted John to have some wind at his back," said Cook. "And the wind at Apple is very much based on the product cycle. This product cycle feels unbelievably great. The Duo is coming in a few weeks and it's amazing." Cook had the seemingly impossible task of succeeding the legendary Steve Jobs as CEO. Jobs told Cook not to make a decision simply because it is what Jobs would have done, and Cook said that he provided Ternus with similar advice. "The advice I've given him is, make it your own job," said Cook. "Put your time in the things that you can add the most value to around the company. And that means don't mimic me. Just like I didn't mimic Steve. We all have different strengths." Apple and The King's Trust, a charity founded by King Charles III, on Wednesday announced an "immersive new education program to help young people build careers in the creative industries," with more details outlined in our previous coverage . Cook commented on the program in his interview with Phelan. "It's a way for us to give back in a way that is uniquely Apple," he said. "There are a lot of ways to do philanthropic activities, but I think you want to do ones where you can give part of yourself... not just your resource, but part of yourself, and we have such great creative people in the company that can be incredible mentors to these folks." Cook also touched on the new Apple Music Hall inside Apple's Battersea headquarters, describing the performance venue as "uniquely Apple." "I'm not sure there's a lot of people that could do it, and there's certainly not a lot of people that would. Every detail has been thought through, the construction, the design, the technology behind it, spatial audio capabilities: it's the perfect place to perform, whether you're a top-tier artist now, or an emerging artist, one that's just starting out. And it's a commitment to live performance and the recognition that that is so important." Related Roundup: iPhone Duo Tags: John Ternus , Tim Cook Buyer's Guide: iPhone Duo (Coming Soon) Related Forum: iPhone This article, " Tim Cook Explains Why He Stepped Down as Apple CEO Before iPhone Duo Launch " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Apple today announced an upcoming product launch that will take place on Tuesday, October 13. We are expecting Apple's announcement to focus on new smart home products, including the long-rumored smart home hub, a new Apple TV 4K, and a refreshed HomePod mini . The home hub is an all-new device that's like a cross between an iPad and a HomePod . It's rumored to have a 6-inch square display, and it's designed as a multi-person device to control smart home products, place FaceTime calls, watch videos, get news and weather information, stay up to date on calendar events, and more. It will integrate with Siri AI, and voice will be the main method of interaction. Apple envisions people installing a hub in multiple rooms in the house. There will be a version meant to be mounted on the wall and a version with a half-dome speaker base, similar in design to the iMac G4. A camera and a presence sensor will detect when a person is in the room, and the device will be able to tell who it is to show a customized interface with widgets and apps. Pricing could be around $350. Welcome home. October 13. https://t.co/ChelGSDOTI — Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) October 8, 2026 The ‌HomePod mini‌ is going to get new colors, an N1 networking chip for improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a faster S-series processor that will support ‌Siri‌ AI. The ‌Apple TV‌ 4K is going to get an A19 or A19 Pro chip, a RAM upgrade, the same N1 chip as the ‌HomePod mini‌, and an upgraded ‌Siri‌ Remote. There is an OLED iPad mini in development, and it could come during the home event. The ‌iPad mini‌ is expected to be more water-resistant with a faster chip and the first ‌OLED‌ display in a smaller tablet size. Timing on the October 13 product launch is unknown, and it is also unclear if there will be an event component or if the devices will debut via press release. Some members of the media have been invited to an "Apple Experience" set to take place in Tribeca, New York on October 13 at 9:00 a.m. Attendees will likely get hands-on time with the new products Apple introduces. Rumors suggest Apple has several Macs coming before the end of the year, but those could be introduced at later in the year instead of during the home product launch. This article, " Apple Product Launch Announced for October 13: 'Welcome Home' " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Amazon today announced a new lineup of Alexa Tablets , introducing three aluminum tablets with Google Play access, integrated Alexa+, and prices starting at $229.99 to compete with Apple's iPad lineup. The new tablets run Android, moving away from Amazon's Fire OS and its separate app store. Google Play support brings access to apps such as YouTube, Gmail, and Google Docs, addressing a longstanding limitation of Amazon's tablets. The flagship Alexa Tablet 12 Pro starts at $499.99 with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, aiming to rival the iPad Pro at a significantly lower price point. It features a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 chip, a 12-inch display with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz and a 3:2 aspect ratio, a 6.5mm-thick aluminum body, Wi-Fi 6E, and quad Dolby Atmos speakers. Amazon claims that the device has up to 16 hours of video playback. A $549.99 version adds a "Nanomatte" display, using precision-etched glass developed with Corning to reduce glare. Higher configurations offer up to 16GB of RAM. Unlike Apple's nano-texture display option , which requires a 1TB or 2TB ‌iPad Pro‌, Amazon's matte finish is available with 128GB of storage. Amazon is also introducing a $149.99 Pro Keyboard and $89.99 Pro Pen for the 12-inch model. Both attach magnetically, while the keyboard includes a trackpad and connects without Bluetooth pairing. The pen supports pressure sensitivity and wireless charging, and the tablet supports multiple app windows for multitasking. The Alexa Tablet 11 starts at $329.99 with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, offering an 11-inch 2.5K display with a 90Hz refresh rate. A 128GB version costs $379.99. The smaller Alexa Tablet 8 starts at $229.99 with an 8.7-inch display, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Alexa+ can answer questions and control smart home devices through voice or touch. An optional On-Screen Intelligence feature lets the assistant respond to displayed content, with screen access disabled by default and a visual indicator when active. Tablet-specific Alexa+ access is included, while full access across compatible Alexa devices requires Prime membership or a separate Alexa+ subscription. The lineup also introduces a Kindle reading mode that silences notifications and reduces blue-light output. Amazon quotes up to 20 hours of reading on the 11-inch and Pro models, and up to 19 hours on the compact model. The tablets undercut several models in Apple's lineup. The Alexa Tablet 11 starts below the $449 entry-level iPad , although Apple's model includes 128GB of storage. The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro costs less than the $749 11-inch iPad Air , while offering a larger display and higher refresh rate. Apple's $1,199 ‌iPad Pro‌ offers a tandem OLED display and an M5 chip. Amazon also announced Kids tablets in 8.7-inch and 11-inch sizes, starting at $229.99 and $329.99, respectively. Versions for ages three and up include a soft bumper case, while those for ages six and up come with a slim hard case. Each includes a year of Amazon Kids+ and parent-managed access to Google Play. Parents can set screen-time limits, filter content, and monitor activity through the Parent Dashboard, also available on iOS and Android. A new AI-powered Storybuilder feature lets children use their voices to create illustrated stories. Orders open today, with shipping starting October 14 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on October 19. The Kids models also launch in Japan on October 14. Tags: Alexa , Amazon This article, " Amazon Unveils New iPad Rivals With Alexa+ and Google Play " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
