AllYouCanTech

9to5Mac Daily: July 18, 2025 – Examination of Meta versus Apple and News on AirPods

**9to5Mac Daily: Your Daily Source for Technology News Summary**

In the rapidly changing tech landscape, keeping abreast of the latest developments is crucial. 9to5Mac Daily acts as a dependable source for tech fans, providing a summary of the leading stories every weekday. The podcast can be found on multiple platforms, including iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, and via a dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast applications.

**What is 9to5Mac Daily?**

9to5Mac Daily is a podcast that delivers a brief overview of the most important occurrences in the tech realm, with a particular emphasis on news related to Apple. Each episode is crafted to keep listeners informed on the latest trends, product launches, software changes, and insights from the industry.

**How to Listen**

Listeners can effortlessly subscribe to 9to5Mac Daily through their chosen podcast platform. Fresh episodes are produced each weekday, guaranteeing that subscribers receive prompt updates. The podcast is both enlightening and convenient, allowing individuals to catch up on recent news during their daily travel or while handling other tasks.

**Sponsorship and Special Offers**

The podcast frequently features sponsors, like the recent offer from 1Password, which provides a discount for users aiming to improve their online security. With options like a new passkey feature, 1Password seeks to streamline the process of staying secure on the internet.

**Exclusive Content and Support**

For those eager to support the podcast directly, 9to5Mac Daily Plus presents a subscription service that offers ad-free episodes and additional content. This choice enables devoted listeners to savor an enriched experience while backing the creators behind the podcast.

**Engagement and Feedback**

Listeners are urged to express their opinions and feedback. The 9to5Mac team appreciates listener interaction and welcomes comments via email. Furthermore, ratings on platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Overcast contribute to enhancing the show’s visibility, helping more tech aficionados discover the content.

**Conclusion**

9to5Mac Daily distinguishes itself as an essential tool for anyone interested in the latest tech updates, especially within the Apple ecosystem. With its accessible design, compelling content, and dedication to keeping listeners informed, it has evolved into a preferred podcast for daily tech news. Whether you’re a casual listener or a tech expert, tuning into 9to5Mac Daily guarantees that you remain informed about the constantly changing tech landscape.

Apple Initiates Legal Action Against Jon Prosser Regarding iOS 26 YouTube Revelations; Prosser Reacts

Apple has initiated legal proceedings in the Northern District of California against Jon Prosser, accusing him of misappropriating trade secrets and breaching the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. This lawsuit arises from a series of leaks pertaining to iOS 19, which revealed insights into the operating system’s features and design.

The company asserts that it was alerted in April about the leaks, specifically naming Michael Ramacciotti, another defendant, who allegedly accessed the Development iPhone of an Apple employee, Ethan Lipnik. Apple claims that Ramacciotti utilized location tracking to figure out when Lipnik would be away from home, obtained his passcode, and infiltrated the Development iPhone, which lacked sufficient security measures. During a video call with Prosser, Ramacciotti reportedly showcased features of the unreleased iOS 19, which Prosser subsequently recorded and disseminated on his YouTube channel, profiting from the disclosed information.

Apple underscores the significance of confidentiality in its development process and voices concern that Prosser might have additional confidential materials. The company is requesting a jury trial and has detailed various demands, including a favorable judgment, injunctive relief, damages, punitive damages, and an order to avert further exposure of its trade secrets.

In turn, Prosser has contested Apple’s claims on social media, sharing his own narrative of how he acquired the information. As the case progresses, further developments are expected.

Meta Obtains Two AI Researchers from Apple Amidst Internal Reorganization

**Meta’s Strategic Recruitment: Emphasizing AI Talent from Apple**

In a notable development in the tech sector, Meta has recently fortified its AI expertise by bringing on board Ruoming Pang, who previously spearheaded Apple’s foundation model initiatives. This hiring is part of a wider strategy by Meta to boost its Superintelligence Labs team, now poised to incorporate two of Pang’s former associates from Apple, Mark Lee and Tom Gunter.

### Key Appointments from Apple

Mark Lee and Tom Gunter are both esteemed professionals within Apple’s Foundation Models (AFM) division. Lee, recognized as Pang’s inaugural hire at Apple, has already made his move to Meta. Gunter, a prominent engineer and one of the senior figures in the AFM division, departed Apple last month and briefly joined another AI startup before choosing to align with Meta.

The recruitment of these engineers follows Pang’s notable exit from Apple, where he allegedly secured a compensation package surpassing $200 million to join Meta. This transition has sparked speculation regarding the possibility of additional exits from Apple’s AI team, as the organization navigates internal struggles concerning its AI approaches.

### Meta’s AI Aspirations

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has stressed that AI is a primary focus for Meta, and the recent appointments highlight the company’s proactive stance in attracting premier talent within the sector. Meta has been diligently working to draw leading AI experts away from competitors, such as OpenAI and Google. Nevertheless, the present circumstances at Apple, where the company is weighing the decision between maintaining in-house AI models or employing external solutions for products like Siri, offer a unique chance for Meta.

Reports suggest that morale within Apple’s AI divisions is waning, as engineers are under pressure from recent notable setbacks. This atmosphere of uncertainty may be aiding Meta’s success in luring disenchanted talent from Apple, as the company seems ready to take advantage of the situation.

### Conclusion

Meta’s strategic acquisition of Ruoming Pang, Mark Lee, and Tom Gunter signifies a dedicated effort to enhance its AI prowess in a competitive environment. As the tech leader continues to prioritize artificial intelligence, the onboarding of these pivotal figures from Apple could profoundly influence the future of AI innovation at Meta, while concurrently illuminating the difficulties faced by Apple in keeping its premier talent.

New iOS Function Seeks to Remove Spam Phone Calls

### Elevating the iPhone Calling Experience: New Features from WWDC25

During WWDC25, Apple introduced two major features aimed at enhancing the phone calling experience for iPhone users: Hold Assist and Call Screening. These advancements promise to optimize communication and minimize the irritation linked to phone calls.

#### Hold Assist: A Revolutionary Tool for Call Management

Hold Assist is intended to handle calls while users are on hold, removing the necessity to endure monotonous hold music. This feature permits iPhone users to concentrate on other activities without the annoyance of waiting on the line. By automatically managing the call, Hold Assist guarantees that users are not stuck listening to repetitive melodies, thereby improving the overall calling experience.

#### Call Screening: Combatting Spam Calls

The second feature, Call Screening, is poised to profoundly affect how users manage unsolicited spam calls. With the anticipated launch of iOS 26 this fall, iPhones will cease to ring for unknown callers. Instead, the device will pick up the call on behalf of the user and ask the caller to state their name and reason for calling. This proactive strategy aims to deter spam callers, significantly lowering the number of disruptions users encounter during the day.

Spam calls have emerged as a widespread problem, with Americans receiving an average of 3.3 billion such calls each month, according to data from Truecaller. Although the frequency of these calls has experienced a slight reduction recently, the advent of Call Screening will furnish users with an efficient tool to manage their incoming calls more effectively.

In addition to Call Screening, iOS 26 will also introduce a new text screening filter. This will enable users to completely conceal unwanted text messages from their primary conversations list, sorting them into a distinct menu for easier organization.

### Conclusion

Apple’s latest offerings, Hold Assist and Call Screening, demonstrate the company’s dedication to enhancing user experience by tackling common annoyances associated with phone calls. As iOS 26 approaches, users can anticipate a more streamlined and less disruptive calling experience. The excitement surrounding these features indicates that many iPhone users are keen to update and benefit from these advancements.

Adam Mosseri Exits Threads; Meta’s AI Chief to Assume Control of the App

After two years under the leadership of Instagram’s Adam Mosseri, Meta is officially transferring control of Threads to a new leader. Here’s what this shift could signify for the app’s future.

As first reported by Axios, Meta is appointing longtime executive Connor Hayes, previously the head of generative AI product, as the new head of Threads effective September. This transition marks the first instance of someone outside of Instagram taking charge of the text-oriented social app, further indicating that Meta appears to be earnestly considering Threads as more than just an Instagram add-on.

Up to this point, Threads has been managed by Instagram leader Adam Mosseri, who was instrumental in the app’s launch back in 2023. However, in a staff memo sent on Thursday, Mosseri mentioned it’s time for dedicated leadership:

“Given Threads’ maturity, we believe we need a dedicated app lead who can focus all of their attention on helping Threads progress.”

One would concur.

### What implications does this have for the future of Threads?

Hayes has been part of Meta since 2011, occupying product roles across both Instagram and Facebook. He was also a member of the original team that developed the first version of Threads. His new role starts in mid-September, and once integrated, he will oversee all product, design, engineering, and research teams working on Threads. He will continue to report to Mosseri, but the everyday responsibilities are changing.

### 9to5Mac’s perspective

Today’s development arrives at a notable moment for Threads. Just a few days ago, Similarweb reported that while Threads trails behind X in global web traffic, it has been closing the gap on mobile, averaging approximately 115 million mobile daily active users, compared to X’s 132 million.

The appointment of a generative AI executive to lead Threads may suggest the direction Meta intends to take the app moving forward, especially as it proceeds to test AI-generated content in users’ feeds. It is conceivable that, given Threads’ relatively small size in comparison to other Meta apps, the company may be considering utilizing it as a test environment for AI features before implementing them more widely in its other applications.

Do you use Threads? Do you frequently inquire if anyone still engages with Threads? Share your thoughts in the comments.