Reasons to hate on OpenAI

In partnership with

Here’s yet another reason to hate on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman: He’s driving up RAM prices.

Thanks to memory shortages — driven in large part by the AI boom — computer and smartphone makers are signaling price increases this year.

Already, several companies have warned of 15% to 20% price hikes this year, including Dell, HP, Acer, Lenovo and Asus, according to IDC.

Apple’s got a full roster of new products coming this year, and all of them require RAM and other storage chips to function.

Apple hasn’t raised prices for years, but as the rest of the industry is already warning of price hikes, the pressure’s on Tim Apple!

Also in today’s newsletter:

And here’s another reason to hate Sam Altman!
To celebrate MLK Day, Apple is offering a free e-book and Time to Walk podcast.
If you order a new MacBook Pro today, Apple won’t ship it to you until February. Here’s why.
Liquid Glass driving you barmy? Here’s how to turn it down — or turn it off entirely.
Episode three of the hottest Apple podcast is out! Check out our hands-on with the upcoming folding iPhone.
It’s no longer true that Macs are immune to malware. Just this past year, Mac malware exploded by more than 75%. MacPaw’s new Moonlock Mac security app looks great, and includes a built-in VPN and network scanner, all for just $30.
My desk is a mess of cables, and I’m sick of it, but how else am I gonna charge my million gadgets? This compact 6-in-1 charger looks great, if just for its retractable USB-C cable.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

Why Apple faces new pressure to raise iPhone and Mac prices

Apple is likely to struggle to get a critical component for all its products this year, which might force it raise prices.

Apple dedicates homepage to Martin Luther King Jr.

Per recent custom, the Apple homepage honors MLK Jr. on his national holiday. And you can get a free book and a Time to Walk podcast.

MacBook Pros disappear from stores — here’s why

The wait times on many MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max stretch out well into February. And that's actually good news!

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Get easy Mac security with Moonlock

Moonlock gives Apple users Mac-first cybersecurity with malware protection, privacy tools and clear guidance — for a simple, one-time payment of $29.99.

How to turn off Liquid Glass in iOS 26 if you hate it

Anyone who can’t stand the look of iOS 26 or macOS Tahoe can turn off Liquid Glass. Several options improve legibility.

Phone 18 Pro might transform the Dynamic Island

Apple is prepping a surprising change to the Dynamic Island with the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro, according to a well-known tipster.

ChatGPT will soon start showing ads

ChatGPT's cheaper Go tier debuts in the United States as OpenAI prepares to test ads for Free and Go users in coming weeks.

^{A message from}^{the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Get a lifetime license to QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024 for Mac at 67% off

If you want to track your income, expenses and more with greater ease, consider investing in Intuit QuickBooks Desktop Pro.

You got Google in my Siri! And a fold in my iPhone! [Cult of Mac podcast No. 3]

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: It's finally official -- Siri is getting a long-awaited AI brain transplant, courtesy of Google Gemini.

Acefast 6-in-1 GaN charging station trades raw power for a cleaner desk [Review]

With its compact design and hefty build, the Acefast 6-in-1 charging station is easy to like, only limited by its 80W power output.

Today in Apple history: Macintosh SE/30 makes good on Mac's promise

On January 19, 1989, Apple introduced the Macintosh SE/30, the greatest of the classic black-and-white Macs.

Cult of Mac’s buyback program

We pay top dollar for used Apple gear

Sell your old iPhone, iPad, MacBook and more through Cult of Mac. Free shipping, fast payment!

^{A message from Wispr Flow}

Better prompts. Better AI output.

AI gets smarter when your input is complete. Wispr Flow helps you think out loud and capture full context by voice, then turns that speech into a clean, structured prompt you can paste into ChatGPT, Claude, or any assistant. No more chopping up thoughts into typed paragraphs. Preserve constraints, examples, edge cases, and tone by speaking them once. The result is faster iteration, more precise outputs, and less time re-prompting. Try Wispr Flow for AI or see a 30-second demo.

Start flowing free

Tweets of the day

— # (#)

Wallpaper of the day

— # (#)

One more thing ...

❝

Heathkits came with all the boards and parts color-coded, but the manual also explained the theory of how it operated. It made you realize you could build and understand anything. Once you built a couple of radios, you’d see a TV in the catalog and say, “I can build that as well,” even if you didn’t. I was very lucky, because when I was a kid both my dad and the Heathkits made me believe I could build anything.

— Steve Jobs, 2011.

Today’s poll

Will Apple raise prices this year?

Results from last Friday’s poll: Be truthful: Are you completely familiar with Apple Watch buttons?

Best reader comments

Subscribe to The Weekender — Get the week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.