eXtensions - Monday 4 August 2025
By Graham K. Rogers
As expected Apple's operating systems were updated last week. Also last week Apple released its Q3 2025 figures, beating Wall Street guesses by some $2 billion (and more). With AI lagging Wall Street of course claims Apple is doomed. There is some good TV around with more to come.
During the week, Apple released updates to its operating systems. As usual there were bug fixes and security updates, although some specific apps also saw changes. macOS reportedly had minor changes to several of the apps (Hoakley, Eclectic Light Company), while there was a specific fix for Photos on the handheld devices. I am unsure why, but the iPadOS update for the iPad mini and the iPad Pro were different sizes: perhaps specific firmware changes, or other features that one of these devices has.
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As ever, the watchOS needed a little care. While I checked that all of the other devices had been backed up before updating them, I put the Watch on the charger before I downloaded the update. After the usual hesitation when the download started (2 days?), the Watch was soon ready to use again. I do not know why, but I always forget the AppleTV: perhaps because the installation takes so long and I am keen to watch content.
Apple released the Q3 2025 financial results, once again outperforming the highest analyst's predictions by some $2 billion over the quarter. One of those analysts was around $5 billion shy of what Apple produced, with the lowest estimate of $89.1 billion, suggesting that some of their predictions are putting investors at risk. Apple added to this by reporting that, rather than losing sales in China, these had been higher than all the predictions with 4% growth. Of course, rather than eat humble pie, these analysts immediately went into hand-wringing mode predicting doom if Apple does not come up with AI real soon.
I would remind the analysts (and their media cheerleaders, like MDN), that AI has been available for a while, although some of us choose not to use it. In my case, I have tried and found it (like other AI sources such as ChatGTP and Gemini) to be wanting. These may be OK if I want a list of ideas, but as we discussed last time, for any serious writing, particularly in the academic sphere, what I have seen so far is wanting and badly in need of a good edit. My distaste for AI extends also to the Clean Up feature in Photos (on Macs and handheld devices).
Apple provided a press release of the Q2 2025 figures:
Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2025 third quarter ended June 28, 2025. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $94.0 billion, up 10 percent year over year, and quarterly diluted earnings per share of $1.57, up 12 percent year over year."Today Apple is proud to report a June quarter revenue record with double-digit growth in iPhone, Mac and Services and growth around the world, in every geographic segment," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "At WWDC25, we were excited to introduce a beautiful new software design that extends across all of our platforms, and we announced even more great Apple Intelligence features."
"We are very pleased with our record business performance for the June quarter, which generated EPS growth of 12 percent," said Kevan Parekh, Apple's CFO. "Our installed base of active devices also reached a new all-time high across all product categories and geographic segments, thanks to our very high levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty."
Apple's board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.26 per share of the Company's common stock. The dividend is payable on August 14, 2025 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 11, 2025.
Note that comment at the end of paragraph 3, "thanks to our very high levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty." Whatever the analysts may claim, the way all the devices hang together and give people like me a high level of productivity, counts for a great deal. As a footnote to that, Apple announced at the Conference Call that the company has now shipped 3 billion iPhones. That is 2 billion since 2016 (Christian Zibreg, iDownload Blog).
Several sources that are worth looking at reported the figures and made comments:
No summary of an Apple financial report would be complete without the conference call. As usual, Jason Snell (Six Colors) does his usual first-rate job with the "This is Tim. . ." transcript. Cook opens with some figures and PR, before comments on AI and its importance to the company. As others have noted, Apple may not be first to the game, but the job is usually done better. He also mentioned the upcoming release of the various OS26 versions and liquid glass, wearables, and health. Services are doing well with 13% growth, while the media output (AppleTV and movies) are making gains.
After Tim Cook's lengthy statement, CFO Kevan Parekh provided more details about the finances. He included this comment of news about this country: "In Thailand, Siam Commercial Bank, one of the largest Thai banks, has deployed thousands of iPads across their branches to enhance the quality and efficiency of their banking operations, from loan services to wealth management." I had not seen that mentioned before.
Parekh of course mentioned the tariff situation and has to assume "that the global tariff rates, policies, and application remain in effect as of this call, the global macroeconomic outlook does not worsen from today" for the future outlook; and that the current browser deal with Google continues ($18-20 billion p.a.). He expects that the next quarter will improve year over year.
It was then time for the analysts' questions. One asked about tariffs and Cook replied that Apple are really just estimating the cost of it. They are trying to optimize the supply chain and will do more in the United States: 500 billion investment over the next four years, and already building chips in Arizona, plus semiconductors across 12 states and 24 factories and more. A number of questions were on AI, but for the last Cook said that Apple had bought 7 companies during the year, "not all AI oriented" (in other words more than one was) and that these are chosen if they can help "accelerate the roadmap". Despite a major effort in some sections of the media, none of the questions were about Tim Cook and his future as CEO, so I guess the financial analysts are satisfied.
I have been watching a rather violent German police series, Dogs of Berlin. It is compelling viewing and all of the main characters are flawed. It plays out following the murder of a star Turkish player, with conflicts between Middle-eastern gangs, corrupt police (not all) and football officials, Yugoslav mafia, betting scandals, and neo-nazis. There is a lot of blood, sex and violence, but it kept me glued to the screen. This is another of the rather good foreign language series and movies that Netflix brings to the table. I have to concentrate when I am eating otherwise I may miss some important information in the subtitles, but there is always the rewind button.
With Stick and Murderbot finished on AppleTV, I am left with Foundation which is continuing and Smoke, about an arsonist fire investigator. As well as star, Taron Egerton, we have John Leguizamo, Greg Kinnear, and there is a chilling performance from Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine. I find Foundation immensely rewarding as the production has been done so well, including the script; and the acting works well for me. I am tempted to read the books again.
The Apple Books app is hopeless here as the only works listed are all out of copyright. I do add the occasional PDF myself. No new titles are available and nothing can be bought. That does mean, however, that there are a lot of older works that are available free, such as (I used search) John Galsworthy's The Foundations. Like many in the UK I was delighted by the TV series The Forsyte Saga [fore-sight] when it appeared on the BBC in the 1960s. When I had time, I read the book (it was published in 5 parts originally) and found that in print it had a totally different interpretation: it was about the fall of the Victorian era.
I rather enjoyed, Presumed Innocent on AppleTV, with Jake Gyllenhaal. This has been renewed for a second season, although presumably the cast will be different. Patently Apple reports that season 2 is "based on Jo Murray's debut legal thriller Dissection of a Murder". It stars Rachel Brosnahan with Jack Reynor. There is a short summary of the story in the article. Marcus Mendes (9to5Mac) reports that Will Smith (not that one) a main writer for Slow Horses, which is due to return in September, is leaving after the end of Series 5. It will continue to Series 7 and it appears the decision to hand over the reins is a creative one. David Snow (Cult of Mac) reports that another series based on the books of Mick Herron, who wrote the books Slow Horses is based on, is to appear soon on AppleTV. Down Cemetery Road, is a detective series and will star "Academy Award winner Emma Thompson and Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson". The article has an expanded look at this series that will be with us in late October.
This week, I saw the first two episodes of the new AppleTV series, Chief of War. Set in the Hawaiian Islands just before the arrival of Europeans (British) it focuses initially on power struggles between the island kingdoms: before the Europeans arrive en masse. There was some slight memory for me of the 2006 Mel Gibson movie, Apocalypto. That ended with the arrival of the Spanish. Unlike European series on Netflix and AppleTV, the language, despite subtitles, is hard to grasp. The main character of this is played by Jason Momoa, who is also billed as co-creator and executive producer. As well as much hand to hand combat, and a large cast list, the other main character (for me) is the spectacular scenery.
One of my favorite movies was 28 Days Later which was the first time I had seen Cillian Murphy. This was made in 2002. Danny Boyle made the movie using
the Canon XL1 hand-held camera, which increased the gritty reality of many of the scenes while adding to the immediacy for viewers. Fast forward to 28 Years Later and technology has advanced. Boyle and his camera team used the iPhone 15 Pro Max: in some cases several of them put together in a rig. Apple has released a short video that gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how these were used.
There is also a short BBC video of Danny Boyle in Cheddar Gorge where some of the film was made. Boyle's enthusiasm and gratefulness for the use of the scene is lovely to watch (Clara Bullock, BBC). I am looking forward to seeing the movie.
Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. After 3 years writing a column in the Life supplement, he is now no longer associated with the Bangkok Post. He can be followed on X (@extensions_th). The RSS feed for the articles is http://www.extensions.in.th/ext_link.xml - copy and paste into your feed reader.
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