Michael Cohen and Adam Engst explore the context behind Apple’s Q2 2025 financial report, which showed profits of $24.8 billion on revenues of $95.4 billion, with the Services segment hitting a record $26.6 billion. Adam also marks the passing of Sharon Zardetto Aker, one of the earliest and most prolific tech writers in the Mac world, whose contributions to publications like Macworld, MacUser, and TidBITS spanned four decades. In ExtraBITS, Jason Snell’s annual Six Colors Apple Enterprise Report Card reveals that IT administrators are bullish on Apple’s hardware but concerned about declining software quality and innovation. Notable Mac app releases this week include Acorn 8.1.1, BusyCal 2025.2.1 and BusyContacts 2025.2.1, DEVONthink 3.9.10, Fantastical 4.0.11, Hyperspace 1.3, Mellel 6.3.2, PopChar 10.4, Quicken Classic 8.2, and Thunderbird 138.
Although tariff hikes did not materially affect Apple’s revenues and profits for Apple’s second fiscal quarter of 2025, that may change next quarter. Most product categories saw higher revenues than last year’s, with only Wearables posting a decline.
Sharon Zardetto Aker, one of the earliest and most prolific writers in the Macintosh world, has died. Her work at MacUser and Macworld and in books like The Macintosh Bible, The Mac Almanac, and The PowerBook Companion—plus in TidBITS and Take Control—educated and entertained an untold number of Mac users.
Watchlist
Maintenance update for the image editor focused on bug fixes. ($29.99 new, free update, 85.3 MB, macOS 14+)
Hefty collection of new features, improvements, and bug fixes for the calendar and contacts apps. ($49.99 new for each, free update, various sizes, macOS 11.5+)
Maintenance release for the the document and information manager ahead its full version 4.0 release. ($99 new, free update, 135 MB, macOS 11+)
Maintenance update for the calendar app with improvements and bug fixes. ($56.99 annual subscription, free update, 67.1 MB, macOS 12+)
Adds support for scanning Library folders to the space-reclamation app. ($49.99 for lifetime access, free update, 5.0 MB, macOS 15+)
Brings bug fixes to the word processor. ($69.99 new, free update, 105.9 MB, macOS 10.13+)
Adds a new option to view passwords in clear text for easier typo checking. ($34.99 new, free update, 5.8 MB, macOS 11+)
Financial management app improves account value tracking for connected investment accounts. ($71.88/$95.88/$131.88 annual subscription, free update, 3.2 MB, macOS 12+)
Brings over 20 improvements and bug fixes to the email and productivity app. (Free, 135.1 MB, macOS 10.15+)
