Eric Slivka

Eric is the Editor-in-Chief of MacRumors and has been writing for the site since 2008.

An avid swimmer and former biophysicist, Eric has been using Apple products for over 35 years and has been interviewed for pieces by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, BBC, CNBC, and other publications.

Eric's current primary role involves day-to-day oversight of the editorial operations at MacRumors, but he also contributes occasional news and review articles while handling various other duties related to the site's operation.

Eric Slivka's Articles

imacs 2011 mountain lion

iMac Reportedly Set to Receive Updates Next Week [Updated]

Tuesday October 16, 2012 6:56 am PDT by
As part of its report detailing part numbers for the "iPad mini", AppleInsider briefly mentions that Apple appears set to launch updated iMacs on October 24, the day after the company's rumored media event.The person also added that Apple is rumored to begin selling new iMac desktops on Oct. 24, one day after the anticipated Oct. 23 event. While there have been rumblings of an iMac update for...
ipad mini part numbers

Part Numbers Reveal Apple's Plan for 24 Different 'iPad Mini' Models [Updated x2]

Tuesday October 16, 2012 6:47 am PDT by
AppleInsider has posted a list of 24 different model numbers said to be for Apple's "iPad mini" scheduled for introduction at a media event next Tuesday. According to the list, the iPad will be available in four basic device variants that presumably correspond to different capacities: P101, P103, P105, and P107. The set of four variants suggests that Apple may be releasing the iPad mini...
lightning connector chips

Apple's Lightning Cable Contains TI Chip 'Likely' to Have Security Features

Monday October 15, 2012 9:05 pm PDT by
Apple's new Lightning connector introduced on the iPhone 5 has generated a significant amount of interest, both from a usage standpoint as the company abandons its nearly decade-old 30-pin dock connector and from a technical perspective. On the technical side, the new Lightning connector uses adaptive technology to enable it to perform a variety of functions with just eight contact pins,...
icloud com shared reminders

Apple Adds Shared Reminders to iCloud.com Web App

Monday October 15, 2012 10:19 am PDT by
While Apple added dedicated Notes and Reminders web apps to iCloud.com last month, the web-based implementation of Reminders left out at least one important feature: shared reminders. OS X Mountain Lion users have been able to share reminders via the native Reminders app as of OS X 10.8.2, but Windows users and others needing to access iCloud via the service's website have been unable to set...
13 inch retina macbook pro display 1

13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro Said to Carry 'Unprecedented' Battery Design, Same Port Layout as 15-Inch Model

Monday October 15, 2012 9:46 am PDT by
With multiple reports now indicating that Apple will be introducing its 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro at next week's rumored media event, details on the machine are also beginning to leak out. According to a forum thread [Google translation] posted to Chinese site WeiPhone.com last week, the new 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro will indeed be launching late this month. The report claims that it will...
retinambp

More Claims of 13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro Coming at Next Week's Media Event

Monday October 15, 2012 9:01 am PDT by
Following yesterday's report from 9to5Mac stating that the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro would be introduced alongside the "iPad mini" at Apple's media event all but confirmed for October 23, AllThingsD now weighs in with its own sources making similar claims.The smaller iPad may be the star of Apple’s as of yet unannounced October 23rd invitation-only event, but it will have an impressive...
ipad mini mockup hand front

AU Optronics Reportedly Making up Ground on 'iPad Mini' Display Production

Monday October 15, 2012 8:12 am PDT by
Amid reports of component yield issues holding back launch supplies of the "iPad mini" earlier this month, it was reported that AU Optronics, which had been slated to produce two million display panels during the third quarter, was experiencing issues that resulted in the company providing only 400,000 units over that time period. AU Optronics was said to be responsible for 40% of Apple's target ...
apple samsung logos

Apple and Samsung Moving into 'Hate-Hate' Relationship

Monday October 15, 2012 6:59 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have long had a complicated relationship, with the two companies locked in numerous court battles linked to their competition in the smartphone and tablet marketplaces even as Samsung serves as Apple's largest component supplier. As tensions have continued to ride high between the two companies, there have been signs that Apple has been trying to cut back on its reliance on...
imac 2012 internals

2012 iMac Said to Carry Thinner Design, Alleged Internals Photo Surfaces

Sunday October 14, 2012 3:28 am PDT by
A forum thread [Google translation] posted to Chinese site WeiPhone.com earlier this month claims that Apple is planning to introduce its next iMac at a press conference either this month or next month, with the new iMac offering a redesigned body with a thinner profile. The report includes a photo of what is said to be the logic board and other internal components of the new iMac. Click ...
ipad mini battery text

Photos of 'iPad Mini' Battery Reveal 16.7 Watt-Hour Capacity

Saturday October 13, 2012 9:50 pm PDT by
MacRumors has received a pair of photos showing what is claimed to be the battery from Apple's forthcoming "iPad mini". The photos show a battery carrying a model number of A1445 and an Apple part number of 616-0641. The battery runs at 3.72 volts, offering 16.7 Whr of energy on 4490 mAh of charge. While we can not confirm the authenticity of the part, the markings are consistent with...
imacs 2011

Apple Expands Seagate Hard Drive Replacement Program for 2009-2011 iMacs

Saturday October 13, 2012 8:01 pm PDT by
Apple yesterday expanded its iMac 1TB Seagate Hard Drive Replacement Program, significantly increasing the number of machines eligible under the program to include iMacs sold between October 2009 and July 2011 with 1 TB Seagate hard drives.Apple has determined that certain Seagate 1TB hard drives used in 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac systems may fail. These systems were sold between October 2009 and ...
apple a6 chip

Apple Reportedly Tapping TSMC for 20-nm Quad-Core Chips with Late 2013 Production

Friday October 12, 2012 6:55 am PDT by
China Economic News Service reports on a research note from Citigroup analyst J.T. Hsu claiming that Apple is working with Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC as its sole supplier for future quad-core chips based on more efficient 20-nanometer processes. The timeline shared by Hsu suggests that the quad-core chips could make their way into products such as the iPad in 2014.Citigroup Global...
swissrailwayclock

Apple Licenses Swiss Railway Clock Design for iPad's iOS 6 Clock App

Friday October 12, 2012 6:23 am PDT by
Last month, we noted that the Swiss Federal Railways service was objecting to Apple's use of its iconic clock design for the new iPad clock app in iOS 6. The Verge now points to a press release [Google translation] from the railway service announcing that a licensing agreement has been reached.For the use of the SBB station clock on devices like iPad and iPhone, the Swiss Federal Railways SBB...
ipadmini small

Apple's 'iPad Mini' Media Event Reportedly Scheduled for October 23

Friday October 12, 2012 5:18 am PDT by
AllThingsD reports that Apple appears to be planning to hold a media event on Tuesday, October 23 to introduce the "iPad mini", Apple's smaller tablet device said to be carrying a display measuring 7.85 inches diagonally.As AllThingsD reported in August, Apple will hold a special event this month at which it will showcase a new, smaller iPad. People familiar with Apple’s plans tell us that the...
jim mergard

Apple Hires Key Chip Designer from Samsung

Thursday October 11, 2012 1:43 pm PDT by
The Wall Street Journal reports that former AMD chip designer and executive Jim Mergard has now moved to Apple after a brief stint at Samsung, marking a significant talent win for Apple in its efforts to build its own chips.The gadget maker has hired Jim Mergard, a 16-year veteran of Advanced Micro Devices who was a vice president and chief engineer there before he left for Samsung. He is known...
lightning adapter teardown

Apple's Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter Torn Apart, Reveals Several Chips and Copious Glue

Thursday October 11, 2012 12:40 pm PDT by
Peter from Double Helix Cables has made a guest post on Gizmodo showing his work to tear down Apple's new Lightning to 30-pin Adapter that began shipping earlier this week. Apple has come under a fair amount of criticism for charging $29 for the basic adapter and $39 for one with a short cable, but Peter notes that based on the electronics inside and the durability of the adapter, the company...
ifixit ipod touch 5gen teardown

iFixit Tears Down Apple's Fifth-Generation iPod Touch

Thursday October 11, 2012 7:16 am PDT by
The teardown experts at iFixit have turned their attention to Apple's fifth-generation iPod touch, moving quickly to examine the internals of the company's redesigned device. The teardown reveals few surprises, but offers a good look at how Apple has been able to pack all of the components into a body that has 20% less volume than the iPhone 5. With a lack of cellular communications...
softbank logo

Japanese Carrier SoftBank Close to Acquiring Sprint?

Thursday October 11, 2012 6:44 am PDT by
The Verge reports on an article from Japanese business newspaper Nikkei claiming that the country's third largest carrier, SoftBank, is close to acquiring U.S. carrier and iPhone partner Sprint Nextel. The report indicates that SoftBank is looking to acquire at least a two-thirds share of Sprint in a deal that would exceed ¥1.5 trillion ($19.2 billion). The Wall Street Journal follows up...
gartner 3Q12 us

Apple Hits New High with 13.6% Share of U.S. PC Shipments in 3Q 2012, Lenovo Captures Worldwide Title

Wednesday October 10, 2012 2:02 pm PDT by
Research firm Gartner today released its preliminary personal computer shipment data for the third quarter of 2012, providing a picture of just how weak market performance was during the quarter. While Apple actually experienced a year-over-year unit decline of 6.1% in the United States, other top vendors with the exception of Lenovo posted even steeper declines, giving the overall U.S. market a...
verge ipod touch 2012 review

Reviews of the Fifth-Generation iPod Touch and Seventh-Generation iPod Nano

Wednesday October 10, 2012 12:13 pm PDT by
With Apple having just begun shipping out its new fifth-generation iPod touch and seventh-generation iPod nano, The Verge has already posted reviews of both devices, weighing the positives and negatives of the substantially redesigned iPods. The Verge's iPod touch review notes that the device is a major upgrade over its predecessor, which essentially dated to September 2010, with across the...