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182: Reporting on the World’s Most Secretive Tech Company, with Mark Gurman

August 19, 2026 • 56m

Summary

⏱️ 9 min read

Overview

Mark Gurman, Bloomberg's Managing Editor of Consumer Technology and author of the Power On Newsletter, joins the show to discuss his journey from teenage Apple fanboy to one of the most prominent Apple reporters. He shares insights on breaking major Apple stories, the upcoming CEO transition from Tim Cook to John Ternus, Apple's AI challenges and comeback, and the highly anticipated foldable iPhone. The conversation explores his reporting process, relationship with Apple, and what's coming next for the tech giant.

From Apple Fanboy to Breaking News

Mark traces his journey from being an obsessed Apple customer who waited in line for the original iPhone to becoming a developer and eventually breaking his first major stories at 9to5Mac. His early fascination with products like the U2 iPod and iPhone led him to teach himself coding and create apps, which eventually connected him to the Apple developer community and rumor sites. His big break came in 2011 with hands-on impressions of Siri and the iPhone 4S weeks before the official announcement.

  • Got a green iPod Mini as a birthday gift, fell in love with Apple products, and waited 11-12 hours in line for the original iPhone in 2007
  • Self-taught iPhone app development using Barnes & Noble books and YouTube tutorials, eventually creating 16 applications on the App Store
  • Found the iSlate.com domain registration before the iPad announcement, leading to his first contribution to MacRumors
  • Joined 9to5Mac in late 2009/early 2010 and stayed for six to seven years while balancing high school and college
  • First blockbuster break was hands-on impressions of Siri and iPhone 4S in 2011, weeks before announcement
" I had just never seen that concept of waiting in line for something. And then every year, it became this annual tradition where, okay, the iPhone 3G is coming out, the 3GS, the 4, the 4S, the 5, and it's like waiting in line for these devices. "
" I was a black and red iPod was just the coolest thing I had ever seen. Loved it. I completely agree with you. I think we're a similar age, so we kind of went down very similar pathways. But I also didn't care about U2, but was obsessed with the U2 iPod. "

The Bloomberg Transition and Reporting Process

Mark explains his surprising move from enthusiast site 9to5Mac to business-focused Bloomberg in 2016, which initially drew skepticism. Bloomberg wanted to go deeper into consumer tech products, not just business coverage. Over time, his beat evolved to include both product scoops and corporate reporting. He discusses his rigorous fact-checking process, the importance of being both first and accurate, and how he strategically spaces out stories to maximize readability rather than overwhelming readers with one massive article.

  • Joined Bloomberg in 2016 (10-year anniversary just passed) after skeptics doubted it would work out
  • Initially focused on consumer tech products, not business side, before pivoting to cover both after about two years
  • Bloomberg has strict protocols requiring reaching out to companies for comment before publication
  • Balances being first with being accurate by publishing only what he's 100% confident in, then following up with additional stories as more details are confirmed
  • Spaces out stories into digestible pieces rather than 3,000-word behemoths because modern readers are busy and on mobile devices
" The only implications I consider are whether the story is accurate or not. How the market moves, how the market doesn't move, it's not my concern and it shouldn't be my concern. "
" I would rather not be first to something and be right rather than be first to something and be wrong. People have long memories. I don't want to deal with not being able to sleep at night personally, right? "
" Everyone is on the go. Everyone is reading on their phones. A lot of people don't read past the headline. So taking a story, writing 3,000 words about all these chip plans and product plans and what have you, people are just going to miss the info. "

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