Mark Gurman started covering Apple before the first iPad was released — and when he was in high school — and has gone on to the break the news about several new iPhone, iPad, and Mac products, while also providing in-depth previews of upcoming software and services releases.
While writing for 9to5Mac, Gurman has also taken a deep look at Apple’s internal structure with profiles on the Apple Watch’s development and the company’s PR department.
For his work, Gurman has won prestigious awards such as being named to the annual Forbes 30 Under 30 List, the top 16 people to follow in consumer technology, and Time magazine’s top 25 bloggers list.
In 2012, when Gurman was still in high school, Philip Elmer-Dewitt of Fortune wrote, “Gurman is a little worried that the attention he’s been getting — we wrote about him last week and Bloomberg News mentioned his work on Tuesday — could bring down Apple’s wrath.”
In 2013, when he was a freshman at the University of Michigan, Business Insider’s Jay Yarow wrote, “This wasn’t the first time Gurman beat his better funded, more established colleagues. He also broke the news of Siri getting baked into the iPhone, he was one of the first people with iPhone 5 casings, had an early look at Apple’s Maps, and had the inside story of what Tim Cook told Apple’s employees in a recent all-hands meeting, just to name a few of his big stories.”
In 2014, Michael Rosenwald of Columbia Journalism Review wrote, “Becoming a brand before becoming a full-fledged adult has made Gurman’s life a little peculiar to family and friends, and even, at times, to Gurman himself. One morning in the fall of 2011, at the beginning of his senior year in high school, Gurman woke up about 6 a.m. and noticed a missed call from a source. ‘What could they want at 2 a.m.?’ he thought. Gurman fired off a text message. Through a series of exchanges during the school day, Gurman learned that his source had some incredible goods: details of the iPhone 4S and, more importantly, news of Siri. To fanatical iPhone fans, this was Pentagon Papers stuff.”
Earlier this week, Bloomberg News announced it hired Gurman, who graduated from Michigan last month, to cover tech.
Gurman spoke with Talking Biz News by email on Thursday about covering Apple and technology. What follows is an edited transcript.
How did you first get interested in writing about Apple?
From an early age I was fascinated with technology, and after being introduced to the iPod Mini around 2005, I started closely following Apple by looking forward to their announcements and reading the rumor/news websites. At the end of 2009/beginning of 2010 I was digging around into web domains and found evidence that Apple will likely working on a tablet. From there I got into writing about Apple.
That’s not something that a high school student normally does. How did you learn?
I definitely had a technical background given my interests and I learned how to write over time. It wasn’t easy early on, but after lots of practice I think I developed a solid flow and writing process. Seth Weintraub [of 9to5Mac] obviously helped a lot by introducing me to the writing scene.
What tech or business journalists have you looked up to and sought advice from?
I definitely have looked up to Jeremy Horwitz, the former editor of iLounge. He had a long history of extraordinarily accurate Apple reporting and I’m honored to have worked with him and, more importantly, to call him a great friend.
Do you think your age has ever been a hindrance in reporting a story?
Never actually.
How did you develop your sources with Apple?
It’s all about being personable and showing a track record, trustworthiness, and basically “knowing what I’m doing.”
This is a company that’s known to be tight-lipped. How did you build the trust of people inside the company?
Over time, developing relationships.
Did Apple ever pressure you not to write a story, or to tone down a story?
No, Apple hasn’t intervened.
Why did you decide to go with Bloomberg? Did you have other offers?
Bloomberg is an amazing, strong organization that offers many multimedia opportunities for expression, and I’m excited to go beyond Apple and present the news in fresh ways.
You just graduated from college. Shouldn’t you be drinking beer on a beach somewhere?
I’m taking a few weeks off between work, looking forward to coming in refreshed.
In 10 years, where do you want to be?
I’m keeping that close to the vest for now.
